Author: Editorial team
SAN FRANCISCO, 25th July, 2026 (WAM) – Anthropic on Friday launched Opus 5, its latest AI model that the startup says nears the capabilities of its more powerful cousin Fable 5 at half the price. The San Francisco-based lab said the new Claude AI model was well suited for daily office and computer programming tasks. In an interview with Reuters, Anthropic product leader Dianne Penn said the release, more efficient than May’s Opus 4.8, reflected a rapid pace of development. “We’re building and continue to consistently deliver frontier intelligence and bring that as accessibly as possible with every model generation,”…
ALPE D’HUEZ, France, 25th July, 2026 (WAM) — Becoming only the second Yellow Jersey in history to take victory on Alpe d’Huez, Tadej Pogačar won stage 19 of the Tour de France and produced a performance that will be remembered for generations. Attacking 12km from the summit of the mythical mountain, Pogačar closed a three-minute deficit to the breakaway and rode clear of his final opponents with 800m to go. As he posted up to celebrate at the finish line, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG man clocked in a record-setting ascent of Alpe d’Huez in the process. Now a winner of…
ABU DHABI, 24th July, 2026 (WAM) — Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) and Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, hosted the first MZN Hub71 Demo Day, bringing together the inaugural cohort of 17 Emirati founders who presented startups developed during the three-month long MZN Hub71 programme. The MZN Hub71 programme supports early-stage entrepreneurs building ventures across priority and emerging sectors, strengthening Abu Dhabi’s pipeline of homegrown startups that will contribute to the emirate’s long-term economic growth and diversification. Delivered by KFED and Hub71, the MZN Hub71 programme expands Hub71’s founder journey by creating an earlier entry point for aspiring…
The UAE and Jordan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on July 23, establishing a Joint Consular Committee, in Abu Dhabi. This reflects the deep-rooted fraternal relations and close partnership between the UAE and Jordan. It also highlights the shared commitment of both countries to further strengthening bilateral cooperation across various fields, particularly in consular affairs. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. It aims to enhance consular cooperation, further develop consular work, and improve the quality of consular services provided to the citizens of both brotherly countries. The signing ceremony was attended by…
Tarik Erk, Head of MENAT and Senior Executive Officer, Binance. ABU DHABI – The Middle East and North Africa is emerging as one of the world’s most dynamic markets for stablecoin adoption, as users increasingly incorporate stablecoins into a broader range of financial activities, including trading, savings, value preservation and access to digital financial products, according to new findings from Binance Research. The report, Stablecoins: Transforming the Financial Landscape, identifies MENA as the fastest-growing region for stablecoin savings on Binance Earn. The region’s share of global stablecoin balances held through Binance Earn increased from 5.53% to 9.21%, reflecting growing participation in digital…
SHARJAH, 24th July, 2026 (WAM) — Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadhi, Director General of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, announced the launch of the 10th Al Dhaid Date Festival on Thursday evening at Expo Centre Al Dhaid. Organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the festival features broad participation from more than 100 companies and institutions from the public and private sectors, alongside leading date palm farmers and producers, as well as local and federal entities across the UAE. This year’s participation marks a 30% increase compared to the previous edition. The festival, which runs from…
The Indian Consulate in Dubai said on Friday that it is extending emergency services related to NRI certificates, as deadlines for college admissions draw closer in India. A limited walk-in facility is being made available in the Indian Consulate in Dubai from 8.30am to 12 noon on Saturday, July 25. The applications will only be accepted if the deadline for submission of documents falls until July 31. Applicants will be required to fill the form for an NRI certificate that is available on the consulate’s website. They must also carry all the documents mentioned on the form, along with an…
SEOUL, 24th July, 2026 (WAM) — The Republic of Korea will maintain reduced fuel tax rates through the end of September, the finance ministry said Friday, amid renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Under the measure, the current tax reductions of 15 percent for gasoline and 25 percent for diesel and butane, originally set to expire at the end of this month, will remain in place through 30th September, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing the Ministry of Finance and Economy. The latest decision is expected to ease the public’s energy cost burden by managing the prices of diesel used…
Selin Bahadirli. Mastercard’s Cyber Pulse Report reveals the region’s threat landscape ahead of an exclusive interview with Selin Bahadirli Cyberattacks across Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa climbed 13% over the past year, according to Mastercard’s inaugural Cyber Pulse Report, with a 198% surge recorded on the first day of the recent Middle East conflict alone. Government, technology and financial services organisations bore the brunt of this activity, together accounting for 44% of all targeted sectors, while the Middle East emerged as the most targeted geography, absorbing 49% of regional attacks. The financial toll is steep too: the average cost…
SHARJAH, 24th July, 2026 (WAM) — The Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWA) has announced a major milestone in its digital transformation journey by reducing the time required to issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from three working days to just two hours. The achievement forms part of SEWA’s ongoing efforts to enhance its services and improve customer satisfaction. Engineer Abdulrahim Al Zarouni, Director of Shared Services at SEWA, said the initiative reflects the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to simplify procedures and support the…