developed for efficiently powering multi-step agents available exclusively via Writer and Amazon Bedrock as a fully managed model More than 135 AWS trainings on AI/ML are available to everyone, with all levels of experience. This team of AWS employees are pushing the limits of what it means to design and build computer hardware to help customers work faster, more securely, and more sustainably—at lower cost. Amazon.com Conditions of Use Amazon Privacy Policy© 1996-2025 Amazon.com One thing we’ve witnessed in recent months is the expansion of context windows in foundation models (FMs) with many now handling sequence lengths that would have been unimaginable just a year ago building AI-powered applications that can process vast amounts of information while maintaining the reliability and security standards required for enterprise use remains challenging Writer Palmyra models offer robust reasoning capabilities that support complex agent-based workflows while maintaining enterprise security standards and reliability Palmyra X5 features a one million token context window and Palmyra X4 supports a 128K token context window these models remove some of the traditional constraints for app and agent development enabling deeper analysis and more comprehensive task completion With this launch, Amazon Bedrock continues to bring access to the most advanced models and the tools you need to build generative AI applications with security, privacy, and responsible AI As a pioneer in FM development, Writer trains and fine-tunes its industry leading models on Amazon SageMaker HyperPod With its optimized distributed training environment Writer reduces training time and brings its models to market faster Palmyra X5 and X4 use cases Palmyra X5 and X4 models excel in various enterprise use cases across multiple industries: Financial services – Palmyra models power solutions across investment banking and asset and wealth management Healthcare and life science – Payors and providers use Palmyra models to build solutions for member acquisition and onboarding and employer request for proposal (RFP) response Pharmaceutical companies use these models for commercial applications Retail and consumer goods – Palmyra models enable AI solutions for product description creation and variation Technology – Companies across the technology sector implement Palmyra models for personalized and account-based marketing Palmyra models support a comprehensive suite of enterprise-grade capabilities Adaptive thinking – Hybrid models combining advanced reasoning with enterprise-grade reliability excelling at complex problem-solving and sophisticated decision-making processes Multistep tool-calling – Support for advanced tool-calling capabilities that can be used in complex multistep workflows and agentic actions including interaction with enterprise systems to perform tasks like updating systems accurate results while maintaining strict quality standards required for enterprise use with models specifically trained on business content to align outputs with professional standards Using Palmyra X5 and X4 in Amazon Bedrock As for all new serverless models in Amazon Bedrock, I need to request access first. In the Amazon Bedrock console I choose Model access from the navigation pane to enable access to Palmyra X5 and Palmyra X4 models Here’s a sample implementation with the AWS SDK for Python (Boto3) there is a new version of an existing product I need to prepare a detailed comparison of what’s new I use the large input context of Palmyra X5 to read and compare the two versions of the manual and prepare a first draft of the comparison document To learn how to use Amazon Bedrock with AWS SDKs, browse the code samples in the Amazon Bedrock User Guide making them suitable for global enterprise applications Using the expansive context capabilities of these models developers can build more sophisticated applications and agents that can process extensive documents and handle sophisticated agentic workflows Let us know what you build with these powerful new capabilities — Danilo How is the News Blog doing? Take this 1 minute survey (This survey is hosted by an external company. AWS handles your information as described in the AWS Privacy Notice AWS will own the data gathered via this survey and will not share the information collected with survey respondents.) Update 4/29/25: Sentence removed regarding enterprise security use cases Danilo works with startups and companies of any size to support their innovation In his role as Chief Evangelist (EMEA) at Amazon Web Services he leverages his experience to help people bring their ideas to life focusing on serverless architectures and event-driven programming and on the technical and business impact of machine learning and edge computing He is the author of AWS Lambda in Action from Manning You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Generative artificial intelligence startup Writer Inc. today released its newest state-of-the-art enterprise-focused large language model Palmyra X5 an adaptive reasoning model that features a 1 million-token context window The company also said that it teamed up with Amazon Web Services Inc to announce the availability of the new model on Amazon Bedrock AWS’s fully managed service for building AI applications by providing access to LLMs and machine learning models said Palmyra X5 was trained entirely using synthetic data and required just $1 million in graphics processing unit hours “Writer has been a leader from very early on in the use of synthetic data as well as techniques that allow us to cut down costs like stopping training if we don’t see returns which lets us push model pricing way down,” Shetrit said With its 1 million-token large-context window the model can ingest and comprehend extensive codebases or large numbers of documents simultaneously It also enables multistep reasoning across actions making it ideal for powering agentic AI workflows “Palmyra X5 is the newest model that comes with a 1 million-token context window which is one of the largest commercially available and it’s amongst the fastest and cheapest large-context LLMs,” Shetrit said “This is critical when it comes to building multi-agentic systems where the responses need to be continuously fed back into the context window across multistep workflows.” Writer will incorporate the 1 million-token context window into all of Writer’s Palmyra family of models The model can read an entire 1 million-token prompt in about 22 seconds and it can return individual function-calling turns in about 300 milliseconds X5 performs with a pricing of 60 cents per 1 million input tokens and $6 per 1 million output tokens it permits the model to provide high-speed performance