Newsletter: FutureVerse Gulf espionage fears rattle Silicon Valley Abdulrahman Alfozan’s arrest last week drew immediate attention to the 35-year-old engineer’s connections to the Saudi government and elite circles. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse Gulf tech ambitions face Trump-Xi test Gulf tech powers have plenty at stake as Xi and Trump discuss US-China AI competition. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse Middle East confronts AI risks In the Middle East, governments are pouring billions into AI ambitions as Anthropic’s own Claude chatbot comes under scrutiny for creating national security risks. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse China holds its ground in Middle East AI race Last Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Egypt for the first time in a decade, with the trip coinciding with efforts by Beijing to expand its AI footprint in the country. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse LEAP’s comeback By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse Economic D-day’s tech risks By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Gaza war takes manpower toll on Israeli tech sector David Rosenberg In Tel Aviv, reporting on business and tech
Singapore exchange Crypto.com receives Dubai license in boost to UAE's scene Cryptocurrency firms are continuing to move to the United Arab Emirates despite regulatory challenges and the market crash. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi campaign to boycott TikTok spreads to private sector Many Saudis are calling for a boycott of the popular social media platform over it allegedly removing pro-Saudi content. Saudi Arabia
Drones can help fight climate change, says Abu Dhabi environment agency The government department is looking to plant 10 mangroves in Abu Dhabi for every visitor to the COP28 climate conference in Dubai in November. United Arab Emirates
Saudi crown prince announces esports ‘world cup’ The move follows significant Saudi investment in both video games and traditional sports. Legacy: Gulf
Twitter/X erases thousands of Israel-Hamas posts after EU disinfo warning The 27-nation bloc has also issued similar ultimatums to Meta and TikTok, imploring the companies to take fake posts about the conflict off their social media platforms. Israel
Israeli food-tech advances as Aleph Farms seeks regulatory nod for cell-based steaks With a focus on alternative protein products, Israel in recent years has emerged as a key player in the global food-tech industry. David Rosenberg In Tel Aviv, reporting on business and tech
China's Huawei to invest $430M in North African cloud center, developer training The Chinese tech firm has been increasing its footprint in the Middle East and North Africa. North Africa
Analysis Saudi Arabia fastest growing crypto economy globally amid regional drive The kingdom led globally with a 12% increase in crypto transaction volume reaching nearly $31 billion from July 2022 through June 2023, according to an industry report released Tuesday. By Salim A. Essaid
UAE places technology at top of COP28 agenda in Dubai The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, UAE Space Agency and COP28 signed an agreement in July to coordinate on technology-focused sustainable solutions ahead of the major climate change conference in Dubai later this year. United Arab Emirates
China’s Huawei opens cloud data center in Riyadh to grow MENA footprint The Chinese telecoms giant said in February it would invest $400 million in Saudi Arabia's cloud region over the next five years. Saudi Arabia
US denies it had 'blocked' AI chip sales to some Middle Eastern countries The US Commerce Department was quick to distance itself from the reports — but it did not directly address imposing license restrictions on certain types of chips. Legacy: Gulf