MENLO PARK, California: Google has quietly retooled the closely guarded formula running its Internet search engine to give better answers to the increasingly complex questions posed by Web surfers.
The overhaul came as part of an update called “Hummingbird” that Google Inc. has gradually rolled out in the past month without disclosing the modifications.
The changes could have a major impact on traffic to websites.
Hummingbird represents the most dramatic alteration to Google’s search engine since it revised the way it indexes websites three years ago as part of a redesign called “Caffeine,” according to Amit Singhal, a senior vice president for the company.
He estimates that the redesign will affect the analysis of about 90 percent of the search requests that Google gets.
Any reshuffling of Google’s search rankings can have sweeping ramifications because they steer so much of the Internet’s traffic.
Google fields about two of out every three search requests in the US and handles an even larger volume in some parts of Europe.
The changes could also drive up the price of Google ads tied to search requests if websites whose rankings are demoted under the new system feel they have to buy the marketing messages to attract traffic.
The search ads and other commercial pitches related to Web content account for most of Google’s revenue, which is expected to approach $60 billion this year.
Google disclosed the existence of the new search formula Thursday at an event held in the Menlo Park, California, garage where CEO Larry Page and fellow co-founder Sergey Brin started the company 15 years ago.
Google celebrates its birthday on Sept. 27 each year, even though the company was incorporated a few weeks earlier. The company is now based in Mountain View, California, at a sprawling complex located about seven miles from the 1,900-square-foot home where Page and Brin paid $1,700 per month to rent the garage and a bedroom. The co-founders’ landlord was Susan Wojcicki, who is now a top Google executive and Brin’s sister-in-law.
Wojcicki sold the home to Google in 2006 and it is now maintained as a monument to the company’s humble beginnings.
Google’s renovations to its search engine haven’t triggered widespread complaints from other websites yet, suggesting that the revisions haven’t resulted in a radical reshuffling in how websites rank in the recommendations.
The Caffeine update spurred a loud outcry because it explicitly sought to weed out websites that tried to trick Google’s search engine into believing their content was related to common search requests. After Caffeine kicked in, hundreds of websites that consistently won a coveted spot near the top of Google’s search results had been relegated to the back pages or exiled completely.
Hummingbird is primarily aimed at giving Google’s search engine a better grasp at understanding concepts instead of mere words, Singhal said.
The change needed to be done, Singhal said, because people have become so reliant on Google that they now routinely enter lengthy questions into the search box instead of just a few words related to specific topics.
With the advent of smartphones and Google’s voice-recognition technology, people also are increasingly submitting search requests in sequences of spoken sentences that resemble an ongoing conversation. That trend also factored into Google’s decision to hatch Hummingbird.
Just as Page and Brin set out to do when they started Google in a garage, “we want to keep getting better at helping you make the most of your life,” Singhal said.
Besides Hummingbird, Google also announced a few other updates to existing search features aimed at providing information more concisely so people won’t need to navigate to another website. These changes are part of Google’s effort to adapt to the smaller screens of smartphones that aren’t well suited for hopscotching across the Internet.
The additions primarily affect Google’s “Knowledge Graph,” an encyclopedia-like box that increasingly appears at the top or alongside the search results, and Google Now, a virtual assistant that tailors key information suited to each user’s habits, interest and location.
Besides providing informational snapshots of famous people and landmarks, the Knowledge Graph is now capable of comparing the attributes of two different things, such as olive oil and coconut oil. It will also be possible to ask the Knowledge Graph to sort through certain types of information, such as the creative evolution of various artists.
An upcoming update to Google’s search application for devices running Apple’s mobile operating system will ensure notifications about personal appointments and errand reminders are also delivered on a smartphones or tablets running on Google’s competing Android software.
Google Now also will start flagging new developments and information about famous people that have previously piqued a user’s interest.
Google’s ‘Hummingbird’ hatches new search formula
Google’s ‘Hummingbird’ hatches new search formula
IMF-World Bank meetings end with little tariff clarity, but economic foreboding
- Former Pakistan central bank chief says for many developing countries, there is a real sense of despair that the agenda on Financing for Development is really not centerstage
- During the whirlwind week, many finance and trade ministers sought to meet with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other key Trump administration officials, to no avail
WASHINGTON: Global finance leaders came to Washington this past week seeking clarity on what it would take to get some relief from President Donald Trump’s multi-layered tariff assault and on just how much pain it will bring to the world economy.
