US navy ramps up Middle East buildup, second carrier en route
According to a defense official, there are currently 10 warships and an aircraft carrier positioned within the Central Command area of responsibility, along with two additional vessels on the outskirts of the region.
Geostrategy
‘Innovation takes time—The Gulf’s economic transformation requires patience and persistence’
In an interview with TRENDS, Josh Lerner says Gulf economies pursuing diversification must recognize that transformation takes time, patience, and resilience through inevitable ups and downs.
Economy
Weaker dollar creates window for international property buyers in Dubai
For British buyers, the impact is substantial. A AED 5 million property that cost £1,098,901 in January 2025 now costs just £994,036—a saving of nearly £105,000, or 9.45%. Similar gains apply to buyers from the EU, Japan, China, and other regions with currencies that have strengthened against the dollar, writes Charles Philion, co-founder Pure Value
Dubai faces substantial supply headwinds that may absorb currency-driven demand without triggering significant price gains. Approximately 45,000-50,000 new residential units are expected in 2025-2026, with vacancy rates elevated in older secondary locations, he adds.
Gulf startup hubs: Converging strategies, diverging ambitions
Despite fierce branding as rivals, Gulf startup hubs share capital, policy, and talent structures that are quietly shaping distinct, globally ambitious growth paths.
Interview
Gaming, esports GCC’s new growth play
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the gaming surge with world-class ecosystems and youth-driven expansion. Across the region, governments increasingly recognize gaming and esports as key drivers of future economies.
Economy
Sovereign tech: Building a regional stack, not rival silos
As Gulf states race to build sovereign AI and cloud infrastructure, the real opportunity lies in pooling capital, standards and...
Economy
Building the New Creative Engine of the Knowledge Economy: Mark Penn
Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell, explains how AI and global tech partnerships are reshaping marketing and the GCC’s knowledge economy.
Economy
How Doha is Building a Knowledge Economy
By pairing sovereign capital with frictionless regulation, Doha reversed the startup playbook, attracting investors and founders first, then letting an ecosystem form around them naturally
Embed AI in workflows so deep that it becomes invisible: Matt Cloke
Becoming AI-native starts with a shift in mindset. To harness its full potential, we need to see AI not as a product but as a partner. It’s less about which model you’re using and more about how you use it, writes Cloke, CTO Endava.
Opinion
UAE is shifting from attracting talent to unleashing it: Sheraa vice-chairperson
With national campaigns such as The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World setting targets of training 10,000 Emiratis and creating 10 unicorns, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) is emerging as a key engine driving this shift.
Interview
Beyond entertainment: How storytelling is shifting in the digital age
In a world where our screens shape how we think, feel, and connect, entertainment has become more than an escape — it’s how we make sense of everything around us, says Andy Climan, CEO of Entertainment Media Ventures.
Interview
US navy ramps up Middle East buildup, second carrier en route
According to a defense official, there are currently 10 warships and an aircraft carrier positioned within the Central Command area...
Geostrategy
Company News
‘Innovation takes time—The Gulf’s economic transformation requires patience and persistence’
In an interview with TRENDS, Josh Lerner says Gulf economies pursuing diversification must recognize that transformation takes time, patience, and...
Economy
Latest News
Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza amid measures to ‘annex’ more West Bank land
Palestinian officials described the Israeli parliament's decision related to West Bank land as a “serious escalation,” while armed groups and...
Citizen-consumers are redefining the global reputation of multinationals: Ipsos study
The report, Impacts of Multinational Corporations: What Citizen-Consumers Want from Foreign Companies Doing Business in Their Country, draws on a...
Governments must put creativity at the center of economic strategy: Report
Titled Creative Futures: The Springboard for Sustained Economic Growth and Diversification, the report argues that cultural and creative industries —...
Iran’s Khamenei likens protests to ‘coup’, warns of regional war
Iran's supreme leader on Sunday likened recent anti-government protests to a "coup", warning that any US attack on the Islamic...
Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump’s Fed pick
Gold and silver prices dived Friday, European stock markets ended the week up while Wall Street fell slightly with investors reassured...
Gulf startup hubs: Converging strategies, diverging ambitions
Despite fierce branding as rivals, Gulf startup hubs share capital, policy, and talent structures that are quietly shaping distinct, globally...
Interview
EDITOR'S PICK
3 ways travel drives economic growth while enhancing global connections and sustainability
WTTC research shows that, having endured estimated losses of $4.5 trillion and 62 million jobs...
EVs just the start, urban mobility needs a holistic approach
Cities must adopt EVs alongside shared transport, robust infrastructure, clean energy, and inclusivity, says Jamie...
Exclusive: Private military companies look at $366.8bn market as their demand, role in global conflicts rise
Rising security concerns, confrontational geopolitics, and chaotic global changes have fueled the demand for private...
TikTok under fire: Espionage claims, election influence campaigns and controversies
The platform faces accusations of espionage in the United States, while the European Union has...
Building the New Creative Engine of the Knowledge Economy: Mark Penn
Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell, explains how AI and global tech partnerships are reshaping marketing and the GCC’s...
Economy
Latest News
Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump’s Fed pick
Gold and silver prices dived Friday, European stock markets ended the week up while Wall Street fell slightly with investors reassured...
Hamas tells AFP ready to transfer Gaza governance to Palestinian committee
"Protocols are prepared, files are complete, and committees are in place to oversee the handover, ensuring a complete transfer of...
Qatar announces $430 mn in support for Lebanon
A visiting Qatari official on Monday announced a multi-million dollar aid package for Lebanon, primarily to support the country's crumbling...
Gold tops $5,000 for first time on Trump policy unrest
While turbulence over Trump's ambitions for Greenland and pressure on the Federal Reserve have provided the most recent support for...
Netanyahu, US envoys discuss opening Rafah crossing: Israeli media
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reopen the Rafah crossing between Gaza and...
Company News
Gaming, esports GCC’s new growth play
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the gaming surge with world-class ecosystems and youth-driven expansion. Across the region, governments...
Economy
UAE is shifting from attracting talent to unleashing it: Sheraa vice-chairperson
With national campaigns such as The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World setting targets of training 10,000 Emiratis and...
Interview
Sovereign tech: Building a regional stack, not rival silos
As Gulf states race to build sovereign AI and cloud infrastructure, the real opportunity lies in pooling capital, standards and...
Economy
How Doha is Building a Knowledge Economy
By pairing sovereign capital with frictionless regulation, Doha reversed the startup playbook, attracting investors and founders first, then letting an...
Embed AI in workflows so deep that it becomes invisible: Matt Cloke
Becoming AI-native starts with a shift in mindset. To harness its full potential, we need to see AI not as...
Opinion
Beyond entertainment: How storytelling is shifting in the digital age
In a world where our screens shape how we think, feel, and connect, entertainment has become more than an escape...
Interview
Geostrategy
Trump signals second carrier deployment as US-Iran prepare to resume talks
- In interviews with Israeli media, Trump warned of consequences if negotiations fail. “Either we reach a deal or we'll have to do something very tough.”
- ranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Tehran will demand the lifting of financial sanctions and uphold its nuclear rights, including enrichment
Opinion
Embed AI in workflows so deep that it becomes invisible: Matt Cloke
- To truly unlock AI’s potential, organizations need to modernize from within.
- Becoming AI-native demands more than innovation; it calls for a cultural shift where people, processes, and platforms work in harmony.
Economy
UAE Innovation Month: Why 2026 is the year of the agentic enterprise
- AI adoption is surging, but enterprises are stuck in “pilot purgatory”, failing to scale isolated AI experiments into orchestrated, ROI-driven systems
- The shift to an Agentic Enterprise requires multi-agent orchestration, shared enterprise context, and strong governance, especially as GCC regulations tighten







