Key Trump Ally Bolsters Missile Defense as Iran Threatens
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Saudi Arabia has announced the deployment of its first Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and the operational readiness of its first associated unit, its Defense Ministry said.
Why It Matters
Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. partner, is strengthening missile defense capabilities amid escalating regional threats, particularly missile attacks from Iran and proxy groups such as the Yemeni Houthis.
This step highlights Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 commitment to boosting domestic defense manufacturing, supported by U.S. firms to transfer technology and build regional capabilities.
Echo Battery and Task Force Talon on July 19, 2024, standing ready to protect and defend the U.S. territory of Guam and the United States at a moment's notice.
Echo Battery and Task Force Talon on July 19, 2024, standing ready to protect and defend the U.S. territory of Guam and the United States at a moment's notice.
Lt. Vincent Antoniello/U.S. Army/DVIDS
What To Know
Saudi Arabia has officially activated its first THAAD missile unit, following successful system tests and troop training, the ministry said.
Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces commander handed the unit's flag to the commander of the 1st Air Defense Group in a launch ceremony that took place at the Air Defense Forces Institute in Jeddah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
قوات #الدفاع_الجوي تُدشّن أول سرية من نظام الدفاع الجوي الصاروخي «الثاد» بعد استكمال اختبار وفحص وتشغيل منظوماتها، وتنفيذ التدريب الجماعي الميداني لمنسوبيها داخل أراضي المملكة.https://t.co/INwREUn6Yj pic.twitter.com/Z3B4j7s551 — وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) July 2, 2025
Saudi Arabia began deploying its first THAAD missile system in February, according to an analysis by the open-source intelligence company Janes of footage from a graduation ceremony at the Air Defense Forces Institute. The event marked the graduation of the first Saudi THAAD operators, who completed their training at Fort Bliss, Texas, in November.
Arabian International Co. for Steel Structures, a Saudi company in Jeddah, was awarded a subcontract by Lockheed Martin last year to manufacture key THAAD components. In May, Saudi Arabia completed its first domestically produced parts of the missile launcher, Arab News reported.
The missile system at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar intercepted ballistic missiles launched from Iran during the June conflict involving the U.S. and Israel, with the latter also benefiting from the THAAD system to intercept incoming ballistic missiles in Iranian retaliatory attacks.
What People Are Saying
Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry wrote on X, in Arabic: "The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces inaugurated the first unit of the THAAD air defense missile system after completing testing, inspection, and operation of its systems, and conducting collective field training for its personnel within the Kingdom."
Joseph Rank, the vice president and CEO of Lockheed Martin for Saudi Arabia and Africa, told Arab News in May: "We used to build things here. Now we're actually manufacturing things here. So the big opportunity is manufacturing, co-production, co-development and transfer of technology. This is jobs for Lockheed Martin in the U.S. and jobs for Saudi industry here. A win-win-win."
What Happens Next
As concerns over renewed military escalation with Iran grow, Gulf states are deepening cooperation with the U.S. and urging diplomatic efforts to avoid a wider regional conflict.
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These 200+ Alexa Commands Changed the Way I Use My Echo Devices
Since launching in 2014, Alexa has grown far beyond its original role as a simple voice assistant for music and reminders. With the rollout of Alexa Plus and new AI-powered tools, it's now a capable hub for managing nearly every part of your daily routine. From controlling smart devices and automating chores to keeping your calendar organized and managing your Fire TV, Alexa can bring real convenience to a connected home. If you haven't tried using newer commands in a while, now's the perfect time to see just how much more useful it's become. This CNET survey found that 73% of US adults who use voice assistants still have privacy concerns with AI features, but Alexa was rated the most trusted option among them. If you own an Echo device, learning the right commands is the key to unlocking everything Alexa can do. Here's a full guide to the best ones to start with. Don't miss any of CNET's unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome. Newest Amazon Alexa commands Amazon recently launched Alexa Plus, a major AI-powered upgrade to its voice assistant. This new version brings significantly improved conversational abilities and smart home control. The upgrade costs $19.99 monthly but is free for Amazon Prime subscribers. The upgraded system, first demoed back in 2023, can handle more complex requests, remember personal details and perform multiple actions through natural conversation. With these spring cleaning and organization features, Alexa+ aims to make managing your home more intuitive than ever. Notable new commands include: " Alexa, remember my frequent flyer number is 123456789 " allows Alexa+ to store important personal details for future reference. You can replace the "xxx" with any personal information you want it to store. " allows Alexa+ to store important personal details for future reference. You can replace the "xxx" with any personal information you want it to store. " Alexa, play the music upstairs " or " Alexa, play music everywhere except the baby's room " enables seamless music control across multiple rooms. " or " " enables seamless music control across multiple rooms. " Alexa, I'm chilly " demonstrates how Alexa+ can now understand implied commands, automatically turning up your thermostat without direct instructions. " demonstrates how Alexa+ can now understand implied commands, automatically turning up your thermostat without direct instructions. " Alexa, show me all the footage of the dogs in the backyard this week " integrates with Ring's Smart Video Search to find specific moments in your security footage. " integrates with Ring's Smart Video Search to find specific moments in your security footage. "Alexa, what's playing now on Fire TV?" connects your Echo devices with your Fire TV for enhanced media control. Watch this: Amazon's Alexa Gets More Conversational With AI 03:55 Prior to that, Amazon had announced new hardware products while also talking up a few new additions to the already vast Alexa commands library, including: The "Hey, Disney" command, which allows you to get information and play around with some of Disney's most beloved characters Disney's Magic Band Plus to play game-show style trivia games and more. command, which allows you to get information and play around with some of Disney's Magic Band Plus to play game-show style trivia games and more. With the new premium $35 Alexa Voice Remote Pro "Alexa, find my remote" into any Echo device you own (or the dedicated Remote Finder button in the Fire TV app) to play a sound from your remote, making it easier to find when it's lost. into any Echo device you own (or the dedicated Remote Finder button in the Fire TV app) to play a sound from your remote, making it easier to find when it's lost. The 3rd-gen Fire TV Cube "Alexa, watch ESPN on cable" so that you don't have to manually change inputs on your TV, and if you have a compatible webcam that you can connect into the Fire TV Cube, you can say something like "Alexa, call dad" to video call friends and family on your TV. so that you don't have to manually change inputs on your TV, and if you have a compatible webcam that you can connect into the Fire TV Cube, you can say something like to video call friends and family on your TV. Amazon also announced the second-generation Amazon Echo Auto, which drivers can use to play music, make calls and even talk with an agent to request help by saying, "Hey Alexa, call roadside assistance." If you're into shopping, you can say something like "Alexa, show me the green-pleated skirt" to find specific clothing items using the Shop the Look feature, which you can also use for home and beauty products. to find specific clothing items using the Shop the Look feature, which you can also use for home and beauty products. Using Amazon to make purchases from Whole Foods for