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Researchers from the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) have developed a new technology for non-surgical blood flow monitoring using piezoelectric pressure sensors.
The technology relies on special materials that generate electric fields when subjected to mechanical stress, helping to measure vital physiological parameters such as blood flow velocity and viscosity.
This enhanced version provides greater accuracy in interpretation and is more cost-effective, making it suitable for use in both hospitals and home settings. This technology also provides real-time data that can help detect conditions such as blood clots.
Professor Mahmoud Al Ahmad from the Department of Engineering and coordinator of the research team said, “Our goal is to improve an existing technology to make it more accurate and user-friendly, benefiting both patients and healthcare providers. It is worth mentioning that this project provided a training opportunity for four undergraduate students in scientific research.”
He added that the team plans to incorporate artificial intelligence technologies to further enhance the system and expand its use.
This innovation aligns with the UAE’s vision to advance medical technology and reduce reliance on imports. It also strengthens the local medical device manufacturing sector and supports the UAE’s shift towards a knowledge-based economy.
Youth from various Arab countries were honoured in Doha yesterday in recognition of their creative talents, with the presence of HM Queen Silvia of Sweden, President of Mentor International.
Some 12 talented young people aged between 18 and 30, were honoured during the Mentor Arabia’s 5th Youth Empowerment Film and Song Competition Award Ceremony in partnership with the Doha Film Institute and Qatar Museums.
Swedish Ambassador to Qatar H E Gautam Bhattacharyya; Qatar Ambassador to Sweden H E Nadya Ahmad Al Shaibi; CEO of Qatar Museums Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi and several other dignitaries were present during the ceremony.
Mentor Arabia’s Youth Empowerment Film and Song Competition encourage young people to create artistic works that rise awareness about pressing social and humanitarian issues: as well as the opportunities and challenges they face. The competition also provides a safe space for youth to express their concerns, aspirations, and opinions on urgent social and humanitarian topics.
The fifth edition competitions were held under the theme ‘Towards Sustainable Societies.’
Head of Communication and Fundraising and Deputy CEO at Mentor Arabia, Bechara Ghaoui speaking toThe Peninsulasaid that the initiative aims at encouraging youth to adopt healthy lifestyles, inspiring them to excel in their professional journeys, and providing them with mentorship and guidance opportunities.
“This is very important for young people, for them to unleash their creativity, to let the whole world know about the importance of their voices. So, it’s a platform that can help them towards a better future. It opens for them lots of networking opportunities, give them a platform also to advocate about very important topics that are really addressed internationally,” he said.
The awards ceremony recognised outstanding creators of short narrative films, short documentary films, promotional films, songs, and animated films.
Elle Moon from Lebanon was recognised for her song ‘Prodigy’ an English- Arabic rap song.
“The song is essentially an anthem of empowerment for the Lebanese community during times of suffering. It serves as a reminder that everything we aim to accomplish comes from a place of love and compassion. If we believe in ourselves and continue working hard towards our goals, we will succeed,” she said.
Sarah Bitar from Lebanon won the award for her short film ‘The windows that I hate’ said, “My passion has always been filmmaking and acting. I used to think that this dream was out of reach, so I decided to bring it closer by starting my own YouTube channel and posting short films.”
“At first, it was just a passion project, but then I realised that being recognised by amazing organisations like Mentor Arabia meant I had an opportunity to keep pushing myself further. Nothing is impossible to achieve if you stay focused and keep doing what you love. I was once at a point where I thought a dream was just that—a dream. But now I see that a dream is a purpose,” she added.
Another award winner, Houcem Slouli from Tunisia, was recognised for his short film In Three Layers of Darkness, which explores the theme of freedom of movement around the world. Slouli, as both the director and producer of short films, views the recognition from Mentor Arabia as encouragement to continue pursuing his passion for film making.
Mentor Arabia is a regional non-governmental and non-profit organization dedicated to empowering children and youth and protecting them from harmful behaviors, enabling them to live healthy lives and make sound decisions. Founded in 2006, it is chaired by Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz. It is part of Mentor International, established in 1994 and chaired by HM Queen Silvia of Sweden, with branches in Sweden, Latvia, Germany, the United States, and Jordan.
Names of the 12 artists honoured during the Mentor Arabia’s 5th Youth Empowerment Film and Song Competition Award Ceremony:
– Best Director in the Narrative Film Category: Ahmed Khalil for the film “Farikh Al-Asafeer” from Egypt.
