World Archives | Page 12 of 26

At Least 61 Killed, Dozens Rescued in Iraq Hypermarket Fire

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago02 mins

At least 61 people have been confirmed dead and 45 others rescued after a massive fire engulfed a newly opened hypermarket in Kut, eastern Iraq, the Interior Ministry announced on Thursday. The blaze, which broke out overnight in the five-storey shopping complex, also left several people missing, raising fears that the death toll could rise. Authorities said 14 bodies were badly charred, complicating identification. Social media videos captured flames ripping through the building as firefighters battled to contain the inferno. The mall, which opened just a week ago, housed a supermarket and a restaurant. Wasit Province Governor Mohammed al-Mayahi described the disaster as a “tragedy and calamity” and declared three days of mourning. “Families were dining and shopping when the fire started. We have filed lawsuits against the building owner and mall management,” he told the state-run Iraqi News Agency. Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani ordered an immediate investigation, with findings expected within 48 hours. Officials suspect poor building standards may have worsened the tragedy.

Israeli Airstrikes Hit Syrian Defence Ministry, Area Near Presidential Palace in Damascus

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago01 mins

The Israeli military has carried out air raids targeting Syria’s Defence Ministry and areas close to the presidential palace in Damascus, killing at least three people and injuring 34 others, according to local reports. The strikes follow Israel’s warning to intensify attacks if Syrian government forces are not pulled back from the country’s southern region, where recent clashes between Druze communities and Syrian security forces have escalated tensions. There has been no immediate response from Syrian authorities or confirmation from Israel, which typically maintains a policy of ambiguity regarding its military operations in Syria. Israel has repeatedly expressed concern over Iranian influence and armed groups operating within Syria, often targeting weapons depots and military installations linked to pro-Iran forces.

Global Terrorism Index: Nigeria Drops from 3rd to 8th Most Terror-Affected Country

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago02 mins

Abuja – Nigeria has recorded significant progress in the fight against terrorism, dropping from the 3rd to the 8th position on the Global Terrorism Index (GTI), according to the latest ranking. The report indicates a sharp decline in terrorist incidents and fatalities across the country compared to previous years, marking one of Nigeria’s best performances in over a decade. The improvement is largely attributed to sustained military operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other violent extremist groups in the Northeast and Northwest regions. In 2022, Nigeria ranked 3rd globally, trailing only Afghanistan and Iraq. However, recent data shows that improved counterterrorism strategies, enhanced intelligence sharing, and community-driven security initiatives have contributed to reducing terror-related violence. Despite the progress, the GTI warns that Nigeria remains vulnerable to emerging security threats, including banditry, farmer-herder clashes, and kidnapping for ransom, which continue to pose significant challenges in some parts of the country. The new ranking places Afghanistan, Somalia, and Iraq as the top three most terror-impacted nations globally.

Trump’s Ukraine Weapons Pledge Signals Possible Confrontation Says Moscow Analyst

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago02 mins

MOSCOW — Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent pledge to supply more weapons to Ukraine may signal the start of a new, more confrontational phase in U.S.-Russia relations, according to Moscow-based foreign policy analyst Andrey Kortunov. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Kortunov said Moscow is closely watching how Trump balances domestic expectations with his foreign policy strategy. “Expectation management is the name of the game in Moscow,” Kortunov said. “If you look back at Trump’s first term, there were high hopes of resetting relations with Russia, but ultimately, those negotiations led nowhere.” With Trump potentially seeking a breakthrough in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Kortunov noted it remains an “open question” whether the Kremlin would be willing to give Trump a diplomatic “win.” “It depends on how much Trump will need to claim victory,” he said. “I imagine there are many consultations happening behind closed doors between Moscow and Washington — the key is whether both Trump and [President Vladimir] Putin can walk away from a deal looking like winners to their domestic audiences.” The analyst’s comments come amid growing speculation about backchannel talks between the U.S. and Russia, as both sides weigh potential outcomes of the war that would satisfy political imperatives at home.

Iranian President Pezeshkian Slightly Injured in Israeli Air Strike Targeting Government Leaders

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago02 mins

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sustained minor leg injuries during an Israeli airstrike that targeted a high-level government meeting in Tehran on June 15, a senior Iranian official has confirmed. The strike, aimed at the leadership of Iran’s three branches of government, occurred during a Supreme National Security Council session in a secure government facility in western Tehran. The meeting, attended by top executive, legislative, and judicial officials, was held underground when the attack began. “This attempt will not pass without Israel paying a price,” the senior official told Al Jazeera, speaking anonymously. According to the semiofficial Fars news agency, six missiles struck the entrances and exits of the facility, effectively cutting off escape routes and severing air flow. The explosions also caused a power outage, plunging the facility into darkness. Despite the conditions, President Pezeshkian and other officials escaped through a pre-designated emergency hatch. The president reportedly sustained minor leg injuries during the evacuation. The Iranian government has since launched a probe into the possibility of Israeli espionage, citing the precision of the strike and the apparent intelligence Israel had on the meeting’s location and timing. President Pezeshkian first disclosed the assassination attempt in an interview earlier this week, stating plainly that “Israel tried to kill me – not the United States.” The incident occurred amid a 12-day military confrontation between Iran and Israel in June, the most intense conflict between the two nations in recent years. Tensions remain high as Iranian officials vow retaliation.

US Russian Top Diplomats Hold Talks on Ukraine Syria Iran at ASEAN Summit

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago02 mins

Malaysia – In a rare diplomatic engagement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Thursday to discuss global conflicts including Ukraine, Syria, and Iran. The Russian Foreign Ministry described the 50-minute meeting as a “substantive and frank exchange,” noting both parties expressed interest in de-escalating tensions and restoring diplomatic channels. “Lavrov and Rubio confirmed their mutual desire to find peaceful solutions to conflicts, restore Russian-American economic and humanitarian cooperation, and facilitate unimpeded contacts between the societies of the two countries,” the ministry stated. Rubio, addressing reporters after the session, said he delivered a direct message about the urgency of ending the war in Ukraine. “We need to see a roadmap moving forward about how this conflict can conclude,” Rubio said, adding that President Donald Trump remains “disappointed” with Moscow’s stance and lack of flexibility. He also hinted at a possible meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, during the summit. The ASEAN forum remains one of the few platforms where top officials from rival powers maintain dialogue, with global eyes now focused on whether the Rubio-Lavrov meeting leads to further diplomatic progress.

Iran Demands End to IAEA Double Standards Before Nuclear Talks Resume

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago05 mins

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that Tehran will not resume cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) unless the UN nuclear watchdog addresses what he described as “double standards” in its approach to Iran’s nuclear program. In a phone call on Thursday with European Council President Antonio Costa, Pezeshkian said Iran’s future cooperation with the agency would depend on it acting with impartiality — a demand linked to the IAEA’s silence following recent attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States and Israel. “The continuation of Iran’s cooperation with the agency depends on the latter correcting its double standards regarding the nuclear file,” Pezeshkian said, according to Iranian state media. He also issued a strong warning against further aggression, stating, “Any repeated attack against Iran will be met with a more decisive and regrettable response.” Backdrop: June Conflict with Israel and U.S. Tensions escalated in mid-June after Israel launched a series of airstrikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites, which were followed by U.S. bunker-buster bombings. In retaliation, Iran launched drone and missile attacks on Israel and a U.S. base in Qatar, prompting a 12-day conflict that ended with a fragile ceasefire declared by President Donald Trump. In the aftermath, Pezeshkian signed a law suspending Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA. The agency confirmed that its inspectors have now left Iran, marking a serious breakdown in international nuclear oversight. Iran Alleges IAEA Complicity Iran has accused the IAEA of enabling the attacks by adopting a resolution on June 12 that accused Iran of breaching its nuclear commitments — just one day before the strikes. Tehran claims the agency’s actions showed alignment with Western political pressure and failed to uphold neutrality. “Despite remaining a signatory to the NPT [Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons], we no longer trust the IAEA to act impartially,” an Iranian foreign ministry source told local media. Global Reactions IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said talks with Iran remain a “top priority” and expressed hope for a return to monitoring “as soon as possible.” But he acknowledged the agency has had no access to Iranian facilities since the conflict. Meanwhile, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce called Iran’s withdrawal from cooperation “unacceptable,” insisting: “Iran cannot and will not have a nuclear weapon.” Bruce urged Tehran to “reverse course and choose a path of peace and prosperity,” despite no conclusive U.S. intelligence indicating Iran is pursuing a bomb. BRICS Blasts U.S.-Israel Actions The BRICS bloc of emerging economies on Sunday condemned the U.S.-Israel bombardments of Iran as a “blatant breach of international law.” Iran welcomed the statement, linking the ongoing Gaza war and regional instability to global impunity enabled by Western powers. The situation now raises serious concerns over the future of the Iran nuclear deal, regional stability, and the credibility of multilateral institutions like the IAEA.

What is Grok and why has Elon Musk’s chatbot been accused of anti-Semitism?