curbside pickup? You can say "Alexa, check into Whole Foods" to let the grocery store know you're there. to let the grocery store know you're there. And if you want to turn on a light or some other smart home device, you can now schedule it. For example, you can say "Hey Alexa, turn off the kitchen lights in 5 minutes." Summoning Alexa By default, Amazon's connected speakers all have the same wake word. To cue up a request, just say, "Alexa." You can change the wake word to something else if, say, your own name is Alexa, or you'd just prefer an alternative. You can also trigger your smart assistant with Amazon, Echo or Computer. To change it, in the Alexa app go to Settings then Device Settings then select the Echo device you'd like to change the wake word on (you have to change each device's settings individually). If you have an Amazon Tap, Dash Wand or the Amazon Fire TV voice remote, you'll need to press a button to wake Alexa. Amazon updated the Tap with a hands-free mode that you must enable in the settings. The only wake word available to the Amazon Tap is Alexa. There's also a feature called Follow-Up Mode that makes it easier and faster to issue multiple commands to Alexa without having to keep repeating the wake word, if you enable it. When you do, Alexa will continue to listen for another command after it's completed your first request. You can keep issuing more commands until you're done or you say, "Stop." Amazon has also built on this a multiple commands feature by allowing you to string two related commands into one. You can say something like, "Alexa, play folk music at volume six," or, "Alexa, add bread, milk and eggs to my shopping list." Your Echo device can be convenient in the kitchen, the living room or anywhere for that matter. Amazon Other places you can access Alexa While the most obvious or natural way to use Alexa may be through an Echo speaker from Amazon, it's not the only way you can call up Amazon's digital assistant. In fact, there are more and more ways to access Alexa being created all the time, and you don't even need any specialized devices. Here are some of the most prominent ways to use Alexa with the devices you already have: The Alexa app on iOS Android The Amazon Shopping app The Amazon Music app Cortana on a Windows computer You can enable the mobile apps to listen for Alexa when they're open (this will, however, disable your phone from listening for its native digital assistant's wake word -- i.e. "Hey, Siri" or "Hey, Google" won't work while you have the Alexa app open). Otherwise, you can tap the Alexa icon to call up the assistant. On an updated Windows computer, you can summon Cortana and say, "Open Alexa." After the initial connection is made, saying this will cue up Amazon's assistant through Cortana. Alexa Echo Auto allows you to connect your phone to Alexa in your car. The Echo Auto is capable of carrying out many of the same commands and features as your home device, but with some restrictions (it won't unlock your doors, for example). The complete list of Alexa commands The list of Alexa commands is expansive and grows with every new service or device it supports. Alexa isn't perfect, but it's pretty great at understanding natural language, so you don't always have to speak the commands exactly as you see them below. Many commands work when worded several different ways or even with words omitted. When you consider the possible third-party commands through Skills -- essentially the apps of Amazon's Alexa -- the list goes on even further. To learn what individual skills are capable of, visit the skill's page from the Amazon Alexa app or Here are all the native Alexa commands. Basic Alexa commands Ask for help: "Alexa, help." Mute or unmute: "Alexa, mute" or, "Alexa, unmute." Stop or pause: "Alexa, stop" or, "Alexa, shut up." Change volume: "Alexa, set the volume to 5," "Alexa, louder" or, "Alexa, turn up/down the volume." Alexa commands for Echo Show The Echo Show devices and Echo Spot are the only Echo speakers with touchscreen displays. This means you can tell them to show you things. Ask for what the Echo Show can display: "Alexa, what can you show me?" Show your calendar: "Alexa, show my calendar." Show pictures: "Alexa, show my photos" or, "Alexa, show me pictures of cats." View your cameras or other rooms: "Alexa, show the living room camera." View movie trailers: "Alexa, show me the trailer for Wakanda Forever Movie showtimes: "Alexa, show me movie showtimes." View the forecast: "Alexa, show me the weekend forecast." Play YouTube videos: "Alexa, show me travel videos on YouTube." Display recipes: "Alexa, show me a slow cooker recipe from Allrecipes." View your Flash Briefing: "Alexa, play my video Flash Briefing." See your timers: "Alexa, show me my timers." Open a visual skill: "Alexa, open Uber." You can ask your Echo show to show you things using voice commands. Chris Monroe/CNET Alexa commands for Fire TV and Fire