Closure of Strait of Hormuz may trigger lasting shift in Gulf trade corridors: report
About $650 billion in trade flows are affected, with global maritime routes facing growing disruption and uncertainty risks.
Economy
Geopolitics, risk aversion and crypto: Why this time may be different
Bitcoin has already endured five consecutive months of declines since reaching an all-time high of $126,500 in October 2025. February...
Opinion
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
Economy
Gross national income of GCC countries hits $2.143 trillion
Muscat, Oman -- The latest data released by the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of...
- The value of disposable national income (available for consumption and savings after deducting taxes and other transfers) amounted to US$1.989 trillion.
- The data indicate that the contribution of the non-oil sector to the GCC’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices rose to 71.5 percent by the end of 2023.
Economy
Trump says semiconductor tariffs coming soon
"I'll be setting tariffs next week and the week after, on steel and, I would say, chips. Chips and semiconductors,...
- Trump said the levy rate would be "lower at the beginning" but "very high after a certain period of time," as a way to encourage businesses to relocate operations to the US.
- On August 6, Trump announced a 100 percent tariff on semiconductors from firms that do not invest in the United States.
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Closure of Strait of Hormuz may trigger lasting shift in Gulf trade corridors: report
About $650 billion in trade flows are affected, with global maritime routes facing growing disruption and uncertainty risks.
Economy
Company News
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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...
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...
Economy
WEF26: Saudi Arabia positions itself as ‘connector economy’ amid shifting global trade
Saudi Arabia is seeking to leverage changes in global trade and supply chains to position itself as a “connector economy,”...
Economy
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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...
- AI is expanding creative and data-driven marketing capabilities at unprecedented scale, Mark Penn told TRENDS
- The GCC must now focus on building sustainable, talent-led innovation ecosystems beyond experimentation, he adds
Economy
The Gulf’s next currency isn’t petroleum. It’s know-how
The post-oil Gulf has the chance to redefine authenticity itself—as a deliberately trained, global hospitality culture built by people, not...
- The Gulf’s true wealth is shifting from oil reserves to human capability—what can be called the rise of “brain gold.”
- Tourism is quietly becoming the region’s most powerful engine for building future-ready skills that AI cannot replicate
Economy
How the Middle East is positioning itself at the crossroads of a changing world
AI, geopolitics, climate, and demographics are reshaping the Middle East’s growth model beyond oil.
- Geopolitical fragmentation has strengthened the Middle East’s role as an East–West connector
- A young population and impact-driven innovation are powering the shift to a knowledge economy