Serie A has partnered with Meta to combat illegal live streaming of football matches, aiming to protect its broadcasting rights. Under the agreement, Serie A will gain access to Meta’s tools for real-time detection and swift removal of unauthorised streams on Facebook and Instagram.
Broadcasting revenue remains vital for Serie A clubs, including Inter Milan and Juventus, with €4.5 billion secured through deals with DAZN and Sky until 2029. The league’s CEO urged other platforms to follow Meta’s lead in fighting piracy.
Italian authorities have ramped up anti-piracy measures, passing laws that enable swift takedowns of illegal streams. Earlier this month, police dismantled a network with 22 million users, highlighting the scale of the issue.
The 19th Internet Governance Forum (IGF 2024) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, brought together a distinguished panel to address global challenges and opportunities in developing trusted digital identity systems. Moderated by Shivani Thapa, the session featured insights from Bandar Al-Mashari, Emma Theofelus, Siim Sikkut, Sangbo Kim, Kurt Lindqvist, and other notable speakers.
The discussion focused on building frameworks for trusted digital identities, emphasising their role as critical infrastructure for digital transformation. Bandar Al-Mashari, Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Interior for Technology Affairs, highlighted the Kingdom’s innovative efforts, while Namibia’s Minister of Information, Emma Theofelus, stressed the importance of inclusivity and addressing regional needs.
The panellists examined the balance between enhanced security and privacy protection. Siim Sikkut, Managing Partner of Digital Nations, underscored the value of independent oversight and core principles to maintain trust. Emerging technologies like blockchain, biometrics, and artificial intelligence were recognised for their potential impact, though caution was urged against uncritical adoption.
Barriers to international cooperation, including the digital divide, infrastructure gaps, and the complexity of global systems, were addressed. Sangbo Kim of the World Bank shared insights on fostering collaboration across regions, while Kurt Lindqvist, CEO of ICANN, highlighted the need for a shared vision in navigating differing national priorities.
Speakers advocated for a phased approach to implementation, allowing countries to progress at their own pace while drawing lessons from successful initiatives, such as those in international travel and telecommunications. The call for collaboration was echoed by Prince Bandar bin Abdullah Al-Mishari, who emphasised Saudi Arabia’s commitment to advancing global solutions.
The discussion concluded on an optimistic note. Fatma, briefly mentioned as a participant, contributed to a shared vision of digital identity as a tool for accelerating inclusion and fostering global trust. The panellists agreed that a unified approach, guided by innovation and respect for privacy, is vital to building secure and effective digital identity systems worldwide.
Starlink and Qatar’s Ministry of Labor have partnered to empower the Qatari workforce, aligning with Qatar’s National Vision 2030 to build a skilled and sustainable labour market. Through this collaboration, Starlink is launching four key initiatives: Bright STARS, a six-month customer care training program; Stellar Stars, a 12-month employment opportunity; Future Stars, an internship program addressing 2025 recruitment needs; and ALL Stars, a diversity and inclusion initiative for Qatari individuals with additional needs.
These programs aim to enhance employability, provide hands-on training, and foster career growth for Qatari nationals and children of Qatari mothers. Additionally, Starlink will collaborate with KAWADER and ISTAMAR programs to ensure job opportunities are widely accessible, supporting the Ministry of Labor’s mission to create inclusive and structured career pathways.
Starlink and Qatar’s Ministry of Labor are committed to advancing nationalisation and strengthening Qatar’s workforce. That partnership reflects Starlink’s dedication to corporate responsibility, aligning its goals with Qatar’s economic vision.
By providing valuable opportunities for local talent, Starlink fulfils regulatory requirements and contributes to innovation, organisational stability, and the long-term development of a competitive and resilient workforce.
CelcomDigi and Universiti Malaya (UM) are collaborating to drive digital healthcare innovation by leveraging 5G, AI, and extended reality (XR). Through this collaboration, UM will become the first healthcare institution in Malaysia to integrate HoloMedicine, a transformative technology that uses 3D holograms in clinical care and operating theatres.
The initiative aims to enhance surgical precision, improve access to medical care, enable remote expert consultations, and revolutionise medical education through immersive XR technologies. Bridging the digital gap will also position Malaysia as a global leader in health tourism and advanced medical education, providing students and professionals with hands-on experience in complex procedures and treatment strategies.
The three-year partnership is part of CelcomDigi’s broader initiative to advance digital healthcare, enhancing the accessibility, efficiency, and personalisation of care across Malaysia’s healthcare system. By integrating these cutting-edge technologies, the collaboration seeks to transform medical education and healthcare delivery, ensuring that future medical practitioners are equipped with the tools necessary to deliver exceptional care.
The effort will also strengthen Malaysia’s position in the global healthcare ecosystem, empowering healthcare providers with advanced digital solutions and positioning the country as a leader in innovative medical practices.
The United Nations has established a dedicated body to safeguard submarine cables, which transmit over 99% of global data, including emails, video streams, and government communications. The initiative aims to address the vulnerability of this critical infrastructure to natural disasters, accidents, and suspected acts of sabotage. Around 200 cable failures are reported annually, with incidents such as a 2022 tsunami cutting off the Pacific island of Tonga for a month.