TV Stick You can now use compatible Echo devices (Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Look, Echo Show and Amazon Tap) to control your Fire TV and Fire TV Sticks. Control Fire TV: "Alexa, [pause, play, resume, stop, fast-forward, rewind] on Fire TV." Search movies or TV: "Alexa, search for [movie to TV show title] on Fire TV" or, "Alexa, find [movie or TV show title] on Fire TV." Find work by a certain actor: "Alexa, show me titles with [actor] on Fire TV." Open apps: "Alexa, open [app name] on Fire TV" or, "Alexa, launch [app name] on Fire TV." Return home: "Alexa, return home." Alexa commands for Fire TV Edition televisions Amazon also builds its Fire TV operating system into televisions like the Element EL4KAMZ17 series. All of the commands above work on those too, in addition to a few TV-specific commands below. Turn on or off the TV: "Alexa, turn on Fire TV" or, "Alexa, turn off Fire TV." Change the volume of Fire TV: "Alexa, set the volume to [level] on Fire TV" or, "Alexa, turn [up/down] the volume on Fire TV." Mute Fire TV: "Alexa, [mute/unmute] Fire TV." Change the channel when watching an antenna: "Alexa, go to [channel or network name] on Fire TV." Change inputs: "Alexa, switch to PlayStation on Fire TV" or, "Alexa, switch to HDMI 1 on Fire TV." Open antenna program guide: "Alexa, open TV guide on Fire TV." Alexa commands also work with Fire TV products. Sarah Tew/CNET Alexa commands to control media Adjust audio settings: "Alexa, set the bass to four." Play music: "Alexa, play some music." Play music on other (or multiple) Alexa devices: "Alexa, play [artist/album/song/genre] in the living room" or, "Alexa, play [music] everywhere." Cue specific song or artist: "Alexa, play music by [artist]." Play a song based on context: "Alexa, play the latest Avett Brothers album" or, "Alexa, play that song that goes 'Gotta gotta be down, because I want it all.'" Play music based on a theme Play the song of the day: "Alexa, play the song of the day." Play Spotify music: "Alexa, play [playlist] on Spotify." Play Pandora station: "Alexa, play [artist] station on Pandora." Play a radio station: "Alexa, play [radio station call letters, example: WEBN]." Play an audiobook: "Alexa, play [title] on Audible," "Alexa, read [title]" or, "Alexa, play the book, [title]." Resume the last played audiobook: "Alexa, resume my book." Skip audiobook chapters: "Alexa, next chapter" or, "Alexa, previous chapter." Play a bedtime story: "Alexa, open Storytime." Listen to Alexa read you a Kindle book: "Alexa, read my Kindle book." Set a sleep timer: "Alexa set a sleep timer for 45 minutes" or, "Alexa, stop playing in 45 minutes." Song information: "Alexa, what's playing?" Music controls: "Alexa, play" or, "Alexa, next." Control music playback on another Alexa speaker: "Alexa, stop in the kitchen" or, "Alexa, next in the office." Restart song: "Alexa, restart." Add a song to your Prime Music library: "Alexa, add this song." Create a playlist in Amazon Music: "Alexa, create a new playlist," or, "Alexa, create a 'Friday Chill' playlist." Add a song to a playlist in Amazon Music: "Alexa, add this song to my playlist," or, "Alexa, add this to my [playlist name] playlist." Like or dislike a song on Pandora and iHeartRadio: "Alexa, I like this song" or, "Alexa, thumbs down." Start Amazon Music Unlimited trial: "Alexa, start my free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited." "Alexa, wake me up every day at 8 a.m. to music" allows users to set their mornings off right with music from Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, iHeartRadio and Vevo. Alexa commands to control time and dates Set an alarm: "Alexa, set an alarm for 7 a.m." or, "Alexa, wake me up at 7 in the morning." Set a music alarm: "Alexa, wake me up to [artist, song, genre, playlist or album] at 8 a.m.," "Alexa, set an alarm to Band of Horses" or, "Alexa, wake me up to Kiss FM on TuneIn." Set a repeating alarm: "Alexa, set a repeating alarm for weekdays at 7 a.m." Set a timer: "Alexa, timer" or, "Alexa, set a timer for 15 minutes." Set a music timer: "Alexa, set a 15-minute timer to My Heart will Go On" Create a named timer: "Alexa, set a pizza timer for 20 minutes." Set multiple timers: "Alexa, set a second timer for 5 minutes." Check timer status: "Alexa, how much time is left on the pizza timer?" or, "Alexa, what are my timers?" Cancel a timer: "Alexa, cancel the pizza timer" or, "Alexa, cancel the 15-minute timer." Ask the time: "Alexa, what time is it?" Ask the date: "Alexa, what's the date?" Ask when the next alarm is: "Alexa, when's my next alarm?" Cancel an alarm: "Alexa, cancel my alarm for 2 p.m." Snooze alarm: "Alexa, snooze." Check dates: "Alexa, when is [holiday] this year?" Alexa commands for calls and messaging You can make calls and leave voicemails to other Echo users, as well as "Drop In" to your own echo devices, either to voice or video chat with whoever's in the room (or