The problem is that those folks who are looking nervously at what President Donald Trump is doing to reshape the Middle East to the benefit of Israel are not looking deeply enough into the U.S. domestic policy changes that are also being promoted that will strip Americans of fundamental rights like freedom of speech or association in any situation in which Israel or Jewish groups are involved, even marginally.
![ECON-econ market overview 02-11-25 web ver ECONOMIC UPDATE—MARKET OVERVIEW](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ECON-econ-market-overview-02-11-25-web-ver.jpg?resize=580%2C440&ssl=1)
ECONOMIC UPDATE—MARKET OVERVIEW
Two of our Top Trends for 2025 were the Trump Card and The Wild Card. And here we are, just a few weeks later and both cards have been dealt... and they will keep being played.
![Gold,Bar,Lean,Against,Each,Other,On,Usd,Bill,Beside Gold Bars Sitting Atop U.S. Dollar Bills And Leaning Against A Globe](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GLO-ECON-CENTRAL-BANKS-ARE-STILL.jpg?resize=580%2C440&ssl=1)
CENTRAL BANKS ARE STILL BUYING MORE GOLD, DRIVING UP PRICES
Central banks bought more than 1,000 metric tons of gold last year, accounting for about 20 percent of the market. It was the third consecutive year in which the banks bought gold in such large amounts.
![Modern,Hourglass,On,Black,Background.,Hourglass,Time,Concept,For,Business Modern Hourglass On Black Background With Sand Running Through The Glass](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ISRAEL-TRUMP-GIVES-HAMAS.jpg?resize=500%2C334&ssl=1)
TRUMP GIVES HAMAS DEADLINE TO RELEASE HOSTAGES OR ‘ALL HELL IS GOING TO BREAK OUT’
U.S. President Donald Trump sent another message to Hamas warning the group that “all hell is going to break out” if it does not release the remaining hostages.
![TECHTREND-does ASI mean-grk DOES ASI MEAN KISS YOUR ASS GOODBYE?](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/TECHTREND-does-ASI-mean-grk.png?resize=580%2C440&ssl=1)
DOES ASI MEAN KISS YOUR ASS GOODBYE?
It turns out, we’ve been relative techno-optimists in these pages, who knew?
![Donald,Trump,Participates,In,An,Event,With,Students,And,Administrators An Unsmiling Donald Trump Sits In Front Of A Microphone With His Arms Crossed](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GEO-IRAN-REJECTS-TRUMP.jpg?resize=580%2C440&ssl=1)
IRAN REJECTS TRUMP’S BULLYING ATTEMPT, LEADER SAYS NEGOTIATING WITH U.S. IS NEITHER SMART OR WISE
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to sanction the country into submission and said negotiating with Washington is “neither smart, wise, or honorable.”
![Two,Asian,Business,Men,Sitting,At,Desk,Face,To,Face Two Asian Business Men Sitting At A Desk Face To Face](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GLO-ECON-CHINAS-MAJOR-CORP.jpg?resize=500%2C334&ssl=1)
CHINA’S MAJOR CORPORATIONS BLEEDING CASH
Close to 25 percent of businesses listed on China’s stock exchanges reported a third-quarter net loss, the most recent period for which data has been reported.
Global Economy
![Happy,Mid,Aged,Business,Woman,Manager,Handshaking,Greeting,Client,In SPOTLIGHT: MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GLO-ECON-SPOTLIGHT-MERGERS.jpg?resize=860%2C655&ssl=1)
SPOTLIGHT: MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
Disruptive technological innovation, a retreat from globalization, lower interest rates, and a lighter regulatory touch in the U.S. will enable activity in mergers and acquisitions to grow robustly this year after 2024, when dealmaking began to revive after more than two years of stagnation, Bain & Co. reported in its annual analysis of the M&A market.
![Minsk,,Belarus.,Feb,2022.,Tesla,Model,S,85,Parked,At TOP TREND 2024: EV GO FU](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GLO-ECON-TT-2024-EV-GO-FU-PORSCHE-DIVERTS.jpg?resize=500%2C334&ssl=1)
TOP TREND 2024: EV GO FU
As sales of electric vehicles (EVs) have slowed, Porsche has announced it will invest €800 million in additional development of internal combustion cars and plug-in hybrids.
![Big,Tech,Giant,Technology,Companies,Stock,Market,Leaders,3d,Illustration The Words Big Tech With Stock Market Ticker In The Background](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GLO-ECON-OPTIONS-TRADERS-STILL.jpg?resize=500%2C300&ssl=1)
OPTIONS TRADERS STILL BETTING BIG ON TECH STOCKS’ SUNNY FUTURE
Despite artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek’s revolutionary claims about its software that sparked a short-lived tech bloodbath on Wall Street last month, options traders are eagerly wagering that Amazon, Apple, and other megatech companies will see their share prices keep rising into the future.
