middle east
'We had to get out of the way': The backlash over delivery robots
'We had to get out of the way': The backlash over delivery robots The first time Chicago resident John Roberts saw a delivery robot trundling down the sidewalk on his street he was impressed. I actually thought they were kind of neat - it felt futuristic, he says. But his attitude started to change when, soon after, he was out for a walk with his family. As another robot approached, they found themselves having to dodge it. To us it felt a little off - the fact that we were on the one strip reserved for walking, and we were having to get out of the way, says Roberts.
Iranian-Americans protest against Iran team at World Cup
Calls to remove Iran's clerical regime sounded outside Iran's opening match at the World Cup. Iranian-Americans gathered in Los Angeles to protest the presence of Iran's team, which they believe is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iran striker Mehdi Taremi told reporters this week that US-Iran political tension "undermines the joy" of the World Cup. You can read the match report on the game here. Watch: What does the US-Iran deal to end war mean for Lebanon and Israel?
What we know about US sea drone used in helicopter crew rescue mission
A sea drone was used to save two crew members of a downed US army helicopter off the coast of Oman earlier this week, according to the US military - making it the first publicly known instance of an unmanned vessel being used to conduct a rescue mission. President Donald Trump said the apache helicopter was shot down by Iran near the Strait of Hormuz - the dangerous waterway which has been largely blocked off to shipping since the start of the Iran war. The two soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition, US Central Command (Centcom) said. BBC Verify has examined what we know about the drone boat and how the mission took place. What is the US sea drone?
Pope Leo says AI must be 'disarmed' in first major teaching
Pope Leo says AI must be'disarmed' in first major teaching Pope Leo has presented the first major teaching document of his papacy, warning that artificial intelligence needs to be disarmed. The word is strong, I know, but deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention, the Pope said. Encyclicals are technically letters to Catholic bishops, but over recent decades the missives have become messages to the world from a Pope. While this letter was largely focused on AI, Pope Leo also included one of the strongest, most comprehensive apologies from the Vatican for the Catholic Church's role in slavery. It was impossible not to feel deep sorrow when contemplating the immense suffering and humiliation endured by so many, the Pope wrote, adding that he sincerely asked for pardon in the name of the Church.
How Saudi Arabia's spending spree reached the end of the line
How Saudi Arabia's spending spree reached the end of the line Autocratic monarchs once left an echo of their glory in the ruins of the megaprojects they commanded at the peak of their unchallenged power. Those monumental physical traces are to be found in the fertile plains, mountainsides and deserts of the Middle East. But one of their most prominent modern counterparts may only have a digital footprint to leave behind for some of his most ambitious concepts. A decade ago, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman - or MBS as he is widely known - decreed a revisioning of his country that leapt from the realm of science fiction. It was called Vision 2030. Extraordinary monolithic structures were to help bring forth new technological marvels not just for the Kingdom but for the world.
From AI to interceptors, Ukraine is trying to drone-proof its skies
This week, with air raid warnings wailing in the distance, Kyiv held a funeral for two sisters. They had already lost their father who had been fighting on the front line. Their grieving mother is now the family's sole survivor. This is the human cost of the largest sustained Russian aerial assault so far - with 1,500 drones and 56 missiles fired at Ukraine within 48 hours. But the loss of life could have been even higher.
Inside the 'kill-zone' on Ukraine's front line, where new weapons have transformed war
Inside the'kill-zone' on Ukraine's front line, where new weapons have transformed war After 225 days stuck in a front-line foxhole, the Ukrainian infantryman's muscles were so weak he could barely walk. His commanders had tried five times to swap him with another soldier - but they could never reach him. Rotating soldiers on the front line in eastern Ukraine is extremely difficult because of the constant threat of drones. This area near Kostyantynivka is currently one of the most dangerous hotspots and the Ukrainian military admits that Russian forces have reached its outskirts. Known as Kenya, the infantryman took two days to walk 11km (6.8 miles) to get back to his brigade, avoiding mines and hiding from drones to get out.
UAE reports drone strike near Abu Dhabi nuclear power plant
The United Arab Emirates is investigating the source of a drone strike which triggered a fire near a nuclear power station, officials have said. The country's defence ministry said three drones had entered the UAE from the western border direction on Sunday. While two were intercepted, the third drone struck an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi. No injuries were reported and there was no impact on radiological safety levels, local authorities said. The country's defence ministry said in a statement that investigations were under way to determine the source of the attacks.
Large-scale Ukrainian drone attack kills three in Moscow region, says Russia
Three people were killed overnight in a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region, Russian officials have said. A woman died in a house in Khimki, north of the capital, where a person was trapped under rubble, regional governor Andrei Vorobiev said. A man and a woman were killed in the village of Pogorelki. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 12 people were injured in strikes on a city oil refinery. Russia's military said 556 drones were intercepted.