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A top official of the GSMA has lauded Qatar’s proactive investments to push forward its digitalisation journey, underscoring the country’s role as a global leader in shaping the future of connectivity.In an exclusive interview with Gulf Times on the sidelines of MWC25 Doha, Louis Powell, Director of AI Technologies at the GSMA, said Qatar ranks among the world’s top 10 investors in the digital economy and has set clear national goals through its Digital Agenda 2030.“I understand that Qatar is in the top 10 investors in the digital economy and ecosystem. The government is very proactive on the AI side of things, and I think it’s a great opportunity for them to uplift and empower their citizens and enterprises. Establishing a clear goal and ambition through its 2030 national vision not only sends a positive signal to the economy but also sets a guiding example for other nations,” Powell pointed out.According to Powell, the connectivity industry is expected to generate “$470bn in value between now and 2030.” He said MWC25 Doha attracted about 300 thought leaders, 250 exhibitors, and 100 startups, adding that “a lot of that value is created in these two days from these players in this space.”He said MWC25 Doha brings together a “core group of investors,” making the event a vital platform for showcasing breakthroughs in mobile technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and next-generation connectivity.Powell revealed what he was most excited about the developments in AI, citing the announcement of a strategic co-operation agreement between the GSMA Foundry, the GSMA’s innovation hub, and the Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa University of Science and Technology in the UAE.“We’re working with Khalifa University on building assets that boost the telecoms industry in AI,” Powell explained, adding that the university has a strong history in telecoms and recently built the first model designed specifically for the industry“And along with them, we have done a lot of work on benchmarking how models perform in the telecoms industry,” stressed Powell, who noted that telecoms data has unique requirements compared to consumer applications.“You can’t just take ChatGPT and use it on telecom-specific data. To address this, the GSMA is working with vendors in the open-source ecosystem and academia to boost model performance,” he further said.Asked about other key announcements or initiatives the GSMA unveiled at MWC25 Doha, and how they will shape the direction of the industry in the coming years, Powell said: “We've also launched a competition encouraging the industry to innovate in the telecom space, focusing on telecom-specific challenges such as troubleshooting. We also have great announcements on our open gateway through new announcements on network APIs.”Looking ahead, Powell said 6G will be “AI native,” with intelligence embedded into how networks are designed, constructed, and operated. “In the future, we’ll see how agentic systems really give you unlocked potential in scale and efficiency,” he pointed out. 

The Shura Council held its weekly session Monday at the Tamim bin Hamad Hall, chaired by its Speaker His Excellency Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanem. At the outset of the session, His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Shura Council Nayef bin Mohammed al-Mahmoud read out the session’s agenda, and the Council approved the minutes of its previous meeting.During the session, the Council reviewed a draft law on Owners’ Association, referred by the government, and decided to refer it to the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee for further study and to submit its report on the matter. The Council also reviewed the esteemed government’s statement concerning the proposal submitted by the Shura Council on the situation of persons with disabilities, and referred the matter to the Social Affairs, Labour, and Housing Committee for study and to submit its findings.At the conclusion of the session, His Excellency al-Ghanem briefed the Council on his participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC), held last week in Islamabad, Pakistan. He noted that the conference discussed issues related to peace, security, and development, as well as the role of parliaments in supporting international efforts to resolve conflicts and promote intercultural dialogueHe also highlighted his meetings with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, the Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, and the Speaker of the House of Councillors of Morocco, noting that discussions focused on parliamentary relations, prospects for strengthening them, and co-ordinating positions on the topics addressed during the conference.His Excellency the Speaker additionally reviewed his participation in the 19th Meeting of Speakers of Legislative Councils of GCC States, hosted by Bahrain last Thursday. He explained that the meeting underscored the importance of enhancing Gulf parliamentary co-operation, developing mechanisms for consultation and co-ordination, and supporting the integration process among GCC states.He further referred to his remarks emphasising Gulf unity and shared destiny, noting that the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain received the GCC legislative council speakers participating in the meeting, which reaffirmed support for joint Gulf parliamentary work and the development of co-ordination mechanisms to serve the best interests of the peoples of the GCC states.

QNB expects the US Federal Reserve (Fed) to 'moderately' continue with its easing cycle, cutting the Fed funds rate twice more to 3.5%. Below trend labour and capacity utilisation justify continued policy rate cuts, while limited downside potential places the adequate floor to rates around neutral levels, QNB said in an economic commentary. The Fed is once again at the forefront of the global macro agenda, after a period dominated by US-driven trade negotiations, fiscal debates and geopolitical conflict. Economic policy uncertainty has been reduced significantly on the back of a plethora of trade deals and a less contentious fiscal framework from the Trump administration. Importantly, inflation uncertainty has also been reduced as prices are proving to be less responsive to higher tariffs than previously expected. However, despite the significant stabilisation of the overall policy environment, monetary policy is becoming a more contested space. While the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Fed decided for another 25 basis points (bps) rate cut late last month, continuing with the easing cycle that started in September 2024 and resumed this September after eight months of pause, there is clearly significant dissent amongst FOMC Board members. In fact, during the last FOMC meeting, Fed Governor Stephen Miran dissented in favour of a larger 50 bps cut, whereas Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid dissented in favour of no reductions at all. This “two-sided” dissent is a very rare occurrence in a historically more consensus-prone Fed. Moreover, there seems to also be widening differences in conviction about the timing and even direction of Fed fund rates between markets and policymakers going forward. Investors are currently expecting the Fed to continue with the rate cutting cycle that started in September 2024, with one more 25 bps cut “priced in” for December 2025 and three further rate cuts throughout 2026, for a cyclical terminal rate of around 3%. But Jerome Powell, the Fed’s chairman, is less certain about this outcome, stating recently that further policy rate cuts are far from a foregone conclusion. In QNB’s view, there is space for two more 25 bps rate cuts, likely in December and again in early 2026. Hence, it believes that both the “hawkish” central bankers that want to pause again the monetary easing cycle and their “dovish” colleagues that advocate for much deeper rate cuts are likely too aggressive in their positions. Similarly, prevailing market expectations are likely too optimistic in their assessment about four further cuts to a 2026 end-year rate of 3%. Two main points sustain our view **media[382145]** First, we believe that there is still more room for a couple more rate cuts because current policy rates are still too tight vis-à-vis existing macro conditions in the US. At 4%, policy rates are restrictive or around 50 bps above what we consider to be the neutral rate, i.e., the level at which rates are neither supportive nor restrictive for activity. US capacity utilisation, measured in terms of the state of the labour market as well as the level of industrial activity, indicates that the US economy is set to run below potential. In H2-2025, for the first time in more than four years, the “jobs gap” is suggesting that the labour market is loose rather than tight, i.e., the sum of job openings and employment is lower than the total civilian labour force. This is because new job openings have been reduced significantly from more than 12mn new posts per month in early 2022 to around seven million in recent months. Importantly, coincident labour data from private sources are indicating an accelerating trend of US layoffs. US based employers cut more than 150 thousand jobs in October, marking the biggest reduction for the month in more than two decades, as companies are seeking to reduce costs, mitigate tariff-related margin pressures and increase efficiency with AI adoption. Moreover, industrial activity is running below its long-term trend. These conditions, that together inform QNB’s US capacity utilisation index, point to below potential growth and support additional rate cuts to neutral levels over the coming quarters, i.e., policy rates that are at the estimated neutral threshold of around 3.5%. Second, while there is room for additional policy easing, the further deeper cuts supported by the “dovish” members of the Fed and expected by markets seem to be too aggressive. The US economy adjusted significantly and slowed down from close to 3% growth in both 2023 and 2024 to around 2% growth this year. But there is little evidence of an incoming sharper downturn or deterioration, not to mention any potential recession. Investments have been strong on the back of record capex from tech companies seeking to lead the AI wave, whereas consumption has been slowing only gradually as US households still benefit from their strongest net financial position in decades. In other words, in the absence of new negative shocks, further downside pressure for US growth is limited. Hence, there appear to be no justification to reduce the policy rate further from neutral down to accommodative levels, QNB said.

