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Prime Minister Carney deepens partnership with Saudi Arabia across trade, education, technology, and critical minerals

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JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, July 9, 2026 /CNW/ – The global landscape is rapidly changing, creating uncertainty for economies, businesses, and workers. In response, Canada is focused on what we can control: building our strength at home, diversifying our trade partnerships, and cultivating a dense web of new connections. That means deepening ties with the largest, most ambitious economies around the world.

Saudi Arabia is Canada’s second-largest trading partner in the Middle East, supporting tens of thousands of Canadian jobs, and with rapidly growing ties across education, energy, defence, critical minerals, and advanced technologies. With a $1.8 trillion economy and an ambitious economic transformation agenda under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia offers significant opportunities for Canadian workers, businesses, and expertise.

To deepen this partnership, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, travelled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – the first visit to the country by a Canadian Prime Minister in 26 years. During the visit, the Prime Minister met with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman. Together they issued a joint statement with key commitments to deepen cooperation across trade, technology, mining and natural resources, energy, health, education, people-to-people ties, and defence.

In Jeddah, Canada and Saudi Arabia signed new 13 new commercial agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) worth over $1 billion – spanning health technology, mining, infrastructure, and defence. This will enable:

Canadian firms supporting mining, critical minerals, and clean energy projects in Saudi Arabia.Canadian infrastructure companies helping to deliver Vision 2030 projects, including roads and rail lines.Canadian health technology companies deploying Canadian-made capabilities from patient monitoring and clinical decision-support technologies to surgical intelligence platforms.Experts from Canadian colleges training the next generation of the Saudi workforce, including construction, skilled trades, medicine, and technology.

To unlock bilateral investment and create thousands of jobs for both countries, Canada and Saudi Arabia agreed to deepen collaboration on:

Energy, through a MOU to attract investment in major projects, expand trade, and strengthen cooperation on LNG, renewable energy, hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage.Artificial intelligence, through a MOU to advance collaboration in AI development, deployment, and commercialisation.Defence and security, by committing to finalise a MOU on defence cooperation.Canada will also establish a resident Defence Attaché presence in Riyadh to increase the frequency and depth of bilateral engagements and increase exports from Canada’s defence sector.

Progress was made on two additional commercial partnerships as well:

Cohere, a leading Canadian sovereign AI company and Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN, today announced a strategic AI compute collaboration to provide dedicated AI infrastructure for the next generation of frontier AI models. This partnership will enable the development of AI solutions and special-purpose sovereign AI models.As part of this partnership, HUMAIN will designate at least 50 megawatts of dedicated AI compute capacity to support Cohere’s next-generation foundation models.BlackBerry and Aramco Digital have commenced discussions to explore opportunities for collaboration to advance sovereign secure communications and next-generation industrial technology in Saudi Arabia.

To strengthen the Canada-Saudi Arabia partnership in the coming months, Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada will:

Lead a delegation of Canada’s pension funds to Saudi Arabia to explore long-term investment opportunities and strengthen partnerships in sectors such as energy and AI.Participate in Expo 2030, a six-month World Expo bringing together countries to showcase innovation, trade, and investment opportunities – to be held in Riyadh from October 1, 2030, to March 31, 2031.Have a national pavilion at the World Defence Show in Riyadh in January 2028.Advance a strategic partnership between Canadian and Saudi Arabian educational institutions to support the professional development of Saudi Arabian early childhood and English language educators.

The Prime Minister and the Crown Prince announced that they will conclude negotiations for a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) by the end of 2027. This will enable Canadian businesses to more easily expand their operations in and attract investment from Saudi Arabia. Canada and Saudi Arabia also launched negotiations for a new double-taxation agreement to make it easier for Canadians to work and invest in Saudi Arabia and vice versa.

Canada and Saudi Arabia are complementary economies with shared ambitions to expand trade, attract investment, and diversify their economies. Deepening the partnership will support Canada’s efforts to grow non-U.S. exports, attract investment, and strengthen collaboration in strategic sectors – creating new opportunities for Canadian businesses and workers.

