WeChat app banned in Canada
WeChat is one of the most used apps in the world. It is ubiquitous in China and also popular in Southeast Asia and within Chinese diaspora communities. The Chinese-owned app is sometimes referred to as the “everything app” – like WhatsApp, Facebook, Amazon and Tinder all in one. However Western governments have security concerns about
Moscow might confiscate EU assets
European Union leaders have supported a proposal to use billions of euros in windfall taxes from Russian assets tied up in the West to rebuild Ukraine. The assets have been frozen since February 2022 when the West introduced a raft of sanctions to cripple Russia’s ability to finance the war against Ukraine, most notably by
Renaming of the disputed area in south China sea
The West Philippine Sea is the term used by Manila to describe the eastern parts of the South China Sea that are within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and territorial waters. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla last week proposed renaming the West Philippine Sea as the “Sea of Asia” when his department files a case
Saudi Arabia -Sri Lanka tourism sector
Saudi Arabia continues to collaborate with other member countries of the organization to craft a strategy with clear objectives for a prosperous future in global tourism. Saudi Arabia’s dedication to advancing global tourism is further underscored by its selection to host the 26th session of the World Tourism Organization in 2025, marking the first time
paid subscriptions on Facebook and Instagram
Facebook and Instagram are launching subscriptions in most of Europe that will remove adverts from the platforms. Users will be given the choice either to continue using the platforms for free – and have their data collected or to pay and completely opt out of targeted ads by removing them. The subscription tier will be
US action on AI safety
An executive order from President Biden requires Artificial Intelligence (AI) developers to share safety results with the US government. The White House has announced what it is calling “the most significant actions ever taken by any government to advance the field of AI safety.” It places the US at the centre of the global debate
China restricts exports of graphite
America’s latest volley, which restricts the types of chips that can be sold to China, had been anticipated for weeks. Its original controls curtailed sales to Chinese entities of the cutting edge chips used in the development of artificial intelligence. This included the a100 chip made by Nvidia, a Californian chipmaker. The Chinese government was
The long-term bet on metaverse
In the year since it has been rehabilitated. Meta’s core business engaging 3.1bn people a day on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, and selling advertisers access to their attention is back to rude health. On October 25th the company reported revenues of $34.1bn in the third quarter, up by 23% year on year. That was the
America global role in wars
Two hulking us Navy aircraft-carriers have been sent to support Israel. Their task is to deter Hizbullah and its sponsor Iran from opening a second front across the Lebanese border. The carriers are a 200,000-tonne declaration of American power at a time when much of the world believes that American power is in decline. On
The plan to encircle Hamas
The Israel Defence Forces (idf) had indeed entered Gaza from two points: around Beit Hanoun, a town in the north, and Bureij, near the narrow midpoint of the 45km-long strip. Relentless air strikes and artillery had provided cover for dozens of tanks and other armoured vehicles carrying infantry and combat-engineering troops. As night fell over