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Khaleej Times
23 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
'I want to be a UAE minister': Meet 17-year-old honoured by Ajman Ruler
Among the UAE's top academic achievers honoured by Ajman Ruler Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi in an annual reception, one student stood out: Sara Ismail Alhosani — the emirate's top-ranked student whose ambitions reach far beyond the classroom. Sara, Ajman's top Elite Track graduate who is 17 years old, dreams to become a UAE minister and believes that with hard work and perseverance, this ambition is not out of reach. On meeting Sheikh Humaid, who is also Supreme Council Member, Sara expressed her joy for the royal recognition. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. "When I shook His Highness's (Ajman Ruler) hand, I felt that all the years of effort and dedication were worth it for that very moment," Sara tells Khaleej Times in an interview. "My eyes were filled with pride, and how I wish I could freeze that moment in my memory forever." On receiving the news of her top-notch academic achievement, Sara said: "I took it in and said 'Alhamdullilah' Thank god, as I believe everything that happened was because of God." Her parents' reaction also reflected what her achievement meant for them. "Tears rolled down–pure tears of joy," she recalled. "In that moment, I felt I hadn't just achieved this for myself, but for my family and everyone who supported me along the way." 'Strider' The journey of the Sheikha Bint Saeed Secondary School student to receiving royal recognition highlighted the significance of her accomplishment. Sara is a researcher and the founder of several youth-led platforms. Her main project is 'Strider,' an AI-powered marine conservation project that predicts coral bleaching and marine biodiversity risks. She presented her project during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where it gained the attention of several senior government officials as well as prominent members of the capital's ruling family. Future dream For Sara, however, this recognition alongside her achievements serve a greater goal: becoming a UAE Minister. "This moment strengthened my belief that the dream is possible," she highlighted. 'I hope that one day I can lead the Ministry of Climate Change & Environment or the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure as they are focused on the projects I am working on'. As she begins her higher education journey, Sara will be enrolling at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi to major in chemical engineering, with hopes of one day working at Masdar, Adnoc, or Abu Dhabi's Environment Agency. 'Becoming a minister is not a far-fetched dream, in 10-15 years with the right skills, knowledge and experience, I believe it is quite realistic,' Sara said.
Gulf Business
29 minutes ago
- Gulf Business
Insights: What commodities might be telling us about the global economy
Image: Supplied Commodities have long served as a barometer of global economic health. Today, they are sending a mixed and somewhat cautious message. Some prices have rebounded, while others remain subdued. The question is whether this signals resilience or reflects deeper uncertainty in the global economy. The backdrop is important. Recent efforts to cool trade tensions between the US and other economies have brought some optimism to financial markets. But that optimism is tempered by the reality that tariffs remain higher than before. The US' more aggressive stance on trade policy is prompting concern about its potential impact on global growth. While equity markets have largely recovered from earlier declines, commodity markets have not fully followed suit. Rise and fall: What commodities show us Different types of commodities are telling different stories. Gold, for example, has been rising strongly, which suggests that investors are still seeking safety. This may reflect ongoing worries about global debt levels and geopolitical uncertainty. Energy commodities like oil have lagged behind. Prices were impacted by an increase in production from oil-producing countries around the time of key trade policy announcements. Despite hopes of stronger demand, oil prices remain well below their recent highs, although they could remain sensitive to any increase in tensions in the Middle East. Industrial metals, including copper, have recovered slightly, but remain vulnerable to any slowdown in global growth. Agricultural commodities have also seen modest losses, which could be linked to shifting demand patterns and supply dynamics. These trends echo what we have seen in previous