Elbahrain.net More than a year after Hamas’ devastating October 7 attacks on Israel, the country’s military said Thursday it had killed the man it considers to have been the chief architect of that cross-border massacre – raising questions about the future of the war and of the militant group itself, which has faced blow after blow in recent months.

The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar could pose a rare opportunity to strike a ceasefire, US officials say – with Israel having killed several other top Hamas commanders including Ismail Haniyeh, the group’s former political leader, as well as leaders of militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Hamas and Hezbollah are both part of an axis of militant groups backed by Iran.

In a recorded video message Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sinwar’s death marked “the beginning of the day after Hamas,” but “the task before us is not yet complete.”

Hamas is yet to comment on the reports of its leader’s death.
Here’s what you need to know.

How did it happen?
Since the October 7 attacks, Israel has poured their resources into a fierce manhunt for Sinwar, declaring him as the most-wanted man in Gaza and a “dead man walking.” At one point, an Israeli military spokesperson said their hunt “will not stop until he is captured, dead or alive.”

And, US officials believe, the Israeli military got close a few times, at one point even obtaining a video that purportedly showed Sinwar with several family members inside a Gaza tunnel – but he continued slipping away. The Israeli military previously surrounded Sinwar’s house and carried out an intensive assault on his hometown of Khan Younis, but could not find him.

That year-long search finally came to an unexpected end on Wednesday in Rafah, southern Gaza. Israeli forces had been in the area during a routine military operation when they came under fire near a building, according to two Israeli sources familiar with the matter.

The troops returned fire with a tank, then flew a drone into the heavily damaged building, according to the Israeli military. The video, shared by the military, shows what seem to be Sinwar’s final moments: he sits alone in a chair, surrounded by dust and rubble, appearing to look directly at the camera. He holds a piece of wood in his hand, and throws it at the drone before the video ends.

It was only then, and when troops inspected the rubble, that they realized Sinwar was among the bodies, according to the Israeli military.

Dental records and other biometrics helped Israel identify the Hamas leader, according to a US official and former official familiar with the matter.

Sinwar had been trying to escape to the north when he was killed, said another Israeli military spokesperson on Thursday. He was found with a gun and more than $10,000 in Israeli shekels, the spokesperson said.

Who was Sinwar?
Sinwar had long been a key player in Hamas, joining the militant group in the late 1980s and quickly rising through the ranks.

He was born in a refugee camp in Gaza, after his family was displaced from the Palestinian village of Al-Majdal – now part of the Israeli city Ashkelon – during the Arab-Israeli war.

As a student, Sinwar became an anti-occupation activist, but he was imprisoned in Israel on several life sentences after being accused of orchestrating murder. He served 23 years before being released as part of a prisoner swap in 2011.

Sinwar returned to Gaza and quickly established his name in Hamas. He founded the group’s feared international intelligence security branch, the Majd, and was known for employing brutal violence against anyone suspected of collaborating with Israel.

Yahya Sinwar attends attends a meeting with members of Palestinian groups in Gaza City on April 13, 2022.

But he rose to greater prominence after the October 7 attacks as one of Israel’s key targets. Israeli officials have called him the “face of evil” and “the butcher from Khan Younis.”

He became one of Hamas’ most senior leaders in August after Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran. Sinwar had not been seen since the October 7 attacks, likely surviving Israel’s siege of Gaza by bunkering in a vast network of underground tunnels.

What was his role on October 7?
Israel has publicly accused Sinwar of being the “mastermind” behind Hamas’ October 7 attack – though experts say he was likely one of several.

The attack was the deadliest assault on Israel in its history. Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups killed more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 250 people into Gaza as hostages.

Sinwar was considered a vital decision-maker and likely the outside world’s main point of contact in Gaza during the intense negotiations over the hostages’ return.

The talks involved senior figures from Israel, Hamas, the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

What comes next?
While it’s too soon to say what may happen next or how Hamas may respond, Sinwar’s killing marks the latest blow to the group – which has seen several top leaders picked off one by one during Israel’s campaign to dismantle Hamas entirely.

