Netflix’s $83 billion takeover of Warner Bros reshapes Hollywood as regulators prepare intense antitrust scrutiny
Streaming giant Netflix said Friday it will buy film and television studio Warner Bros. Discovery for nearly $83 billion, the...
Business
OpenAI declares ChatGPT ‘code red’ over stiff competition: report
Washington, United States -- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has declared a company-wide "code red" as its ChatGPT technology faces stiff...
Business
Arts & Culture
‘Dinosaur tartare’ and holograms: Dubai AI chef sparks awe and ire
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- A Dubai restaurant has opened that prides itself on having the world's "first AI chef",...
- The AI programme -- known as chef Aiman -- is trained on thousands of recipes and decades of culinary research and molecular gastronomy.
- Chef Aiman can also optimise menus and balance flavours, according to the establishment.
Geostrategy
The tiring task of repairing Gaza’s tattered banknotes
Nuseirat, Palestinian Territories - With a pot of glue, a blade and a keen eye, Manal al-Saadani repairs tattered banknotes...
- As Gaza remained blockaded for much of the Israel-Hamas war since October 2023, basic supplies were depleted, including banknotes, with no new ones supplied to its banks
- The Bank of Israel's first Series C notes featured the portraits of prominent Hebrew poets, with the 20 note in red, the 50 in green, the 100 in orange and the 200 in blue
Arts & Culture
Crowd braves rain to flock to Pope Leo’s mass in Istanbul
After two days of blue skies and sunshine, the heavens opened, but the downpour did little to dampen the enthusiasm...
- Earlier, the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics visited Istanbul's Blue Mosque, huddled with local church leaders and met Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I
- Ahead of the ceremony, the streets were filled with umbrellas as people walked through the rain towards the stadium, the crowd giving off a palpable buzz of excitement
Geostrategy
Hezbollah says has ‘right’ to respond to Israel’s killing of military commander
Hezbollah's leader on Friday said the group had the right to respond to Israel's assassination of its top military chief...
- In a televised speech, Naim Qassem called the killing of Haytham Ali Tabtabai "a blatant aggression and a heinous crime", adding that his group had "the right to respond."
- Qassem insisted that the Iran-backed group has respected the November 2024 ceasefire that sought to end over a year of hostilities with Israel
Geostrategy
Negotiations under way on Hamas fighters trapped in Gaza tunnels: sources close to talks
An Israeli government spokesperson told AFP earlier this month that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "is not allowing safe passage for...
- Israeli media has reported that for weeks that between 100 and 200 Hamas militants have remained trapped in a network of tunnels under the city of Rafah
- A prominent Hamas member in Gaza told AFP that the group estimated their number to be between 60 and 80, and said they were "under siege" but would not surrender
Business
Singapore AI teddy back on sale after recall over sex chat scare
Singapore, Singapore -- A plushy, AI-enabled teddy bear recalled after its chatbot was found to engage in sexually explicit conversations...
- Singapore-based FoloToy had suspended its "Kumma" bear after a consumer advocacy group raised concerns about it and other AI toys on the market.
- The Kumma bear "looks sweet and innocent. But what comes out of its mouth is a stark contrast," researchers have said.
Geostrategy
Four European nations urge Israel to end West Bank ‘settler violence’
"We -- France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom -- strongly condemn the massive increase of settler violence against Palestinian civilians...
- Settler violence in the West Bank has soared since Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war.
- Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank, mostly civilians.
Geostrategy
Trump says Afghan man shot two soldiers near White House
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that an Afghan man who fled the Taliban was the suspect in the shooting of...
- The announcement in a brief video message signaled the intertwining of three politically explosive issues -– Trump's use of the military at home, and the legacy of Afghan war
- The incident, which left two Guard members critically wounded, was "an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror," Trump said. "It was a crime against our entire nation."
Geostrategy
Israel launches major West Bank operation, raiding Tubas towns amid escalating violence
The Israeli military said the operation began with air strikes to isolate the area, which were followed by "searches" on...
- The operation, which began overnight, was taking place in predominantly agricultural Tubas, the northeasternmost of the 11 governorates in the West Bank
- Ahmed al-Asaad, governor of the Tubas region, told AFP: "This is the first time that the entire governorate is included -- the whole governorate is now under Israeli army operation
Geostrategy
Israel returns 15 bodies to Gaza after hostage remains identified
It came after Israel announced that a body handed over by Hamas on Tuesday was that of Dror Or, one...
- The last two hostages' bodies still in Gaza are those of Israeli Ran Gvili and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak.
- At the start of the ceasefire Hamas were holding 20 living hostages and 28 bodies of deceased captives.
Most Read
Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
Netflix’s $83 billion takeover of Warner Bros reshapes Hollywood as regulators prepare intense antitrust scrutiny
Streaming giant Netflix said Friday it will buy film and television studio Warner Bros. Discovery for nearly $83 billion, the...
Business
Company News
Latest News
Rescue efforts begin as at least 132 die, hundreds injured in Nepal quake
The quake was felt as far away as India's capital New Delhi, nearly 500 km from the epicentre, 42 km...
100 killed in fire during wedding at Iraq event hall
At the main hospital in Hamdaniyah -- a predominantly Christian town east of Mosul that is also known as Qaraqosh...
Ailing US explorer rescued after nine days in Turkish cave
The 40-year-old explorer developed stomach problems while examining the depths of the Morca Cave, a remote complex of twisting underground...
Sad day for America, says Trump after court appearance
Former US president Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday to criminal charges that he conspired to overturn the results...
OceanGate co-founder hits back at James Cameron over Titanic sub
Soehnlein stressed it was too soon to say what happened to the Titan and that it was "tricky to navigate"...
Bid by Netflix for Warner Bros Discovery signals streaming giant’s ambition to dominate global content production
Streaming giant Netflix has made a mostly cash offer to buy TV and film group Warner Bros Discovery as the...
Business
Trump warns Israel not to ‘interfere’ in Syria, days after deadly operation killed 13 people
"It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that...
Geostrategy
Trump says US freeze on asylum decisions will last ‘a long time’
US President Donald Trump said Sunday his administration intends to maintain a pause on asylum decisions for "a long time"...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Pope urges Lebanese to stay in their country despite difficulties
Leo emphasized the need for peace, using the word more than 20 times during the address, without mentioning any specific...
- Urging reconciliation, Leo noted that "there are personal and collective wounds that take many years, sometimes entire generations, to heal".
- "If we do not work, for example, to heal memories, to bring together those who have suffered wrongs and injustice, it is difficult to journey towards peace," he said.
Arts & Culture
‘Dinosaur tartare’ and holograms: Dubai AI chef sparks awe and ire
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- A Dubai restaurant has opened that prides itself on having the world's "first AI chef",...
- The AI programme -- known as chef Aiman -- is trained on thousands of recipes and decades of culinary research and molecular gastronomy.
- Chef Aiman can also optimise menus and balance flavours, according to the establishment.
Geostrategy
The tiring task of repairing Gaza’s tattered banknotes
Nuseirat, Palestinian Territories - With a pot of glue, a blade and a keen eye, Manal al-Saadani repairs tattered banknotes...
- As Gaza remained blockaded for much of the Israel-Hamas war since October 2023, basic supplies were depleted, including banknotes, with no new ones supplied to its banks
- The Bank of Israel's first Series C notes featured the portraits of prominent Hebrew poets, with the 20 note in red, the 50 in green, the 100 in orange and the 200 in blue