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(Reuters) -Microsoft is partnering with Harvard Medical School to enhance its Copilot AI assistant with health content, as part of a broader effort to reduce its dependence on ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. A major update of Copilot scheduled for release as soon as this month will be the first to reflect a new collaboration between Microsoft and Harvard Medical School, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Microsoft and Harvard did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal and Rajveer Singh Pardesi in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)

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(Reuters) -Microsoft is partnering with Harvard Medical School to enhance its Copilot AI assistant with health content, as part of a broader effort to reduce its dependence on ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. A major update of Copilot scheduled for release as soon as this month will be the first to reflect a new collaboration between Microsoft and Harvard Medical School, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Microsoft and Harvard did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal and Rajveer Singh Pardesi in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)

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By Prakhar Srivastava (Reuters) -Stoke Space said on Wednesday it has raised $510 million in a funding round led by entrepreneur Thomas Tull's US Innovative Technology Fund, to speed up development of its Nova reusable launch vehicles. The fundraise underscores rising investor demand for space transport firms as governments and private companies boost spending on satellite launches, defense missions and commercial exploration. The round also drew backing from Washington Harbour Partners and General Innovation Capital Partners, and existing investors including 776, Breakthrough Energy, Glade Brook Capital and Toyota Ventures. "Investors, especially those that may have missed out on SpaceX, are still very much in the mood for moonshots despite gravity, interest rates, and valuation," Michael Ashley Schulman, partner at Running Point Capital Advisors. "Stoke is building like it expects … a future where sending cargo to orbit becomes as routine as shipping boxes through UPS or FedEx." The Washington-based startup declined to provide the valuation at which it raised funds. Earlier this year, Stoke was awarded a National Security Space Launch contract by the U.S. Space Force, joining Elon Musk's SpaceX, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, Rocket Lab USA and United Launch Alliance and others, selected to strengthen U.S. space launch capabilities. "There is room and maybe even a need for more than one successful player in this space race," said Schulman. The award reflects the growing demand for medium-lift launch capacity for defense, including for the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system, the company said. Stoke Space is developing the fully reusable Nova rocket for frequent, low-cost space launches, backed by funding from the U.S. Space Force, NASA and other partners. (Reporting by Prakhar Srivastava in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)

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By Rory Carroll SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -Google will serve as the official cloud provider of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and has joined LA28 as a founding partner, organisers said on Wednesday, in a deal that also extends to Team USA and NBCUniversal's U.S. coverage. The partnership will use Google's cloud infrastructure and AI tools, including its Gemini model and new Google Search features such as "AI Mode" to help fans discover information during NBCUniversal's multi-platform broadcasts and to support LA28 operations, the organisers said. LA28 chairperson and president Casey Wasserman said the tie-up aims to deliver "a technologically advanced, engaging and digitally accessible Games," adding that Google's products would help attendees navigate venues and get real-time information. Google marketing vice president Marvin Chow said the collaboration would make the Games "more personal and interactive" for fans. NBCUniversal's ad chief Mark Marshall said combining Google's technology with NBCU's content would create "a world class viewing experience." YouTube will also partner with NBCUniversal to host select Games-related content as an extension of NBCU's coverage, the companies said. Organisers said Google's technology would support millions of fans, athletes and more than 70,000 volunteers and workers expected for LA28. The announcement comes amid a surge of sponsorship announcements this year by LA28, the private, non-profit company organising the Games. Google is LA28's fifth founding partner, joining Starbucks, Honda, Comcast and Delta. LA28 set a goal of signing $800 million to $1 billion in new deals in 2025, which would lift total sponsorship revenue to about $2 billion. A top official last month told Reuters the Games were on track to meet or exceed its targets. The Los Angeles Games will mark the city's third time hosting the Olympics, after 1932 and 1984, and its first Paralympics. LA28 has said it plans to rely on existing venues rather than build new permanent infrastructure. (Reporting by Rory Carroll in San FranciscoEditing by Toby Davis)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Rory Carroll SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -Google will serve as the official cloud provider of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and has joined LA28 as a founding partner, organisers said on Wednesday, in a deal that also extends to Team USA and NBCUniversal's U.S. coverage. The partnership will use Google's cloud infrastructure and AI tools, including its Gemini model and new Google Search features such as "AI Mode" to help fans discover information during NBCUniversal's multi-platform broadcasts and to support LA28 operations, the organisers said. LA28 chairperson and president Casey Wasserman said the tie-up aims to deliver "a technologically advanced, engaging and digitally accessible Games," adding that Google's products would help attendees navigate venues and get real-time information. Google marketing vice president Marvin Chow said the collaboration would make the Games "more personal and interactive" for fans. NBCUniversal's ad chief Mark Marshall said combining Google's technology with NBCU's content would create "a world class viewing experience." YouTube will also partner with NBCUniversal to host select Games-related content as an extension of NBCU's coverage, the companies said. Organisers said Google's technology would support millions of fans, athletes and more than 70,000 volunteers and workers expected for LA28. The announcement comes amid a surge of sponsorship announcements this year by LA28, the private, non-profit company organising the Games. Google is LA28's fifth founding partner, joining Starbucks, Honda, Comcast and Delta. LA28 set a goal of signing $800 million to $1 billion in new deals in 2025, which would lift total sponsorship revenue to about $2 billion. A top official last month told Reuters the Games were on track to meet or exceed its targets. The Los Angeles Games will mark the city's third time hosting the Olympics, after 1932 and 1984, and its first Paralympics. LA28 has said it plans to rely on existing venues rather than build new permanent infrastructure. (Reporting by Rory Carroll in San FranciscoEditing by Toby Davis)

