US energy secretary says will control Venezuelan oil sales ‘indefinitely’
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Wednesday that Washington will control sales of Venezuelan oil "indefinitely," a day after President...
Geostrategy
Venezuela’s interim leader names commission to handle Maduro’s release
Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez on Sunday created a commission to seek the release of president Nicolas Maduro and his...
Geostrategy
Science
Scientists train AI model to predict future illnesses
Paris, France - Scientists said Wednesday that they had created an AI model able to predict medical diagnoses years in...
- Based on a patient's case history, the Delphi-2M AI "predicts the rates of more than 1,000 diseases" years into the future
- Researchers trained the model on data from Britain's UK Biobank -- a large-scale biomedical research database with details on about half a million participants
Economy
AI to boost trade by nearly 40% by 2040: World Trade Report 2025
The 2025 edition of the World Trade Report reveals that, with the right enabling policies, artificial intelligence (AI) could boost...
- According to the report, AI could lead to significant increases in trade and GDP by 2040, with global trade projected to rise by 34-37% across different scenarios
- Trade can be a powerful enabler of inclusive AI -supported growth by helping economies access AI-enabling goods, such as raw materials, and semiconductors
Economy
US Fed set for first rate cut of 2025 as Trump pressure looms
The US Federal Reserve is poised to make its first interest rate cut of 2025 on Wednesday, but it battles...
- There is little doubt that the US central bank will lower rates at the end of its two-day policy meeting, and markets widely expect a 25 basis points reduction
- Typically, the Fed might be inclined to keep rates at a higher level to bring inflation back to its two-percent target -- or slash rates to support a weakening labor market
Geostrategy
Trump heads for landmark state visit with ‘friend’ King Charles
US President Donald Trump left for a historic second state visit to Britain Tuesday -- but political controversies, wars and...
- Britain is rolling out its royal family in a bid to woo the mercurial Trump, with security tight as protesters gear up to make their voices heard against the 79-year-old
- Trump, whose mother was Scottish and who has long been fascinated by the British monarchy, was full of praise for his "friend" King Charles III as he left Washington
Geostrategy
Syria announces plan with Jordan, US to restore calm in Druze-majority Sweida
Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani announced on Tuesday a plan backed by Jordan and the United States to restore calm...
- The situation in the province has been tense since the clashes, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said killed more than 2,000 people
- Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi, present at the event with US envoy Tom Barrack, said a "joint Syrian-Jordanian-American mechanism" would ensure the plan's implementation
Science
King Saud University wins US patent for firefighting robot
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The Center of Smart Robotics Research at the College of Computer and Information Sciences, King Saud...
- The system can detect fires in their early stages through smart sensors that transmit data to a mobile robot equipped with a fire extinguisher
- Its applications span industrial facilities, commercial buildings, hospitals, data centers, and laboratories, providing an advanced safety solution for hard-to-reach locations
Geostrategy
Trump sues NYT for $15 billion in latest attack on media
Washington, United States -- Donald Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times on Monday, adding...
- In his suit filed Monday in federal court in Florida, Trump accuses The New York Times of a "decades-long pattern" of smears driven by feelings of "actual malice."
- The lawsuit also named four New York Times reporters and the publisher Penguin Random House as defendants.
Geostrategy
Japan political party to install AI leader
The Path to Rebirth party, which was launched in January by Shinji Ishimaru, a former mayor of a small city...
- Ishimaru came second in the 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election but he quit the party after it failed to pick up any seats in this year's upper house elections.
- The AI will not dictate political activities of party members but will focus on decisions such as distribution of its resources among members.
Business
Trump says US, China ‘have a deal’ on TikTok
"We have a deal on TikTok, I've reached a deal with China, I'm going to speak to President Xi (Jinping)...
- The deal was negotiated over two days of talks in Madrid between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.
- A US federal law requiring TikTok's sale or ban on national security grounds was due to take effect the day before Trump's inauguration on January 20.
Geostrategy
UN investigators: Israel committing genocide in Gaza to ‘destroy the Palestinians’
This is the first time a UN-mandated investigative body has concluded the country is committing genocide and it might prompt...
- After the report was published, UN rights chief Volker Turk said it was up to the courts to determine whether genocide was taking place, but warned: "We see the evidence mounting."
- The report came as Israel on Tuesday launched a ground assault on Gaza City, where the UN has declared a full-blown famine.
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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
US energy secretary says will control Venezuelan oil sales ‘indefinitely’
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Wednesday that Washington will control sales of Venezuelan oil "indefinitely," a day after President...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
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
Amazon unveils new AI chip in battle against Nvidia
San Francisco, United States -- Amazon Web Services launched its in-house-built Trainium3 AI chip on Tuesday, marking a significant push...
Business
Saudi powers forward with deficit spending to fund reforms
The Arab world's largest economy is overseeing a major push to slash its dependence on oil revenues, with officials pouring...
Economy
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Geostrategy
If Europe wants war with Russia, ‘we are ready,’ says Putin as he meets US envoys over Ukraine deal
Washington has presented a 28-point draft to end the conflict, later amended after criticism from Kyiv and Europe, which viewed...
- The comments came as US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were in Moscow for high-stakes talks on ending the nearly four-year war
- "They have no peaceful agenda, they are on the side of war," he added, repeating his claim that European leaders were hindering US attempts to broker peace in Ukraine
Business
Amazon tests ‘ultra-fast’ deliveries in two US cities
San Francisco, United States - Amazon on Monday began testing "ultra-fast" deliveries in two US cities, giving some shoppers the...
- Amazon is piloting its new “Amazon Now” feature in select neighbourhoods, offering items ranging from groceries to electronics
- Delivery fees for the ultra-fast service start at $3.99 for Prime members and $13.99 for non-members
Business
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...
- Netflix joined Paramount Skydance and Comcast, the owner of NBCUniversal, in a second round of an auction that was being negotiated throughout the US Thanksgiving holiday
- The parent company of HBO, CNN and the Warner Bros film studio officially put itself up for sale in October after receiving multiple unsolicited offers