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MENADNA And Nebula Genomics Enter New Partnership
The venture will offer Whole Genome Sequencing in Jordan, Oman, and Iraq, with Saudi Arabia to follow.
MENADNA, a leading bioinformatics and genetic testing startup focused in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, has announced a new commercial partnership with Nebula Genomics, a trailblazer in personalized genome sequencing. The high-level collaboration sees MENADNA added as an exclusive partner of Nebula Genomics in Jordan, Oman, and Iraq, with plans already in place for further expansion into Saudi Arabia in the near future.
The partnership will cover an extra 56 million people across the region, and by leveraging the advanced sequencing technologies of Nebula Genomics, MENADNA hopes to expand and upgrade its proprietary bioinformatics platform for what has historically been an underserved region.
The MENA represents a very diverse genetic landscape but is currently underrepresented in global genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which predominantly feature European ancestries. The collaboration aims to contribute valuable data from the region’s population, enriching global genetic databases and advancing local research.
Dr. Bassam El Fahmawi, CEO of MENADNA, shared his vision and enthusiasm for the partnership: “Our collaboration with Nebula Genomics is a game-changer for genomic testing in Jordan, Oman, and Iraq. By combining Nebula’s state-of-the-art sequencing technology with our specialized bioinformatics pipeline, we can provide more accurate, region-specific genomic insights. This is crucial, as less than 2% of genomic data available today comes from the region despite its rich genetic diversity. Our joint efforts will not only enhance patient care but also significantly contribute to the global understanding of genetic variations and their impact on health”.
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Jason Karkus, President of Nebula Genomics, also commented: “Nebula Genomics, a global pioneer in Whole Genome Sequencing, is pleased to partner with MENADNA, bringing our cutting edge, low-cost technology to Jordan, Oman, and Iraq. This is an exciting partnership, which we believe will lead to a substantial business relationship between our companies. Our combined expertise in Whole Genome Sequencing, proprietary reporting, bioinformatics, and large-scale distribution in the region, make us a perfect match for this strategic partnership”.
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At I/O 2026, Sundar Pichai Concedes AI Must Deliver Real Value
Gemini 3.5, a personal agent called Spark, agentic shopping, and Android XR eyewear are all aimed at making AI feel useful, not just impressive.
Google’s annual I/O developer conference (I/O 2026) has recently become a status update on the same question: can the company turn its AI spending into products people use every day? This year, chief executive Sundar Pichai described Google as being in a phase of hyper progress, while conceding this is the part of the cycle where people want to see real value in the products they use on a day-to-day basis.
The strategy on display was to push agents — AI systems that act on a user’s behalf — into nearly every Google product at once. Search now has an “intelligent search box” that returns generated explainer videos alongside links. Gmail, Docs, YouTube and Maps are gaining their own agent layers, including a Docs Live feature that turns spoken instructions into drafted text with citations.
Two new models, Gemini 3.5 and a cheaper Gemini 3.5 Flash, arrived the same day. Google says 900 million people now use Gemini, and that more than 50 billion images have been generated with it. The pricing tier names are likely to confuse buyers: a new AI Ultra plan launches at $100 a month, while the older Gemini AI Ultra drops from $250 to $200.
The flashier announcements were Gemini Omni, a video generator pitched as a more realistic answer to OpenAI’s discontinued Sora 2, and Gemini Spark, a personal agent that handles recurring tasks across a user’s Google account. A new universal shopping cart lets agents complete purchases across multiple retailers from inside Google itself, placing the company between the merchant and the buyer, and also owning the checkout.
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Google also confirmed its Android XR eyewear, built with Samsung and frames from Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. Audio-only glasses ship this autumn; a display-equipped version, which would superimpose live translations into the wearer’s field of view, is still in development. Both sets translate, however only the display version shows you the result.
What Pichai did not resolve is the bargain underneath all this. An agent is only useful to the degree it knows your calendar, your inbox, your shopping history and your physical surroundings. Google has now confirmed that, in time, the same context may carry advertising.
