News

Twitter Verification Costs More For Middle Eastern Firms

Businesses and organizations in several MENA countries will be charged more for verification than their counterparts in the USA.

Published

3 years ago

April 8, 2023

Nour Nasir

twitter verification costs more for middle eastern firms

Twitter’s blue badge system, Twitter Verification, is the company’s way of signifying whether a public interest account is authentic. Last year, after Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of the social media platform, the blue tick was removed from accounts and replaced with subscription-based badges.

In December, Twitter introduced three new verification badges in different colors:

A gold tick for business organizations.
A gray tick for government-affiliated accounts.
A blue tick for individuals.

However, as the new verification system rolls out, Twitter users in Saudi Arabia have noticed that prices are an estimated 6.7% more than for US businesses.

The standard price for a business or organization is $1,000 for a monthly subscription and an additional $50 per month for each affiliate. On the other hand, Saudi Arabian organizations will have to stump up $1,066.67 and $53.55, respectively.

Also Read: Web Summit Expands With New Middle East Event In Qatar

UAE organizations will also have to pay more for verification, with monthly subscription costs climbing to $1,007.49. Qatar accounts will also pay more at $1,016.48, while those in Egypt will be charged $1,003.35. Interestingly, all other MENA countries will pay the standard $1,000 per month subscription and $50 monthly affiliate fee.

News

AltoVolo Opens Orders For Limited Edition Sigma eVTOLs

Early buyers can now reserve build slots for AltoVolo’s 500-mile hybrid aircraft through a new online configurator.

Published

1 week ago

November 1, 2025

Nour Nasir

AltoVolo

AltoVolo has started taking pre-orders for its first electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the Sigma, moving the startup closer to commercial rollout. Customers can now secure a build slot with a £860 deposit and customize every detail online — from paintwork to seatbelt stitching. It’s the first configurator of its kind for a civilian eVTOL, mirroring how luxury car brands let clients tailor performance models before production.

The Sigma runs on a hybrid-electric tilting jet system built for long range and low noise. It can travel up to 500 miles at a 220-mph cruise, and is over 80% quieter than a helicopter. The three-seater weighs just 980kg and can maintain stable flight even if one jet fails. Safety systems include triple-redundant controls, thrust-vectoring stability and a ballistic parachute.

“We will be delivering an ultra-refined hybrid electric aircraft,” said founder and CEO Will Wood. “We believe there are thousands of customers for this type of cutting-edge technology”.

The first 100 units will come with exclusive materials and finishes. AltoVolo is also setting up a global service and maintenance network, with early planning for overhaul schedules already underway. The company’s focus on ownership experience echoes its ambition to anchor itself alongside established aviation brands rather than pure tech ventures.

To help new owners train, the company has built a full-scale simulator that replicates the Sigma cockpit in carbon fiber and leather. Pilots can log time toward a license using the system, aligned with the new US MOSAIC rules that ease certification for powered-lift aircraft. Certification work in Europe and the UK continues in parallel, signaling growing international alignment around light sport and eVTOL regulation.

Also Read: Snapchat Opens Qatar Office To Deepen Gulf Presence

Noise inside the cabin has become another design focus. Engineers are refining internal vibration levels and developing a responsive soundscape that shifts with each jet’s power load — part feedback, part theatre.

Urban air mobility projects across the Gulf and elsewhere are pushing regulators and manufacturers to meet in the middle. Dubai, Riyadh and Doha have each outlined plans for air taxi corridors this decade. AltoVolo’s hybrid Sigma, sitting between electric promise and aviation realism, looks built for that middle ground.