just to monitor the space like a security camera). If you have an Android, you can send text messages with Alexa. Call another Echo user: "Alexa, call [name]." Answer an incoming call: "Alexa, answer the call" or, "Alexa, answer." Hang up: "Alexa, hang up" or, "Alexa, end the call." Message another Echo user: "Alexa, message [name]" or, "Alexa, send [name] a message." Play messages: "Alexa, play messages." Send an SMS: "Alexa, send an SMS to [contact name]" or, "Alexa, send an SMS." Use Drop In on one of your own devices: "Alexa, drop in on the living room." Drop In on another user (requires the other user to allow you to Drop In anytime): "Alexa, drop in on [name]." Turn off the video during an ongoing call (only works with Echo Show): "Alexa, turn video off." Make an announcement: "Alexa, announce it's dinner time," "Alexa, broadcast it's time to go" or, "Alexa, tell everyone good night." Number check: "Alexa, open phone number check" → "tell me about 301-555-5555" or "please provide information about 301-555-5555." Alexa commands for purchasing Reorder essentials from Amazon: "Alexa, buy more deodorant" or, "Alexa, reorder deodorant." Track packages from Amazon: "Alexa, where's my stuff?" or, "Alexa, track my order." Order an Amazon Alexa device: "Alexa, order an Echo," "Alexa, order an Echo Dot" or, "Alexa, order an Amazon Tap." Add an item to your cart: "Alexa, add garbage bags to my cart." Order an Uber or Lyft with their skills: "Alexa, ask Uber to request a ride" or, "Alexa, ask Lyft for a ride." While listening to music in Amazon Music: "Alexa, buy this song" or, "Alexa, buy this album." Find new music to purchase: "Alexa, shop for new music by [artist]." Purchase a song or album from an artist: "Alexa, buy [song or album] by [artist]." Ask about deals: "Alexa, what are your deals?" For good recommendations on products, Alexa has you covered. Just say "Alexa, find me a good smartphone on Amazon," and it will find products based on Amazon customer ratings and reviews. Control purchases, shopping lists and notifications with your Echo device. Chris Monroe/CNET Alexa commands to control notifications To turn on notifications, open the Alexa app and select to Settings, then Notifications, then Shopping Notifications and toggle it on. Your Echo speakers will light up yellow when you have new notifications. Check missed notifications: "Alexa, what did I miss?" "Alexa, read my notifications" or, "Alexa, what are my notifications?" Navigate through notifications: "Alexa, next" or, "Alexa, previous." Delete notifications: "Alexa, delete all of my notifications." Alexa commands for to-do and shopping lists Add task to to-do list: "Alexa, add 'go to the grocery store' to my to-do list" or, "Alexa, I need to make an appointment with the doctor." Create a new to-do item: "Alexa, create a to-do." Check calendar events: "Alexa, what's on my calendar for tomorrow?" Add an event to a calendar: "Alexa, add [event] to my calendar for [day] at [time]" or, "Alexa, add an event to my calendar." Move a calendar event Create a shopping list: "Alexa, add eggs to my shopping list" or, "Alexa, I need to buy laundry detergent." Check your shopping list: "Alexa, what's on my shopping list?" Create a reminder: "Alexa, reminder" or, "Alexa, remind me to check the oven in 5 minutes." Check on existing reminders: "Alexa, what are my reminders this weekend?" or, "Alexa, what reminders do I have tomorrow?" Donate money to your favorite charity by saying "Alexa, make a donation to American Cancer Institute Inc." or any number of approved charities Want to check your American Express balance? Just say "Alexa, open Amex," and look at your account. Alexa commands for news and weather Ask for your Flash Briefing Add music news to your Flash Briefing: "Alexa, enable Today in Music." Check headlines: "Alexa, what's in the news?" Check weather: "Alexa, what's the weather like?" or, "Alexa, will it rain today?" You can also ask "Alexa, will I need an umbrella today?" Get a weather forecast: "Alexa, what's the weather going to be like this weekend? Get traffic information: "Alexa, what's my commute look like?" or, "Alexa, what's traffic like?" Entertainment-related Alexa commands Find movies in nearby theaters: "Alexa, what movies are playing?" or, "Alexa, what action movies are playing tonight?" Get information on movies playing: "Alexa, tell me about the movie [title]." Get movie quotes: "Give me a [movie] quote." Get IMDb rating: "Alexa, what is the IMDb rating for [movie or TV show]?" Get casting for a movie or show: "Alexa, who plays in [movie or TV show]?" Find out who an actor is: "Alexa, who plays [character] in [movie or TV show]?" Find an actor's latest work: "Alexa, what is [actor]'s latest movie?" Find out who sings a particular song: "Who sings the song [title]?" Get the names of band members: "Who is in the band [name]?" Get album information: "What year did [band] release [song or album]?" Find