Most headed home with more questions than answers.
Many participants in the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings had a sense that Trump’s administration was still conflicted in its demands from trading partners hit with his sweeping tariffs. During the whirlwind week, many finance and trade ministers sought to meet with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other key Trump administration officials, to no avail. Those that did were often told to be patient — even as the clock steadily ticks down on the 90-day pause Trump had granted on the steepest levies.
Indeed, not a single deal was finalized over the course of the week despite the Trump administration touting the receipt of 18 written proposals and a full slate of negotiations.
“We are not negotiating. We are just presenting, discussing the economy,” said Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski. He added that he stressed “how this uncertainty is bad for Europe, for the US I mean, it’s actually bad for everyone.”
Warnings that the tariffs — 25 percent on all US imports of vehicles, steel and aluminum and currently 10 percent for most everything else — would cause painful damage to the US and other major economies went largely unheeded by US officials.
“We know that they think — that it won’t be that bad,” Domanski said. “They think it’s a short-term pain, long-term gain. And I’m afraid that we’ll have short-term pain, long-term pain.” The Trump administration’s most substantial trade negotiations during the week were with Japan and South Korea, but the results were inconclusive as Bessent cited “productive” talks with both countries. Specific currency targets for the Japanese yen were not discussed, but both countries’ currency policies are expected to be part of future talks as the US sees currency weakness against the dollar as a nontariff barrier to American exports. The IMF took a slightly more optimistic view of the economic fallout from the highest US tariffs in more than a century, slashing growth forecasts for most countries in its World Economic Outlook but stopping far short of predicting recessions — even for the US and export-dependent China, which now faces US tariffs of 145 percent on many goods.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva acknowledged that member countries were anxious about the uncertainty shock to a global economy buffeted by pandemic, inflation and wars but held out hope that trade negotiations would ease the tariff strains.
“We recognize that there is work under way to resolve trade disputes and reduce uncertainty,” Georgieva told reporters. “Uncertainty is really bad for business, so the sooner there is this cloud that is hanging over our heads is lifted, the better for profit, for growth, for the world economy.” Several finance officials told Reuters that odds of recession were higher than the IMF’s 37 percent chance, citing private sector forecasts.
DEBT RISKS RISE
Eric LeCompte, executive director of Jubilee USA Network, a faith-based nonprofit group advocating debt relief, said that the IMF’s forecasts were clearly aimed at preventing market panic, even as officials in private meetings expressed concerns about new debt crises emerging. “It was a do-nothing kind of week,” LeCompte said, adding that debt discussions were inconclusive and overshadowed by tariff talks.
Reza Baqir, a former Pakistan central bank governor who now heads sovereign debt advisory at Alvarez & Marsal, said: “For many developing countries, especially in the Global South, there is a real sense of despair that the agenda on Financing for Development is really not center-stage. And who is going to be there to champion that debate?” World Bank chief economist Indermit Gill also sounded an alarm on rising debt levels for emerging markets, noting that tariffs had prompted a sharp slowdown in trade and foreign direct investment that are crucial to developing country growth.
He and other World Bank and IMF officials told countries to cut their own tariffs to boost growth prospects.
NO US WITHDRAWAL
Policymakers did breathe a sigh of relief when Bessent expressed US support for the IMF and the World Bank, declaring that they have “enduring value” but criticizing their “mission creep” into climate, gender and equality issues. Rather than withdrawing from the institutions as prescribed by the Project 2025 Republican policy manifesto, Bessent said he wanted to refocus them on their core missions of economic stability and development, with expanded World Bank energy financing options and an end to China loans.
Participants at the meetings, along with financial markets, were encouraged by Bessent’s comments early in the week that triple-digit US tariffs on Chinese goods and vice versa were unsustainable, suggesting that a deal to ease them could be reached soon. But
China denied Trump’s assertions that tariff negotiations were under way with Beijing, adding to the week’s confusion over his tariffs and offering little reassurance to country delegations.
“I think most people left here bracing for things to get worse from an economic perspective,” said Josh Lipsky, a former IMF adviser who is now senior director of the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center. “The broad picture, when you step back, is very concerning.”
But a big challenge for developed countries at the moment was the recent selloff in US Treasury debt and other dollar-based assets, which indicated an erosion of trust in US economic policies, Lipsky said.