across long contexts while allowing enterprise users to perform numerous actions without costing too much which can quickly become costly and slow with multistep and multiturn AI generations “If you’re thinking about enterprise use cases they’re extremely complex and interacting with multiple third-party often in multistep flows,” Shetrit said “Our focus isn’t on solving for one- or two-agent workflows It’s on enabling enterprises to manage 10 or even 100,000 agents all working alongside employees to drive real transformational change.” The release of Palmyra X5 follows Writer’s launch of AI HQ, a new centralized hub for teams to easily build, deploy and orchestrate AI agents. Shetrit described Palmyra X5 and the company’s family of other Palmyra models as powerful “brains” for agents. He said X5 delivers on the company’s vision for helping companies adapt to the agentic AI trend “Palmyra represents a critical step forward for companies seeking to embed generative AI into their enterprise workflows,” said David Cushman executive research leader at HFS Research Ltd “Palmyra is purpose-built for agent development multimodal processing and custom enterprise AI applications it’s integrated into Writer’s end-to-end platform that balances scalability with transparency — a core demand from regulators and stakeholders alike.” Hundreds of enterprise companies already use Writer’s Palmyra family of LLMs internally and externally to power their AI capabilities RSAC kickoff analysis: Agentic AI and replatforming will be key topics at this week’s conference Writer announces Palmyra X5 LLM with 1M-token context window to power AI agents Cisco announces bevy of security announcements to leverage its strength in networking Navigating the future of application architecture: Embracing gen AI platform engineering and security by design On theCUBE Pod: Cloud security replatforms Lightrun raises $70M to use AI for real-time enterprise software observability and remediation SECURITY - BY MARK ALBERTSON AI - BY KYT DOTSON SECURITY - BY ZEUS KERRAVALA APPS - BY GUEST AUTHOR AI - BY CHAD WILSON Forgot Password? The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them once one of the most important stops on the Silk Road bears the scars of ISIS attacks and more than a decade of Syria's civil war It also carries Syrian hopes of reviving the country's rich archaeological legacy Palmyra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — inhabited for thousands of years before it became a thriving Roman city on the crossroads between East and West in the 1st century CE Residents are hoping for a return of tourists now that the country has reopened to international visitors after the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad to rebel fighters last December But the sound of gunfire in the distance from Syrian government fighters and U.S.-backed Syrian militia forces controlling the area is a reminder that not all is stable "They [ISIS] placed explosives at the temple here and detonated them." The temple where he is standing — Baalshamin — was dedicated to a Mesopotamian god of the sky and was one of the main features of the sprawling oasis city where caravans carried silk spices and other goods between Asia and Europe Before 2015, the ruins of Palmyra were considered among the most intact of the vast Roman Empire ISIS believed the pre-Islamic site was blasphemous The group beheaded Palmyra's head of antiquities and then systematically blew up several of the ancient city's most important monuments The explosion at the Baalshamin temple toppled its towering stone columns sending the roof and walls tumbling and leaving only piles of huge stone blocks ISIS also destroyed the landmark group of stone pillars at the end of a colonnaded street and destroyed part of the façade of the ancient theater before using it for public executions The few remaining residents of the modern city, many of whose grandparents and great-grandparents lived in the ruins of the ancient capital before the new city was created, take strong pride in Palmyra and its powerful Queen Zenobia "As a woman, she used the military and expanded her empire from Antioch to Egypt," says Botman pointing out pharaonic columns gifted to her from ancient Egyptian rulers On one of the colonnaded streets, young volunteers from Palmyra roll stone blocks into place to prevent cars from driving into the ruins and doing further damage. During the civil war, looting of archaeological sites in Syria dramatically increased "We have to protect even the small pieces," says Mohammad Shaker which has worked to clear debris from the citadel on a hill overlooking the ancient site as well as repair sidewalks The volunteers are also trying to help bring back modern Palmyra after the country's devastating civil war At least 100,000 civilians were believed killed by the regime and during fighting in the 13-year-long conflict "We have the energy — everything can be restored and in a few years it will be rebuilt," he says "But the young people and the children who died "Palmyra, the ancient city, is like our mother," said Mohammed Fares, who works for a Spanish-based conservation group, Heritage for Peace He said the group is waiting for the Syrian government to license non-governmental organizations to send in expert archaeologists and equipment to assess the damage to the ancient site The damage to both the ancient site and the modern city has been devastating Faced with civil war and threats from ISIS former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad turned to Russian forces and Iran-backed Syrian militias to retake Palmyra A 2017 report by the American Society of Overseas Research said recent military activity accounted for more damage than deliberate destruction in the ancient city of Palmyra and other sites it surveyed The Syrian government moved military forces into the ancient citadel overlooking Palmyra Russia established a military base on the edge of the ancient city within the protection zone established by UNESCO Russia said a year later the base was temporary But signs of Russian presence remain years later Months after the regime and its Russian allies retreated last December the ground near a girls' high school taken over by the Russian military is covered with burned and blackened documents pieces of computer equipment and an artillery shell — all apparently left by troops as they abandoned the site Russia offered to help restore damage done by ISIS. But it said that some sites were so badly damaged they could be rebuilt using only modern materials Part of the ancient theater appears to have been repaired with concrete Many of the houses in what was a city of 100,000 people are either destroyed or heavily