Category: Talking Point

A newly identified vulnerability affecting Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence system has heightened concerns about the exposure of Gmail users to sophisticated phishing and account compromise, sharpening the debate around how large language models interpret and act on hidden instructions embedded in everyday digital content.Security researchers and policy analysts say the issue stems from indirect prompt injection, a technique that allows malicious instructions to be concealed inside emails, documents or web pages in ways that are invisible to human readers but

President Donald Trump pressed executives from major oil companies on Friday to commit at least $100 billion of private capital to rebuild Venezuela’s depleted oil industry, but several leaders voiced deep reservations about the risks and structural barriers to doing business in the South American country. The meeting, held in the East Room of the White House and attended by representatives from ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and other global energy firms, underscored the tension between Washington’s strategic ambitions and corporate caution.

Riyadh is moving to sideline Abu Dhabi’s influence in Yemen as strains deepen between the two Gulf neighbours, according to people familiar with the matter, marking a sharper turn in a rivalry that has simmered alongside years of cooperation. The push centres on bringing armed factions backed by the Emirates under Saudi control while reshaping the balance of power along vital shipping lanes stretching from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.Officials briefed on the situation say Saudi authorities

ADNOC Drilling has formally entered Oman’s onshore drilling services sector, marking a strategic expansion beyond its core home market after completing the purchase of a controlling stake in a land-rig joint venture with SLB that operates six rigs in the sultanate. The move positions the company to participate more directly in Oman’s upstream development plans at a time when regional producers are prioritising operational efficiency, drilling intensity and long-term capacity growth.In a filing to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange dated

A landmark agreement between Caracas and Washington will see up to $2 billion worth of Venezuelan crude oil exported to the United States under terms announced by President Donald Trump, marking a major shift in energy geopolitics and offering a potential reprieve to Venezuela’s embattled oil sector. The arrangement, underscored by negotiations that could divert barrels previously bound for China, elevates the United States into a key market for Venezuelan crude while signalling deeper engagement between the two governments amid

Venezuela’s state-run oil industry continued operating without interruption on Saturday despite a dramatic United States operation that led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, according to people familiar with the operations of Petróleos de Venezuela, known as PDVSA. Production, refining and internal logistics remained stable, the sources said, with no damage reported at oilfields, pipelines or export terminals that underpin the country’s energy revenues.The announcement of Maduro’s capture by President Donald Trump followed months of escalating pressure from Washington,

Europe’s ambitions in semiconductors, embedded software and advanced electronic systems have been sharpened with the release of the Electronic Components and Systems Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda 2026, a document that sets priorities for research, industrial deployment and public investment across the continent’s technology base. The updated agenda outlines how Europe plans to strengthen technological sovereignty in electronic components and systems at a time of intense global competition and structural change in supply chains.The 2026 agenda, developed through broad consultation

Public schools across the UAE will operate under revised Friday hours from January 9 after authorities standardised the Friday sermon and congregational prayer at 12:45pm nationwide, a change designed to align school routines with worship while preserving teaching time.The Ministry of Education said the adjustment ensures students and staff can observe religious obligations without disrupting learning outcomes. Under the updated arrangement, schools will reorganise Friday timetables so lessons conclude in time for prayers, with campuses resuming or completing the day

The United Arab Emirates reinforced its position as a centre for advanced technology and space sciences through 2025, recording a sequence of policy, industrial and scientific advances that underscored a broader shift towards an innovation-led, knowledge-based economy. Government agencies, research centres and private firms aligned capital spending with skills development, deepening international cooperation while scaling domestic capabilities across satellite manufacturing, Earth observation and deep-space research.At the heart of the push was the expansion of orbital infrastructure, led by the Mohammed

A sharp fall in Iran’s rial has triggered demonstrations in the heart of Tehran, exposing mounting pressure on household budgets and traders as prices of basic goods accelerate amid tightening financial conditions and long-running sanctions.State television on Monday broadcast blurred footage it described as limited unrest by merchants at Grand Bazaar, while videos circulating on social media indicated wider participation, with shopkeepers pulling down shutters and chanting slogans against rising costs. The broadcaster said security forces were deployed to restore

Dealmaking across the Middle East gathered pace through 2025, underscoring a shift from opportunistic transactions to targeted consolidation and long-term strategic bets. Mergers and acquisitions activity in the region posted a sharp rise in value, climbing 260 per cent to about $53 billion during the first nine months of the year compared with the same period in 2024, reflecting renewed confidence among corporate buyers and state-linked investors navigating uneven global conditions.Analysis in the 22nd Annual Global M&A Report 2025 by

United Arab Emirates policy makers are accelerating the shift towards a technology-driven economic model, placing innovation, advanced industries and the knowledge economy at the centre of long-term growth as the country seeks to reduce reliance on hydrocarbons and strengthen competitiveness across global markets.Federal strategies over the past decade have converged around building a diversified economy anchored in artificial intelligence, financial technology, clean energy and advanced manufacturing. Officials frame the “new economy” as a system driven by data, research and talent

