


Saudi female drivers receive positive feedback from GCC Twitter users
SEMrush analysed the sentiment of more than 20,000 tweets in KSA and the UAE during the week Saudi women were officially permitted to start driving on the Kingdom’s roads.

“When we look at Dubai, we see an innovative government”: Arab League honours Sheikh Mohammed
“When we look at Dubai, we see an innovative government that inspires people to take the initiative, and constantly work towards creating a bright future,” said Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit.

Dubai calls for ideas that “push the boundaries in science and tech”
Dubai is among the 50 international destinations selected to play host to the 2018 edition of ‘Falling Walls Lab’, a global innovation challenge that aims to identify ground-breaking ideas and nurture high potential talent.

First IoT hardware accelerator launches in Bahrain
Batelco, a leading digital solutions provider in Bahrain, has launched Brinc Batelco IoT Hub, the first Internet of Things (IoT) hardware accelerator in the Middle East region.

The race to space: UAE astronaut programme enters final stage
The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre has announced that 18 candidates are currently undergoing the final stage of the interviews leading up to choosing the first Emirati astronaut corps of the UAE Astronaut Programme.

What the Uber-Careem deal says about Middle East startup culture
The MAGNiTT Exit report in 2017 revealed that there was a total of 60 startup exits – the point an investor (usually a venture capitalist) sells their stake in a firm to realise their gains – across the MENA in the years of 2012 to 2017.

UAE cybersecurity firm to safeguard Expo 2020 digital network
Expo 2020 Dubai is teaming up with UAE-headquartered DarkMatter to deploy advanced cybersecurity technologies that will help safeguard digital experiences at the upcoming mega event.

Saudi Arabia’s STC inks deal with global telecom firms
Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has announced that it signed partnership agreements with three international telecom companies, namely Huawei, Ericsson, and Nokia.

Global smart city pioneers join Smart Dubai Global Network
Smart Dubai has announced the expansion of the Smart Dubai Global Network, which aims to be the largest international network of Smart Cities.

Abu Dhabi rolls out “smart sports” initiative
The Abu Dhabi City Municipality (ADM) has developed and added designs of smart sports and play devices to all municipal projects relating to parks and recreational facilities for this year.

Dubai RTA sees surge in taxi bookings via smart apps
The Booking and Dispatch Center at RTA’s Public Transport Agency has handled 8,294,714 million bookings placed by taxi riders in Dubai during the first half of this year.

LG bets big on robotics startups
LG Electronics has invested $3 million in US-based Bossa Nova Robotics — marking the first time the company has injected funds into an overseas robot developer.

NEOM CEO named as adviser to Saudi Arabia’s crown prince
Klaus Kleinfeld who was tasked with developing Saudi Arabia’s mega-city project NEOM is reportedly taking on a new role as an adviser to the Kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on his reform plans.