In an interview with TRENDS, CEO of ITCN Asia, Muhammad Umair Nizam highlights the expanding role of Pakistani IT firms in the GCC tech landscape.

The fifth annual Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index looks at both on- and off-chain data to determine which countries are leading the world in grassroots crypto adoption. Our research highlights countries where unique cryptocurrency use cases are taking hold, and explores why people in countries around the world are embracing...

The property website said the bid was undervalued.

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) revealed that total banking assets, including bank acceptance certificates, rose to AED 4.31 trillion ($1.16 trillion) at the end of June, a month-on-month increase of 0.5 percent, compared to AED 4.28 trillion in May 2024.In a report entitled "Monetary and...

The European Central Bank on Thursday is set to slash rates again by 25 basis points just days ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve beginning its own rate-cutting cycle, CNBC reports.Traders are widely anticipating an interest rate cut at the Federal Reserve’s Sept. 17-18 meeting, as well as at the...

With 93% of Saudi workers considering generative AI essential, alongside 95% in the Middle East and 79% globally, the region's prioritization of AI is evident.

Mohammad Qassem al-Shaer, "a field commander" in the group's elite Radwan Force, "was targeted in an Israeli strike on a motorcycle in the Bekaa" Valley in Lebanon's east, far from the Israeli border

Cupertino, United States - Apple on Monday unveiled new iPhones built for generative artificial intelligence as it seeks to boost sales and show it is keeping up in the technology race.The tech giant has a lot riding on the new iPhone 16 and hopes that customers are enticed to buy the...

Gaza civil defence official Mohammed Al-Mughair told AFP early Tuesday that "40 martyrs and 60 injured were recovered and transferred" to nearby hospitals following the overnight strike. "Our crews are still working to recover 15 missing people as a result of targeting the tents of the displaced in Mawasi, Khan...

The WTO's 2024 report on global trade looked at the role that commerce has played to narrow the gap between economies since its creation in 1995. "Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the report is its reaffirmation of trade's transformative role in reducing poverty and creating shared prosperity," WTO Director-General Ngozi...

Veendam, Netherlands -- The dream of hurtling between European cities at speeds of more than 700 kilometers per hour moved a step closer Monday with the first successful vehicle tests at the European Hyperloop Centre.Hovering inside a sleek 420-meter (1,377-foot) white tunnel, a dark and light grey striped pod levitates at...

Jordanians will head to the polls on Tuesday to vote for a new parliament amid widespread frustrations over a lagging economy and the ongoing war in Gaza.Just two days ahead of the vote, in a rare surge of violence, a Jordanian killed three Israeli guards at the border crossing between...

"We have enough forces to deal with Gaza and we should concentrate on what is going on in the north," Gantz said, speaking in Washington at a Middle East forum where he also said Iran and its proxies were "the real issue." "The time of the north has come and...

That year, Tebboune became president after widely boycotted elections and mass pro-democracy protests from 2019 that died out under his tenure as policing ramped up and hundreds were put in jail. More than 24 million Algerians were registered to vote, but ANIE didn't say how many people in total had...

Tehran, Iran -- Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian will visit neighboring Iraq on Wednesday, state media reported Sunday, in what will be his first trip abroad since he took office in July.Pezeshkian will head a high-ranking Iranians delegation to Baghdad to meet senior Iraqi officials.The visit comes at the invitation of Iraq's...

Tourism is a major contributor to the Kingdom's economic diversification efforts, the IMF notes in its 2024 Article IV Consultation report. Tourism revenues reached $36 billion in 2023.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - In a Dubai recording studio, hijab-clad Ghaliaa Chaker tunes her guitar and belts out original songs as she builds a career that is turning heads for more than just her music.The 26-year-old Syrian, who was raised in the United Arab Emirates, has become a social media...

Rolls-Royce said on Thursday it was launching "a one-time precautionary engine inspection programme" which may apply "to a portion of the A350 fleet". The first A350 was delivered to Qatar Airways at the end of 2014. A total of 87 A350-1000 aircraft are currently in service worldwide.

The UAE, relying on domestic workers (5% of the population), invests $3 billion annually, highlighting the rising demand for domestic help among local and expatriate families.

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The market capitalization of the top 20 listed companies in the local stock markets by market capitalization reached AED 2.8 trillion ($762.44 billion) by the end of this week, while further growth is expected in line with the markets' plans to double their market capitalization to...

Since US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell stated last month that the time for interest rates to begin coming down and the pace would depend on economic data, investors have been keenly awaiting the latest jobs numbers. Dismal July job figures caused markets to panic last month.

Janājah, Iraq - Bare feet pressed against the rough trunk of a palm tree, his back supported by a metal and fabric harness, Ali Abed begins the climb to the dates above.In Iraq, the date palm and its bounty are national icons, but they are being battered by drought.Once known as...

Palestinian Territories - Hamas called on the United States Thursday to "exert real pressure" on Israel to reach a Gaza ceasefire agreement as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was no deal in the making.The two sides have traded blame over stalling talks for a ceasefire and hostage exchange as...

China, the world's number two economy, is Africa's largest trading partner

The strategy focuses on risk-based compliance, international cooperation, effective supervision, and disrupting illicit financial activities through improved data collection, analysis, and regulation updates.

Pakistan's IT sector is thriving, with growing exports and recognition as a tech hub, driven by government support, skilled talent, and strategic GCC collaborations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting international and domestic pressure after the killing in Gaza of six captives, with US President Joe Biden saying he is not doing enough to secure the release of hostages.Britain said Monday it would suspend some arms exports to Israel, citing a "clear risk"...

