Apple on Monday announced plans to invest at least $500 billion in the US over the next four years to bolster highly skilled manufacturing, artificial intelligence and the development of students' skills throughout the country.
The investment comes amid increased domestic economic uncertainty, with concerns over inflation and worries from business leaders about the possible impact of tariffs promised by the Trump administration.
Apple said it plans to hire about 20,000 new people. President Donald Trump thanked both the company and its chief executive Tim Cook after the California-based tech giant's announcement.
They have “faith in what we're doing, without which they wouldn't be investing ten cents. Thank you Tim Cook and Apple!”
Nowhere in Apple's press release announcing the investment does the company mention the Trump administration. Mr Cook, however, is quoted about his overall optimism regarding the company's plans in the US.
“We are bullish on the future of American innovation and we’re proud to build on our long-standing US investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” he said. “From doubling our Advanced Manufacturing Fund, to building advanced technology in Texas, we’re thrilled to expand our support for American manufacturing.”
The company also detailed how AI and manufacturing would be integral to its US investment in the years ahead.
“Apple and partners will open a new advanced manufacturing facility in Houston to produce servers that support Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that helps users write, express themselves and get things done,” the company said.
Apple also announced plans to open what it described as an Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit, as the city continues its attempt to pivot from a post-industrial automotive-based economy.
Mr Cook was last week spotted entering the White House, although details about his visit were minimal. The Apple chief has spent years navigating a geopolitical business balancing act, working with the Trump and Biden administrations, while also attempting to navigate Apple's relationships in China, which have been increasingly at odds with the US.
While other US companies have floundered in China, Apple has maintained a prominent presence, with more than 50 shops in the country.
Mr Cook, along with tech titans Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok chief Shou Zi Chew, Google's chief Sundar Pichai, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla co-founder Elon Musk, attended President Trump's inauguration. He also joined the ranks of other technology executives in donating to Mr Trump's inauguration fund.
The relationship between Mr Cook and Mr Trump has at times been fraught. In 2016 during his first pursuit of the White House, Mr Trump threatened to enact tariffs on Apple products for manufacturing devices overseas, only to later ask Mr Cook to serve on the administration's American workforce policy advisory board three years later.
At one point during his first term, Mr Trump bestowed Mr Cook with the nickname “Tim Apple”.
Ryan Young, a senior economist for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, reflected on Apple's announcement, and President Trump's reaction to it.
"Letting politicians take credit for things is a proven political strategy. Here Apple is letting Trump take credit for things Apple was already going to do anyway," he said.
"In return, Apple could get tariff exemptions and other favorable treatment from the administration. Apple did something similar in 2020, when they let Trump take credit for an Apple factory that opened in 2013."
As for Apple's latest announcement, the company remained apolitical, despite overtly political posts from Mr Trump concerning the company. “As a proud American company, we're thrilled to continue to make significant investments in the US," Mr Cook posted on X.
As part of the investment, Apple said various facilities and teams in Michigan, Texas, California, Arizona, Nevada, Iowa, Oregon, North Carolina and Washington state will be expanding as well.
According to estimates, Apple employs about 161,000 workers globally and the company says it helps to support up to 2.4 million jobs through its supplier, developer and retail infrastructure throughout the US.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
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WORLD RECORD FEES FOR GOALKEEPERS
1) Kepa Arrizabalaga, Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea (£72m)
2) Alisson, Roma to Liverpool (£67m)
3) Ederson, Benfica to Manchester City (£35m)
4) Gianluigi Buffon, Parma to Juventus (£33m)
5) Angelo Peruzzi, Inter Milan to Lazio (£15.7m
SPECS
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Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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5.10pm: Continous
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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THE SPECS
Engine: six-litre W12 twin-turbo
Transmission: eight-speed dual clutch auto
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh940,160 (plus VAT)
On sale: Q1 2020
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The five pillars of Islam
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
