Hong Kong, China -- Bitcoin sank below $80,000 on Friday for the first time in more than three months as a sell-off in the cryptocurrency sector gathered pace amid volatility in global markets. The digital unit fell to as low as $79,525.88 in early Asian trade -- its lowest level...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Nearly 81.6 percent of Saudi individuals visited at least one cultural event or activity in 2024, according to the 2024 Household Culture and Entertainment Survey by the Kingdom's General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The survey said that 85.3 percent attended at least one entertainment event or activity. The...

Washington, United States - The Washington Post will no longer run views opposed to "personal liberties and free markets" on its opinion pages, its owner Jeff Bezos announced on Wednesday, the latest intervention by the billionaire in the major US paper's editorial operations. "We are going to be writing every...

Tehran, Iran - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday dismissed a proposal by the United States to displace Palestinians from the war-devastated Gaza Strip, saying it "will go nowhere". Khamenei made the remarks during a meeting in Tehran with Ziyad al-Nakhalah, leader of the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad....

Geneva, Switzerland -- More than one million people have returned to their homes in Syria after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, including 280,000 refugees who came back from abroad, the UN said on Tuesday. Assad was toppled in December in a rebel offensive, putting an end to his family's decades-long grip...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Tawazun Council, UAE's authority responsible for managing acquisitions, procurement, and contracts on behalf of the Ministry of Defense and security agencies, said Tuesday that it had signed five deals worth a total of AED 5.8 billion with local and international companies on the second day of...

Paris, France - Saudi Arabian sports investment fund SURJ, linked to the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, has acquired a minority stake in sports streaming platform DAZN, the two parties announced on Monday. The statement said the deal would focus on the Middle East and North Africa. "As part of this agreement,...

Nicosia, Cyprus -- Cyprus and Egypt on Monday signed an agreement with an energy consortium to export gas from the Mediterranean island's offshore fields to Europe after being processed in the North African country. Egypt, alongside Italian energy giant Eni and France's TotalEnergies, have agreed to "collaborate to commercialise the natural...

Gaza City, Palestinian Territories -- For 500 days since an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel triggered the Gaza Strip's deadliest war, Mohammed Abu Mursa has grappled with "humiliation, suffering and bloodshed" in his fight for survival. Abu Mursa and his family have been displaced more than a dozen times since the...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - President Donald Trump's decision to suspend US overseas funding could result in millions more deaths from AIDS, the head of the UN's programme for the illness warned Sunday. The United States is the world's largest provider of official development assistance, with most funds directed through the United...

Cairo, Egypt -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told the head of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder on Sunday that the establishment of a Palestinian state is "the only guarantee" for lasting peace in the Middle East. During his meeting with Lauder in Cairo on Sunday, Sisi called for starting...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's annual inflation rate in Jan 2025 reached 2 percent compared to January 2024, the kingdom's General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) said in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for January 2025. According to GASTAT, Saudi Arabia's inflation rate is considered the lowest among the...

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Leaders of the countries known as BRICS will hold a summit in Rio de Janeiro in July, the current chair Brazil announced Saturday. Other members of the trading bloc include Russia, India, China and South Africa and others. Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said on the...

San Francisco, United States -- OpenAI's board chairman on Friday said it has unanimously rejected an Elon Musk-led offer to buy the hot artificial intelligence company for $97.4 billion. "OpenAI is not for sale, and the board has unanimously rejected Mr. Musk's latest attempt to disrupt his competition," chairman of the...

Jerusalem, Undefined - Israel said Friday it had received the names of three hostages to be freed by militants in exchange for Palestinian prisoners this weekend, after a crisis in the ceasefire threatened to plunge Gaza back into war. The hostages due for release Saturday are Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, Israeli-Russian Sasha...

Beirut, Lebanon - Hezbollah supporters blocked the Beirut airport road and burned tyres on Thursday to protest a decision barring two Iranian planes from landing in the Lebanese capital, state media and an airport official said. "Young men set tyres on fire in front of the airport entrance, raising banners supporting...

London, United Kingdom -- Major stock markets mostly rallied and oil prices retreated Thursday on hopes for an end to the war in Ukraine and despite fresh tariff threats. London was a rare faller owing to sharp losses to share prices of big companies, including Unilever, Barclays and British American Tobacco,...

