Author: Mahdeehassan

As part of its Emerging Markets conference focus, SBC Summit 2025 will shine a spotlight on Africa’s booming gambling ecosystem, offering stakeholders targeted insights and real-world strategies for growth in the region. The Emerging Markets – Africa track will take place on Tuesday, 16 September, at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL), and feature five expert-led sessions designed to guide delegates through the continent’s most promising opportunities, operational challenges, and regional nuances. The track will cover several key markets, from established territories like South Africa to emerging ones such as Ghana. Delegates will hear directly from the industry figures shaping the African landscape and…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Etihad Airways is set to enhance its Kolkata service with the introduction of the next-generation Airbus A321LR, reinforcing its commitment to the Indian market. Starting 26 September 2025, all Etihad flights between Zayed International Airport, Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata (CCU) will be operated by the state-of-the-art A321LR, offering guests an upgraded travel experience across all cabin classes. The aircraft is equipped with luxury First Suites, fully lie-flat Business seats, and a cutting-edge Economy class featuring ultra-modern 4K touchscreens and high-speed Wi-Fi, ensuring seamless connectivity throughout the journey. The Airbus A321LR…

Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain: Mawarid Finance has announced today the launch of smart Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals for digital payments, in collaboration with Arab Financial Services (AFS), the leading digital payments solutions provider and fintech enabler in the Middle East and Africa. These cutting-edge POS terminals will now be available across retail outlets, stores, malls, and service providers, enabling merchants to accept seamless digital payments using all major credit and debit cards, as well as various digital wallets—delivering a faster, safer, and more convenient checkout experience for customers. Mr. Rashid AlQubaisi, Chief Executive Officer of Mawarid Finance, stated: “As the financial landscape…

London – Gatehouse Bank, a Shariah-compliant ethical bank, majority owned by Kuwait shareholders, has published its annual results for the year ending 31 December 2024. The Bank reported a post-tax profit for 2024 amounting to £3.8 million (up 20% from £3.2 million in 2023), marking its fifth year of profitability. In line with its business strategy for the year, the Bank managed growth across its core markets, with total home finance originations amounting to £148 million. 2024 Key Highlights Home Finance The Bank completed a forward flow arrangement to originate £650 million of home financing to a third party, in addition to originating for the Bank’s…

Riyadh: Following the approval of the Transport and Logistic Services Privatization Supervisory Committee, chaired by H.E. Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, the Roads General Authority (RGA), in collaboration with the National Center for Privatization & PPP (NCP), announced the launch of the Expression of Interest (EOI) phase for the One-Stop Station (OSS) Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project. The project will be executed under a 30-year Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain (DBFOM) contract and tendered in three separate waves, comprising six packages. The packages are of similar scope and transaction structure, with a phased procurement approach designed to ensure a competitive…

Savvy Games Group (“Savvy”), Saudi Arabia’s National Champion for Games and Esports, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Applied College in Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (“PNU”), the largest women’s university in the world, to provide students with best-in-class training in Game Art, an essential component of video game development. The Game Art training program is jointly developed between Savvy and Applied College in PNU and is expected to start in September 2025. The program blends academic excellence with real-world expertise, ensuring students receive cutting-edge training that meets global standards. The program will cover essential aspects…

Elche (Spain). PLD Space, an international space services company with vertical integrated engineering and manufacturing, has been preselected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to participate in the European Launcher Challenge (ELC), the largest European program aimed at fostering new sovereign launch capabilities on the continent. ESA officially launched the ELC this year as a strategic initiative that will award up to €169 million per company in its final phase. The program is structured in two components: contracts for launch services of ESA institutional missions between 2026 and 2030, and a development track requiring a demonstration of enhanced launch capacity by…

Cairo: Contact Creditech, the digital consumer finance arm of Contact Financial Holding, has announced a strategic partnership with Kashier, one of the leading online payment gateways in Egypt and the Middle East. The collaboration will enable the integration of the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) service from the ContactNow app into Kashier’s payment system, representing a strategic move to expand Contact’s customer base and strengthen our digital footprint in the Egyptian market. This collaboration marks a key step in Contact Now’s strategy to expand its digital offerings and enhance the customer experience. By providing flexible installment plans and seamless digital payment…

Doha, Qatar: University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Naseem Health Care LLC, a leading regional medical services provider. The agreement will provide discounted healthcare services to UDST’s students and employees, while also offering on-campus health campaigns and awareness lectures. Through this agreement, Naseem Health Care will offer a wide range of discounted services and provide onsite check-ups that include dental screenings, blood pressure and sugar level measurements, as well as dermatological consultations. The collaboration also includes free consultations at Naseem’s premium medical centers and medical support for UDST events. This initiative reflects…

Abu Dhabi, UAE: Line Investments & Property SP LLC, the shopping mall development and management arm of Lulu International Holdings Ltd, has successfully concluded the much-anticipated Summer Shopping Carnival, a dynamic month-long festival that transformed the retail experience across 12 malls in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Dhafra. The Summer Shopping Carnival offered visitors 31 days of exclusive promotions, global-themed experiences, cultural activations, live entertainment, and the chance to win exceptional prizes. Shoppers who spent AED 200 or more had the opportunity to enter two types of draws: a digital raffle draw to win brand-new Chevrolet Spark EUV vehicles presented…