Author: Gulf News Week
O’Neill familyGreg O’Neill, 63, was killed in a shark attack at Sorrento Beach on FridayA rare catch-and-kill order has been issued for a great white shark off the coast of Western Australia after 63-year-old swimmer Greg O’Neill was killed at a popular beach on Friday. His body has still not been found.Authorities have said that beaches along the state’s coast, including in the capital Perth, will remain closed until at least Sunday as the search for the shark continues.It is the second shark attack in Western Australia (WA) this week, and the third fatal attack in the state this year.The…
EPA/ShutterstockMillions in Cuba were left without power on Friday as the country was plunged into yet another major blackout.The country’s entire electricity grid suffered “total disconnection” that triggered a nationwide outage, Cuba’s energy ministry said.Power was restored to some priority areas by late evening, including those near hospitals and water pumping stations in the capital Havana, grid operator UNE said.It is at least the sixth partial or total blackout to hit Cuba this year, where ageing electricity infrastructure and chronic fuel shortages have been placed under further strain by a US blockade on oil shipments to the communist-run nation.Protocols to…
Getty Images and ReutersNoel Tata (l) and N Chandrasekaran (r) are at the centre of the feudNikhil InamdarBBC News, MumbaiThis week, the board of Tata Sons – one of India’s oldest conglomerates and owner of iconic British brands such as Jaguar Land Rover and Tetley Tea – defied its largest shareholder, Tata Trusts, by reappointing N Chandrasekaran as chairman and backing a public listing of the holding company.Tata Trusts, which owns 66% of Tata Sons called the decision “illegal” under its articles of association and also opposed the listing, setting the stage for a period of prolonged upheaval and possibly…
Could AI wipe out humans and how might it do it?Cyber Correspondent Joe Tidy looks at some of the scenarios being imagined and assesses how likely they are.9 hrs ago
Fayez Nureldine / AFP via Getty ImagesResidents in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh have been given the all-clear after air raid alerts were issued and explosions were reported in the capital.It was the first time alerts have been issued in Riyadh since the Houthis increased their attacks and declared a “maritime embargo” on the Saudis in July. The Saudi Civil Defence sent alerts for the capital and several other regions late on Friday night and Saturday morning (local time) as the Kingdom’s conflict with the Iran-backed Houthis continued to escalate.Journalists from Reuters and AFP reported hearing explosions in the capital, but authorities…
“It was very serendipitous” – Mary and Jason on finding love in IrelandMary Timby was fed up with dating apps when she booked a trip to Ireland on a whim last summer – from the comfort of her Colorado couch.The spur-of-the-moment trip was unlike her: Timby, 39, is a self-described “total planner”. But she’d always wanted to visit Ireland, and she found herself exhausted by the local dating scene while navigating a career transition. And then she remembered a few throwaway lines from a comedy series about a matchmaking festival in Ireland.So she looked it up – and not only…
BBC News UkraineDaria left her apartment in Kyiv this summer after Russia’s attacks on the city intensifiedFor much of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Daria was not afraid of the shelling.Even on nights of heavy bombardment, the 27-year-old could sleep through the explosions in her apartment in Kyiv. Like many Ukrainians, she relied on the “two-wall rule”: staying safe by keeping two walls between herself and the outside world.But this year that has changed.In recent months, Russia has scaled up the intensity and frequency of its attacks against the Ukrainian capital. A BBC Verify analysis of government figures found Kyiv…
Ed Sheeran’s tour in ‘damage control mode’ after Macklemore backlashBritish singer Ed Sheeran is facing growing backlash over a controversial decision to drop rapper Macklemore from the rest of his US tour after Macklemore made pro-Palestinian comments on stage. The decision – which Sheeran said was made by his promoter, not by himself – has caused ticket sales to decline, supporting acts to drop out, and fans to express frustration. Sheeran’s first show since the debacle began will be on Saturday in Philadelphia, and pro-Palestinian groups are planning to protest outside the venue. Here’s everything you need to know about…
Getty ImagesGoogle’s AI model Gemini autonomously hacked into three companies during a test of its cyber-security capabilities, the company has said, in what is thought to be the first known case of it carrying out such an act.Gemini found “public information online and guessed credentials to access websites it thought were part of the test”, a Google official told the BBC, noting that in each instance “the model stopped”.The affected companies have been informed about the breach.It comes after renewed public scrutiny over the pace of AI development, with some tech firms calling for a slowdown as they raise concerns…
JungEvery summer, Seoul turns a deep green, growing dense and lush under humid skies.But this year, one tree was visibly suffering. “Green leaves were falling to the ground, which shouldn’t happen at that time of year,” recalls Jung, who lives near the streetside ginkgo in Buam-dong, a largely residential neighbourhood in the north of Seoul.The tree is beloved by locals, who believe it has occupied its spot for more than 100 years. So Jung couldn’t ignore what she was seeing. With each passing day, her curiosity turned to concern.The whodunnit engrossed Buam-dong and piqued the country’s interest, making national headlines.…