AI is learning to lie, scheme, and threaten its creators
In one particularly jarring example, under threat of being unplugged, Anthropic's latest creation Claude 4 lashed back by blackmailing an...Technology Geostrategy Investigations
Putin says Russia, Ukraine peace proposals “absolute contradictory”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russia and Ukraine's demands for peace were "absolutely contradictory", after two rounds of...Geostrategy
Macron says abandoning Gaza ‘will kill’ West’s credibility
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that abandoning war-torn Gaza to its fate and giving Israel a "free pass"..."If we abandon Gaza, if we consider there is a free pass for Israel, even if we do condemn terrorist attacks, we will kill our credibility," Macron told defence forum in Singapore
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday denounced attacks in the past days on civilian infrastructure in Gaza as "abhorrent" and "disproportionate."
UN declares Gaza the hungriest place on earth, says entire population risks famine
Negotiations to end nearly 20 months of war have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough, with Israel resuming operations...Negotiations to end nearly 20 months of war have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough, with Israel resuming operations in Gaza in March, ending a six-week truce
Thousands of Palestinians rushed into a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation centre on Tuesday, as Israel implemented a new distribution system that bypasses the UN
Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to make rare West Bank visit
Prince Faisal will head a delegation to Ramallah, the first such trip since Israel first occupied the Palestinian territory in...Prince Faisal's trip was announced as Israel vowed to build a "Jewish Israeli state" in the West Bank, after doubling down on plans to expand settlements there.
Saudi Arabia sent a lower-level delegation to Ramallah in September 2023, its first since 1967, not long before Hamas's October 7 attack triggered the Gaza war.
No permit, no hajj: Saudi intensifies crackdown after heat deaths
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia is ramping up a crackdown on unregistered worshippers at next week's hajj pilgrimage, a...Regular raids, drone surveillance and a barrage of text alerts are aimed at rooting out unauthorized visitors hoping to mingle among the crowds in and around Makkah.
The simple message, "No hajj without a permit", is being blared out in a relentless campaign promoted nationwide at shopping centers, on billboards and across media platforms.
UAE orders all companies to monitor emissions in new climate law
Under the new law, companies are required to report and reduce their emissions of the greenhouse gases that are responsible..."By institutionalizing emissions monitoring and climate adaptation, the UAE is setting a compelling example for countries across the region," she said.
Public and private companies now have to regularly monitor emissions and take steps to reduce them, or risk fines of up to two million dirhams ($545,000).
Turkey says Ukraine, Russia want ceasefire ahead of possible talks
NATO member Turkey, which has strove to maintain relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, has become a key mediator amid...NATO member Turkey, which has strove to maintain relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, has become a key mediator amid US President Donald Trump's push for a deal
At negotiations in Istanbul on May 16, Ukraine said Russia threatened to accelerate its ground offensive into new regions and made a host of hardline demands
Islamic State claims first attack on new Syria forces since Assad fall: monitors
The Islamic State (IS) group on Thursday claimed its first attack on Syria's new government forces since the fall of...In a statement picked up by SITE Intelligence Group, IS said it had planted an "explosive device" on a Syrian forces' vehicle in the southern province of Sweida.
Reported attacks by the group in areas controlled by the Islamist-led government, which took power after Assad's ouster in December, have been scarce
Generative AI’s most prominent skeptic doubles down
Vancouver, Canada -- Two and a half years since ChatGPT rocked the world, scientist and writer Gary Marcus still remains...Marcus's criticism centers on a fundamental belief: generative AI, the predictive technology that churns out seemingly human-level content, is too flawed to be transformative.
The large language models (LLMs) that power these capabilities are inherently broken, he argues, and will never deliver on Silicon Valley's grand promises.
With AI and more shade, Saudi Arabia set for a searing hajj
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- With artificial intelligence, more shade and misting machines, Saudi authorities are preparing to welcome more than...Saudi Arabia's hajj minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah told AFP on Thursday that efforts to mitigate the searing desert heat remained a top focus among authorities.
This year, Rabiah said authorities have mobilized more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials and doubled their efforts to mitigate heat-related risks.
Global economic outlook worsens, AI emerges as both catalyst and risk
Geneva, Switzerland – The global economic outlook has worsened since the start of the year, as rising economic nationalism and...Nearly all the chief economists (97 percent) place trade policy among the areas of highest uncertainty, followed by monetary policy (49 percent) and fiscal policy (35 percent).
This uncertainty is expected to weigh on key economic indicators, including trade volumes (70 percent), GDP growth (68 percent) and foreign direct investment (62 percent).