SpaceX launches two Falcon 9 rockets 38 minutes apart
SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets from opposite US coasts just 38 minutes apart on Saturday, setting a new launch...
Geostrategy
Kuwait’s annual inflation rises 2.19 percent in June
Dubai, UAE -- Kuwait's consumer price index (CPI), a key measure of inflation, increased by 2.19% year-on-year at the end...
Business
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.
Economy
Oil prices rise ahead of US-Russia summit as stocks digest inflation data
New York, United States - Wall Street stocks finished little changed Thursday as markets absorbed a disappointing inflation report, while...
- The producer price index rose 0.9 percent on a month-on-month basis, much greater than analysts expected following benign consumer pricing data earlier this week
- Among individual companies, Intel surged 7.4 percent following a Bloomberg News report that Trump is considering an investment in the beleaguered chip company
Business
Stocks diverge as bitcoin hits record high
Bitcoin hit a new peak at $124,514.59 in Asian trading, before cooling to around $121,500. The world's biggest cryptocurrency is...
- Bitcoin is also winning investor support thanks to strong backing for the cryptocurrency sector from Trump.
- Most European equity indices climbed after major Asian peers ended lower.
Economy
Dubai GDP grows by 4 percent to reach $32.58 billion in first quarter of 2025
Human Health and Social Work activities registered the highest growth rate, rising 26 percent compared to the same period last...
- Real Estate activities grew by 7.8 percent, while financial and insurance activities expanded by 5.9 percent.
- Accommodation and food service activities recorded a 3.4 percent increase, and transport and storage rose by 2 percent.
SpaceX launches two Falcon 9 rockets 38 minutes apart
SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets from opposite US coasts just 38 minutes apart on Saturday, setting a new launch...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Why the GCC should stop trying to build Silicon Valley and focus on owning it
Fahad AlSharekh says the GCC’s edge isn’t startup mimicry but global investment power — backing AI, infrastructure and category leaders...
UAE launches first 7-year Islamic Treasury Sukuk worth $150 million
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE Ministry of Finance said on Sunday it had launched its first-ever seven-year tranche of...
Business
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...
Most Read
Interview
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...
- The most significant opportunity lies in closing the conversion gap: the space between generating knowledge and turning it into scalable enterprises.
- More than 18,000 young people have been upskilled through Sheraa, giving them the confidence and competence to navigate a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
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...
- Technical and compliance challenges are pushing GCC countries toward common governance constructs and vendor frameworks
- To boost talent mobility, GCC SWFs can underwrite regional AI academies, and visa standardization for tech talent
Interview
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...
- Shared infrastructure, capital flows, and policy choices bind these ecosystems together more than they divide them.
- The critical question for Gulf ecosystems is not whether they have capital or talent, but whether both are organized toward genuinely global ambition.