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SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Cryptocurrency exchange Gemini said on Thursday it has launched an Australian operation as the firm expands into the country, offering its digital currency exchange services to tap into growing demand. "We think that there's enough market opportunity for us to build a local platform," Saad Ahmed, head of APAC at Gemini, told Reuters on the sidelines of the TOKEN2049 crypto conference in Singapore last week. "We have some institutional customers from Australia, and I think that is another area where we've seen some growth. So having a team on the ground, building a business which is localised, which is optimised for Australian users… makes sense for us." The crypto adoption rate in the country rose to 31% as of early this year, up from 28% last year, according to the Australian Independent Reserve Cryptocurrency Index report released in February. New York City-based Gemini, led by the billionaire twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, made its debut on the Nasdaq last month after raising $425 million in an initial public offering. The launch of Gemini's Australian operations, named Gemini Intergalactic Australia, will allow the company to offer crypto exchange services in the country after registration with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) as a digital currency provider, it said in a statement. Prior to the move, customers in Australia were able to use Gemini's platform but were serviced through the firm's global arm. (Reporting by Rae WeeEditing by Shri Navaratnam)

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MUMBAI (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will celebrate their countries' deepening commercial ties on Thursday with an announcement of further Indian investment into the UK and a meeting between the two. Starmer's office said he would use the second and final day of a trip to India to discuss a recently-sealed trade deal as well as a technology security initiative launched in July last year. It also said that 64 Indian companies would collectively invest 1.3 billion pounds ($1.75 billion) in Britain, announced during a visit of the UK's largest ever trade mission to India, with more than 100 companies and organisations travelling with the prime minister. "The UK-India trade deal is already unlocking growth, and today's announcements mark the beginning of a new era of collaboration between our two nations," Starmer said. The deal between the world's fifth and sixth largest economies, agreed after U.S. President Donald Trump unleashed tariff turmoil, aims to increase bilateral trade by a further 25.5 billion pounds by 2040. In a readout of a meeting of the countries' trade ministers on Wednesday, India's commerce ministry said they agreed to work more closely in sectors including advanced manufacturing, digital trade, clean energy and services. But the countries do not agree on everything. After Modi wished Russian President Vladimir Putin happy birthday on Tuesday, Starmer joked to reporters that he would not be doing the same, given Britain's strong backing for Ukraine and condemnation of Russia over its invasion. Britain says it respects India's strategic independence and Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, a former trade minister who joined the UK delegation, told reporters the issue had not prevented Starmer from leveraging a close relationship with Modi to grow the UK economy. ($1 = 0.7444 pounds) (Reporting by Alistair Smout in Mumbai and Manoj Kumar in New Delhi; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

