Marvell shares jump 11% as Google secures option for $12.18B stake
Custom chipmaker Marvell Technology granted Alphabet’s Google a warrant to acquire a stake valued at approximately $12.18 billion as the tech giants expand their partnership on custom artificial intelligence semiconductors. Semiconductor investors, rival chipmakers, and cloud infrastructure providers faced immediate market shifts as technology companies seek cost-effective alternatives to Nvidia’s dominant graphics processing units.
Marvell stock surges 11% while competitor Broadcom drops on TPU deal expansion
Marvell shares surged more than 11% in premarket trading following the warrant announcement, while rival custom-chip supplier Broadcom dropped over 3%. Under the agreement, Marvell will help develop specialized hardware technologies for Google, including near-memory computing, to strengthen the capabilities of Google’s proprietary Tensor Processing Units across its consumer products and cloud platform.
The expansion comes after Broadcom signed a long-term agreement with Google in April to supply future generations of custom AI chips through 2031.
Driverless Apollo Go Taxis Live on Uber Dubai
Dubai Driverless Taxis Enter Uber: How to Book Apollo Go in Jumeirah
Booking a fully autonomous ride across Jumeirah no longer requires a separate setup now that Apollo Go driverless vehicles are available directly inside the Uber app. Uber has partnered with autonomous operator Apollo Go to rollout driverless hailing in select parts of Dubai, giving commuters a direct way to request electric robotaxis alongside standard ride options.
Where driverless Uber rides are operational in Dubai
Autonomous rides currently operate exclusively in and around Jumeirah, serving the coastal stretch between Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Mosque. Both your pickup location and your destination must fall within this specific operational boundary for the self-driving option to appear on your route selection.
The service relies on Apollo Go’s sixth-generation RT6 vehicle, a purpose-built, fully electric robotaxi designed specifically for driverless trips. Each car carries up to three passengers and operates using more than 30 onboard sensors that feed real-time traffic data into an onboard processing system.
How to request and board a driverless taxi
- Set your pickup and drop-off points within the Jumeirah operating zone between Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Mosque in the Uber app.
- Select 'Autonomous' from the list of ride options if your route qualifies for driverless transit.
- Verify the vehicle's license plate, make, and model against the details shown in your Uber app when the car pulls up.
- Tap 'Unlock' directly inside the Uber app to release the doors, step inside, and start your journey.
UAE Missile Threat Halts Iranian Financial and Trade Deals
Trade Frozen with Iran After Two Missiles Target Maritime Navigation
The UAE Ministry of Defence detected two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting regional maritime navigation on August 18, 2026, prompting national emergency warning alerts before air defense authorities cleared the threat level later that evening. The military alert and subsequent security measures directly impact commercial shipping lines, regional import-export firms, and cross-border financial institutions operating through Gulf sea corridors as armed forces maintain active readiness.
Ministry Halts All Commercial and Financial Transactions with Tehran
Following the targeted strike attempt on August 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a complete suspension of all trade and financial transactions with Iran. Ministry official Afra Al Hameli confirmed the immediate enforcement of the embargo while rejecting external allegations regarding the status of economic relations between the two countries, stating the UAE remains committed to regional stability through established diplomatic channels. Diplomatic advisor Anwar Gargash also denied online rumors suggesting the cancellation of labor residencies or the provision of special financial facilities.
The emergency alert marks the first missile warning issued to residents across the country in more than five weeks, following a similar detection of missiles outside national borders on July 12.
Etihad Jaywan card payments go live for flight bookings
Flight Bookings Open to UAE Domestic Jaywan Cardholders Online
Etihad Airways has integrated the UAE’s Jaywan domestic payment card into its website checkout, becoming the first airline to accept the national card scheme for direct flight bookings across its entire route network. UAE-based travelers holding the domestic card can now select Jaywan at checkout on etihad.com to complete ticket purchases.
Jaywan Royal Cardholders Set for Exclusive Fare Discounts and Priority Access
Comfort and Deluxe fare discounts will soon be extended to Jaywan Royal cardholders, alongside dedicated priority access benefits during travel. The payment method is currently active on the airline's digital portal across all destination routes.
