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...
Business
GCC countries attract $523.4bn in foreign investment in 2023
Muscat, Oman -- The GCC countries have seen a steady rise in foreign investment, according to data from the Statistical...
Business
Business
Yanbu NPC loss $129m
The company had reported net profit of $110 million in 2022.
- Against the revenue/sales of SAR 7.02 billion in 2022, the company posted revenue/sales of SAR 4.53 billion in 2023, down 35 percent.
- In a Tadawul disclosure, the company attributed the loss to lower average sales prices for all products compared to the previous period.
Business
PIF acquires 40% of Zamil Offshore
Zamil is one of the largest offshore support vessel operators.
- PIF said the investment will enable Zamil to continue expanding its services and fleet to serve the growing demand for offshore support services.
- Incorporated in 1977, Zamil Offshore manages and operates more than 90 vessels in the Arabian Gulf.
Business
Emirates Flight acquires Bustanica
Bustanica is the world's largest indoor vertical farm.
- Bustanica’s 330,000sqft facility has the capacity to grow more than 1 million kilograms of leafy greens a year.
- Its produce is available across all major retailers in the UAE such as Spinney's, Waitrose, Carrefour, and Choithrams.
Business
SIB approves 10% cash dividend
The bank appointed Dr Al Saadi as Sharia Supervisory Committee member.
- Al Owais said SIB posted a net profit of AED851.5 million, an increase of 31 percent compared to AED650.9 million in 2022.
- He added that net operating profits saw an increase of 29 percent to reach AED1.3 billion, compared to AED1.0 billion for the previous year.
Geostrategy
Palestinians accuse Israel of ‘apartheid’ at UN top court
"The Palestinians have endured colonialism and apartheid... There are those who are enraged by these words. They should be enraged...
- Nations including the United States, Russia, and China will address judges at the Peace Palace in The Hague, seat of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
- The minister urged the court to declare the occupation illegal and order it to stop "immediately, totally and unconditionally."
Geostrategy
UAE seeks maximum penalty in ‘terror’ trial against 84 people
The United Arab Emirates has accused the defendants of forming a "terrorist" organization called the "Committee for Justice and Dignity"...
- Most of the defendants were previously convicted more than a decade ago on similar charges and had completed or were about to complete their sentences.
- Public prosecutors concluded their arguments and confirmed that the case was distinct from that in 2012 and "not about re-trying the accused," reported WAM.
Arts & Culture
‘Addicted to winning’: Sabalenka returns to action in Dubai
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- World number two Aryna Sabalenka said on Sunday she was "addicted to winning" and hungry for...
- The Belarusian returns to action this week at the WTA 1000 in Dubai to contest her first tournament since her second Grand Slam triumph at Melbourne Park.
- Meanwhile, top-seeded Iga Swiatek has touched down in Dubai, a day after pulling off an impressive threepeat in Doha.
Geostrategy
Zoo lion’s Muslim name riles Hindu nationalists
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a right-wing Hindu organization, went to court after reports a lioness named Sita had been put...
- "Sita cannot stay with the Mughal emperor Akbar," VHP official Anup Mondal said Sunday, saying it hurt religious sentiments in the Hindu-majority nation.
- "Such act amounts to blasphemy and is a direct assault on the religious belief of all Hindus," the VHP said in its petition to the court.
Arts & Culture
AI-Operated robots assist visitors to the Grand Mosque in Makkah
Makkah, Saudi Arabia -- The Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque has deployed AI-operated...
- The robots provide information and guidance on a variety of topics, including how to perform the Hajj and Umrah rituals, Islamic rulings and fatwas.
- They also provide directions to different locations within the mosque, and translations in multiple languages.
Geostrategy
UN court to weigh consequences of Israel occupation
The UN's top court will hold hearings on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967, with...
- While any ICJ opinion would be non-binding, it comes amid mounting international legal pressure on Israel over the war in Gaza sparked by the brutal October 7 Hamas attacks.
- The hearings are separate from a high-profile case brought by South Africa alleging that Israel is committing genocidal acts during the current Gaza offensive.
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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
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...
Business
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Trump threatens 100% tariff on BRICS countries over currency plans
Washington, United States -- President-elect Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose a 100 percent tariff on the BRICS group nations...
Geostrategy
Elon Musk asks US court to block OpenAi’s for-profit conversion
Washington, United States -- Elon Musk has again asked a US court to stop ChatGPT-maker OpenAI from converting into a for-profit...
Business
Turkish-backed jihadists breach Aleppo, displacing thousands and cutting vital highway to Damascus
By Friday, the jihadists and their allies had taken more than 50 towns and villages in the north and entered...
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Arts & Culture
Crypto boss Justin Sun eats banana art he bought for $6.2 million
Hong Kong, China -- Crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun on Friday fulfilled a promise he made after spending $6.2 million on an...
- Titled "Comedian", the conceptual work created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan was sold at a Sotheby's auction in New York last week, with Sun among seven bidders.
- Sun this week also became an advisor to World Liberty Financial, a crypto initiative backed by US president-elect Donald Trump, following a $30 million investment.
Geostrategy
How are countries regulating the wild west of social media for minors?
Paris, France -- A handful of nations are trying to clean up social media with measures including robust privacy provisions and...
- Among the countries taking action is Australia, which on Thursday passed a landmark law banning children under 16 from social media.
- In June 2023 France passed a law requiring social media platforms to check the age of users and obtain parental consent for those under 15 years of age.
Geostrategy
OPEC+ postpones meeting amid signs of ‘discord’ on output plans
The 22-member OPEC+ group led by Saudi Arabia and Russia was due to decide on its 2025 output policy at...
- An OPEC spokesman told AFP that the December meeting will be held online.
- In a bid to boost crude prices, eight OPEC+ members announced earlier this month they were extending supply cuts until the end of December.