Hajj Tech & Safety: Saudi Arabia’s CST says telecom and internet traffic surged across Makkah and holy sites during Hajj, with 17.6M local voice calls and 2.6M app calls handled smoothly—showing how network planning is keeping pilgrims connected. Digital Economy: Saudi listed tech firms posted strong Q1 2026 earnings, with profits up 16% YoY to SAR1.07B, driven by cybersecurity, digital identity, managed services and cloud. Payments Upgrade: Dinero Pay expanded Saudi payment options (including Apple/Google Pay and local BNPL) by deploying a white-label infrastructure with Akurateco to move faster in a regulated market. AI Talent Race: A Stanford AI Index-linked report highlights UAE leadership in AI talent growth, with Saudi among countries seeing rising AI talent concentration. Cyber & Cables: Iran’s proposal to charge major tech firms for undersea cable use through the Strait of Hormuz adds a new risk layer for global connectivity. Climate & Hajj Risk: A study warns climate change is shrinking the “safe” weather window for Hajj, pushing extreme heat deeper into the calendar. Semiconductors: SK Hynix joined the $1T club as AI demand boosts memory chip revenues.