Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Al Nassr’s starting line-up on Saturday night and marked the occasion with the opening goal in a 2-0 victory over Al Fateh, reinforcing his influence on the Riyadh club’s title ambitions. Back in action after missing the previous fixture, the Portugal captain needed little time to reassert himself. Leading the line with customary authority, Ronaldo broke the deadlock in […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Orient Insurance posted a net profit of AED 836 million for 2025, marking a 14.4 per cent rise from the previous year, as the Dubai-based insurer strengthened underwriting performance and investment income amid steady demand across the UAE and Gulf markets. The company, part of the Al-Futtaim Group, said its annual financial results reflected disciplined risk management, prudent reserving and a diversified portfolio […]
Khaleeji Bank has rolled out a Ramadan promotional campaign across six major shopping malls in Bahrain, aiming to deepen customer engagement and reinforce its retail banking footprint during one of the Kingdom’s busiest commercial seasons. The Islamic lender said the initiative, branded “Spin & Win”, will run throughout the holy month and offers visitors the chance to participate in an interactive draw featuring a range of prizes. […]
Siemens has completed the purchase of Canopus AI, a Grenoble-based specialist in artificial intelligence-driven metrology and inspection software, signalling an intensified push into semiconductor manufacturing software as device geometries shrink and production volumes grow. The acquisition, announced on 4 February and finalised on 12 January, brings AI-enhanced wafer and mask measurement capabilities into Siemens’ electronic design automation portfolio, aimed at helping chipmakers achieve higher precision and manufacturing […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia has stepped up efforts to localise vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing, with Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Bandar Alkhorayef holding high-level talks in Lyon aimed at accelerating biopharmaceutical production within the Kingdom. During meetings with Thomas Triomphe, Executive Vice President and Head of Vaccines at Sanofi, the minister explored pathways for industrial collaboration that would anchor advanced vaccine manufacturing in Saudi Arabia. […]
Elon Musk’s social network X is advancing plans to embed cryptocurrency and stock trading features directly into users’ timelines as part of a broader push to transform the platform into a financial ecosystem. Executives at the company have signalled that a limited external beta of its integrated financial services, known as X Money, is anticipated within weeks, marking a major milestone in Musk’s vision of merging social […]
OPEC+ is signalling a shift back to increasing oil output from April as producers prepare for stronger demand through the summer months, according to multiple officials and industry delegates ahead of a key March meeting. The coalition, led by core producers such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, paused monthly output rises for the first quarter amid concerns over supply gluts, but growing market confidence […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai DP World has announced a sweeping leadership change at the helm of its global logistics empire, elevating His Excellency Essa Kazim to chairman of the board and naming Yuvraj Narayan as group chief executive officer, following the resignation of long-time executive Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. The appointments signal a strategic reset for the Dubai-based operator amid heightened scrutiny over its governance and reputation […]
OpenAI has launched GPT-5.3-Codex-Spark, an ultra-fast version of its coding artificial intelligence that runs on specialised hardware from Cerebras Systems, marking its first major production deployment outside of the long-dominant Nvidia-based infrastructure. The Codex-Spark release delivers more than 1,000 tokens per second in interactive coding workflows, designed to give developers near-instant responsiveness for editing and iterative tasks while maintaining competitive capabilities for real-world software development. The debut […]
Truth Social Funds, the investment arm linked to Trump Media & Technology Group, has filed registration statements with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission for two exchange-traded funds focused on major cryptocurrency assets. The proposed products, if approved, would give investors exposure to Bitcoin and Ether in one fund and to Cronos in a second fund that also seeks to generate yield through network staking rewards. […]
Blackstone’s private equity fund tailored for wealthy investors registered a hefty net 20 per cent return last year, propelled by strategic investments tied to artificial intelligence platforms and infrastructure, according to financial industry figures. The performance marks one of the strongest showings across alternative asset strategies targeting individual high-net-worth portfolios amid a broader industry push to deliver private markets access beyond institutional clients. The Blackstone Private Equity […]
Berlin is tightening controls on its defence sector as it expands military spending and confronts strategic risks posed by deep economic ties with China and reliance on foreign suppliers, especially from the United States. The federal government’s action reflects growing anxiety that Germany’s defence companies, including key suppliers and manufacturers, could be exposed to undue influence or supply chain disruptions if anchored too closely to geopolitical rivals. […]
New Delhi has approved a proposal worth about $39 billion to expand the country’s fleet of Rafale fighter aircraft, marking one of the largest defence procurement decisions in its history and signalling a further shift towards advanced Western platforms in its combat air strategy.
