
UAE's non-oil exports hit record $48.27bln in first quarter, official says
($1 = 3.6729 UAE dirham) (Reporting by Hatem Maher and Ahmed Tolba; Editing by Jan Harvey)
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Zawya
29 minutes ago
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia launches first pilot phase of self-driving vehicles in Riyadh
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has launched the initial pilot phase of autonomous vehicles in Riyadh, marking a significant step toward smart, AI-driven transport systems. Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of the Transport General Authority, Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser, inaugurated the program on Wednesday, emphasizing its role in enabling cutting-edge technologies and advancing a safe, intelligent transport ecosystem. The project will operate in real-life settings across seven key areas in Riyadh, including Terminals 2 and 5 at King Khalid International Airport, Roshn Business Front, Princess Nourah University, the North Train Station, and the Transport General Authority's headquarters. A total of 13 pickup and drop-off points have been designated. Developed through a cross-sector partnership involving the Ministry of Interior, SDAIA, the Geospatial Authority, and private firms like AiDriver, WeRide, and Uber, the project reflects Saudi Arabia's drive to localize innovation and foster public-private collaboration. The vehicles will be monitored closely by onboard safety officers throughout the 12-month pilot phase. They will operate on major highways and urban roads under the direct regulatory and technical oversight of the Authority. Al-Jasser said the initiative demonstrates the Kingdom's commitment to sustainable mobility and economic growth, calling it 'a model for smart and secure transport partnerships.' The Authority confirmed the pilot aims to prepare for broader national rollout, positioning Saudi Arabia at the forefront of autonomous mobility in the region. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (


The National
29 minutes ago
- The National
Abu Dhabi company secures Dh2.55bn to build new satellites
Space42, the Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence-powered SpaceTech company, has secured Dh2.55 billion ($695.5 million) in funding to develop two next-generation communication satellites. The satellites Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 will help provide faster and more secure communications across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia. Expected to launch in 2027 and 2028, they will eventually take over from the UAE's Al Yah 1 and 2 satellites, launched more than a decade ago. Announced on Tuesday, the funding was secured by leading international banks and supported by the Bpifrance Assurance Export, a financing agency. 'These new satellites are part of a long-term programme that will support vital communication needs in both the defence and civil sectors,' said Andrew Cole, chief financial officer at Space42. 'This funding gives us the flexibility we need to keep growing and meeting the needs of our customers.' Space42, which trades on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), was awarded a 17-year Dh18.7 billion contract by the UAE government last year to help speed up the construction of its new satellites. Included was the Dh3.7 billion in advanced payments for the development of the Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 satellites. Space42 was formed last year when UAE satellite company Yahsat merged with AI and mapping firm Bayanat. MORE FROM ED HUSAIN: The UAE-Israel accord is a win for every Muslim ARSENAL IN 1977 Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland Feb 12 Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal Feb 15 Middlesbrough 3-0 Arsenal Feb 19 Arsenal 2-3 West Ham Feb 26 Middlesbrough 4-1 Arsenal (FA Cup) Mar 01 Everton 2-1 Arsenal Mar 05 Arsenal 1-4 ipswich March 08 Arsenal 1-2 West Brom Mar 12 QPR 2-1 Arsenal Mar 23 Stoke 1-1 Arsenal Apr 02 Arsenal 3-0 Leicester LAST 16 DRAW Borussia Dortmund v PSG Real Madrid v Manchester City Atalanta v Valencia Atletico Madrid v Liverpool Chelsea v Bayern Munich Lyon v Juventus Tottenham v Leipzig Napoli v Barcelona Conflict, drought, famine Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024. It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine. Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, 'several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu's government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages]. The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a 'biblical famine' and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation. Band Aid Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts. With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it's Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians. Following the single's success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved. Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world. The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion. COMPANY%20PROFILE%20 %3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A Bib%20Gourmand%20restaurants %3Cp%3EAl%20Khayma%0D%3Cbr%3EBait%20Maryam%0D%3Cbr%3EBrasserie%20Boulud%0D%3Cbr%3EFi'lia%0D%3Cbr%3Efolly%0D%3Cbr%3EGoldfish%0D%3Cbr%3EIbn%20AlBahr%0D%3Cbr%3EIndya%20by%20Vineet%0D%3Cbr%3EKinoya%0D%3Cbr%3ENinive%0D%3Cbr%3EOrfali%20Bros%0D%3Cbr%3EReif%20Japanese%20Kushiyaki%0D%3Cbr%3EShabestan%0D%3Cbr%3ETeible%3C%2Fp%3E%0A COMPANY%20PROFILE%20 %3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dooda%20Solutions%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lebanon%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENada%20Ghanem%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AgriTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24300%2C000%20in%20equity-free%20funding%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A The specs Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm Transmission: Eight-speed auto Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km On sale: December Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate) What can victims do? Always use only regulated platforms Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs) Report to local authorities Warn others to prevent further harm Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence Saudi National Day Why the UAE has many reasons to celebrate its closest friend and ally Specs Engine: Duel electric motors Power: 659hp Torque: 1075Nm On sale: Available for pre-order now Price: On request Jetour T1 specs Engine: 2-litre turbocharged Power: 254hp Torque: 390Nm Price: From Dh126,000 Available: Now


Tahawul Tech
29 minutes ago
- Tahawul Tech
'This enables customers to understand the who, what, where, and when of an attack.'