Quotes
“Canada and Saudi Arabia have both embarked on ambitious new missions to transform their economies. To that end, we are harnessing each other’s strengths across minerals and mining, technology, energy, and commerce. Canada has what the world wants. We are cultivating a dense web of new connections to diversify our trade, create new opportunities for our workers and businesses, and deliver greater security and prosperity for all Canadians.”
— The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada

“As Canada builds a stronger, more resilient economy, deepening our partnership with Saudi Arabia is an important step in advancing trade diversification, strengthening energy cooperation, and expanding people-to-people ties. This visit marks a new chapter in the Canada-Saudi Arabia relationship, building on a shared commitment to economic growth as well as solidarity in the face of Iranian aggression over the past months.”
— The Hon. Anita Anand, Foreign Affairs Minister of Canada

Quick facts

The Prime Minister and the Crown Prince welcomed the signing of a MOU to establish a foreign minister-level Canada-Saudi Arabia Coordination Council that will guide and deepen cooperation across several key priorities.The visit followed the Prime Minister’s participation in the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Türkiye. Over the course of the trip, the Prime Minister:Announced the largest defence procurement in Canadian history – selecting Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) as the preferred supplier to begin negotiations to purchase up to twelve state-of-the-art submarines.Strengthened Canada’s contributions to the NATO Alliance and forged new partnerships with Allies.Welcomed the launch of negotiations toward a Canada-Türkiye comprehensive free trade agreement.Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, valued at over an estimated $1 trillion, is a key driver of Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy away from oil and gas.During his visit, the Prime Minister emphasised Canada’s commitment to working with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf partners to advance regional stability.The two sides strongly condemned Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on July 7, 2026. The two countries underscored that such actions heighten regional tensions, undermine confidence-building efforts, and jeopardise ongoing diplomatic negotiations and agreements aimed at promoting regional stability and security.Alongside our partners and allies, Canada stands ready to support the Multinational Military Maritime Mission in four potential areas of assistance: maritime logistics, cyber support, demining expertise, and satellite imagery, when conditions permit.The Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, visited Saudi Arabia in January 2026 with a senior Canadian business delegation where he welcomed approximately $600 million in commercial partnership agreements, and promoted Canadian trade and investment opportunities – including in the clean technology and energy, information and communication technology, AI, and infrastructure sectors.Canada looks forward to welcoming a Saudi Arabia trade mission to advance progress on bilateral trade, investment, and commercial partnerships.

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Prime Minister Carney meets with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman

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Prime Minister Carney to attend the NATO Summit in Türkiye and visit Saudi Arabia to deepen trade, technology, and defence partnershipsCanada-Saudi Arabia relations 

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister’s Office

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Datex and Elastic Solutions Survey Suggests 3PL Competitive Advantage Is Shifting from Technology Adoption to Execution

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100+ 3PL professionals reveal a growing gap between technology adoption and measurable value, with throughput gains widespread but ROI confidence still limited

CLEARWATER, Fla., Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Datex, a leading provider of third-party logistics (3PL) warehouse management software (WMS) for complex and regulated storage environments, today released findings from The 3PL AI & Automation Playbook Survey, based on original research conducted by Elastic Solutions and sponsored by Datex. The survey gathered insights from more than 100 3PL logistics, supply chain and warehousing professionals across North America.

The findings point to a shift in the 3PL technology conversation. As adoption of AI and automation grows, simply having the technology may no longer be enough to differentiate. The greater opportunity is in execution: how effectively 3PLs turn those investments into better warehouse performance, measurable business value and stronger customer service. This closely reflects the brief’s central finding that differentiation is shifting from technology adoption to operational execution.

The data illustrates both the progress 3PLs are making and the execution challenges that remain. While 83% of respondents reported increased warehouse throughput from automation and advanced WMS capabilities, only 33% said they are confident or very confident they will achieve positive ROI within their projected implementation timeline. At the same time, 80% said customers expect, or increasingly assume, AI and automation capabilities from their 3PL partners.

The survey also points to a shift in what is driving investment. Among respondents, 84% cited operational efficiency, evolving client demands or competitive advantage as the primary reason for investing in AI and automation, compared with just 6% who primarily cited labor shortages and rising labor costs.

“Competitive advantage doesn’t come from simply having more technology. It comes from what you can accomplish with it,” said Mike Armanious, CEO of Datex. “For 3PLs, the opportunity is to start with the business outcome and make sure every investment contributes to a better operation, whether that means greater productivity, stronger service or the ability to respond faster to new customer requirements. Sometimes that means getting more from the technology you already have. Other times, it means recognizing when the foundation itself needs to change.”

The resulting executive brief, The Execution Advantage, looks at what the survey findings may mean for 3PLs as they continue investing in AI, automation and warehouse technology, including considerations around ROI, workforce productivity, changing customer expectations and the role of the WMS in supporting these initiatives.

