Author: News Desk

San Francisco: OpenAI has officially launched Sora, its highly anticipated text-to-video generator, now accessible to users in the United States and several international markets. Initially introduced in February for select artists, filmmakers, and safety testers, Sora allows users to create AI-generated video clips from written prompts. For instance, one prompt produced a video of woolly mammoths walking through a desert. The company describes Sora as a tool to inspire creativity and expand the possibilities of video storytelling. However, the rollout has not been without challenges. OpenAI wrote in a blog post that, “We hope this early version of Sora will…

United States: Google has introduced its latest quantum computing chip, “Willow,” which promises groundbreaking capabilities. The chip reportedly solves a problem in five minutes that would take the world’s fastest supercomputers an unfathomable 10 septillion years to complete. Leap in Quantum Computing Quantum computing leverages the peculiar principles of particle physics to solve problems exponentially faster than classical computers. “Willow,” described by Google as the most advanced quantum processor to date, incorporates breakthroughs in error correction—a key challenge in quantum computing for decades. Hartmut Neven, the head of Google’s Quantum AI lab, said the chip represents a significant step toward…

Reno, Nevada: A U.S. probate commissioner has denied Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to amend his family trust to ensure control of his global media empire passes solely to his eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch. Nevada Commissioner Edmund Gorman ruled that Murdoch and Lachlan acted in “bad faith” in their efforts, describing the plan as a “carefully crafted charade” to secure Lachlan’s executive roles regardless of the impact on other beneficiaries. The trust, formed in 1999 during Murdoch’s divorce from his second wife, Anna, currently divides control of the family’s 40% voting stakes in Fox Corp and News Corp equally among Murdoch’s four…

Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump has reiterated his commitment to the promises that shaped his campaign, including mass deportations, new tariffs, and a reshaped foreign policy in his first television interview since re-election. Trump addressed a range of controversial issues, starting with immigration. Trump reaffirmed his stance on deporting individuals who have entered the United States without authorisation, stressing that the US must adhere to its laws. “I think you have to do it, and it’s a very tough thing to do, but you have rules, regulations, laws. They came in illegally,” Trump said. Trump also reasserted the plan to…

Melbourne, Australia: Victoria Police has officially classified the arson attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne, which occurred, as a terrorist act. This decision came after a meeting between Victoria Police, Australian Federal Police (AFP), and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton described the attack as “targeted,” “callous,” and an assault on the Jewish community, with significant concerns about the emboldened nature of the crime. The attack, which resulted in extensive damage to the synagogue, was carried out early on Friday,  6th of December, with about 60 firefighters and 17 trucks were called to the…

Brussels: Chancellor Rachel Reeves will make a historic address to European finance leaders on Monday, calling for a reset of relations between the UK and the EU to drive economic growth. In the first speech by a British chancellor to the Eurogroup since Brexit, Reeves will highlight the importance of “breaking down barriers to trade” and facilitating mutual market access for businesses. Reeves is expected to stress that the UK’s renewed engagement with the EU should be focused on building a “mature, business-like relationship” that benefits both parties. While the Labour Party has repeatedly ruled out rejoining the EU, it…

Moscow: Bashar al-Assad, the ousted President of Syria, and his family have arrived in Russia after being granted asylum by Russian authorities on “humanitarian grounds,” according to Russian news agencies. The Kremlin confirmed the family’s relocation on 8th of December. The whereabouts of al-Assad were uncertain after opposition forces captured Damascus, declaring the fall of his regime. Reports suggest that al-Assad may have been evacuated via a Russian plane from a Syrian airbase in Latakia, though the plane’s transponder was turned off during departure. US President Joe Biden commented on the situation, acknowledging that al-Assad might be in Moscow but…

Ghana: Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President and Flag Bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has accepted his defeat in the 2024 Ghana Presidential Election and congratulated opposition leader and Ghana’s former President John Dramani Mahama from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the win. Ahead of the official declaration by the Electoral Commission (EC), supervisors of the presidential election, the NDC announced at a media conference that its internal collation of the provisional results of the election suggests a massive victory for the Party. Addressing the nation, Dr. Bawumia said the NPP’s own internal collation also suggested an…

Damascus, Syria: Syria’s rebel forces, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (HTS) announced the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule after capturing Damascus in a swift offensive that swept across the country. In a televised statement, fighters proclaimed the capital “free of al-Assad” revealing that Assad had fled, though his whereabouts remain unknown. Fighters also released the prisoners held in Sednaya Prison north of Damascus, as they have done in other cities they took during their advance. The opposition’s advance began on November 27, resulting in the capture of major cities like Aleppo and Hama. Videos shared online showed fighters…

Washington DC: US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin has unveiled a $988 million military aid package for Ukraine, emphasizing continued support as the country resists the ongoing Russian invasion. Austin was speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum hosted by the Ronald Reagan Institute, where he discussed the future of America’s national security and the progress achieved over the past four years. This announcement brings total US military aid to Ukraine since February 2022 to $62 billion, showcasing a robust commitment under President Joe Biden’s administration. The new aid package includes drones and munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems…