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In Afrin, breathing easier again
18 February 2026, Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic – On a cold January morning, Dr Dima Jaabar listened carefully to the uneven breathing of two young boys brought into the Rajo health centre in the rural countryside of...
Apple is reportedly cooking up a trio of AI wearables
As the AI hardware space heats up, the iPhone maker has multiple smart products in development.
Champions League: Can Mourinho do it again against Real Madrid?
Are Newcastle on upset watch as they head to face upstart Qarabag?
Halper AI Announces Expansion to Latin America and Europe with Its AI Business Assistant for Solopreneurs and SMEs
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Halper AI today announced its expansion into Latin America and Europe, introducing its AI Business Assistant for solopreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Founded by Eduard Gevorkyan, the company continues to expand its international presence by bringing automated communication, scheduling, CRM, and invoicing capabilities to new regional markets. Halper AI is an AI-powered Business Manager designed for solopreneurs
Rashid takes unusual 700th wicket as Afghanistan beat UAE
Rashid Khan claims his 700th T20 wicket in unusual circumstances as Afghanistan keep their faint World Cup hopes alive with a five-wicket win over United Arab Emirates.
Goldman Sachs ups daily dinner allowance $5
Sometimes, the only thing that makes life at the office after 8 p.m. bearable is an extra side of guacamole. Now, Goldman bankers can afford it.
Apple AirPods Pro 4 may include cameras: Here's what it means - The Times of India
Wearables News: Apple is expected to release new AirPods Pro this year. Rumours suggest that upcoming models may feature built-in infrared cameras, which will be the .
Sports Coaching Platforms Market to Reach US$ 1,408.1 Million by 2031 Driven by AI-Enabled Training, Wearable Integration, and Data-Centric Performance Analytics
The sports coaching platforms market has evolved significantly, driven by digitalization and remote, AI-enabled training, these platforms enhance athlete performance tracking and scheduling. Key trends include wearable sensors, personalized apps, and rising demand for data-centric, professional, and amateur coaching tools.Chicago, Feb. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to recent data from Astute Analytica, the global sports coaching platforms market is estimated to witness a rise in revenue
Liverpool v Man City: Team news
Liverpool boss Arne Slot names the same starting XI from the side that beat Newcastle 4-1 last time out. It means the in-form Hugo Ekitike leads the line supported by Florian Wirtz, who is beginning to find his feet in a Reds shirt. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola makes five changes to the side that beat Newcastle in midweek to reach the Carabao Cup final.
The iPhone Successor? Apple’s New AI Pin is Basically a Talking AirTag
Discover Apple's AI-powered wearable, a hands-free device with next-gen Siri and seamless ecosystem integration. Launch expected by 2027.
United Arab Emirates Loyalty Business Report 2026: A $592.4 Million Market by 2030 - Majid Al Futtaim SHARE, Emirates Skywards, ADNOC Distribution, and e& Smiles Compete with Careem and Noon
Key market opportunities in UAE's loyalty sector include embedding loyalty programs into high-frequency transactions, expanding coalition programs across sectors like retail and travel, integrating loyalty with digital identity platforms, and shifting focus from discounts to utility and access-based benefits. Emirati Loyalty Market Emirati Loyalty Market Dublin, Feb. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "United Arab Emirates Loyalty Market Size & Forecast by Spend Value Across 100+ KPIs by Program T
Smartwatch Health Alerts: Tampa cardiologist shares when to see a doctor
Many people wear smartwatches or use some type of wearable device that tells you about your health and your heart, but a Tampa cardiologist said it’s important to know what you’re looking at and when it’s time to see a doctor.
US carrier shoots down Iranian drone and armed boats threaten US tanker as tensions in with Iran escalate
A US aircraft carrier shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively approached” the ship in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday hours before two gunboats operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps approached a US-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to board and seize the ship, according to a US military spokesman.
Trump's failed bid to elevate an Arab American ally shows cracks in his political coalition
Donald Trump credits the mayor of a small Detroit suburb with helping him win over Michigan’s Arab American community during the 2024 presidential campaign
Apple's New Lip-Reading Tech Is a Weird Signal of Where We're Heading
Commentary: The purchase of a startup called Q.ai isn't a blip on the radar. The way we use our wearables could be changing in very weird new ways.