The findings represent the perspectives of more than 100 survey respondents and should be viewed as a snapshot of their experiences and priorities rather than a representation of the entire 3PL market.

Download the full executive brief, The Execution Advantage: How AI, Automation, and Modern WMS Platforms Are Shaping the Next Competitive Advantage for 3PLs, here.

About Datex
Datex helps third-party logistics providers simplify the complexity of multi-client warehouse operations. Footprint® WMS combines real-time inventory visibility, client-specific workflows, advanced billing and low-code configurability to help 3PLs operate more efficiently and adapt faster. Complemented by Footprint Analytics and Datex Studio, the platform delivers trusted insights, streamlined operations and seamless integration. The result is greater agility, stronger customer service and a foundation for scalable growth.

For more information, visit https://datexcorp.com/.

About Elastic Solutions
Elastic Solutions is a leader in targeted marketing, research and demand generation services for the B2B high-tech community. Elastic Solutions was responsible for generating and analyzing the data presented in the executive brief.

For more information, visit www.elasticroi.com.

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SOURCE Datex Inc.

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ECRI Expands Problem Reporting Network and Calls for More Data on AI Errors in Patient Care

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As the adoption of AI in healthcare continues to accelerate, ECRI calls on healthcare providers, systems, and clinicians nationwide to report AI-related incidents

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Global patient safety nonprofit ECRI announced an expansion of its Problem Reporting Network to specifically capture and investigate errors, malfunctions, and near misses involving artificial intelligence (AI) tools and AI-enabled devices used in patient care.

ECRI is calling on healthcare providers, health systems, and clinicians nationwide to submit reports of any incident where an AI-enabled tool may have contributed to an error or introduced risk into care delivery. ECRI triages and investigates those reports and shares findings with each submitter. This program compliments the ECRI and ISMP Patient Safety Organization (PSO) which has gathered and analyzes more than 8 million reports of safety events from healthcare providers nationwide.

AI’s promise comes with a data gap

AI is actively transforming healthcare, with immense potential to improve clinical outcomes and efficiency. However, clinical AI tools and AI-enabled medical devices are being deployed at a pace that has challenged the safeguards designed to prevent, identify, and respond to failures.

AI now assists with everything from diagnostic imaging and clinical decision support to personal chatbots, but there is no centralized, healthcare-specific mechanism tracking how often these tools produce incorrect or misleading outputs, and how often those outputs reach a patient.

“ECRI has persistently emphasized the risk of adopting AI with insufficient scrutiny,” said Scott Lucas, PhD, ECRI’s Vice President of Devices, Therapeutics, and Technology. “Although we appreciate AI’s tremendous potential, we don’t yet have a clear picture of its downstream impact in healthcare. Without a robust reporting dataset and analysis, the industry cannot sufficiently improve the design and integration of AI tools and devices. We must look to evidence and data to understand the evolving risks and associated system factors, to enable the use of the safest, most effective technologies.”

Survey shows a mix of AI errors & uncertainty  

In a recent ECRI survey of 124 respondents — mostly quality, safety, risk or compliance leaders — nearly one-third said they encountered an AI output they believed was incorrect or misleading over the past year (31%), while 34% had not, and 35% were unsure. Nine percent reported an AI error reached a patient or impacted a care decision. Ambient scribes were the most commonly encountered AI tools in the survey (37%), ahead of EHR-embedded clinical decision support (31%) and clinical LLM assistants or chatbots (31%).

ECRI has evaluated the effectiveness and clinical evidence surrounding numerous AI-enabled devices and AI tools, including applications in imaging, fall prevention, anesthesia, wearable technology for chronic disease management, cardiovascular diagnoses, colonoscopy systems, and behavioral therapy.

How ECRI’s Problem Reporting Network works

ECRI’s Problem Reporting Network has served the healthcare community since 1972, offering a free, confidential channel for reporting medical device and technology problems. Every submission is triaged and investigated by ECRI’s clinical and engineering experts, and ECRI follows up directly with the submitter to share what was found.

When a safety risk is identified in a device or technology, ECRI informs relevant stakeholders including manufacturers, providers, and regulatory agencies by issuing hazard reports that describe the problem and provide actionable recommendations to reduce risk. The Problem Reporting Network also contributes to the top health technology hazards and patient safety concerns in research reports ECRI publishes for the public each year.