Beirut, Lebanon - At a shop nestled in a busy, crowded Beirut district, Hasan El-Makary is weighing out containers of warm, fragrant mufataka, a traditional sweet in the Lebanese capital that is rarely found in stores."I've been in this shop for 50 years, but we started specialising in mufataka 30 years...

The Houthis said in a statement they had targeted the Blue Lagoon with "missiles and drones, and it was directly hit". The JMIC, run by a 45-member international naval coalition, said the tanker "was subject to three ballistic missile attacks. All crew on board are safe (no injury reported)".

Jerusalem -- Pressure mounted Monday on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a major strike was held and US President Joe Biden said he was not doing enough to secure the release of Gaza hostages, following the killing of six captives.Israelis were gripped by grief and fury after the military...

Beginning in January 2025, the measure will place a minimum tax of 15 percent on revenues over 750 million euros ($830 million) generated in the country, the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported. The move aligns Bahrain with the standards of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which spearheaded the global...

The council aims to align its focus with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the economic agendas of Eastern European countries, promising significant prospects for Saudi investors

A nationwide strike aimed at ramping up pressure on Israel's government to secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza was set to begin Monday.The call by Israel's largest union to paralyse the economy follows a night of massive demonstrations, with tens of thousands of protesters taking to the...

AI-powered tools are crucial for measuring emissions accurately, enhancing accountability in achieving climate goals, Naim Yazbeck, the General Manager of Microsoft UAE, told TRENDS in an exclusive interview.

Doha, Qatar -- A large new solar plant planned in Qatar will double the Gulf emirate's previously projected renewable energy capacity by 2030, Qatari Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi announced on Sunday.The photovoltaic farm, which will be built in the Dukhan area some 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of the capital Doha,...

"I have come to the conclusion that only our intervention can shake those who need to be shaken," Arnon bar David, chairman of Israel's powerful Histadrut trade union said in a statement. "Starting tomorrow at six in the morning, the entire Israeli economy will go on complete strike."

Since first qualifying for the Paralympics in 2000, Bosnia have never finished outside of the podium and they made a big move to maintaining that record when they sealed their second Pool A win in as many matches. "We hoped this was going to be much easier," said Bosnia's Stevan...

Paris, France -- The UN has published a draft on climate financing due to be presented at the COP29 in November, laying out the conflicting positions from which the main country blocs will try to clinch the next climate deal.The document, which AFP consulted Friday, is the basis for negotiating an...

Jenin governor Kamal Abu al-Rub told AFP that even he does not know exactly what is happening inside the camp, where the latest fighting appeared to be concentrated. "The Israelis are besieging the hospitals and cutting off the city from the refugee camp, which has become a military zone with...

While some sectors have largely regained their strength -- including tourism and the auto industry -- others are struggling, particularly real estate, a key growth driver. The non-manufacturing PMI, which includes services, was in positive territory in August at 50.3 points compared with 50.2 a month earlier.

Paris, France - The UN has published a draft on climate financing due to be presented at the COP29 in November, laying out the conflicting positions from which the main country blocs will try to clinch the next climate deal.The document, which AFP consulted Friday, is the basis for negotiating an...

Rebel chief Abdul Malik al-Houthi on Thursday said his forces had "stormed" the tanker earlier this week. He added in a speech that the Sounion had violated the Houthis' "embargo" on shipping to Israeli ports. The vessel had departed from Iraq and was destined for a port near Athens, carrying...

Washington, United States - iPhone juggernaut Apple is in talks to invest in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT and the biggest name in generative artificial intelligence, a news report said Thursday.According to the Wall Street Journal, the company founded by Steve Jobs is at the funding table as OpenAI raises more...

Paris, France -- Telegram chief Pavel Durov was spending Thursday out on bail after four days of detention in France, banned from leaving the country as he faces a possible trial related to illegal content carried on his messaging app.Russian-born Durov, dressed in black and wearing dark glasses, walked briskly out...

"The way we discussed and agreed, the campaign will start on the first of September, in central Gaza, for three days, and there will be a humanitarian pause during the vaccination," said Rik Peeperkorn, the agency's representative for Palestinian territories.

In part 1 of our mid-year crime update, we discussed trends related to ransomware and stolen funds. While aggregate illicit on-chain activity declined by nearly 20% year-to-date (YTD), inflows from stolen funds nearly doubled, and annual ransomware payments are on track to be the largest ever in a single year.Next,...

Shares of Nvidia and other technology heavyweights fell late on Wednesday, a discouraging sign for investors betting that a strong forecast from the dominant seller of AI chips would fuel fresh gains in Wall Street's most valuable companies, Reuters reported.Nasdaq futures fell about 1% following Nvidia's quarterly, suggesting traders expect...

Paris, France - Russian-born tech entrepreneur Pavel Durov has founded wildly popular social networks, cryptocurrencies, amassed a multi-billion-dollar fortune and locked horns with authorities, in Russia and around the world.Still a few months shy of his 40th birthday, the man once dubbed the "Russian Zuckerberg" after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg now...

The vessel had departed from Iraq and was destined for a port near Athens, carrying 150,000 metric tons of crude oil, according to the European Union's Red Sea naval mission, Aspides. The EU naval force, formed in February to protect merchant vessels from attacks by the Houthis, warned last week...

Paris, France -- US shares fell marginally and European stock markets mostly inched higher Wednesday as investors cautiously awaited the latest earnings results from US chip giant Nvidia, a bellwether for the tech sector.Traders are also waiting for key US economic data later this week that could provide clues about the...