Investment and Statecraft: The International Politics of Sovereign Wealth Funds - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
In 1953, Kuwait established the world’s first sovereign wealth fund to invest the country’s oil revenues and generate returns that would reduce its reliance on a single resource. Since then, over 100 separate funds have been created to preserve national wealth and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. Today, they manage over $10 trillion in global assets. In this discussion with GJIA, political economist Kathryn Lavelle explains the increasingly novel dynamics that surround fund behavior and what the world can come to expect from their growing presence in international financial markets. GJIA: When it comes to the roles sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) play in global markets and politics, what would you say makes them unique? Kathryn Lavelle: Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) operate on behalf of governments as investors. That in itself is a strange relationship. Within them, a core contest takes place between the state’s interests (or sovereign) part of the dynamic, and the money interests (or wealth) part of it, and these two aspects are frequently in contradiction, serving fundamentally different goals. SWFs are also quite fascinating because when you talk to the people who manage these funds, they have an interest in convincing you that the decisions are made almost exclusively on a financial basis—they really will go to great lengths to differentiate their government owners and those who make the management decisions. At the same time, these people ultimately answer to someone in power. Therefore, for most SWFs, it remains deeply unclear who is actually making the investment decisions and for what purposes. Of course, it is not always clear how other vehicles, such as hedge funds and private equity make the decisions they do, but I think what a lot of people find particularly disconcerting about SWFs is that they seem to act on behalf of people who have a different identity from their own. People who could be trying to manipulate politics and markets in a way that would have a long-term effect on their own populations. Regular investors come and go at will, and they only share an interest in profit as far as most of us understand. However, SWFs have that extra “sovereign” part right behind them that obscures their true interest. GJIA: These funds can be found in countries all across the globe, in both authoritarian states and democracies. Would you say SWFs differ in their goals and structures between regime-type? KL: It is not necessarily regime type that makes the goals and structures of SWFs different. It has to do with their economies. Let’s look at a country like China. There’s going to be a debate about exactly how to characterize the regime, but it is a country with many different kinds of sovereign wealth funds, and a particularly opaque state connection to each. At one time, some of the state-owned Chinese oil companies created specialized investment vehicles listed outside Chinese markets that excluded parts of the firms that were more associated with human rights violations. At the same time, the China Investment Corporation (CIC)—China’s largest SWF—draws a lot of concern, not necessarily because of its investment activities, but because of the dynamics of global politics. So, I wouldn’t really tie differences to regime types themselves in a wholesale way, but rather to how such funds are perceived and how they are structured. Saudi Arabia’s SWF is getting all kinds of attention for its involvement in Hollywood, and this takes me right back to when I was a student in the 1980s, when people were concerned about Japanese investment entities buying assets in Hollywood. They aren’t quite the same in financial terms, but it’s the same kind of concern about foreign investment that drives people to be suspicious, and the whole idea that “foreigners are influencing Hollywood.” This holds true across industries, and it reflects where politics are in places like the United States right now. One metric we can try to look at is transparency, where all the funds will tell you, “we are transparent.” The problem you’ll keep running into with this approach is how you value things. When trying to do comparative studies of equity markets, you’ll find that every country doesn’t use Generally Accepted Accounting Principles like we do in the United States. A fund may appear opaque politically and not want people to show what they’re invested in or what their intent with that investment is, but they could also just not be able to report it because of the way it was purchased, or the kinds of shares they purchased. There are some assets out there that really are difficult to put a monetary value on. GJIA: To what extent do domestic politics shape SWF behavior in both the investing “home” country and the recipient “host” country? KL: This depends on the type of fund present and also on the extent to which voters’ political views are able to influence the fund. For example, in a democratic home state like Norway, the SWF doesn’t invest in nuclear weapons or tobacco because of social concerns, but there is a continuing debate over whether it should invest in oil, even though that’s where most of the money comes