As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen Qatar's digital ecosystem and enhance national digital readiness in line with the Digital Agenda 2030, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) convened the second meeting of the Digital Skills Working Group (DSWG).The Working Group serves as a national platform that brings together government entities to unify efforts and coordinate initiatives to strengthen national digital capabilities systematically and strategically.The meeting brought together representatives from several key entities, including the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (CGB), the Ministry of Labour (MoL), the Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF), and the Ministry of Sports and Youth (MSY), participating in the Working Group for the first time following its recent inclusion.Building on the outcomes of the previous meeting, participants reviewed the progress achieved within the sub-working groups focused on Digital Skills for Children and Youth, Digital Training and Development, and the Digital Skills Frameworks. The meeting also addressed approaches to strengthening integration among national initiatives to ensure greater coherence and effective coordination in advancing the national digital skills ecosystem, thereby setting the foundation for the practical implementation of priority initiatives.The meeting also examined Qatar's performance indicators in international reports related to digital competitiveness and future skills, with the aim of gaining insight into the current situation and discuss the future areas for improvement. Participants also discussed opportunities to strengthen collaboration and unify national efforts to sustain Qatar's progress and reinforce its leading position in digital skills development indices.The meeting concluded with an acknowledgment of the valuable contributions of all participating entities. The discussions emphasised that advancing digital skills across all segments of society, from children and youth to the workforce and senior citizens, is a key enabler for building an inclusive digital society and strengthening Qatar's position as a leading model in digital development.Participants highlighted the importance of continued coordination, knowledge exchange, and unified planning among entities to ensure the effective implementation of national digital-skills initiatives, while emphasizing the need to present future proposals and initiatives that support inclusive and sustainable digital growth in the State of Qatar.

President Donald Trump has launched an unprecedented attack on wind and solar power as he seeks to reshape the US energy landscape and reverse the green agenda put forward by his predecessor.Since Trump returned to office in January, his administration has taken aim at projects on federal lands and oceans, stopping work on wind farms, revoking permits, and making it more difficult for new renewable energy developments to secure approval. He’s also weakened the economics of wind and solar projects more broadly, pushing legislation through Congress that phases out key tax breaks and moving to tighten access to these incentives.The broadsides have thrown the US clean energy industry into crisis, putting billions of dollars of investment at risk and threatening thousands of jobs. It’s a sharp reversal from just three years ago, when the sector hailed the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act under then-President Joe Biden as the most significant piece of climate legislation in US history.Why does Trump dislike renewables?Trump has criticised solar and wind as being unreliable and expensive. He’s called for more power to be generated from fossil fuels, namely natural gas and coal, as well as nuclear.Renewables generation is intermittent as the sun isn’t always shining nor the wind blowing. But developers are increasingly turning to batteries to store surplus power and discharge it to the grid when needed.Trump also isn’t a fan of how renewable power installations look, describing solar projects as “big ugly patches of black plastic that come from China” and mar farmland.He’s been a vehement critic of wind turbines for years, falsely claiming they cause cancer and deriding them as bird-killing eyesores. Before his first presidential term, Trump lost a legal challenge in the UK to prevent an offshore wind project from being built within sight of a golf course he owns in Aberdeen, Scotland.“Windmills are a disgrace,” he said in July after a visit to the course. “They hurt everything they touch. They’re ugly. They’re very inefficient. It’s the most expensive form of energy there is.” Looking at the levelised cost of electricity the long-term price a power plant needs to break even offshore wind is much more expensive than a new gas-fired facility, but it’s cost-competitive with coal and cheaper than nuclear, according to BloombergNEF’s assessment published in February. Meanwhile, onshore wind, as well as solar, is cheap enough to compete with a new-build gas plant.How has Trump sought to curb wind and solar developments?The Trump administration has harnessed its oversight of millions of acres of federal land and waters, where developers need government authorisation to build. While these areas are being made easier to explore for the oil and gas industry as part of Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” agenda, the government is imposing standards that would essentially prevent new renewables installations.On Trump’s first day back in office, he froze permitting for all wind projects on federal land and oceans, and indefinitely halted the sale of new leases for offshore wind development. He also directed the Interior Department to review the “necessity of terminating or amending any existing wind energy leases” and to identify “any legal bases for such removal.” Since then, a number of wind projects have been upended. This includes the Revolution Wind development off the coast of Rhode Island. The government issued an order halting construction of the project which is already 80% complete citing national security concerns. This sent shares of developer Orsted A/S to record lows and added to the Danish company’s mounting troubles. Orsted’s Revolution Wind LLC unit filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in early September, seeking to overturn the