Matein Khalid Jay Powell has put cold water on a December FOMC rate cut as inflation risk triggers dissent at the Fed. Yet Uncle Jay is now a lame duck and the world awaits his first MAGA Fed Chairman. My bet is on Kevin H as I doubt if even a supine Senate will confirm yes man – Stephen Miran. Why even bother to hold the FOMC […]
The United Arab Emirates is poised to become a major global hub for artificial intelligence, with its AI market projected to reach around Dh170 billion by 2030, according to a new study by market-research firm Grand View Research. The report indicates that the AI sector in the UAE is growing alongside the broader Middle East and North Africa region, where the AI market is forecast to expand to roughly US$166.3 billion by the end of the decade.
Key government initiatives are helping to drive this expansion. The UAE unveiled its first Arabic-language AI model earlier in the year and launched its “Strategic Plan 2031”, with the ambition of leveraging AI to improve federal-government efficiency and accelerate economic diversification. Grand View Research’s managing director, Swayam Dash, described the country and the wider region as “no longer just adopters of global AI technologies – they are shaping their own playbook,” pointing to sovereign-fund backing and proactive policy as major enablers.
The MENA region’s AI market, valued at about US$11.9 billion in 2023, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 44.8 per cent between 2024 and 2030, reaching the projected US$166.3 billion figure. Within that broader region, the UAE’s market value is identified as roughly US$3.47 billion in 2023, with a projected CAGR of 43.9 per cent leading to the US$46.33 billion mark by 2030.
Analysts emphasise several drivers behind this growth. Public-sector adoption of AI for urban management, energy optimisation and security is mounting. Large language models and analytics tools are being integrated into government and enterprise workflows. Moreover, the UAE is building infrastructure to support AI ecosystems, including data centres, specialised talent programmes and partnerships with global technology firms.
However, growth is not without its challenges. The rapid adoption of AI raises concerns about data privacy, cybersecurity, ethical governance and workforce disruption. Some observers warn that regulatory frameworks may struggle to keep up with innovation rates. Others caution that scaling advanced AI beyond pilot projects into broad commercial deployment remains a complex and expensive endeavour.
Within the enterprise segment, cloud-based AI services are gaining traction, with the UAE’s cloud AI market estimated at approximately US$2.365 billion in 2024 and expected to reach US$11.08 billion by 2030. Meanwhile, the UAE healthcare-AI market is forecast to grow from US$17.2 million in 2023 to US$137.9 million by 2030, a CAGR of about 34.6 per cent.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 October 2025 – The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) joins hands with the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong, DEFTA Partners, and the Alliance Forum Foundation in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations ECOSOC to co-host today’s Japan-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Forum. The event successfully concluded as it convened distinguished leaders from government, […]
Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk said his social media platform X has rebuilt its messaging system and will launch a standalone app, branded as “X Chat”, which uses peer-to-peer encryption architecture “similar to Bitcoin”. He stated that the system will eschew advertising hooks and treat security not as a binary but in “degrees of insecurity”, aiming to make X Chat the “least insecure” messaging system. According to Musk, […]
A new initiative unveiled by the Dubai Future Foundation in collaboration with the MIT Senseable City Lab presents a data-intensive approach to urban greenery by applying artificial intelligence to evaluate the cooling effect of trees in multiple global cities. The project, named “Re-Leaf”, harnesses satellite imagery, street-level visuals and thermal data across locations such as Dubai, Amsterdam, Los Angeles and Rome to measure how trees can function as natural cooling infrastructure.
Re-Leaf reveals that shade and evapotranspiration from trees can reduce local surface temperatures by up to 15 °C compared with surrounding paved or built areas. One key finding is that drought-resistant species such as neem trees outperform more commonly planted palms in arid urban environments. DFF described the work as a shift in treating urban vegetation “as essential infrastructure for the cities of tomorrow”.
The initiative emerges under the banner of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, curated by Carlo Ratti, in which Re-Leaf features as a special project. The exhibit presents city-scale “skyscraper-like” visualisations that depict greenery levels across the participating cities, with taller towers indicating higher vegetation cover.
