What we know about UAE blocking X accounts accused of misinformation A number of X accounts including Al Arabiya Breaking are now not accessible in the Gulf state as Abu Dhabi navigates regional turmoil. United Arab Emirates
Newsletter: FutureVerse The Gulf’s new front: data corridors Amid a broader rift between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the two Gulf powers are backing rival connectivity corridors in the region. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Interview AI, cybersecurity high on Mideast priorities amid global tech rivalry: Tech Mahindra The Indian tech company's Middle East head, Sahil Dhawan, believes these three forces are reshaping business priorities in the region.
Mideast’s AI startups capture record $858M in funding during 2025, doubling share The growth represents a sizable jump from recent years, when local AI companies captured just a sliver of dealmaking, and Magnitt now predicts funding for MENA’s AI startups will easily surpass $1 billion in 2026. United Arab Emirates
Interview Qualcomm sees growing demand for edge AI in the Middle East Wassim Chourbaji Qualcomm president for the Middle East & Africa
A reality check looms for Middle East's tech startups Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Bahrain’s CoinMENA to facilitate real estate payments via cryptocurrency The agreement with Carlton Real Estate only applies to certain coins. Cryptocurrency’s utility is increasing in the Gulf. Legacy: Gulf
Kurdistan government in Iraq hopes digitalization will bring investment The Kurdistan Regional Government has made progress digitizing government services, but investors say more is needed to attract serious capital and spur startup growth. Iraq
UAE, Egypt announce new wind farm during COP27 Wind power is growing in Egypt, which is relatively poor in oil and gas. Egypt
Egypt, Russia commence second phase of nuclear power plant construction Egypt is preparing to build the second unit of the Dabaa nuclear power plant about five months after establishing the first unit. Egypt
Saudi crown prince launches electric car company Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wants the oil-rich kingdom to focus more on green technology as he seeks to diversify the economy. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi Arabia establishes open banking framework Saudi Arabia wants to grow its fintech sector in line with its diversification plan, but finding the right talent could be a challenge. Legacy: Gulf
Senator calls for investigation into Saudi Twitter ownership Saudi Prince Alwaleed is the second-largest stakeholder in Elon Musk's Twitter, which has earned him criticism from Sen. Murphy. But the prince’s investment in the company is not new. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt plans to launch first satellite to monitor climate change in Africa In the lead-up to the COP27 scheduled to be held in Sharm el-Sheikh in November and in partnership with China, Egypt plans to launch its first satellite specialized in the monitoring of climate changes in Africa. Egypt
Report: Turkey has highest cryptocurrency interest in Middle East CryptoManiaks also found a relatively high amount of crypto-related Google searches in Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Turkey
Qatar signs deal with Google Cloud Qatar is seeking to digitize its economy and government, while Google Cloud wants to expand in the Middle East. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi Aramco launches sustainability fund The more than $1 billion new Saudi fund will invest in hydrogen, ammonia and other alternative fuels to oil. Legacy: Gulf