popular music from an artist: "Alexa, what's popular from [artist]?" Sample music from an artist: "Alexa, sample songs by [artist]." Find a particular album or song: "Alexa, find [song or album] by [artist]." Alexa can answer all of your music and movie-related questions. Amazon Alexa commands for food and businesses Get a recipe: "Alexa, how do you make chocolate chip cookies?" Discover nearby restaurants: "Alexa, find me a nearby pizza restaurant" or, "Alexa, what's the nearest coffee shop?" Get operating hours or a phone number for local businesses: "Alexa, find the address for Bank of America" or, "Alexa, find business hours for Harris Teeter." Saying "Alexa, open Wine Finder" lets Alexa help you match the best vino with your meal. If you tell Alexa you're eating shrimp, it will tell you the best wine. Alexa commands for help with math Convert units: "Alexa, how many [units] are in [units]?" Convert units: "Alexa, how many [units] are in 2 [units]?" Basic math: "Alexa, what's 5 plus 7?" or, "Alexa, what's 56 times 33?" Advanced math: "Alexa, 70 factorial." (Warning: Alexa will list numbers you didn't know existed for about a minute.) Alexa commands that can settle a score Roll a die: "Alexa, roll a die" or, "Alexa, roll a 26-sided die." Flip a coin: "Alexa, flip a coin." Pick a number: "Alexa, pick a number between 1 and 50." Kids can ask Alexa to play parent-approved music and stories with the Echo Dot Kids Edition. Julie Snyder Alexa commands for help with definitions and spelling Get the definition of a word: "Alexa, what's the definition of [word]?" Get the spelling of a word: "Alexa, how do you spell [word]?" Sports-related Alexa commands Check the results of a finished game: "Alexa, what was the score of the [team] game?" Ask if a team won: "Alexa, did the [team] win?" Ask when the next game is scheduled: "Alexa, when do the [team] play next?" Find out the results of your favorite teams: "Alexa, give me my Sports Update." Get Fantasy Football update with the Yahoo Fantasy Football skill: "Alexa, ask Yahoo Fantasy Football for a score update" or, "Alexa, ask Yahoo Fantasy Football if Patrick Mahomes is playing this week." Get league standings: "Alexa, what are the MLB standings?" Alexa commands for Voicecast Send current listening to a Fire tablet: "Alexa, send that to my Fire tablet." Send to a different profile's Fire tablet: "Alexa, show this on [name]'s Fire tablet." Alexa commands for your smart home Alexa can integrate with loads of smart home platforms, such as SmartThings, Philips Hue, Wink, Insteon, Lutron, Belkin WeMo and many more. Some require you to enable skills, and some don't. Here is a selection of the commands you can use for controlling your smart home, although there are dozens more. Turn lights on or off: "Alexa, turn on the lights" or, "Alexa, turn off the living room lights." Dim the lights: "Alexa, dim the lights to 50%." Change the color of the lights: "Alexa, make the living room lights red" or, " Alexa, turn the lights to soft white." Change the color temperature of the lights: "Alexa, make the kitchen lights a little warmer." Adjust temperature: "Alexa, raise the temperature 1 degree." Set temperature: "Alexa, set the temperature to 72." Lock your doors: "Alexa, lock my back door." Close your garage door: "Alexa, ask Garageio to close my garage." Discover smart home devices: "Alexa, discover my devices." Use IFTTT recipes: "Alexa, trigger [IFTTT recipe]." Activate a scene (limited to Control4, Insteon, Lutron Caséta Wireless, Philips Hue, SmartThings and Wink): "Alexa, turn on Movie Time" or, "Alexa, turn on Bedtime." Control GE appliances with the Geneva skill: "Alexa, tell Geneva to preheat my oven to 400 degrees" or, "Alexa, ask Geneva if my laundry is dry." Locate a lost phone Control the TV via Harmony hub The Polk Command Bar Saying "Alexa, run Away Mode" produces conversations to scare off any potential burglars. Alexa Guard Alexa can integrate with loads of smart home platforms and devices. Josh Miller/CNET Use Alexa commands with Bluetooth Pair a Bluetooth device: "Alexa, pair" or "Alexa, Bluetooth." Connect to a Bluetooth device: "Alexa, connect to my phone." Disconnect from a Bluetooth device: "Alexa, disconnect from my phone." Alexa commands for profiles and user accounts Switch profiles: "Alexa, switch accounts." Check which profile is active: "Alexa, which profile is this?" Use Alexa commands with Skills Skills are third-party applications for Alexa speakers. They allow you to connect third-party software and hardware to your speaker, as well as play games and add different news sources to your Flash Briefing. Originally, they had to be enabled before you could use them, but Amazon has since made that process automatic (just ask for the Skill and it will enable when it's used). Use a skill: "Alexa, open Earplay." Find kid's skills: "Alexa, what kid's skills do you have? Enable skills: "Alexa, enable Jeopardy!" Disable