Generative AI’s most prominent skeptic doubles down
Vancouver, Canada -- Two and a half years since ChatGPT rocked the world, scientist and writer Gary Marcus still remains...
Interview
Trump fires new 50% tariff threat at EU, drawing stiff response
Washington, United States - President Donald Trump rekindled the US trade war on Friday, threatening to impose a 50 percent...
Economy
Economy
IMF projects 3.3% global growth for 2025, MENA to rebound to 3.6%
Dubai, UAE -- The International Monterey Fund (IMF) has projected global growth to remain at 3.3 percent this year and...
- IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said that growth in the Middle East and North Africa is expected to rebound to about 3.6 percent in 2025.
- She warned that global public debt is projected to hit 100 percent of global GDP by 2030.
Asian markets advance after Wall St gains, US Postal Service U-turn
Asian markets rose Thursday, tracking gains on Wall Street and following the US Postal Service's U-turn on a ban on...
- Investors remained on edge about the economic outlook, pushing Gold prices above US$2,882
- Disappointing earnings from Google-parent Alphabet weighed on the tech sector
Exclusive: Green investments lead to tangible returns, says WEF’s Philips
Public-private partnerships are essential for advancing sustainable urban development and meeting net-zero targets, Vivian Brady Phillips, Head of Strategic Initiatives,...
- Public-private partnerships are essential for advancing sustainable urban development and meeting net-zero targets, Vivian Brady Phillips tells TRENDS
- Technology plays a crucial role in sustainability, enabling energy-efficient operations, smart city connectivity, and digital waste tracking
Business
UAE non-oil foreign trade up by 14.6% in 2024 to reach $816bn
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- UAE's non-oil foreign trade increased by a record 14.6 percent in 2024, compared to 2023, reaching...
- He said that of all the positive indicators, the most encouraging is the increasing contribution of non-oil exports to UAE's foreign trade.
- Last year, they climbed 27.6 percent in to reach a record AED561.2 billion – nearly 70 percent of the AED800 billion target.
World Economic Forum
Tech Mahindra’s Ram Ramachandran: MEA, India key to shaping future in multipolar world
Davos, Switzerland -- The Middle East, Africa, and India have an important role and influence in shaping the evolving world order...
- The representation accorded to the Middle East, Africa, and India at Davos shows the growing promise of the region towards global world order, he said.
- We are going to see innovation happening from the Middle East outwards, which has never happened earlier, Ramachandran said.
World Economic Forum
UNFPA and corporate partners drive reproductive justice in workplaces
Mariarosa Cutillo, UNFPA Chief of the Private Sector and Civil Society Branch, says businesses need to provide adequate maternal health...
- UNFPA emphasizes that corporate strategies can empower vulnerable communities, particularly women, by driving positive change in workplaces, Cutillo said
- UNFPA's presence in 150 countries allows us to work with women and implement these targeted initiatives effectively, she added.
World Economic Forum
Risks are interconnected, need collaborative solutions, says WEF’s Mark Elsner
Davos, Switzerland – Mark Elsner, Head, Global Risks Initiative, World Economic Forum sat with TRENDS during WEF’s summit in Davos...
- The Global Risks Report 2025, with insights from over 900 experts, identifies state-based armed conflict as the most immediate risk for 2025.
- The report was circulated ahead of the Davos meeting, which serves as a platform for advancing dialogue, cooperation, and partnerships.
Business
Rudolph Lohmeyer: The Gulf is redefining the global future, not just adapting to it
The Middle East must counter global economic divergence by enhancing regional financial integration to drive collective growth, Rudolph Lohmeyer tells...
- The GCC is strategically positioning itself as a neutral hub by diversifying economic and diplomatic relationships to ensure resilience, Rudolph Lohmeyer tells TRENDS
- AI is expected to revolutionize productivity, scientific discovery, and governance, with the UAE and KSA making significant investments in the field, he added
Business
‘Authenticity, experiences, culture, generational and solo travel to lead tourism trends’
Visit Saudi, experience the warmth, generosity and hospitality of the people, Jerry Inzerillo tells TRENDS in an exclusive interview.
- Visit Saudi, experience the warmth, generosity and hospitality of the people, Jerry Inzerillo tells TRENDS in an exclusive interview
- Cultural and heritage tourism is on the rise, with travelers seeking genuine local experiences, from food to historical sites, her adds
Oil prices on the rise despite down week
Oil prices rose on Friday as markets weighed the threat of tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump on Mexico and...
- In January, Brent looks to gain 3.8 percent while WTI is poised to climb 2.3 percent
- US President Trump threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian and Mexican oil exports
Generative AI’s most prominent skeptic doubles down
Vancouver, Canada -- Two and a half years since ChatGPT rocked the world, scientist and writer Gary Marcus still remains...
Interview
Company News
Latest News
Saudi Arabia and Qatar to settle Syria’s World Bank debt
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced on Sunday that they would settle Syria's debt to the World...
Geostrategy
Trump trade war pushes firms to consider stockpiling
Even if they don't all acknowledge it so openly, firms in many different sectors are stockpiling their products in the United...
Business
Tariff war: Xi says China must ‘overcome’ AI chip challenges
Beijing, China - President Xi Jinping said China must "overcome" the challenges of developing core AI technologies including high-end chips,...
Economy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Lebanon parliament approves changes to banking secrecy law
Beirut, Lebanon -- Lebanon's parliament on Thursday approved amendments to banking secrecy legislation, a key reform demanded by the International...
- The international community has long demanded major fiscal reforms to unlock billions of dollars in aid to restart the Lebanese economy in the wake of a five-year economic collapse
- The crash since 2019 has seen the local currency lose most of its value against the US dollar and has pushed much of the population into poverty.
Economy
The game of ‘chicken’ being played with the world economy can be brought to a cooperative end
A meaningful “G3” accord between the US, Europe, and China must include coordinated fiscal, monetary, development, and trade policies. From...
- The hardline positions of the US and China on trade and tariffs are putting the world economy at risk, writes Richard Samans
- Yet, Europe could broker a 'positive off-ramp' that fires on all of the cylinders of international cooperation
Economy
Trump eyes ‘fair deal’ with China, but path to ending tariff war remains unclear
Trade tensions between the world's two biggest economies have soared as Trump ramped up levies on imports from China this...
- But how soon the tariffs can be lowered "depends on them," Trump said, referring to Beijing, even as he maintained that he gets along "very well" with Chinese President Xi Jinping
- But earlier Wednesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that the two countries are "not yet" talking when it comes to lowering tariffs