Trust in US economic leadership was the fundamental reason that the dollar had achieved reserve currency status, he said. While the US economy is too big to ignore the dollar for now, trading partners will try to seek alternatives unless that trust is repaired, he added.
Saudi Arabia’s international tourism revenue soars by 148%, leading G20 nations
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector achieved a historic milestone in 2024, with international tourism revenue surging 148 percent compared to 2019 — the highest growth rate among G20 nations.
This achievement reflects the success of Vision 2030, which has firmly positioned the Kingdom as a global leader in tourism, entertainment, and innovation.
The 2024 annual performance report highlighted record-breaking pilgrim numbers, cultural milestones, and major international events, all driven by strategic investments, regulatory reforms, and transformative mega-projects.
Tourism boom
Vision 2030 unlocked Saudi Arabia’s vast tourism potential, establishing it as one of the fastest-growing global destinations.
In 2024, international tourist arrivals surged to 29.7 million, up from 18.04 million in 2016, while domestic travelers nearly doubled to 86.2 million during the same period.
Surpassing its target of 100 million visitors seven years ahead of schedule, the Kingdom has now set a bold new goal of attracting 150 million annual tourists by 2030.
Saudi Arabia’s tourism strategy is driven by mega-projects aiming to transform the travel and hospitality industry.
Pioneering projects like The Red Sea — home to carbon-neutral resorts including Shebara, St. Regis, and Ritz-Carlton Nujuma — are redefining sustainable luxury tourism. The adjacent Red Sea International Airport, the region’s first carbon-neutral terminal, strategically connects over 250 million people within a three-hour flight radius.
In Diriyah, the birthplace of the first Saudi state, 3 million visitors experienced a seamless blend of heritage and hospitality, with developments like the Bab Samhan Hotel offering modern luxury rooted in history.
Meanwhile, at Qiddiya, major entertainment attractions are nearing completion, with Aquarabia Park 81 percent finished and Six Flags Park 87 percent completed.
The Kingdom’s global tourism profile continues to rise, with accolades including AlUla being named Best Cultural Tourism Project in the Middle East, Madinah ranking among the world’s top 100 destinations, and the Asir region earning four awards for excellence in culinary and cultural storytelling.
To enhance accessibility, the Kingdom expanded its e-visa program to 66 countries by 2024, simplifying entry for millions of travelers.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a global leader in safety, ranking highest among G20 nations in security indicators, further solidifying its reputation as a welcoming and secure destination for international visitors.
Pilgrimage services
Serving pilgrims remains a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s responsibilities. Vision 2030 has transformed the Hajj and Umrah experience into a model of efficiency, accessibility, and safety.
In 2024, the Kingdom welcomed 16.9 million foreign Umrah pilgrims and 1.61 million foreign Hajj pilgrims, reflecting significant growth from 2016 levels.
Innovations like the Makkah Route Initiative, which fast-tracks visa issuance and pre-clearance in eight countries, served 322,900 pilgrims in 2024 — a rise from just 1,700 in 2017.
The Nusuk platform played a key role in improving pilgrimage planning, helping achieve an 81 percent satisfaction rate on the Pilgrim Experience Index. Transportation infrastructure, including the Haramain High-Speed Railway, the Makkah Bus Network, and the Al-Mashaer Metro Line, facilitated the movement of 69.5 million passengers between holy sites.
The Kingdom’s commitment to pilgrims’ well-being is evident in its healthcare services. In 2024, 390,000 pilgrims received medical care, and 40,000 medical staff were mobilized. Adding to that, 189 hospitals, centers, and mobile clinics were deployed, and 28 open-heart surgeries and 720 cardiac catheterizations were performed.
About 153,000 volunteers supported pilgrimage operations in 2024, up from just 3,352 in 2021, showcasing the growing culture of community service.
Hosting mega-events
Saudi Arabia’s global influence expanded across sports, esports, and entertainment in 2024.
The Kingdom secured the rights to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which will feature 48 national teams competing across 15 stadiums in Riyadh, Jeddah, NEOM, Al Khobar, and Abha.
The tournament will be backed by 134 training facilities and 230,000 hotel units, contributing to infrastructure development, job creation, and long-term economic impact.
In the digital realm, Saudi Arabia hosted the inaugural Esports World Cup, the largest tournament of its kind, featuring 1,500 professional players, 500 elite clubs, and 22 competitions. Team Falcons emerged as champions, and the Kingdom further solidified its leadership by winning hosting rights for the Olympic Esports Games.
