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Gulf Cooperation Council states are positioning themselves to tap into the projected $2 trillion global sports tourism market by 2030, with a new PwC Middle East study underlining the region’s evolving role from event host to year-round destination.

According to the report Game on for the GCC – Turning sporting ambition into lasting tourism impact, the region already boasts world-class events such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and a string of Formula 1 races, and now aims to leverage that prestige to build sustained tourism flows.

The global sports tourism market is estimated to account for 10 percent of all tourism spending and is expected to surpass $2 trillion by 2030. GCC nations are racing to convert episodic sporting moments into immersive fan experiences, integrated visitor journeys and continuous attraction pipelines.

Saudi Arabia is emerging as the region’s most aggressive investor in sport, with projections that its domestic sports economy may grow from about $8 billion to $22.4 billion by 2030—creating around 39,000 jobs and adding over $13 billion to GDP. The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reforms emphasise sports as a diversifier of its oil-dependent economy.

Across the GCC, national governments, sovereign wealth funds, private investment and public-private partnerships are converging. According to PwC’s Global Sports Survey 2024, the Middle East now commands 24 percent of global sports investments, a notable shift in capital flows toward the Gulf.

To sustain momentum, the report argues, GCC states must go beyond marquee events and build a resilient sports tourism ecosystem. That means aligning infrastructure, regulation, destination branding, transport and hospitality standards—not just for big events but for ongoing seasonal and niche attractions.

Qatar’s experience is instructive. The 2022 World Cup is estimated to have generated between $2.3 billion and $4.1 billion in tourism spending and broadcast revenues, contributing $1.6 billion to $2.4 billion in GDP impact. But the challenge is to retain visitor engagement in non-World Cup years.

In that respect, the PwC analysis calls for “sport-led destinations” combining competition, culture and entertainment. The aim is to extend visitor stays, unlock repeat visitation and cross-sell other forms of tourism—heritage, wellness, sustainability and cultural experiences.

Women’s sports are emerging as a key growth frontier. In the GCC, 85 percent of sports executives expect double-digit growth in women’s sports revenues over the coming years. Investment in female participation, media rights and sponsorship is viewed as critical to widening the revenue base.

Yet several constraints loom. Many Gulf states rely heavily on imported talent in event operations, face seasonal desert climates, and must balance aggressive development with long-term maintenance costs. Ensuring accessibility, connectivity and visa ease are also essential for maintaining global appeal.

One forward move: GCC officials have greenlit a Schengen-style unified tourist visa scheme to allow seamless travel across member states—an effort aimed at boosting cross-border “bleisure” travel and strengthening regional integration of tourism flows.

Meanwhile, event diversification is underway. Saudi Arabia recently launched the Esports Nations Cup, with the inaugural edition slated for Riyadh in November 2026, expecting participation from over 100 nations and some 1,500 players across multiple titles. The country’s wider gaming and esports strategy is aligned with broader youth, technology and cultural industry goals.

By Girish Linganna The prisoner-hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas has been completed successfully, and many are calling it a major victory for peace. Twenty Israeli hostages returned home in exchange for about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, aid started flowing back into Gaza, and guns fell silent after months of devastating conflict. But anyone familiar with […]

The article A House Built On Sand: The Fault Lines In Trump’s 20 Point Gaza Peace Plan appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

The Ajman Department of Finance unveiled a suite of smart payment services at GITEX Global 2025, signalling its bid to position the emirate at the forefront of digital government finance solutions. The offerings include integration of the UAE’s national payment card “Jaywan”, a buy-now-pay-later option via its AjmanPay portal, and a unified financial management platform dubbed “Estidama system”.

Marwan Ahmed Al Ali, Director General of the Department of Finance in Ajman, said the new services aim to provide “flexible payment options” tailored to “all segments of society” and boost the emirate’s digital transformation agenda. The launch was attended by senior government and private-sector officials during the event.

The Jaywan card—launched by the Central Bank of the UAE to reduce reliance on global card networks—has now been linked with AjmanPay, allowing users to make payments via ATMs, e-commerce platforms and point-of-sale terminals. The Department also launched a zero-interest instalment option to facilitate fee payments and transactions in instalments or deferred payments.

The Estidama system is presented as a next-generation cloud-based platform comprising four interconnected modules that manage budgeting, initiative planning, financial execution and reporting. It promises to unify financial operations across the Ajman government, enhancing transparency and control over public spending.