from. The degree to which Norway will continue to make those investments, and whether they contradict the government’s overall climate goals, is an open question in Norwegian politics. Because of the way the fund’s governance is structured, it may not be easy to resolve. On the other hand, some people consider pension funds, like the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) in Ohio, to be quasi-SWF. They have a very strict separation between the people who make up the management division and the fund owners. No teacher or professor would want to invest in things that may harm the future of their students. At the same time, a fund manager might see an opportunity in a diversified multinational corporation that offers a good return, despite it deriving part of its revenue from e-cigarettes. These contests are very apparent. Domestic politics can work in host countries too. A good example is Singapore’s SWF, Temasek, investing in Thailand’s telecommunications sector. If you study political economy, you already know that countries everywhere are uncomfortable with foreign ownership of their telecom sectors because a foreign entity could monitor or manipulate our communications with each other. In the case of Temasek, there was significant pushback from Thai citizens surrounding the deal, which went on to influence national political sentiment toward Singapore as a whole, underscoring the risks some SWFs may face with their investment choices. In this case, fund behavior led to the dissolution of the entire Thai government in 2006 and a subsequent coup d’état. GJIA: To address some of this unease, the Santiago Principles were established in 2009 to ostensibly promote trust and transparency. From your perspective, have these mechanisms actually changed fund behavior? KL: In international relations theory, we always like to have a clear set of norms and best practices—the orientation we want the proverbial ship to be going in. In that regard, the Santiago Principles at least got the discussion going about which direction SWFs should take at a time when people were very skittish about the growing size of these funds. Nobody wanted them to be out there and potentially destabilizing economies, so talks about disclosure, conditions for withdrawal, and the independence of managers were helpful when initiated. The biggest stumbling block was that there wasn’t exactly a good way to measure compliance with the Principles, let alone how to hold funds to them. If you read the Principles, they’re overall quite vague. In general, a fund doesn’t want to reveal how and why they make certain investment decisions because that information is proprietary—a fund makes money off of how and why it makes decisions—so how do you reconcile that with loosely-defined ideas of openness? Some decisions might have a political purpose. The bottom line is that trying to figure out and assign a score to compliance is not easy, and it is therefore the reason why the Santiago Principles never really got off the ground to the point where they could truly direct fund behavior. GJIA: Many emerging markets are looking to build their own SWFs from mineral and oil revenues. Historically, have funds shaped development trajectories in these countries? KL: I think the big story in international emerging markets investment is that the investment is increasingly no longer unidirectional. In the past multinational corporations of primarily Western background were the main form of foreign direct investment in a country. That has changed dramatically, to the point where you have companies from so-called “developing countries” taking over companies in the United States. Therefore, the landscape of international investment has changed, and I think SWFs are certainly a possibility to be the next step in the game. Historically, you didn’t need an entire financial vehicle to reinvest commodity revenues in your country, but as emerging markets get more financially sophisticated, their capacity to operate such funds has increased. SWFs would allow treasuries to move from relying on holding foreign exchange assets like cash or government bonds to having broader financial markets and targeted growth areas, while easing pressure on welfare expenditures. GJIA: With their increasing financial weight, do you see the presence of SWFs being a factor in the political choices leaders will have to make with regard to domestic and foreign policy? KL: It will depend on just how big the funds get. One of the reasons people are already apprehensive is because of their scale, and if certain SWFs in certain countries achieve a large-enough size, the presence will absolutely be cause for concern. The other factor political leaders will have to consider are their objectives. It’s not always clear how to define a SWF, or even where its activity is concentrated, but it is certainly a worry from the perspective of national security of opaque external investment. More than that, I think one of the most interesting questions going forward is whether the United States, the home to the world’s largest financial markets, will develop its own fund, for which the Trump administration announced a plan. There have also been several proposals in Congress. Were it to come into being, it would have tremendous weight. At the same time, one of the hallmarks of U.S. capitalism is