Jaywan is operated by Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE, which officially launched the domestic scheme in July 2026. Banks and licensed financial institutions across the Emirates are continuing to roll out the domestic card to account holders, fulfilling a operational agreement established when Etihad Airways and Al Etihad Payments signed a Memorandum of Understanding in October 2025.
7 Days Missing Work Can Trigger a 1-Year UAE Labour Ban
7 Straight Days Off Work Can Lock You Out of the UAE Job Market
How Unannounced Workplace Absence Triggers Official MOHRE Action
Missing work for more than seven consecutive days without notifying your employer gives your company clear legal grounds to initiate an official case against you. Formally classified in legal terms as "unexpected work abandonment" or "absence from work," this filing applies when a worker is completely out of reach and absent without permission. If the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) investigates the claim and finds it valid, your work permit gets cancelled automatically. You could also face a one-year ban on obtaining any new work permit in the country.
This restriction carries real weight across the country. Article 50 of UAE Labour Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, explicitly prohibits any other employer in the UAE from hiring or keeping an affected worker in their service throughout that one-year period.
What Absence Filings Mean for Employees and Employers
For employees, going silent for seven full days creates immediate exposure to administrative penalties. If your employer cannot reach you and you have not provided formal notice, the validated MOHRE report leads to the immediate cancellation of your current work permit. That cancellation freezes your ability to transfer to a new role or sign a fresh contract with another UAE firm for 12 calendar months.
For employers, filing an unexpected work abandonment report requires establishing a clear record of unexcused absence. Companies must confirm that the employee has missed more than seven consecutive days without authorization and that all attempts to contact the staff member have failed before launching an official case with the ministry.
How Employers File an Unexpected Work Abandonment Report
Companies log absence complaints directly through MOHRE's official digital platform. The process requires specific verification steps before the ministry begins its investigation:
- Open the official MOHRE labor complaint portal for work absence.
- Log into the service using verified company establishment details.
- Submit the missing worker's details and absence information to initiate the official ministry investigation.
Up to $1 trillion at stake in Meta youth addiction trial
30 States Seek $1 Trillion as Meta Faces Youth Addiction Lawsuit
A federal jury trial has opened in Oakland, California, where 30 U.S. states are suing Meta Platforms over claims its Facebook and Instagram were engineered to addict children and teens. The case also alleges that Meta illegally harvested personal data from minors while they used the apps.
The coalition of states says Meta’s design choices, like infinite scroll, autoplay videos, “Like” counts and fleeting posts, push young users to stay online longer, harming their mental health. They further contend the company breached federal child‑privacy law by collecting and using children’s data without proper consent.
Meta’s defense will argue the company has invested heavily in safety tools and that the plaintiffs have not shown concrete harm to residents. The company also maintains it never misled users about the safety of its platforms.
The trial, presided over by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, is slated to run for six weeks. Meta co‑founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri are expected to take the stand. Attorneys for the tech giant plan to highlight the extensive safety measures Meta has rolled out in recent years.
If the states win, they could force sweeping changes to the platforms, including the removal of “Like” counters, the end of infinite scroll, and the disabling of autoplay videos. Such alterations would reshape how brands reach audiences, how influencers engage followers, and how advertisers buy inventory on the apps.
The lawsuit builds on a multistate investigation that began in 2023 after whistleblower Frances Haugen testified before a U.S. Senate committee in 2021, saying Meta knew its products could harm young users but prioritized profit over safety. Meta and other social‑media firms, including Snap, TikTok parent ByteDance, and YouTube parent Alphabet, already face thousands of lawsuits from states, municipalities, school districts and individuals over similar concerns.
A prior ruling in New Mexico fined Meta $942 million and ordered comparable design restrictions, labeling the company a “public nuisance.” That decision highlights the growing legal pressure on the tech sector to curb features deemed harmful to minors.
The states are seeking damages of up to $1 trillion, a figure that reflects both compensation for alleged harms and the cost of mandated platform overhauls. While the exact financial exposure remains uncertain, the trial’s outcome could set a precedent for how social‑media companies design user experiences worldwide.