TECOM Group has launched Phase 4 of its Innovation Hub at Dubai Internet City, marking a significant expansion aimed at meeting growing demand for Grade-A office space from multinational companies operating across technology, digital media, telecommunications and other future-focused sectors. Valued at Dhs615 million, the new phase will add 263,000 square feet of gross leasable area, reinforcing Dubai Internet City’s role as a regional centre for global technology firms and start-ups.The development lifts TECOM Group’s total investment in the Innovation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Muscat on December 17 for a two-day visit that places the spotlight on a partnership shaped by geography, commerce and people-to-people ties across the Arabian Sea. Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, led the welcoming party at Muscat International Airport, receiving the guest and his delegation with ceremonial honours.The visit marks a milestone year in bilateral relations, commemorating seven decades of diplomatic ties. It is the Prime Minister’s

Washington’s state dinner honouring Saudi Arabia’s crown prince offered a carefully curated guest list that blended politics, finance and technology. Alongside executives such as Apple chief Tim Cook and Citigroup head Jane Fraser sat Lubna Olayan, placed next to Elon Musk, a seating choice that quietly reflected her standing as one of the most connected figures linking Wall Street and the Gulf.The gathering drew attention to the growing reach of the Olayan Group, a privately held Saudi conglomerate shaped over

Dubai has taken a decisive step toward autonomous urban transport with the launch of a pilot public robotaxi service on the Uber app, allowing selected users to book self-driving rides within designated zones of the emirate. The initiative, rolled out by the Roads and Transport Authority in partnership with autonomous technology firm WeRide and Uber Technologies, marks the first time such a service has been made available to the public in Dubai under an official regulatory framework.The pilot forms part

Borrowing against physical and financial assets has become a defining feature of credit markets as more companies look for flexible funding beyond traditional loans. The model, known as asset-based lending, is drawing interest from mid-sized firms facing tighter bank standards and from fast-growing businesses seeking to unlock capital tied up in receivables, inventory, or machinery. This shift reflects an environment where cash-flow volatility, higher borrowing costs, and evolving supply-chain pressures have pushed companies to explore alternative routes to maintain liquidity.

Fatima Al Hammadi’s outline of Abu Dhabi’s financial innovation ambitions underscores a drive to build a deeper, more connected ecosystem designed to accelerate growth across fintech, insurance, digital assets and emerging financial technologies. Her comments highlight a strategy aimed at consolidating the emirate’s position among global financial centres while creating a broader platform for sector-wide collaboration.Abu Dhabi’s FinTech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Assets cluster has been framed as a hub that supports the development of next-generation financial infrastructure, offering a

Bank lending across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and wider Middle East is projected to gather momentum next year as resilient economic conditions and steady financing demand strengthen the outlook for regional lenders. The assessment reflects the prevailing view among major rating analysts that banks have entered the coming year with solid balance sheets, expanding pipelines in corporate and retail credit, and a supportive macroeconomic environment.Fitch Ratings indicated that banks are positioned to increase lending activity, supported by robust non-oil growth

Abu Dhabi has unveiled a $16.3 billion plan to expand Abu Dhabi Global Market ’s footprint on Al Maryah Island and its adjacent land, aiming to nearly double the availability of Grade-A office space while adding residential, retail and hospitality infrastructure.The expansion is being driven by a surge of international hedge funds and asset managers making fresh commitments to the emirate. Among the latest arrivals, Man Group has applied for a licence to open an office next year, citing

Abu Dhabi’s biggest sovereign investors —Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Mubadala Investment Company and ADQ— have significantly increased their global footprint in finance, energy and artificial-intelligence infrastructure, edging the emirate ever closer to a central role in global capital flows and technology investment.ADIA has expanded its exposure to public and alternative asset managers, allocating roughly $40 billion to hedge funds in 2025, part of a long-term strategy to diversify across equities, fixed income, private equity, real estate and infrastructure worldwide.

A growing number of young people in the UK are trading ambition for a university degree in favour of apprenticeships and vocational training in skilled trades — a shift driven by worries that artificial-intelligence tools will undermine the viability of many white-collar careers.At London’s City of Westminster College, enrolments in plumbing, electrical work, construction, carpentry and similar hands-on courses are climbing sharply. Among those heading to the tools-bench rather than the lecture hall is 18-year-old Maryna Yaroshenko, who says: “That’s

The government of Saudi Arabia expects its borrowing to increase next year, driven by ongoing financing needs and a broad backdrop of monetary easing, according to a projection by CI Capital. The analysis suggests that softer interest rates and tightening liquidity could compel Riyadh to tap debt markets once again to meet fiscal and development commitments.Total government spending in the approved 2026 budget stands at 1.31 trillion riyals, against estimated revenues of 1.15 trillion riyals — leaving a deficit

Concerns over Oracle Corporation’s massive borrowing to fund its artificial-intelligence ambitions have pushed its debt instruments into territory unseen since the 2008 financial crisis. The company’s bonds have sold off, yields on maturing notes have climbed, and its credit default swap spreads have surged — signalling growing investor anxiety about the sustainability of its heavy spending on cloud and AI infrastructure.The sell-off follows disclosure that Oracle intends to raise an additional US$38 billion in debt to finance further data-centre build-outs