Without proper cybersecurity protections, AI is a gamble we cannot afford

BERLIN: Germany said Wednesday it was monitoring changing Russian sabotage tactics, after media reports linked a plan to plant explosive devices on cargo planes to low-level operatives hired by Moscow.
European intelligence services believed that Russia was behind the plot, which saw parcels explode at two DHL depots last July, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily and public broadcasters WDR and NDR reported.
Several people implicated in the operation were believed to be “disposable” agents with no official position in the Russian intelligence services, according to the report.
Such low-level agents were typically recruited via messaging apps to carry out tasks for money, the report said.
Quizzed about the incidents at a regular press conference, German interior ministry spokeswoman Sonja Kock said investigations were “continuing intensively.”
Kock declined to go into detail but said German authorities were “closely observing the means Russian services are now resorting to,” including the use of “so-called low-level agents.”
Kock also told the briefing that Russian intelligence services operating in Germany had been “recently weakened by the expulsion of numerous agents.”
Another interior ministry official later told AFP that she was referring to the April 2022 expulsion of 40 Russian diplomats who were intelligence officers, and further departures of diplomats the following year.
The explosions at DHL depots in Leipzig, Germany and Birmingham in Britain have been described by Germany’s domestic intelligence chief Thomas Haldenwang as a “lucky accident” because of the limited impact.
Testifying before a parliamentary committee in October, Haldenwang said “there would have been a crash” if the parcels had exploded mid-flight on planes.
Kock said Wednesday that the “danger of sabotage... has increased significantly in Germany since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.”
German authorities were doing “everything in our power to thwart... Russian espionage, sabotage and cyber-attacks,” she said.

DHAHRAN: The newly opened Scene Acting Institute in Alkhobar hosted its first workshop on April 22, focusing on the Meisner technique. 

Led by renowned academic adviser Emily Tambour, the workshop saw the participation of notable Saudi actors, including Mila Al-Zahrani and Sarah Taibah. 

The institute plans to hold monthly workshops covering various acting techniques, each designed to enhance the skills and creativity of aspiring artists.

Scene opened on April 18 with an event hosted by the Khobar Cinema Association.

The grand inauguration took place at Cinematheque in Alkhobar, attended by a diverse audience of cinema and theater enthusiasts eager to embrace a new era of artistic expression.

The opening ceremony featured artistic performances that captivated attendees, including three moving acting demonstrations accompanied by live music. 

An exhibition highlighting the history of acting was curated and presented by renowned Saudi actor Baraa Alem.

Mujtaba Saeed, the visionary Saudi film director and one of the founders of the Scene Acting Institute, described the launch as a groundbreaking moment for the Saudi art scene. 

“This institute signifies a response to the vibrant artistic renaissance currently taking place in our country,” he told Arab News. “With cinema and theater flourishing, we are proud to establish the first institute focused specifically on the art of acting.”

The institute’s curriculum has been meticulously crafted, drawing from both well-established acting techniques and Saudi cultural nuances. 

“Our programs are designed around an academic framework that incorporates both international acting approaches, such as Meisner and Stanislavski’s actor preparation, and our local traditions,” Saeed explained. 

“We envision this institute as a nurturing home for every passionate artist,” Saeed said. “Actors are the heart of our storytelling, bridging the gap between us, our scripts, and our aspirations.”

Saeed highlighted the need to redefine the relationship between actors and their audiences, aiming to enhance both cinema and theater with authentic voices that resonate with today’s society.

“Our institute aims to graduate a generation of actors who can express their unique stories and identities, contributing to a richer, more diverse artistic content in Saudi Arabia,” he said.

This initiative promises to make Saudi cinema and theater more accessible and relatable, both locally and worldwide.

As it embarks on this groundbreaking journey, the institute is setting the stage for a flourishing era of creativity and storytelling in the Kingdom.