damaged no emergency services and no money to rebuild infrastructure "Ninety-nine percent of families were displaced north Many of the palm groves that gave the oasis city its name were razed by the Assad regime and its allies to eliminate cover for opposition fighters The fall of the Assad regime opens the possibility of more stability and funds — and wider tourism to what had been largely a niche destination before the start of the civil war At the century-old Zenobia Cham Palace Hotel overlooking the ancient city, the walls are marked with bullet holes. Fallen plaster and shattered glass cover the floors. A water-logged drinks menu, a remnant of the pre-ISIS days, advertises alcoholic cocktails. Writer Agatha Christie and her archaeologist husband Max Mallowan were among the hotel's guests in the 1920s who declines to give his name as he is not authorized to speak to journalists says he is under government instructions not to allow visitors because ISIS is still a threat But he returns with a gift of postcards showing some of the museum's treasures including a famous statue of a lion damaged by ISIS Many of the antiquities in the Palmyra museum were sent to Damascus for safekeeping after the start of the civil war In Damascus, the Syrian government's interim head of antiquities, Anas Haj Zidane, says he blames Russia for damage to Palmyra and the U.N.'s cultural agency, UNESCO for allowing Russian oversight over the archaeological site "When the Russians were present in Palmyra as a military presence they vandalized and destroyed it," he told NPR in January "Their mission was a military delegation composed of officers UNESCO's Culture and Emergencies Entity director said the organization had no information on the claim of Russian involvement in damage to Palmyra Russian authorities have not responded to NPR's request for comment Pikkat said the organization was discussing with Syrian authorities reactivating monitoring missions to inspect endangered World Heritage Sites in the country At the National Museum of Damascus glass cases hold tantalizing glimpses of the wealth of ancient Palmyra They include delicate Roman glass containers for eyeliner and brightly colored fragments of silk and cotton garments The 11-foot-high stone Lion of al-Lat damaged outside the Palmyra museum by ISIS was pieced together and is now on display in the Damascus museum's garden A handful of Syrian visitors wander through the museum halls as the sound system quietly and inexplicably plays Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen in the background The country's long-time director of museums and antiquities seems delighted to guide visitors through the exhibits The museum was closed for seven years at the height of the civil war "We need international cooperation because Syria cannot now with its humble internal capabilities after this brutal war and decades of corruption provide everything that is required in the cultural sector," he says "I hope that Syria returns to the glory it had in the field of antiquities and more." Greg Dixon and Sangar Khaleel contributed reporting from Palmyra and Damascus Become an NPR sponsor Palmyra, the historic site in modern-day Syria is known for its ruins of a once mighty ancient city Palmyra the band has seen its share of hardship and destruction but the Virginia trio is using those experiences to build something awe-inspiring banjo-driven folk to all-out indie rock — often in the same song — Palmyra doesn’t sugarcoat their pain on their debut full-length album and Mānoa Bell take on mental health struggles and more in plainspoken but powerful lyrics The album’s title conveys the theme: the ache of wanting to find a niche and the searing frustration of feeling lost The title track captures that tension right off the bat But soon the song explodes into a heavier sound Electric guitars and drums are augmented by string flourishes “The truth is I’ve never been anywhere further from fine,” Landon sings And that’s just the first of many hard truths Palmyra offers here “Palm Readers” captures a moment when Landon was just out of an outpatient mental health program and learning how to care for themselves preoccupied with the past and present because the future seemed too uncertain It’s a particular moment from one person’s life but when the chorus of “I’m so damn lonely tonight” hits the wall between listener and artist dissolves and it’s not hard to imagine singing along full-blast at a cathartic live show “Shape I’m In” also grapples with Landon’s mental health this time in the aftermath of a bipolar diagnosis with lyrics delivered through gritted teeth before blooming into a scream Landon issues a string of apologies and describes with moving honesty the highest highs and lowest lows A reflection on a road trip Chipouras once took with his brother it’s a laid-back groove that brings listeners along for the feeling of pause and renewal that long drives and beautiful scenery can bring The foundation of Palmyra is the friendship between Landon who were classmates at James Madison University and formed a band based on equal partnership With a couple years of buzz behind them and this powerful debut to share Palmyra’s Restless is out March 28 on Oh Boy Records FRESH TRACK: Steve Bardwil Band – “Send ‘Em Love”Check it outSPONSORED BY Steve Bardwil Band MENA Lizzie PorterPalmyra, SyriaJanuary 28, 2025 lies in ruinsThe ancient Roman city of Palmyra has seen looting vandalism and destruction as a result of the Syrian civil war experts now hope the UNESCO World Heritage Site can be restored.Image: OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFPTemple in ruinsPalmyra one of Syria's six UNESCO World Heritage Sites was located on the ancient Silk Road and was known for its 2,000-year-old ruins dating back to the Roman Empire destroyed temples and columns now characterize the ancient oasis city The oldest finds date back to the late Stone Age and the oasis city flourished during the Roman Empire located near the present-day city of Tadmur was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 around 150,000 tourists flocked to the ruined city every month to see the sights The brutal civil war raged in Syria for 13 years and at times the site fell into the hands of the terrorist organization "Islamic State" (IS) The group's fighters systematically destroyed the temples of Bel and Baalshamin and the Arch of Triumph They also brutally murdered an elderly antiquities scholar who had dedicated his life to overseeing the ruins Children now play on the ruins of the ancient portico that stretched almost 1.2 kilometers (0.8 miles) from the Temple of Bel to the Temple of the Dead visited Palmyra just a few days after the fall of Assad in December