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
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
Geostrategy
Israel carrier says Turkish workers refused to refuel plane
Jerusalem, Undefined -- Israel's national carrier El Al said Sunday its Warsaw to Tel Aviv flight was not allowed to refuel...
- The plane then took off to Rhodes in Greece where "it will refuel before taking off to Israel", the airline said.
- Relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated since the war in Gaza broke out on October 7, with all direct flights between the two countries cancelled since.
Geostrategy
Fighting for third day in north Gaza as thousands displaced
Palestinian Territories -- Explosions, air strikes and gunfire rattled northern Gaza on Saturday, the third day of an Israeli military...
- An AFP correspondent reported ongoing explosions from the Shujaiya area near Gaza City, with a resident saying bodies were visible on the streets.
- The United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA estimated that "about 60,000 to 80,000 people were displaced" from the area this week.
Geostrategy
European Union chief in Egypt for joint investment conference
"At this conference, European companies are signing over 20 new deals ... which are worth over 40 billion euros," Ursula...
- The strategic partnership deal provides the financial support in exchange for boosting energy sales to Europe and stemming migration.
- Egypt, the Arab world's most populous nation, is in dire need of financial help as it weathers a severe economic crisis marked by rapid inflation.
Geostrategy
Palestinians flee as Israeli forces return to Gaza’s north
The flare-up in the northern Gaza Strip's Shujaiya district, which witnesses and medics said caused numerous casualties, comes as fears...
- Gaza City's Al-Ahli hospital, said the facility had so far received seven "martyrs including four children" and more than 40 others who were wounded.
- In Gaza, fighting has ground on despite comments Sunday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the "intense phase" of the war was winding down.
Business
US offers $5 million reward for Bulgarian ‘cryptoqueen’
SOFIA, Bulgaria -- The United States announced Wednesday a reward of up to $5 million for information that could lead to...
- Ignatova, 44, evaded arrest by fleeing on a flight from Sofia to Athens two weeks after her indictment in October 2017 and her whereabouts remain unknown.
- Ignatova, who has German citizenship, is accused of being the mastermind behind the mammoth fraudulent virtual currency scheme OneCoin.
Geostrategy
Remittance flows to low-middle-income countries $656bn
World Bank’s latest Migration and Development Brief said the modest 0.7 percent growth rate reflects large variances in regional growth,...
- Remittances to LMICs are expected to grow at a faster rate of 2.3 percent in 2024, although this growth will be uneven across regions.
- Remittances to the Middle East and North Africa fell by 15 percent to $55 billion While those to South Asia grew by 5.2 percent in 2023.
Geostrategy
Dubai to build $8 bn stormwater runoff system after record floods
Dubai, UAE -- Dubai on Monday announced an $8 billion plan for a stormwater runoff system, two months after an unprecedented...
- The rainwater drainage network announced by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum is set to be completed by 2033 with construction to start in 2033.
- "It will cover all areas of Dubai and will absorb more than 20 million cubic meters of water per day," Sheikh Mohammed said of the plan for Dubai.
Business
UAE energy giant ADNOC offers $12.8bn for Germany’s Covestro
Covestro's shares surged more than six percent in Frankfurt following the announcement, which comes after it first disclosed talks were...
- It said the "starting point" for talks was a "possible offer price" of 62 euros per share from ADNOC. This would value Covestro at $12.57 billion.
- ADNOC welcomed Covestro's decision to start talks on its "final offer", adding that it looked forward to working with the German group to "swiftly progress" the matter.
Business
Beyond Nvidia: the search for AI’s next breakthrough
Toronto, Canada -- For a few days, AI chip juggernaut Nvidia sat on the throne as the world's biggest company, but...
- Nvidia, which makes the processors that are the only option to train generative AI's large language models, is now Big Tech's newest member.
- Even tech's second rung on Wall Street has ridden on Nvidia's coattails with Oracle, Broadcom, HP and others seeing their stock valuations surge, despite sometimes shaky earnings.
Geostrategy
Israeli forces tie wounded Palestinian to jeep in West Bank raid
Jenin, Palestinian Territories -- Israeli troops tied a wounded Palestinian to a military vehicle during a raid in the occupied West...
- Medics identified the Palestinian as Mujahid Raed Abbadi, 24, who told AFP he lives in the Jenin refugee camp.
- Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the rights situation in the Palestinian territories, suggested the troops were using Abbadi to shield themselves from gunfire.
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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
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
Company News
Kamco Invest launches two funds
Business
Latest News
Arab leaders propose Gaza reconstruction under Palestinian Authority, reject Trump’s takeover plan
The prospect of the Palestinian Authority (PA) governing Gaza remains far from certain, however, with Israel having ruled out any...
Geostrategy
West Bank eviction film ‘No Other Land’ wins best documentary Oscar
Jerusalem --Â No Other Land, a documentary about Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, has won the best documentary award...
Arts & Culture
Israel blocks humanitarian aid to Gaza as ceasefire’s first phase ends, sparking global outrage
Truce mediators Egypt and Qatar accused Israel of blatantly violating the ceasefire deal by halting the aid, a move left trucks...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
Trump doubles down on Gaza shock plan, says Israel will turn over the territory to US
Trump said that by the time of the handover, Palestinians "would have already been resettled in far safer and more...
- Trump first made the stunning proposal to audible gasps during a joint press conference with Netanyahu on Tuesday, whom he was hosting at the White House for talks
- Suggesting "long-term ownership" by the US, Trump said he would make Gaza the Riviera of the Middle East, and that "this could be something that could be so magnificient".
Morgan Stanley sees upswing in MENA M&A deal volumes and values
After a challenging year where M&A activity in the Middle East and North Africa took a tumble, Morgan Stanley forecasts...
- 2024 saw 1,111 M&A transactions with exposure to the MENA region, totaling US$75 billion in value
- MENA outbound M&A transactions totaled US$40.2 billion, down 3 percent
Geostrategy
Syrian President’s first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia signals Syria’s shift away from Iran’s influence.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, marking his first foreign visit and signaling...
- Al-Sharaa’s visit signals Syria’s pivot away from Iran and closer ties with the Gulf states
- Saudi Arabia is leading efforts to reintegrate Syria into the regional fold and push for sanctions relief