The clearance by the defence ministry paves the way for negotiations with France’s Dassault Aviation for additional Rafale jets, building on an earlier $8.7 billion contract for 36 aircraft for the Air Force, deliveries of which were completed in 2024. A separate agreement has also been signed for 26 Rafale-M naval variants intended for deployment aboard aircraft carriers, underscoring a broader push to strengthen maritime air power.
New Delhi pushes major Rafale fleet expansion as it seeks to address concerns over squadron strength and ageing aircraft. The Air Force’s sanctioned strength stands at 42 squadrons, yet operational numbers have hovered well below that benchmark for years, raising debate within strategic circles over preparedness along contested borders with China and Pakistan.
Officials familiar with the procurement process say the new proposal reflects both operational requirements and long-term modernisation goals. India’s fleet still includes a significant number of Soviet-era MiG-21s and other legacy platforms, many of which are due for phased retirement. The Rafale, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter equipped with advanced avionics, electronic warfare systems and long-range precision weapons, has been positioned as a key element in bridging capability gaps.
The initial induction of 36 Rafales was widely viewed as a stopgap measure after the earlier Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft tender was scrapped amid cost and contractual disputes. Since their deployment at Ambala and Hasimara air bases, the aircraft have been integrated with India-specific enhancements, including advanced radar and electronic countermeasures. Defence planners argue that expanding the Rafale fleet would provide logistical and training efficiencies compared with diversifying further across multiple foreign platforms.
The naval variant, Rafale-M, has been selected to operate from the INS Vikrant, the country’s first domestically built aircraft carrier, and potentially from INS Vikramaditya. Naval aviation officials have indicated that the twin-engine aircraft meets requirements for carrier-based operations, including ski-jump take-offs and arrested landings, following evaluation trials against competitors such as Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet.
Strategic analysts view the combined air force and naval acquisitions as part of a wider recalibration of procurement policy. Over the past decade, New Delhi has sought to balance self-reliance initiatives with the need for timely capability upgrades. Programmes under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” framework aim to boost domestic manufacturing, yet complex fighter development remains a long-term endeavour. The Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, has entered service and secured additional orders, but it is not seen as a direct substitute for heavier multirole platforms like the Rafale.
Financial implications are significant. A $39 billion outlay would rank among the largest defence capital expenditures, at a time when the government is managing competing demands from infrastructure, welfare and economic stimulus. Officials have indicated that staggered payments and potential technology transfers could form part of negotiations, with an emphasis on local industry participation.
Previous Rafale contracts were accompanied by offset obligations requiring Dassault and its partners to invest in the domestic aerospace ecosystem. Whether similar provisions will apply to the expanded deal remains a subject of scrutiny, particularly as policymakers seek to deepen supply-chain integration and reduce long-term import dependence.
Diplomatically, the move reinforces defence ties with France, which has emerged as a key security partner in the Indo-Pacific. Bilateral cooperation spans joint exercises, maritime surveillance and submarine technology. Paris has consistently supported India’s strategic autonomy, a factor often cited by policymakers as attractive compared with other major arms suppliers.
Political debate is likely to accompany the procurement, as the earlier Rafale deal became a focal point of parliamentary contestation over pricing and process transparency. Government representatives have maintained that all procedures were followed in accordance with defence acquisition rules, and that operational urgency justified the intergovernmental route adopted at the time.
Air power specialists argue that a larger Rafale fleet would enhance interoperability and deterrence. The aircraft’s ability to carry Meteor beyond-visual-range missiles and SCALP cruise missiles has been highlighted as a force multiplier. Integration with indigenous weapons and network-centric warfare systems is also under way, reflecting a hybrid approach that blends imported hardware with domestic innovation.
Beyond immediate operational considerations, the proposal signals continuity in defence planning that spans successive administrations. India remains among the world’s largest arms importers, yet officials have reiterated ambitions to transition towards greater domestic production capacity over the coming decade. Achieving that balance, while sustaining readiness across land, sea and air domains, presents both fiscal and industrial challenges.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Asus has introduced its latest dual-display laptop in the United Arab Emirates, positioning the Zenbook Duo UX8407AA as a flagship productivity device built around Intel’s Core Ultra platform and a redesigned twin-screen form factor. The launch marks a renewed push by the Taiwan-headquartered manufacturer to popularise multi-screen computing beyond niche creative users. The Zenbook Duo features two 14-inch 3K OLED panels branded as […]
China’s Z. ai has propelled its artificial intelligence ambitions into the global spotlight with the launch of GLM-5, a 744-billion-parameter open-source large language model that stands toe-to-toe with leading Western counterparts and underscores Beijing’s drive for technological self-sufficiency. Released on 11 February by the company formerly known as Zhipu AI, GLM-5 combines advanced architecture with broad hardware compatibility and permissive licensing, signalling a shift in the global AI landscape.