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - Under a vast canopy of tents in the Saudi city of Jeddah, religious artefacts are on display alongside contemporary art pieces, part of the kingdom's bid to transform its image. The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, titled "And All That Is In Between", features as...

Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- The United Arab Emirates is planning to launch new artificial intelligence models inspired by China's DeepSeek, a senior official told AFP, calling the system's disruptive emergence "fantastic news". Faisal Al Bannai, the driving force behind the UAE's Falcon large language model, said DeepSeek's challenge to American...

United Nations, United States - More than $53 billion will be required to rebuild Gaza and end the "humanitarian catastrophe" that has gripped the war-ravaged territory, including $20 billion in the first three years alone, the United Nations said Tuesday. The global body said in a report that a "political and...

Dubai, UAE -- The International Monterey Fund (IMF) has projected global growth to remain at 3.3 percent this year and the next, before slowing to just above 3 percent over the next five years, well below the historical average. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said that growth in the Middle...

Cairo, Egypt -- Egypt will host a summit of Arab nations on February 27 to discuss "the latest serious developments" concerning the Palestinian territories, its foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday. The "emergency Arab summit" comes as Egypt has been rallying regional support against US President Donald Trump's plan...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - The Ministry of Finance has announced the issuance of Cabinet Decision No. 142 of 2024 on the introduction of the Top-up Tax for Multinational Enterprises, providing further details on the UAE Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax (UAE DMTT). This follows the announcement made by the Ministry on...

Davos, Switzerland -- In an age where artificial intelligence is reshaping our lives, the World Economic Forum's Arts and Culture program showcased the cohabitation of technology and human creativity with a key focus on our shared humanity. TRENDS sat down with Joseph Fowler, Head of Arts and Culture at the...

Paris, UAE - UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron of France explored various aspects of the longstanding and strategic partnership between the two countries and discussed opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation, particularly in the economic, investment, and cultural fields. The two sides also...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- UAE's non-oil foreign trade increased by a record 14.6 percent in 2024, compared to 2023, reaching AED 3 trillion ($816 billion), according to Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade. In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Dr. Al Zeyoudi...

Davos, Switzerland -- The Middle East, Africa, and India have an important role and influence in shaping the evolving world order and driving innovation, particularly in technology adoption and sustainable practices, said Ram Ramachandran, Senior VP India, Middle East, and Africa at Tech Mahindra, India’s leading provider of technology consulting and...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it will not formalize ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state is established, after Israel's prime minister remarked that he thought normalisation with the Gulf kingdom was "going to happen". "Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state...

Davos, Switzerland – Mark Elsner, Head, Global Risks Initiative, World Economic Forum sat with TRENDS during WEF’s summit in Davos to discuss the key issues addressed in The Global Risks Report 2025 with insights from over 900 experts who identified state-based armed conflict as the most immediate risk for 2025. Misinformation and disinformation...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Abu Dhabi’s real estate market recorded AED10.6 billion in transactions in January, totaling 2,514 property deals. According to DARI real estate platform of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi, sales transactions totaled AED6.5 billion across 1,730 deals. Meanwhile, mortgage transactions from the beginning...

Davos, Switzerland -- Peter-Lucas Jones, a Kaitaia native, who has been listed in the prestigious Time100 AI 2024 List, was one of the contributors to the engaging discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week. Jones is a leader of a kaimahi team that created a suite of...

Davos, Switzerland -- In the next five years, millions of jobs will be created. Governments, employers, and education institutions, therefore, need to ready themselves for taking advantage of this opportunity, says Till Leopold, Head of Work, Wages and Job Creation at the World Economic Forum. Leopold spoke with TRENDS at...

Lyten, a Silicon Valley-based company, is revolutionizing the energy storage market with its groundbreaking lithium-sulfur battery technology. These batteries offer significantly higher energy density and are significantly lighter than traditional lithium-ion batteries while eliminating the need for environmentally harmful mined minerals. Laszlo Horvath is responsible for international business development at...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The National Housing Company (NHC) has signed a series of agreements, deals, and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with government entities and private sector companies, totaling nearly SAR 30 billion (USD 8 billion). This milestone was achieved under the patronage of Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed...

