The Iran-aligned militant group rejected the suggestion it had targeted Mecca, while the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the attack Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday before it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city, according to a spokesperson for the ...
The Palestinian school under siege – podcastThe Palestinian school under siege – podcast
At least five pupils at a village school in the West Bank have been killed in the last year by settlers and soldiers. Emma Graham-Harrison reports on how the school found itself on the frontline, while a teacher explains what life is like for staff and students. Waheed Abu Naim ...
OpenAI boss says world ‘right to be afraid’ but ‘should trust’ AI firmsOpenAI boss says world ‘right to be afraid’ but ‘should trust’ AI firms
Sam Altman and other tech CEOs say there are incentives to limit advancements in AI, as fears grow over the threats it poses to humanity. ...
China ramps up US soybean purchases ahead of summitChina ramps up US soybean purchases ahead of summit
China bought at least 1 million metric tons of US soybeans last week, Reuters reported, as the country ramps up purchases ahead of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington this month. Beijing has now fulfilled more than half of the 25 million-ton annual target it committed to through 2028 ...
Colombia to resume aerial spraying of cocaine cropsColombia to resume aerial spraying of cocaine crops
Colombia said it would resume aerial spraying of coca crops for the first time since 2015, as Medellín heeds US calls to combat record cocaine production. The trial initiative sprang from recent talks between Colombia’s new rightist president and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, The New York Times reported; ...
US diesel hits record highs as oil supply fears mountUS diesel hits record highs as oil supply fears mount
US diesel prices hit record highs Tuesday, as executives warned that the monthslong crunch in oil markets was entering its most acute phase. Commercial and strategic oil stockpiles are running low, and the buffers helping “mitigate the price and supply risk… have largely now played out,” Chevron’s CEO said. Saudi ...
Musk calls for cooperation between US, China AI labsMusk calls for cooperation between US, China AI labs
A sweeping AI deal during US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s meeting next week is unlikely, despite some tech leaders calling for cooperation. Elon Musk proposed that the countries’ top firms could evaluate one another’s models before release, while OpenAI’s CEO said Xi and Trump could win ...
US 10-year yield hits highest level since 2007US 10-year yield hits highest level since 2007
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended his bond buyback program in contentious congressional hearings Tuesday, as the 10-year Treasury yield climbed to its highest level since the 2007 global financial crisis. Bessent suggested the spike could have been worse without Treasury’s intervention; he also defended a separate operation to prop ...
Iran war cost US $38bn and significantly depleted missile stockpile, report findsIran war cost US $38bn and significantly depleted missile stockpile, report finds
Damaging budget report estimates cost would grow $3bn per month and stockpile could take five years to rebuild The war in Iran has cost the US at least $38bn and left its stockpile of defensive missiles so depleted it could take five years to rebuild, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office ...
AI Agent Platform Reinvents Spam, Floods Inboxes WorldwideAI Agent Platform Reinvents Spam, Floods Inboxes Worldwide
Many years ago, in the early days after email was widely adopted, the technology faced an existential crisis: Spam. Instantly sending people electronic mail was revolutionary and convenient, but inboxes were quickly flooded with unwanted messages, advertisements, scams and other noise that drowned out email’s utility. The fact that Google ...