Dubai’s establishment of the first Middle East-based Senseable City Lab via DFF provides a focal point for this research. The lab, working in partnership with MIT, developed the algorithms and datasets behind the project. From a strategic perspective, the work aligns with Dubai’s ambition to be an innovation hub and to address the demands of climate-resilient urban planning.
Beyond the headline figure of 15 °C cooling, the dataset comprises more than 2,000 trees across the four cities, allowing comparative analysis of species performance in different climates and urban morphologies. The research team emphasises that while the act of planting trees is well-known, the novelty lies in quantifying their impact using high-resolution AI tools and translating the results into actionable urban design decisions. “In a hotter world, trees must be seen as essential infrastructure, not just decoration,” Ratti said.
Urban planners and environmental scientists are responding to the project by pointing out its potential to shift policy focus from reactive mitigations—such as heavy air-conditioning—to proactive green infrastructure deployment. According to one expert, tree shading and transpiration “are vital for climate-responsive urban design”. For cities in arid or semi-arid zones—where energy use for cooling is high and water scarcity is acute—the findings are particularly relevant. The identification of species that deliver stronger cooling while requiring less water offers practical guidance for future planting strategies.
However, the project also faces scepticism around questions of scalability and implementation cost. Critics ask whether data-rich analyses can translate into large-scale urban forestry programmes in dense built environments, and note that factors such as soil depth, maintenance regimes and tree lifespan require further study. One architecture-critique article raised a broader question: “Do we need AI to confirm that trees cool cities?” highlighting the risk of attending to measurement rather than action.
The choice of cities for analysis – Dubai, Los Angeles, Amsterdam and Rome – reflects a mix of climatic zones and urban typologies, offering the chance to test how vegetation behaves across contexts. Amsterdam, with a temperate maritime climate, provides contrast to Dubai’s arid conditions, while Rome offers a dense historical fabric and Los Angeles a sprawling low-rise geography. Re-Leaf’s catalogue of thousands of tree species and urban cooling maps explicitly aims to support urban designers and policymakers.
For DFF and its partners, integrating tree-cooling metrics into master-planning holds promise beyond aesthetics. The project’s immersive display at Venice functions not only to showcase technology but to prompt debate on how cities invest in nature-based solutions. DFF Director of Dubai Future Labs, Khalifa Al Qama, described the work as generating insights with global value.
A peculiar and uncontrollable mass movement gripped the city of Strasbourg in the summer of 1518 when dozens of residents began dancing in the streets without any apparent reason or music. Historians estimate that by the peak of the episode between July and September, anywhere from 50 to 400 individuals were participating in this phenomenon known as the “dancing plague”. The event reportedly began when a woman […]
By K Raveendran The narrative circulating among professionals in high-performing technology firms is increasingly marked by anxiety. Reports of employees receiving lay-off notifications at 3 a.m. are emblematic of a culture in which even top-paid staff feel tethered to the abyss of “you may not be here tomorrow”. The juxtaposition of lucrative compensation and precarious […]
The article Big Tech’s Brutal Culture Pushes Employees Down An Abyss Of Anxiety appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
A study led by scholars at Stanford University and Northeastern University has shed light on why large language models often produce narrow, repetitive outputs and offers a promising technique to restore creative breadth without retraining. The research identifies a hidden driver behind “mode collapse” in aligned LLMs and introduces a prompting approach known as Verbalized Sampling as a corrective measure. The phenomenon of mode collapse describes a […]
Researchers from Kobe University have identified a molecular mechanism by which gourds such as pumpkins, squash and zucchini absorb stubborn soil pollutants and concentrate them in their edible parts. The team has discovered that a particular class of proteins acts as a conduit for hydrophobic compounds like dieldrin and dioxins, enabling their movement via plant sap from roots to fruit. The study revealed that these proteins vary […]
BEIJING, CHINA- Media OutReach Newswire – 31 October 2025 – The Annual Conference of Financial Street Forum 2025 was held in Beijing from October 27 to 30. During the four-day agenda, over 400 financial leaders, policymakers and industry experts from more than 30 countries and regions around the world gathered in Beijing’s Financial Street. The core area of Beijing’s Financial Street, covering an area of 2.59 square […]
