Across the region – and particularly in Saudi Arabia as it undergoes one of the most ambitious urban transformations in modern history under Vision 2030 – the built environment is transforming drastically. Historically, success in the contracting sector was measured almost exclusively through two basic metrics: speed of completion and scale of output. However, as complex, capital-intensive built assets transition from handovers into active operations, the industry faces a critical realisation. A swift delivery holds little long-term value if an asset suffers from operational friction, spiralling energy costs, maintenance bottlenecks, or premature physical deterioration. As the regional construction landscape matures,…
Author: Editorial Team
Recently, Google Cloud unveiled Gemini Enterprise for Financial Services, a purpose-built agentic AI solution engineered for financial professionals. This solution includes a Google-managed Financial Research agent, more than 50 new skills with specialised agentic instructions for financial roles and workflows, enterprise data connectors, an expanding third-party agent ecosystem, and the foundational Gemini Enterprise platform. Initially available in preview for the capital markets and corporate banking industries, Gemini Enterprise for Financial Services is already being used by global financial institutions like CME Group and Deutsche Bank, a key design partner for the Financial Research agent. This launch builds on the rapidly…
As someone who chased expensive cars throughout my twenties and early thirties, I have spent a large part of my life thinking about the relationship between wealth, status and happiness. In those early days, if you had told me I relied too heavily on luxury, I would have told you no, I just had good taste. I loved the sound of a beautifully made engine, the design, the engineering and the feeling of sitting behind the wheel of something that represented years of craftsmanship. I still do. There is nothing wrong with appreciating beautiful things, and I still believe working…
TABUK — Emir of Tabuk Prince Fahd bin Sultan oversaw the signing of a number of contracts for the implementation of development projects in the region, with a total value exceeding SR2.3 billion. The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majid Al-Hogail. These included five contracts for cleaning services in the city of Tabuk, as well as an agreement for the handover of a site between the King Salman Royal Reserve and the Tabuk Municipality for the construction of an engineered landfill. They also covered investment projects for the municipality’s “Investment Gate” Company…
SEOUL — Four missing people have been found dead on South Korean holiday island Jeju, as local police face mounting public criticism for allegedly mishandling missing persons cases. Reports emerged last week that authorities were launching a belated search for a woman reported missing months ago. This sparked criticism of the police for failing to search for her earlier. The scandal has since deepened with the arrest of a police sergeant, surnamed Bu, who is accused of lying to victims’ families and prematurely closing missing persons cases. President Lee Jae Myung called for greater police accountability after public outrage over…
For more than three decades, every generation of communications technology was built with a simple goal: connect more people, devices, and applications. AI fundamentally changes that equation. For the first time, networks are being built around intelligence itself. Every AI interaction relies on thousands of continuous data exchanges between users, cloud platforms, GPUs, models, edge infrastructure, and data centers. As adoption accelerates, the network is no longer just the passive pipe connecting to the AI stack. It is an active, indispensable layer of the stack itself. Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has positioned AI as a cornerstone of its economic…
The multiyear agreement includes access for HP to certain Huawei Wi-Fi patents, highlighting the growing commercial value of Huawei’s intellectual property portfolio Shenzhen — Huawei and HP Inc. have signed a multiyear global patent cross-licensing agreement covering intellectual property held by both companies. The agreement includes a licence allowing HP to use certain Huawei Wi-Fi patents. Financial terms and further details concerning the technologies covered were not disclosed. The deal marks another step in the companies’ collaboration on intellectual property licensing. It also reflects the increasing commercial recognition of Huawei’s research and innovation across information and communications technology, particularly in…
Residents of congested, sprawling cities are spending more time in their vehicles. There is even global research to support this theory — in 2025, the car marketplace Autotrader surveyed car users from 17 countries to find out the amount of time they spent in their vehicles. According to its website, South Africa topped the list, with motorists spending ‘10 days, 4 hours and 48 minutes annually commuting to and from work’, followed by India. While some hate long commutes, others look at it as a chance to dive into work or just enjoy a few minutes of solitude…
ULAANBAATAR — Saudi Arabia has received a United Nations Award for World Restoration Flagships, in recognition of the Kingdom’s sustained efforts to expand vegetation cover, restore degraded land, protect ecosystems and promote biodiversity. The award was presented during a high-level event held as part of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), hosted by Mongolia. The United Nations recognized Saudi Arabia, represented by its National Greening Program, as a global initiative in ecosystem restoration. The program contributed to the planting of more than 159 million trees, the restoration…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia recorded a trade surplus of SR154.72 billion during the first half of 2026, compared to SR101.01 billion during the same period in 2025, according to statistical data issued by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The Saudi trade surplus surged by 53.17 percent year-on-year during the first half of 2026, with the value of foreign trade exceeding SR1 trillion. The increase coincided with a 7.3 percent rise in exports and a 2.7 percent decline in imports compared to the same period last year. The Kingdom recorded an increase in its trade surplus during the first three…