Latest news with #UAE-backed
Miami Herald
19-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
AI-Run City Set for Launch
The United Arab Emirates is planning to power all public and private services in the city of Abu Dhabi through a single artificial intelligence platform by 2027 with a $2.5 billion investment, according to the Khaleej Times. The project will be delivered by Italy's Synapsia and the UAE's Bold Technologies. Newsweek has contacted the UAE government and Bold Technologies' parent company Bold Holding for comment. An email to the address on Synapsia's website bounced back. The new project underscores Gulf ambitions to take a lead in AI innovation the week after it was also made central to a visit to the region by U.S. President Donald Trump. While AI is increasingly at the heart of the global U.S.-China competition of influence, Gulf countries also see it not only as a way to make themselves more effective through its practical application, but also as a way to break new ground as they look to a future beyond energy exports. Aion Sentia, the project's given name, aims to consolidate public and private services onto a single platform, from automated public transport to the integration of smart homes and AI-powered support for healthcare, according to the Khaleej Times. The UAE has publicly stated its ambitions to lead in AI, and its National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan has actively courted foreign-including U.S.-investment for AI infrastructure projects. Saudi Arabia is also making similar calls and planning to use AI‐managed systems in its flagship Neom city. During his Middle East tour last week, Trump approved a major deal with the UAE to construct the world's largest artificial intelligence campus outside the U.S., removing previous limits that had barred the Gulf state from accessing advanced American chips amid fears they might end up in China. In March 2025, Synapsia and Bold Technologies signed a UAE-backed deal to deploy their Maia engine to coordinate traffic, public lighting, transportation, and security across urban infrastructure for more efficiency and energy consumption reduction, Synapsia said in a statement. Daniele Marinelli, CEO of My Aion Inc., as quoted by the Khaleej Times: "We want to go to the next level. Imagine an AI that knows you so well, it can recommend the perfect place for your anniversary dinner and book it for you without you lifting a finger. That's the power of MAIA, and it's just one example of how Aion Sentia will redefine convenience." Synapsia's website in March 2025: "The agreement includes a significant investment in the development of Cognitive Cities, a new paradigm that goes beyond the concept of smart cities, which introduces fully autonomous urban management based on generative AI and predictive optimization." The UAE said it aims to expand Aion Sentia globally after piloting in Abu Dhabi, but did not give further details of exactly where. Related Articles China Starts Building First Giant Supercomputer Network in SpaceNewsweek's Next Virtual Event Aims to Build Health Care's AI PlaybookTrump Backs Massive Middle East AI Hub to Counter ChinaGrok Saw 'Unauthorized Modification' Before Slew of 'White Genocide' Posts 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
19-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
AI-Run City Set for Launch
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United Arab Emirates is planning to power all public and private services in the city of Abu Dhabi through a single artificial intelligence platform by 2027 with a $2.5 billion investment, according to the Khaleej Times. The project will be delivered by Italy's Synapsia and the UAE's Bold Technologies. Newsweek has contacted the UAE government and Bold Technologies' parent company Bold Holding for comment. An email to the address on Synapsia's website bounced back. Why It Matters The new project underscores Gulf ambitions to take a lead in AI innovation the week after it was also made central to a visit to the region by U.S. President Donald Trump. While AI is increasingly at the heart of the global U.S.-China competition of influence, Gulf countries also see it not only as a way to make themselves more effective through its practical application, but also as a way to break new ground as they look to a future beyond energy exports. Summit G7 at Borgo Egnaza, Italy: Working session on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Energy, Africa and Mediterranean. United Arab Emirates' President Mohammed bin Zayed. Summit G7 at Borgo Egnaza, Italy: Working session on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Energy, Africa and Mediterranean. United Arab Emirates' President Mohammed bin Zayed. Aleksy Witwicki/Sipa USA/AP Images What To Know Aion Sentia, the project's given name, aims to consolidate public and private services onto a single platform, from automated public transport to the integration of smart homes and AI-powered support for healthcare, according to the Khaleej Times. The UAE has publicly stated its ambitions to lead in AI, and its National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan has actively courted foreign—including U.S.—investment for AI infrastructure projects. Saudi Arabia is also making similar calls and planning to use AI‐managed systems in its flagship Neom city. During his Middle East tour last week, Trump approved a major deal with the UAE to construct the world's largest artificial intelligence campus outside the U.S., removing previous limits that had barred the Gulf state from accessing advanced American chips amid fears they might end up in China. In March 2025, Synapsia and Bold Technologies signed a UAE-backed deal to deploy their Maia engine to coordinate traffic, public lighting, transportation, and security across urban infrastructure for more efficiency and energy consumption reduction, Synapsia said in a statement. What People Are Saying Daniele Marinelli, CEO of My Aion Inc., as quoted by the Khaleej Times: "We want to go to the next level. Imagine an AI that knows you so well, it can recommend the perfect place for your anniversary dinner and book it for you without you lifting a finger. That's the power of MAIA, and it's just one example of how Aion Sentia will redefine convenience." Synapsia's website in March 2025: "The agreement includes a significant investment in the development of Cognitive Cities, a new paradigm that goes beyond the concept of smart cities, which introduces fully autonomous urban management based on generative AI and predictive optimization." What Happens Next The UAE said it aims to expand Aion Sentia globally after piloting in Abu Dhabi, but did not give further details of exactly where.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Labour plan to let UAE own Telegraph stake faces ‘fatal motion' in Lords