Dubai, UAE -- Dubai’s real estate sector recorded a total of 2.78 million procedures in 2024, the highest in its history, with a combined value of AED 761 billion ($207.19 billion). The record number of procedures, which include both real estate transactions and rental agreements, represent a 17 percent increase...

Emma Zwiebler, CEO of the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), sat down exclusively with TRENDS at the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss the growing crisis of physical inactivity, particularly in the UAE and across the Middle East. Leading an association that represents global brands like...

DAVOS, Switzerland -- Bilel Al Souaied is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He is the COO of Cytomate, a leading provider of security posture management and threat intelligence products. Bilel is attending Davos with the Global Shavers Community, a World Economic Forum initiative and the only youth delegation participating in...

Davos, Switzerland -- Aziz Abakirov, the CEO of the High Technology Park of the Kyrgyz Republic, represents a unique initiative aimed at positioning Kyrgyzstan as a global hub for technology and innovation. In an interview with TRENDS at Davos, Abakirov shares insights about the country’s vision, its human capital, and...

Davos, Switzerland -- Some of the biggest problems in the world today are systemic problems, which cannot be resolved with individual interventions or by working in silos, says Fredrik Galtung, Co-Chief Facilitator Catalyst Now. He shared his insights on the Social Innovation House at Davos 2025 and other collaborative efforts...

Davos Switzerland - The rapid adoption of AI and automation is redefining labor markets, reshaping industries, and transforming skills globally, Dr. Nela Richardson, Chief Economist and ESG Officer at ADP told TRENDS in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at Davos. Dr. Richardson, spoke during...

Davos, Switzerland -- The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced signing agreements for three new Centers for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) launching in 2025. Additionally, the WEF announced that the C4IR United Arab Emirates has been renewed. The upcoming centers in Muscat, Pretoria, and Riyadh will tackle critical global...

Davos, Switzerland -- The world labor market is nearing the pre-Covid levels but gender gap and other concerns remain, International Labor Organisation (ILO) Director-General Gilbert F Houngbo told Trends in an interview. “In terms of the job trends, the ILO has issued its world economic and social outlook two weeks...

Gaza, Palestine - The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), confirmed today that the reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip exceeds the agency's capabilities due to the severe damage and destruction that has befallen all aspects of life in the Strip, Palestinian News and Information Agency-WAFA...

Trump vowed to be a “peacemaker and unifier,” citing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release as key steps toward peace, drawing a standing ovation during his inauguration speech.

Kuwait -- The UAE has topped the Arab list as the best and most attractive destination for investment and business in auto sales activity for 2024, Arab Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (Dhaman) has said. The Kuwaiti-based Dhaman organization stated in its fourth sectoral report for 2024 on the...

Cairo, Egypt - A joint operations room has been established in Cairo to oversee the implementation of the Gaza Strip ceasefire agreement. The room, comprising representatives from Egypt, Palestine, Qatar, the United States, and Israel, aims to ensure collaborative efforts and consistent adherence to the agreement's provisions. A high-level Egyptian...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - A new report highlighted the UAE's leadership in the regional solar energy sector, driven by initiatives like the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, targeting 75 percent clean energy by 2050, and Abu Dhabi Vision 2030, aiming for 30 percent renewable energy within five years. The "Solar...

Geneva, Switzerland – The global economy is set to face significant challenges in 2025, with 56 percent of chief economists surveyed expecting conditions to weaken, according to the latest Chief Economists Outlook from the World Economic Forum. Only 17 percent foresee an improvement, pointing to heightened uncertainty in key regions and...

Doha, Qatar – The Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference, held on Wednesday, at Barahat Msheireb in Msheireb Downtown Doha, brought together a stellar lineup of speakers from across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and beyond.  The conference also saw participation from regional and international experts, including Julien Hawari, CEO of...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Fatima Al Suwaidi, Head of Development & Investment (APAC) at Masdar, has affirmed the company's ambitious goal of achieving 100 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy capacity globally by 2030. "This ambitious target underscores Masdar's commitment to accelerating the global transition to clean energy and contributing to...