a lack of government ownership of shares, so it would not be clear how such a fund would be received in domestic politics, or which direction it would take. Given how politically fragmented the country is, a Democratic administration would likely be concerned about different sectors of the economy, such as healthcare, and want investment there, rather than a Republican administration, which might prefer defense industries. No investment vehicle could thrive under conditions of such instability. Moreover, it remains unclear where the money to fund a theoretical U.S. SWF would come from. It would be a fundamentally different entity depending on whether it is financed with debt, economic surplus, commodities, or the sale of state companies, as in the case of Singapore. If it is debt, or government borrowing of some form, then the fund would have to outperform whatever the cost of that debt is, which is not an easy thing to do. I think our political leaders have enough on their plate. Our system has worked well keeping political and investment functions generally separate. We have seen different forms of business rise and fall, and even the perception of different countries, all of which funds are tied to. Unless a major SWF either starts—like in the case of the United States—or collapses—an issue that concerns the Saudis, I don’t see any political tsunamis on the horizon. . . . Kathryn Lavelle is the Ellen and Dixon Long Professor of World Affairs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Her research explores the exchange between domestic and international and political institutions with a particular emphasis on political economy and multilateralism. Dr. Lavelle’s first book, The Politics of Equity Finance in Emerging Markets, explored the political circumstances that surround large issues of stock in the developing world. After being granted tenure at Case Western, she was awarded an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship and named the William A. Steiger fellow, a designation given to the most promising political scientist in her class of fellows. While in Washington during 2006-2007, she worked on the staff of the House Committee on Financial Services on issues related to domestic and international monetary policy. Dr. Lavelle holds a PhD in political science from Northwestern University; an M.A. in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia; and a bachelor’s degree in international economics from Georgetown University. She is a permanent member of the New York Council on Foreign Relations. This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length. Interview conducted by Sid Mehrotra. Image Credit: Jason Leung, Unsplash Content Licenses, via Unsplash
Syria advances a nationally led public health response to substance use through inter-ministerial action
27 January 2026, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic: Syria is taking a significant step forward in addressing substance use as a public health priority, following a high-level inter-ministerial meeting hosted by the...
Sleep-tracking devices have limits. Experts want users to know what they are
Millions of people rely on phone apps and wearable devices like rings, smartwatches and sensors to monitor how well they're sleeping, but these trackers don't necessarily measure sleep directly.
Leicester City? Texas Western? A search for Indiana football's best cross-sport comparison
Was Indiana's title the greatest story in sports history? There might never be an objective answer, but we polled our experts for comparable arguments in other sports.
Chinese scientists shrink semiconductor chip into fibre as thin as human hair
Advance allows fibres to compute like chips or display information like transistors, paving the way for machine-wearable smart textiles.
The Morning After: Apple might be making its own AirTag-sized AI wearable
Want a thicker AirTag that listens and has cameras? I don't.
Report: Apple plans to launch AI-powered wearable pin device as soon as 2027
Apple, OpenAI, Meta, and more are all racing toward AI hardware products.
Not to be outdone by OpenAI, Apple is reportedly developing an AI wearable
Should this wearable materialize, it could be released as early as 2027, according to a report on the device.
Apple is working on an AI-powered wearable pin
A new report by The Information claims that Apple has been developing an AirTag-sized wearable that could be released “as early as 2027”.
Apple Developing AI Wearable Pin
Apple is developing an AI-powered wearable pin the size of an AirTag that is equipped with multiple cameras, a speaker, microphones and wireless charging, according to people with direct knowledge of the project. The device could be released as early as 2027, they said. Such a product would ...
Internet shutdown squeezes Iran's ailing businesses already hurt by crashing currency
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranians have been struggling for nearly two weeks with the longest, most comprehensive internet shutdown in the history of the Islamic Republic — one that has not only restricted their access to information and the outside world, but is also throttling many bus...
Joy Awards Spotlights Saudi’s USD 3B Entertainment Market
Events like the Joy Awards drive the entertainment sector, attracting tourism, revenue, and premium experiences.
