Tuesday, October 13, 2026Jumada I 2, 1448 AH

العربية
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The news, anew

Asharq Al-Awsat English

Business

Oil Falls as Trump Comments on Iran Talks Ease Supply Concerns

Oil prices fell on Friday as Middle East supply concerns eased after US President Donald Trump said the country would not attack Iran before US elections next month, amid productive talks to end their war that has disrupted global energy markets. Brent crude futures dropped $1.68, or 1.61%, to $102.6 a barrel by 0819 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell $1.31, or 1.43%, to $90.18, Reuters reported. On a weekly basis, Brent prices are set to rise after settling 4% higher on Thursday, while WTI is set for a slight decline.

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Business

London Copper Rises on Supply Risks, China Buying

London copper rose on Friday, recovering from the previous session's loss, as mine disruptions and buying in top consumer China supported prices. Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was up 1.16% at $14,475 a metric ton by 0700 GMT, after dropping 1.15% in the previous session. It has climbed 1.52% so far this week, Reuters reported. The most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange fell 0.57% to 110,110 yuan a ton, tracking overnight losses in London.

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Technology

OpenAI Says it Has Fired 3 Researchers for Violating Sensitive Information Policy

OpenAI fired three of its researchers last week after an investigation found they violated policies on handling sensitive information, the AI major said in a post on X on Friday. OpenAI's statement comes after the dismissed researchers Jasmine Wang, Tomek Korbak and Mikita Balesni published a ⁠letter outlining the circumstances ⁠of their termination, arguing that their abrupt firing could create uncertainty among remaining employees and undermine the culture that previously allowed researchers to raise safety concerns.

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Technology

Chinese AI Tool Pulled to Prevent 'Misuse' after South Korea Hacks

Chinese AI cybersecurity tool Artex said it stopped programmers from accessing its source code, acknowledging misuse by "bad actors" after South Korea linked it to several recent bank hacks. Artex was designed to help organizations strengthen their cyber defenses through security testing to find potential weak points. But the South Korean government said this week it was "highly likely" Artex had been used in data breaches at more than seven financial institutions, including major banks.

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News

Ethiopian Police Ask Residents in Tigray Regional Capital to Help Restore Order after Rebels Pullout

Ethiopia's federal police fanned out Friday across the regional capital of Tigray after anti-government forces pulled out, driving in vehicles and calling on residents over loudspeakers to help establish a new administration following the rebels' withdrawal. Over the weekend, government-allied fighters had entered Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, announced its withdrawal.

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News

Civil Aviation Authority: 3 Saudis Killed in Thursday's Attacks on Riyadh Airport

Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said Friday that three of the Kingdom's nationals were killed in attacks the day before on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. "The attacks resulted in the martyrdom of three Saudi citizens," the General Authority of Civil Aviation said, adding the attacks targeted the airport's facilities and a plane belonging to national flag carrier Saudia. The first attack targeted airport facilities, while the second struck the aircraft, the statement said.

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Business

China and EU Trade Envoys Seek Ways to Ease Tensions over Growing Imbalances

The top trade envoys for China and the European Union were wrapping up two days of talks Friday aimed at calming escalating tensions over growing imbalances between the two giant economies. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic traveled to Beijing saying it was crucial that the negotiations deliver “tangible outcomes” in rebalancing trade between China and the 27-nation bloc. It was unclear, however, if the two sides would find the will to resolve key factors behind China’s growing trade surplus, which hit 360 billion euros ($410 billion) last year.

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Business

Gold Rises More Than 1%, Fed Outlook in Focus

Gold rose more than 1% on Friday, helped by a softer US dollar and lower oil prices, while market players weighed lingering inflation concerns and the outlook for Federal Reserve interest rates. Spot gold rose 1.4% to $4,190.57 per ounce by 0630 GMT after hitting a two-month low on Wednesday. Prices headed for a weekly gain. US gold futures for December delivery gained 1.4% to $4,215.30, Reuters reported. The dollar rally took ⁠a breather, making ⁠greenback-priced bullion more affordable for holders of other currencies.

