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A year on from the ousting of Assad

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  Damascus, Syria — “Hold your head high, you’re a free Syrian.” The refrain of this Arabic song—now widely embraced as the unofficial anthem of a new Syria—echoes throughout Damascus. It blares from market loudspeakers, rings out during celebrations in the central square, and is even sung by the man offering traditional coffee to new arrivals at the airport. For decades, many Syrians lived with lowered gazes under the authoritarian rule of the Al-Assad family. The regime maintained an expansive surveillance system in which the feared Mukhabarat , the intelligence network, kept the population in check. Remaining silent was often the safest choice—until the Arab Spring ignited an uprising, and Assad’s fierce response plunged the nation into a ten-year civil war. Today, Syrians are openly and energetically marking the first anniversary of what they regard as their liberation from Assad’s government. The celebration follows a rapid rebel offensive on December 8 last year, led by fo...
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PCIe 6.0 SSDs with up to 512TB capacity and 28GB/s speeds are coming soon - and Meta may be the first to get them

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  FADU secures SSD controller supply deals with two hyperscalers and expects to sign a third  After appearing alongside FADU at the FMS 2025 keynote, Meta is thought to be an early adopter. A Korean company outlines the PCIe 6.0 roadmap with 28GB/s speeds and 512TB capacity. South Korea’s FADU has announced it has signed deals to supply its next-generation SSD controllers to two of the world’s largest cloud service operators. According to the Korea Herald, CEO Lee Ji-hyo announced the news at a press conference in Seoul to celebrate the company's tenth anniversary, stating, "We have been confirmed for mass production supply for two of the four global hyperscalers." He added, "Within two to three years, we are confident we will be supplying to all four major companies." "We are also in talks with another hyperscaler, and we expect to finalize that deal by the end of this year." Sierra controller  The four hyperscalers in question are of course AWS, Goog...
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Location: United States
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US court strikes down Trump’s global tariffs as unlawful

 Ruling however allows the levies to stay in place through mid-October  • The US president says he will fight back Washington, D.C.: A US appeals court has ruled that many of President Donald Trump's tariffs, which have disrupted global trade, are illegal. However, it has allowed them to remain in place for the time being to give Trump time to take his case to the Supreme Court. The 7-4 ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Friday affirmed a lower court’s finding that Trump had exceeded his authority in tapping emergency economic powers to impose wide-ranging duties. But the judges allowed the tariffs to stay in place through mid-October — and Trump swiftly made clear he would put the time to use.  The appeals court “incorrectly said that our Tariffs should be removed, but they know the United States of America will win in the end,” he said in a statement on his Truth Social platform lashing out at the ruling.  He added that he would fight back...
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China's Xi says SCO bears 'greater responsibilities' for keeping regional peace

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  Chinese President Xi Jinping told about 20 world leaders he hosted on Sunday evening that the security forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization now bears "greater responsibility" for promoting the development and prosperity of its member states and maintaining regional peace and stability. The ongoing SCO Summit shoulders the important mission of building consensus among all parties and stimulating momentum in cooperation, Xi was cited as telling a welcome banquet, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.
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UN establishes expert panel to guide global governance of AI

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  Body will comprise 40 experts serving three-year terms and will be tasked with producing assessments In light of the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and the potential risks it poses, governments around the world have approved the establishment of a new advisory body dedicated to the field. The Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence was established in accordance with a resolution that was approved on Tuesday by the member states. The task of producing evidence-based assessments of AI's opportunities, risks, and global impacts will be assigned to the body, which will consist of forty experts who will serve three-year terms. Governments are becoming increasingly concerned that AI's rapid spread could harm democracy, violate human rights, and exacerbate inequality if left unchecked. The panel will serve as a platform for dialogue among governments and experts, offering guidance on governance frameworks.  The resolution also calls for a...
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Location: United States
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India is hit with a 50 percent tariff from Trump because it bought oil from Russia.

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Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on most US imports from India, making good on a threat to punish one of the world’s largest economies over its purchases of discounted Russian oil.  The tariffs, which came into effect just after midnight on Wednesday in Washington, risk inflicting significant damage on the Indian economy and further disrupting global supply chains This month, the United States imposed tariffs of 25% on Indian goods. However, Trump announced plans to double the rate, citing New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil as an example. The White House has argued that these purchases are indirectly funding Russia's war against Ukraine. Since re-entering the White House in January, the president of the United States has significantly increased US tariffs on goods from a large portion of the world. This has put a strain on relations with the economies of both allies and rivals and fueled fears of higher inflation. Indian exporters now face some of the highest US duties that T...
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The Pixel Buds 2a and Watch 4 from Google are now smarter than ever.

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  Along with the Pixel 10 series, Google introduced the Pixel Watch 4 and the budget-friendly Pixel Buds 2a to its wearables lineup. The software, design, and artificial intelligence capabilities of both products have been significantly enhanced. 2a Pixel Buds:   The Pixel Buds 2a mark Google’s latest effort to bring premium features to an affordable price point.  The Tensor A1 chip powers these wireless earbuds, which are the first in the A-series to support active noise cancellation and transparency mode. The earbuds are made to be comfortable, and they come with four different sizes of ear tips. They also offer improved voice clarity during calls and voice commands, using AI to filter out background noise in real time.  Voice interactions are handled through Google’s Gemini assistant. Another significant change is the replaceable battery in the charging case that should make repairs easier.  The Pixel Buds 2a cost $129.99 to buy. 4 Pixel Watch The Pixel ...
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