Meanwhile, Riyadh Season 2024 drew 19 million visitors, with a total attendance of 76.9 million across 423 entertainment attractions.
The festival featured top-tier performances, immersive themed zones, and vibrant cultural displays, reinforcing its reputation as a global entertainment event.
Cultural renaissance
Vision 2030 has revitalized Saudi Arabia’s cultural identity, merging ancient heritage with modern creativity.
The Kingdom now boasts eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the newly listed Al-Faw Archaeological Site, and 16 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage elements celebrating traditions like Arabic calligraphy, Saudi coffee, and falconry.
Groundbreaking discoveries such as the Bronze Age Village of Al-Natah in AlUla have further illuminated the region’s rich history.
In arts and entertainment, the critically acclaimed film "Norah" became the first Saudi production selected for the Cannes Film Festival’s official lineup, while the Kingdom’s first Arabic opera, Zarqa Al Yamama, premiered to acclaim.
The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language trained 782 international students, promoting Arabic language and culture across three continents.
Economic impact
Tourism is a major driver of Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification, with sector employment reaching 966,500 workers in 2024, up from 683,000 in 2020. Women now play a critical role, with 112,000 Saudi women employed in tourism, marking a 67 percent increase.
Investment in the sector has surged from $314.67 million in 2021 to $3.95 billion by the third quarter of 2024, fueling massive infrastructure expansion, including the Kingdom’s hospitality capacity growing to 475,900 hotel rooms.
Passengers in Saudi airports rose 46% in 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s airports handled 128 million passengers in 2024, marking a 45.8 percent increase since the launch of Vision 2030 in 2016, according to the Kingdom’s latest annual report.
In 2024, airports across the country operated 905,000 flights and managed 1.2 million tonnes of cargo, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s growing stature as a logistics and aviation hub.
Strengthening the aviation and logistics sector is a key goal outlined in Vision 2030, as the Kingdom aims to establish itself as a global center for business and tourism by the end of this decade.
“Saudi Arabia is transforming its transport ecosystem, positioning itself as a global logistics and aviation hub by 2030,” the report stated.
As part of these efforts, the Kingdom launched over 60 new routes last year under its Air Connectivity Program, with 12 new international carriers beginning operations in Saudi cities. Since its launch in 2021, the program has expanded air links with global destinations, enhancing Saudi Arabia’s prominence in global aviation.
Innovation also took flight in 2024, with Saudi Arabia debuting the region’s first autonomous air taxi pilot project during the Hajj season. Designed to transport pilgrims across holy sites and expedite emergency responses, the air taxi pilot marks a significant step forward for the Kingdom’s smart mobility initiatives. Last year, Saudi authorities also granted the first operational license for drones to clean building facades.
Transportation and logistics
Saudi Arabia’s transportation and logistics infrastructure continued its rapid growth throughout 2024. The Kingdom ranked first regionally and 20th globally in handling commercial tonnage, while its Logistics Performance Index ranking improved to 38th globally, up from 52nd in 2016.
“Saudi Arabia has embraced its strategic location as a global gateway between East and West, transforming logistics and transportation into cornerstones of economic development,” said the report.
The year saw the launch of the $346.6 million Maersk Logistics Hub at Jeddah Islamic Port, and the addition of 34 maritime services across Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, and Jubail Commercial Port.
Further cementing its leadership, the Saudi Ports Authority, also known as Mawani, won the International Finance Award for infrastructure development, highlighting the sector’s global recognition.
Saudi Arabia also secured membership in the Council of the International Transport Forum in 2024. Commenting on the achievement at that time, Saleh Al-Jasser, minister of Transport and Logistics, noted that it reaffirms the Kingdom’s pivotal role in advancing global transport and logistics services.
Additionally, the master plan for an integrated logistics zone at King Salman International Airport received approval, reinforcing the Kingdom’s ambitions to become a world-class logistics hub.
“Under Vision 2030, the logistics sector has undergone sweeping reforms and infrastructure advancements, aiming to make the Kingdom a world-class logistics hub that enables trade, strengthens regional integration, and supports national economic diversification,” added the report.
Expanding rail transport
Saudi Arabia’s rail sector also recorded significant progress. In 2024, 13 million passengers traveled via the national rail network, a 22 percent increase compared to the previous year, while freight movement reached 28 million tonnes.
