Backed by its sovereign wealth fund, Saudi chases AI ambitions with homegrown firm pitched to global investors
The company, launched in May, is bankrolled by Saudi's powerful Public Investment Fund, which has played a key role in...Economy
China vows massive high-tech sector development in next decade
Beijing, China -- China will develop its high-tech sector on a massive scale in the next decade, top officials vowed...Economy Geostrategy
Egyptian farmers behind world’s perfumes face climate fight alone, yield drops by half
For years, Egyptian jasmine picker Wael al-Sayed has collected blossoms by night in the Nile Delta, supplying top global perfume...As temperatures rise the flowers bloom less and daily harvest has dropped from six kilograms to just two or three in the past two years
With the Nile Delta also vulnerable to the rising Mediterranean water levels, which affect soil salinity, jasmine farmers are on the front line of a heating planet
Israeli bulldozers uproot hundreds of trees in West Bank village, most of them olive trees
"The goal is control and forcing people to leave. This is just the beginning -- it will expand across the...Abdelatif Mohammed Abu Aliya, a local farmer from the village near Ramallah, said he lost olive trees that were over 70 years old on about one hectare of land
"They completely uprooted and levelled them under false pretences," he said, explaining he and other residents had already begun replanting the pulled-up trees
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
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.
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
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."
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.
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
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
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