Officials emphasised that these steps align with broader national efforts to digitise financial infrastructure. By integrating Jaywan into Ajman’s government payments, the emirate is tapping into the UAE’s goal of financial sovereignty and reducing dependence on foreign card networks.

Partnership with First Abu Dhabi Bank underpins the linking of Jaywan with AjmanPay, showcasing public–private collaboration in driving fintech infrastructure. The Department described the move as a qualitative addition to its digital ecosystem, reflecting its commitment to “innovation in government payment systems”.

During GITEX, Ajman’s government platform is also showcasing AI, data analytics, and other advanced technologies in financial resource management. The participation underscores the emirate’s aim to benchmark itself in the regional competition over smart city and digital government credentials.

A new wave of supply-chain assaults has seen North Korean hackers publish more than 300 malicious npm packages, infecting developer systems with sophisticated malware that steals credentials and crypto assets. The campaign, known as “Contagious Interview,” exploits the trust developers place in open-source tools by cloaking malware inside packages mimicking legitimate ones.

The Socket Threat Research Team disclosed that attackers uploaded 338 malicious npm modules, collectively downloaded over 50,000 times, many featuring a newly observed loader named XORIndex. About 27 of them remain active in the npm registry. Within those packages, XORIndex collects host metadata and downloads a second-stage payload, BeaverTail, which in turn leverages a backdoor called InvisibleFerret to maintain persistence and exfiltrate data. This expansion follows a preceding June surge of 35 malicious modules using a HexEval loader.

Researchers emphasise that Contagious Interview is not a static campaign but a dynamic interplay between defenders and adversaries. As packages are taken down, attackers quickly reissue variants under fresh aliases or change loader techniques. The latest 67-package load pushed last month illustrates this cat-and-mouse escalation: the new modules alone exceeded 17,000 downloads. Attackers have mixed XORIndex and HexEval in parallel deployments, suggesting modular development and adaptability.

The campaign’s social engineering backbone remains key. Actors pose as recruiters or HR contacts on platforms like LinkedIn, targeting software engineers or job-seekers. They offer interview assignments that require cloning a GitHub or Bitbucket repository, with the malicious npm module embedded deep in the project. Because many developers run these projects outside sandboxed environments, the malicious loader quietly executes and bridges the gap to full system compromise.

Analysts attribute Contagious Interview to DPRK-aligned threat groups tracked under names such as CL-STA-0240, DeceptiveDevelopment, Tenacious Pungsan and Void Dokkaebi. The methodology aligns with patterns shown by the Lazarus Group and its affiliates, as attackers continue to weaponise open source ecosystems for espionage and financial theft. XorIndex and HexEval share infrastructure and tactics, including encrypted communication with command-and-control servers. In several cases, submitters of the malicious packages have crafted repository names containing “interview,” reflecting the campaign motif.

Beyond npm, the campaign’s reach extends: some modules reference Bitbucket repositories, and similar tactics have appeared in PyPI package attacks. The broader goal appears dual: accessing developer environments to steal intellectual property or credentials and siphoning cryptocurrencies from wallets detected on compromised machines.

Security firms and registry maintainers have responded with takedown requests and account suspensions. Socket reported removing six live HexEval-based modules earlier this year, and the npm security team has collaborated to suspend associated accounts. But defenders admit the reactive posture is fragile; attack waves resurface within hours.

Multiply Group, the Abu Dhabi investment holding firm, will acquire 2PointZero and Ghitha Holding via a share-swap deal, creating a combined enterprise with an estimated valuation of AED 120 billion. The transaction involves issuing around 23.36 billion new shares, lifting Multiply’s share capital from AED 2.8 billion to AED 8.64 billion and expanding the total shares to 34.56 billion. Approval from shareholders and regulators is pending.

The decision follows board sanction and aligns with a broader move by IHC to consolidate its leading portfolio companies—Multiply, 2PointZero, and Ghitha—into a unified listed entity under the name 2PointZero Group PJSC. The merger is pitched as an effort to streamline governance, deepen synergies across sectors, and accelerate growth. The transaction is slated for completion by mid-November 2025, contingent on formal clearances.

Under the proposed structure, Multiply will absorb full ownership of 2PointZero and a majority of Ghitha Holding. The merged entity will retain its listing on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. With combined operations across energy, mining, financial services, agrifood, consumer goods, media, logistics, and related verticals, the new 2PointZero Group aims to harness diversification and integrated scale.