What does it means to navigate an increasingly turbulent entertainment industry? Creative studio and concert professionals provide the answers by Jake Bourke
If you bake in a bakery, where do you make art?” Vico Sharabani is the founder and COO of The-Artery, a multidisciplinary creative studio where their wheelhouse is versatility and experimentation. Their extensive portfolio encompasses feature films, premium television, experiential installations, virtual production, and live events, establishing a proven track record of delivering high-quality production [...]Read More... from What does it means to navigate an increasingly turbulent entertainment industry? Creative studio and concert professionals provide the answers
Former employee of an Arabi business arrested in burglary case, sheriff says
Deputies say the alleged suspect, a former employee of the business, was identified through surveillance video and victim statements.
El Clasico 2026 live stream: Where to watch, when is it, odds, prediction
The two bitter rivals meet with a trophy on the line Sunday in Saudi Arabia
Amazon Has Big Hopes for Wearable AI — Starting With This $50 Gadget
Several months after Amazon.com Inc. bought artificial intelligence hardware startup Bee, the company said it’s working to make its $50 always-listening wearable more proactive, and indicated a larger revamp is in store.
Full-length Replay: Al-Nassr vs Al-Qadsiah
From King Saud University Stadium, in Saudi Arabia.
This Is the Blood Glucose Monitor We’ve Been Waiting For
Makers of smartwatches and other wearables have spent years trying to measure blood sugar without pricking your skin. The PreEvnt Issac does just that, and you wear it like a necklace.
Deco: No serious knee injury for Barca keeper Ter Stegen
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen has no serious knee injury, the club's sporting director Deco has said after medical examinations. German international Ter Stegen left the Barca camp at the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia to have the knee examined back in Spain.
Stars end losing streak with 4-1 win over Capitals
CANADIENS 4, FLAMES 1 MONTREAL (AP) — Alexandre Texier had a goal and two assists, Jacob Fowler made 28 saves and Montreal beat Calgary. Lane Hutson, Oliver Kapanen and Cole Caufield also scored to help Montreal improve to 24-13-6. Joel Farabee scored for Calgary, and Dustin Wolf stopped 31 shots.
OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health in a push to become a hub for personal health data
ChatGPT Health allows users to connect medical records, wellness apps, and wearable data to the chatbot, which many already use for health-related advice
I Just Saw the Wireless Body-Transmitting Network My Future Wearables Need
Ixana's Wi-R network could be a way to help smart glasses stream more reliably to a wide range of connected wearables, and after seeing a few demos, I'm eager to learn more.
Motorola Debuts Its First Book-Style Foldable and Wearable AI Concept
Lenovo Group Ltd.‘s Motorola unveiled its first folding phone that opens like a book or passport, a departure from the string of clamshell-style foldables that the brand has released over the last several years.
US FDA to limit regulation of health and fitness wearables, commissioner says
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday that it will limit regulation of wearable devices and software designed to support healthy lifestyles, issuing new guidance to clarify its regulatory approach.
Razer thinks you’d rather have AI headphones instead of glasses
I told you 2026 was the year of cursed AI wearables.
Looking for a subscription-free Whoop band? This screenless rival could be the voice-led wearable you’re looking for
Who needs a screen anyway?
CES 2026: Garmin had the nerve to launch a food-tracking feature in Las Vegas
Garmin's CES announcement was not another wearable. It's upgrading its Connect Plus app so you can track your nutrition and calorie intake.
Motorola Razr Fold leaks alongside new Moto Tag and a neat-looking camera wearable [Gallery]
The Razr series saw a recent revival over the past couple of years, but Motorola isn’t stopping at flip phones....
Six Flags Qiddiya City, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation’s first destination outside North America, is now officially open
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Six Flags Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia’s first-of-its-kind theme park and entertainment destination, celebrated its grand opening Dec. 31 by welcoming guests from across the Kingdom…
Top Health Trends of 2026: GLP-1 Expansion, AI Wearables, More
Which health trends will be making the biggest waves in 2026? Gretel Schueller, managing editor of health at U.S. News and World Report, joins TODAY to share an exclusive look at their list of the top emerging health trends, including an expansion of GLP-1s for more health conditions, the integration of AI into wearable technology and more.
