MENA’s next tech breakthrough depends on infrastructure, not hype
Jamil Shinawi, CEO and Co-founder of AHOY and co-founder of Actual VC, speaks to TRENDS about risk, capital efficiency, and...
Why the GCC should stop trying to build Silicon Valley and focus on owning it
Fahad AlSharekh says the GCC’s edge isn’t startup mimicry but global investment power — backing AI, infrastructure and category leaders...
Business
OpenAI releases ChatGPT-5 as AI race accelerates
San Francisco, United States -- OpenAI released a keenly awaited new generation of its hallmark ChatGPT on Thursday, touting "significant" advancements...
- ChatGPT-5 is rolling out free to all users of the AI tool, which is used by nearly 700 million people weekly, OpenAI said in a briefing with journalists.
- Co-founder and chief executive Sam Altman touted this latest iteration as "clearly a model that is generally intelligent."
Economy
Average US tariffs now highest since 1910s: WTO and IMF
The figure, calculated by the two organizations, stands in contrast with the 2.4 percent rate in force at the time...
- A trade "truce" brought down sky-high tariff levels that the United States and China had imposed upon one another, but that is set to expire next week.
- The new figure by the WTO and IMF takes into account the trade deals the US negotiated with the EU, Japan, South Korea and other nations that have now come into force.
Economy
Trump announces 100% chip tariff, pressuring Asian producers
The US president unveiled the levy at the White House on Wednesday ahead of the imposition of sweeping tariffs on...
- shares in Taiwan's TSMC -- world's largest contract maker of chips -- soared nearly 5% after the government said the company will not be affected.
- Trump has previously accused Taiwan of having stolen the US chip industry, and earlier this year, TSMC unveiled a plan to invest an extra $100 billion in the United States.
Economy
Syria inks infrastructure and real-estate deals worth $14 billion
Since the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, Syria's new authorities have worked to attract investment for the...
- The plans include a $4 billion investment project for Damascus airport and $2bn in investment for a Damascus metro, as well as more than $2bn for a mall and two towers development
- Last month, Saudi Arabia signed major investment and partnership deals with Syria, valued at $6.4 billion.
Economy
Trump says to raise tariff on India over Russia oil purchases
President Donald Trump threatened Monday to "substantially" hike US tariffs on goods from India over its purchases of Russian oil...
- Trump's heightened pressure on India comes after he signaled fresh sanctions on Moscow if it did not make progress by Friday towards a peace deal with Kyiv
- Moscow is anticipating talks with the US leader's special envoy Steve Witkoff, who is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin this week
Business
Jordan sees decrease in number of tourists over Gaza war
Amman, Jordan -- Jordan has seen a decrease in the number of tourists visiting its famed ancient city of Petra...
- According to figures from the Petra tourism authority carried by official media, 32 hotels have had to shut down and nearly 700 people have lost their jobs.
- Petra, famous for its stunning temples hewn from rose-pink cliff faces, is a UN World Heritage site.
Economy
AI search pushing an already weakened media ecosystem to the brink
New York, United States - Generative artificial intelligence assistants like ChatGPT are cutting into traditional online search traffic, depriving news...
- A recent Pew Research Center study reveals that AI-generated summaries now appearing regularly in Google searches discourage users from clicking through to source articles
- This represents a devastating loss of visitors for online media sites that depend on traffic for both advertising revenue and subscription conversions
Economy
Qatar to expand scheme to boost Syria power supply
Qatar is to expand its scheme to boost the power supply in Syria by paying for deliveries of Azerbaijani gas...
- The deliveries, aimed at alleviating chronic power outages in Syria, will increase the Qatari scheme's generating capacity to 800 megawatts per day
- A first phase of the Qatari scheme to fund gas supplies for power generation rolled out in March via Jordan and provided 400 megawatts of electricity per day
Economy
World economies reel from Trump’s tariffs
The tariffs are a demonstration of raw economic power that Trump sees putting US exporters in a stronger position while...
- But the muscular approach has raised fears of inflation and other economic fallout in the world's biggest economy.
- Stock markets in Hong Kong and London slumped as they digested the turmoil.
Economy
Trump’s global trade policy faces test, hours from tariff deadline
The last-gasp scramble to strike bilateral accords came as an appeals court in Washington considered the legality behind Trump's strategy...
- Trump doubled down on the wide-ranging levies, posting on Truth Social: "Tariffs are making America GREAT & RICH Again."
- So far, Washington has announced pacts with Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea and the European Union.
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MENA’s next tech breakthrough depends on infrastructure, not hype
Jamil Shinawi, CEO and Co-founder of AHOY and co-founder of Actual VC, speaks to TRENDS about risk, capital efficiency, and...
Company News
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Arts & Culture
Latest News
“New Suez Canal on rails”: Egypt high-speed trains to connect Red Sea, Mediterranean
Workers have started laying tracks in the desert east of Cairo for Egypt's first high-speed train, which will link the...
Economy
UAE builds resilient economy outpacing skeptics and shocks
From the 1980s onward, the federal government and individual emirates launched broader diversification and liberalization programs to reduce reliance on...
Economy
US launches pact for AI supply chains with key Asia-Pacific allies to face China
The United States signed an agreement on the supply chains with key Asia-Pacific allies concerned about China's growing clout --...
Economy
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Economy
Qatar’s economic momentum accelerates as diversification gains global recognition
However, Qatar faces downside risks from a deeper global economic slowdown that could weaken energy demand and LNG prices amid...
- World Bank, Standard Chartered, and Moody’s highlight Qatar’s resilience, strong GDP outlook, and rising non-hydrocarbon strength
- Backed by digital transformation, AI investment, and stable credit ratings, Qatar’s non-oil sectors lead regional growth
Economy
Saudi powers forward with deficit spending to fund diversification of its oil-dependent economy
Saudi Arabia greenlit its 2026 budget Tuesday, projecting a deficit of 165 billion riyals ($44 billion) as the kingdom presses...
- The Arab world's largest economy is overseeing a major push to slash its dependence on oil revenues, with officials pouring billions into projects to attract investment and tourism
- The budget figures will be keenly watched by energy industry experts, with the hopes of gleaning insights into where Saudi Arabia expects oil revenues to head in the near future
Economy
Kuwait rises on the strength of collaboration: Airlines deal and sweeping reforms fuel economic revival
In addition, Kuwait hosted a major joint meeting between the GCC and the United Kingdom in October focused on a...
- As S&P upgrades Kuwait’s credit rating and non-oil sectors surge, the country’s 2025 policy strategy proves that collaboration can be a catalyst for long-term sustainable growth
- Major fiscal reforms, new regional agreements, and a booming non-oil economy position Kuwait for stronger investment flows and renewed global confidence