The Israel War
![Barbed,Wire,On,A,Fence,Alongside,A,Border,In,Israel Barbed Wire On A Fence Alongside A Border Checkpoint In Israel](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ISRAEL-ISRAEL-RAMPS.jpg?resize=500%2C334&ssl=1)
ISRAEL RAMPS UP RAIDS, CHECKPOINTS IN THE WEST BANK
Israel has intensified its crackdown in the West Bank that has resulted in the displacement of at least 26,000 Palestinians—claiming that these operations have targeted terror cells within the territory.
![Tel,Aviv,,Israel,-,2023,October,8:,Gaza,Strip,And A Map Of The Gaza Strip Viewed Through A Magnifying Glass](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ISRAEL-TRUMP-RECEIVED-GAZA.jpg?resize=860%2C655&ssl=1)
TRUMP RECEIVED GAZA REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FROM PROFESSOR MONTHS AGO: REPORT
U.S. President Donald Trump has angered Arabs and even some allies with his recent proposals to force Gazans out of the wrecked enclave to make way for a major development project built on the remains of the Palestinians killed by Israel’s 15-month-long genocide.
![A,Drone,Flying,Above,The,Tank,In,The,Background,In A Drone Flying Above A Tank](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ISRAEL-NETANYAHU-WARNS.jpg?resize=500%2C334&ssl=1)
NETANYAHU WARNS INTENSE FIGHTING WOULD RESUME IN GAZA IF HOSTAGES NOT RETURNED
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas on Tuesday that Israel will resume intense fighting in Gaza if the hostages are not returned by noon Saturday—just a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said “all hell is going to break loose in the enclave” if the Israelis are not returned.
AI
![TRENDAI-google rescinds-grk GOOGLE RESCINDS PLEDGE TO DENY AI FOR MILITARY AND SURVEILLANCE USE](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/TRENDAI-google-rescinds-grk.jpg?resize=860%2C655&ssl=1)
GOOGLE RESCINDS PLEDGE TO DENY AI FOR MILITARY AND SURVEILLANCE USE
Google has quietly scrapped its promise to bar the use of its AI products in weapons and other military uses.
![Ai,Stock,Market,Graph,Trading,Analysis,Investment,Financial,,Stock,Exchange ARM HOLDINGS GIVES CAUTIOUS OUTLOOK, STIRRING AI WORRIES](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/TRENDAI-ARM-HOLDINGS.jpg?resize=500%2C334&ssl=1)
ARM HOLDINGS GIVES CAUTIOUS OUTLOOK, STIRRING AI WORRIES
Arm Holdings, Europe’s biggest tech company by market capitalization, offered a muted revenue forecast for its current quarter, heightening concerns that spending on AI in general is slowing.
![TRENDAI-U.S. GOVERNMENT U.S. GOVERNMENT’S AI SAFETY CHIEF LEAVES](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/TRENDAI-U.S.-GOVERNMENT.jpg?resize=860%2C531&ssl=1)
U.S. GOVERNMENT’S AI SAFETY CHIEF LEAVES
Elizabeth Kelly, head of the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute, has left her job as of 7 February. She resigned, although, as a Biden appointee, she was widely expected to be fired by Donald Trump.
Hi-Tech Science
![SCIENCE-canadian research-flub fair use CANADIAN RESEARCHERS INVENT ALL-PURPOSE ELECTRIC SLIME](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SCIENCE-canadian-research-flub-fair-use.jpg?resize=860%2C655&ssl=1)
CANADIAN RESEARCHERS INVENT ALL-PURPOSE ELECTRIC SLIME
At Canada’s University of Guelph, researchers combined oleic acid, found in olive oil, and amino acids—the components of proteins—in a solution that was 90 percent water.
![Young,African-american,Man,Sitting,Cross-legged,On,A,Yoga,Mat,At JUST OWNING A SMARTPHONE “DRAINS YOUR BRAIN,” STUDY FINDS](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SCIENCE-JUST-OWNING-A-SMART.jpg?resize=860%2C655&ssl=1)
JUST OWNING A SMARTPHONE “DRAINS YOUR BRAIN,” STUDY FINDS
Owning a smartphone and having it near you dilutes your mental functioning, according to a study from the University of Texas at Austin.
![Tired,Man,Who,Has,Just,Woken,Up,Looks,At,His IF YOU’RE SICK, THE CLUES MAY BE INSIDE YOUR EYES](https://i0.wp.com/trendsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SCIENCE-IF-YOURE-SICK-THE-CLUES.jpg?resize=860%2C655&ssl=1)
IF YOU’RE SICK, THE CLUES MAY BE INSIDE YOUR EYES
Researchers using machine learning are developing ways to read the retina of your eyes to see what’s going on in other parts of your body.