“These developments are reinforcing the Kingdom’s position as a regional leader in integrated, sustainable transport, supporting both economic growth and improved quality of life,” said the report.
The Riyadh Metro, one of the world’s largest urban transit projects, was officially launched last year.
Spanning six lines and 176 km, the metro boasts a daily capacity of 3.6 million passengers. In its first week of operation, the network transported 1.9 million passengers.
The Riyadh Metro is a major component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, aimed at reducing traffic congestion in the capital and enhancing residents’ quality of life.
Egypt’s annual unemployment rate down to 6.6%
RIYADH: Egypt’s unemployment rate declined to 6.6 percent in 2024, down 0.4 percent from the previous year, driven by lower joblessness across both urban and rural areas and by growth in sectors such as agriculture, retail, and construction, official data shows.
The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics reported that manufacturing also experienced strong employment growth, further contributing to the overall decrease.
The number of unemployed individuals fell by 77,000 to 2.11 million, marking a 3.5 percent decrease from 2023, while the total labor force expanded by 2.9 percent to 32.041 million.
CAPMAS’s annual labor force survey indicated that youth unemployment among those aged 15 to 29 dropped to 14.9 percent, a decline of 1 percentage point from the previous year. Within this age group, male unemployment stood at 9.8 percent, while the rate for females remained significantly higher at 37.1 percent.
Among teenagers aged 15 to 19, unemployment fell slightly to 12.2 percent from 12.4 percent in 2023. For young people with intermediate, higher, and university-level education, the rate dropped to 18.7 percent, compared to 20.3 percent the previous year.
“The number of entrepreneurs managing their own businesses reached 1.34 million, representing 4.2 percent of the total workforce,” the report stated.
Labor force participation remained higher in rural areas, with 17.96 million individuals compared to 14.07 million in urban centers. Gender disparities persisted, with males accounting for 26.08 million of the labor force and females 5.96 million.
Urban unemployment declined to 9.6 percent from 9.9 percent, while rural unemployment dropped to 4.2 percent from 4.8 percent.
Among males, the urban joblessness rate stood at 6.3 percent, compared to 2.6 percent in rural areas. For females, the figures were notably higher, at 21.8 percent in urban regions and 12.4 percent in rural zones, where greater engagement in agriculture helped boost employment.
The share of unemployed individuals who had previously worked also fell, reaching 42.3 percent in 2024, down from 45.3 percent the year before, suggesting improvements in job retention.
The number of employed individuals rose to 29.92 million, a 3.3 percent increase from 28.95 million in 2023. Of these, 24.98 million were men and 4.93 million were women.
Employment remained more concentrated in rural areas, with 17.20 million workers compared to 12.72 million in urban settings.
Agriculture and fishing continued to dominate as the largest employment sectors, accounting for 5.59 million workers, or 18.7 percent of the total workforce. Wholesale and retail trade employed 4.63 million individuals, or 15.5 percent of the workforce, while the construction sector accounted for 4.04 million workers, or 13.5 percent.
The manufacturing sector saw a 5.4 percent rise in employment, reaching 3.94 million workers, or 13.2 percent of total employment.
Overall economic activity among those aged 15 and older rose to 44.2 percent in 2024, up from 43.4 percent the previous year. Male participation remained substantially higher at 70.3 percent, while female participation increased modestly to 16.9 percent.
Urban participation in economic activity grew to 44 percent from 42.7 percent, and rural participation edged up to 44.4 percent from 44 percent.
Trump says US ships should be allowed to travel through the Panama and Suez canals for free
- “American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Saturday urged free transit for American commercial and military ships through the Panama and Suez canals, tasking his secretary of state with making progress “immediately.”
Trump has for months been calling for the United States to take control of the Panama Canal but his social media post also shifted focus onto the vital Suez route.
“American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
He claimed both routes would “not exist” without the United States and said he had asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “immediately take care of” the situation.
Egypt’s Suez Canal, a key waterway linking Europe and Asia, accounted for about 10 percent of global maritime trade before attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The Iran-backed rebels began targeting vessels after the start of the Gaza war, claiming solidarity with Palestinians, forcing ships to take a long and costly detour around the southern tip of Africa.
Egypt said last year its canal revenues had plunged 60 percent, a loss of $7 billion.
The US military has been attacking Houthi positions since January 2024, but those assaults have intensified under Trump, with almost daily strikes in the past month.
Trump has vowed that military action would continue until the Houthis are no longer a threat to shipping.