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Business

China to Resume October Fuel Exports after Holiday Pause

China is set to resume October refined fuel exports after a brief halt during its Golden Week holiday, a move that will help ease tight global diesel, gasoline and jet fuel markets, four traders familiar with the matter said on Friday. China has approved October exports of the three fuels at around 3.7 million metric tons combined, according to two other industry participants. Chinese refiners were expected to export slightly more than 4 million tons of gasoline, diesel and ⁠jet fuel in ⁠September, Reuters reported early last month.

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News

Seals and Sea Lions Get Hearing Tested at Australia Zoo

Scientists in Australia trained sea lions and seals to respond to a hearing test for research into how the marine mammals are affected by human-made noise. Keepers at Sydney's Taronga Zoo trained two sea lions and two fur seals to listen to sounds and press a paddle when they heard a tone. They were rewarded with fish for the right answers, AFP reported.

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News

Malaysia Closes Schools in Capital, Parts of Country Due to Haze

Malaysia closed schools in Kuala Lumpur and other parts of the country on Friday, as haze from fires in neighboring Indonesia again plunged local air quality to among the world's worst. Toxic smoke from peatland and forest fires has shrouded cities in the region for more than a month, sending respiratory complaints skyrocketing. The school closures came as Malaysia's leader discussed the choking smoke with his Indonesian counterpart and called for an urgent regional meeting.

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Science

Underwater Surprise: Sharks Can Hear Sounds from 75 Meters Away

Sharks can hear sounds from considerable distances underwater and even tell where they are coming from, according to a new study that debunks the common misconception that the predators can only detect nearby sounds. Researchers say blacktip sharks can hear from about 75 meters away and respond by quickly changing direction. Since blacktips seasonally gather off southeast Florida, they offer a rare opportunity to observe free-swimming sharks in clear, shallow water. Blacktip sharks gather in large numbers along the Palm Beach County coast every year.

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News

Israeli Army Says One Soldier Killed, Three Wounded in South Lebanon

The Israeli army said Thursday that one soldier was killed and three others were slightly wounded in south Lebanon, where the military has occupied a band of territory since invading in March in response to Hezbollah attacks. "Captain Eliav Haim Tzapalamus, aged 21, from Haifa, a combat officer in the 603rd Battalion, 7th Brigade, fell in combat in southern Lebanon," the army said. Tzapalamus is the 17th Israeli soldier to be killed since a ceasefire was reached in June between Israel and Hezbollah.

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Business

WTO Raises 2026 Global Merchandise Trade Growth Forecast to 3.9% On AI Boom

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has upgraded its global merchandise trade growth forecast for 2026 to 3.9%, a significant jump from its previous 1.9% projection made in March. The upward revision is primarily driven by surging investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and adaptable supply chains, which have successfully cushioned economic shocks from the ongoing Middle East conflict. The latest WTO Global Trade Outlook and Statistics report expects 4.1% growth in 2027, up from a previous forecast of 2.6%, and marginally below 2025 trade volume growth of 4.2%.

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Politics

Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Phone Talks with Egyptian Counterpart, Arab League Chief

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held separate phone calls on Thursday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy to discuss the latest attacks on Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Abdelatty condemned the attacks on Abha and King Khalid International airports, warning that assaults on Saudi territory threaten regional security and stability. He reaffirmed Egypt’s full solidarity with the Kingdom and its support for safeguarding its security, stability and territorial integrity.

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News

UK, UN, Arab and Islamic Bodies Condemn Houthi Attacks on Abha and King Khalid Airports

The UK, United Nations, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Palestine, Sudan, Al-Azhar, and the Arab Parliament have strongly condemned Houthi militia attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s Abha and King Khalid airports, reaffirming their rejection of attacks on civilian infrastructure and calling for regional security and stability to be maintained. In a statement issued on Thursday, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) affirmed that the United Kingdom stands alongside Saudi Arabia in the face of reckless attacks by the Houthi militia.

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Technology

World Bank Praises Saudi Arabia’s Experience in Data Governance and AI Development

In its regional economic report for the Middle East and North Africa, the World Bank highlighted the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s experience in data governance and the development of national infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence (AI). The report —released in October 2026 and titled "From Gap to Opportunity: AI, Jobs, and Growth"— underscored the Kingdom's progress in developing AI models and computing capabilities, as well as in technology investments, the Saudi Press Agency reported Friday.

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