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
Who is Amir Yaryab, IRGC’s cyber commander in US crosshairs? The US State Department has offered up to $10 million for information on Amir Yaryab, who oversees a key part of Iran’s cyber operations. Iran
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
Newsletter: FutureVerse LEAP’s comeback The fifth edition of the gathering offers a temperature check for the Gulf’s AI ambitions amid fallout from the US-Israel-Iran war. 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
Newsletter: FutureVerse Coinbase joins UAE crypto rush By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse Middle East's EV bet faces reality check By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse Red Sea tech risks resurface By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Cryptocurrency exchange receives approval to operate in Dubai FTX is among several cryptocurrency firms that have announced moves to the UAE, which instituted a regulatory mechanism for virtual assets earlier this year. Legacy: Gulf
Russian company begins construction at Egypt’s first nuclear power plant Russia's state-owned atomic energy company, Rosatom, and the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy have begun work at the Dabaa nuclear power plant, Egypt’s first. Egypt
Bahrain’s CoinMENA to offer crypto services in Egypt Crypto is particularly growing in Bahrain and the UAE, in part due to evasion of sanctions on Russia in the latter. Egypt
UAE bank to allow cryptocurrency trading in dirhams A bank in the United Arab Emirates will soon allow its customers to trade cryptocurrencies using Emirati currency. Legacy: Gulf
West Bank hosts first digital tourism hackathon For the first time, Palestinians hold a digital tourism hackathon to develop innovative solutions to the problems facing the tourism industry. Palestine
UAE requests bids to build another waste-to-energy power plant The Emirates recently unveiled a power plant in Sharjah that converts garbage into electricity. Some environmental groups believe such facilities are harmful due to their carbon footprint, but burning garbage also reduces landfill waste. Legacy: Gulf
Jordan increases renewable energy use Jordan does not have large oil and gas reserves, unlike other countries in the region. Jordan
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company to work with France’s TotalEnergies on carbon capture The deal came during UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to France, where he strengthened energy relations with the European country. The two countries have grown closer over Libya and energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean. Legacy: Gulf
Israeli startup to build quantum computing center Israel is making progress in the development of quantum computing, as are Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Israel
Israeli crypto firm Celsius files for bankruptcy Cryptocurrencies have plummeted in value this year. Israel
Iraqi company to build solar-powered street lights The Iraqi government is making efforts to develop solar energy. The country suffers from widespread power cuts. Iraq
Turkey, UAE continue to mend ties with space agreement Turkish-Emirati economic ties have gradually strengthened this year, reducing tensions between the two regional powers. Turkey