Beyond entertainment: How storytelling is shifting in the digital age
In a world where our screens shape how we think, feel, and connect, entertainment has become more than an escape...
Interview
Qadi partners with Core42 to power sovereign AI compliance platform
Qadi, the Middle East’s first sovereign regulatory compliance platform, has partnered with Core42, a G42 company, to power its artificial...
Business
Business
AI toys look for bright side after troubled start
Las Vegas, United States -- Toy makers at the Consumer Electronics Show were adamant about being careful to ensure that...
- The rapid advancement of generative AI since ChatGPT's arrival has paved the way for a new generation of smart toys.
- Among the four devices tested by PIRG was Curio's Grok, a four-legged stuffed toy inspired by a rocket that has been on the market since 2024.
Research
Some food preservatives linked to higher cancer, diabetes risk
Paris, France -- Eating some common food preservatives is linked to a slightly higher risk of eventually developing cancer and...
- The preservatives included nitrites and nitrates, which are often used to cure ham, bacon and sausages.
- The second study, published in Nature Communications, also found a link between eating some food additives and developing type 2 diabetes.
Geostrategy
Gazans fear renewed displacement after Israeli strikes
Residents say the strikes have targeted neighborhoods east of the so-called Yellow Line -- a demarcation established under the truce...
- Earlier this month, Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir described the Yellow Line as the "new border line" with Israel.
- For Palestinian officials, the line is seen as a tool for permanent displacement.
Economy
US unemployment rises further, hovering at highest since 2021
A deteriorating jobs market could nudge the central bank to lower rates further to boost the economy, despite some policymakers'...
- The report underscoring a labor market cooldown in the world's biggest economy said the economy lost 105,000 jobs in October.
- Hiring picked up again in November to 64,000, but this was still a slower pace than before.
Geostrategy
First European Union airline flight in 35 years lands in Baghdad
Baghdad, Iraq -- Iraq's transport ministry said Tuesday that a flight operated by Greece's Aegean Airlines had been the first...
- European airlines have not operated direct flights to Baghdad International Airport for security reasons since the early 1990s, when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.
- But, after decades of turmoil, Iraq has recently begun to regain a sense of stability and the government is striving to attract foreign investment to bolster the country's economy.
Economy
Deja vu? Trump accused of economic denial and physical decline
Washington, United States -- An aging president faces poor poll numbers and suspicions about his health but insists that America...
- According to a poll by the University of Chicago for the Associated Press, published Thursday, only 31 percent of Americans are satisfied with Trump's economic policy.
- Like his predecessor, Trump today is trying to steer some of consumers' discontent toward big corporations suspected of inflating prices.
Geostrategy
Hamas says weapons are ‘legitimate right’, open to proposals that preserve it
"Resistance and its weapons are a legitimate right guaranteed by international law and are linked to the establishment of a...
- "We are open to studying any proposals that preserve this right while guaranteeing the establishment of a Palestinian state."
- The US-sponsored ceasefire, in effect since October 10, remains fragile as Israel and Hamas accuse each other almost daily of violations.
Geostrategy
China’s smaller manufacturers look to catch the automation wave
Yancheng, China -- In a light-filled workshop in eastern China, a robotic arm moved a partially assembled autonomous vehicle as workers...
- China is already the world's largest market for industrial robots.
- The first essentially humanless factories are already in operation.
Geostrategy
Trump vows revenge after troops in Syria killed in alleged IS ambush
The deadly attack had been "an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman," who was "engaged and killed," US Central Command...
- Trump called it "an ISIS attack against the US, and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them."
- The incident is the first of its kind reported since Islamist-led forces overthrew longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December last year
Science
AI tools help choose best embryos, increase success rate for IVF
Paris, France -- Artificial intelligence tools can now help choose the most promising embryos for in vitro fertilisation (IVF), although...
- The facility in the French capital carries out more than 2,300 IVF procedures every year.
- Tools using AI such as machine learning have been shown to help doctors select the embryos that have the best chance of being successfully implanted or frozen for later.
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
Beyond entertainment: How storytelling is shifting in the digital age
In a world where our screens shape how we think, feel, and connect, entertainment has become more than an escape...
Interview
Company News
Latest News
MENA’s gaming sector projected to ‘touch $6 billion by 2027
Nikita Matsokin, Executive Director of MGVC (MY.GAMES, shares his thoughts on the MENA region’s creative talent, government support, and rapid...
Interview
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...
Geostrategy
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...
Interview
Most Read
Economy
Saudi knowledge economy accelerates as Vision 2030 targets move within reach
The government has successfully implemented more than 900 reforms, including restructuring legal and labor frameworks, establishing new public authorities, and...
- Saudi Arabia’s digital economy is valued at $132 billion, accounting for 15 percent of GDP.
- The government has invested more than $20.7 billion in AI technologies and data center infrastructure.
Economy
AI promise uneven as economists flag debt and market vulnerabilities
In its latest Chief Economists’ Outlook, the WEF said 53 percent of surveyed economists expect global economic conditions to weaken...
- Economists expect defence, energy and digital infrastructure spending to rise, while environmental budgets shrink amid difficult fiscal trade-offs.
- Survey respondents see South Asia leading growth, Europe lagging, and foreign investment favoring the United States over China.
Business
GCC’s quest for AI dominance has several hurdles to surmount
For governments and corporates across the Gulf, the immediate task is pragmatic: marry sovereign ambition with sustainable skills programs and...
- The AI market in the region is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.63 percent between 2024 and 2030.
- Analysts say the region’s real test will be turning pilots into production systems that deliver measurable economic and social outcomes