Meta, YouTube face trial over children harm
Opening statements in the first trial began in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where Instagram parent company Meta and Google’s...
Geostrategy
GCC startups will surprise the world by building culture-first tech
Snap’s regional chief Hussein Freijeh outlines growth plans across MENA and APAC in an interview with TRENDS, highlighting startups, creators...
Interview
Economy
Egypt central bank lowers interest rate for first time since 2020
Egypt's central bank on Thursday announced that it was lowering interest rates for the first time since 2020, days after...
- The Central Bank of Egypt cut interest rates by 225 basis points, its monetary policy division said in a statement
- Its overnight deposit rate, overnight lending rate, and the rate of the main operation now stood at 25%, 26 percent and 25.5%, respectively
Economy
Global economy under pressure could slow to 2.3 percent: UNCTAD
UNCTAD report '"Trade and Development Foresights 2025 – Under pressure: Uncertainty reshapes global economic prospects” cited mounting threats including trade...
- Rising trade tensions are impacting global trade, with UNCTAD noting that recent tariff measures are disrupting supply chains and undermining predictability.
- The slowdown will affect all nations, but UNCTAD remains concerned about developing countries and especially the most vulnerable economies.
Economy
OPEC lowers 2025 oil demand forecast over impact of US tariffs
The Saudi-led oil cartel said in a monthly report that it now expects demand to grow by 1.3 million barrels...
- The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries now sees global demand reaching at total 105.05 million bpd this year.
- Oil prices sank to a four-year low last week, dipping under $60 per barrel over concerns about the impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs.
Saudi Arabia’s space economy reaches $8.7 billion in 2024
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST) has said that the Saudi space economy reached $8.7...
- The Saudi space market is projected to reach $5.6 billion by 2035, supported by space technologies, while the global space market reached $176 billion in 2024.
- The size of the space market reached $1.9 billion, according to the KSA Space Market 2025 report. Saudi space economy is expected to reach $31.6 billion by 2035.
Geostrategy
Osaka Expo 2025 opens: World gathers amidst hope and global tensions
From quirky Hello Kitty algae sculptures to demonstrations of flying vehicles and lunar samples, the Osaka Expo offers a fascinating...
- Encircling dozens of national pavilions is the Grand Ring -- recognized by Guinness World Records as the planet's largest wooden architectural structure.
- So far 8.7 million advance tickets have been shifted, below the pre-sales target of 14 million.
Business
Why investors rush to gold in uncertain economic times?
London, United Kingdom -- Why do investors flock to gold when economic times turn tough? As the precious metal reaches...
- On Friday it struck an all-time high of $3227.51 an ounce in trading, handing the commodity a gain of more than 20 percent since the start of the year.
- In 2024, global central banks together added more than 1,000 tons of gold to their reserves for the third year running, according to the World Gold Council.
Economy
Trump admits trade war ‘cost’ as markets hit
Jitters about US tariffs hammered Asian stocks again early Friday as President Donald Trump acknowledged a "cost" to his surging...
- Trump acknowledged "a transition cost and transition problems," but dismissed global market turmoil. "In the end it's going to be a beautiful thing."
- On Wall Street, the broad-based S&P 500 finished down 3.5 percent on Thursday after soaring 9.5 percent the day before. The Dow Jones shed 2.5 percent and the Nasdaq 4.3 percent
Geostrategy
European Union and UAE agree to launch trade deal negotiations
Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan "and I just decided to launch negotiations on an EU-UAE free trade agreement,"...
- Sheikh Zayed said that the CEPA would create new avenues for cooperation between the UAE and EU, increase trade and investment flows.
- The EU is the UAE’s second-largest trading partner, accounting for 8.3 percent of the UAE’s total non-oil trade, which hit $67.6 billion in 2024.
Economy
Iraq signs deal with US firm to produce 24,000 MW of electricity
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani oversaw "the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding as part of a strategic cooperation framework...
- The signing comes at the conclusion of a visit to Iraq by a high-level US delegation comprising of representatives from 60 private firms.
- Despite sitting on large reserves of petrol and natural gas, decades of conflict and instability have ravaged Iraq's energy infrastructure.
Economy
World Bank approves $1.1 bn in financing for Jordan
The World Bank announced Tuesday it will provide Jordan with $1.1 billion in new financing to support economic reforms and...
- The funding, part of an economic modernization effort, aims to "build socio-economic resilience in the face of continued shocks and crises."
- The investments cover four projects designed to support inclusive growth and job creation, help start-ups and small businesses
Most Read
Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
Meta, YouTube face trial over children harm
Opening statements in the first trial began in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where Instagram parent company Meta and Google’s...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Anthropic announces massive AI chip deal with Google
San Francisco, United States - Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic said Thursday it was expanding its use of Google cloud computing...
Science
Oil prices surge as Trump hits Russian crude with sanctions
The international benchmark contract, Brent North Sea crude, jumped 4.8 percent while West Texas Intermediate was up 5.1 percent. Trump on Wednesday announced...
Geostrategy
Celebrities, AI giants urge end to quest for superintelligence capable of outsmarting humans
Signatories include the "Godfather of AI" and 2024 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics Geoffrey Hinton; Computer Sciences Professor...
Science
Most Read
Business
OpenAI unveils search browser in challenge to Google
San Francisco, United States - ChatGPT-maker OpenAI on Tuesday announced an "Atlas" search browser, leveraging its artificial intelligence prowess in...
- "This is an AI-powered web browser built around ChatGPT," OpenAI chief Sam Altman said in a streamed presentation
- OpenAI has ramped up its challenge to Google, which has responded by rapidly building more AI capabilities into search and across its platform
Economy
Gold falls again as rally comes to halt, Asian markets drop
Gold and silver tumbled for a second day Wednesday, bringing a rally in the precious metals to a juddering halt,...
- Bullion has seen an eye watering run-up since the turn of the year, helping it climb more than 60 percent and hitting multiple records
- The rally has been built on a range of issues including a weaker dollar, expectations of interest rate cuts, falling bond yields and central bank buying
Business
Iraq bans Roblox game platform citing ‘moral values’
Iraq has banned US gaming platform Roblox over what it described as sexual content, blasphemy and risks of online blackmail...
- The popular site, which lets players build their own games, has repeatedly been accused of failing to protect its youngest players in recent years
- Iraq's communications ministry said late Sunday that it wanted to "protect social order, preserve moral values" and "ensure the safety of internet users in Iraq."