UAE ranks first in MENA, sixth globally in AI-human skills readiness
Coursera’s new AI-Human Skills Synergy Index says AI course enrollments in the UAE increased 75% year over year, with AI...
Geostrategy
Trump says war will end ‘very soon’, reiterates Iran Tehran will not have nuclear weapon
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan discuss regional developments in...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Iran sets seven conditions for talks as Turkey pushes proposals
“Tehran's message is clear and unambiguous; if Washington wants to escape the quagmire it has created for itself and avoid...
- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey and other countries had proposed new conditions to the United States and Iran aimed at ending the war.
- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran would not abandon its right to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
Business
Qatar launches platform to manage wealth fund domestic portfolio
Qatar’s new investment platform will manage the wealth fund’s domestic portfolio as Doha targets $60 billion in infrastructure and private...
- Qatar expects $38.5 billion in infrastructure projects and $22.5 billion in private real estate and hospitality investment over five years.
- The strategy comes amid disrupted LNG exports, risky Hormuz shipping and Doha’s efforts to strengthen economic resilience through diversification.
Geostrategy
Iran war cost Arab economies $150bn in the first month alone, UN official says
Meanwhile, Trump says: “Do I want to go in and annihilate them, or do I not? It’s a big decision....
- Shipping through Hormuz remains sharply reduced. Preliminary data showed only four cargo ships crossed the Strait on Thursday.
- In Yemen, Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi accused Saudi Arabia of using Mecca for political and military goals and said current battlefield actions were defensive.
Business
Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, WEF sign water partnership
The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative and the World Economic Forum have signed a partnership to accelerate water innovation and...
- The two-year partnership aims to connect water innovations with financing, policy support, markets and partnerships needed for wider deployment.
- The organisations will convene government, business, finance and civil society leaders while sharing expertise to accelerate water innovation globally.
Geostrategy
Trump says US nearing end of Iran war
The United Nations, meanwhile, called for de-escalation and diplomacy; Oil prices fell as Saudi Arabia offered additional crude cargoes through...
- Trump says he has spoken directly with Iran as Tehran demands practical US steps to build confidence, while China-backed diplomacy gains momentum.
- South Korea, meanwhile, said it had not decided whether to deploy military forces to the Strait of Hormuz.
Geostrategy
GISEC 2026 opens with focus on AI threats, cyber resilience
Global cybersecurity experts converged in Dubai as GISEC 2026 opened, warning that AI is reshaping both cyberattacks and national defense...
- UAE Cybersecurity Council chief Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti said cybersecurity culture is everyone's responsibility amid growing AI threats.
- Emmy-nominated actor Michael Kelly warned that AI deepfakes threaten personal identity, demanding stronger verification, consent and likeness control.
Geostrategy
Gaza death toll since ceasefire rises to 1,375 as settler violence surges
The ministry said three Palestinians were killed and at least 27 injured during the 24 hours covered by its latest...
- Palestinian Civil Defence teams were searching for people trapped beneath a collapsed residential building west of Gaza City.
- Two homes were demolished in Beit Hanina, while eight residential and agricultural structures were demolished in Hizma, in the occupied West Bank.
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia calls Makkah security ‘Red Line’ after Houthi drone intercepted
Hormuz shipping traffic meanwhile fell to four, while US lawmakers again seek to curb military action as Iran war costs...
- OIC condemned attacks targeting the kingdom’s holy sites.
- The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the conflict had cost the United States more than $38 billion over its first six months.
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline shutdown puts 4% of global oil supplies at risk
Oman, meanwhile, postpones meeting with Gulf states and Iran on possible Strait of Hormuz agreements, Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said,...
- Hormuz shipping remains constrained, with four vessels exiting the Gulf and 10 entering over the weekend, preliminary data showed.
- Oil prices rose sharply on Monday, with Brent crude climbing above $107 a barrel.
Business
UAE non-oil trade with BRICS countries reaches $312 billion, says minister of foreign trade
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said trade with BRICS countries grew 28.5 percent in 2025 from the previous year,...
- Al Zeyoudi said UAE seeks stronger trade facilitation, free trade agreements and comprehensive economic partnerships to diversify its economy.
- The minister said the UAE had strengthened such partnerships even before joining BRICS as part of its strategy to diversify the economy and open new markets for the private sector.
UAE ranks first in MENA, sixth globally in AI-human skills readiness
Coursera’s new AI-Human Skills Synergy Index says AI course enrollments in the UAE increased 75% year over year, with AI...
Geostrategy
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SoftBank raises $11.1 billion through bonds for OpenAI
SoftBank Group has issued dollar- and euro-denominated bonds worth a combined $11.1 billion as it seeks funding to support its...
Business
Pezeshkian says Iran won’t surrender, but remains open to negotiations
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Pezeshkian delivered a defiant response a day after US President...
Geostrategy
Emerson to build new automation solutions service center in Qatar
Emerson, a global automation solutions company, said on Wednesday it plans to build a new solutions service center in Qatar's...
Business
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Business
UAE tops Arab Digital Economy Index 2026
The UAE topped the Arab Digital Economy Index 2026, with the assessment highlighting regional gains in infrastructure, digital government and...
- The index identified persistent gaps in innovation, research and development, data economies and converting digital investment into productivity.
- Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman joined the UAE in the highest-performing group, while 11 countries develop digital foundations.
Geostrategy
Trump hails productive Iran talks as Tehran says conditions conveyed to US through Qatar
Iran seeks end to the war on all fronts, a halt to “acts of aggression”, an end to the naval...
- Hormuz traffic remains sharply below its 10-day average, while Saudi loading activity rises following disruption to its East-West pipeline.
- US prosecutors are investigating Binance over possible violations of US sanctions on Iran and trading activity on its platform.
Business
Maldives and Eagle Hills sign terms for $12 billion waterfront destination
The project, known as Maldives Waterfront and Marina, is planned as an integrated tourism and residential destination combining hotels and...
- Properties will be offered under Maldivian law on leasehold terms of up to 99 years, restarting after transfer.
- Maldives Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Minister Abdulla Muththalib described the project as the country’s largest investment programme.