Saudi Arabia in talks with Andreessen Horowitz to create AI fund

PIF Managing Director Yasir bin Othman Al-Rumayyan attends the Russian-Saudi Investment Forum held at the Ritz-Carlton Moscow Hotel. Sergei Bobylev | TASS via Getty Images DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is in talks with American venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and potentially others to create a $40 billion fund to … Read more

First ship carrying aid approaches Gaza Strip as Israel accused

The Open Arms vessel docked in the Cypriot port of Larnaca. – | Afp | Getty Images An aid ship was approaching the Gaza Strip’s coastline on Friday with much-needed deliveries for the Palestinian people, as relief organizations warn that thousands in the besieged enclave are on the brink of famine. The ship — called … Read more

Abu Dhabi-backed newspaper buyout sparking panic

Copies of The Daily Telegraph newspaper on a newsstand in a shop in London, UK, on March 12, 2024 (L), and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan speaking at COP28 on Dec. 1, 2023. Getty Images DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Mansions, university facilities, think tanks, sports teams — the U.K. is no stranger … Read more

Best passports in the world? See the 2024 Nomad Passport Index

Many passport rankings focus on one factor: visa-free travel. But passport strength is more complex than this, according to the tax and immigration consulting firm Nomad Capitalist. That’s why it produces a weighted annual index that analyzes five criteria: Visa-free travel — 50%Taxation — 20%Global perception —10%Ability to hold dual citizenship — 10%Personal freedom (freedom … Read more

Wynn nearly back in Macao, Vegas strong ahead of Super Bowl, Chinese New Year

Wynn Resorts posted beats on its top and bottom lines in the fourth quarter. In results released after the closing bell Wednesday, both Macao locations and Las Vegas were strong while Boston Harbor was essentially in line with expectations. The Club stock moved higher in after-hours trading. Operating revenue for the three months ended Dec. … Read more

Biden admits airstrikes on Houthis aren’t working

Houthi followers lift rifles and shout slogans against the U.S.-U.K. during a tribal gathering on January 14, 2024 on the outskirts of Sana’a, Yemen. Mohammed Hamoud | Getty Images DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Yemen’s Houthi rebels are enthusiastically “confronting America directly,” the organization’s leader said in a televised speech, vowing to continue the group’s … Read more

Why there is a new global race to the moon

Japan recently became the fifth nation to successfully complete a soft landing on the moon’s surface, joining a select few countries — the U.S., Russia, China and India — in accomplishing this feat. But moon landings are likely to become more common over the next few years. Globally, more than 100 lunar missions, both by … Read more

The Israel-Hamas war is affecting traveler confidence and bookings

The Israel-Hamas war is affecting travel across the Middle East and beyond. International arrivals to the region grew in the fourth quarter of 2023 — mainly owing to an increase in visitors to Saudi Arabia — to a level that matched 2019 numbers, according to the travel data company ForwardKeys. But it’s a far cry … Read more

Sanctioned Western tech is still entering Russia and powering its war

Sefa Ozel | E+ | Getty Images Russia is still obtaining large volumes of Western technology critical to its war in Ukraine, even as sanctions show some sign of taking hold, new analysis shows. China, Hong Kong, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have been increasingly important in funneling critical components to Russia, according to … Read more

Global fintech investment plunges 51% in 2023 but UAE defies slowdown

Europe’s fintech sector is fiercely competitive, with privately-held start-ups worth tens of billions of dollars vying to steal market share from incumbent banks. Oscar Wong | Moment | Getty Images The fintech industry saw more pain in 2023, with overall investment falling by half as higher interest rates and worsening macroeconomic conditions caused investors to … Read more