Keerti Gautam, Partner Account Executive, Cybersecurity, Cisco Middle East, North Africa & Levant, Sanjaya Satharasinghe, Senior Business Development Manager, Comstor Gulf and Ahmed Roshdy, Senior Business Development Manager, Comstor Gulf, highlight the real-world applications of Cisco security and the evolving cloud marketplace in this exclusive interview. Can you share an example of how Cisco Security solutions have helped organisations address real-world threats? Keerti: Cisco XDR collects and correlates data and telemetry from multiple sources across both Cisco and third-party environments—including network, cloud, endpoint, email, identity, applications and more —to provide unified visibility and deep context into advanced threats while reducing time-consuming false positives. This enables customers to see the bigger picture of even sophisticated attacks throughout the entire kill chain, quickly understanding the who, what, where, and when of an attack. Cisco Talos powers the Cisco security portfolio with comprehensive threat intelligence and unmatched visibility across the threat landscape. Observing over 800 billion security events daily, Talos operates on a 'see once, block everywhere' principle, meaning when a threat is detected in one place, protections are immediately updated across all Cisco security products to prevent its spread. This combination empowers organisations to detect, investigate, and respond to threats faster and more effectively, enhancing overall security posture. What role does AI play in Cisco's security strategy, and how do you ensure safe adoption of AI in customer environments? Keerti: Cisco is embedding AI capabilities across its entire portfolio, not limited to security. Within security, AI is deeply integrated to assist, augment, and automate cybersecurity operations, enhancing efficacy, user experience, and cost efficiency. Cisco AI Assistant in Cisco XDR, Firewall, and other products empowers security teams to simplify policy management, detect threats faster, correct misconfigurations, and automate complex workflows. Recently, Cisco launched Cisco AI Defence, which ensures safe AI adoption by safeguarding the development and usage of AI applications. This solution addresses real-time AI model validation, defends against adversarial threats, mitigates AI-specific risks such as data poisoning and prompt injection attacks, and embeds AI guardrails to prevent data loss and security. Combined with the unmatched telemetry and threat intelligence from Cisco Talos, these efforts help organisations stay ahead of evolving threats and achieve stronger, smarter, and more resilient cybersecurity in the AI era. How does Comstor help partners navigate the evolving cloud marketplace and capitalise on new opportunities with Cisco Security? Sanjaya: Our recent DSOR (Designated Seller of Record) agreement with AWS allows us to list Cisco's security solutions on AWS Marketplace, giving partners more flexibility in procurement and deployment. We also provide data-driven insights, custom campaigns, and ongoing support to help partners identify and capture emerging market opportunities, ensuring they stay competitive and profitable in a rapidly changing landscape. What role does threat intelligence play in Cisco's security offerings? Sanjaya: Threat intelligence plays a crucial role in Cisco's security and, in fact, for any vendor. At our core, we have Cisco Talos, Cisco's threat intelligence platform. Talos plays a vital role in gathering and analysing massive volumes of threat data, from malware and vulnerabilities to emerging attack campaigns, leveraging AI and machine learning. This intelligence feeds seamlessly into our entire security portfolio, including Secure Firewall, Secure Endpoint, Cisco Umbrella, Duo, and Secure Email. This integration, combined with AI embedded across our security portfolio, ensures our customers are shielded from the latest evolving threats, providing enhanced proactive defence, rapid incident response, and the capability to predict future attacks. What advice would you give to organisations looking to strengthen their cybersecurity posture in 2025? Roshdy: Strengthening cybersecurity in 2025 requires a proactive, layered, and adaptive approach organisations need to adopt the principle of 'Never trust, always verify.' by implementing strict identity verification for every person and device trying to access resources, regardless of location. Organisations also need to Conduct regular, role-specific training on phishing, social engineering, and secure practices a leading source for Digital Frauds and credentials theft. The Use AI-driven Extended Detection and Response (XDR), Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) helps organisations to Continuously monitor for anomalies and automate incident response where possible. Organisations also need to have a Strengthen identity and Access Management (IAM) by Enforcing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Use Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Monitor for Credential Misuse. How do Cisco security products integrate with modern zero-trust architectures? Roshdy: Cisco security solutions support zero-trust principles by continuously authenticating and authorising users and devices before granting access. Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) enforces policy-based access control, while Cisco Duo provides multi-factor authentication. Network segmentation and micro-segmentation further restrict access, and continuous monitoring detects anomalous behaviour, aligning with zero-trust's 'never trust, always verify' model. Image Credit: Cisco & Comstor