1 year ago
Late into the night on Nov. 28, the Australian Senate passed a “world first” law that bans under 16-year-old children from accessing social media. The new law, once in effect, means young Australians will be barred from accessing platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, and X—age verification technology will be implemented by the Big Tech firms to ensure compliance. Certain social media programs will be allowed, including YouTube and educational apps. The centre-left Labor government achieved passage of the Bill with support from the centre-right Liberal-National Coalition amid a blitz of Bills on the last sitting day of Parliament in 2024. The ban passed the lower house a day earlier. Liberal Senator Dave Sharma speaking in the Senate on Nov. 28, argued that parents need assistance managing social media for children. “I think parents need help with this, and this is why I think there is a case for government intervention,” he said. “Partly because parents have to grapple with the ubiquity of phones and electronic devices, and the crude measure that some suggest—which is take away your kid’s phone, or give them a non-smartphone without adding any apps—I don’t think is particularly realistic,” Sharma said. “I think in today’s era we […]
1 year ago
Telecom operator du is offering free data on the occasion of the 53rd UAE National Day, the company announced on Thursday. The digital service provider announced a range of exclusive offers and promotions, which will be available from November 28 to December 4. All postpaid customers will be able to avail free 53GB of national data valid for seven days. The offer is available until December 4. Customers who have purchased or switch to Prepaid Flexi yearly plans will receive free 53GB national data valid for a year. This offer is available until December 31. How to avail of free data Those eligible for the offer — whether prepaid users or postpaid plan subscribers — will receive an SMS in the evening of November 28 (before midnight). This text will include instructions on how to avail of the free data for UAE National Day.
1 year ago
Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Misk Foundation, has signed a publishing and distribution agreement with Koei Tecmo to release Dynasty Warriors: Origins in the Middle East and North Africa, scheduled for Jan. 17, 2025. The game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, according to a press release. Manga Productions will collaborate with Koei Tecmo to localize the game for MENA audiences, involving Saudi talents in the process, in addition to handling its publishing and marketing. The action game will immerse players in legendary battles and strategic combat, set in the iconic Three Kingdoms world of ancient China, appealing to both new and returning fans of the series. Manga Productions CEO Essam Bukhary said: “Saudi Arabia and the MENA region are among the fastest-growing game markets globally. Manga Productions has successfully produced, distributed, and licensed content in recent years. We’re excited to partner with Koei Tecmo to publish this AAA game and invest in Saudi talent to further develop the gaming and creative industries in the region.” Koei Tecmo President and Chief Operating Officer Hisashi Koinuma said that this partnership with Manga Productions goes beyond publishing to deliver a fully localized version tailored for regional […]
1 year ago
The Saudi Space Agency (SSA) announced today the launch of the Centre for Space Futures, the first of its kind within the network of Fourth Industrial Revolution Centres affiliated with the World Economic Forum. This initiative forms part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its leadership in the global space sector and drive growth in economic development, research, and innovation within this vital field. Dr Mohammed bin Saud Al Tamimi, CEO of the Saudi Space Agency and Chairman of the Centre for Space Futures, emphasised that the centre represents a significant addition to the global space sector. He highlighted Saudi Arabia’s commitment to building a sustainable space economy, advancing knowledge, and fostering international partnerships. Dr Al Tamimi noted that the launch of the centre would enhance Saudi Arabia’s regional and global role, enabling humanity to responsibly explore and leverage the opportunities presented by space, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Mishaal Ashemimry, Managing Director of the centre, underscored the importance of the launch, emphasising the value of international collaboration in addressing shared challenges to achieve a sustainable space future, adding that the centre would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s leadership in the global space industry by offering solutions to technical […]
1 year ago
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) has launched ‘Earth Dreams’, a new exhibition at Dubai’s Museum of the Future, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) has launched ‘Earth Dreams’, a new exhibition at Dubai’s Museum of the Future, during the Dubai Future Forum week. The Crown Prince toured the installation on the museum’s ‘Tomorrow, Today’ floor. The exhibition, created by Refik Anadol Studio in partnership with the museum, utilises more than 30 projectors and generative AI to transform millions of nature photographs, satellite imagery, and meteorological data into what creators call “data paintings.” Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan announces AI-powered exhibition at Museum of the Future “Aligned with the Museum of the Future’s mission to create a home for both imagination, and possibility, Earth Dreams is a project that reimagines the complex relationship between technological and artistic innovation in the age of Artificial Intelligence. This synergy leverages the museum’s distinctive […]
1 year ago
