Hamas tells AFP ready to transfer Gaza governance to Palestinian committee
"Protocols are prepared, files are complete, and committees are in place to oversee the handover, ensuring a complete transfer of...
Geostrategy
Gold tops $5,000 for first time on Trump policy unrest
While turbulence over Trump's ambitions for Greenland and pressure on the Federal Reserve have provided the most recent support for...
Business
Geostrategy
WEF flags geoeconomic confrontation as top global risk for 2026
Experts warn economic warfare, misinformation and unchecked AI could amplify global shocks as cooperation weakens across political and trade blocs.
- Half of global leaders surveyed expect worsening instability within two years, while only 10% foresee stability.
- Environmental risks remain the most severe long-term threat despite slipping in near-term priority rankings.
Interview
GCC should focus on tech-enabled authentic, sustainable hospitality
AI fluency is not prioritized enough in schools today. If AI skills are not on your resume, you will have...
- Sustainable travel is a major opportunity for the Middle East and the GCC. Authenticity, culture, and history should be central.
- Making travel more affordable and accessible will be equally important for long-term growth.
Economy
World Bank lifts 2026 growth forecast, warns of softer demand
The bank expects world GDP growth of 2.6 percent this year, according to its latest global economic prospects report. The...
- But the rate still marks a slowdown from the 2.7% pace seen in 2025, with the Bank warning that the 2020s are "on track to be the weakest decade for global growth since the 1960s".
- As countries adjust and policy uncertainty recedes, the bank anticipates that trade growth will firm up again in 2027.
Interview
Cybersecurity must evolve from blocking threats to safeguarding the innovation process
When businesses increasingly rely on AI to make decisions, a manipulated dataset can cause more harm than a ransomware attack,...
- Collaboration without guardrails is often where breaches begin.
- The challenge is enabling people to work freely without exposing the organization to unnecessary risk.
Business
Gold hits record high, dollar falls as US targets Fed
Fed Chair Jerome Powell confirmed the "unprecedented" subpoenas against the bank in a rare video address on Sunday, which he...
- European stocks wavered after a strong showing in Asia, seen on the back of solid gains on Wall Street before the weekend.
- Gold climbed close to $4,600 an ounce while silver approached $85 an ounce as investors sought traditional safe havens.
Business
GCC capital market reforms spawn IPO, foreign investment wave
For a region long shaped by sovereign balance sheets and state-owned champions, the Gulf is quietly rewiring its financial plumbing,...
- Overall, the GCC IPO market raised $13.2 billion across 53 listings in 2024.
- The UAE led the charge. Federal decree changes and a flurry of free-zone and mainland measures now allow 100 percent foreign ownership in many sectors.
Geostrategy
Trump tells Cuba to ‘make a deal, before it is too late’
The communist-run island near Florida has been a US foe and ally of Caracas for decades, but Trump has ramped...
- "THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO!" Trump said on his Truth Social platform. "I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE."
- Trump provided no details about what potential deal he referred to, or what such an arrangement would achieve.
Geostrategy
Iran president says ‘rioters’ must not disrupt society
Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of "trying to escalate this unrest with regard to the economic discussion and...
- Protests in Iran initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living have lasted two weeks, becoming a movement against the theocratic system in place since the 1979.
- State TV has aired images of buildings, including a mosque on fire, with authorities saying members of the security forces have been killed.
Arts & Culture
Novel concept: China’s spellbinding bookstores draw selfie snappers
Tianjin, China -- Towering accordion steps and a fantastical spiral staircase greet visitors to a massive bookstore in northern China's...
- Sales of hard-copy books across the country have failed to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, data shows, despite authorities' efforts to boost domestic consumption.
- Yet in recent years the number of physical bookshops has "maintained steady growth", the head of a publishing industry group said last January.
Geostrategy
Yemen presidential council says Saudi coalition to lead all southern forces
The announcement comes a few days after Yemeni forces supported by Saudi Arabia recaptured large swathes of territory from the...
- The oil-rich neighbors formed the backbone of the coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who overran the capital Sanaa in 2014 and still control much of the country
- But Riyadh and Abu Dhabi now find themselves backing competing factions within the Presidential Council, which is recognized by the international community.
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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
Hamas tells AFP ready to transfer Gaza governance to Palestinian committee
"Protocols are prepared, files are complete, and committees are in place to oversee the handover, ensuring a complete transfer of...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Trump at Davos demands ‘immediate’ Greenland talks but rules out force
Trump's quest to take control of Greenland, which he said was needed for national and international security, dominated his address...
Geostrategy
The Middle East has become our living lab for digital reinvention
In the MENA region, we see an extraordinary opportunity to shape a digitally empowered workforce aligned with national transformation agendas,...
Interview
G42 launches ‘digital embassies’ model to help governments deploy sovereign AI
Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence group G42 on Tuesday launched what it calls a Digital Embassies framework and an operating model...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Who has been invited to be on Trump’s Gaza boards?
The White House said there would be a main board, chaired by Trump himself, a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant...
- BOARD OF PEACE - The White House says this body will focus on issues such as "governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction.
- NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF GAZA - This body, made up of technocrats, will "oversee the restoration of core public services, the rebuilding of civil institutions.
Interview
UAE is converting talent, trust, and technology into a Knowledge Nation
Dr. Lolowa AlMarzooqi, Associate Vice Provost at New York University Abu Dhabi, tells TRENDS that the UAE’s real competitive edge...
- At the early childhood level, today’s learners are growing up in an environment that encourages curiosity, problem-solving, and bilingual fluency.
- By university and early-career stages, Emirati youth are more globally aware, digitally confident, and purpose-oriented than ever before.
Geostrategy
Trump threatens European nations with tariffs over Greenland
Trump aimed his ire at Denmark, a fellow NATO member, as well as several European countries that have deployed troops...
- If realized, Trump's threats against Washington's NATO partners would create unprecedented tension within the alliance.
- It was not immediately clear what authority the US leader would invoke to impose the threatened tariffs of up to 25 percent.