Source: BBC
Security & Justice
State Action Signals Change in Tackling Longstanding Illegal Land Grabs in Jbeil District
For years, the serene villages of Jbeil's highlands have been far from peaceful. Ghabat, a Maronite village nestled between the predominantly Shiite towns of Afqa and Lassa, has become a focal point of growing tensions due to territorial disputes.
Friday, December 20, 2024
Mawlawi Ensures Strict Monitoring for Wanted Syrian Regime Figures at Beirut Airport
Caretaker Minister of Interior, Bassam Mawlawi, conducted an inspection tour of Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut to review the security arrangements and measures implemented by the Airport Security Apparatus ahead of the holiday season.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Opinion
Lebanon After the Assads
The United States has important equities in Lebanon, including a desire for a generally friendly government’s economic and political stability; security cooperation; long-standing relations with the large Christian community in Lebanon and Lebanese diaspora in the United States; and ultimately peace between Israel and Lebanon within a broader regional settlement. Achieving these objectives will require navigating a tumultuous period in the country’s history following a war between Hezbollah and Israel that has devastated a large part of the country, exacerbating Lebanon’s already challenging economic conditions. But perhaps the most important dynamic will be how a likely Sunni-dominated state of uncertain composition in Syria will differ in its intentions toward Lebanon from the previous Alawite-led minoritarian Assad regime.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Europe’s Syrian Dilemma
The news of the sudden and unexpected demise of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has met a mixed response in Europe. The jubilation that a murderous dictator and close ally of Russia and Iran has fallen is not just good for the Syrian people but serves as a morale booster for Eastern Europeans wondering whether Russia can be defeated
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo Unveils New Private Jet Worth $73 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the richest global athletes, has unveiled his upgraded private jet reportedly worth $73 million. With its top-notch design, exceptional speed and range of 7500 nautical miles, the Gulfstream G650 is among the fastest jets in the world.
Monday, December 16, 2024
Guardiola Accepts Man City May Need to Sign More Players to Cope with Schedule
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes he will need a bigger squad to handle soccer’s ever-expanding fixture schedule.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Tuesday 11 April 2023 13:47:10
Kuwait News Outlet Unveils AI-Generated Presenter Fedha
A Kuwaiti media outlet says it has created a virtual news presenter using artificial intelligence (AI).
"Fedha" made her debut on the Twitter account of Kuwait News, an affiliate of the Kuwait Times.
She appears as an image of a woman with light-coloured hair, wearing a black jacket and white T-shirt.
Abdullah Boftain, deputy editor-in-chief for Kuwait News, told AFP news agency the move tested AI's potential to offer "new and innovative content".
"I'm Fedha, the first presenter in Kuwait who works with artificial intelligence at Kuwait News. What kind of news do you prefer? Let's hear your opinions," the AI-generated presenter said in Arabic.
أول مذيعة في #الكويت تعمل بالذكاء الاصطناعي
— كويت نيوز (@KuwaitNews) April 8, 2023
• #فضة.. مذيعة #كويت_نيوز الافتراضية
• ما هي نوعية الأخبار التي تفضلونها بتقديم #فضة زميلتنا الجديدة؟ .. شاركونا آراءكم pic.twitter.com/VlVjasSdpb
Mr Boftain said Fedha may develop to have a Kuwaiti accent and read online news bulletins.
"Fedha is a popular, old Kuwaiti name that refers to silver, the metal. We always imagine robots to be silver and metallic in colour, so we combined the two," he said.
The presenter's blonde hair and light-coloured eyes reflect the country's diverse population of Kuwaitis and expatriates, Mr Boftain said.
Kuwait is not the first country to unveil an AI-generated news presenter: in 2018, China's state news agency unveiled its own virtual newsreadersporting a sharp suit and a somewhat robotic voice.
A report last month by investment bank Goldman Sachs said AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs.
The report suggested the technology could take over a quarter of work tasks in the US and Europe, but that it may also mean new jobs and a productivity boom.
