Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Insights & Views

Wed, Dec 24, 2025 12:16 PM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Is AI making us stupider? Maybe, according to one of the world’s biggest AI companies

| Insights & Views

There is only so much thinking most of us can do in our heads. Try dividing 16,951 by 67 without reaching for a pen and paper. Or a calculator. Try doing the weekly shopping without a list on the back of last weeks...

Friday essay: some tech leaders think AI could outsmart us and wipe out humanity. I’m a professor of AI – and I’m not worried

| Insights & Views

In 1989, political scientist Francis Fukuyama predicted we were approaching the end of history. He meant that similar liberal democratic values were taking hold in societies around the world. How wrong could he have been?...

‘Mum, what’s the meaning of life?’ How to talk about philosophy with little kids

| Insights & Views

If your young child asks whats the meaning of life? you might laugh it off (how cute!) or freeze in panic (where do I even begin?). Its tempting to dismiss these big questions as too advanced for kids. Plato and Aristotle...

TV show Severance looks at workplace personalities. There are healthier ways to separate home and office life

| Insights & Views

The highly anticipated season two of Severance, released in weekly instalments, has continued to draw interest among viewers around the world. A gripping psychological thriller, this TV series provides an extreme...

As new charter schools open, we still know too little about how they worked last time

| Insights & Views

Seven new charter schools are opening their gates, and ACT leader and Associate Education Minister David Seymour the politician responsible for their existence has been singing their praises. He says some will deliver...

Oscar Peterson: Cherishing a legacy of technical virtuosity and soulful swing

| Insights & Views

The distinction given to the virtuoso an artist recognized for exceptional skill and talent is generated by their prominence and unique creative fortitude. Through the ages and across genres, virtuosi have been revered...

Like dictators before him, Trump threatens international peace and security

| Insights & Views

At first, Canadians just shook their collective heads when United States President Donald Trump suggested Canada become the 51st American state. They rolled their eyes when he posted a fake image of himself standing next...

3481 3482 3483 3484 3485 3486 3487 3488 3489 3490

Economy

Asian Stock Markets Trade Flat as Holiday Liquidity Thins and BOJ Minutes Watched

Asian stock markets traded mostly flat on Wednesday as subdued year-end trading volumes and holiday-thinned liquidity limited investor activity across the region. With Christmas and New Year holidays approaching, many...

US and Japan Fast-Track $550 Billion Strategic Investment Initiative

The United States and Japan have agreed to accelerate coordination on their Strategic Investment Initiative, a major bilateral framework backed by a $550 billion fund established under the two countries tariff agreement....

Japan Plans $189 Billion Bond Issuance as Record Budget Signals Expansionary Fiscal Policy

Japan is preparing to issue new government bonds worth approximately $189 billion to help finance a record-breaking national budget for the next fiscal year, according to a draft budget reviewed by Reuters. The move...

BOJ Minutes Reveal Growing Debate Over Interest Rate Hikes and Inflation Risks

Bank of Japan (BOJ) policymakers actively debated whether to continue raising interest rates toward levels considered neutral for the economy, according to minutes from their October policy meeting released on Wednesday....

Gold Price Breaks $4,500 as Safe-Haven Demand and Rate Cut Bets Fuel Rally

Spot gold surged past the key psychological level of $4,500 per ounce for the first time on Wednesday, marking a historic milestone for the precious metal and reinforcing its status as a preferred safe-haven asset. The...

Politics

Anutin Charnvirakul Named Bhumjaithai PM Candidate Ahead of Thailand’s February Election

Thailands caretaker prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul has been officially selected by the Bhumjaithai Party as its candidate for prime minister in the upcoming general election scheduled for February 8. The decision comes...

EU Condemns U.S. Visa Ban on European Figures, Warns of Firm Response

The European Commission has strongly criticized the United States over its decision to impose a visa ban on five European individuals, including former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, calling the move unjustified and...

Zelenskiy Urges High-Level Talks With Trump as Ukraine, U.S. Near 20-Point Peace Framework

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for a direct meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to resolve the most sensitive elements of a potential peace agreement with Russia, particularly issues related to...

U.S. Signs $2.3 Billion Global Health MOUs With Four African Nations

The United States has signed four new global health memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Botswana, and Ethiopia, reinforcing its long-term commitment to strengthening global health security...

U.S. Discusses Migrant Transfer Plan With Palau Despite Lawmaker Opposition

The United States has renewed discussions with Palau over a controversial proposal to transfer third-country nationals to the Pacific Island nation, despite clear resistance from Palaus lawmakers earlier this year....

Science

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

Cogent Biosciences (NASDAQ: COGT) shares skyrocketed over 120% after the biotech company announced groundbreaking results from its Phase 3 PEAK trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib for patients with...

Technology

Texas App Store Age Verification Law Blocked by Federal Judge in First Amendment Ruling

A federal judge in Texas has blocked the enforcement of a new state law that would have required app stores and developers to verify users ages, marking a significant legal win for major technology companies and digital...

FTC Praises Instacart for Ending AI Pricing Tests After $60M Settlement

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has welcomed Instacarts decision to end its artificial intelligence-based price testing, a move that follows weeks of consumer backlash and regulatory scrutiny. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson...

John Carreyrou Sues Major AI Firms Over Alleged Copyrighted Book Use in AI Training

Investigative journalist John Carreyrou, widely known for exposing fraud at Silicon Valley blood-testing startup Theranos and for authoring the bestselling book Bad Blood, has filed a new copyright infringement lawsuit...

Italy Fines Apple €98.6 Million Over App Store Dominance

Italys competition authority has imposed a 98.6 million ($115.53 million) fine on U.S. technology giant Apple and two of its subsidiaries, citing alleged abuse of a dominant market position related to the distribution of...

Moore Threads Unveils New GPUs, Fuels Optimism Around China’s AI Chip Ambitions

Moore Threads Technology Co Ltd (SS:688795), often described as Chinas potential alternative to NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), attracted investor attention after unveiling a new lineup of graphics processing units at...