Samsung says Galaxy wearables could soon help detect early signs of dementia
Samsung says Galaxy wearables could soon help detect early signs of dementia by tracking changes in speech, movement, and daily activity.
SwitchBot turned up to CES with an AI wearable that records everything you say
SwitchBot's AI transcription clip keeps a log of everything you say.
Full-length Replay: Damac vs Al-Hilal
From Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in Saudi Arabia.
Even in prison, Marwan Barghouthi looms large in Palestinian politics
Arab Barghouthi, the son of Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouthi, on his father's life in Israeli prison and the stalemate after nearly two decades without elections.
Plaud's latest AI wearable has a button for flagging key moments
The $179 AI wearable is available today.
Full-length Replay: Al-Ittihad vs Al-Taawoun
From Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Swimmer who vanished at Lovers Point was wearing a shark deterrent. What science says about what they do
Studies question whether wearable shark deterrents effectively reduce risk.
The most important PC gaming news stories in 2026
Thoughts on the year of gaming to come, and in particular, GTA 6, unions, Saudi Arabia, generative AI and sex.
Family pleads for release of ICE detainee as disabled son’s health declines
Maher Tarabishi's family has been fighting to have him released from ICE custody on humanitarian grounds, calling him the primary caregiver for his disabled adult son.
Six Flags Qiddiya City, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation's First Destination Outside North America, is Now Officially Open
/PRNewswire/ -- Six Flags Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia's first-of-its-kind theme park and entertainment destination, celebrated its grand opening Dec. 31 by...
'Shower Networking Expo' coming for small business
A "business shower" is happening next week to help small businesses and entrepreneurs make some new connections for 2026.Rumella Cameron Caraballo and Rob Sweet
Full-length Replay: Al-Ettifaq vs Al-Nassr
From EGO Stadium in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Commentary: America tried something new in 2025. It's not going well
Glow up or grow up? Times columnists Anita Chabria and Mark Z. Barabak look back and assess whether 2025 was good for America or an unmitigated disaster.
Inoue Reacts To ‘Extremely Disappointing’ Win
Naoya Inoue may have done enough to remain undefeated and solidify his spot as boxing’s pound-for-pound best earlier today (Sat., Dec. 27, 2025) in a title defense against David Picasso at The Ring V: “Night of the Samurai” in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but “Monster” is not happy with his own performance and ultimately believes it’s […]
Full-length Replay: Al-Nassr vs Al-Okhdood
From King Saud University Stadium, in Saudi Arabia.
Full-length Replay: Al-Hilal vs Al-Khaleej
From Kingdom Arena in Ar Riyad, Saudi Arabia.
Culture change: How 2025 is incomparable to McCarthy’s final season
Some argue the Cowboys have nothing to play for since they're already eliminated from the postseason but that couldn't be further from the truth
'Palace fight will have delighted Glasner'
Former Crystal Palace forward Glen Murray says Oliver Glasner will be "delighted" with the spirit shown by his side despite their Carabao Cup quarter-final exit on Tuesday evening. The Eagles fought back after Maxence Lacroix's late own goal to equalise deep into stoppage time and force penalties away at Arsenal, before the Gunners eventually progressed by winning the shootout. "When you take into consideration the way they lost the game at the weekend against Leeds, coming away to the Emirates in the quarter-final of a cup competition and digging in in the manner that they did showed character," Murray told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.
This new 3D chip could break AI’s biggest bottleneck
Researchers have created a new kind of 3D computer chip that stacks memory and computing elements vertically, dramatically speeding up how data moves inside the chip. Unlike traditional flat designs, this approach avoids the traffic jams that limit today’s AI hardware. The prototype already beats comparable chips by several times, with future versions expected to go much further. Just as important, it was manufactured entirely in a U.S. foundry, showing the technology is ready for real-world production.
The Trump Administration's big year in health tech
In this edition of STAT Health Tech: A look back at the big changes in health tech, and AstraZeneca joins wearables study with Lilly, Novo.
Yale has a plan after Trump nixed a key student-loan program
Trump's student-loan repayment overhaul includes the elimination of the Grad PLUS program. Yale said it's putting out a "comparable" new plan.