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By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) -New York City filed a new lawsuit accusing Facebook, Google, Snapchat, TikTok and other online platforms of fueling a mental health crisis among children by addicting them to social media. Wednesday's 327-page complaint in Manhattan federal court seeks damages from Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms, Google and YouTube owner Alphabet, Snapchat owner Snap and TikTok owner ByteDance. It accuses the defendants of gross negligence and causing a public nuisance. The city joined other governments, school districts and individuals pursuing approximately 2,050 similar lawsuits, in nationwide litigation in the Oakland, California, federal court. New York City is among the largest plaintiffs, with a population of 8.48 million, including about 1.8 million under age 18. Its school and healthcare systems are also plaintiffs. Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said allegations concerning YouTube are "simply not true," in part because it is a streaming service and not a social network where people catch up with friends. The other defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for New York City's law department said the city withdrew from litigation announced by Mayor Eric Adams in February 2024 and pending in California state courts so it could join the federal litigation. DEFENDANTS BLAMED FOR COMPULSIVE USE, SUBWAY SURFING According to Wednesday's complaint, the defendants designed their platforms to "exploit the psychology and neurophysiology of youth," and drive compulsive use in pursuit of profit. The complaint said 77.3% of New York City high school students, and 82.1% of girls, admitted to spending three or more hours a day on "screen time" including TV, computers and smartphones, contributing to lost sleep and chronic school absences. New York City's health commissioner declared social media a public health hazard in January 2024, and the city including its schools has had to spend more taxpayer dollars to address the resulting youth mental health crisis, the complaint said. The city also blamed social media for an increase in "subway surfing," or riding atop or off the sides of moving trains. At least 16 subway surfers have died since 2023, including two girls aged 12 and 13 this month, police data show. "Defendants should be held to account for the harms their conduct has inflicted," the city said. "As it stands now, (the) plaintiffs are left to abate the nuisance and foot the bill." (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Richard Chang)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

MUMBAI (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will celebrate their countries' deepening commercial ties on Thursday with an announcement of further Indian investment into the UK and a meeting between the two. Starmer's office said he would use the second and final day of a trip to India to discuss a recently-sealed trade deal as well as a technology security initiative launched in July last year. It also said that 64 Indian companies would collectively invest 1.3 billion pounds ($1.75 billion) in Britain, announced during a visit of the UK's largest ever trade mission to India, with more than 100 companies and organisations travelling with the prime minister. "The UK-India trade deal is already unlocking growth, and today's announcements mark the beginning of a new era of collaboration between our two nations," Starmer said. The deal between the world's fifth and sixth largest economies, agreed after U.S. President Donald Trump unleashed tariff turmoil, aims to increase bilateral trade by a further 25.5 billion pounds by 2040. In a readout of a meeting of the countries' trade ministers on Wednesday, India's commerce ministry said they agreed to work more closely in sectors including advanced manufacturing, digital trade, clean energy and services. But the countries do not agree on everything. After Modi wished Russian President Vladimir Putin happy birthday on Tuesday, Starmer joked to reporters that he would not be doing the same, given Britain's strong backing for Ukraine and condemnation of Russia over its invasion. Britain says it respects India's strategic independence and Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, a former trade minister who joined the UK delegation, told reporters the issue had not prevented Starmer from leveraging a close relationship with Modi to grow the UK economy. ($1 = 0.7444 pounds) (Reporting by Alistair Smout in Mumbai and Manoj Kumar in New Delhi; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

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BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany's Helsing will acquire Australian underwater drone maker Blue Ocean, the defence startup said on Wednesday, as it looks to expand its AI-powered autonomous systems in the marine sector. Helsing, which did not give a transaction value, said that it would integrate Blue Ocean's hardware and manufacturing capabilities with its own artificial intelligence (AI). The "strategic acquisition" allows Helsing to speed up plans for the development and mass production of autonomous underwater drones to protect countries' maritime domains, it said. "The need for a smart autonomous mass-approach is clear, and together with Blue Ocean we can build an autonomous glider that provides a big leap forward to conduct underwater ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) for navies," said Helsing maritime general manager Amelia Gould. The acquisition is subject to court, regulatory and shareholder approval, according to Helsing. Approval by the authorities is expected in four months, said a Helsing spokesperson. Helsing joins other European defence companies, currently benefiting from a surge in government funding due to the war in Ukraine, that have shown an interest in the naval sector. Last month, German defence giant Rheinmetall agreed to buy Luerssen Group's warship division, NVL, while Thyssenkrupp is looking to spin off its TKMS warship division this month to help it unlock its growth potential. (Reporting by Joern Poltz and Miranda MurrayEditing by Madeline Chambers)

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