The blockchain platform admittedly known as Qtum has rolled out a new desktop artificial-intelligence agent called “Ally”, aiming to shift the landscape of AI productivity from cloud-only assistants to desktop-native, multi-model orchestration. The launch positions Qtum as a player in both blockchain and artificial-intelligence domains as users increasingly demand local control, privacy and advanced automation beyond chat-based tools. Ally can run on both Windows and macOS platforms […]
A new wave of digital activity has shifted the balance of the internet as automated bots now account for over half of global web traffic. Cybersecurity data shows that traffic from non-human sources rose to 51 per cent in 2024, overtaking human‐generated traffic for the first time. Behind this shift lies a complex web of generative-AI, automated crawlers and malicious botnets, raising questions about the role of […]
Allianz Trade extends geographical footprint to new location Vietnam HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 October 2025 – Allianz Trade in Asia Pacific is pleased to announce the opening of its first office in Vietnam. Headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City, the new office will provide comprehensive trade credit solutions to local exporters, catering to their increasing demand resulting from the country’s outperforming exports […]
An international distinction celebrating the company’s culture of human excellence and innovation PARIS, FRANCE – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 October 2025 – HepTa Advisory-Labs has earned the Best Place to Work 2024 certification, joining the exclusive community of organizations recognized for the exceptional quality of their workplace environment and their commitment to employee well-being. This distinction, awarded following a rigorous evaluation conducted among employees and the […]
Tech giant Google has announced a $2.85 million funding package to support artificial-intelligence skills development, education, online safety and cybersecurity in South Africa. The funding was disclosed at the AI Expo Africa event in Johannesburg and forms part of Google’s broader continental strategy to cultivate an AI-ready workforce and digital ecosystem. The funding will be channelled through Google. org, the company’s philanthropic arm, and it builds upon […]
A new product has been launched by Microchip Technology Inc., the TimeProvider 4500 v3 grandmaster clock, offering sub-nanosecond time-transfer capabilities across up to 800 kilometres of long-haul optical fibre. Its arrival addresses the growing demand among network operators, utilities and government agencies for a robust alternative to satellite-based timing systems tied to global navigation satellite systems. The device achieves alignment with the international standard ITU‑T G.8271.1/Y.1366.1 for […]
Thrifty Car Rental UAE has introduced the region’s first self-service digital car rental kiosk, a move aimed at transforming how vehicles are rented across the Emirates. The kiosk, unveiled at the lobby of Novotel and Ibis Deira Creekside Dubai, allows customers to browse available vehicles, complete identity verification and make payment entirely digitally — the car can then be delivered within one to three hours. The launch signals a clear shift toward technology-led mobility solutions in the car rental industry.
The kiosk offering is part of Thrifty’s broader strategy to engage customers seeking convenience, speed and flexibility. At the Arabian Travel Market 2025 the firm outlined its ambition to expand this self-service model across high-traffic zones, including residential areas, shopping centres and transit hubs. The head of retail at Thrifty, Chand Soni, said the company was “building more than a rental network; we’re building a connected experience.”
Industry data suggest that the regional car rental market is undergoing a fundamental digital transformation, driven by customer demand for contactless service and the tourism sector’s push for smarter mobility. A market research report covering Oman values the digitisation of car rental — including self-service kiosks and app-based models — at US$150 million and growing, citing rising smartphone penetration and government digital-economy initiatives.
Thrifty’s kiosk system employs a touchscreen interface, secure identity verification and live payment integration. Users select vehicle type, rental duration and location via the kiosk, triggering delivery logistics in what the company promises as “minutes, not hours”. The vehicle is dropped off at a location of the renter’s choice. The system is designed to address both leisure travellers and residents who may need a flexible vehicle-rental alternative without the usual counter-based rental process.
The shift comes as car rental players in the region face increased competition not just from traditional rivals but from app-based mobility services and subscription models. For example, Thrifty itself is rolling out flexible rental plans — including monthly specials and lease-to-own options — to attract customers who prefer longer-term flexibility over ownership. The kiosk adds another layer of convenience for shorter-term rentals or spontaneous plans.
The move may also help Thrifty scale more efficiently. By deploying kiosks in multiple locations, the company can reduce staffing and branch-infrastructure costs, optimise fleet utilisation and meet spontaneous demand without needing multiple full‐service outlets. Soni noted the goal of doubling the network of touchpoints in the period ahead.
