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
Culture Iran war hits Saudi gaming drive as Esports Nations Cup pushed to 2027 The postponement is a blow for the kingdom, which has made growing its esports sector one of the main priorities under its Vision 2030. Saudi Arabia
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
Young Egyptian engineers race ahead in electric vehicles Nine teams of Egyptian engineering students qualified for a mentorship program and funding to build their own designs and compete in Egypt's first electric vehicle competition. Egypt
Why do Palestinians opt for Israeli SIM cards? Due to the poor quality of Palestinian cellular companies that are crippled by Israeli restrictions, Palestinians in the West Bank are opting for Israeli SIM cards provided by illegal Israeli mobile network operators. Palestine
Will new e-payment regulations boost Gaza's gig economy? The Palestine Monetary Authority introduced new regulations and licensing to secure and expand electronic payment services, a step that could allow more Gazans to receive remittances for work conducted online for foreign companies. Palestine
Soaring unemployment pushes Gaza’s tech sector forward Ever-rising unemployment in the Gaza Strip has pushed young Palestinians to explore the technological sector, which largely sidesteps the Israeli siege by conducting business online. Palestine
Palestinians opt for illegal SIM cards smuggled from Israel West Bank authorities are combating the use of black-market Israeli telecom services, which Palestinians prefer over the pricier internet packages offered by local operators. Palestine
Transparency-hungry Turkey eyes blockchain The Turkish Informatics Foundation has launched a platform to promote and support the development of blockchain technologies for use in everything from banking and law to public opinion polls and elections. Turkey
Electronic vote counting sparks controversy ahead of Iraqi polls Despite the advantages offered by electronic counting and sorting devices in the Iraqi elections, fears remain that the results will be falsified. Iraq
Is Iran ready to block Telegram? The popular messaging app Telegram may soon be replaced by Soroush, a domestic messaging service. Iran
Virtual zoo app brings animals to Gazans As Gaza's actual zoos struggle, a group of students have developed an app that creates a virtual version. Palestine
Turkish government readies to squeeze internet service providers Ankara is tightening its grip even further over the media in Turkey with a new law increasing its censorship powers over online content, threatening both independent news outlets and domestic access to international reporting. Turkey
Turkey mulls 'national' bitcoin A government-promoted push for the "native and national" in almost every realm has reached the sphere of cryptocurrency despite Turkey's lingering mistrust of bitcoin. Turkey
Palestinian wiretap scandal raises ire, but no action so far The Palestinian Preventive Security Service is under fire for allegedly wiretapping citizens. Palestine
