Latest news with #AdlaMassoud
The National
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Who's profiting from AI-generated music?
About the piece by Saeed Saeed AI-generated band Velvet Sundown are a Spotify hit, but is the music any good? (July 2): The writer left out a key point. These AI bands aren't just about experimentation, they're a business model. Streaming models benefit when algorithm driven "safe" music fills up playlists, because it's cheap to make and easy to push. Meanwhile music of real artists gets buried. It's worth asking who actually profits when the human element gets stripped away. Hint: the platforms that host them. Karam Touba, Dubai Yes, AI can make amazing music, if the person or people giving it the prompts are any good. Margaret Reynolds, Muscat, Oman AI music has a parallel in AI-generated photography. Why do people need to generate an image of a person suffering rather than use the thousands of images taken by photojournalists in the field every single day. Those are real people risking their lives to bring us real information. These are machine generated and inauthentic. There really is no comparison. Brenda Davies, Hoi An, Vietnam The kidnapping of Alawite women must stop With regard to Nada Maucourant Atallah and Adla Massoud's report 'Get the money fast if you want her alive': Syria's Alawite women and girls disappear in abductions (July 1): These scenes are unbearably brutal. How can those who call themselves world leaders speak of humanity, yet offer offenders international protection and recognition? Norma L, Cincinnati, US Gaza ceasefire still too far in the distance In reference to Mohamad Ali Harisi's report Hamas reviews Gaza ceasefire proposal as Netanyahu vows 'it's over' for group (July 2): For the Hamas spokesperson Mahmoud Taha to say that US is not serious about ending the Gaza war is odd as it is not a US problem at all. I am concerned about the US economy, US debt and the size of the Pentagon. Frederice Klinge, Hamburg, Germany Hamas is clearly useless as a governing body. It doesn't care about Gaza at all and is perfectly alright with continuing the killings of their own people, with peace still too far away on the horizon. Ali Faisal, Inverness, Scotland Jamie Lucas, London, UK
The National
18-04-2025
- Automotive
- The National
Harvard's turn in Trump's crosshairs
With reference to Adla Massoud's report Trump threatens Harvard after it defied government demands for overhaul (April 15): This was a thoughtful article on the latest developments at Harvard University that has shocked the global academic community. Harvard's defiance of government pressure has raised serious concerns, particularly among international students who have long considered the US to be a top destination for higher education. The global image and reputation of US universities must not be tarnished through political interference. It is crucial that student safety is prioritised throughout their academic tenure. Educational institutions deserve respect and protection, not threats or political attacks. The integrity of academia should never be compromised for political gain. K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India I agree with the views of Alan Garber, the Harvard president when he says no government, regardless of which party is in power, should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue. Susan K, Orlando, Florida Perhaps universities then should not expect the federal money. The federal government sets conditions for funding. Not allowing rampant, radical anti-Semitic propaganda is one of them and seems like a logical condition to my mind. Robert Jeffries, San Antonio, Texas The distraction of tariffs With regard to Alvin Cabral's report Tariff chaos under Trump spells diverging fortunes for gold and oil (April 14): What is this obsession the US administration has with a trade balance? It's beginning to seem to me that a lot of this is a distraction from bigger things happening in the background. David Otieno, Agadir, Morocco In these tariff wars, we must not forget the tears and anguish of the orphans and widows in the Ukraine and Gaza wars, otherwise history will not forgive us. Rajendra Aneja, Dubai A year of car troubles In reference to Nick Webster's article Car industry feels aftermath of historic UAE floods one year on (April 15): My car is still in the garage for the recovery process. It's been a year of waiting and waiting. I have full coverage it's been a year of the car being parked in the garage for this never-ending fixing. Fernanada Troy, Dubai The relentless assault on Gaza Regarding Nagham Mohanna's piece Civil defence blames Gaza strike death toll on Israel blockading rescue gear (April 10): In a sense, there is no more Gaza. Just grief, rubble and little shoes buried in dust. Sophia Martinez, San Francisco, US
The National
10-02-2025
- Politics
- The National
UN suspends humanitarian operations in Yemen's Saada province after staff detentions
Pause intended to give time to Houthi authorities and UN to arrange release of 'arbitrarily detained UN personnel' Adla Massoud United Nations February 10, 2025 The UN on Monday announced the suspension of all humanitarian operations in Yemen's Houthi-controlled region of Saada, after the detention of eight more UN staff. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has ordered all UN agencies, funds and programmes to halt activities in Saada governorate due to the lack of necessary security guarantees, deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. 'This extraordinary and temporary measure seeks to balance the imperative to stay and deliver with the need to have the safety and security of the UN personnel and its partners guaranteed,' Mr Haq said. The pause is intended to 'give time to the de facto authorities and the United Nations to arrange the release of arbitrarily detained UN personnel and ensure that the necessary conditions are in place to deliver critical humanitarian support", he added. In late January, the UN announced that the Iran-backed Houthis had detained seven staff members, a number that has now been revised to eight. Since the group took Yemen's capital Sanaa and ousted the internationally recognised government in 2014, the Houthis have been accused of kidnapping, arbitrarily detaining and torturing hundreds of civilians, including UN and NGO personnel. In June, the Houthis detained 13 UN staff members, including six from the Human Rights Office, more than 50 charity workers and a US embassy employee. The group claimed it had uncovered 'an American-Israeli spy network' operating under the guise of humanitarian organisations. The allegation was strongly rejected by the UN Human Rights Office. In early August, the Houthis stormed the UNHCR office in Yemen, seizing keys, documents and property before returning them later that month. Seven UN agencies, including the World Food Programme, the World Health Organisation and Unicef, are active in Saada, along with international aid organisations, according to the world body. Late last month, the UN suspended all travel into areas controlled by the Houthi rebels.