The UAE government has launched the “Know Your Customer” (KYC) digital platform to provide accurate, comprehensive, and confidential data for financial transactions. This platform is a key component of the country’s strategy to modernise its financial infrastructure, accelerate digital transformation, and establish a unified legal framework for customer identity verification. It enhances transparency, ensures compliance with financial regulations, and strengthens national efforts to combat financial crime. UAE launches Know Your Customer platform Established under Federal Decree-Law No. 30 of 2024, the KYC platform is a pivotal step in bolstering the national economy. By providing a secure framework for verifying customer identities, the platform fosters greater trust in the UAE’s business and financial systems. Furthermore, it enhances the nation’s global fintech standing through advanced technological solutions tailored to the financial, banking, and insurance sectors, ultimately promoting a stable and sustainable economic environment. The launch of the KYC platform is a significant step in strengthening the leadership of the UAE’s banking sector, positioning it among the world’s top banking industries. By adopting cutting-edge digital solutions, the platform provides an integrated mechanism for verifying customer identities and ensuring compliance with regulations. This enhanced transparency in financial transactions, facilitated by the platform’s accurate and comprehensive data, empowers users […]
1 year ago
Ireland is set to become the next country to face a major threat to its power grid due to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence. Dublin has emerged as the heart of Europe’s data center hub, and hyperscale cloud providers have quickly become a pillar of the country’s economy. But powering the data centers that house the cloud has become a monumental task with the runaway growth of AI. Artificial intelligence requires a stunning amount of energy to train and power its complex computation systems. Currently, the approximate amount of energy needed to sustain the sector’s growth is doubling every 100 days. At a global level, the AI sector alone could be responsible for 3.5 percent of all energy consumption by 2030 according to expert projections. “When you look at the numbers, it is staggering,” Jason Shaw, chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission, an electricity regulator, told the Washington Post earlier this year. “It makes you scratch your head and wonder how we ended up in this situation. How were the projections that far off? This has created a challenge like we have never seen before.” Already, the yearly power consumption of AI is more than most entire countries – only 16 nations in the entire […]
1 year ago
A Saudi government agency has announced a new phase of a pro-environment initiative to replace old air conditioners (ACs) with new ones with the aim of boosting energy efficiency. The National Centre for Waste Management in cooperation with the Saudi Centre for Energy Efficiency announced the launch of the third phase of Estbdal” (Replacement), an initiative aimed to enhance energy efficiency. The latest phase, running until December 2025, seeks to replace 250,000 old AC units, which do not meet environmental standards, and convert them into recyclable materials. The phase builds on successes achieved by the previous two phases during which 88,000 window ACs were recycled. The implementation of the initiative will be expanded in conjunction with the private sector to cover all regions of the kingdom, the Saudi news agency SPA reported. The air conditioner market in Saudi Arabia is projected to rise in value from the current SR2.3 billion to SR3.1 billion by the year 2029, according to a recent media report. Projections are based on climate conditions, fast-paced urban expansion and major projects in the kingdom, reported the Saudi news portal Sabq. Known for extreme summer heat, Saudi Arabia experienced this past summer several heatwaves during which temperatures […]
1 year ago
Apple has released urgent security updates for its iOS and other operating systems to patch against vulnerabilities that both the tech giant and U.S. cybersecurity officials warned could be actively exploited by hackers. Apple’s security updates patch gaps in operating systems for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac products, as well as its Safari web browser, according to a series of security-related announcements on Nov. 19. Specifically, the software updates target iOS 17.7.2 and iPadOS 17.7.2, iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, visionOS 2.1.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1.1, Safari 18.1, and Safari 18.1.1. Apple noted that in all the above-listed cases, the patches fix two significant vulnerabilities in WebKit and JavaScriptCore. These vulnerabilities, which could lead to arbitrary code-execution attacks through malicious web content, may have been exploited by hackers. “Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited on Intel-based Macs,” the company wrote in several of the security alerts. No information was available as to the possible identity of any cyber-threat actors who may have exploited these vulnerabilities. In general, if hackers are able to execute arbitrary code through maliciously crafted web content, this could put sensitive user data at risk, potentially leading to unauthorized access, […]
1 year ago
The release of ChatGPT in the fall of 2022 and the many AI-powered tools that followed in its tracks have sparked an excitement around artificial intelligence that sometimes feels like a 21st century gold rush. “AI is transforming every industry, company and country,” Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia said this week. But, as Statista’s Felix Richter reports, while big tech companies invest billions of dollars to build the infrastructure necessary to run large language models, not everybody is convinced that AI will be as transformational as many people currently believe – especially from a consumer perspective. According to Statista Consumer Insights, there’s still a sizeable share of people who aren’t all that excited about AI. In fact, almost 3 in 10 U.S. adults surveyed by Statista said they didn’t care about AI tools at all. At the other end of the excitement scale, 24 percent of respondents said they liked to try out new and innovative AI tools and 22 percent said that they get excited about them. 20 percent said that AI tools are already a part of their day-to-day life, which seems like a lot considering that the “era of AI”, as Huang recently called it, […]
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