and documented extensive destruction "Syria has a treasure of ruins," he said emphasizing the need for preservation efforts Experts hope the reconstruction of Palmyra will lead to a significant increase in the number of tourists and provide a much-needed boost to Syria's economy the ancient ruined city attracted visitors from all over the world "Palmyra revitalized the steppe and used to be a global tourist magnet," said Nabu This 2010 photo shows a well-preserved archway in the portico of Palmyra before it was devastated by the so-called "Islamic State" group The extent of the destruction and loss of irretrievable cultural assets has not yet been fully assessed by experts with illegal excavations carried out along the colonnade and in the Roman theater Sculptures were removed and tombs were looted while IS fighters covered wall paintings and reliefs with plaster and Islamic verses "The [Palmyra] museum was in a deplorable state with missing documents and artifacts," said Nabu "We have no idea what happened to them." On a hill near the ancient ruined city lies Fakhr al-Din al-Ma'ani Castle a fortress built between the 13th and 16th centuries Palmyra first fell into the hands of IS and then the Syrian army the fortress was turned into a Russian military base UNESCO has been supporting the protection of Syria's cultural heritage through satellite analyses and documentation since 2015 UNESCO experts have so far been unable to visit the site International experts from the cultural organization declared in 2019 that reconstruction would only be possible after a detailed assessment of the damage A devastating new report reveals the extent of destruction in Syria’s legendary city of Palmyra where eight out of ten buildings now lie in ruins or on the verge of collapse whose monuments have stood for over two millennia with its 2,200-year-old temples reduced to rubble and its museum’s priceless artifacts shattered conducted following the liberation of Syria from the Assad regime paints a grim picture of both the archaeological treasures and the modern city A collaborative effort between the Spanish National Research Council’s Milà i Fontanals Institution (IMF-CSIC) and the NGO Heritage for Peace the research documents the systematic destruction of cultural heritage that has occurred alongside a humanitarian crisis that has displaced 90% of Palmyra’s population “We want to raise awareness among both local communities and the international community about the serious threats facing Palmyra’s heritage,” says Isber Sabrine a CSIC archaeologist of Syrian origin and one of the report’s coordinators covering approximately 12 square kilometers reveals the scale of devastation across Palmyra’s most significant monuments a grand second-century structure featuring four clusters of columns has been reduced to scattered stone fragments by explosions Perhaps most shocking is the complete destruction of the BaalShamin Temple an architectural marvel that had survived since antiquity until recent conflicts Even the city’s famous Roman theater hasn’t escaped damage Researchers documented a collapsed façade from bombing and evidence of illegal excavations now stands badly damaged from aerial bombardment its precious collections of statuary and funerary artifacts largely destroyed The city’s natural heritage has suffered equally devastating losses surviving palm and olive tree owners struggle to salvage what remains of their orchards in areas where water access has been cut off The human toll parallels the physical destruction Of Palmyra’s pre-conflict population of 100,000 only about 10,000 residents have returned to a city where basic services are virtually nonexistent The few who have come back face severe poverty and the constant danger of unexploded ordnance with landmines and weapons scattered throughout the area A small team of dedicated individuals continues to protect what remains is guarded by personnel from the Directorate of Antiquities and local volunteers working without support from the new administration The report emphasizes that Palmyra’s cultural preservation is inextricably linked to its humanitarian recovery essential services and economic opportunities the return of the population will be limited making it difficult for local professionals and workers to be available for heritage conservation,” notes Sabrine The study drew on observations from 15 contributors coordinated by archaeologists Hasan Ali and Mohammed Fares of the Palmyrene Voices initiative Their findings trace the city’s struggles through multiple periods of conflict including the Islamic State occupation and years of repression the report calls for urgent action to implement rehabilitation strategies for both the archaeological site and the modern city The joint effort between IMF-CSIC and the Palmyra Voices Initiative represents a crucial step toward preserving this UNESCO World Heritage site and supporting Syria’s post-conflict reconstruction For Palmyra to regain its former vitality and protect its remaining heritage the researchers conclude that rebuilding basic infrastructure must take precedence Only by restoring the city’s livable spaces can its ancient wonders hope to be preserved for future generations Melbournian GP Dr Palmyra De Banks’ wants a college that listens to and learns from its members RACGP presidential hopeful Dr Palmyra De Banks promises to make grassroots GPs feel seen and heard by the college if elected this month Dr De Banks is the current clinical director at High Street Medical and Dental Centre in the Melbourne suburb of Preston where she sub-specialises in women’s health and chronic pain While she hasn’t had a role in the college on the national stage she’s a veteran member of the Victorian faculty she would be the sixth female president in the college’s 65-year history give us your elevator pitch for RACGP president Dr De Banks: I think I can make big changes for the positive of the membership It’s really important that we listen to the members – I think a lot go unheard and it would be great to really represent all the members in the best way I can There’s been a lot of discussion about whether Australia should follow the model that is being pushed by the NHS What are your insights as a former NHS doctor I’m what they call an international medical graduate I’ve been here in Australia for 12 years both in hospital and then in general practice The trajectory that the NHS was taking was one of the main reasons I looked to relocate to a different health system and part of what drove me to move to Australia I think the system we have here is far superior than what’s happening in the UK – even in the last few days GPs in the UK have [voted for] industrial action in reaction