-Best Narrative Film: “Fi Zolomat Thalath” (In Three Darkneses) by Houcem Slouli from Tunisia.
-Best Director in the Documentary Film Category: “Ardaha” (Her Land) by Ahed Najib and Mariam Benasser from Morocco.
-Best Documentary Film: “Dhakirat Muhamasha” (Forgotten Memory) by Hayat Laban from Palestine.
-Best Director in the Awareness Film Category: Anas Yahya from Jordan for the film “Taht Al-Ihtilal” (Under Occupation).
-Best Awareness Film: “The Windows That I Hate” by Sarah Bitar from Lebanon.
-Best Director in the Graphic Film Category: Asil Khalifa from Yemen for the film “Bara’a” (Innocence).
-Best Graphic Film: “Majbour” by Ghadeer Abu Jamous from Jordan.
-Best Qatari Film: “Bint Al-Sayyad” (The Fisherman’s Daughter) by Abdulrahman Al-Mana.
-Best Lyrics: “Kohk Sagheer” (A Small Hut) by Fadi Arabini from Syria.
-Best Performance: “Prodigy” by Elle Moon from Lebanon.
-Best Song: “Shu Bhib” (How Much I Love) by Sama Nasr from Lebanon.
HM Queen Silvia of Sweden, President of Mentor International (fourth right); Swedish Ambassador to Qatar H E Gautam Bhattacharyya (first right); Qatar Ambassador to Sweden H E Nadya Ahmad Al Shaibi (eighth right); CEO of Qatar Museums Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi (sixth right) and other dignitaries during the Mentor Arabia’s 5th Youth Empowerment Film and Song Competition Award Ceremony held in Doha yesterday. Pic: Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha honored 12 scientists and innovators with the Research Excellence Award in Future Economies, recognizing outstanding research and innovation efforts aligned with national priorities.
The honorees included Professor Carlos Duarte, Professor Mohamed-Slim Alouini, Professor Ghulam Muhammad, Professor Tareq Al-Naffouri, Professor Bernard Ghanem, Professor Abdullah Abusorrah, Professor Osman Bakr, Professor Saleh Alshebeili, Professor Obaid Al-Saqqaf, Professor Ahmed Al-Qarni, Professor Donal Bradley, and Professor Khalid Al-Mashouq.
During the Innovation in Future Economies event, held alongside the LEAP25 conference in Riyadh, the Research, Development, and Innovation Authority announced the launch of several national initiatives aimed at advancing research and innovation in key economic sectors. These initiatives focus on unifying efforts in future economies and enabling the Kingdom to shape a prosperous economic future. Among the announced initiatives is the development of a general, reliable, and human-centric artificial intelligence by 2050, the creation of a scalable and fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2045, and the establishment of five knowledge cities in Saudi Arabia by 2040, moving beyond traditional smart city concepts.
Additionally, the authority announced the establishment of the first private-sector Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analysis for health research and development. This initiative, launched in collaboration with Fakih Group, involves an investment of SAR 100 million and aims to position the Kingdom as a global hub for AI-driven healthcare innovation. By strengthening partnerships between academic institutions and the industrial sector, the initiative seeks to accelerate research breakthroughs and maximize their impact.
The Future Economies Innovation event also featured an announcement by the National Semiconductor Hub, unveiling plans for a design center and manufacturing facility for semiconductors in Saudi Arabia. This initiative includes the participation of 10 specialized companies in electronic chip design and a strategic partnership with RCM to develop the first Saudi-designed electronic chip for both local and global markets.
These initiatives, launched by the Research, Development, and Innovation Authority, reflect Saudi Arabia’s commitment to fostering an innovative ecosystem that supports the growth of a knowledge-based economy. By investing in emerging economic fields, the Kingdom continues to strengthen its international position in line with its ambitious national targets for vital sectors.
Kuwaiti businesswomen have once again earned recognition on Forbes Middle East’s prestigious list of the 100 most powerful female business leaders in the Middle East for 2025.
Forbes Middle East emphasized the significant and ongoing impact these women have across diverse sectors. Their leadership within prominent local and international companies demonstrates their influence in the region’s business landscape.
Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar
Company: National Bank of Kuwait Group (NBK Group)
Title: Deputy Group CEO
Sector: Banking & Financial Services
Ranking 2nd on the list is Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar who assumed her current role in 2014, where she leads the NBK Group in 13 countries. In the first nine months of 2024, the group reported profits of $1.6 billion and had $128.5 billion in assets. In November 2024, it launched the second edition of NBK RISE, to help empower women in leadership. Al Bahar’s board memberships include the board of trustees of the Al-Ojeiri Scientific Center and the Egyptian Kuwaiti Cooperation Council. She is also the vice chairperson of the Turkish Bank in Türkiye.
Wadha Ahmad Al-Khateeb
Company: Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC)
Title: CEO
Sector: Oil & Gas
Ranking 4th on the list is Wadha Ahmad Al-Khateeb who joined KNPC in 1994 and assumed her role as CEO in 2022. KNPC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, owns subsidiaries like the Kuwait Aviation Fueling Company and the Kuwait Aromatics Company. It recorded $41.2 billion in revenues for the fiscal year 2023/24 ending March 2024. Wadha Al-Khateeb is also the acting CEO of the Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company, and vice chairperson of the Gulf Downstream Association. Before her current position, she was the deputy CEO of Mina Abdullah Refinery.
Dana Nasser Al Sabah
Company: Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) – KIPCO
Title: Group CEO
Sector: Diversified
Ranking 5th on the list is Dana Nasser Al Sabah who joined KIPCO in 2004 and has been a board member since 2020. She was appointed group CEO in January 2022. The company generated profits of $205.7 million in the first nine months of 2024 and had $41.6 billion in assets. In April 2024, KIPCO’s subsidiary, the OSN Group, closed a deal to combine OSN+, OSN’s content streaming platform, with Anghami, after acquiring 55.45% of Anghami. Dana Al Sabah is also the founder and chair of the board of trustees of the American University of Kuwait, and the chairperson of the United Education Company, Jordan Kuwait Bank, and the OSN Group.
Nadia Bader Al-Hajji
Company: Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC)
Title: CEO
Sector: Petrochemicals
Ranking 17th on the list is Nadia Bader Al-Hajji who joined PIC, a subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, in 2019 and assumed her current role in 2022. PIC recorded a net profit of $127 million in the financial year ending March 2024. Al-Hajji is also the chairman of the EQUATE Group and the Kuwait Olefins Company. She is a board member at the Canada Kuwait Petrochemicals Company, and a board member and treasurer at the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association. She is also head of the Diversity and Inclusion Council at the Kuwait Petroleum Company and its subsidiaries, among other roles.
Henadi Al-Saleh
Company: Agility
Title: Chairperson
Sector: Logistics
Ranking 22nd on the list is Henadi Al-Saleh who joined Agility in 2007 to lead investor relations, financial planning, and analysis. She was appointed to her current role in 2014. Agility employs over 65,000 people, with a footprint across six continents. In the first nine months of 2024, it generated $3.7 billion in revenues and had $13.3 billion in assets. In January 2024, its subsidiary Menzies Aviation acquired a 50% stake in Jardine Aviation Services Group in Hong Kong. In May 2024, Agility Global was listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. Al-Saleh is also a board member at GWC and part of the Global Board of Advisors of the U.S.-based Council on Foreign Relations.
Elham Mahfouz
Company: Commercial Bank of Kuwait (Al-Tijari)
Designation: CEO
Nationality: Egyptian
Sector: Banking & Financial Services
Ranking 54th on the list is Elham Mahfouz who assumed her current role in 2014. In February 2024, Al-Tijari announced a partnership with Network International to aid its ongoing digital transformation, including fraud detection and prevention, tokenization, and cardholder self-serve application. In the first nine months of 2024, the bank had $15.2 billion in assets and recorded net profits of $290.6 million. Mahfouz has held multiple senior executive positions at Al-Tijari since joining the bank in 2000, including general manager in its New York branch.
Donna Sultan
Company: KEO International Consultants
Designation: President & CEO
Sector: Architecture
Ranking 58th on the list is Donna Sultan who has been at KEO since 1985, becoming CEO in 1991, then eventually president and CEO in 2016. The company launched OPTIMA, a facility management consultancy, in October 2024, and inaugurated its Jordan office in September 2024. In June 2024, the Kuwait Center for Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, which KEO International Consultants designed, became operational.
Saudi teacher Mansour Al-Mansour was awarded the Gems Education Global Teacher Prize at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Thursday.
Al-Mansour received the award at the end of the summit, an annual event that draws leaders from across the globe.
An educator known for his charity work and instructing prisoners, Al-Mansour won the prize of $1 million.
