NEW YORK – September 17, 2026 -- Crude settled near $100 a barrel Friday after Iranian state media said Tehran would meet Gulf states in Oman to discuss the Strait of Hormuz, capping a second consecutive weekly gain despite the pullback. The International Energy Agency now forecasts global oil demand will fall by 2.5 million barrels a day in 2026, roughly 940,000 barrels a day deeper than its estimate a month earlier, while the U.S.

Abu Dhabi – September 17, 2026 -- Miral will invest more than AED 12 billion in Yas Island over the next five years, funding new attractions, expanded theme parks and additional hotel capacity across the Abu Dhabi destination.

Alameda – September 17, 2026 -- Alveo Technologies has signed a distribution agreement with Alliance Global (AGBL) to deploy its on-farm avian influenza diagnostic across Africa, Central Asia and select Eastern Mediterranean countries, as global bird flu outbreaks have infected at least 633 million domestic birds worldwide, including more than 208 million in the U.S. alone.

Riyadh – September 17, 2026 -- TransPerfect Legal has launched an expanded in-country legal technology offering in Saudi Arabia, combining Relativity Server, Reef Discovery, and Brainspace for the first time within the Kingdom's borders.

Riyadh hosting keeps legal data within Saudi jurisdiction

The new hub allows legal and regulatory teams to process, analyze, and review data without it leaving Saudi Arabia, addressing sovereign data infrastructure requirements tied to the country's digital transformation push.

Riyadh – September 16, 2026 -- Thunes has expanded its Direct Global Network to add payout services across six Middle East markets, giving Members faster and more transparent access to bank accounts, mobile wallets, and cash pickup points in Bahrain, Lebanon, Oman, South Yemen, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates.

Ajman, UAE – September 16, 2026 -- The Ajman Department of Tourism, Culture and Media will participate in Arabian Travel Market 2026, running September 14-17 at the Dubai World Trade Centre under the theme 'Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology.'

New York – September 16, 2026 -- FAZE Security has exited stealth mode with 50 enterprise customers, including several Fortune 500 firms, after posting roughly 20X annual recurring revenue growth in 18 months. The company, formerly known as CYTRIX, also disclosed $6 million in seed funding led by New Era Capital Partners, with participation from Lockstep VC.

Johannesburg – September 16, 2026 -- Geely Riddara officially launched right-hand-drive versions of its RD6 and RD6 ECON new energy pickups in South Africa on August 28, extending its footprint in the Southern African commercial vehicle market.

Riddara holds 47.9% share of China's new energy pickup market

Riddara has ranked No. 1 in China's new energy pickup segment for four consecutive years since 2023, reaching a 47.9% market share in July 2026. The brand also leads new energy pickup sales in Thailand, Chile and Uruguay.

Osaka – – September 15, 2026 -- EFM, an ICAT Company, managed more than 100 shipments and moved an estimated 300 to 400 metric tons of air freight for Saudi Arabia's pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, a logistics operation that began with site surveys in late 2024, months before the pavilion's April 2025 opening.

Riyadh – September 15, 2026 -- Dr Hanan H. Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, has launched her candidacy for WHO Director-General after being nominated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, pledging to build "a WHO the world can count on."