US entertainment giant Universal Studios to build multibillion dollar theme park in Saudi Arabia | World News - The Times of India
Middle East News: Universal Studios is considering a multi-billion dollar theme park in Saudi Arabia's Qiddiya, part of Vision 2030 to boost tourism and entertainment in the Kingdom. This early concept could bring global franchises to the region.
Whoop vs Oura Ring: Which wearable is right for you? I found out
Both Whoop and Oura have created first-rate trackers, but they have some important distinctions
US Health Agency Announces Two Medicare Pilot Programs on Drug Pricing
Dec 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Friday announced pilot programs to start in 2026 and 2027 that are aimed at reducing out-of-pocket drug costs under the Medicare healthcare program for older and disabled Americans to prices on par with economically comparable countries. The Centers ...
Once a pariah, Saudi Arabia is now Hollywood's hot cash source
Saudi Arabia’s prominent role in some of the most consequential Hollywood deals in a generation is just the latest and perhaps the most audacious move by the kingdom to expand its footprint in the U.S. entertainment industry.
MXene-based e-tattoos harvest energy and monitor health in real time
Researchers at Boise State University have developed a breakthrough in wearable electronics: a multifunctional electronic tattoo (e‑tattoo) that integrates energy harvesting, energy storage, and real‑time ...
Cardiff City vs Chelsea – Match Preview and Team News
The first semi-finalist of the Carabao Cup will be decided in the Welsh capital on Tuesday night as League One leaders Cardiff City host Chelsea. This is the only non-all-Premier League tie of the qua...
Today’s Papers: Supercoppa, Fiorentina judgement day, Lukaku in Arabia
La Gazzetta dello SportSuper re-match The Inter pactBarella and Lautaro have given the Nerazzurri squad a boost after taking the lead in Serie AFirst semi-final in Riyadh on ThursdayMilan: The no.9 p...
Chicago small business advocate pushes for less red tape
(The Center Square) – Small Business Advocacy Council President Elliott Richardson prides himself on tirelessly pushing the envelope when it comes to making life more bearable for Chicago small business owners. “Small businesses really could use a point person at City Hall to help them through the process,” Richardson told The Center Square.
Commentary: Is Newsom blazing a path to the White House? Running a fool's errand? Let's discuss
Times columnist and Newsom skeptic Mark Z. Barabak doubts the California governor's chances in 2028. Veteran Democratic strategist Garry South believes Newsom has a strong shot. The two hash it out.
Tunisia sentences opposition leader Abir Moussi to 12 years in jail
Dozens of opposition figures being targeted in nation once seen as beacon for democracy after sparking the Arab Spring.
Costco is firing on all cylinders — and shoppers are loving it
Costco beat expectations with net sales of nearly $66 billion for its first fiscal quarter, including US comparable sales growth of 5.9%.
Football gossip: Salah, Semenyo, Alysson, Zirkzee, Affengruber, Grealish
Saudi Arabia keen to bring Mohamed Salah to league in January, Antoine Semenyo prefers Liverpool move but Arsenal and Manchester City also interested.
I Tried the New Android XR Smart Glasses From Google and XReal. I Didn't Expect to Be This Impressed
Google's Android XR platform and XReal's Project Aura are bringing smart glasses closer to mainstream reality, offering developers powerful tools to create practical, everyday wearable experiences that go far beyond novelty gadgets.
Google is reviving wearable gesture controls, but only for the Pixel Watch 4
Google will let you select and dismiss with a gesture, but only on the newest watch.