Labour's plan to allow the United Arab Emirates to own 15pc of The Telegraph faces a Lords rebellion intended to block the pivotal laws. Hours after Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, revealed her intention to permit the Gulf state to hold the stake, the Liberal Democrats said they would seek to dismantle the legislation via a rare 'fatal motion'. Ms Nandy has introduced a statutory instrument to ease an outright ban on foreign state shareholdings in newspapers, which was introduced by the Conservatives before the general election. Such secondary legislation is typically waved through Parliament, but the Liberal Democrats said her decision to allow the UAE to own up to 15pc of The Telegraph was an 'insult' to press freedom. Max Wilkinson, the party's Commons culture spokesman, said: 'Our free press is the cornerstone of British democracy – it can never be for sale to foreign powers. In 2024, it seemed there was cross-party consensus on this. 'This move insults all of those working to maintain the centuries-old British value of press freedom. It must be reversed.' The Conservatives had planned to allow foreign states to own no more than 5pc of British newspapers. The exception was mostly intended to allow sovereign wealth funds to trade in media companies listed on the stock market. However, following lobbying over many months from the publishers of the Daily Mail and The Times, Lord Rothermere and Rupert Murdoch, Ms Nandy has decided to treble the threshold. She said a 15pc maximum would still protect press freedom but 'remove a potential chilling effect on press sustainability' by providing greater access to a significant source of international capital. The Liberal Democrats' move is likely to drive a split in the Conservative Party, which has traditionally enjoyed the support of The Telegraph. Julia Lopez, who was media minister when the ban on foreign state ownership was introduced last year, branded Ms Nandy's decision a 'Labour sell-out'. In a post on X, she said: 'I worked very hard with peers like [Baroness Stowell] to uphold a simple principle: that in a free and open democracy, press should never be owned by government. 'That's why we banned foreign countries from buying up our newspapers and news magazines. To protect press freedom. 'There were parts of government that didn't like that, worried about diplomatic relations or deterring foreign investment. But the prime minister [then Rishi Sunak] ultimately overrode those to uphold that simple principle. Parliament backed us.' The Liberal Democrats said that if the Conservatives back their fatal motion they will have the votes to block Ms Nandy's plans. However, figures close to Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, are likely to oppose the rebellion. For instance, Lord Johnson, the party co-chairman, was the only government figure to speak in favour of the UAE-backed bid for The Telegraph. In November 2023, as investment minister, he praised the UAE as a 'first-class and extremely well-run country' and labelled The Telegraph a 'so-called treasured asset'. Lord Johnson, who founded a hedge fund with former trade secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, suggested opposition to the attempted takeover was 'sentimental'. The Conservatives are yet to announce a position on the Liberal Democrats' fatal motion. However, a senior party figure said they would not support it as 15pc is below the level viewed as granting control. The brewing row comes as the latest attempt to secure the ownership of The Telegraph enters a critical phase. RedBird IMI, the UAE-backed venture that was blocked from taking control, is in talks to hand the newspaper to RedBird Capital, a US private equity firm. RedBird Capital is the junior partner with the UAE in RedBird IMI, accounting for 25pc of its funding. The rest comes from Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Emirati royal. Under the new structure, IMI, Sheikh Mansour's media investment vehicle, is expected to seek to retain 15pc of The Telegraph if and when Ms Nandy's decision is made law. Any deal would be subject to scrutiny from the media regulator Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority. Gerry Cardinale, the founder of RedBird Capital, has been spearheading the discussions, which also include other potential non-state minority investors. It comes after a failed auction and almost two years after The Telegraph entered a state of strategic and legal limbo when its previous owners, the Barclay family, lost control in a dispute with Lloyds Banking Group about their overdue debts. Wrangling over the legislation risks becoming an argument about the authority of Parliament. The outright ban on state ownership was introduced as primary legislation agreed by both houses. The attempt to ease the ban via statutory instrument more significantly than initially planned has raised questions over the legislative process. Fraser Nelson, a Times columnist who fought RedBird IMI ownership of The Spectator as its editor at the time, warned in a blog post that the UAE had 'defied Parliament and clung on, waiting to see if Keir Starmer's Government might be more biddable'. Ms Nandy said: 'We are fully upholding the need to safeguard our news media from foreign state control whilst recognising that news organisations must be able to raise vital funding.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Sudan is now Ukraine' after unprecedented port drone barrage