With this most recent expansion, the Problem Reporting Network now explicitly includes a pathway for reporting suspected AI-related errors, incorrect outputs, or unsafe AI behavior encountered in clinical or operational use. Healthcare providers, systems, and professionals who have encountered a suspected AI error, whether it reached a patient or was caught beforehand, are encouraged to submit reports through ECRI’s Problem Reporting Network. 

In addition, ECRI encourages healthcare organizations to submit safety reports through all applicable required reporting channels, including state and federal reporting, and through Patient Safety Organizations.

For more information about the safe use of AI in healthcare, visit ECRI’s AI Resource Hub.

About ECRI

ECRI is an independent, nonprofit organization improving the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care across all healthcare settings. Over the past six decades, ECRI has built its reputation on integrity and disciplined rigor, with an unwavering commitment to independence and evidence-based insights. ECRI is designated an Evidence-based Practice Center by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The ECRI and Institute for Safe Medication Practices PSO is a federally certified Patient Safety Organization (PSO) as designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ECRI is the only organization worldwide to conduct independent medical device evaluations. ECRI acquired The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) in 2020 to address one of the most prolific causes of preventable harm in healthcare, medication errors; then acquired The Just Culture Company in 2024 to transform healthcare workplace cultures – thus creating one of the largest healthcare quality and safety entities in the world.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ecri-expands-problem-reporting-network-and-calls-for-more-data-on-ai-errors-in-patient-care-302859649.html

SOURCE ECRI

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Murrieta the Gem of the Valley TV Series Spotlights Southern California Real Estate and Lifestyle on REAL Shows Network

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Locally hosted series led by Tiffany Williams highlights the people, neighborhoods, businesses, and stories that make Murrieta the Gem of the Valley.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — REAL Shows Network (RSN), the national TV platform dedicated to elevating real estate and lifestyle storytelling, has added Murrieta the Gem of the Valley, a new locally hosted series serving Southern California, to its lineup. The real estate and lifestyle TV series is hosted by local real estate leader Tiffany Williams and produced by RSN’s Emmy-nominated, Telly Award-winning team.

Viewers can learn more about the series and watch episodes of Murrieta the Gem of the Valley at realshows.tv.

The series captures the spirit of Murrieta by blending real estate, local culture, and community stories into a vibrant viewing experience. Each episode features Tiffany Williams:

Highlighting notable neighborhoods and distinctive propertiesCelebrating local businesses and community organizationsSpotlighting the people and stories that give the area its unique characterSharing insight into how real estate can help families build long-term wealth and legacy

“After nearly 30 years serving this valley, we’ve learned that real estate isn’t just about property. It’s about the people, businesses, and neighborhoods that give a place its soul,” said Tiffany Williams, host of Murrieta the Gem of the Valley. “Murrieta is truly the Gem of the Valley, and through this show, we want to spotlight those stories while teaching families how a home today can become a legacy tomorrow. Wealth via real estate isn’t just a strategy. It’s how you pass something priceless down to your children’s children.”

Murrieta the Gem of the Valley is part of REAL Shows Network’s growing lineup of locally branded series that highlight communities across the United States.

As part of RSN’s national network of locally branded shows, Murrieta the Gem of the Valley gives its host a full 30 minutes to build a recognizable, personality-driven brand while authentically representing the people and communities she serves. The show provides local organizations, including nonprofits and philanthropic initiatives, along with entrepreneurs and community influencers, a high-quality platform to share their stories through cinematic, lifestyle-driven segments.

Rooted in RSN’s mission of positive media, Murrieta the Gem of the Valley focuses on authenticity, connection, and the everyday experiences that make communities stand out. It uplifts the people, businesses, and causes that make the region extraordinary, offering viewers fresh insight along with engaging, professionally produced entertainment. High-resolution images and video clips from Murrieta the Gem of the Valley are available upon request.

About REAL Shows Network

REAL Shows Network (RSN) is a national TV network for top real estate professionals and influential local leaders, giving select hosts in each market the exclusive opportunity to lead a full 30-minute show that showcases their expertise, partners, and community. Created by an Emmy-nominated, Telly Award-winning production team, RSN delivers cinematic, lifestyle-driven storytelling and strategic media exposure that builds authority, deepens community connection, and elevates positive stories in each market. For more information, visit realshows.tv.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/murrieta-the-gem-of-the-valley-tv-series-spotlights-southern-california-real-estate-and-lifestyle-on-real-shows-network-302859651.html

SOURCE REAL Shows Network

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