Author: Arabian Media staff

Image: Supplied When it comes to investments in artificial intelligence (AI), the numbers are staggering. Stargate, a US initiative to build the largest AI data centers the world has ever seen, aims to invest $500bn over the next four years. Saudi Arabia and the UAE just announced plans to buy hundreds of thousands of advanced AI chips. And at France’s “AI Action Summit” earlier this year, public and private actors pledged investments surpassing EUR 300bn to advance AI in Europe. It is very clear that expectations about the economic benefits of this technology are sky high. Yet, a recent McKinsey…

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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.China’s antitrust regulator has conditionally approved a $35bn takeover by US tech company Synopsys of smaller rival Ansys, with its decision coming soon after the Trump administration quietly eased restrictions on exports of chip design software tools.Monday’s green light comes after China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) paused the approval process in May, the Beijing-based regulator said in a statement, confirming a Financial Times report last month. Its statement revealed a quick turnaround, with SAMR taking just one day to grant…

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Image: Getty Images Binance has launched what it calls its “most meaningful product yet” – Sharia Earn, a fully certified Sharia-compliant crypto staking product aimed at providing Muslim users with halal investment opportunities. The announcement was made during the Binance Square Webinar by CEO Richard Teng. The new solution allows users to earn staking rewards on selected crypto assets, starting with BNB and Solana, while complying with Islamic finance principles. It represents Binance’s first step into the world of Islamic finance and is seen as a critical move to bridge the gap between digital assets and Sharia-compliant financial products. Speaking…

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Image: Supplied Sukna Capital has just secured regulatory approval to launch the first open-ended direct lending fund in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East, offering flexible, non-dilutive capital tailored to the needs of startups and SMEs. Targetting sectors such as fintech, sustainability and AI, the fund addresses a critical gap in the region’s capital stack by providing structured credit solutions based on commercial traction rather than collateral alone. The fund is being led by a seasoned team, including Fares Bardeesi, a former senior banker, and Waleed Alballaa, ex-STV founding partner and co-founder of Riyadh Angel Investors. In this interview,…

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Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the worldEuropean stocks slipped on Monday morning as investors responded to Donald Trump’s threat of 30 per cent tariffs on the EU, the latest escalation of his trade war.Germany’s Dax index was down 1 per cent in early trade while France’s Cac 40 fell 0.8 per cent. The broad Stoxx Europe 600, which includes non-EU markets such as the UK, fell 0.6 per cent.The moves came after the US president announced the planned levies on Saturday, pushing the bloc to delay…

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TikTok has partnered with Visa to launch a new initiative aimed at empowering small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across the UAE. The collaboration offers a mix of financial incentives, expert-led training, and digital marketing tools to help entrepreneurs grow their presence on the short-form video platform and thrive in the digital economy. Starting from July 1, 2025, SMBs that spend $250 on TikTok ad campaigns using a Visa Commercial card will receive $150 in TikTok Ad Credits. The offer, which runs until September 30, 2025, is exclusive to first-time users of TikTok Ads Manager. In addition to the ad credits,…

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Image credit: Getty Images The Embassy of India in Kuwait officially launched the e-visa service for Kuwaiti nationals on Sunday, July 13, marking a significant step toward simplifying visa procedures and strengthening bilateral relations. During a press conference, the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, Dr Adarsh Swaika, called the initiative a “crucial development” aimed at streamlining travel and boosting people-to-people ties between India and Kuwait, a Kuwait News Agency report said. Read-Kuwait launches new e-visa platform to boost travel, digital efficiency Fully online visa process The e-visa application is entirely digital and can be completed on the official Indian visa portal.…

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The EU has put trade retaliations against the US on hold, and US investment banking is set to extend its losing streak. Plus, the FT’s Eleni Varvitsioti explains how Greece recovered from economic disaster in the past decade, but still has work to do.Mentioned in this podcast:EU pauses trade retaliation against US after Trump’s 30% tariff threatInvestment banking set to extend worst run in over a decadeHow Greece came back from the brinkToday’s FT News Briefing was produced by Persis Love, Sonja Hutson, Katya Kumkova, Mischa Frankl-Duval and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Alexander Higgins and Peter Barber. Our acting…

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