A drone barrage against Sudan's main port city and aid hub has struck cargo facilities, blown up fuel storage tanks, and damaged the airport, in a significant escalation of the two-year-long civil war. Witnesses reported explosions and fires around Port Sudan after waves of drone strikes began at the weekend and intensified overnight. Sudan's army blamed its Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary rivals for the attack, which analysts said marked a 'shocking' new escalation of the war. Cameron Hudson, a senior fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said: 'This is a fundamentally new war. Sudan is now Ukraine. A full-blown drone war on the Red Sea with no corner of Sudan safe from UAE-backed RSF terror attacks. 'No returns, no rebuilding, no reconciliation can possibly occur with drone threats ever-present.' The war began in April 2023 between rival generals and was triggered by a dispute over a transition to civilian rule - Khalid Abdelaziz/Reuters Port Sudan, on the coast of the Red Sea, had until now escaped the violence that has engulfed the country and had become the de facto seat of the government after the RSF captured Khartoum at the start of the war. The port has also become the main entry point for aid agencies trying to stem what has been described as the world's largest humanitarian crisis. The RSF was recently forced back in central areas including Khartoum, but the new tactic of using long-range drones to hit infrastructure had put all army-controlled territory at risk, said Mr Hudson. He added: 'The escalation of this war continues completely unchecked and ignored. Shocking. 'RSF drone strikes in Port Sudan on the port, airport, fuel depots, power station and hotel feels like a very strategic target list, to both erode [the] military's tactical needs, impede port usage for humanitarian flows, and even threaten leadership.' Sudan's military has also been hitting targets in RSF territory. Port Sudan became the de facto seat of the government after the RSF captured Khartoum at the start of the war - AFP Sudan accuses the United Arab Emirates of supplying the RSF, which the UAE strongly denies. The International Court of Justice on Monday said it could not rule in a case in which the government accused the UAE of fuelling genocide. Ambrey, the British maritime security firm, said the drone attack had targeted Port Sudan's container terminal and left the city without power. The war began in April 2023 between rival generals and was triggered by a dispute over a transition to civilian rule. Much of the country of 50 million people has since become a battlefield, as Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's Sudanese armed forces and the RSF militia, led by Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, have fought for territory. Some 13 million people have since fled their homes, and several of the country's states have been pushed into famine conditions. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
India Today
03-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Yemen PM Ahmed Bin Mubarak resigns amid power struggle and infighting
Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak, the prime minister of Yemen's internationally recognised government, resigned on Saturday citing political struggles and difficulties in enacting reforms. His resignation highlights ongoing tensions within the country's internationally recognized government and the fragility of its anti-Houthi Mubarak, who was appointed in February 2024, announced his resignation in a letter addressed to Presidential Council head Rashad the letter, he expressed frustration over his inability to make 'necessary decisions to reform the state institution and execute the necessary Cabinet reshuffle', as reported by the Associated Press. In his X post, Mubarak stated that ongoing institutional gridlock and political infighting had left him unable to "exercise constitutional powers" or carry out long-overdue reforms. . - Ahmed BinMubarak (@BinmubarakAhmed) May 3, 2025His decision comes amid deep divisions within the ruling council and growing economic and political instability in government-held Saleh Bin Braik Appointed As New PMadvertisementSoon after the resignation, the presidential council named Finance Minister Salem Saleh Bin Braik as the new prime minister, according to the state-run SABA news agency. Bin Mubarak was appointed as an advisor to the council, though his specific complaints were not publicly to six government sources cited by news agency Reuters, Bin Mubarak had clashed with Rashad Al-Alimi, head of Yemen's presidential council, over the scope of his authority, particularly after al-Alimi refused to approve the dismissal of 12 READ: Houthi rebels claim US airstrike killed 68 migrants in YemenThese tensions reflect deeper divisions within the anti-Houthi coalition, which is fractured between factions that support Saudi Arabia and those that align with the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Mubarak, who previously served as foreign minister and presidential chief of staff, gained international attention in 2015 when he was kidnapped by Houthi fighters amid escalating conflict in the capital, resignation comes at a time of heightened military activity in Yemen. Since mid-March, the United States has intensified airstrikes targeting Houthi positions to curb attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea since President Donald Trump took office in READ: CRPF jawan sacked for hiding marriage to Pakistani woman, aiding visa overstayadvertisementYemen's civil war, now in its second decade, began in 2014 when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels seized Sanaa, forcing the recognized government into exile.A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to restore the government, but the conflict has since turned into a protracted and deadly stalemate. More than 150,000 people have died, and the war has created one of the world's worst humanitarian Watch
