Author: AFP

Microsoft CEO pledges $1.7b for AI in Indonesia

JAKARTA: Microsoft’s chief executive officer met the president of Indonesia yesterday, pledging a $1.7 billion investment in artificial intelligence and cloud computing to help develop the archipelago’s AI infrastructure. Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s biggest economy with a population of around 280 million across its sprawling archipelago and there is a

Columbia suspends student protesters

NEW YORK: Student demonstrators at Columbia University, the epicentre of pro-Palestinian protests that have erupted at US colleges, began to be suspended on Monday after defying an ultimatum to disperse. Authorities at the prestigious university in New York demanded that the protest encampment be cleared by 2.00 pm (1800 GMT)

Stunning images of Horsehead Nebula’s mane captured

WASHINGTON: NASA’s James Webb telescope has captured the most detailed infrared images ever taken of the Horsehead Nebula, one of the most majestic and recognizable objects in the night sky, the space agency said Monday. The new observations show the top of the “horse’s mane,” revealing for the first time

Japan town to block Mount Fuji view

TOKYO: A huge black barrier to block Mount Fuji from view will be installed in a popular photo spot by Japanese authorities exasperated by crowds of badly behaved foreign tourists. Construction of the mesh net — 2.5 metres high and the length of a cricket pitch at 20 metres —

Heavy rains lash East Africa

DAR ES SALAAM: At least 155 people have died in Tanzania as torrential rains linked to El Nino triggered flooding and landslides, the country’s prime minister said on Thursday. Tanzania and other countries in East Africa — a region highly vulnerable to climate change — have been pounded by heavier

Panel selected for Trump criminal trial

NEW YORK: A panel of 12 jurors was sworn in on Thursday to sit in judgment of Donald Trump at the unprecedented criminal trial of a former US president. “We have our jury,” said Judge Juan Merchan after a day of intensive questioning of dozens of potential jurors by prosecutors

US media reports Israeli strikes

TEHRAN: Iran’s state media reported explosions in the central province of Isfahan on Friday, as US media quoted officials saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes on its arch-rival. Air defence systems over several Iranian cities were activated, state media reported, after the country’s official broadcaster said explosions were heard

Doctors sue Google Maps over punching bag reviews

TOKYO: Around 60 doctors in Japan have accused Google Maps of ignoring vitriolic reviews of their clinics in a class-action lawsuit touted as the first of its kind. The medics are seeking 1.4 million yen (about RM43,385) in total damages from Google in a bid to hold the US tech

Indonesia’s Mount Ruang erupts again

TAGULANDANG: A remote volcano in Indonesia’s outermost region erupted again Friday, local authorities and an AFP journalist said, after the crater threw up columns of smoke and lava multiple times this week and forced thousands to evacuate. “The volcano erupts again,” said the AFP journalist on the island of Tagulandang

Japanese auto giant Nissan cuts sales, profit forecasts

TOKYO: Japanese auto giant Nissan said on Friday it had lowered its sales and profit forecasts for the fiscal year that ended on March 31, citing higher costs. “The forecast sales volume has been lowered to 3.44 million units, net revenue to 12.6 trillion yen (about RM390.3 billion), and operating