Only a day after Haniyeh’s assassination, Israel confirmed it had killed Hamas’ military chief Mohammed Deif during a previous strike – another one of the reported masterminds behind October 7.

With a ceasefire and hostage release deal to pause the war stubbornly stuck for months, senior US officials had clung to the hope that Sinwar might one day be taken out – opening a pathway to a resolution. With him now gone, officials speculate this could be one of the best chances of bringing the Israel-Hamas war to an end, but are reticent to make any predictions about what that will ultimately mean for the volatile region.

If Mohammed survived this week, he will likely continue his brother’s hardline negotiating tactics as Israel seeks to extract its remaining hostages from the Palestinian enclave. But until a clear picture emerges, it will be hard to know the militant group’s next move.

And even with Sinwar’s death, the wider Middle East conflict rages on – particularly as Israel prepares to retaliate against Iran’s ballistic missile attack earlier this month. CNN has previously reported that move was expected before the US election.

And another front of the conflict is ramping up across the Israel-Lebanon border, with Hezbollah announcing a “new and escalating phase” in its war with Israel on Thursday.

Hezbollah, too, has suffered significant losses in recent months – from the deadly pager and walkie-talkie attacks that killed dozens and injured thousands, many of them civilians, to the assassinations of several high-ranking commanders including their chief Hassan Nasrallah last month.

Meanwhile in Gaza, Palestinians told CNN they do not believe Sinwar’s killing will end the war – though some voiced tentative hope.

“Sinwar has died, but so many of our people have been killed, and there is no excuse now for Netanyahu to continue the war,” said 22-year-old Mumen Khalili.

Elbahrain.net Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving how we do business. From machine learning breakthroughs to the rise of generative AI, it affects everything from healthcare to finance, logistics to energy.

With 64% of businesses experiencing a productivity boost due to AI, this technology is becoming indispensable. Yet, with rapid innovation come challenges: ethical concerns, uneven regulatory frameworks, and disruptions to job markets.

The balance of risk and reward underscores the need for forums that bring together leaders to address the pressing issues of AI governance. The Global AI Summit (GAIN) is one of these events, carving out a path for sustainable, ethical, and unified policies on AI.

A global gathering
Over three days in September 2024, the GAIN Summit proved why it has become a key event in the AI calendar. Providing a platform for leaders from business, policy, academia, and technology to bridge the gap between AI’s potential and its practical application, the third edition of the summit explored solutions to challenges from climate change to productive governance.

The 2024 GAIN Summit set a new standard for ambition around the future of AI, global thinking, and policy. The goal is to ensure that advancements in AI technology benefit everyone, including those in emerging markets.

The summit’s platform, Now, Next, Never, looked at AI’s role in solving issues that resonate across the globe, such as education, culture, and science. It also provided a stage for launching new products, announcing investments, and forming key partnerships.

At the heart of the summit were lively debates on the societal challenges posed by AI. Job Disruption: Is It All Lost? tackled AI’s impact on employment, while Reshaping the Future of Work explored the need to reskill and upskill workers in AI-driven economies.

Tackling disparity
One of AI’s biggest hurdles is the inconsistent global regulatory landscape. In 2023, the EU announced its Artificial Intelligence Act, while the U.S. lacks comprehensive federal regulation, and China continues to develop its own rules. This disparity raises concerns about the future of AI development and application.

The future of AI ethics will depend on continued regulatory development and responsible implementation by companies. GAIN provides a pivotal platform for global stakeholders to come together and hold these discussions.

At the summit, there was a push for collaboration on ethical frameworks and governance standards. Sessions like Keeping the Lights On highlighted the need for international transparency on energy-efficient solutions, while Conservation-Conscious Algorithms examined how cross-border AI data could contribute to combating climate change.