Pebble's founder introduces a $75 AI smart ring for recording brief notes with a press of a button
After rebooting the Pebble smartwatch, founder Eric Migicovsky is expanding his company's device lineup with a new smart wearable: an AI-powered smart ring known as Index 01. Named for the finger where the ring is meant to be worn, the new $75 ring is not meant to be a competitor to the always-on, always-listening AI devices, like the AI pendant Friend, but instead offers a way to record quick notes and reminders with a press of a button on the ring's side. AI only comes into play via the open source, speech-to-text, and AI models that run locally on your smartphone, via the open source Pebble mobile app. That is, if the Ring's button is not being pressed, it's not recording. (And this is a press-and-hold gesture, too, which means you can't start the ring's recording and then let go to surreptitiously record a conversation.) You can wear the stainless steel ring while in the shower, washing hands, doing dishes, or in the rain, but you would have to take it off for other water-related activities, like swimming. At launch, it's water-resistant to 1 meter. The ring is also not a fitness tracker or sleep monitor. It doesn't record details about your heart rate or health. And it's not there to be your AI friend. "I'm not trying to build some AI assistant thing," Migicovsky told TechCrunch in an interview. "I build things that solve one main problem, and they solve it really well," he explains. "I think of as external memory for my brain...that's what this is. It's always with you." Plus, the ring has been designed to be highly reliable and privacy-preserving, he says, as all your thoughts are stored on your phone, not in the cloud. There is no subscription. Migicovsky has been wearing the ring for three months now and says he cannot imagine going back to a world where he doesn't always have a memory device with him. "The problem is that, during the day, I get ideas or I remember something, and if I don't write it down that second, I forget it," he says. The ring solves this problem, he adds, without becoming another device you need to charge. "The battery lasts for years," Migicovsky claims. Technically, the ring is said to support roughly 12 to 14 hours of recording. On average, the founder says he uses it 10-20 times per day to record 3-6 second thoughts. At that rate, he'll get about two years of usage. When the ring's battery dies, you can ship it back to the company for recycling. When using Index, you can record up to five minutes of audio, which can be saved to the ring and synced to your phone later. This makes sense for recording briefer, personal thoughts and notes, even when you don't have your phone handy, but it wouldn't work for recording a longer chat, like a presentation, meeting, or in-person interview of some kind. The ring also supports 99+ languages and has a bit of on-device memory, in case you're not in Bluetooth range of your device, where the recording is ultimately saved and transcribed. (The raw audio is retained, too, in case the speech-to-text is garbled due to loud background noise). If you own a Pebble smartwatch or one from another brand, your recorded thought can even appear on the watch's screen so you can verify it's correct. The ring works with Pebble's mobile app, which offers notes and reminders, but can optionally integrate with your phone's calendaring system, too, or other apps, like Notion. And the ring's software is open source, which makes it hackable by the community, the founder points out. Because of its open nature, the ring's button is already programmable. In addition to the press-and-hold gesture, you can program the ring to do other things with a single or double press, like play or pause your music or control the shutter on your phone's camera. You could use it to send a message through the universal chat app Beeper, which Migicovsky also created, or you could add your own voice actions via MCP. A new approach to hardware Migicovsky acknowledges that hardware can be difficult to get right -- as the previous exit of Pebble to Fitbit showed. (Fitbit, too, was later acquired by Google in 2021). "I didn't earn any money during Pebble -- we exited, but it was not a great exit," Migicovsky admits. This year, however, he decided to reboot the Pebble project after Google open sourced the PebbleOS, which opened up the door to new hardware. With his new company, Core Devices, Migicovsky plans to do things differently. Still, the founder doesn't regret his previous choices, he clarifies. "I wouldn't have gone back and changed anything. I loved what we built. I loved what we did. I love the company that we built, but it's not the only way to build a company," he told TechCrunch. " And, speaking as an ex-YC partner, there are -- there's a time and a place for building a venture-backed startup. Some companies are phenomenal when they raise money and build a big team, and I tried that...I think what I'm doing now is trying an alternative path, which is start from profitability," he says. The new company is a small team of five, self-funded, and focused on sustainability. So far, Core Devices has shipped the Pebble 2 Duo smartwatch with a black-and-white display. Its first run sold out, and the company is now preparing to ship the upgraded version, the Pebble Time 2. The newer device, which has seen 25,000 pre-orders, is a stainless steel watch with a larger, color e-ink screen. As for the Index 01, the ring's pre-order offer ends in March 2026. After that, the price increases to $99. It currently comes in silver, polished gold, and matte black and works with iOS and Android devices. Customers can select from eight ring sizes and three colors.
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