stop-work order so that it can finish the project.For developers hoping to get past the planning stage, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has ordered that all solar and wind projects on federal lands require his personal sign-off, which could mire the approval process in red tape. The department said it’s acting in accordance with Trump’s order to end “preferential treatment” for these technologies.As part of this mandate, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management rescinded Biden-era decisions that earmarked coastal waters for future wind turbines. This covers more than 3.5mn acres, including in the Gulf of Mexico, the New York Bight, and off the coast of California and Oregon.How has the Trump administration targeted renewables beyond federal land and waters?Only 4% of operational US renewables capacity is located on federal land. While the government doesn’t have direct control over clean energy developments on private property, many of those projects still need federal approvals that are being held up. In addition, the Trump administration has been trying to make the economics of wind and solar less attractive.Trump has branded efforts to combat climate change as the “Green New Scam” and vowed to do away with subsidies for these activities. The tax-and-spending law he helped push through Congress known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act phases out the tax credits for wind and solar projects years before they were due to expire. On top of this, the Treasury Department has issued guidance making it harder for developments to qualify for the incentives.There could be bad news to come on the tariff front, too. Wind turbines and parts are already subject to the 50% duties Trump imposed on imported steel and aluminium products. But the Commerce Department has opened a so-called Section 232 investigation into the national security implications of importing wind energy components, which could lead to sector-specific levies.It also opened a Section 232 probe into imports of polysilicon a key raw material for solar modules which could result in additional duties on imports.How have these actions impacted the US clean energy industry?The industry had been building momentum as solar and wind power almost tripled their share of US electricity generation over the past decade, topping 15%. But it’s now in a tough spot. Billions of dollars of new factories and clean energy projects have been cancelled, delayed or scaled back since the start of the year.Clean energy advocacy group E2 estimates that $22bn worth of projects were scrapped or downsized from January to June, and more than half of the investment lost was in congressional districts represented by Republicans.Trump’s crackdown on renewables will likely hit smaller and medium-sized companies harder because they lack the financial moat needed to survive the instability. Larger solar developers have expressed more cautious optimism, saying they’ve been able to start enough projects that qualify for the expiring tax credits in order to continue their projects for the next several years.The nascent US offshore wind industry is perhaps in the most precarious position given it was just starting to take off before Trump re-entered the White House.How is this affecting energy prices?That’s a subject of huge debate and has become a hot-button political issue. Electricity prices nationally rose at more than twice the rate of overall inflation in the past year and remained at a record high in June.While the Trump administration says that adding wind and solar to the grid has been pushing up the cost of electricity, data shows that increased spending on power lines and poles has been the biggest driver of utility bill hikes.Utilities have been upgrading their grids to accommodate new sources of generation and demand, and network operators are also trying to improve resilience to extreme weather events and modernise infrastructure that was built in the 1960s and 1970s.Higher electricity costs are a reflection of tight supply as well, as aging coal- and gas-fired plants retire and power consumption rises after years of relatively tepid growth. Demand is being propelled by industrial users and the power-hungry data centres behind artificial intelligence. Slowing the deployment of renewables could exacerbate the situation.The phaseout of wind and solar incentives under Trump’s tax-and-spending law could raise average US household energy bills by $78 to $192 in 2035, and increase annual industrial energy expenditure by $7bn to $11bn, according to the Rhodium Group.Where does this leave the outlook for US renewables?The threat of the federal government pulling the plug on fully permitted and nearly complete assets could make renewables developers and project financiers more wary of making long-term investments in the US, even after Trump has left office. It could also create uncertainty for states such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island that are relying on offshore wind to meet growing power demand and decarbonise their grids.Blue states won’t be the only ones facing challenges. In red Texas the top US state for wind generation and number two for solar behind California all but 6% of new capacity added to the grid since 2020 has come from renewables or batteries, fuelling the power needs of its growing economy. That momentum is at risk of slowing as the accelerated phaseout of tax credits makes wind and solar projects more expensive.Despite the Trump administration’s roadblocks, the US clean energy buildout is expected to continue, albeit more slowly. Solar and batteries are faster to deploy than Trump’s favoured energy sources. There’s currently a multiyear manufacturing backlog for the combined-cycle turbines used in gas plants, while new nuclear capacity whether based on conventional or next-generation reactors is many years away.And onshore wind and solar are expected to be cost-competitive even without subsidies, according to BloombergNEF. In addition, blue states including California and New York are still pushing to expand their clean power fleets.But the outlook for the sector has certainly dimmed. Following the passage of Trump’s tax-and-spending law, BloombergNEF’s revised estimate for new wind, solar and energy storage additions in the US through 2035 is 26% lower than previously projected.