LONDON — Acclaimed British actor Michael Pennington, best known to global audiences for his role in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, has died aged 82, his representatives said. His death was reported on May 10 by The Telegraph, with no cause given. While many will instantly recognize Pennington as the stern Moff Jerjerrod, the Death Star commander famously confronted by Darth Vader on behalf of Emperor Palpatine, his career extended far beyond the galaxy. In fact, it was on the stage, rather than the screen, where he truly made his mark. A towering figure in British…
Author: Editorial Team
Anthropic has reportedly signed a $1.8 billion computing deal with cloud services provider Akamai Technologies to help meet the increased demand for AI software. Bloomberg reported Akamai stated in its Q1 earnings call last week it had struck a seven-year cloud computing deal with a “leading frontier model provider”, but did not name the company. Akamai CEO F. Thomson Leighton stated on the Q1 earnings call the deal was the largest in the company’s history. The deal is the latest in a frantic stretch of infrastructure moves by Anthropic, which has been scrambling to keep pace with demand for its…
Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to offices, coding labs or tech conferences in Dubai. Increasingly, it is showing up in residents’ everyday routines, from ordering coffee and planning workouts to beauty consultations and emotional companionship. At SOIL Café at Kite Beach this week, visitors were greeted by a café experience powered almost entirely by AI. As part of a temporary activation by Yango Group, Yango robots served coffee while customers placed their orders at the counter through Yasmina, the company’s AI assistant. The concept, which ran from May 8 to 10, turned an ordinary beachside coffee stop into a…
BRUSSELS, 11th May, 2026 (WAM) — The EU Council today adopted a decision terminating the partial suspension of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Syrian Arab Republic. The decision repeals Council Decision 2011/523/EU that introduced the suspension. By ending the partial suspension, the Council reinstates the full application of the Cooperation Agreement, marking an important step towards strengthening the bilateral relations between the EU and Syria. The Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Syria, concluded in 1977, provides the framework for economic and trade relations between the parties. Source: Emirates News Agency
ABU DHABI, 11th May, 2026 (WAM) — Space42 on Monday announced a strategic partnership with Skylo Technologies, a leading global non-terrestrial network (NTN) service provider, to deliver standards-based direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity through its geostationary satellite, Thuraya-4. The companies have already demonstrated what this means in practice: a bi-directional, real-time voice call completed over Thuraya-4, no modified SIM and no changes to existing operator core infrastructure. Technology integration between Skylo’s 3GPP-compliant NTN platform and Thuraya-4 is complete, confirming the service is ready for commercial deployment. For carriers, the partnership delivers an integrated extension of their existing network architecture rather than an…
Sony’s semiconductor arm recently agreed a preliminary strategic partnership with TSMC to develop and manufacture the next-generation of image sensors. Additional elements of this agreement include jointly exploring physical AI applications in areas including automotive and robotics. Sony Semiconductor Solutions stated it had signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Taiwan-based company, which could lead to the establishing of a joint venture (JV), of which Sony will be the majority and controlling shareholder. Both companies are currently discussing their respective potential investments in the JV, which are “being considered on the premise that they would be implemented in…
A newly launched digital platform for tracking grocery prices in the UAE is about to get significantly smarter, with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism preparing to integrate artificial intelligence to help residents hunt down the cheapest deals. The Essential Goods Prices Platform, which recently went live to help consumers navigate rising living costs, will soon feature an AI-powered chatbot. According to details shared by the ministry, shoppers will be able to interact directly with the AI assistant, which will analyse their individual purchasing habits and shopping patterns to recommend the most cost-effective outlets for their specific needs. Stay up…
PARIS — A French passenger evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship that was struck by an outbreak of hantavirus has shown symptoms of the disease while being repatriated to France, the country’s prime minister has said. Sébastien Lecornu said the French national developed symptoms while on a chartered flight from Tenerife to Paris, and so all five evacuated from the shiphad been “immediately placed in strict isolation until further notice”. France has also introduced isolation measures for contacts “to protect the general population.” The French citizens are among more than 90 tourists to be ferried home from the Dutch…
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Sunday rejected Iran’s response to the latest US peace proposal for ending the Middle East war as “totally unacceptable”, raising the likelihood of renewed conflict in the Arabian Gulf after weeks of hectic diplomacy to resolve the standoff that has throttled shipping and sent energy prices soaring. Oil prices jumped $3 a barrel on Monday following news of the continued stalemate that leaves the narrow Strait of Hormuz largely closed. Before the war the waterway carried one-fifth of the world’s oil supply and has emerged as one of the central pressure points in the…
For months, Ali Ismail and his family feared that their daughter, Salama, might grow up in silence. The baby never startled at loud noises, never turned when her siblings called her name, never reacted when her father leaned close and raised his voice beside her ears. “We kept hoping maybe she just needed more time,” he said. But at six months old, the family knew something was wrong, setting them on a nine-month search that would lead to one of Abu Dhabi’s most complex paediatric hearing surgeries. “We noticed she didn’t cry when there were loud sounds. She didn’t turn…