to latest offerings by the government There’s lots of different areas where I’d really like to help facilitate change of course I’m keen to support my IMG colleagues and improve what we as a college do and how we interact with IMGs I also am very keen on simplifying the system for all GPs but it’s definitely becoming more complex There are some over-burdensome tasks that we have to do in general practice that quite often take away from the care delivery to patients I’d be keen to do what we can to improve the day-to-day life of GPs and allow us to focus on what we really want to do which is provide excellent care to our patients We are so integral to the patient journey and our impact on patients is considerably undervalued by our peers and by the government I would be keen to improve how we’re seen by our peers and by the government and valued for the hard work and that integral work that we do Looking at the RACGP’s latest Health of the Nation report administrative burden is high up on the list of pressure points Could you elaborate further on what some of those over-burdensome tasks are and how you might go about addressing them The processes around referrals can be time-consuming and unnecessary They don’t improve patient outcomes and they don’t improve patient care They don’t simplify the patient journey and yet they cause patients to have to book appointments with GPs or make unnecessary contact with GPs before they can receive the care that they really need What do you see as the three biggest challenges facing general practice The payment systems for patients makes things very complicated I can see real issues around patients accessing care which are expensive and time consuming for patients lots of medications and lots of specialist appointments and it prevents patients from receiving the care they need I also see a big problem for general practice at the moment being the lack of graduates and junior doctors moving into this specialty It’s an amazing specialty – it’s so rewarding and it’s professionally so diverse We can subspecialise within it and provide so much wonderful care to patients I love being able to look after multi-generational families and I don’t think medical students or junior doctors are given a real demonstration of how amazing our specialty is A lot of medical school and university time is spent increasing the prestige of the specialties and I think a lot of students miss out on a fantastic opportunity for a rewarding career And it was the same in the UK – it’s not unusual The amount of time students spend with specialists when they’re going through their training compared to GPs understandably impacts on [their career choices] What sets you apart from the other candidates because everybody’s bringing something unique to the table I have a lot of crossover with some of the other candidates has huge amounts of RACGP experience; I’ve … also done a lot [of college work] as a local representative for the [association] Dr Michael Wright has got a legal background; I’ve done my Masters of Medical and Healthcare Law and I’m young and dynamic like Dr Alan Bradley I’d like to think I bring something different I have got the experience of the RACGP and the AMA I’ve done the Australian Institute of Company Directors course I have also been very involved in my clinical director role I oversee 1300 GPs from a clinical point of view nationally I oversee 18 clinics directly within Victoria I’m involved in patient feedback and just improving the service I know you’ve done some work with clinical data governance Data is one of the next big frontiers for general practice – how important is working out how to get data that can quantify what GPs do in practice it’s one of the things that we’ve been doing well for years Because of the setup of the health system under the NHS we have been extracting data and utilising it efficiently for decades now to look at the health of the nation and how patient care can directly influence patient outcomes if you look at the quality outcome frameworks that have been used for the last 15 years in the UK they gather evidence-based metrics and then use that to monitor patient outcomes and identify and drive patient care Are you a candidate for change or a candidate for consistency because as the RACGP president you’re not the captain of the ship so much as a figurehead You’re still answerable to the membership and answerable to the board I would like to think I can bring influence and bring a different perspective and encourage the board to listen to the membership as much as possible It’s the real reason that’s driven me but I understand that change is not something that happens overnight but by education and changing people’s perspectives I would love to do a great job and represent the members I think we need to listen to our membership a lot more than we’re doing at the moment and I would like to improve the day-to-day life of GPS so that they can continue to enjoy the amazing day-to-day work that they’re doing How can the college listen to its members better There’s a lot of GPs that don’t engage; it’s not an easy answer You just have to look at the number of GPs that voted in the last few presidential elections – something like one in six last election and one in nine the one before and I think if we found out more figures about sort of the demographics of those who were voting it wouldn’t show a full spectrum of our membership I’d love to get out and engage with the members more One of the reasons I think they don’t engage is that they don’t feel that it makes a difference I don’t think they feel that they are listened to or that they have any influence on the college I’d like every member to feel that the college was there for them A more detailed breakdown of Dr De Banks’ priorities can be found here. This was the final interview in our series; voting for the RACGP president opens at midday on Monday 12 August. This interview was edited for length and clarity Receive daily updates on the latest news affecting Australian GPs Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Lemma ShehadiJanuary 16 your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt Syria’s renowned landmarks, such as the ancient city of Palmyra and the medieval castle of Crac des Chevaliers still bear the scars of nearly 14 years of war are optimistic that their historical and cultural significance will eventually draw international visitors back helping to revitalise the country’s economy Palmyra, one of Syria’s six UNESCO World Heritage sites, once thrived as a key hub on the ancient Silk Road linking the Roman and Parthian empires to Asia the site is home to remarkable 2,000-year-old Roman-era ruins These historic structures