Saudi Arabia played a significant role in setting these new standards, with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) presenting its AI Ethics Principles and launching its AI Ethics Early Adopters initiative.

This initiative encourages public- and private-sector organizations to prioritize ethical considerations when using AI, promoting awareness and responsible use of AI products. It offers incentives to enhance the trustworthiness of AI products and adopts ethical and advanced practices in AI system development. Organizations receive incentive badges at five risk-based levels—Aware, Adopting, Compliant, Assured, and Pioneer—reflecting the maturity of AI risk-management practices associated with product use.

Taking the lead
Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the GAIN Summit signals its growing commitment to AI innovation. As part of its Vision 2030 initiative, the country is investing heavily in infrastructure, research, and talent development, aiming to position itself as a global leader in the field.

The country is already leveraging AI in sectors like healthcare, where it is improving diagnostics and patient care, and in energy, where smart grids and renewable energies are reducing the reliance on oil. The government is also modernizing public services through AI, making them more efficient and user friendly.

Saudi Arabia is strategically located at the crossroads of major AI markets, and its investments will benefit not only its economy but also the global AI landscape. The Kingdom’s role in fostering international cooperation makes it an ideal host for discussions on AI’s future.

Lasting impact
As artificial intelligence continues to rewrite our future, the need for international cooperation has never been more urgent. Without consistent global frameworks, the risks of ethical, technological, and regulatory problems will only grow.

With the future of global governance depending on collaborative efforts, Saudi Arabia’s leadership in this space, combined with the insights born out of the GAIN Summit, promises to have a lasting impact on the global AI landscape.

Elbahrain.net Kamala Harris didn’t get her second debate with Donald Trump — so she went on Fox News instead.

The vice president clashed heatedly with the pro-Trump network’s top anchor Bret Baier on Wednesday night in the kind of adversarial, unscripted scrum that Republicans have long accused her of avoiding.

Harris and Baier squabbled and interrupted one another, as he exposed her policy flip flops and reversals and she rammed home her talking points. The contentious clash, conducted in swing state Pennsylvania, had more in common with the vice president’s sole debate showdown with the former president than forensic, formal interviews where she’s often stumbled

rival has meant that the final weeks of the campaign lack big scheduled moments that could change the race.

In the end, on Wednesday, both Harris and Fox News probably got what they wanted.

The vice president looked combative after daring to walk into the conservative media lair and struck a contrast with Trump, who is largely avoiding television news interviews in which he will be cross-examined. She singled out his extreme rhetoric and threats to use the military on “enemies from within” — in a way the channel’s viewers rarely see. Her performance bolstered her new campaign tactic of raising fresh alarm about a second Trump term that she said in a speech earlier Wednesday would see the ex-president sit in the Oval Office “plotting retribution, stew in his own grievances and think only about himself and not you.”

Harris also did some damage control after saying in an interview last week that there wasn’t much she would have done differently from the unpopular commander in chief over the past four years. “My presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency,” Harris said. “Like every new president that comes into office, I will bring my life experiences and my professional experiences and fresh and new ideas.”

Fox, meanwhile, got hours of post-interview content for its commentators. Its post-debate analysis, for instance, seized on Harris’ non-answer to one of Trump’s charges — how many undocumented migrants let into the country on her watch. As the network spooled highlights of the interview, it ran a chyron that read “Kamala continues her tirade against Trump.” Baier pressed Harris on issues important to the conservative audience, including tragedies of young American women murdered by undocumented migrants — for whom the vice president expressed deep sympathy — and her previous support for using taxpayer dollars to fund gender-affirming care for transgender inmates, including undocumented immigrants. (She said she would follow the law on such policies as president).

And in case Harris changed the minds of any of its viewers, Fox followed her appearance with searing rebuttals from Trump’s older sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, and his former ultra-hardline political adviser Stephen Miller.

The tightrope that Harris was walking as she sought to show steel and presidential mettle was evident from critiques of her performance on social media that often played into tropes directed at strong, Black women.