Al-Mansour is also an author and is known for work in his community, including a program that helps ensure people have access to air conditioning maintenance during Saudi Arabia’s scorching summer months.
The prize is awarded by the Varkey Foundation, whose founder, Sunny Varkey, established the for-profit GEMS Education company that runs dozens of schools in Egypt, Qatar and the UAE.
– With inputs from AP
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Mansour Al-Mansour received the award at the end of the World Governments Summit in Dubai (AN)
The Sultanate of Oman won the 26th Gulf Engineering Forum’s “Excellence and Innovation Award” through a project titled “Combined Combustion Truck for Carbon Reduction”.
The forum is being held in the Kingdom of Bahrain until 13 February 2025, under the theme “Challenges of Energy Conversion”. Oman is represented at the forum by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.
The project that won the award aims to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable mobility. Through this project, Blue Ice Oman is developing a combined combustion engine for trucks, using a blend of hydrogen and diesel. This contributes to 50 percent reduction of emissions. The initiative is in line with Oman’s Zero Neutrality Strategy 2050 to achieve zero emissions.
The 26th Gulf Engineering Forum brings together an elite group of experts specialized in the fields of environment conservation, energy and industry. The forum elaborates on engineering issues related to energy transformation and the challenges posed to this specialty. It seeks to reach the best innovative solutions, technologies and modern designs to address these challenges.
A number of dialogue sessions and workshops will be held during the three days of the forum. The activities will see the participation of a group of engineers, researchers and academics, who will exchange visions on energy transformation, renewable energy, decarbonization, technologies and innovations for devising a clean energy policy.
In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, Lieutenant General H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, honoured winners of the Global Government Excellence Award in its third edition, during the World Governments Summit 2025.
The awards ceremony was attended by H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah; and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah.
The Global Government Excellence Award recognises pioneering government initiatives and practices worldwide that improve quality of life and address societal challenges. As the first of its kind in the global government sector, it encompasses all countries and cultures, emphasising originality and sustainable, impactful outcomes.
The ‘Ubongo’ digital learning programme from Tanzania won the Technological Innovation for Social Inclusion award. The programme bridges educational gaps by offering digital content in subjects like maths, science, and languages, while providing interactive tools for teachers. It aims to reduce disparities between urban and rural areas, ensuring equal learning opportunities for all children.
The municipality of Cascais in Portugal won the award for Innovation in Environmental Sustainability and Community Engagement award for its ‘iRec’ recycling project. The initiative uses smart devices to encourage recycling, rewarding participants with points for services. In its first year, it collected one million packages (70 tonnes), demonstrating its success in promoting sustainability.
The award’s research and nomination process is based on scientific and international criteria to identify global best practices that improve quality of life, demonstrate innovation, and achieve sustainable outcomes. The third edition was marked by substantially higher quality in terms of initiatives nominated, broader global participation, more winners, and an expanded scope to include all continents. The award aims to highlight governments focused on enhancing quality of life, inspiring worldwide efforts in governance and development.
Launched during the World Governments Summit 2023, the World Government Excellence Award is a prestigious international accolade that celebrates outstanding government initiatives and best practices across the globe.
The World Governments Summit serves as an international platform for anticipating and shaping the future of governance and a hub for global awards that promote innovation and excellence in government work. This year, the WGS Awards include the Best Minister in the World Award, Creative Government Innovation Award, Government Technology Award, Global Government Excellence Award, and the Best Teacher in the World Award.
Smartphone bot developed by Maqsam transcribes speech, understands intent, and responds fluently in Arabic, offering 24/7 automated support
Unlike existing machine-learning solutions, which are predominantly optimized for English, the bot handles linguistic variations across the Arab world
Saudi-based tech company Maqsam has unveiled the region’s first phone bot powered by artificial intelligence capable of handling customer service calls entirely in Arabic and English, including several dialects.
Speaking to Arab News at LEAP 2025 Tech Conference, Fouad Jeryes, cofounder and chief business officer of Maqsam, said the innovation tackles a central challenge businesses face when trying to provide a seamless Arabic-language customer service.
“Most global AI solutions do not support Arabic well,” Jeryes said. “There aren’t solutions that actually speak Arabic, so it’s a big gap here.”
The smartphone bot developed by Maqsam transcribes speech, understands intent, and responds fluently in Arabic, offering 24/7 automated support.
Unlike existing machine-learning solutions, which are predominantly optimized for English, the bot handles linguistic variations across the Arab world, ensuring a more natural and effective customer experience.