However, executing this strategy will bring challenges. The initial investment in digital kiosks and supporting IT infrastructure is substantial, and the process requires robust identity verification, payment security and logistics coordination. According to regional research, smaller operators may struggle to deploy such tech due to cost constraints and customer inertia — in some markets a majority of users remain more comfortable engaging via staffed counters.
Another risk lies in customer adoption. While younger and tech-savvy users may welcome the kiosk format, others may prefer the human interaction offered by traditional rental counters. Thrifty will need to ensure service reliability, vehicle availability and customer support — especially if rentals are completed entirely digitally and delivery timelines become core customer expectations.
Regional mobility trends underscore the importance of innovation. With the UAE emphasising tourism growth, smart infrastructure and digital transformation, the launch aligns with broader national strategies. Thrifty’s positioning at the intersection of mobility, digital convenience and customer experience may help meet evolving consumer behaviour, but sustaining value will depend on execution across logistics, fleet management and customer service.
For business travel, hotel partnerships and leisure rentals, the kiosk offers a compelling convenience proposition. At the same time, Thrifty must manage fleet availability, delivery logistics and system uptime to avoid service disruptions. Monitoring how customers adopt the kiosks, how much rental behaviour changes and how much cost or revenue upside emerges will be key to assessing whether this innovation delivers long-term competitive advantage.
Tax authorities in the Russian Federation are confronted with mounting pressure to modernise the treatment of derivative financial instruments as the emergence of crypto derivatives reshapes global markets. The current framework within the Tax Code of the Russian Federation continues to rely on classifications such as delivery versus settlement derivatives and hedging versus speculative transactions, yet these criteria are increasingly ill-suited to evolving instruments. Research by Oleg […]
CHENGDU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 October 2025 – From October 24 to 27, Chengdu, China, hosted the “Invitation from the Hometown of Pandas–Chengdu Panda Week” series of events in Frankfurt, Germany; Vienna, Austria; Paris, France; and Brussels, Belgium. The events included overseas promotion of the giant panda IP, panda-themed vehicle parades, art exhibitions, and more. “Hometown of Pandas: Dreams and Life” Themed Art Exhibition […]
Forum invites businesses to Lead with Smart Tech towards Innovation, Resilience, and Growth in today’s digital-first economy KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 October 2025 – Canon today announced its upcoming Think Big Klang Valley Series, happening on 12 November 2025 at the Sheraton Petaling Jaya Hotel. Under the theme of ‘Future-Ready Malaysia: Innovation, Resilience, Growth’, the forum will bring together industry leaders and […]
A wave of advanced phishing campaigns is exploiting a novel combination of social engineering and browser-cache manipulation to infiltrate systems without triggering typical security alerts. The technique begins when a user is tricked into visiting a phishing webpage that pretends to be a trusted application—such as a VPN compliance checker. The danger lies in the instruction to copy and paste a network path into the Windows File […]
The national assembly’s Committee on Agriculture launched a week-long oversight tour of the Eastern Cape that began with a visit to the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency-backed macadamia and citrus programmes, signalling heightened focus on agricultural transformation and small-farmer inclusion. The delegation arrived in the Raymond Mhlaba local municipality to meet traditional authority Chief Siseko Maqoma and inspect packhouse operations in the Kat River/Seymour area, before moving […]
BARCELONA, SPAIN – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 October 2025 – OPPO’s global launch of the Find X9 Series reinforces its continued commitment to the high-end segment. This move coincides with the brand’s global user base exceeding 740 million, reflecting its success in engaging new generations through user-centric innovation. “OPPO is advancing its brand and user experience with a clear focus on the new generation of global […]
Scientists at Ohio State University have transformed dehydrated specimens of the edible mushroom Lentinula edodes into functioning memristors—electronic components that “remember” past current states—offering a paradigm-shifting approach to memory hardware that could usher in greener computing systems. The device achieved switching speeds of up to about 5,850 signals per second, operating with approximately 90 % accuracy under laboratory conditions. The researchers grew the fungus, dehydrated the tissue […]