2PointZero brings to the table AI, energy transition, mining and financial services capabilities. Its role as a facilitator in cleantech and future resource assets is central to the logic of the merger. Ghitha Holding contributes a robust agriculture, food production, processing and distribution footprint—one of the UAE’s key players in national food security. Multiply already has stakes in sectors including mobility, media & communications, retail/apparel, packaging, and beauty.

Syed Basar Shueb, Chairman of Multiply, called the deal “a natural evolution of our portfolio strategy,” emphasising the aim to “optimise scale and strengthen the platforms we have built.” Samia Bouazza, Group CEO and Managing Director, framed the merger as aligning capital with megatrends, stating the unified entity would “grow bottom line both organically and inorganically, unlock value through AI, and deliver consistent long-term returns.” The new group will operate across more than 85 countries and target service to one billion people globally.

IHC’s own communications parallel Multiply’s narrative. The parent firm describes the merger as a means to craft a “next-generation investment powerhouse” anchored in a dual focus on energy and consumer sectors, intended to enhance operational efficiency and strategic scale. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, IHC Chairman, cited the move as reaffirming IHC’s role as a catalyst of transformation, leveraging AI and value networks. Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of 2PointZero, said the consolidation would further the mission of driving energy transition, enabling AI, and empowering communities.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority inked three major Memoranda of Understanding this week at GITEX Global 2025, forming strategic partnerships with KHDA, Parkin PJSC, and PayPal to deepen integration of the nol card ecosystem.

Under the agreement, RTA and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, in partnership with GTS Alive Middle East, will roll out the “Study in Dubai – nol ISIC” card, enabling students to use nol across campus services and lifestyle benefits. The nod with Parkin aligns its digital parking operations with the nol payment interface, while the PayPal deal aims to embed nol into broader digital commerce and point-of-sale systems.

Mohammed Al Mudharreb, Chief Executive Officer of RTA’s Corporate Technology Support Services Sector, led the signings on behalf of RTA. On the KHDA side, Dr Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash and Michal Lezo signed for KHDA and GTS Alive Middle East respectively; Parkin’s participation was endorsed by Mohamed Abdulla Al Ali, and PayPal was represented by Otto Williams, SVP and General Manager for PayPal Middle East and Africa.

According to RTA, the thrust of the MoUs is to position nol as more than a public transport card — it aims to transition nol into a multifunctional payment instrument across retail outlets, restaurants, parking, entertainment venues, events, and institutional services. The authority hopes that expanding acceptance will drive convenience, reduce cash reliance, and support Dubai’s smart city ambitions.

KHDA emphasized the student-centric angle: the “Study in Dubai – nol ISIC” card is expected to be accepted across higher education institutions in the emirate, granting students access to discounts, campus services, and lifestyle perks under a unified payment mechanism. Officials stated it will enhance the student experience and streamline campus operations.

From Parkin’s standpoint, the collaboration enables interoperability between its parking systems and the nol platform — motorists may use nol directly for parking payments, potentially eliminating the need for separate digital wallets or parking apps. Meanwhile, PayPal’s role is to act as a bridge for merchants and service providers to adopt nol-based transactions, especially in digital and brick-and-mortar payment contexts.

These moves come amid a broader push by Dubai authorities to accelerate digital payment adoption and integrate city services under unified ecosystems. The expansion from transit to wider commerce mirrors trends in other global cities, where transport payment cards or mobile passes are becoming de facto urban wallets.

A challenge will lie in merchant adoption and technological integration. To be effective, retail outlets, parking operators, education institutions, and event venues must invest in infrastructure to accept nol-based payments, whether via terminals or backend systems tied to PayPal’s network. RTA has framed these partnerships as a pathway to co-developing nol-linked products and value-added services, creating new revenue streams and customer experiences.

Customer satisfaction is a recurring pillar in RTA’s narrative: by enabling one card to handle multiple daily transactions, the authority expects to reduce friction and improve uptake. Sustainability is also a stated goal — shifting transactions away from paper tickets and cash is presented as an environmental benefit.

Notably, Dubai is also spotlighting innovations in mobility at GITEX: the Trackless Tram, an AI-driven, driverless tram solution, is among projects on display. The new MoUs dovetail with such transport-led technology investments, reinforcing Dubai’s intent to integrate mobility and payments as part of its future city blueprint.

Within the education sector, KHDA’s endorsement of nol for student services signals a bridging of infrastructure between municipal systems and institutions — a model that, if successful, could serve as a template for other smart city programmes. The partnership with PayPal is particularly significant, since its global payments reach gives nol a pathway into cross-border and e-commerce transactions, beyond typical fare or local merchant payments.