Xi and Putin reaffirm alliance days after Trump’s Beijing visit
Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday, days after US President Donald Trump visited...
AWS outage in Gulf raises reliability concerns as services remain disrupted over a week after strikes
Cloud services operated by Amazon Web Services (AWS) in the Gulf region continue to face disruptions more than a week...
Economy
Economy
Gulf sovereign wealth funds face a strategic test amid escalating conflict
The escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States is emerging as a major test for the Gulf’s sovereign...
- The United Arab Emirates is expected to maintain a fiscal surplus over the next two years
- Saudi Arabia has already been running significant deficits tied to its economic transformation agenda
Geostrategy
US assets outperform as geopolitical shock reshapes markets
The dollar still functions as the world’s primary safe haven, and in moments of acute geopolitical uncertainty, capital flows toward...
- Before hostilities erupted, global positioning had leaned heavily toward non-US outperformance
- Emerging markets, Europe and parts of Asia had been enjoying one of their strongest relative runs against US assets in years
Geostrategy
OpenAI faces backlash over Pentagon AI deal
OpenAI is facing online backlash after signing a deal with the United States Department of Defense to deploy its AI...
- The controversy has also boosted rival AI platform Claude, developed by Anthropic, which recently overtook ChatGPT as the top AI app
- Critics warn that the Pentagon partnership could allow AI technology to be used for surveillance or military purposes
GCC as the bridge in a fragmented global ad tech market
S4 Capital founder Martin Sorrell tells TRENDS digital dominance, AI disruption and consolidation are reshaping global advertising, urging agile, tech-first...
- The industry is effectively “two industries” — a fast-growing digital sector and a declining traditional media business — Martin Sorrell told TRENDS
- CMOs should stop experimenting with AI and move to full-scale implementation, radically reorganising workflows and cutting creative costs, he adds
Geostrategy
Iran’s protests: What we know
Iran has been rocked this week by protests that started in Tehran and have spread to other cities, with at...
- The protests began on Sunday in Tehran, where some shopkeepers went on strike over high prices and economic stagnation
- Iran's economy has been battered by years of crushing international sanctions over its nuclear programme, with raging inflation and a collapsing currency
Geostrategy
Leftist Mamdani takes over as New York mayor under Trump shadow
Zohran Mamdani, the young upstart of the US left, was sworn in Thursday to take over as New York mayor...
- After the clocks struck midnight, bringing in 2026, Mamdani took his oath of office at an abandoned subway stop to begin managing the United States' largest city
- Mamdani's private swearing-in to start his four-year term was performed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully prosecuted Trump for fraud
Geostrategy
US, Qatar, Turkey to join third day of Gaza peace talks in Egypt
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Turkey's intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, Trump's special Middle East envoy Steve...
- Israel and Hamas are holding indirect negotiations in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, based on a 20-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump last month
- "There's a real chance that we could do something," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, adding that US negotiators were also involved in the talks
Business
60 percent travelers in UAE trust AI to plan their trips: Report
Dubai, UAE -- Nearly 60 percent of travelers in the UAE trust Artificial Intelligence (AI) to plan every aspect of...
- A recent report by Tourism Economics on behalf of Arabian Travel Market says 21 percent using it before their most recent trip.
- The research also confirmed that travel firms are harnessing AI to enhance customer service and drive economic impact.
Geostrategy
Urgent need for ‘global approach’ on AI regulation: UN tech chief
Geneva, Switzerland -- The world urgently needs to find a global approach on regulating artificial intelligence, the United Nations' top...
- Doreen Bogdan-Martin, head of the UN's International Telecommunications Union (ITU), said regulation was key as concerns rise over fast-moving technology.
- Bogdan-Martin, the first woman to serve as ITU secretary-general in the organization's nearly 160-year history, also stressed the need to get more women into the digital space.
Arts & Culture
Tourist coins pose giant problem at N. Ireland’s famous causeway site
Bushmills, United Kingdom -- Northern Ireland's Giant Causeway draws close to one million visitors a year but their habit of...
- Tourists' habit of wedging tiny coins in cracks between the rocks -- to bring love or luck -- is damaging the world-famous wonder.
- Some 40,000 columns mark the causeway, Northern Ireland's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Most Read
Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
Xi and Putin reaffirm alliance days after Trump’s Beijing visit
Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday, days after US President Donald Trump visited...
Company News
Latest News
4 charged with plot to kidnap New York-based Iranian journalist
Four Iranian nationals were indicted Tuesday on charges of plotting to abduct a journalist in New York, the Justice Department...
G20 ministers set to green light global tax reform
Finance ministers from the G20 richest nations are expected to give the green light Saturday to a historic deal to...
Bomb-laden drones hit Erbil airport in northern Iraq
The attack took place at around 1930 GMT but caused no injuries or major damage Since the start of the...
Disagreement between UAE, Saudi Arabia hobbles OPEC
The UAE on Sunday pushed back against a plan by the OPEC+ group to extend a pact to cut oil...
Saudi Arabia to create 40,000 jobs for its nationals
Job creation is part of Saudi strategy to help residents obtain high-quality jobs The strategy seeks to push more Saudi...
UAE consolidates its position as global hub for cross-border e-commerce
ABU DHABI, UAE -- The United Arab Emirates has consolidated its position as one of the world’s leading global and...
Business
Three Saudi hospitals rank among world’s best in 2026 Newsweek list
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-- Saudi Arabia secured a place for three hospitals in Newsweek’s list of the World’s Best Hospitals 2026...
Science
Wearables measure a range of useful data – but are they missing the full picture?
Will Hicks and Louise Thomas We've entered an age of personal physiology. Wearables track our heart rate, sleep and VO2...
Analysis
Most Read
Economy
Saudi Arabia strengthens global leadership in open data
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to strengthen its global leadership in open data through a comprehensive national...
- National open data platform enables wider access to government datasets
- Kingdom ranks first globally in 2024 Open Government Data Index
Economy
Gulf sovereign wealth funds face a strategic test amid escalating conflict
The escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States is emerging as a major test for the Gulf’s sovereign...
- The United Arab Emirates is expected to maintain a fiscal surplus over the next two years
- Saudi Arabia has already been running significant deficits tied to its economic transformation agenda
Geostrategy
US assets outperform as geopolitical shock reshapes markets
The dollar still functions as the world’s primary safe haven, and in moments of acute geopolitical uncertainty, capital flows toward...
- Before hostilities erupted, global positioning had leaned heavily toward non-US outperformance
- Emerging markets, Europe and parts of Asia had been enjoying one of their strongest relative runs against US assets in years