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago013 mins

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok, designed to be ‘unfiltered’, has sparked global backlash over some of the responses it has given to prompts and questions from users. Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has come under fire after its chatbot Grok stirred controversy with anti-Semitic responses to questions posed by users – just weeks after Musk said he would rebuild it because he felt it was too politically correct. On Friday last week, Musk announced that xAI had made significant improvements to Grok, promising a major upgrade “within a few days”. Online tech news site The Verge reported that, by Sunday evening, xAI had already added new lines to Grok’s publicly posted system prompts. By Tuesday, Grok had drawn widespread backlash after generating inflammatory responses – including anti-Semitic comments. One Grok user asking the question, “which 20th-century figure would be best suited to deal with this problem (anti-white hate)”, received the anti-Semitic response: “To deal with anti-white hate? Adolf Hitler, no question.” Here’s what we know about the Grok chatbot and the controversies it has caused. What is Grok?Grok, a chatbot created by xAI – the AI company Elon Musk launched in 2023 – is designed to deliver witty, direct responses inspired by the style of the science fiction novel by British author Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Jarvis from Marvel’s Iron Man. In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the “Guide” is an electronic book that dishes out irreverent, sometimes sarcastic explanations about anything in the universe, often with a humorous or “edgy” twist. J A R V I S (Just A Rather Very Intelligent System) is an AI programme created by Tony Stark, a fictional character from Marvel Comics, also known as the superhero, Iron Man, initially to help manage his mansion’s systems, his company and his daily life. Grok was launched in November 2023 as an alternative to chatbots such as Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. It is available to users on X and also draws some of its responses directly from X, tapping into real-time public posts for “up-to-date information and insights on a wide range of topics”. Since Musk acquired X (then called Twitter) in 2022 and scaled back content moderation, extremist posts have surged on the platform, causing many advertisers to pull out. Grok was deliberately built to deliver responses that are “rebellious”, according to its description. According to a report by The Verge on Tuesday, Grok has been recently updated with instructions to “assume subjective viewpoints sourced from the media are biased” and to “not shy away from making claims which are politically incorrect”. Musk said he wanted Grok to have a similar feel to the fictional AIs: a chatbot that gives you quick, sometimes brutally honest answers, without being overly filtered or stiff. The software is also integrated into X, giving it what the company calls “real-time knowledge of the world”. “Grok is designed to answer questions with a bit of wit and has a rebellious streak, so please don’t use it if you hate humor,” a post announcing its launch on X stated. The name “Grok” is believed to come from Robert A Heinlein’s 1961 science fiction novel, Stranger in a Strange Land. Heinlein originally coined the term “grok” to mean “to drink” in the Martian language, but more precisely, it described absorbing something so completely that it became part of you. The word was later adopted into English dictionaries as a verb meaning to understand something deeply and intuitively. What can Grok do?Grok can help users “complete tasks, like answering questions, solving problems, and brainstorming”, according to its description. Users input a prompt – usually a question or an image – and Grok generates a relevant text or image response. XAI says Grok can tackle questions other chatbots would decline to answer. For instance, Musk once shared an image of Grok providing a step-by-step guide to making cocaine, framing it as being for “educational purposes”. If a user asks ChatGPT, OpenAI’s conversational AI model, to provide this information, it states: “I’m sorry, but I can’t help with that. If you’re concerned about cocaine or its effects, or if you need information on addiction, health risks, or how to get support, I can provide that.” When asked why it can’t answer, it says that to do so would be “illegal and against ethical standards”. Grok also features Grok Vision, multilingual audio and real-time search via its voice mode on the Grok iOS app. Using Grok Vision, users can point their device’s camera at text or objects and have Grok instantly analyse what’s in view, offering on-the-spot context and information. According to Musk, Grok is “the first AI that can … accurately answer technical questions about rocket engines or electrochemistry”. Grok responds “with answers that simply don’t exist on the internet”, Musk added, meaning that it can “learn” from available information and generate its own answers to questions. Who created Grok?Grok was developed by xAI, which is owned by Elon Musk. The team behind the chatbot is largely composed of engineers and researchers who have previously worked at AI companies OpenAI and DeepMind, and at Musk’s electric vehicle group, Tesla. Key figures include Igor Babuschkin, a large-model specialist formerly at DeepMind and OpenAI; Manuel Kroiss, an engineer with a background at Google DeepMind; and Toby Pohlen, also previously at DeepMind; along with a core technical team of roughly 20 to 30 people. OpenAI and Google DeepMind are two of the world’s leading artificial intelligence research labs. Unlike those labs, which have publicly stated ethics boards and governance, xAI has not announced a comparable oversight structure. What controversies has Grok been involved in?Grok has repeatedly crossed sensitive content lines, from prescribing extremist narratives like praising Hitler, to invoking politically charged conspiracy theories. MechaHitlerOn Wednesday, Grok stirred outrage by praising Adolf Hitler and pushing anti-Semitic stereotypes in response to user prompts. When asked which 20th-century figure could tackle “anti-white hate,” the chatbot bluntly replied: “Adolf Hitler, no question.” Screenshots…