Breaking AI & Tech News Analyzed

The arrest of Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, a Kuwaiti national and US-born journalist, has sparked fears about the erosion of free speech in Kuwait and the wider Middle East. Shihab-Eldin, who has worked for prominent outlets like PBS, HuffPost, and Al Jazeera English, was detained on March 3 during a visit to Kuwait. Shihab-Eldin's reporting focused on a friendly fire incident on March 2, where Kuwaiti air defenses shot down three US planes, fortunately without any pilot casualties. He published footage of a US F-15E Strike Eagle crashing in al Jahra, west of Kuwait City, and described local residents assisting the crew in a civilian truck. Campaigners worry that Shihab-Eldin might face charges under new security laws being introduced in Kuwait, possibly in a new security court. These laws have been criticized for restricting publicity about attacks on infrastructure and allowing the government to label certain reporting as terrorism. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed concern over Shihab-Eldin's detention, highlighting a broader trend of escalating censorship of journalists and news outlets across the world related to the Iran war. Sara Qudah, CPJ's Middle East regional director, stated, 'We are seeing escalating censorship of journalists and news outlets across the world in relation to the Iran war... He must be freed immediately.' Kuwait has recently passed laws that define terrorism broadly and propose significant fines and sentences for publishing statements that could weaken confidence in military entities. The country has also been using citizenship laws to expel alleged dissidents and has withdrawn visas for Iraqi citizens following protests. The detention of Shihab-Eldin and these new laws reflect a wider crackdown on dissent in Kuwait and the Gulf region. Critics argue that these measures are transforming Kuwait into a police state that suppresses dissenting opinions and imprisons those who express them.

A 20‑year‑old Texas man has been formally charged after surveillance footage captured him hurling a molotov cocktail at the San Francisco home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and attempting to ignite the AI firm’s headquarters.The FBI affidavit, filed in federal court on Monday, identifies the suspect as Daniel Moreno‑Gama. Police say he traveled from Texas to California, carrying multiple incendiary devices, kerosene and a lighter, before the arrest.Moreno‑Gama was also found with a self‑authored “anti‑AI” manifesto that prosecutors cite as evidence of motive. The document contained explicit threats toward Altman, prompting U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian to warn that, if the evidence shows an intent to influence public policy or coerce officials, the case will be pursued as domestic terrorism.He faces charges of attempted damage and destruction of property by means of explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm. Conviction could result in a mandatory minimum of five years, up to 20 years for the explosives count, and up to 10 years for the firearm charge.The incident adds to growing scrutiny of OpenAI’s role in national security, especially amid debate over a proposed U.S. government deal to deploy its artificial‑intelligence technology in classified military operations.Authorities recovered several incendiary devices at the scene, and court records indicate Moreno‑Gama told security personnel at the headquarters that he intended to burn the building and harm its occupants.

In a forceful statement released on Monday, a panel of 13 United Nations experts demanded that Israel halt all attacks on displaced Palestinians sheltering in Gaza and cease the accelerating forced‑displacement campaign in the occupied West Bank. Israeli air strikes in March set fire to tents housing Gaza’s internally displaced people, causing numerous fatalities, the experts noted, describing the tactic as part of a broader strategy to make life untenable for Palestinians. “This cycle of displacement, terror, and targeted attacks serves an ultimate purpose: to make life unbearable for Palestinians and permanently force them from their land,” the panel declared, underscoring the systematic nature of the violence. The experts warned that the targeting of makeshift shelters violates international humanitarian law and amounts to a grave breach, given that the majority of Gaza’s population has already endured multiple forced transfers. Beyond the immediate danger of bombardment, civilians living in tents face severe health threats—including hunger, exposure to freezing temperatures, flooding, and a lack of basic services. Women and children, the panel stressed, bear a disproportionate share of deprivation. Turning to the West Bank, the panel condemned what it described as a “sharp escalation in forced displacement” driven by the Israeli army and “state‑backed settler terrorism.” Daily attacks have resulted in killings, injuries, and the widespread destruction of homes, farmland, and livelihoods. According to a 2025 report from the UN Human Rights Office, more than 36,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced amid the expansion of illegal settlements, a figure the experts say illustrates a broader policy of ethnic cleansing across the occupied Palestinian territory. The panel urged Israel to end all forced‑displacement activities in the West Bank and to facilitate the safe return of those uprooted. It also called on the international community to uphold its legal obligations, launch independent investigations, and refrain from providing assistance that could enable the continuation of the occupation. The 13‑member panel includes UN special rapporteurs such as Francesca Albanese (occupied Palestinian territory), Paula Gaviria Betancur (rights of internally displaced persons), Michael Fakhri (right to food), and Reem Alsalem (violence against women and girls).

