AI giant Anthropic to pay $1.5 bn over pirated books
San Francisco, United States - Anthropic will pay at least $1.5 billion to settle a US class action lawsuit over...
Science
Gaza film at Venice targeted by hate campaign, director says
Venice, Italy - At its premiere, a powerful new Gaza film at the Venice Film Festival sparked 23 minutes of...
Geostrategy
Business
Facebook owner Meta to launch Twitter-like ‘Threads’ app
Thread's launch comes after a period of uncertainty at Twitter since Tesla owner Elon Musk took over in October, with...
- Listed as "Threads, an Instagram app," the new program should be available in the coming days, and is described on Apple's app store as "Instagram's text-based conversation app"
- Threads is where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what'll be trending tomorrow," says the app's description on the store
Economy
UN talks look to draw upon AI power and potential
The UN hopes to lay out a clear blueprint on the way forward for handling AI, as development of the...
- The summit wants to identify ways of using AI to advance the UN's lagging sustainable development goals
- This summit can help ensure that AI charts the course that benefits humanity, UN chief Antonio Guterres said
Geostrategy
Xi urges Shanghai alliance solidarity, Putin praises support
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization -- which on Tuesday welcomed Iran as its ninth member -- encompasses a vast stretch of...
- During the virtual meeting, Xi "called for efforts to safeguard regional peace and ensure common security", state news agency Xinhua said.
- Tehran's membership will support "collective security... expanding ties and communications (and) strengthening unity", Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said.
Geostrategy
President Assad and Jordan’s foreign minister discuss refugees, drug smuggling
The focus of the discussion between the two was war refugees and a crackdown on cross-border smuggling, according to Jordan's...
- According to Jordan's foreign ministry, Assad and Safadi also discussed "humanitarian, security and political" steps towards a "comprehensive solution" to Syria's crisis
- The ministry also said that Safadi brought up in his discussion with Assad the need for heightened cooperation between the two countries in order to curb drug smuggling
Business
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ettifaq hires former Liverpool star Steven Gerrard as coach
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is the latest star name to make the move to Saudi Arabia after...
- Gerrard who was sacked by Aston Villa in October had initially rejected an offer to move to the kingdom, but eventually was lured by the riches on offer
- The Saudi Pro League supported by the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund has lured big names from the major European leagues with the promise of huge salaries
Business
Tesco picks new chairman
Gerry Murphy is new chairperson of Britain's biggest retailer.
- Tesco had announced in May that John Allan would leave after media allegations over his conduct towards women
- Media reported that Allan faces "claims of inappropriate and unprofessional behavior" from four women
Business
China to restrict export of semiconductor making materials
BEIJING, CHINA - China said on Monday it would slap export controls on two rare metals essential for the manufacture of...
- Exports of gallium and germanium, of which China is a major producer, will require a license from August 1, said a Chinese guideline
- China accounted for 80 percent of global gallium production, according to a 2020 report by the European Commission
Geostrategy
Kuwait calls for border talks with Iran over gas field
KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT - Kuwait reinvited Iran on Monday to talks on their sea borders after Tehran said it was ready...
- Iran and Kuwait have held unsuccessful talks for many years over their disputed maritime border area, which is rich in natural gas.
- Saudi Arabia is also a part of the dispute since it shares with Kuwait maritime gas and oil resources in the area.
Business
Oil prices increase after Saudi Arabia and Russia cut crude output
In April, several OPEC+ members opted to slash production voluntarily by more than one million bpd -- a surprise move...
- Brent crude, the international benchmark, and US counterpart WTI jumped after Riyadh extended a voluntary oil production cut.
- "It's the usual knee-jerk reaction to reports of production cuts," IG analyst Chris Beauchamp told AFP, when asked about the latest oil-price gains
Geostrategy
Climate change spells ‘truly terrifying’ future of hunger, suffering: UN
On current policy trends, the planet will be 2.8C warmer by the end of the century, according to the UN's...
- UN human rights chief Volker Turk told a debate on the right to food that extreme weather events were wiping out crops, herds and ecosystems.
- "Our environment is burning. It's melting. It's flooding. It's depleting. It's drying. It's dying," he said, evoking a "dystopian future".
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
AI giant Anthropic to pay $1.5 bn over pirated books
San Francisco, United States - Anthropic will pay at least $1.5 billion to settle a US class action lawsuit over...
Science
Company News
Tesla Q2 auto deliveries surge
Business
Latest News
Trump, Netanyahu to discuss Gaza ceasefire, regional stability in White House meeting
Trump has floated a controversial plan to relocate Palestinians to neighboring countries, but Egypt, Jordan, and ceasefire mediator Qatar have...
Geostrategy
Norway nears 100% goal of all-electric cars
By comparison, the share of electric cars in Europe was just 13.6 percent in the full-year 2024, a decline for...
Geostrategy
OPEC+ sticks to oil output plan after Trump’s price demand
In a bid to boost prices, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) headed by Saudi Arabia and Russian-led allies...
Business
Most Read
‘Numb’ New Orleans grapples with horror of deadly truck attack
New Orleans, United States - The celebratory atmosphere of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, long an American byword for indulgence and...
- A deadly truck attack on New Year's crowds in New Orleans' French Quarter left at least 15 dead, shaking the heart of the city's famed Bourbon Street
- Residents and visitors mourn the tragedy, calling for stricter security as New Orleans faces major upcoming events like Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl
Syria Foreign Minister in Saudi Arabia, hopes the visit opens ‘new, bright page’
Last week, in an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television, Sharaa said Saudi Arabia "will certainly have a large role...
- Syrian state media said the top delegation had come to the kingdom "at the invitation of the Saudi foreign minister", quoting a foreign ministry source.
- Saudi Arabia severed ties with Assad's government in 2012 and backed Syrian rebels seeking to overthrow him early in the country's civil war
Geostrategy
UN: Israel’s strikes on Gaza hospitals may constitute war crimes, urges independent probe
The UN's 23-page report, "Attacks on Hospitals During the Escalation of Hostilities in Gaza," documented 136 strikes on 27 hospitals...
- The world body's 23-page report, entitled "Attacks on hospitals during the escalation of hostilities in Gaza", looked at the period from October 7, 2023 to June 30, 2024
- The report said attacks on hospitals typically involved missile strikes on hospital buildings, the destruction of facilities, shooting of civilians, and sieges.