now bear the marks of destruction with shattered columns and damaged temples Palmyra was Syria’s top tourist destination drawing around 150,000 visitors each month “Palmyra revitalised the steppe and used to be a global tourist magnet,” Ayman Nabu a researcher and expert in ancient ruins told The Associated Press explaining that the site was known as the “Bride of the Desert” The capital of an Arab client state under the Roman Empire Palmyra holds particular significance as the site where Queen Zenobia famously led a brief rebellion in the third century the site has gained more sinister associations a notorious detention centre where thousands of political prisoners When the Islamic State (IS) captured the town they demolished the prison and later set about destroying Palmyra’s iconic monuments including the temples of Bel and Baalshamin IS militants also beheaded Khaled al-Asaad an elderly antiquities scholar who had spent his life overseeing Palmyra’s ancient ruins control of Palmyra shifted between IS and the Syrian army until it was recaptured by forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad with the backing of Russia and Iranian militias The surrounding areas were left heavily damaged including the 16th-century Fakhr al-Din al-Ma’ani Castle Researcher and expert Ayman Nabu was among the first to visit Palmyra after the fall of the Assad regime “We saw extensive excavation within the tombs,” he recalls “The Palmyra museum was in a deplorable state with missing documents and artifacts – we have no idea what happened to them.” Nabu also detailed significant looting that occurred during the IS occupation noting that at the theatre (the Tetrapylon) and other ruins along the main colonnaded street there were many illegal drillings revealing sculptures as well as theft and smuggling of funerary or tomb-related sculptures While seven of the stolen sculptures were recovered and sent to a museum in Idlib 22 others were smuggled out of Syria and likely ended up in underground markets or private collections while plaster now covers ancient wall paintings many of which feature mythological scenes reflective of Palmyra’s deep cultural connection to the Greco-Roman world “Syria has a treasure of ruins,” Nabu said underscoring the need for urgent preservation efforts to safeguard the country’s rich cultural legacy Nabu also noted that Syria’s interim administration led by the Islamist former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has decided to wait until after the political transition before creating a strategic plan for restoring the nation’s heritage sites UNESCO has been remotely supporting the protection of Syrian cultural heritage since 2015 through satellite analyses and documentation acknowledged the agency’s limited presence on the ground noting that the body had provided reports and recommendations to local experts but no on-site restoration work had been carried out Some 183 km away, Crac des Chevaliers – a medieval castle built by the Romans and later expanded by the Crusaders – also bears the scars of war the castle was heavily bombarded during the civil war head of the antiquities department at Crac des Chevaliers pointed to the damage caused by government airstrikes in 2014 which destroyed the castle’s central courtyard and decorative columns “Relying on the cultural background of Syria’s historical sites and their archaeological and historical significance to enthusiasts worldwide I hope and expect that when the opportunity arises for tourists to visit Syria we will witness a significant tourism revival,” he said While sections of Crac des Chevaliers have been restored after airstrikes and the deadly 2023 7.8-magnitude earthquake Hanna and Nabu agree that the restoration of Syria’s heritage sites will be a long-term project requiring technical expertise and careful planning Syria’s northwest region is home to more than 700 abandoned Byzantine settlements These weathered ruins feature remnants of stone houses Though many of the structures are in partial collapse the intricate carvings and towering church facades persist Despite the devastation caused by conflict some of the Dead Cities – which date back to the first century – now shelter displaced Syrians While some of the ruins have been repurposed for housing and barns with valuable artefacts being stolen and smuggled a local resident who returned to the Dead Cities after eight years noting that the site was once a place where he would attend school The Dead Cities were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2011 as an open-air museum Idlib province alone hosts “over 1,000 heritage sites spanning different time periods — about a third of Syria’s total ruins,” he added in addition to the bombings and airstrikes looting and unapproved excavation have inflicted considerable damage with new construction near the ruins being poorly planned and posing a threat to preservation The expert added that “tens of thousands” of looted artefacts remain undocumented authorities are working with the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums to compile case files for international distribution with the aim of locating and recovering them Last month, representatives from international organisations and academics met in Rome to discuss strategies to preserve Syria's cultural heritage.*** Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A Palmyra man has been charged with creating free fake WiFi access points to glean personal information from people who connected to them appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Friday where he was granted bail over nine alleged cyber-crime offences Michael Clapsis faces nine alleged cyber-crime charges It is alleged Clapsis was arrested after an airline employee reported concerns about a suspicious WiFi network during a domestic flight in April Australian Federal Police searched Clapsis’ luggage and seized a portable wireless access device a laptop and a mobile phone from his hand luggage with AFP alleging Clapsis “used a portable wireless access device to create ‘evil twin’ free WiFi networks” which he used at multiple locations to lure unsuspecting users into believing they were legitimate services “The AFP alleges that when people tried to connect their devices to the free WiFi networks they were taken to a fake webpage requiring them to sign in using their email or social media logins,” they said “Those details were then allegedly saved to the man’s devices.” It is alleged Clapsis used email and password details to access more personal information They allegedly found data used at airports in Perth on domestic flights and at locations linked to the man’s previous employment The analysis is ongoing to determine