The value imperative: leading growth forward
Companies should act now by strengthening financial resilience, embracing AI, diversifying supply chains and remaining lean. Waiting for stability is...
Opinion
Iran floats 30-day roadmap to end conflict; Trump signals scepticism
Iran has put forward a fresh 14-point proposal to the United States, calling for a resolution of tensions within 30...
Geostrategy
Arts & Culture
‘Dinosaur tartare’ and holograms: Dubai AI chef sparks awe and ire
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- A Dubai restaurant has opened that prides itself on having the world's "first AI chef",...
- The AI programme -- known as chef Aiman -- is trained on thousands of recipes and decades of culinary research and molecular gastronomy.
- Chef Aiman can also optimise menus and balance flavours, according to the establishment.
Business
Singapore AI teddy back on sale after recall over sex chat scare
Singapore, Singapore -- A plushy, AI-enabled teddy bear recalled after its chatbot was found to engage in sexually explicit conversations...
- Singapore-based FoloToy had suspended its "Kumma" bear after a consumer advocacy group raised concerns about it and other AI toys on the market.
- The Kumma bear "looks sweet and innocent. But what comes out of its mouth is a stark contrast," researchers have said.
Geostrategy
Four European nations urge Israel to end West Bank ‘settler violence’
"We -- France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom -- strongly condemn the massive increase of settler violence against Palestinian civilians...
- Settler violence in the West Bank has soared since Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war.
- Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank, mostly civilians.
Geostrategy
Israel returns 15 bodies to Gaza after hostage remains identified
It came after Israel announced that a body handed over by Hamas on Tuesday was that of Dror Or, one...
- The last two hostages' bodies still in Gaza are those of Israeli Ran Gvili and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak.
- At the start of the ceasefire Hamas were holding 20 living hostages and 28 bodies of deceased captives.
Business
Insurance giant Allianz signals job cuts in AI shift
Frankfurt, Germany -- German insurance giant Allianz signalled Wednesday looming job cuts due to its adoption of artificial intelligence, with...
- Allianz Partners, the company's subsidiary dealing principally with travel insurance, said it was "leveraging AI" to strengthen its position and improve its services.
- Such changes could, however, "impact positions which are heavily reliant on manual processes today," it said in a statement.
Geostrategy
Robots take centre stage at Singapore ‘Olympiad’
Singapore -- The World Robot Olympiad opened in Singapore on Wednesday with hundreds of international students, some as young as...
- Organizers said 594 teams, comprising 1,571 participants from 91 countries, have registered for competitions to be held on Thursday and Friday on the theme "The Future of Robots".
- The theme "explores the way robotics can help solve global challenges and improve our lives", according to a fact sheet issued by the organizers.
Business
GCC countries attract $523.4bn in foreign investment in 2023
Muscat, Oman -- The GCC countries have seen a steady rise in foreign investment, according to data from the Statistical...
- Intra-GCC investments rise to $130 billion, aided by infrastructure, technology improvements, and modern legislation boosting regional business attractiveness.
- Capital markets grow to $4.2 trillion as corporate profits improve and institutional investments continue despite global economic uncertainties.
Geostrategy
G20 grapples with splintering world order
"Too many countries are retreating into geopolitical blocs or the battlegrounds of protectionism," Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters....
- He and the other leaders at the summit -- which was boycotted by the United States -- held a searching discussion on how the G20 can survive in a fragmenting world.
- The United States is to host next year's G20 summit, with Trump planning to hold it at a Florida golf club he owns.
Geostrategy
Israeli strikes kill 21 in Gaza, dozens more wounded: Civil defense
Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the civil defense agency, Bassal said one strike hit a house in Deir el-Balah in the...
- The Palestinian foreign ministry, based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, condemned the strikes.
- It urged the international community to put "immediate pressure" on Israel to "stop the massacres".
Geostrategy
Amazon climate deal a ‘win’ for global unity but fossil fuels untouched
Nearly 200 countries approved the deal by consensus after two weeks of exhaustive negotiations on the fringes of the rainforest,...
- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who staked political capital on the success of COP30, said the pact was proof that a fractured world could still unite in crisis.
- There was less euphoria in Belem, where defeated European ministers admitted they only took the watered-down deal to keep the entire process from imploding.
Most Read
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
The value imperative: leading growth forward
Companies should act now by strengthening financial resilience, embracing AI, diversifying supply chains and remaining lean. Waiting for stability is...
Opinion
Company News
Latest News
Beyond entertainment: How storytelling is shifting in the digital age
In a world where our screens shape how we think, feel, and connect, entertainment has become more than an escape...
Interview
Jury selection begins in landmark social media addiction trial
Los Angeles, United States -- Jury selection begins Tuesday for a landmark trial that could establish a legal precedent on...
Geostrategy
A matchmaking made in Gulf Heaven
The Gulf combines an interrelated web of business habitats and tech infrastructure to create rapid, policy-driven media and knowledge hubs...
Economy
Most Read
Business
Gold tops $5,000 for first time on Trump policy unrest
While turbulence over Trump's ambitions for Greenland and pressure on the Federal Reserve have provided the most recent support for...
- The precious metal's price has risen also owing to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as Washington's intervention in Venezuela.
- Gold demand by value jumped 44 percent year-on-year to a record $146 billion in the third quarter of last year, the World Gold Council has said in its latest report.
Business
Qadi partners with Core42 to power sovereign AI compliance platform
Qadi, the Middle East’s first sovereign regulatory compliance platform, has partnered with Core42, a G42 company, to power its artificial...
- Qadi’s AI agents automate regulatory compliance by translating local laws into workflows embedded directly within enterprise operations.
- Core42’s sovereign cloud ensures sensitive legal data remains protected under UAE jurisdictional controls and enterprise-grade governance frameworks.
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia’s UAE ‘mudslinging’ threatens new Gulf crisis
The United Arab Emirates is "investing in chaos and supporting secessionists" from Libya to Yemen and the Horn of Africa,...
- The two neighbors are traditional allies with deeply intertwined economies, and the UAE's president, Sheikh Mohamed, was considered a mentor to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
- Now, commentators in Saudi Arabia accuse the UAE of growing too bold, backing forces at odds with Saudi interests in conflicts including Yemen, while also aligning with Israel.