A French court has convicted cement giant Lafarge of financing terrorism through its Syrian subsidiary, fining the company €1.12 million ($1.32m) and confiscating €30 million ($35.1m) worth of its assets. The court also sentenced former CEO Bruno Lafont to six years in jail.The Paris court ruled that Lafarge had paid protection money directly to ISIL (ISIS) and other armed groups, breaching European sanctions to operate in northern Syria during the country's civil war in 2013-2014. The company paid a total of €5.59 million ($6.55m) to armed groups in Syria, including to ISIL and the al-Nusra Front.The court found that Lafarge's payments helped to strengthen groups that carried out deadly attacks in Syria and beyond. The company's former deputy managing director, Christian Herrault, was sentenced to five years in jail, while other former employees received fines and sentences ranging from one to seven years.The case marks the first time a company has been tried in France for financing terrorism. Lafarge, now part of Swiss building materials conglomerate Holcim, acknowledged paying nearly €13 million ($15.2m) to middlemen to keep its Syrian cement factory running during the war. The company claimed it bore no responsibility for the money winding up in the hands of armed groups.In a separate case in the United States, Lafarge admitted to paying $6m to ISIL and the al-Nusra Front to allow employees, customers, and suppliers to pass through checkpoints. The company paid $778m in forfeiture and fines as part of a plea agreement.

Israel's ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, has taken a significant step towards diplomacy with Lebanon, holding a first-ever phone call with his Lebanese counterpart, Nada Hamadeh Moawad. This development marks a break from tradition, as Israel and Lebanon do not have formal diplomatic relations.The talks are set to take place as global pressure mounts on Israel to end its invasion of Lebanon, which has resulted in over 2,000 people killed and over one million people displaced. Leiter, a settlement activist and longtime figure in Israeli political circles, has been at the center of US-Israel relations.Leiter's background includes senior advisory roles in government and associations with far-right politics. His tenure as Israel's ambassador in Washington, DC, began in January 2025, replacing Michael Herzog. Netanyahu's office described Leiter as a 'talented diplomat' with a 'deep understanding of American culture and politics'.However, Leiter has drawn controversy during his time in public service, including over his past affiliations, ideological positions, and rhetoric during Israel's conflicts. He was involved with the Jewish Defense League (JDL) in his youth, a US-based far-right pro-Israel group later classified by US authorities as a 'terrorist' organization.The talks between Leiter and Moawad aim to address the ongoing conflict between Israel and Lebanon. Israel has carried out near-daily attacks on Lebanese territory since a ceasefire started in November 2024, violating the truce hundreds of times. The situation remains complex, with Hezbollah rejecting direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.Analysts express skepticism about the success of the talks, stating they 'are designed to fail.' However, they also note that if there is a positive outcome, it will likely be due to US pressure on Israel. The Arab Peace Initiative, proposed in 2002, which offered recognition of Israel in exchange for a two-state solution, has been rejected by Israel.

A French court has fined Lafarge, a French cement maker, more than €1m (£870,000) and sentenced its former boss, Bruno Lafont, to six years in prison for paying protection money to Islamic State and other terror groups to maintain its business in war-torn Syria from 2013 to 2014.The ruling follows a 2022 case in the United States in which Lafarge pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to US-designated “terrorist” organisations and agreed to pay a $778m fine (£580m). This was the first time a company had faced the charge.The Paris court found that Lafarge, which is now part of the Swiss conglomerate Holcim, paid nearly €5.6m via its subsidiary Lafarge Cement Syria (LCS) to terror groups and intermediaries to keep its plant operating in northern Syria.The company’s former chief executive, Bruno Lafont, was sentenced to six years in prison for financing terrorism, which a judge ordered him to start serving immediately. Lafont’s lawyer said he would appeal.The presiding judge, Isabelle Prevost-Desprez, said: “This method of financing terrorist organisations, and primarily IS, was essential in enabling the terrorist organisation to gain control of Syria’s natural resources, allowing it to finance terrorist acts within the region and those planned abroad, particularly in Europe.”Lafarge established a “genuine commercial partnership with IS”, she said, which added to the “extreme gravity of the offences”.Lafarge had finished building a $680m factory in Jalabiya in 2010, just before Syria’s civil war erupted in March the following year amid opposition to the brutal repression of anti-government protests by the then president, Bashar al-Assad.While other multinational companies left Syria in 2012, Lafarge evacuated only its expatriate employees and left its Syrian staff in place until September 2014, when IS seized control of the factory.In 2013 and 2014, LCS paid intermediaries to access raw materials from the Islamic State organisation and other groups and to allow free movement for the company’s trucks and employees. It paid groups including Islamic State and Syria’s then al-Qaida affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra.

