Iran is 'open' to talks on Strait of Hormuz, Iranian FM says - Middle East conflict on 15 March
Iran says it is open to talks with countries seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz - disrupted by recent attacks - as Israel continues ...
Alibaba is now offering free, open-source access to its latest generative AI models capable of producing highly realistic videos and images from text and image inputs. The move, which sees the company releasing four variants of its Wan 2.1 series, is expected to boost innovation among researchers, a
The open-source models—named T2V-1.3B, T2V-14B, I2V-14B-720P, and I2V-14B-480P—are available for download and modification via Alibaba Cloud’s ModelScope platform and Hugging Face. Notably, the “14B” designation indicates that these models can process 14 billion parameters, highlighting their advanced capabilities in generating highly detailed and lifelike content.
This initiative follows in the footsteps of recent moves by other Chinese tech companies. Last month, DeepSeek made headlines by releasing its R1 reasoning model for free, intensifying the global clamor for more open-source AI technologies. DeepSeek’s commitment to the open-source community, which includes plans to release five new code repositories, has added momentum to the broader trend of accessible AI innovation.
Alibaba’s foray into open-source generative AI comes as part of its long-term commitment to advancing the technology landscape, a journey that began with the emergence of OpenAI’s ChatGPT two years ago. In a related development, Alibaba Group’s Chairman, Joe Tsai, recently announced that the company’s generative AI technology would power AI features for iPhones sold in the Chinese market—an initiative driven by local regulatory requirements that prevent Apple from using its own AI tech in China.
By providing free access to its state-of-the-art models, Alibaba aims to spur creative applications and research breakthroughs across multiple sectors. This bold step not only reinforces the company’s position as a leading innovator in generative AI but also contributes to the growing global ecosystem of open-source AI tools designed to democratize access to advanced digital technologies.
A long-running investigation has suggested that the street artist known as Banksy may be legally named David Jones. A report indicates that Jones was previously known as Robin Gunningham, a name long associated with Banksy, before legally changing his name several years ago.
A widening conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel has triggered escalating military strikes across the Middle East, disrupted shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz and raised concerns over global energy supplies. This live report tracks the latest developments.
North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile on Saturday (14 March), Japanese and South Korean officials said. The development comes amid the joint annual U.S.-South Korea "Freedom Shield" military drills and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visit to Washington.
Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery and a key port in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region overnight (13-14 March), local authorities said, causing injuries and damage. In separate action, Russian air attacks on Ukrainian territory killed and wounded civilians near Kyiv, officials reported.
Iran says it is open to talks with countries seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz - disrupted by recent attacks - as Israel continues to launch wide‑scale strikes on Iranian infrastructure in the west. This live report tracks the latest developments.
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD is pushing to make charging an electric car almost as quick and convenient as filling up a traditional petrol vehicle - a move that could help remove one of the biggest barriers to wider electric vehicle adoption.
South Korea will soon cease to be one of the few countries where Google Maps does not function fully, after its security-conscious government reversed a two-decade-old policy and approved the export of high-precision map data to overseas servers.
New research suggests 40,000-year-old carved objects from south-western Germany bear repeated marks arranged in organised sign sequences similar to early proto-cuneiform, although they are not regarded as a form of writing.
The chief executive of Google DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, has called for more urgent research into the risks posed by artificial intelligence, warning that stronger safeguards are needed as systems become more advanced.
NASA successfully completed a critical fueling rehearsal on Thursday (19 February) for its giant moon rocket, Artemis II, after earlier hydrogen leaks disrupted preparations for the next crewed lunar mission. The launch is scheduled for 6 March, according to the latest information from NASA.
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