Nour Al Hassan begins each morning with a simple question: how can language unlock opportunity? In the pre-dawn quiet of her Dubai penthouse, she reviews the latest Tarjama AI benchmarks and scans messages from clients spanning Riyadh boardrooms to Tunisian startups. It’s a far cry from the makeshift offices where she launched her first translation storefront in Amman—yet the mission remains unchanged: to dissolve barriers and amplify Arab voices in a global conversation.

Rana el Kaliouby remembers the exact moment she decided to pursue emotion AI. It was 2005 at the MIT Media Lab, where she was perched on a high stool, adjusting electrodes on a prototype “emotional hearing aid” meant to help children with Asperger’s syndrome understand others’ feelings. As the device translated subtle facial cues into audio prompts—“happy,” “surprised,” “puzzled”—Rana realized she was witnessing technology reclaim a piece of our shared humanity. That afternoon, the Egyptian-American computer scientist committed herself to an audacious goal: teach machines to feel.

Omar Samra was 28 years old when he stood on the summit of Mount Everest, taking the first of many steps that would transform him from a corporate banker into Egypt’s most celebrated adventurer. Born in London on August 11, 1978, yet raised in Cairo, Samra spent his childhood navigating two worlds—European streets on family holidays and the bustling alleys of Egypt’s capital. His academic journey took him from El Alsson School in Zamalek to the American University in Cairo, where he graduated in 2000 with a degree in economics and a minor in business administration. A subsequent stint at HSBC in London and Hong Kong sharpened his analytical mind, but it was a year-long backpacking odyssey across Asia and Latin America—14 countries in 370 days—that crystallized his yearning for a life defined by exploration rather than boardrooms.

Khalid Al Ameri’s day begins before dawn. In the quiet predawn hush of his Abu Dhabi home, he scrolls through comments on last night’s video: a reflection on cultural stereotypes that drew laughter—from Dubai to Detroit—and messages of thanks from viewers who felt seen. By sunrise, he’s reviewing scripts for his next series on intercultural understanding, framing each anecdote to resonate across borders. It’s this blend of strategic planning and heartfelt spontaneity that has made him one of the region’s most beloved storytellers, with over 3.8 million YouTube subscribers eagerly awaiting his next upload.

Anas Bukhash wakes before dawn in his modest Dubai apartment, not for prayer but for preparation. The city is still dark when he slips on his headphones and fires up the day’s first audio draft for AB Soundscapes, his experimental podcast series. By the time the sun peeks over Jebel Ali, he’s already reviewed the morning’s messages—emails from his content studio partners in Al Quoz, late-night comments from viewers in Cairo and Karachi, and a request from a young Emirati filmmaker hoping to intern at his new media hub (arabluxuryworld.com).

Tawakkol Karman was still in her pajamas when her phone began buzzing with urgent messages: “They’ve shot protesters at Change Square. We need you now.” It was January 2011, and as Tunisia and Egypt erupted in revolt, Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, teetered on the brink of its own uprising. At 31, Karman—a political science graduate turned journalist—found herself thrust into the spotlight as the voice of Yemen’s peaceful revolution. Within hours, she stood before thousands in Change Square, megaphone in hand, demanding “freedom, dignity, and social justice,” her calm conviction cutting through the winter chill and igniting a movement whose echoes would travel far beyond Yemen’s highland streets .

In a country where mental health has long remained in the shadows of public discourse, Tawhida Shiropa has emerged as a powerful voice for awareness, empathy, and action. As the founder and CEO of Moner Bondhu, she has dedicated her life to bringing accessible, affordable, and culturally relevant mental health care to underserved communities in Bangladesh, especially garment workers, women, and young people.

Discover the inspiring journey of Lisa Manobal from Thailand to global stardom as a BLACKPINK member and solo artist reshaping the K-pop world.

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Learn how Ashik Chowdhury, BIDA Chairman, is leading investment growth in Bangladesh with visionary reforms, global insight, and digital transformation.

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Discover how New Delhi artist Tarini Sethi uses multimedia art to challenge norms on intimacy, sexuality, and identity, blending mythology and folk traditions.

The first Thai film at Cannes in a decade and features from Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore are headed to the market from Southeast Asia.