London's Metropolitan Police arrested 523 people aged 18 to 87 during a pro-Palestinian protest in Trafalgar Square, where demonstrators showed support for Palestine Action. The arrests were made for holding placards in support of the group, which was designated a 'terrorist' organisation in July, although a High Court ruling later overturned this ban due to free speech concerns. The protest, organised by Defend Our Juries, drew hundreds of participants who oppose what they describe as the UK government's complicity in Israel's actions in Gaza and the crackdown on peaceful protests. The group criticised police for making arrests despite the government's ban being ruled unlawful. Amnesty International UK condemned the arrests as 'yet another blow to civil liberties', highlighting that police resorted to mass arrests of people holding placards, including an elderly woman with walking sticks. The ban on Palestine Action, which aims to end global participation in Israel's regime, has generated significant backlash, with nearly 3,000 arrests occurring since its imposition. Protesters, including Freya, 28, and Denis MacDermot, 73, expressed their determination to continue opposing what they described as genocide. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrests as part of their effort to enforce the law, despite the legal complexities surrounding the ban on Palestine Action.

In a significant display of public dissent, hundreds of people gathered in London's Trafalgar Square on Saturday to protest against the UK government's ban on the Palestine Action campaign group. The demonstration, organized by Defend Our Juries (DOJ), drew a large crowd holding signs that read, 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.'Police responded to the peaceful vigil by beginning arrests, with several individuals carried away from the scene. Notably, an elderly woman using walking sticks was escorted away by police, highlighting the strict measures taken by authorities.The protest was sparked by the UK government's decision to prospect Palestine Action as a terrorist organization in July 2025, making it illegal to be a member of or express support for the group. This move has been met with criticism, particularly after the High Court ruled in February that the government's proscription was unlawful and disproportionate, citing breaches of freedom of expression.Despite the court's ruling, the Metropolitan Police initially indicated they would not arrest individuals showing support for Palestine Action but reversed their policy on March 25. This U-turn has been criticized for undermining the court's decision and restricting free speech.Protesters, including Qesser Zuhrah, a former hunger striker from the Palestine Action network, expressed their dissatisfaction with the police's actions. Zuhrah stated that the Met's decision to resume arrests shows that the police 'don't serve us' and only work to reinforce government interests.The UK government's appeal against the High Court ruling is set to be heard by the Court of Appeal on April 28 and 29. Organizers estimated that 1,500 people participated in the vigil, demonstrating significant public support for Palestine Action and concerns over the government's stance on free speech.

Israel has firmly stated that it will not engage in discussions about a ceasefire with Hezbollah when it meets with Lebanese officials in Washington next week. This stance comes as Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue, intensifying diplomatic efforts to address the escalating conflict. Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter confirmed that the talks will mark the beginning of formal negotiations with the Lebanese government, despite the absence of diplomatic relations between the two countries. However, Israel has ruled out any discussion involving Hezbollah, labeling the group a terrorist organization. The diplomatic push includes US involvement, with the American delegation, including US Vice President JD Vance, set to engage in talks with Iranian representatives in Islamabad. The US and Iran had agreed to a two-week pause in hostilities, but Israel has rejected the interpretation that this includes a ceasefire with Hezbollah. Iran has responded by keeping the Strait of Hormuz shut and stated it will not engage in negotiations without a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The conflict has resulted in close to 2,000 deaths in Lebanon in recent weeks, with over 350 killed on Wednesday alone. Next week's talks are likely to focus on demands directed at the Lebanese state, which has long struggled to contain Hezbollah. The situation remains volatile, with no sign of easing in the fighting.