Saudi Arabia, Japan Reach Strategic Partnership to Develop Digital Economy

The Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Japan’s Digital Agency have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning digital economy.
The Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Japan’s Digital Agency have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning digital economy.
TT

Saudi Arabia, Japan Reach Strategic Partnership to Develop Digital Economy

The Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Japan’s Digital Agency have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning digital economy.
The Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Japan’s Digital Agency have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning digital economy.

The Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Japan’s Digital Agency have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning digital economy, developing digital government and accelerating the adoption of modern technologies, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

The agreement was reached during the visit headed by Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Al-Swaha to Japan to boost partnership in the fields of technology, innovation and space.

Under its terms, the two countries will cooperate to promote and support government digital services, including digital platforms, e-signatures and documentation, build capacity and share knowledge.

The two sides will also cooperate in research and innovation, establishing research teams to develop digital government services and exchange best practices and policies that enable the use of emerging technologies in businesses and improve customer experience.

The memorandum was signed by Al-Swaha and Japanese Minister for Digital Transformation Kono Taro; several officials from both sides attended the signing ceremony.



Elon Musk's X Lifts Price for Premium-plus Tier to Pay Creators

Elon Musk acknowledged his bid to buy Twitter may fail, but said he has a "plan B" - Copyright POOL/AFP/File Britta Pedersen
Elon Musk acknowledged his bid to buy Twitter may fail, but said he has a "plan B" - Copyright POOL/AFP/File Britta Pedersen
TT

Elon Musk's X Lifts Price for Premium-plus Tier to Pay Creators

Elon Musk acknowledged his bid to buy Twitter may fail, but said he has a "plan B" - Copyright POOL/AFP/File Britta Pedersen
Elon Musk acknowledged his bid to buy Twitter may fail, but said he has a "plan B" - Copyright POOL/AFP/File Britta Pedersen

Elon Musk-owned X raised the price of its premium-plus plan in several markets from Dec. 21 as the social media company looks to boost payment for creators on its platform.

The top-tier plan is now priced at $22 a month in the US, up from $16 earlier, according to a blog post. Prices for the basic tier and premium subscriptions remain unchanged at $3 and $8, respectively, Reuters reported.

X changed its revenue-sharing practices in October to ensure subscription fees would more directly contribute to creator payouts and that they are compensated on content quality and engagement rather than ad views alone.

The updated pricing applies to new subscribers, while existing members will retain their current rates until Jan. 20.

X offers premium-plus subscribers ad-free browsing and features such as expanded access to the Grok AI chatbot and Radar, which offers real-time analytics on emerging trends through keyword tracking.

Subscriptions are a key part of Musk's strategy to drive revenue growth at X, the platform which was known as Twitter before the billionaire purchased it and had long relied on advertising dollars.