UAE: New Smart System to Combat Illegal Financing

The development of the Fawri Tick system aligns with the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force, FATF. WAM
The development of the Fawri Tick system aligns with the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force, FATF. WAM
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UAE: New Smart System to Combat Illegal Financing

The development of the Fawri Tick system aligns with the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force, FATF. WAM
The development of the Fawri Tick system aligns with the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force, FATF. WAM

UAE’s National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Illegal Organizations announced in its sixth meeting, the launch of ‘Fawri Tick’, a smart system developed by the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, FANR.

"Fawri Tick is under the supervision and management of the sub-technical committee comprising of members of the National Committee and the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation," Emirates News Agency, WAM, quoted the UAE Central Bank as saying in a statement on Tuesday.

The development of the Fawri Tick system aligns with the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force, FATF, and the relevant Security Council requirements to undertake necessary actions towards illegal financing.

Fawri Tick, is a unified system that integrates and aggregates various Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing, AML/CFT, cases across federal and local authorities, facilitates communication among all relevant authorities allowing necessary actions and decisions for the relevant case to be implemented in a very short timeframe.

Abdulhamid M. Saeed Alahamadi, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE and Chairman of the National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Illegal Organizations Committee, said: "The launch of Fawri Tick system reflects our efforts and commitment towards achieving the National Strategy for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism.”

“The smart platform allows the UAE to apply strict control measures to respond effectively to financial crimes and more importantly eliminate them in a timely manner. The UAE remains committed to applying best in class technology to address the menace of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing crimes."

Commenting on the launch, Christer Viktorsson, Director-General of FANR, said: "Today’s announcement marks a major milestone for the UAE in its ongoing efforts to combating money laundering and eradicating terrorism sources.”

“FANR, being a member in the sub-committee to combat financing of terrorism, financing of illegal organizations and proliferation financing, is delighted to work with federal and national stakeholders to develop such a smart platform. FANR employed both its mandate as a nuclear regulator and its innovative technologies, in cooperation with subcommittee members, to develop the platform to provide timely information and measures. Collaboration is of paramount importance for FANR to achieve UAE goals. Fawri Tick platform is the fruit of the cooperation that will serve such a critical sector."



Saudi E-Commerce Hits Record Monthly Sales over SAR30.7 Billion in October

A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA file)
A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA file)
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Saudi E-Commerce Hits Record Monthly Sales over SAR30.7 Billion in October

A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA file)
A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA file)

E-commerce sales in Saudi Arabia via "mada" cards soared to an all-time monthly high in October 2025, surpassing SAR30.7 billion.

The surge in sales represents a 68% year-on-year increase, totaling about SAR12.4 billion more than the SAR18.3 billion recorded in October 2024, according to the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) statistical bulletin on Wednesday.

E-commerce sales for the third quarter (Q3) of 2025 hit SAR88.3 billion, up 15.2% from the previous quarter, representing an increase of about SAR11.6 billion over the SAR76.6 billion recorded in Q2.

On a monthly basis, e-commerce sales in October rose 6%, gaining approximately SAR1.6 billion over September’s total of SAR29.1 billion.

From January to October, "mada" data showed e-commerce sales grew 47.3%, rising by around SAR9.9 billion over the SAR20.9 billion recorded in January.

These figures cover transactions made via "mada" cards on e-commerce websites, apps, and digital wallets, and do not include credit-card payments.


Jeddah's King Abdulaziz Airport Launches First Direct Flight to Moscow

The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)
The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)
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Jeddah's King Abdulaziz Airport Launches First Direct Flight to Moscow

The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)
The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)

Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) celebrated the launch of its first direct flynas flight to Moscow, operating three weekly flights between Jeddah and Vnukovo International Airport.

This initiative, in partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority and the Air Connectivity Program, boosts air links between Saudi Arabia and Russia.

It marks KAIA's third direct Russian destination, following Makhachkala and Mineralnye Vody, which were inaugurated earlier this month by Azimuth Airlines.

The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location.


China Widens Foreign Investment Incentive List to Stem Falling Inflows

People visit a shopping center in Beijing on December 20, 2025. (AFP)
People visit a shopping center in Beijing on December 20, 2025. (AFP)
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China Widens Foreign Investment Incentive List to Stem Falling Inflows

People visit a shopping center in Beijing on December 20, 2025. (AFP)
People visit a shopping center in Beijing on December 20, 2025. (AFP)

China on Wednesday listed more sectors eligible for foreign investment incentives, from tax breaks to preferential ​land use, in its latest effort to stem a prolonged decline in overseas capital inflows.

Under the 2025 edition of the catalogue of industries for encouraging foreign investment, China added more than 200 and revised about 300, with a ‌focus on ‌advanced manufacturing, modern services and ‌green ⁠and ​high-tech ‌sectors, the list jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the commerce ministry showed.

The new catalogue, which takes effect on February 1, 2026, replaces the 2022 version and continues a policy framework ⁠that offers foreign-invested enterprises tariff exemptions on imported equipment, preferential ‌land pricing, reduced corporate income ‍tax rates in ‍designated regions and tax credits for reinvestment ‍of profits.

The catalogue also extends incentives to central and western regions, as well as the northeast and Hainan, as Beijing seeks to attract ​more foreign investment into less developed areas.

China has in recent months ⁠taken a raft of measures to boost foreign investment, including pilot programs in Beijing, Shanghai and other regions to expand market access in services such as telecoms, healthcare and education, amid trade tensions with the United States.

Foreign direct investment in China totaled 693.2 billion yuan ($98.84 billion) from January to November this year, down 7.5% from the ‌same period last year, data from the commerce ministry showed.