AI to cancer vaccines: Emerging technologies edge closer to large-scale adoption
World Economic Forum's Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report 2026, developed alongside the Dubai Future Foundation, has identified 10 technologies that...
Geostrategy
AI success in life sciences depends on people as much as technology: Bain
Organizations creating the most value from AI are not necessarily those deploying the most technology. Instead, they are redesigning workflows,...
Business
Economy
Saudi Arabia’s real GDP grows by 3.4 percent in Q1 mainly on non-oil activities
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia’s first quarter real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.4 percent year-on-year, according to...
- Sectors such as wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels led the way, recording an impressive 8.4% annual growth, reflecting a rebound in consumer demand and tourism.r
- On a quarterly basis, seasonally adjusted real GDP rose by 1.1 percent compared to Q4 2024, signaling continued economic momentum into the year.
Economy
US, China seek to extend trade truce with London talks
After a round of talks in Geneva last month, the United States and China will sit down at the negotiating...
- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will lead the US delegation
- Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng - who led Beijing's negotiating team in Geneva - will also lead the team in London, the foreign ministry announced at the weekend
Economy
Key MENA trends: M&A surge to five-year high, Saudi port activity rises in May
Qatar's foreign reserves rise 3.6 percent year-on-year despite a dip in bonds and treasury holdings, Iraq releases Australian and Egyptian...
- Egypt and Turkey continue their coordination on ceasefire efforts and humanitarian aid, as diplomatic momentum struggles against on-ground escalation.
- The ICRC has warned that the healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, with medical infrastructure under increasing strain from ongoing hostilities.
Economy
Trump says Musk has ‘lost his mind’ as feud fallout mounts
Washington, United States - US President Donald Trump said Friday that Elon Musk had "lost his mind" but insisted he...
- The blistering public break-up between the world's richest person and the world's most powerful is fraught with political and economic risks all round
- Trump had scrapped the idea of a call with Musk and was even thinking of ditching the red Tesla he bought at the height of their bromance, White House officials told AFP
Economy
MENA Outlook: Diversification, AI, and economic integration take centre stage
As the region pivots toward a post-oil future, recent developments across the Middle East and North Africa suggest an accelerating...
- Saudi government announced a $5.6 billion fertilizer JV between SABIC and Aramco, while also adopting new green building codes to reduce emissions
- From launching the world’s first AI-powered media council to streamlining family business, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are reinventing the regulatory ecosystem to attract global capital
Economy
IMF upgrades Saudi real GDP growth forecast to 6% in 2025, up from
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised upwards its forecast for Saudi Arabia's economic growth to...
- This adjustment from earlier estimates reflects the impact of extended oil production cuts and a slower-than-expected rebound in oil output.
- The IMF anticipates that inflation will remain contained, with an average annual rate holding steady at 2.1 percent in 2025 and easing slightly to 2 percent the following year.
Economy
World Economic Forum unveils framework highlighting transformative technology convergences across key industries
Agentic AI, spatial intelligence and robotic advancements in manipulation and adaptive control are enabling autonomous systems to make intelligent decisions...
- The 3C framework – combination, convergence and compounding – identifies standout technology combinations such as cognitive robots and digital twin ecosystems
- The framework can help industry leaders drive systemic change across infrastructure, energy, transportation and healthcare by investing in ecosystem readiness
Geostrategy
New WEF report reveals how tech convergence will reshape industries
Geneva, Switzerland – The World Economic Forum today released a new report examining how emerging technology combinations are reshaping industries...
- AI is a key enabler, making many emerging tech synergies commercially viable across industries.
- Digital twins, enhanced by AI and sensors, are expanding efficiency in sectors from aerospace to healthcare.
Economy
Lebanon on bumpy road to public transport revival
Beirut, Lebanon - On Beirut's chaotic, car-choked streets, Lebanese student Fatima Fakih rides a shiny purple bus to university, one...
- Lebanon's public transport system never recovered from the devastating 1975–1990 civil war that left the country in ruins, and in the decades since, car culture has flourished
- Even before the economic crisis that began in 2019, the country was running on empty, grappling with crumbling power, water and road infrastructure
Business
Oil under $65 a boon for consumers, but a burden on producers
London, United Kingdom -- US President Donald Trump's tariffs, his call to "drill baby drill" and especially a decision by...
- The fall in oil prices has contributed to a global slowdown for inflation, while also boosting growth in countries reliant on importing crude, such as much of Europe.
- Cheaper crude "increases the level of disposable income" consumers have to be spending on "discretionary items" such as leisure and tourism, experts say.
AI to cancer vaccines: Emerging technologies edge closer to large-scale adoption
World Economic Forum's Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report 2026, developed alongside the Dubai Future Foundation, has identified 10 technologies that...
Geostrategy
Company News
Fake AI videos have a new generation loving 1980s life
Arts & Culture
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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.
Economy
Reason for the GCC’s prosperity is that it is willing to take risks: Tadeu Baldani Caravieri
The Gulf economies face disruptions but embrace risk to grow, says Tadeu Baldani Caravieri, founder of Prototypes for Humanity, on...
Economy
From Summit to Strategy: Qatar Builds Global Investment Hub
This year’s edition is expected to welcome more than 30,000 participants from over 120 countries, including 1,500 startups, 700 investors...
Economy
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Economy
Global economy set for “sturdy growth” in 2026, MENA growth to outpace global economy
The Middle East and North Africa region is expected to outperform the global economy in 2026, with GDP projected to...
- Goldman Sachs Research has projected that the world economy will expand faster than widely expected next year, saying its economists expect sturdy global growth of 2.8%
- The Middle East and North Africa region is expected to outperform the global economy in 2026, with GDP projected to grow by 3.6% year on year compared to global growth of 3.1%
Business
SoftBank lifts OpenAI stake to 11% with $41bln investment
Tokyo, Japan -- Japanese tech investor SoftBank said Wednesday that its stake in OpenAI is now around 11 percent after...
- Having made colossal profits as well as losses on previous investments, flamboyant founder Masayoshi Son has pivoted SoftBank towards artificial intelligence (AI).
- SoftBank had announced in April its planned investment of up to $40 billion in Open AI, and on Wednesday it said that the second tranche of $22.5 billion was completed.
Economy
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...
- Since the start of Syria's civil war in 2011, the pound has plunged from 50 to around 11,000 against the greenback
- The removal of the zeros, which does not impact the currency's value, was done to make transactions easier