The GLM-5 model, built on a mixture-of-experts framework and trained on an expanded dataset of roughly 28.5 trillion tokens, is designed for multifaceted tasks including coding, reasoning and agentic operations. Z. ai reports that the model’s performance on internal benchmarks approaches that of leading proprietary systems such as Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.5, and on certain tests it outperforms Google’s Gemini 3 Pro. Its permissive MIT licence allows unrestricted commercial use and adaptation, making GLM-5 one of the most accessible frontier AI models available to developers and enterprises worldwide.
A standout feature of GLM-5 is its independence from American semiconductor technology. Trained and deployable on domestic Chinese chips from manufacturers like Huawei Ascend, Moore Threads, Cambricon and Kunlunxin, the model sidesteps reliance on high-end Nvidia GPUs that are constrained under US export controls. Z. ai’s use of the MindSpore AI framework further embeds the model within a Chinese software ecosystem, emphasising self-reliant technological development. This strategy exemplifies a broader push within China’s AI sector to mitigate the impact of external trade restrictions and build robust, locally supported infrastructures.
Market reception underscored the impact of GLM-5’s launch: Z. ai’s shares surged nearly 29 per cent on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange following the announcement, reflecting investor optimism about the company’s competitiveness and growth prospects. Industry analysts note that GLM-5’s arrival comes amid an acceleration of model releases and chip optimisation efforts by several Chinese AI firms, signalling more intense competition on both domestic and international fronts.
Benchmarks published by Z. ai highlight GLM-5’s strengths and limitations. On software engineering evaluations, the model achieved a score of 77.8 per cent on the widely referenced SWE-bench Verified suite, trailing slightly behind Claude Opus 4.5’s 80.9 per cent but outperforming other notable systems in agentic and multitask contexts. The architecture’s efficient handling of long-context sequences—up to 200 000 tokens—positions GLM-5 for applications requiring extensive reasoning over lengthy inputs.
GLM-5’s low cost of deployment also enhances its appeal. Analyses of pricing data suggest inference can cost around US $1 per million tokens, a fraction of the fees charged by some proprietary APIs, potentially lowering barriers for startups and research teams seeking cutting-edge language modelling without prohibitive expenditure. The MIT licence further expands this accessibility by granting broad rights to adapt and deploy the underlying model weights in commercial and research settings.
Despite its technical achievements and open licensing, experts caution against over-interpretation of benchmark results as definitive proof of superiority. Performance under controlled test conditions does not always translate to uniformly strong real-world applications, particularly in generative and reasoning tasks where robustness and safety remain critical hurdles. Some observers also warn that differences between self-reported evaluations and independent assessments could emerge as the model is adopted more widely.
GLM-5’s emergence reflects broader trends within China’s AI ecosystem, where domestic firms and chipmakers are increasingly synchronised in advancing cutting-edge technologies. Industry developments suggest that model and hardware optimisation efforts are happening in near tandem, with architecture adaptations and inference support enabling faster incorporation of new Chinese semiconductor products. These developments sit against a backdrop of regulatory frameworks that increasingly emphasise the alignment of AI systems with government objectives, including content governance and cybersecurity considerations.
Nexon Co., Ltd. reported revenue of $3.1 billion for 2025, a 6.5 per cent increase on the previous year, marking its third consecutive year of record-breaking sales as strong performance from key titles, including the much-anticipated Arc Raiders, bolstered earnings. The Tokyo-listed gaming group said operating income also rose year on year, supported by sustained engagement across its core franchises and improved monetisation in overseas markets. Management […]
Russia has moved to block WhatsApp across its territory, citing alleged breaches of domestic legislation, in a decision that signals a sharper turn towards state-aligned digital platforms and tighter control over online communications. Telecoms watchdog Roskomnadzor said access to the Meta-owned messaging service had been restricted following what officials described as repeated failures to comply with data localisation and content moderation rules. The regulator argued that foreign […]
Coinbase reported fourth-quarter earnings that fell short of market expectations after transaction revenue dropped below the $1 billion mark, underscoring the pressure on retail trading volumes as digital asset prices cooled towards the end of the year. The largest US-listed cryptocurrency exchange said total revenue declined from the previous quarter as trading activity moderated across its retail and institutional platforms. Transaction revenue, which remains the core driver […]
Construction of the first 200 megawatts of the Stargate Data Centre project in the UAE is advancing, according to ALEC Holdings, as structural works near completion and major mechanical and electrical installations gather pace. ALEC, a subsidiary of the Investment Corporation of Dubai, informed the Dubai Financial Market that building structures have been erected and that mechanical, electrical and plumbing works are well under way. The update […]
Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC Gas signalled a marked increase in investment alongside a record financial performance, projecting capital expenditure of $4 billion to $4.5 billion for this year and laying groundwork for expanded processing capacity across key facilities as it pursues its multi-phase Rich Gas Development project. The state-owned company reported full-year net income of $5.2 billion for 2025, a 3 per cent rise from the prior year, […]
