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Makkah's Grand Mosque Gets Improved Connectivity, AI Applications through High-Tech Upgrade

A view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Makkah's Grand Mosque Gets Improved Connectivity, AI Applications through High-Tech Upgrade

A view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites (RCMC) announced that Makkah's Grand Mosque has undergone a significant technology upgrade to better serve worshippers.

The project, carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, and national technology and digital companies, aims to improve the worshippers’ experience through advanced infrastructure, AI applications, and the innovative neutral host model.

The project leverages 5G capabilities and AI to facilitate crowd and vehicle management, improve asset management, and implement smart waste disposal systems.

The upgraded infrastructure opens the door to the provision of virtual medical clinic services at the Grand Mosque.

Utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT), the project enables real-time monitoring of the Zamzam well's water level and production.

Download speeds within the Grand Mosque have tripled, reaching over 1 gigabit per second, thanks to network upgrades on the ground floor of the third Saudi expansion building.

The project utilizes the neutral host model, a crucial element to providing advanced technical infrastructure based on 5G, data, and AI. The model enables multiple mobile network operators, including STC, Mobily, and Zain, to share the physical infrastructure within the Grand Mosque, ensuring that all visitors have access to the highest level of communication services.

This project, implemented by the Advanced Communications & Electronic Systems Company (ACES), is an example of a collaborative effort to achieve the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

Deputy Minister for Telecom and Infrastructure at MCIT Eng. Bassam Al-Bassam said: "There is nothing more honorable than serving visitors of the Grand Mosque. We are continuously working with our partners to provide the latest technologies and improve the visitor experience."

RCMC CEO Eng. Saleh Al-Rasheed highlighted the project's contribution to "providing an advanced digital infrastructure in the Grand Mosque" and "raising the level of communication services" for all visitors.

This technology upgrade is proof of a commitment to utilize cutting-edge solutions for a more efficient and connected Grand Mosque, ultimately serving millions of worshippers throughout the year.

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Google Says 'Multiple' Cloud Services Suffer Network Failures in Europe

FILE PHOTO: A person takes a photo of the Google Cloud logo, during the 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, March 4, 2025. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A person takes a photo of the Google Cloud logo, during the 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, March 4, 2025. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo
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Google Says 'Multiple' Cloud Services Suffer Network Failures in Europe

FILE PHOTO: A person takes a photo of the Google Cloud logo, during the 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, March 4, 2025. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A person takes a photo of the Google Cloud logo, during the 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, March 4, 2025. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo

Multiple Google Cloud services were experiencing serious network disruptions at its European data center based in London on Tuesday, according to the US technology giant's service health website.

British digital bank Revolut said it is facing disruption to multiple services, which a source close to the matter attributed to the Google Cloud outage.

"Multiple Google Cloud services are experiencing elevated errors and intermittent network failures in europe-west2 region," Google said in a service update referring to its London data center.

Internet service tracker Downdetector indicated that hundreds of reports had been made of problems affecting UK lenders Lloyds bank and HSBC, as well as property website Rightmove and postal service Royal Mail.

Google said the incident began at 06:08 GMT on Tuesday, AFP reported.

A Revolut spokesperson said the bank was "working to fix the issue since it was identified" and offered its apologies "to anyone affected and for any inconvenience caused.”

"We can confirm that all our customers' money and data are safe," they added in a statement.

Google on its website said its "engineering team continues to investigate the issue" but gave no reason for the disruption caused.

Technology

Amazon to Invest Over €16 Billion in Germany Next Year

(FILES) The logo of US online retail giant Amazon is seen on the facade of a redistribution center in Horn-Bad Meinberg, western Germany, on December 9, 2024. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP)
(FILES) The logo of US online retail giant Amazon is seen on the facade of a redistribution center in Horn-Bad Meinberg, western Germany, on December 9, 2024. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP)
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Amazon to Invest Over €16 Billion in Germany Next Year

(FILES) The logo of US online retail giant Amazon is seen on the facade of a redistribution center in Horn-Bad Meinberg, western Germany, on December 9, 2024. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP)
(FILES) The logo of US online retail giant Amazon is seen on the facade of a redistribution center in Horn-Bad Meinberg, western Germany, on December 9, 2024. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP)

Amazon plans to invest more than €16 billion (about $18 billion) in Germany in 2027, the company said on Tuesday, to expand its cloud computing, AI, satellite internet and media businesses.

The investment is the e-commerce giant's latest move to grow its European operations as it races to expand cloud infrastructure ⁠across the region ⁠amid surging demand for AI services and growing competition among technology firms.

The package, announced at the Invest in Germany Summit in Berlin, adds to more ⁠than €100 billion Amazon says it has invested in the country since 2010.

The latest investment includes €4.8 billion to expand Amazon Web Services' Frankfurt cloud region and AI infrastructure.

It also includes new logistics projects expected to create more than 3,000 jobs, development of the Amazon Leo ⁠satellite broadband ⁠network, and new Prime Video productions.

Amazon also plans to open a second robotics and AI research lab in Berlin.

Tuesday's commitment follows a €10 billion investment announced in June 2024 to expand its cloud infrastructure and logistics network in Germany, including €8.8 billion for AWS data centers.

Technology

Micron Workers in Taiwan to Strike in Push for Bigger Profit Share

The newly opened Micron Advanced Assembly and Test Taiwan 2 (AATT2) facility in Taichung, Taiwan, October 15, 2026. REUTERS/Ann Wang
The newly opened Micron Advanced Assembly and Test Taiwan 2 (AATT2) facility in Taichung, Taiwan, October 15, 2026. REUTERS/Ann Wang
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Micron Workers in Taiwan to Strike in Push for Bigger Profit Share

The newly opened Micron Advanced Assembly and Test Taiwan 2 (AATT2) facility in Taichung, Taiwan, October 15, 2026. REUTERS/Ann Wang
The newly opened Micron Advanced Assembly and Test Taiwan 2 (AATT2) facility in Taichung, Taiwan, October 15, 2026. REUTERS/Ann Wang

Workers at a Micron Technology plant in Taiwan plan to strike on Thursday as they aim to pressure the US chip firm into proposing a "concrete profit-sharing plan," a labor union representing the employees said.

Huge global appetite for chips used in AI data centers has sent revenues soaring for firms that design, produce and assemble them but as their earnings skyrocket, workers are demanding a bigger cut of profits.

Monday's announcement came as Micron held talks over remuneration with two unions representing 12,000 of the 15,000 workers at its Taoyuan and Taichung plants.

The union representing hundreds of workers in Taoyuan said Thursday's strike would coincide with mediation talks with the company. It did not specify how long the strike could last.

"The strike aims to strengthen the union's position in mediation and urge Micron to put forward a concrete profit-sharing plan," the union said in a statement.

"We call on all Micron Taiwan Union members to stand together, fight together, and negotiate collectively," AFP quoted the union as saying.

"Through our actions, we will make our dissatisfaction with the current system heard and demonstrate our determination to establish a fair profit-sharing system."

In a statement, Micron said the company was "committed to constructive engagement with the Taoyuan and Taichung Unions to reach a solution that works for all parties."

The workers have the legal right to strike and stage picket lines after voting earlier this month in favor of action, the union said previously.

The unions are seeking a one-off bonus of 83 months' salary as well as a permanent system that allocates 15 percent of the company's operating profits to worker bonuses, distributed quarterly rather than annually.

Micron, which makes around 50-60 percent of its chips in Taiwan, said last month it would give the equivalent of up to 68 months of pay to staff but the one-off payment was rejected by workers.