Despite Arabic being one of the world’s most widely spoken languages, businesses have struggled to implement tech-powered customer service solutions that accurately process different dialects.
The bot’s ability to recognize and adapt to different Arabic dialects makes it particularly valuable for businesses operating in several markets in the MENA region.
“Good customer service is crucial for customer retention and trust, as it takes many positive experiences to offset one negative one. Better service leads to happier customers, reducing time wasted and improving overall customer experience,” Jeryes said.
Maqsam’s bot has the potential to transform customer interactions, making services faster and more accessible, while reducing operational costs.
“If you can get to someone where you don’t have to be on hold, where they pick up every single time and service you immediately, it’s going to be easier — less time wasted, more efficiency, and better service overall, which keeps you happy as a customer,” Jeryes added.
The bot also acts as a co-pilot for human agents, reducing their workload and improving efficiency.
“The agent speaking to the customer doesn’t have to know all the information or handle every process. The bot listens in real time and translates that information into necessary actions,” Jeryes said.
However, automation will not completely replace human agents.
“There will be fewer human agents and more bots in the future,” he said. “But the human element needs to be there, because the bots will not be able to service all the scenarios.”
While the technology presents significant advances, risks and regulatory concerns surrounding AI-powered customer services remain.
“There’s a lot that’s going to come into the realm of regulation in this space in particular,” Jeryes said. “In general, humans will remain a very integral part of this community.”
As Saudi Arabia continues to advance its digital economy under Vision 2030, such innovations contribute to the development of a more tech-driven business landscape, enhancing efficiency and supporting the Kingdom’s push for digital transformation.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Saudi-based tech company Maqsam has unveiled the region’s first AI-powered phone bot capable of handling customer service calls entirely in Arabic and English. (AN Photo) _________________
Following Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly’s official approval on Saturday, Prince Karim Al-Hussaini (Aga Khan IV), the 49th imam of the Ismaili Muslim community, was buried in the Aga Khan Mausoleum in Aswan on Sunday.
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), an Aga Khan charity, announced on Tuesday that Prince Karim passed away in Lisbon, Portugal, at the age of 88.
Aga Khan IV was buried in Aswan alongside his grandfather, Aga Khan III, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan.
His funeral service was held on Wednesday in Portugal before Sunday’s private burial ceremony in Egypt.
On Saturday, Aswan Governor Major General Ismail Kamal received Aga Khan’s son, Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini, and his family at Aswan International Airport in preparation for the official funeral ceremony, according to a statement from the governorate.
According to an AKDN post on X, his son Aga Khan V was named the 50th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims a day after his death.
Who was Prince Karim Aga Khan?
Prince Karim Aga Khan was the Ismaili Muslim community’s 49th imam and spiritual leader.
This Shia sect traces its spiritual leadership through a lineage of imams, including Imam Ismail, who passed away in 765 AD.
Ismailis believe they are direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad.
Prince Karim Aga Khan was born in Switzerland and held British citizenship.
In 1957, at age 20, he became the imam of the Ismaili Muslims, succeeding his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan.
He founded the AKDN, a network dedicated to improving the quality of life for those in need, primarily in Asia and Africa.
He also established the Nation Media Group (NMG), one of the largest independent media organizations in East and Central Africa, serving as a voice for the African population.
Aga Khan also established the Om Habibeh Foundation in Aswan, which plays a vital role in implementing development programmes supporting healthcare, education, and microfinance initiatives to improve the lives of local communities.
In 2015, former President Pranab Mukherjee awarded Aga Khan the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to social development in the country.
Global tributes
World leaders and public figures have honoured Prince Aga Khan and recognized his contributions to global development.
Emirati Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum extended his condolences on Wednesday through X.
He described Prince Karim Aga Khan as one of the “world’s greatest philanthropists, whose life’s work was dedicated to relieving the hopelessness of poverty, promoting human development, building bridges between communities, and working tirelessly in the cause of peace.”
Activist and Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai also paid tribute in a post on X: “His legacy will continue to live on through the incredible work he led for education, health, and development around the world.”
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described him as “a symbol of peace, tolerance, and compassion in our troubled world,” extending his condolences to his family and the Ismaili community in a post on X on Wednesday.
I am deeply saddened by the news that His Highness Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, has passed away. He was a symbol of peace, tolerance and compassion in our troubled world.
I express my deepest condolences to His Highness’s family and the Ismaili community. pic.twitter.com/VvXCrq8zPQ
