Author: Editorial Team
On the margins of LEAP 2026, as global tech leaders and innovators converge in Riyadh to showcase the future of digital transformation, a quiet but intense revolution is happening beneath the surface of our connected world. While consumers wonder at faster smartphone downloads and immersive virtual realities, the most critical technological leap of our time is happening in the industrial zones, command centers, and emergency response fleets across Saudi Arabia. It is the evolution of the “Zero-Failure” network. For the average user, a dropped call or a buffering video is a minor inconvenience. But for a petrochemical plant managing highly…
Kaspersky warns that attackers are currently deploying the same methods against smaller businesses as they do against large enterprises. To help strengthen corporate defences, Kaspersky is releasing new recommendations alongside findings from a global survey by its Internal Research Center, which found that just 14% of businesses with 100 to 499 employees avoided a cyber incident in the past year. The figure is similar – 18% in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa region. The illusion that small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) can fly under the radar of cybercriminals is becoming obsolete. As smaller organisations digitalise, and the cost of…
Downtown Dubai’s best-known attractions are minutes apart, but offer very different ways to experience the city’s skyline Published: Mon 31 Aug 2026, 2:07 PM By: Kushmita Bose | Partner Content There is no shortage of places to witness the beauty of Dubai. Rooftop restaurants, hotel terraces and observation decks have become part of the experience of visiting a destination famous for its striking skyline and record-breaking architecture. Dubai is increasingly making a name for itself after dark too. A recent global study by JB.com named Dubai the world’s most beautiful city to explore at night for 2026, beating major global…
ISTANBUL — Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said Monday that Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan had reaffirmed their commitment to activating the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in a way that strengthens integration and advances regional security and stability. Prince Khalid, who led the Kingdom’s delegation to the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee in Istanbul, said the talks marked an important step toward implementing the agreement. “I was pleased to lead the Kingdom’s delegation in the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee,” Prince Khalid said. “We affirmed our commitment to activating the…
RIYADH — Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha inaugurated the fifth edition of LEAP 26, the annual global technology event, at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham on Monday. During the opening of the event under the theme “Into New Worlds,” the minister announced a series of new investments and mega projects in the technology and artificial intelligence sectors. Alswaha revealed that XAI will undertake its first expansion outside the United States in Saudi Arabia through a project with an initial capacity of 50 megawatts, which will be expanded to 500 megawatts in subsequent phases.…
Taco Bell is officially making its UAE comeback, 14 years after the American fast-food chain left the country. Americana Restaurants announced on August 30 that it had signed an exclusive development agreement with Taco Bell UK and Europe Ltd to bring the brand back to the UAE, with plans to eventually expand across other GCC markets. There is still one important detail missing, though: exactly when UAE residents will be able to get their hands on a Crunchwrap again. Luckily, the country’s Mexican food scene looks very different from when Taco Bell departed in 2012. From quick burrito bowls and…
Srikrishna Shankavaram, Head of AI Security, Zebra Technologies, outlines the delicate balancing act between securing AI agents and governing them as digital identities in this exclusive feature. 2026 is touted as the year AI moves from speculation and interest to real-world deployment and value. Yet one global analyst firm predicts 40% of agentic AI projects will be cancelled by the end of 2027, due to escalating costs, unclear business value, or inadequate risk controls. It suggests more and better advice, and an ecosystem of support are needed to make agentic projects a success, which must include addressing new security considerations. There are early signs that the rise of agentic AI is transforming how organisations operate. In…
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration plans to impose sanctions on another bank this week as it intensifies efforts to economically isolate Iran, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday. “This is going to be financial violence if we have to,” Bessent told the Associated Press in an interview. “We are showing people that we know who you are, you know who you are, and this has got to stop.” The announcement comes just days after Washington said it would cut off the UAE operations of Banque Misr from the US financial system after accusing Egypt’s second-biggest bank of doing…
Saudi Arabia reached a significant homeownership milestone in 2025, with the national rate rising to 66.24%, exceeding the annual target of 65% and moving closer to the Saudi Vision 2030 target of 70%. During the year, 107,000 housing units and developed land plots were provided, expanding the choice available to Saudi homebuyers. Buyer intent is also evident at Cityscape Global. At the 2025 edition, 62% of visitors were active home seekers, while 42% of homebuyers were interested in properties valued between $300,000 and $2.6 million. For developers, this creates access to a qualified audience actively considering property purchases across a…
Coyote vs. Acme is finally making its way to cinemas, nearly three years after Warner Bros. decided to shelve the completed film. The live action and animation hybrid, starring Will Forte, John Cena and Lana Condor, opens in UAE cinemas today, August 27. But its journey to the big screen has been anything but straightforward. Warner Bros. announced in November 2023 that it would not release the film, despite production having already been completed. The studio planned to take a tax write off, with the decision coming as it shifted its strategy away from projects originally intended for streaming. The decision…