BUSINESS

From computer-generated "extras" to AI "zombies," new restrictions against the use of artificial intelligence in Hollywood were set out by the actors' union Friday.

A surprise offensive by Myanmar ethnic armed groups has blocked two strategically vital roads to the country's biggest trading partner China, choking cross-border commerce and denying the cash-strapped junta taxes and foreign exchange.

Since September, Venezuela has deployed thousands of security force members to wrest control of seven prisons from the hands of powerful gangs -- finding caches of guns, drugs, swimming pools and restaurants -- even a zoo.

Like most others his age, Uriel Balas was just excited to celebrate his 26th birthday with friends, having saved up for his ticket to Israel's much-anticipated Supernova music festival.

The arrest in Brazil this week of two people accused of planning "terrorist attacks" has put a spotlight on alleged South American operations by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which Israel says orchestrated the plot.

It will be a woman's world at this season's Grammys, with SZA scooping the most chances for gold on music's biggest night with nine, as pop's superstars including Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish dominated across the categories.

The US arm of China's largest bank said it was hit by a ransomware attack, forcing clients to reroute trades and disrupting the US Treasury market.

A top-selling biography of billionaire Elon Musk is being adapted into a film with prolific US director Darren Aronofsky already attached, production company A24 said Friday.

The publishers of two UK newspapers on Friday lost a bid to have a case for unlawful information gathering brought against them by Prince Harry and others thrown out of court, opening the way for a possible trial.

British bank NatWest on Friday said it had axed almost GBP7.6 million ($9.3 million) worth of potential payouts for Alison Rose, its former chief executive who resigned over the lender's treatment of arch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage.

Palestinians said Friday a deadly strike hit Gaza's largest hospital compound as heavy fighting between Hamas and Israel has sent tens of thousands of civilians fleeing their homes.

The Philippines accused the Chinese coast guard Friday of "dangerous harassment" of Filipino boats in the disputed South China Sea, including firing a water cannon and blocking vessels on a resupply mission.

Samsung Electronics will roll out a real-time call translation service using AI technology next year, the firm told AFP Friday, claiming it would make conversing across languages as easy as "turning on closed captions".

Uber is a global leader in ride-hailing, food delivery and other mobility services. Its app connects drivers and riders, capitalizing on the economies of a network associated with a large base of users.

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has rejected any further pay hikes for protesting garment workers demanding a nearly tripled wage increase, after violent clashes with police and factories were ransacked.

Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus has condemned what he says is a smear campaign driven by "powerful quarters", telling AFP that news outlets in Bangladesh have falsely accused him of corruption as he fights a slew of court cases.

Almost 50,000 people have been displaced by fighting in northern Myanmar after an alliance of ethnic armed groups launched an offensive against the military two weeks ago, the United Nations said Friday.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak suffered a "minor" stroke in Mexico but has left hospital and is returning to the United States, he told ABC News on Thursday.

Asian stocks sank Friday and the dollar held gains after Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell warned he "will not hesitate" to hike interest rates further in his quest to bring inflation to heel.

Two Jewish schools in Montreal were hit by gunfire overnight, police said Thursday, amid spiking tensions in Canada over the Israel-Hamas war.

In a more hawkish speech, the Fed chair warned against "head fakes" from inflation.

Israeli forces on Thursday killed 18 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, the territory's health ministry said, most of them shot dead during an army raid on Jenin.

Tom Barkin said the economy is still to show impacts of higher rates, while Michelle Bowman said the current rate appears to be "restrictive."

The EU announced investigations on Thursday into YouTube and TikTok to find out what action the US and Chinese-owned platforms are taking to ensure the safety of minors on their platforms.

The European Court of Justice's top legal advisor recommended on Thursday that an EU court make a new ruling in the long-running 13-billion-euro ($14-billion) tax case between Apple and Brussels.

Rockstar Games, the studio behind the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto series, has said it will release the trailer for the next instalment in December, setting the gaming world abuzz.

Japanese electronics titan Sony lifted its full-year net profit and sales forecasts on Thursday, citing strength in the company's gaming, music and image-sensor sectors.

Myanmar's junta-backed president said the country is at risk of breaking apart if the military cannot crush a joint offensive by ethnic armed groups along the border with China, state media reported Thursday.

Last week, the world's largest coffee shop chain reported solid financial results for the fourth quarter of 2023.