skills: "Alexa, disable Domino's." Bartender skill gives you access to more than 12,000 cocktail recipes: "Alexa, open the bartender." Use Alexa commands with Cortana Microsoft's Cortana is available as a skill -- but rather than just being a skill, it opens the door to a completely separate digital assistant through your Alexa speakers. Once you've added the skill, enabled permissions and connected your Microsoft and Amazon accounts, just say, "Alexa, open Cortana." When you're speaking to Cortana you can check your emails, ask for the next event on your calendar or add items to your to-do list. For now, the Cortana skill is limited because it's a public preview of what the full integration will be in the future. Search using Alexa commands Get Wikipedia information: "Alexa, Wikipedia: [subject]." Tell Alexa to continue reading a Wikipedia entry: "Alexa, tell me more." Ask a general question: "Alexa, how tall is [person or object's name]?" Ask Quora a question: "Alexa, ask Quora if crustaceans feel pain when you boil them." Get a Game of Thrones quote: "Alexa, give me a Game of Thrones quote." Whether it's a bull or a bear market, you can check your stock values by saying, "Alexa, ask Opening Bell for Microsoft" (or any other publicly traded company). Holiday-related Alexa commands Find out when a holiday is: "Alexa, when is [holiday]?" Holiday limerick: "Alexa, tell me a holiday limerick." Learn about a holiday: "Alexa, why do we celebrate [holiday]?" Ask about Santa: "Alexa, how old is Santa Claus?" "Alexa, is Santa Claus real?" or, "Alexa, where does Santa Claus live?" Ask about Santa's reindeer: "Alexa, who's your favorite reindeer?" "Alexa, what can you tell me about Santa's reindeer?" or, "Alexa, what do you know about Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer?" Track Santa: "Alexa, where is Santa?" or, "Alexa, track Santa." Sing a Christmas carol: "Alexa, sing a Christmas carol." Have Alexa read "The Night Before Christmas": "Alexa, read "The Night Before Christmas." Spin the dreidel: "Alexa, spin the dreidel." Ask for holiday jokes: "Alexa, open my gift," "Alexa, how ugly is your/my holiday sweater?" or, "Alexa, tell me a snowman joke." Ask for holiday movies?: "Alexa, what's your favorite holiday movie?" or, "Alexa, what are the top holiday movies?" Ring in the holiday season -- or the spooky season -- using you Echo devices. Molly Price/CNET Easter eggs for your Amazon Echo Alexa comes chock-full of Easter eggs and jokes -- the list is long. We cover the strange world of Alexa Easter eggs here, noting some of the more popular or prominent commands that prompt a snarky or humorous response. "Alexa, give me an Easter egg." "Alexa, good morning." "Alexa, tell me a joke." "Alexa, beam me up." "Alexa, set phasers to kill." "Alexa. Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." "Alexa, my name is Inigo Montoya." "Alexa, I want the truth." "Alexa, party on, Wayne." "Alexa, show me the money." "Alexa, what's the first (or second) rule of Fight Club?" "Alexa, surely you can't be serious." "Alexa, are you SkyNet?" "Alexa, party time!" "Alexa, open the pod bay doors." "Alexa, when am I going to die?" "Alexa, what is your quest?" "Alexa, nice to see you, to see you..." "Alexa, don't mention the war." "Alexa, this is a dead parrot." "Alexa, what is your cunning plan?" For even more, check out this Reddit thread dedicated to Alexa Easter eggs. More Alexa-centric recommendations
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- Yahoo
Saudi's PIF takes $8 billion writedown on megaprojects
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the engine driving the kingdom's ambitious Vision 2030 economic transformation plan, slashed $8 billion in value from its five mega-projects as costs spiraled and oil prices dipped. The writedown, revealed in PIF's 2024 annual report, comes as the kingdom's flagship project, NEOM, is under review, with jobs and project scopes on the line. The sovereign wealth fund still expects to more than double its assets to $2.67 trillion by 2030, doubling down on domestic growth even as fiscal pressures mount. In 2024, the fund created 24 new companies, including artificial intelligence mega-fund HUMAIN, advanced manufacturing firm ALAT, and commercial aerospace company Neo Space, as it boosted domestic assets to roughly 80% of its portfolio and pared back the share of international investments. Meanwhile, there are signs that the kingdom's support of its mature, operational businesses is paying off, which may prove critical to threading the post-oil needle. Video game and esports company Savvy Games Group, aircraft lessor AviLease, telecom firm STC, and mining giant Ma'aden, as well as dividend earnings from Saudi National Bank, helped boost 2024 revenues 25%. — Manal Albarakati Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Newsweek
13-08-2025
- Newsweek
China Rival Eyes More US Weapons: Full List
