Ahead of taking oath, Trump again vows to end war in Ukraine

Donald Trump has once again committed to ending the war in Ukraine and preventing World War III ahead of his Inauguration.

During his Presidential campaign, Trump pledged to end the war within 24 hours of taking office.

However, his team later revised the Timeline to 100 days, citing the intricate challenges of resolving the conflict.

Ukraine remains cautious about the incoming administration, as Trump's past remarks on NATO and his perceived sympathies toward Russian President Vladimir Putin raise concerns about potential compromises unfavorable to Kyiv.

Reference Sources

1. kyivindependent - 'Golden age of America begins right now' — Trump sworn in as 47th US president
2. ukrinform - Ahead of taking oath, Trump again vows to end war in Ukraine
3. newsukraine - Could US aid to Ukraine sharply decrease under Trump? Scholz's opinion
4. eurodayfr - Citizens Divided Between Hope and Fear in the Face of Trump
5. usnews - As Trump Era Begins, Ukrainians Are Exhausted by War

Nearly three-in-five CEOs optimistic about global economic outlook as they plan headcount increases and continued AI rollout: PWC 2025 Global CEO Survey

(Source: Shutterstock)

According to PWC's 28th annual global CEO survey, almost 60% of CEOs globally expect global economic growth to increase over the next 12 months, up from 38% last year and 18% two years ago.

The report also finds that 42% expect to increase Headcount by 5% or more in the next 12 months, more than double the proportion who expect Headcount decreases (17%), and up from 39% last year.

The percentage is highest (48%) among smaller companies (less than us $100 million), those in the technology (61%), real estate (61%), private equity (52%), and Pharma and life sciences (51%).

While CEOs are optimistic about the global economy, macroeconomic volatility (29%) and inflation (27%) remain the top risks for the year ahead cited by CEOs globally, but with clear differences between regions. geopolitical conflict is seen as the biggest risk in the Middle East (41%) and central and Eastern Europe (34%).

In Western Europe, Cyber risk (27%) is a marginally higher concern than a lack of skilled workers (25%) and inflation (24%) – with macroeconomic volatility topping the list at 29%. Inflation is the top concern in Africa (39%), while North America and Asia-Pacific prioritize risks largely in line with the global averages.

Reference Sources

1. apnews - Nearly three-in-five CEOs optimistic about global economic outlook as they plan headcount increases and continued AI rollout: PWC 2025 Global CEO Survey

EU takes China to WTO to protect high-tech intellectual property

(Source: Flickr)

The European Commission has filed a complaint at the world trade Organization (WTO) against China's "unfair and illegal" practice of setting worldwide royalty rates for EU standard essential patents without the patent owner's consent.

The Commission said China had empowered its courts to set worldwide rates for high-tech EU companies, notably in the TELECOMS sector. The case concerns standard essential patents (SEPs), which protect technologies essential for the manufacture of goods that meet a certain standard, such as 5G for mobile phones.

European SEP holders include Nokia and Ericsson.

The Commission has requested consultations with China, the first step in WTO dispute settlement. If no satisfactory solution is found within 60 days, the EU executive can ask that an Adjudicating panel be set up.

Reference Sources

1. usnews - EU Takes China to WTO Over High-Tech Patent Royalties
2. brusselstimes - EU takes China to WTO to protect high-tech intellectual property
3. bussinesstimes - EU launches new WTO case against China high-tech patent rules - The Business Times
4. thestarmy - China expresses regret over EU's WTO complaint against patent case ruling

The CommonWealth English daily news digest is a service curated by CommonWealth English team with the help of AI tools.

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