the extent of the alleged offending you shouldn’t have to enter any personal details such as logging in through an email or social media account,” said Detective Inspector Andrew Coleman from the force’s Western Command Cybercrime unit “If you do want to use public WiFi hotspots install a reputable virtual private network (VPN) on your devices to encrypt and secure your data when using the internet change your device settings to ‘forget network’ “We also recommend turning off the WiFi on your phone or other electronic devices before going out in public to prevent your device from automatically connecting to a hotspot.” Anyone who connected to free WiFi networks in airport precincts and on domestic flights is recommended to change their passwords and report any suspicious activity on their accounts via cyber.gov.au Clapsis was released on a $20,000 bail undertaking and $20,000 surety and will be back in court on August 23 WA News Live: East Perth set for revitalisation; New Perth Glory coach; Bali dengue fever warning ‘Really disappointing’: Panic in Democratic ranks after Biden’s nightmare debate Why freezing out Senator Fatima Payman wouldn’t look good for Labor Australian Federal Police searched Clapsis\\u2019 luggage and seized a portable wireless access device with AFP alleging Clapsis \\u201Cused a portable wireless access device to create \\u2018evil twin\\u2019 free WiFi networks\\u201D which he used at multiple locations to lure unsuspecting users into believing they were legitimate services \\u201CThe AFP alleges that when people tried to connect their devices to the free WiFi networks they were taken to a fake webpage requiring them to sign in using their email or social media logins,\\u201D they said \\u201CThose details were then allegedly saved to the man\\u2019s devices.\\u201D on domestic flights and at locations linked to the man\\u2019s previous employment you shouldn\\u2019t have to enter any personal details such as logging in through an email or social media account,\\u201D said Detective Inspector Andrew Coleman from the force\\u2019s Western Command Cybercrime unit \\u201CIf you do want to use public WiFi hotspots change your device settings to \\u2018forget network\\u2019 \\u201CWe also recommend turning off the WiFi on your phone or other electronic devices before going out in public to prevent your device from automatically connecting to a hotspot.\\u201D Palmyra is located in Homs.Palmyra's ancient city is a UNESCO World Heritage site It was seized by Islamic State militants in 2015 and partially destroyed before it was recaptured by the Syrian army.Reporting by Clauda Tanios Jana Choukeir and Nayera Abdallah; Additional reporting by Emily Rose and Ari Rabinovitch in Jerusalem Editing by Alison Williams and Angus MacSwan Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null "\/liveblog_entry\/syrian-government-forces-pull-out-from-airbase-near-palmyra-report\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=GT0q_wDftEJELzZHlmxCNUYUenE0upbYxsKdgeMZBQs-1746450681-1.0.1.1-jhizV.2n828AXBJl.s5mqHbNh4_PowKGFV3oSMzCFKc" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); Forces of the US-backed Syrian Free Army have taken control of Palmyra in the eastern countryside of the Syrian province of Homs after clashes with forces of the Bashar al-Assad regime which operates in the Al-Tanf region at the crossroads of Syria has made significant advances against regime forces in the eastern countryside of Homs the opposition group took control of the town of Sukne between Homs and Deir ez-Zor and the strategically located Mount Gurab around the road between Damascus and Homs The opposition group has also taken control of the town of Al-Sukhnah between Homs and Deir ez-Zor and the strategically important Jabal al-Ghurab located around the Palmyra-Damascus road Renewed clashes between Syrian regime forces and anti-regime groups broke out on Nov ushering in advances against regime forces opposition forces had taken control of most of Aleppo’s city center and established dominance across the Idlib province the opposition Syrian National Army launched Operation Dawn of Freedom against the PKK/YPG terror group in the Tel Rifaat district of Aleppo's countryside liberating the area from terrorist elements Anti-regime forces captured Hama on Thursday and continued their advance on Friday seizing the Rastan and Talbiseh districts in the Homs province Lizzie PorterIstanbulApril 04 Artificial intelligence startup Writer Inc. today announced the launch of Palmyra Creative a AI large language model purpose built to elevate creative thinking and writing across various professions Palmyra Creative has been designed to bring depth The LLM supports professionals in brainstorming fresh ideas refining creative outputs and solving complex challenges making it an ideal tool across industries like healthcare The new LLM seeks to address the issue of one-dimensional outputs often generated by existing models which can struggle to provide innovative or engaging ideas Writer argues that while traditional models excel at accuracy and reasoning they frequently fall short in tasks requiring creativity The limitation poses a challenge for professionals who depend on fresh out-of-the-box thinking to drive strategic decision-making or solve nuanced problems in their workflows Palmyra Creative addresses these issues by focusing on three core capabilities: divergent thinking co-creation and the delivery of relevant solutions The LLM generates a wide range of unique ideas adapts outputs based on user feedback and produces high-quality results tailored to specific challenges Divergent thinking is used to generate a wide range of unique ideas and innovative approaches to problems Co-creation works through collaborating with users adapting its outputs based on feedback and exploring different perspectives to refine results precise responses that effectively address specific challenges to ensure practical and impactful outcomes Another aspect that sets Palmyra Creative apart from existing solutions is an ability to pair imaginative thinking with domain-specific expertise The LLM delivers solutions tailored to complex industry challenges when combined with models such as Palmyra Med for healthcare or Palmyra Fin for finance precise responses that address specific challenges while ensuring practical outcomes Palmyra Creative is available today via the application programming interface NIM inference microservice on the Nvidia API catalog Writer is a venture capital-backed company that was previously in the news in November when it raised $200 million in new funding on a $1.9 billion valuation Investors in the company include Premji Investments Pte Vectara launches open-source