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Taiwan is reportedly planning to place additional weapons orders—including air defense systems and rocket launchers—with its security partner, the United States, as the self-ruled democratic island faces increasing military pressure from its powerful neighbor, China. Newsweek has emailed the Taiwanese Defense Ministry for comment. China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Why It Matters The Chinese Communist Party has long claimed sovereignty over Taiwan, despite never having governed the island. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has vowed to use force to achieve unification if necessary, and his armed forces have been preparing for a potential invasion of Taiwan. While the U.S. no longer maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it is required by the Taiwan Relations Act to provide the island with defensive arms and to maintain its own capability to resist any attempt to resolve cross-strait differences by non-peaceful means. Facing China's military buildup, the U.S. has stated that Taiwan should increase its defense spending to closer to 10 percent of its Gross Domestic Product, even though President Donald Trump once refused to answer whether he was committed to defending the island. What To Know Taiwan plans to acquire an additional 28 American rocket launchers—known as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS)—and nine National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), the Taiwanese newspaper Taipei Times reported on Sunday. The Taiwanese military conducts its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live-fire test launch at Jiupeng base in Pingtung, Taiwan, on May 12, 2025. The Taiwanese military conducts its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live-fire test launch at Jiupeng base in Pingtung, Taiwan, on May 12, 2025. I-HWA CHENG/AFP via Getty Images According to the report, which cited military sources, Taiwan previously agreed to purchase 29 HIMARS launchers capable of firing rockets or missiles, with the first 11 launchers delivered in 2024. Taiwan's HIMARS launchers were used for the first time in a live-fire exercise on the island in May 2025. The U.S. previously approved the sale of three NASAMS to Taiwan, which are expected to be deployed near the island's capital, Taipei, with the first to be delivered by the end of the year. The additional systems will enhance the defense of central and southern Taiwan. HIMARS is a long-range, mobile, precision-fire launcher capable of firing four different variants of munitions. NASAMS is a short-to-medium-range, land-based air defense system designed to protect bases, ports, populated areas and other high-value assets. Ukraine—which like Taiwan is faced by a hostile neighbor with much greater military resources—has used HIMARS and NASAMS in its war against Russia. The Norwegian Army fires a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) from the Andøya Space Range in Andøya, Norway, against a simulated threat on May 10, 2023. The Norwegian Army fires a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) from the Andøya Space Range in Andøya, Norway, against a simulated threat on May 10, 2023. Royal Norwegian Navy Meanwhile, another Taiwanese newspaper, the Liberty Times, reported on Monday that Taipei's military plans to purchase additional Javelin and TOW (Tube-launched, Optically Tracked, Wire-guided) 2B missiles to strengthen its anti-armor capabilities. Citing people familiar with the matter, the report said the total number of new missiles could exceed 2,000, based on their use by Ukrainian forces—which acquired them from the U.S.—and the estimated ammunition Taiwan would need in the event of a conflict. According to manufacturer Lockheed Martin, the Javelin is a shoulder-fired weapon capable of striking armored targets at their weakest points, while the TOW is claimed to be effective against "the most modern and heavily protected" armored vehicles and fortifications. What People Are Saying Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China's Defense Ministry, said in April: "I want to underline that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan cannot change the strength contrast between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait much less impede the historical and inevitable trend of China's reunification." Tammy Bruce, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said in April: "In the face of China's intimidation tactics and destabilizing behavior, the United States' enduring commitment to our allies and partners, including Taiwan, continues. The United States supports peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo, including through force or coercion." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will approve any weapons sales to Taiwan in the coming months, while China continues to exert military pressure on the island.
