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...
Economy
We are witnessing the rise of a maturing Web3 world: Nicole Valentine
The world has known the Middle East for its oil. But a new fuel is taking the main stage: knowledge,...
Interview
Economy
Egyptian farmers behind world’s perfumes face climate fight alone, yield drops by half
For years, Egyptian jasmine picker Wael al-Sayed has collected blossoms by night in the Nile Delta, supplying top global perfume...
- As temperatures rise the flowers bloom less and daily harvest has dropped from six kilograms to just two or three in the past two years
- With the Nile Delta also vulnerable to the rising Mediterranean water levels, which affect soil salinity, jasmine farmers are on the front line of a heating planet
Economy
Israeli bulldozers uproot hundreds of trees in West Bank village, most of them olive trees
"The goal is control and forcing people to leave. This is just the beginning -- it will expand across the...
- Abdelatif Mohammed Abu Aliya, a local farmer from the village near Ramallah, said he lost olive trees that were over 70 years old on about one hectare of land
- "They completely uprooted and levelled them under false pretences," he said, explaining he and other residents had already begun replanting the pulled-up trees
Economy
Creators HQ attracts 2,415 active members from 147 countries with combined following of over 2 billion
Dubai, UAE – Creators HQ, the first headquarters for content creators in the UAE and the Middle East, has seen...
- Creators HQ also brings together content creators and industry leaders worldwide to amplify their impact, develop their work, and support the sustainability
- In addition, it attracted 78 global companies in the content sector from 24 countries to relocate to the UAE, with the UK, Pakistan, the US, India, France, leading the list
Economy
India’s Modi dangles tax cuts as US tariffs loom
Mumbai, India -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push to slash consumption taxes on everyday goods could deliver billions of...
- The prospective measure has clouded the outlook for the world's fifth-largest economy, with Indian exporters warning of plunging orders and severe job losses.
- His proposed cuts to the goods and services tax (GST) would make everything from small cars to air conditioners cheaper for consumers, economists say.
Science
Austrian university develops technique to renew buildings without demolition
Vienna, Austria - A research team from Graz University of Technology in Austria has succeeded in developing an innovative fastening...
- The system enables the connection and disassembly of building components with ease, allowing the separation of long-term structural elements from shorter-lived components
- The project won the gold medal in the scientific research competition under the sustainability category and is regarded as a pioneering step towards smart construction
Economy
US Fed chair opens door to rate cut as Trump steps up pressure
Last year, the Fed chair used his keynote speech at the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium to indicate the time...
- Powell faces constant attacks from Trump -- who is aggressively pushing the independent bank for rate cuts -- alongside mixed economic data leading him towards a cautious approach.
- Powell has warned that the risks of higher inflation and a weakening jobs market add up to a "challenging situation."
Science
AI helps UK woman rediscover lost voice after 25 years
London, United Kingdom -- A British woman suffering from motor neuron disease who lost her ability to speak is once...
- Sarah Ezekiel, an artist, was left without the use of her voice after she was diagnosed at the age of 34 with MND while pregnant with her second child 25 years ago.
- AI tools developed by a New York-based ElevenLabs developed voice very close to her original, complete with her London accent.
Economy
Less tax, more luxury: millionaires flock to Dubai for its zero income tax policy
Rich people are flocking to Dubai in record numbers, drawn to the desert city by its zero income tax policy...
- The UAE and Dubai have long welcomed wealthy people from nearby countries, and people helping millionaires to move there told AFP it is seeing more Westerners joining the fray
- The Gulf state's golden visa scheme, meant to attract wealthy or skilled foreigners, allows individuals to obtain a 10-year residence permit
Science
Google to provide Gemini AI tools to US government
Google will provide its Gemini artificial intelligence tools to US federal agencies practically free, the government announced Thursday.
- A suite of AI and cloud computing services called "Gemini for Government" from Google is intended to speed the adoption of the technology across the US government
- AI tools being provided include generation of video, images, or ideas as well as digital "agents" capable of independently tending to complex tasks
Economy
Asian markets creep up as investors await key speech
Hong Kong, China - Asian markets edged mostly upward in muted morning trading on Thursday, one day before a key...
- US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who has resisted public demands by President Donald Trump to cut rates, is scheduled to deliver remarks Friday
- Data last week provided a mixed picture of US inflation, making it uncertain if the Fed will lower rates as many investors expect in September
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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
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...
Economy
Company News
Latest News
Syria reveals new post-Assad banknotes
Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa unveiled on Monday new banknotes replacing those showing ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad and his family, hoping...
Economy
Prone to conflict, displacement, climate shocks, investing in cities is a strategy for global stability
Addressing fragility in cities is, therefore, not only a social imperative; it is also a crucial economic consideration. It is...
Economy
China says to launch digital currency action plan
Beijing, China -- China will on January 1 launch an "action plan" for boosting management and operations of its digital...
Economy
Most Read
Economy
Saudi Arabia’s high-stakes race toward Vision 2030: Diversifying amid global uncertainty
Moving forward, lower oil revenues will continue to pose challenges to the Saudi economy and its overall targets. Earlier this...
- As non-oil growth accelerates and private investment rises, the Kingdom faces the challenge of sustaining momentum without overstretching its fiscal limits
- Vision 2030 is reshaping the Kingdom’s economy at unprecedented speed, but sustaining growth amid lower oil revenues will test policymakers
Economy
Syria to start replacing currency from Jan 1: central bank chief
Syria's central bank chief said Thursday that the country's currency would start to be replaced with a revamped version from...
- Central bank chief Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya said that "January 1, 2026, is the start date for the replacement process" for the currency
- Hasriya said the move comes at a "pivotal national juncture that reflects the beginning of a new economic and monetary era"
Economy
“New Suez Canal on rails”: Egypt high-speed trains to connect Red Sea, Mediterranean
Workers have started laying tracks in the desert east of Cairo for Egypt's first high-speed train, which will link the...
- The Green Line, as it is known, is the latest of a long list of megaprojects undertaken by El-Sisi's government in the past decade
- The Green Line will run across the country's north, from Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea to Marsa Matrouh on the Mediterranean