But before the interview, Harris spokesman Ian Sams explained her thinking. He noted Fox’s high ratings include some undecided voters and Democrats. And he said that Harris wanted those viewers to hear from her directly.

Another day of courting distinct voting blocs
The Fox interview capped another day Harris used to try to peel away potentially small numbers of voters who could make a difference in tightly fought battlegrounds less than three weeks before the neck-and-neck election.

After courting Black male voters on Tuesday, she traveled to the Keystone State to try and appeal to Republicans who are disaffected with Trump’s anti-democratic behavior. Appearing with Republican former lawmakers and officials driven out of their party by Trump, the vice president noted that finding her in such company would normally be surprising.

Democrats believe there may be significant numbers of GOP voters, including some who voted for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the Republican primary, who could be persuaded to vote for Harris next month. If only a few thousand Fox viewers or traditional conservatives swapped sides, it could push some swing states in the vice president’s direction. Still, the risk for Harris is that her display in her first formal Fox interview could alienate some of those voters. And the 100 or so Republicans who appeared with her on Wednesday in Bucks County, a critical Philadelphia suburb, in many cases represented the GOP’s past — left behind in the populist transformation engineered by Trump.

Trump plays into Harris’ claims he’s unhinged
At that Pennsylvania rally, Harris reinforced her newly tough tone against Trump, blasting him as “increasingly unstable and unhinged.” She’s also been raising questions about his age and faculties – turning the tables on the 78-year-old ex-president who often used the same strategy against Biden when he was in the race.

In many of his recent appearances, Trump has seemed to play into Harris’ claims. On Wednesday, for instance, he doubled down on his false claims that Haitian migrants were eating cats and dogs in Ohio. He said in a Univision town hall with undecided Latino voters that the refugees, who are in the country legally, were “eating other things too that they’re not supposed to be.”

But she added, “Not in this election, because at stake in this race are the democratic ideas that our founders and generations of Americans before us have fought for. At stake in this election is the Constitution of the United States.”

The Republican nominee also proclaimed himself “the father of IVF” in his latest attempt to distance himself from the chaos in women’s reproductive health after the Supreme Court’s conservative majority, which he built, overturned the constitutional nationwide right to an abortion. Harris later told reporters that the comment was “bizarre,” as she seeks to use subsequent state-level abortion restrictions to widen the gender gap that could help her beat Trump.

And as Democrats increasingly highlight the perceived threat to American democracy from Trump, the Republican vice presidential nominee, Sen. JD Vance, insisted that the former president did not lose the last election. “I’ve answered this question directly a million times: No. I think there are serious problems in 2020,” the Ohio Republican said. “So, did Donald Trump lose the election? Not by the words that I would use, OK?”

Trump, meanwhile, insisted in a Univision town hall, that January 6, 2021 – one of the most notorious days in American history – was a “day of love” and that there was “nothing done wrong at all.”

Any one of Trump’s recent comments would have disqualified a conventional candidate. But it is a mark of how he’s transformed American politics that his support base is impervious to scandalous or outlandish behavior.

And there is no doubt that Trump, for all his crudeness and tearing at the constraints meant to rein in demagogic leaders, is the authentic voice of tens of millions of Americans.

Harris is also hampered by a daunting political environment. She’s a member of an unpopular administration at a time when many Americans are still feeling the after effects of the high inflation that the White House often downplayed and are frustrated by still high prices for rent, cars and groceries.

It’s taken her several months to arrive at the assurance that she’d strike a strong contrast with Biden’s administration, which she unveiled in the Fox interview. In itself, that’s a reflection of her struggles as a presidential candidate. And her difficulty at the start of the Fox interview to effectively parry some of Baier’s questions on immigration showed that the issue remains a weakness and may be a significant impediment to her efforts to win over GOP defectors.

Still, the fact she braved the interview at all might help her with undecided voters. And if nothing else, her appearance served to highlight how the conservative media machine and Trump’s are all but indistinguishable from one another.