Technology

ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

Iran plans to create closed internet network offering tiered access: Report

The shift heralds a new era in which internet access is no longer a right but a government-granted privilege, according to FilterWatch, a US-based group that monitors internet freedom in the Middle East.

Backlit image of Iranian demonstrators holding national flags and portraits during an antiKhamenei protest at Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece, on January 11, 2026. What stands out is a woman holding a placard featuring a Wi Fi symbol and the message "Iran has no internet," referencing an internet blackout in Iran. The gathering takes place in front of the Hellenic Parliament, where protesters primarily supporters of the former Shah express opposition to the current Iranian regime and denounce restrictions

Tehran jams Starlink as Iranians take risks to skirt internet blackout

Iranians have turned to the US internet provider to get online amid a government-imposed network blackout that began Jan. 8.

Flag of Iran on a computer binary codes falling from the top and fading away.

Iran’s internet crackdown intensifies as Trump eyes Starlink: What to know

Iran has largely gone offline since protests over economic woes escalated into broader demonstrations against the government, with the Trump administration signaling restoring internet access could be a priority.

The close-up of a phone tapping a POS at the coffee shop highlights the ease of contactless transactions.

Saudi Arabia, UAE accelerate cashless payment push in 2026: What to know

Dubai is targeting 90% cashless transactions by the end of 2026, while Saudi Arabia is now set to enforce an e-payments rule for domestic workers.

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Interview

Youth, strong AI adoption make MENA leading region for smartphones: OPPO

Lay Ren

Lay Ren

Lay Ren

President of OPPO MENA

Gulf accounted for 43% of global sovereign wealth fund investment in 2025

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, head of the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia's influential sovereign wealth fund, addresses the opening ceremony of the Future Investment Initiative, in Riyadh, on Oct. 28, 2025.

Interview

Robots can solve UAE construction labor shortage, says Buildroid AI

Buildroid AI

Anton Glance

Anton Glance

Co-founder of Buildroid AI

Saudi Arabia deploys region’s first industrial quantum computer: What to know

A model of IBM Quantum shows the three chandeliers that would be a part of the System Two installation, the System One comprises of one such chandelier, seen during the inauguration of Europe's first IBM Quantum Data Center, on Oct. 1, 2024, in Ehningen, Germany.

His Excellency President CyrilRamaphosa welcomes G20 Heads of State and Government to the G20 Leaders’ Summit, hosted by South Africa at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Gauteng, on Nov. 22, 2025.

UAE showcases global AI ambitions with $1B Africa pledge at G20

The Gulf country is the world's top investor in Africa, with Emirati companies committing $100 billion to projects on the continent between 2019 and 2023, according to data from the Financial Times.

United Arab Emirates

A view of Al Majdoul, a skyscraper in Riyadh, Aug. 1, 2023.

Feature

Saudi Arabia leans on AI for real estate growth as gigaprojects slow

The kingdom is increasingly announcing projects merging AI and real estate to cut costs while building smarter, data-driven, and more sustainable infrastructure.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman (R) arrives as US President Donald Trump is seen on a screen.

Gulf AI ambitions get boost with US approval of advanced chip exports

Washington has been cautious about sending sensitive advanced microchips to Middle East countries with close ties to China, fearing that the technology could end up in Beijing’s hands.

A drone is seen during the opening ceremony of the Milipol, the international exhibition of homeland security, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, in Doha, on Oct. 31, 2016.

UAE deals with Anduril, Palantir deepen US tech footprint in Gulf defense

A new generation of Silicon Valley-linked US defense players are strengthening Gulf ties, representing a challenge to America’s legacy weapons giants in the region.

United Arab Emirates

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Microsoft to invest $7.9 billion in UAE to scale AI with new Nvidia chips

Microsoft plans to spend over $5.5 billion on cloud and AI infrastructure and another $2.4 billion on operational expenses and local hiring in the United Arab Emirates through 2029.

United Arab Emirates

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Billion-dollar AI, clean energy deals headline Saudi 'Davos in the Desert'

Humain, an AI firm backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, the PIF, signed a $3 billion deal with AirTrunk, a company backed by US asset manager Blackstone, to build a data center campus in the kingdom.

Bellieud

Interview

Al-Futtaim targets 2026 UAE rollout for game-changer ultrafast EV charging

The technology, which has only been deployed in China, will enable up to 400 kilometers of car recharging in five minutes, roughly the same time as filling a petrol tank.

Lucas Bellieud

Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Managing Director

EA office building in Austin, Texas, USA.

Gaming giant Electronic Arts taken private in $55B Saudi-backed buyout

The transaction represents a significant deal involving entities close to the Saudi Arabian and US governments.

Analysis

Gulf investors emerge as key players in US social media giants TikTok, Snap, X

With UAE tech investor MGX set to take a stake in TikTok's US operations, investors from the Middle East could cement their role in America's social media landscape.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

PayPal headquarters pictured in San Jose, California, on Oct. 15, 2015.

PayPal bets $100M as Middle East’s Gulf fintech giants amplify competition

The move from the US payments giant comes amid a flurry of activity that has further cemented the Gulf’s fintech sector on the map for global investors — including Saudi Arabia's Tamara, which recently secured a $2.4 billion financing deal.

United Arab Emirates

Google Pay, China’s Alipay+ launch in Saudi Arabia amid cashless push

Both payment platforms will use mada, the kingdom’s national payment system.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

An Xpeng AeroHT X2 Flying Car is seen on display in Hong Kong on May 17, 2024

China-made flying car makes first test flight in UAE: What to know

The Chinese company is facing competition from a US firm that is currently developing an air taxi service in Dubai.

United Arab Emirates