The new body, comprising 40 experts from public and private sectors, will focus on ensuring cables are built and maintained with greater resilience. While its mandate does not extend to investigating potential sabotage, it seeks to expedite repairs and minimise disruptions. ITU Deputy Secretary-General Tomas Lamanauskas emphasised the importance of this effort, citing the impact cable failures have on economies and societies worldwide.
As cable disruptions become increasingly common, experts believe the UN’s efforts will help stabilise a crucial global network. A follow-up summit in Nigeria is planned for February, continuing discussions on enhancing undersea cable resilience and safeguarding international data flow.
Singaporean asset manager Keppel and Vietnam’s Sovico Group are in discussions to develop undersea fibre-optic cables aimed at boosting Southeast Asia’s data centre industry. The potential $150 million project would directly link Vietnam with Singapore, a critical regional hub for data infrastructure. However, talks remain fluid, with Keppel reportedly favouring a larger consortium-led project extending from Singapore to Japan, while Sovico supports a direct connection.
The discussions highlight Southeast Asia’s growing demand for AI services and internet capacity, with Vietnam planning 10 new submarine cables by 2030. These cables are also a focal point in the ongoing US-China tech rivalry, with the United States lobbying against the involvement of Chinese contractors, citing security concerns. US officials have reportedly briefed Sovico and other stakeholders on the risks of working with China’s HMN Technologies.
Vietnam, with a rapidly growing digital economy and a population nearing 100 million, currently relies on five undersea cable branches for global connectivity. Expanding its cable infrastructure is seen as key to establishing itself as a regional data hub, despite challenges like power shortages and stringent data regulations. Keppel and Sovico’s efforts, along with other planned projects, signal significant investment in the region’s digital future.
Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) are calling for an investigation into potential antitrust violations by FanDuel and DraftKings. In a joint letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the US Department of Justice, the lawmakers accused the two sports betting giants of collaborating to suppress competition in the online sports betting market. The issue centres around their 2016 merger attempt, which was blocked by the FTC due to concerns about market dominance.
Since the merger was scrapped, Lee and Welch argue that FanDuel and DraftKings have used their dominance in fantasy sports to stifle smaller competitors in the online betting space. They claim that the companies, through the Sports Betting Alliance trade group, have intimidated rivals, blocked access to technology, and undermined marketing opportunities, which could harm innovation and prevent new players from entering the market.
FanDuel and DraftKings have not publicly commented on the allegations, and the Justice Department has acknowledged receipt of the letter but has not provided further details. The news has caused a drop in DraftKings’ stock, with Sen. Lee highlighting the potential societal impacts of the companies’ actions.
Amazon has successfully conducted its first drone delivery test in Italy, marking the country as its initial European market for this innovative service. The trial took place on 4 December in San Salvo, Abruzzo, using Amazon‘s new MK-30 drone equipped with advanced computer vision for obstacle detection and safety.
The e-commerce giant aims to launch Prime Air drone deliveries in Italy and the United Kingdom by late 2024, subject to regulatory approvals. The service is already operational in select areas of Texas and Arizona, with plans for expansion.
Italy joins the UK as a focal point for Amazon’s European drone delivery ambitions, supported by local aviation regulators. Amazon’s technology promises safer, more efficient package delivery while navigating complex airspaces.
Meta Platforms has teamed up with James Cameron‘s Lightstorm Vision to enhance 3D entertainment production for its Meta Quest headsets. The partnership will focus on live sports, concerts, and TV series, with the Quest serving as Lightstorm’s exclusive mixed reality hardware platform.
This collaboration reaffirms Meta’s commitment to its mixed-reality initiatives, following significant investments in augmented reality and metaverse technologies. In addition, both companies will work on reducing the production costs of creating 3D content, making immersive media more accessible.
In September, Meta introduced a more affordable version of the Quest, aligning with its goal to expand its user base.
A to-do list app, Twos, is rethinking productivity with AI-driven features that go beyond simple task tracking. Instead of just helping users organise tasks, Twos offers actionable suggestions to help complete them. For instance, writing ‘Buy paper napkins’ prompts the app to suggest links to online stores like Amazon or Walmart. Planning a birthday? Twos might remind you to add a calendar event, send a message, or purchase a gift card.
Launched in 2021 by former Google engineer Parker Klein and Joe Steilberg, Twos integrates with 27 apps, including Spotify, Uber Eats, Google Maps, and Ticketmaster. While the app currently leans on US-centric services, plans for better localisation aim to broaden its appeal. Available across Android, iOS, and the web, Twos is free, with optional premium features like custom sorting and templates priced at $2 each.
Beyond task suggestions, Twos introduced an AI assistant for list creation last year, positioning itself in the growing market of AI-powered productivity tools. The app now boasts over 25,000 active users and emphasises intuitive, energy-efficient design. While other apps like Hypelist compete in this space, Twos’ holistic approach could redefine how we manage daily tasks.
