Summer Davos: WEF urges scaling innovation into growth and jobs
Dubai, UAE -- Global political and business leaders called for faster adoption of emerging technologies and closer international cooperation to...
Geostrategy
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...
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Geostrategy
GCC youth population tops 23.5m as workforce presence expands
Dubai, UAE -- More than 23.5 million people aged between 15 and 34 lived across the Gulf Cooperation Council countries...
- Employed youth represented more than one-third of the GCC workforce in 2025, reflecting continued labour-market expansion.
- Share of young people outside education, employment or training fell steadily, indicating stronger social and economic participation.
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US and Iran agree to ‘immediate’ end to military operations, will sign MoU in Switzerland
The content of the agreement, which follows weeks of fraught negotiations and periodic threats from Trump of fresh hostilities unless...
- The agreement, brokered with the help of Pakistan, was announced after weeks of conflict between the United States and Iran.
- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed that a ceasefire would take effect immediately and said negotiations on a final agreement would continue for 60 days.
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Trump predicts Iran accord to be signed soon, Hormuz to open
Mediators voiced growing optimism that weeks of negotiations were nearing completion, while competing narratives from Washington and Tehran underscored lingering...
- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said a signing date had not yet been determined and indicated an accord would not be signed on Sunday.
- Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on X that the agreement was closer “than ever before” and expected to be finalised within 24 hours.
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Iran says draft accord to end the war could be signed within days
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the proposed framework would address issues including the U.S. naval blockade and the future...
- Araghchi said Tehran wanted any agreement to allow Iran to charge ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz for what he described as services provided during passage.
- Iran introduced a toll system during the conflict, a move the United States and several other countries have argued violates international law.
Geostrategy
Middle East conflict slows global growth outlook, World Bank says
Most economies saw forecasts downgraded as rising energy costs, inflation and borrowing expenses create fresh challenges for growth and development...
- World Bank is making up to $60 billion available immediately through existing instruments to support affected countries.
- More than 30 countries are working with the institution to strengthen preparedness and enable rapid crisis responses.
Geostrategy
Trump halts Iran attack plans as talks gain momentum, keeps naval blockade intact
Speaking at an Oval Office event, Trump said Washington had achieved a "great settlement" and expressed confidence that an agreement...
- Iran says negotiations have advanced but warns inconsistencies in US positions continue to complicate the process.
- Iran has insisted that any broader settlement should also address fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, a condition that appears unlikely to be accepted by Israel.
Geostrategy
UAE, EU push stronger humanitarian supply chains
Dubai, UAE -- The UAE, the European Union and humanitarian organizations met in Brussels on Thursday to discuss strengthening global...
- More than 80 representatives from governments, UN agencies, NGOs and logistics specialists examined practical measures to improve humanitarian preparedness and coordination.
- Discussions highlighted the growing UAE-EU partnership, including shared humanitarian hubs, emergency stockpiles and efforts to build a global safety net for crisis response.
Geostrategy
Fresh US strikes on Iran trigger retaliatory attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the U.S. attacks and warned that Iran's armed forces would leave "no attack or threat...
- Gulf states activated air defences and imposed airspace restrictions as tensions spread beyond Iran and Israel.
- The latest fighting has sharpened attention on the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of global oil consumption passes.
Geostrategy
Saudi, UAE startups join World Economic Forum’s global tech cohort
Saudi Arabia was represented by intella, which develops Arabic-language speech recognition and analytics tools, and Nommas Technologies, which provides AI-powered...
- World Economic Forum's 2026 Technology Pioneers recognizes early-stage companies developing technologies with the potential to reshape industries and societies.
- The cohort underscores a shift in global innovation patterns, with emerging economies playing a larger role in frontier technologies.
Geostrategy
US strikes Iranian military sites after Apache helicopter downing
The latest confrontation around the Strait of Hormuz threatens regional shipping security and comes despite renewed diplomatic efforts to stabilize...
- Trump said a wider regional peace agreement could be reached within "two or three days" even as military operations continued.
- Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting US military assets in Jordan and Bahrain and warned of harsher action.
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Summer Davos: WEF urges scaling innovation into growth and jobs
Dubai, UAE -- Global political and business leaders called for faster adoption of emerging technologies and closer international cooperation to...
Geostrategy
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Lebanon violence tests US-Iran accord as Israeli ministers harden rhetoric
Lebanon's Health Ministry said at least 21 people were killed and 39 wounded in overnight strikes across southern Lebanon.
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Vance rebukes Israeli critics of Trump-Iran deal, says US remains Israel’s only ally
Vance said that if he were serving in Israel's cabinet, he would not be "attacking the only powerful ally that...
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Middle East conflict exposes hydrogen supply risks: IEA
Dubai, UAE -- The conflict in the Middle East has disrupted production and trade in hydrogen-based products, exposing vulnerabilities in...
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MENA energy transition slips as Hormuz crisis exposes security gaps: WEF
Hormuz disruption and weakening policy commitment dragged down Middle East transition readiness in 2026. Saudi Arabia bucked the trend with...
- UAE retains region's top ranking globally at 49th, anchored by strong equity, regulation and political commitment scores.
- Global transition readiness fell for first time in over a decade despite record $2.3 trillion clean energy investment.
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Al Rajhi Bank becomes AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 regional partner
Dubai, UAE -- Saudi Arabia's Al Rajhi Bank has been named an exclusive regional partner of the AFC Asian Cup...
- Partnership will connect customers to tournament experiences, promotions and football-focused engagement initiatives across Saudi Arabia.
- Agreement aligns with Saudi efforts to expand sports investment and attract major international events under Vision 2030.
Geostrategy
Trump, Iran president sign framework accord to end conflict, launch nuclear talks
The accord, signed electronically by both leaders, is intended to serve as a framework for a broader settlement rather than...
- Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country, supported by Qatar, would host a ceremony in Switzerland on Friday to launch technical-level discussions.
- The framework extends the existing ceasefire by 60 days, creating a window for negotiations on a permanent settlement and Iran's nuclear activities.