framework to evaluate enterprise RAG systems Exclusive: Data mesh creator brings first product to market Camunda adds AI agents to its process orchestration platform Aurascape launches with $50M in funding to bring security and observability to AI apps Snowflake announces full support for Apache Iceberg Fortanix introduces Armet AI for compliant secure enterprise generative AI deployment AI - BY DUNCAN RILEY BIG DATA - BY PAUL GILLIN AI - BY MARIA DEUTSCHER SECURITY - BY KYT DOTSON CLOUD - BY PAUL GILLIN SECURITY - BY DUNCAN RILEY Forgot Password? This story is taken from Scenery Number Two, which is out now: nestled in the heart of the city of Baalbek has been both its biggest blessing and its greatest curse Baalbek has been completely neglected by the state and left in the hands of Hezbollah (a pro-Iranian militia) and other family tribes who at the slightest provocation and until this day it seems to emerge from the ruins of what was once called Heliopolis the silhouettes of the Temple of Bacchus (one of the grandest and best-preserved Roman temples in the world) and the Temple of Jupiter (the largest monument dedicated to the deity in the history of the Roman Empire) appear to be drawn on the façades of the Palmyra the hotel has something almost biblical about it It’s here that the poet Jean Cocteau wrote: “The mysterious terraces of Baalbek from which it is assumed that men embarked towards the stars are they not the ideal place for the soul of poets to take flight and set sail?” Seeing the columns of the Temple of Bacchus drawing their boundaries with the sky one suddenly forgets that outside this isle the precarious situation in Lebanon since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 has dealt a significant blow to the establishment Palmyra is a place that is both deserted by its past and very much inhabited by its memory It’s a national treasure whose secrets are kept within an imposing guest book at reception As visitors flip through its pages or walk down a long corridor leading to the derelict dining hall they seem to encounter spectres of historical figures who once resided in one of the 25 guest rooms Such company includes German emperor Wilhelm II and even some legendary artists who graced the stage of the Baalbek festival – notably Joan Baez Rima el-Husseini holds a special memory for Nina Simone: “It was in 1998 we had to carry her on a chair to her room in the annexe,” she recalls “I will never forget that magical encounter like all the others that make up the story of Palmyra She asked for a bottle of Veuve Clicquot rosé before going on stage and we had to scout the entire Beqaa Valley to find this for her.” Likewise it’s impossible not to see the poignant mark left by Cocteau after his two stays at the Palmyra in 1956 and 1960 Just push open the door of Room 27 to discover his sketch of a face with troubled haunting eyes blown onto a wall like stardust this character seems to look at the temples of Baalbek through Palmyra’s eyes is the experience our establishment offers,” muses Rima who managed the hotel from 2010 until her son Hassan recently took over What I remember most from my last visit to the Palmyra is the impression that here The concierge Ali is a character from another era The cats that come to lounge on the ancient sculptures scattered in the lobby and bar The intact furniture like sentinels of the past and the sheer mosquito nets above the beds The old shutters weathered by time and sun “Conserving this spirit was a battle in its own right,” confirms Rima A battle indeed: like facing the repeated comments of those who and other hyper-comforts customary in today’s holiday palaces oblivious to the fact that Palmyra’s notion of luxury lies elsewhere It’s in the magic that operates in every nook of this place; where a fragment of the country’s history is also sealed as the signing of the Grand Lebanon Declaration in 1920 took place here “I’ve always received many comments like this or that needs refurbishing the more determined I felt to do the opposite Because Palmyra is exactly that: a time capsule,” insists Rima “the problem is that the region has always been associated with conflicts fuelling a certain fear among the public who came to attend concerts at the Baalbek festival but hurried back to Beirut,” she says The silence that weaves through the daily life of Palmyra today is not unusual but we’ve experienced for years what the country is going through now,” she adds “It only takes an incident in the region for the hotel to empty out [But] this crisis seems to us like one too many.” witnessing Palmyra survive all of this – especially the past eight months during which the region has been regularly targeted by Israeli airstrikes – is nothing short of miraculous Its mere existence feels like a promise to safeguard a Lebanon that is slowly disappearing Scenery Number Two is out now (KHQA) — The Hannibal School District hosted the annual Northeast Missouri Special Olympics on Friday The 8th annual Special Olympics gave students in grades K-12 the opportunity to volunteer or participate in events such as walking This year’s event was held in Palmyra due to ongoing renovations at Porter Stadium at Hannibal High School Hannibal Special Services Director Jennifer Welker said the event is a great opportunity for all involved “We have a high population of students in our district that have individualized education plans which just means that a lot of them learn differently and they may not participate in sports or a lot of extracurricular activities cause maybe that's not in their lane so this is just a way for them to get out and have that chance to do things at a more flexible and a laid back level,” Welker said Welker also thanked the Palmyra School District for allowing use of its football field for the event Organizers said they plan to return to Porter Stadium next year once renovations are completed Palmyra Girls Lacrosse at spring sports media day on March 5 Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.comJoe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Evan Wheaton | ewheaton@pennlive.comSavannah Epler surpassed 100 career saves for Palmyra girls lacrosse helping the Cougars capture a 14-6 victory over Bishop McDevitt on Thursday • Sign up for PennLive’s daily high school sports newsletter Epler came up with four saves between the pipes to eclipse the century mark Rachel Ross (assist) and Kate Bixler both scored hat tricks to power Palmyra Morgan Angle (assist) and Ella Longenecker all found the back of the net twice each Ella Detwiler and Megan Isett both added a goal apiece and Rylee Sherwood tallied one assist Thanks for visiting PennLive. 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