There is a marked difference in Davos this year, compared with last year’s meeting. Concerns over the speed of technological change, the impact on work and society and the rise of populist politics are now considered part of modern life – and the World Economic Forum is embracing it. Disruption is no longer considered a threat.
And so, this year’s meeting has a ‘science hub’ and entire sessions dedicated to technological change and its impact. A mix of new technologies and economic growth has created a general sense of optimism that had been missing from the last two years at Davos.
Now that drones, Artificial Intelligence, cryptocurrencies and robots are part of our present and no longer spoken about as future technologies, they are greatly present at the Annual Meeting. No one can question the science on display. AI has already impacted sectors including health and services.
Professor Regina Barzilay from MIT explained that 96 per cent of breast cancer cases detected by AI in one of her trials were accurate. And yet greater issues remain. For example, who controls data from patients used to build up AI experience and how is it used? What happens if this data is used for decision-making that is not in the best interest of the patient, such as cost-cutting?
The issues of regulations, governance and control are at the heart of discussions between government officials, company executives, activists and academics this week. Laws and regulations around data, drones and AI are being legislated and adopted in a few countries and often influenced by those who this week are in Davos. And thus this year the general mood regarding technological disruption is positive, with opportunities for business deals and government innovation.
More immediately, positive economic forecasts have added energy to the Annual Meeting. The first full day of activity in Davos kicked off on the heels of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announcing that global growth is getting stronger. Managing Director of the IMF Christine Lagarde, one of seven co-chairs of the Annual Meeting, announced that the global economy is witnessing ‘accelerated growth’ and that the trajectory for the next two years is positive.
Former secretary general of the Arab League Amre Mousa, a veteran Davos attendee, said: "this year feels more positive, people are here with energy and looking for new opportunities". One participant from the logistics sector said "the markets are picking up, the IMF is positive and people are generally buoyant".
Issues like the refugee crisis, inequality, climate change and the challenge of conflicts over resources are present on the agenda, which informed Ms Lagarde’s warning that risks remain and need new approaches to tackle them. Part of the embracing of disruption at Davos is aimed at meeting that challenge.
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Read more on Davos:
Davos 2018 diary: Global leaders face decision on addressing inequality
Davos 2018: Transportation revolution will come earlier in some countries like UAE
Prime ministers to meet at Davos over long-running country name dispute
Davos 2018: India’s Modi warns against protectionism
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
More on Quran memorisation:
FORSPOKEN
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Starfield
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
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- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Company%20profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
Brief scoreline:
Wales 1
James 5'
Slovakia 0
Man of the Match: Dan James (Wales)
UAE%20SQUAD
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Company%20Profile
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