Trump promises “revolution of common sense” in his second inaugural speech, pledging border crackdowns, major energy policy shifts and sweeping territorial changes for the U.S. – here’s everything you need to know
World
Latest in World
Eagle Hills
UAE real estate developer Eagle Hills announces new $12.3bn Grand Budapest megaproject
The Grand Budapest project, backed by both the UAE and Hungarian governments, will create 35-40 hectares of parks and public spaces
$TRUMP: Everything you need to know about Donald Trump’s meme coin
The digital token reached a market capitalisation of £4.5bn ($5.5bn) within hours of its Saturday launch
Donald Trump
TikTok gets a fresh lease of life after Trump intervention
President-elect says he is likely to give the Chinese parent company a 90-day extension to find new owners
catering
Emirates vegan meals: Airline serves 400,000 plant-based meals a year, offers 300 dishes
Emirates has dedicated menu of more than 300 dishes served on its flights
5G
Qatar’s PIH completes acquisition of Kazakhstan’s MTS telecom
MTS, known for its prominent brands Altel and Tele2, is Kazakhstan’s leading provider of ultrafast 5G connectivity
Abu Dhabi
AD Ports Group strengthens partnership with KazMorTransFlot in Caspian Sea operations
The two intend to collaborate on the construction of two container vessels, specifically designed for operations in the Caspian Sea
crypto crime
Crypto criminals pocket almost $51bn in 2024
There has been a steady diversification in crypto crimes away from bitcoin in 2024, with stablecoins now occupying the majority of all illicit transaction volume
Airline ratings
World’s safest low-cost airlines revealed: flydubai and Air Arabia in top 25
Air Arabia and flydubai have been listed among the world’s safest low-cost airlines
Hindenburg Research
Hindenburg Research, the firm that took on Adani and Icahn, to shut shop
Founder Nathan Anderson said there are no threats, or health issues, but a ‘selfish’ desire to ‘put himself first’
Egypt
Israel and Hamas agree Gaza ceasefire and hostage release: Qatari PM
Qatar and UAE welcome ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel
Blockchain
Sigma Capital launches $100mn fund for Web3 acceleration
The fund will support early-stage venture investments in areas including DeFi, blockchain, real-world asset tokenisation, gaming and the metaverse
Air New Zealand
World’s safest airlines revealed: UAE and Qatar carriers in top 10
Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad feature in list of world’s safest airlines
Artificial intelligence
‘Less staff, less downtime, less empathy’: AI creates ‘always-on’ culture leading to employee burnout, anxiety, imposter syndrome
UAE experts warn of mounting burnout as workers face pressure to match AI’s machine-like productivity
respiratory illness
HMPV: Doctors say UAE residents have no need to ‘worry or panic’ on new virus
As China battles a surge in HMPV cases, UAE doctors reassure residents about this common respiratory virus while advising basic precautions during travel
Artificial intelligence
Cisco reveals tech trends for 2025; praises MENA region for AI readiness
The US-based company calls the Middle East “a hub of innovation, with rapid adoption of AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and smart city initiatives”
Artificial intelligence
IO.NET founder invests $130mn in O.XYZ, the world’s first shutdown-resistant super intelligence
Shadid’s investment builds on his remarkable success as the founder of IO.NET, which he led to a valuation of $4.5 billion within just 12 months