AI tools help choose best embryos, increase success rate for IVF
Paris, France -- Artificial intelligence tools can now help choose the most promising embryos for in vitro fertilisation (IVF), although...
Science
Divided US Fed set for contentious interest rate meeting
When the Fed last met in October, Chair Jerome Powell asserted that another rate cut in December was "not a...
Economy
Arts & Culture
Crowd braves rain to flock to Pope Leo’s mass in Istanbul
After two days of blue skies and sunshine, the heavens opened, but the downpour did little to dampen the enthusiasm...
- Earlier, the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics visited Istanbul's Blue Mosque, huddled with local church leaders and met Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I
- Ahead of the ceremony, the streets were filled with umbrellas as people walked through the rain towards the stadium, the crowd giving off a palpable buzz of excitement
Geostrategy
Hezbollah says has ‘right’ to respond to Israel’s killing of military commander
Hezbollah's leader on Friday said the group had the right to respond to Israel's assassination of its top military chief...
- In a televised speech, Naim Qassem called the killing of Haytham Ali Tabtabai "a blatant aggression and a heinous crime", adding that his group had "the right to respond."
- Qassem insisted that the Iran-backed group has respected the November 2024 ceasefire that sought to end over a year of hostilities with Israel
Geostrategy
Negotiations under way on Hamas fighters trapped in Gaza tunnels: sources close to talks
An Israeli government spokesperson told AFP earlier this month that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "is not allowing safe passage for...
- Israeli media has reported that for weeks that between 100 and 200 Hamas militants have remained trapped in a network of tunnels under the city of Rafah
- A prominent Hamas member in Gaza told AFP that the group estimated their number to be between 60 and 80, and said they were "under siege" but would not surrender
Business
Singapore AI teddy back on sale after recall over sex chat scare
Singapore, Singapore -- A plushy, AI-enabled teddy bear recalled after its chatbot was found to engage in sexually explicit conversations...
- Singapore-based FoloToy had suspended its "Kumma" bear after a consumer advocacy group raised concerns about it and other AI toys on the market.
- The Kumma bear "looks sweet and innocent. But what comes out of its mouth is a stark contrast," researchers have said.
Geostrategy
Four European nations urge Israel to end West Bank ‘settler violence’
"We -- France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom -- strongly condemn the massive increase of settler violence against Palestinian civilians...
- Settler violence in the West Bank has soared since Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war.
- Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank, mostly civilians.
Geostrategy
Trump says Afghan man shot two soldiers near White House
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that an Afghan man who fled the Taliban was the suspect in the shooting of...
- The announcement in a brief video message signaled the intertwining of three politically explosive issues -– Trump's use of the military at home, and the legacy of Afghan war
- The incident, which left two Guard members critically wounded, was "an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror," Trump said. "It was a crime against our entire nation."
Geostrategy
Israel launches major West Bank operation, raiding Tubas towns amid escalating violence
The Israeli military said the operation began with air strikes to isolate the area, which were followed by "searches" on...
- The operation, which began overnight, was taking place in predominantly agricultural Tubas, the northeasternmost of the 11 governorates in the West Bank
- Ahmed al-Asaad, governor of the Tubas region, told AFP: "This is the first time that the entire governorate is included -- the whole governorate is now under Israeli army operation
Geostrategy
Israel returns 15 bodies to Gaza after hostage remains identified
It came after Israel announced that a body handed over by Hamas on Tuesday was that of Dror Or, one...
- The last two hostages' bodies still in Gaza are those of Israeli Ran Gvili and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak.
- At the start of the ceasefire Hamas were holding 20 living hostages and 28 bodies of deceased captives.
Business
Insurance giant Allianz signals job cuts in AI shift
Frankfurt, Germany -- German insurance giant Allianz signalled Wednesday looming job cuts due to its adoption of artificial intelligence, with...
- Allianz Partners, the company's subsidiary dealing principally with travel insurance, said it was "leveraging AI" to strengthen its position and improve its services.
- Such changes could, however, "impact positions which are heavily reliant on manual processes today," it said in a statement.
Geostrategy
Robots take centre stage at Singapore ‘Olympiad’
Singapore -- The World Robot Olympiad opened in Singapore on Wednesday with hundreds of international students, some as young as...
- Organizers said 594 teams, comprising 1,571 participants from 91 countries, have registered for competitions to be held on Thursday and Friday on the theme "The Future of Robots".
- The theme "explores the way robotics can help solve global challenges and improve our lives", according to a fact sheet issued by the organizers.
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Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
AI tools help choose best embryos, increase success rate for IVF
Paris, France -- Artificial intelligence tools can now help choose the most promising embryos for in vitro fertilisation (IVF), although...
Science
Company News
Latest News
Biden demands assault-weapons ban after 8 killed in Texas mall rampage
Responders, distressed witnesses and police described scenes of panic and horror in Allen, where video footage shared online showed the...
Egypt ex-graft chief freed from prison, charged again: activist
A military court had found Geneina guilty in 2018 of "spreading information to harm the military", after he had said...
UN admits aid failure for Syria as quake toll hits 33,000
Supplies have been slow to arrive in Syria, where years of conflict have ravaged the healthcare system, and parts of...
At least 20 escape Syria prison holding IS inmates after quake
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said it could not verify whether prisoners had escaped, but confirmed...
Musk kicks Kanye West off Twitter for ‘incitement to violence’
West has made a series of anti-Semitic comments recently, as the one-time titan of fashion and music appears to have...
Amazon unveils new AI chip in battle against Nvidia
San Francisco, United States -- Amazon Web Services launched its in-house-built Trainium3 AI chip on Tuesday, marking a significant push...
Business
Saudi powers forward with deficit spending to fund reforms
The Arab world's largest economy is overseeing a major push to slash its dependence on oil revenues, with officials pouring...
Economy
Saudi powers forward with deficit spending to fund diversification of its oil-dependent economy
Saudi Arabia greenlit its 2026 budget Tuesday, projecting a deficit of 165 billion riyals ($44 billion) as the kingdom presses...
Economy
Most Read
Business
Amazon tests ‘ultra-fast’ deliveries in two US cities
San Francisco, United States - Amazon on Monday began testing "ultra-fast" deliveries in two US cities, giving some shoppers the...
- Amazon is piloting its new “Amazon Now” feature in select neighbourhoods, offering items ranging from groceries to electronics
- Delivery fees for the ultra-fast service start at $3.99 for Prime members and $13.99 for non-members
Business
Bid by Netflix for Warner Bros Discovery signals streaming giant’s ambition to dominate global content production
Streaming giant Netflix has made a mostly cash offer to buy TV and film group Warner Bros Discovery as the...
- Netflix joined Paramount Skydance and Comcast, the owner of NBCUniversal, in a second round of an auction that was being negotiated throughout the US Thanksgiving holiday
- The parent company of HBO, CNN and the Warner Bros film studio officially put itself up for sale in October after receiving multiple unsolicited offers
Geostrategy
Trump warns Israel not to ‘interfere’ in Syria, days after deadly operation killed 13 people
"It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that...
- "It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria's evolution into a prosperous State,"
- Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and invited him for another White House visit, Netanyahu's office said shortly after Trump issued the warning