Russia has launched a Proton-M carrier rocket carrying a meteorological satellite into orbit, marking a further step in Moscow’s efforts to sustain and upgrade its space-based weather monitoring network amid sweeping international sanctions and technical challenges. The heavy-lift rocket blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, operated by Russia under a long-term lease, placing the satellite into a designated orbit after a multi-stage ascent. Roscosmos, the […]
Nile has entered a strategic partnership with Truecaller aimed at reinforcing consumer confidence and reducing fraud across Egypt’s fast-growing digital economy, as businesses face mounting pressure to prove the authenticity of their communications. The collaboration is designed to allow companies using Nile’s financial and digital services platform to verify their outbound calls and messages through Truecaller’s caller identification and business verification tools. By displaying verified brand information […]
South African share prices rose on Thursday as investors balanced optimism over global market trends with caution ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s keynote address to Parliament and the release of critical domestic economic information. The benchmark Johannesburg Stock Exchange Top-40 index climbed around 0.5 per cent during early trade, buoyed by gains in resource and financial stocks, while the rand strengthened modestly against the US dollar, reflecting […]
Equity markets have responded robustly since Takaichi’s emphatic landslide in the general election on 8 February, with domestic shares climbing sharply on expectations of pro-growth fiscal measures aimed at bolstering consumption and strategic sector investment. The broader Topix index also advanced, and the yen strengthened against the dollar, reflecting a sense of reduced political risk now that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party holds a commanding super-majority in the lower house of parliament. Despite these gains, bond markets have registered heightened volatility, with Japanese Government Bond yields spiking at various maturities, signalling investor unease over Japan’s already elevated public debt levels and the scale of planned fiscal support.
Takaichi’s policy blueprint encompasses an array of measures long favoured by fiscal conservatives and economic nationalists alike, including a two-year suspension of the 8 per cent consumption tax on food items and expanded public investment across sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and defence. The Prime Minister frames these interventions as critical to ending what she terms “chronic underinvestment” and galvanising growth after decades of modest performance. Economists note that this approach echoes aspects of previous reflationary strategies such as “Abenomics”, with an emphasis on proactive government involvement in crisis-management and targeted growth stimulation.
While equities have responded positively, fixed-income markets have told a more cautious story. Yields on both short- and long-dated JGBs have climbed, reflecting market pricing in potential increases in government borrowing and inflation expectations should growth accelerate faster than anticipated. Some market participants fear that expansive fiscal operations without clear revenue offsets could elevate Japan’s risk premium, potentially triggering fresh volatility or sell-offs in debt markets should confidence ebb.
The so-called “Takaichi trade” has been a defining narrative across markets, capturing the dual dynamic of optimism in equity performance and trepidation around sovereign debt issuance and currency movements. Investors have been closely monitoring the Bank of Japan’s posture, as monetary authorities navigate between maintaining ultra-low interest rates to support economic activity and addressing inflationary pressures that can be exacerbated by a weaker yen. Signals from central bankers and government advisors suggest that rate adjustments could be considered to counter imported inflation, even as policy remains broadly accommodative.
Currency markets have mirrored these conflicting forces. The yen, which initially weakened against the dollar on expectations of aggressive fiscal support and prolonged monetary easing, has later shown episodes of strengthening as risk sentiment and intervention concerns have ebbed and flowed. Japan’s top currency diplomat has emphasised that authorities remain vigilant to exchange-rate volatility and are in close communication with international counterparts, reinforcing that the policy stance is not shifting toward overt market manipulation.
Analysts and investors are also paying attention to cross-border implications. The government faces pressure to deliver on substantial trans-Pacific investment pledges, which hinge on significant capital flows and corporate involvement in overseas projects. Japanese firms have expressed both interest and caution, as logistical and regulatory complexities weigh on decision-making. These external commitments add another layer of scrutiny to Takaichi’s broader economic narrative, which seeks to balance growth ambitions with geopolitical and fiscal credibility.
Within Japan, views on Takaichi’s approach are sharply divided. Supporters argue that decisive action is necessary to break longstanding cycles of low growth and demographic headwinds, positing that strategic tax relief and investment can catalyse domestic demand and technological competitiveness. Critics caution that without robust revenue strategies and prudent debt management, the fiscal trajectory may amplify structural risks rather than alleviate them. Central to this debate is the question of policy coordination: how fiscal expansion will align with monetary oversight and long-term debt sustainability while maintaining investor confidence and macroeconomic stability. New Zealand][7])
