Author: News Desk

San Francisco: Microsoft is reportedly exploring acquisitions of artificial intelligence startups as the tech giant prepares for a future that may rely less heavily on its long-standing partnership with OpenAI, according to sources familiar with the matter. The potential deals are aimed at strengthening Microsoft’s AI talent pool and advancing its goal of developing a cutting-edge AI model by next year. Sources said the company has been actively evaluating startups that could enhance its artificial intelligence capabilities as competition in the sector intensifies. Earlier this year, Microsoft reportedly considered acquiring AI coding startup Cursor. However, the company ultimately decided against…

Vienna, Austria: Israel has successfully qualified for the grand final of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest with the emotional pop ballad Michelle, performed by 28-year-old singer Noam Bettan. This year’s Eurovision festivities have once again been overshadowed by political tensions linked to Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza. The controversy surrounding Israel’s participation led five countries to boycott the 2026 edition of the competition, including seven-time Eurovision champions Ireland. Bettan received a mixed response from the audience during the semi-final in Vienna. While sections of the crowd booed and shouted anti-Israel slogans, many supporters inside the arena cheered loudly and…

London: A new daily weight-loss pill, Orforglipron, could help people maintain their slimmer weight after coming off obesity injections, according to new research that suggests the treatment may reduce the risk of regaining lost weight. The tablet is already available in the United States and could soon be launched in the United Kingdom. Researchers found that patients who took the pill every day for a year were able to avoid regaining much of the weight they had previously lost through GLP-1 injections, a common issue after stopping the drugs. The study, published in Nature Medicine, was funded by Eli Lilly,…

Tokyo: Calbee has announced that it will temporarily replace the colourful packaging of some of its most popular snack products with black-and-white designs after supply disruptions linked to the Iran conflict affected materials used in printing ink. The Japanese snack manufacturer noted that the updated packaging will begin appearing in stores across Japan from May 25 and will affect 14 products, including potato crisps and prawn crackers. The move is the latest example of how the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel is impacting global supply chains and everyday consumer goods. According to Calbee, the decision was…

London: More than 6,000 children and teenagers in England, including hundreds as young as four years old, have received treatment at specialist NHS obesity clinics since 2021, according to newly released figures that highlight the growing scale of the childhood obesity crisis. Data published by NHS England revealed that 6,497 children have been treated through Complications from Excess Weight (CEW) clinics since the first centre opened in 2021. Among those treated were 423 four-year-olds, 1,088 children aged between five and eight, 1,791 aged between nine and 12, and 3,137 teenagers between 13 and 17 years old. The ages of another…

London: Passenger numbers at Heathrow Airport declined last month as tensions and conflict in the Middle East affected international travel demand. Around 6.7 million passengers travelled through Heathrow in April, marking a 5 percent decrease compared with the same month last year. The airport stated that the decline reflected the impact of the Iran conflict and short-term changes in travel plans made by passengers during ongoing regional instability. Despite the overall drop in passenger traffic, the number of transfer travellers using Heathrow for connecting flights increased by 10 percent year-on-year in April. Many passengers travelling onwards to Asia and Oceania…

London: Netflix drama Adolescence emerged as the standout winner at the Bafta Television Awards, taking home four awards and setting a new record for the highest number of wins by a single programme in one year at the Bafta TV Awards ceremony. The critically acclaimed drama, which became a major national talking point following its release in March 2025, won the award for Best Limited Series. The show also earned acting honours for stars Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper and Christine Tremarco. Meanwhile, The Celebrity Traitors and Last One Laughing UK also enjoyed success on the night, with both programmes winning…

Tenerife: The Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, which was struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, has arrived near the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife in the Canary Islands. According to data from maritime tracking service VesselFinder, the vessel reached the Spanish port early on Sunday while being escorted by a Civil Guard vessel. The cruise ship departed from the coast of Cape Verde, heading toward Tenerife after the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union requested Spain to oversee the evacuation of passengers following the detection of the hantavirus outbreak onboard. https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/2053366672052912206 The WHO stated that at least eight…

Beijing: Alibaba is preparing to unveil a major integration between its artificial intelligence platform, Qwen, and its online shopping marketplace, Taobao. This move is designed to transform the online shopping experience from traditional keyword-based searches into AI-powered conversations, according to a source familiar with the decision. The integration will allow consumers to browse products, compare items, and complete purchases directly through the Qwen app simply by chatting with an AI agent, eliminating the need to manually navigate through product listings on e-commerce platforms. As part of the initiative, the Qwen app will gain access to the full Taobao and Tmall…

Zurich: FIFA announced that it will organise separate opening ceremonies ahead of the first match in each of the three host countries for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held across Mexico, Canada, and the United States. The 2026 tournament, set to become the biggest FIFA World Cup in history, will officially kick off on June 11 in Mexico City. Grammy Award-winning Mexican pop band Maná will perform as part of the opening ceremony lineup, which will also feature Alejandro Fernández and Belinda, FIFA said in a post on X. FIFA added that the Mexico City concert will…