periods of economic stress. During past US recessions, gold tended to perform well, while commodities like copper and oil struggled. That pattern appears to be emerging again. Although not all signs point to a recession, the behaviour of these assets suggests that markets are still weighing the risks carefully. It is worth noting that commodity prices do not always move in lockstep with economic indicators. Their performance can be influenced by a variety of factors, including supply chain disruptions, policy decisions, and investor sentiment. In this cycle, the aftermath of the pandemic and shifting geopolitical alliances have only added complexity. Still, the year-to-date divergence among commodity returns reflects one thing clearly: uncertainty. Gold's strength may be linked to fears about geopolitics or debt. The weakness in oil and copper may reflect doubts about whether global growth can gain momentum. Even agricultural goods are behaving cautiously, lacking any strong upward pressure. Commodities should not be overlooked in investment portfolios In this context, the role of commodities in investment portfolios should not be overlooked. While gold may continue to offer diversification, other commodities could remain sensitive to changes in growth expectations. A sharper slowdown could weigh heavily on cyclical assets like energy and metals, especially if trade disruptions persist. Ultimately, commodities are not just passive indicators. They are active participants in how investors interpret the world. Right now, they seem to be flashing a yellow light — not full alarm, but a warning to remain attentive. As trade policy continues to evolve and global uncertainties persist, commodity markets may be a crucial piece in the mosaic of where we truly stand. The writer is a multi-asset strategist at . Read:
Zawya
33 minutes ago
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia raises August oil prices for Asia, Europe buyers
Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, on Sunday hiked August prices for Asian and European buyers by more than $1 a barrel as domestic crude demand is expected to rise, reducing exports, and consumption from China is likely to increase. State energy firm Saudi Aramco raised the official selling price for its flagship Arab light crude to Asia loading in August to $2.20 a barrel above the Oman/Dubai average, the highest in four month and $1 up from July. The price hike exceeded expectations of 50-80 cents a barrel in a Reuters survey early last week. The Gulf kingdom also increased the prices for all crude grades it sells to refiners in Northwest Europe and the Mediterranean by $1.40 a barrel from the previous month. Aramco's price hikes came a day after eight OPEC+ members agreed to raise production by 548,000 barrels per day in August, higher than the 411,000 bpd expected by the market, further accelerating output increases. The prices reflect higher crude demand in Saudi Arabia to meet peak summer power demand while buying appetite from Chinese refineries is strong as some of them lifted less volumes in previous months, two refining sources in Asia said. Analysts are expecting Saudi to burn more crude oil this summer for power generation, limiting exports. The OSPs for Asian supplies were expected to rise for August as the premium of benchmark cash Dubai to swaps averaged $1.88 a barrel in June, up 61 cents from the May average. The conflict between Iran and Israel last month boosted Middle East crude prices on fears of supply disruptions, increasing volatility in the market. Cash Dubai's premium to swaps jumped to a near four-month peak of $3.34 on June 19 before closing the month at $2.73. [CRU/M][O/R] The tables below show free-on-board prices for August in U.S. dollars. Saudi term crude supplies to Asia are priced as a differential to the Oman/Dubai average: August July CHANGE SUPER LIGHT 2.95 1.75 1.20 EXTRA LIGHT 2.30 1.00 1.30 LIGHT 2.20 1.20 1.00 MEDIUM 1.75 0.75 1.00 HEAVY 0.60 -0.30 0.90 Prices at Ras Tanura destined for United States are set against ASCI: August July CHANGE EXTRA LIGHT 5.95 5.75 0.20 LIGHT 3.90 3.50 0.40 MEDIUM 3.70 3.50 0.20 HEAVY 3.05 3.05 0.00 Prices at Ras Tanura destined for Northwest Europe are set against ICE Brent: August July CHANGE EXTRA LIGHT 6.25 4.85 1.40 LIGHT 4.65 3.25 1.40 MEDIUM 3.85 2.45 1.40 HEAVY 1.45 0.05 1.40 Prices at Ras Tanura for Saudi oil destined for the Mediterranean are set against ICE Brent: August July CHANGE EXTRA LIGHT 6.15 4.75 1.40 LIGHT 4.45 3.05 1.40 MEDIUM 3.85 2.45 1.40 HEAVY 1.15 -0.25 1.40 (Reporting by Siyi Liu and Ahmad Ghaddar; Writing by Jaidaa Taha; Editing by Dale Hudson, Florence Tan and Christian Schmollinger)
