Trump admin unveils AI strategy to maintain US dominance
The 25-page "America's AI Action Plan" outlines three aims: accelerating innovation, building infrastructure, and leading internationally on AI. Overall, the...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince named prime minister
Saudi Arabia has for years sought to quell speculation over the health of the 86-year-old king, who has ruled the...
- The move effectively formalises power already wielded by Prince Mohammed, who has been the kingdom's de facto ruler for several years
- Prince Mohammed, who turned 37 last month, has been first in line to succeed his father as king since 2017
Science
Pie from the sky: drone delivery lands in America
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos who in 2013 unveiled a delivery drone in a CBS interview, predicting that within five years...
- Flying shipments of pizzas and birthday gifts have still not become the norm that tech leaders predicted
- Skeptics question whether drone drop-offs can ever work on a large scale, but backers argue they are safer
Geostrategy
Iran arrests ex-president Rafsanjani’s daughter: news agency
Hashemi, a former lawmaker and a women's rights activist, has had previous run-ins with the law in the Islamic republic....
- Iranians on Tuesday staged a 12th straight night of protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, 22
- The Kurdish woman died in the custody of Iran's notorious morality police, after her arrest for allegedly breaching the country's strict rules
Economy
WTO chief warns world edging into ‘global recession’
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said Russia's war in Ukraine, the climate crisis, food price and energy shocks plus the aftermath...
- She noted that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund had both downgraded global growth forecasts, while indicators on trade numbers were "not looking too good".
- She urged central banks to determine whether inflation was being caused by strong demand or whether the rise in prices was linked to structural problems on the supply side.
Geostrategy
Lebanon’s speaker asks Parliament to name new president
The term of Michel Aoun expires at the end of October. The session will mark the first attempt by lawmakers...
- But it comes without any consensus on a replacement for Aoun amid a deadlock that has prevented the formation of a new government since outgoing one's man mandate expired May.
- With no compromise in sight among Lebanon's bitterly divided politicians, it may take several sessions of parliament before a president is finally named.
Economy
ADB boosts Asia-Pacific food security financing to $14 billion
The bank, which has 49 members stretching from the Cook Islands in the Pacific to Kazakhstan in Central Asia, usually...
- The financing would target among other things food production and distribution. ADB says 1.1 billion people in the region "lack healthy diets due to poverty and food prices".
- The announcement comes after the bank recently cut its 2022 growth forecast for the region, to 4.3 percent from its April projection of 5.2 percent.
Economy
In wealthy Dubai, poor get free bread from machines
Ten vending machines were installed last week in supermarkets, with a computer touch screen allowing people to select different types:...
- According to government figures, the food price index, which tracks the monthly change in the cost of a basket of food commodities, rose by 8.75% in July YoY.
- The UAE has a population of nearly 10 million people, 90 percent of them foreigners, many labourers from Asia and Africa.
Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline hit by leaks in Baltic Sea: authorities
Following the leaks, Jorgensen said the authorities called for "higher levels of preparedness in the electricity and gas sector" in...
- The Nord Stream 1 leaks were first spotted Monday evening, hour after a drop in pressure was reported in Nord Stream 2, according to the Swedish Maritime Administration
- As a result of the leaks, navigational warnings have also been issued for a distance of five nautical miles and a flight height of 1,000 meters
Geostrategy
As Ukraine war grinds on, Saudi influence grows
Saudi Arabia's unexpected role in brokering the release of foreign fighters detained in Ukraine was just the latest example of...
- The release of the 10 foreign fighters, including two from the United States and five from Britain, came alongside a broader prisoner-of-war swap, brokered by Turkey
- Expressions of gratitude for Saudi Arabia immediately poured in from Washington, London and beyond, with officials highlighting the personal involvement of Crown Prince
Geostrategy
Iraq MPs to meet for first time since August violence
Parliament said in a brief statement on Monday that votes on the resignation of the assembly's speaker, Mohammed al-Halbussi, and...
- Iraq's deeply divided political factions have failed to form a new government since inconclusive elections last October
- Iraq's standoff pits Sadr against the Iran-backed Coordination Framework, which includes lawmakers from the party of his longtime foe, ex-prime minister Nuri al-Maliki
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
Trump admin unveils AI strategy to maintain US dominance
The 25-page "America's AI Action Plan" outlines three aims: accelerating innovation, building infrastructure, and leading internationally on AI. Overall, the...
Geostrategy
Company News
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Biden exhorts Egypt, Qatar to press Hamas on hostage deal
US, Egypt and Qatar have been engaged in weeks of behind-the-scenes talks in a bid to secure a temporary truce...
Geostrategy
Iran’s response ‘inevitable’ after consulate strike, says Nasrallah
Monday's strike in the Syrian capital levelled the five-storey consular annex of the Iranian embassy and killed seven Iranian Revolutionary...
Geostrategy
UN chief troubled by reports Israel using AI to identify Gaza targets
According to a report in magazine +972, Israel has used AI to identify targets in Gaza -- in some cases...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Israel says Hamas fighter was at target instead of Gaza aid workers
Israel said it was targeting a "Hamas gunman" when it killed in Gaza seven aid workers whose deaths caused an...
- The victims were killed in three air strikes over four minutes by an Israeli drone as they ran for their lives.
- The two brigade officers who ordered the strikes, a colonel and a major, have been fired.
Geostrategy
Kremlin slams Macron claims Russia trying to undermine Olympics
Moscow, Russia - The Kremlin on Friday blasted as "unacceptable" French President Emmanuel Macron's claims that Russia was trying to undermine...
- Kremlin said it was "absolutely unacceptable behavior" and characteristic of Western accusations that are "never backed up by adequate evidence".
- Macron had said Thursday that Moscow was trying to promote the narrative that France was unable to host the Games and that the event would be a risk.
Geostrategy
Blinken says US seeks ‘results’ on Israeli new Gaza aid policy
Brussels, Belgium - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday Washington wanted to see "results" showing more aid was...
- Israel announced on Friday that it would allow "temporary" aid deliveries into famine-threatened northern Gaza
- "We welcome the steps that have been initiated by Israel," Blinken said at a meeting with EU officials in Belgium