What does Amazon war damage mean for Gulf cloud expansion? Amazon’s cloud computing unit said the damage was sustained to its facilities in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, casting doubt over multibillion-dollar investments in the region. Bahrain
Saudi Arabia taps China’s MiniMax for Arabic AI model The development signals that the kingdom continues deepening AI ties with China while simultaneously pursuing major US technology partnerships, keeping the Gulf state at the center of an intensifying technology race between the superpowers. Saudi Arabia
Starlink expands Middle East footprint with UAE launch: What to know Starlink’s Emirati debut expands the range of connectivity options available and is a significant step in the country’s efforts to bolster its digital infrastructure. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
China's Xi to visit Egypt for first time in decade as military, Huawei ties grow The visit comes as Chinese telecoms giant Huawei seeks to supply more than 2,000 advanced AI chips for Egyptian government data centers. Egypt
Interview Why Strait of Hormuz no longer rattles oil markets as much: IMF Jihad Azour Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund
Interview Saudi labor localization will take ‘generation or two': Armada CEO Olivier Badard CEO of Armada Holding
Iran suspect in cyberattack targeting Israeli shipping, financial firms Iran has increased its cyberattacks against Israel in the past year, according to several observers. Iran
Iraqi Kurdistan's first solar plant helps with power outages, boosts agriculture The Kurdistan Regional Government’s efforts to increase renewable energy usage come amid persistent electricity shortages throughout Iraq, as well as rising environmental concerns. Iraq
Analysis UAE gets whiff of metaverse's smell potential The United Arab Emirates's metaverse-friendly environment is attracting ambitious projects like Meta-nose, which can identify thousands of smells and convert them into digital data. By Salim A. Essaid
Antisemitism skyrockets on Twitter as Israel's requests go ignored With the number of antisemitic posts on social media on the rise, Israel’s Foreign Ministry focuses on tracing such dangerous trends and battling them on the platforms they are published on. Israel
Saudi Arabia increases stake in EA gaming by 55% The PIF held 16.01 million shares in Electronic Arts (EA) before Q4 2022, but after Q1 2023, it held 24.81 million shares. Saudi Arabia
Turkey’s opposition warns against deepfakes ahead of fateful elections As the presidential race heats up in the lead-up to Turkey's consequential elections, the country’s main opposition party accuses the government of plotting a cyberwar against Erdogan’s top rival. Turkey
UAE reprimands cryptocurrency firm OPNX The company, which is planning a transparent crypto platform, allegedly did not receive the necessary regulatory authority from the UAE. Legacy: Gulf
In water-starved Middle East, large ChatGPT data centers are a threat The UAE announced its record-breaking green data center in February of this year. The Moro Hub, created by the digital arm of DEWA, became the largest solar-powered data center, according to Guinness World Records. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi Arabia opens four special economic zones with eye on foreign investment The special economic zones offer incentives such as competitive corporate tax rates, 100% ownership of companies and flexibility in employing foreign labor. Legacy: Gulf
Analysis Middle East unlikely to slow down on AI, ChatGPT rollout Astra Tech, backed by Abu Dhabi AI company G42, said it created the first Arabic language ChatGPT last Wednesday. Also this week, the number of signatories of the open letter increased more than sixfold since last Monday’s 3,000, highlighting the growing concern about unregulated AI. By Salim A. Essaid
Bahrain launches 'Golden License' to attract major investment, jobs Only companies with major investment and project portfolios will be eligible for the license, with either a $50 million value or a plan to create 500 jobs in the country, according to the Bahrain Economic Development Board. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi firms face 6.7% higher Twitter verification fees than US Syria, Sudan, Iran, the West Bank and Gaza Strip are not on the price list and appear to be unable to purchase this subscription. Legacy: Gulf
