WhatsApp tests new feature to automatically separate business chats and reduce spam
Must ReadScience & TechnologyWhatsApp tests new feature to automatically separate business chats and reduce spamBy Web Desk-Apr 17, 2026WhatsApp is working on an innovative new feature for Android users that will automatically organize chat lists by separating business messages into a dedicated section. According to recent reports from WABetaInfo, this upcoming update aims to significantly reduce the daily clutter and spam often created by a heavy influx of promotional and corporate communi...
Anthropic launches Claude Opus 4.7 as its most intelligent public AI model
Must ReadScience & TechnologyAnthropic launches Claude Opus 4.7 as its most intelligent public AI modelBy Web Desk-Apr 17, 2026Anthropic continues its rapid product releases in 2026, launching Claude Opus 4.7 this Thursday. As the latest in a series of hybrid reasoning models, Opus 4.7 is now the most advanced AI system made publicly available by Anthropic. It offers notable improvements in multi-step reasoning and coding capabilities. However, the company stated in a press release that the...
Hong Kong-flagged oil tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade
An oil tanker sailing under the flag of Hong Kong has passed through the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Gulf of Oman in what appears to be a test of the US blockade targeting vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, according to a maritime data firm. The tanker, AVA 6, departed from a port in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, Beijing time. It passed through the Strait of Hormuz sometime between 4am and 2pm on Thursday, according to data from Mingkun Technology, a Chinese maritime...
7 arrested in crackdown on party rooms offering copyright-infringing karaoke sets
Hong Kong customs has arrested seven people in a citywide crackdown on party rooms offering suspected illegal karaoke sets with songs that infringed copyright. The operation, code-named Magpie, took place between March 16 and April 15 and involved more than 100 officers, who raided 14 party rooms, a bar and the residences of two online sellers. Ng Ka-chun, divisional commander of customs’ intellectual property technology crime investigation, said on Friday that authorities seized 28 suspected...
OMODA&JAECOO offers exclusive deals to mark third anniversary, 1m global sales milestone
OMODA&JAECOO, one of the world’s fastest-growing smart mobility and technology brands, has launched exclusive UAE offers to celebrate its third anniversary and approaching the one-million global sales milestone. The offers for customers include flexible payment plans, substantial savings, and premium benefits across the range of vehicles.Deals on SHS modelsOMODA&JAECOO’s Super Hybrid System (SHS) models in the UAE are positioned with a strong, value-driven ownership package, featuring 0...
Netflix co-founder Hastings exits as streaming pioneer hunts for growth
LifestyleScience & TechnologyNetflix co-founder Hastings exits as streaming pioneer hunts for growthBy Reuters -Apr 17, 2026LOS ANGELES: Netflix Reed Hastings is quitting the streaming service he co-founded 29 years ago. The departure of Hastings, 65, comes at an inopportune time. The company is searching for new avenues of growth as sales slow due to competition, and after a potentially transformative merger with Warner Bros Discovery fell through in February. Netflix on Thursday forecast...
Liz Kendall urges UK public to embrace AI as government makes first £500m fund investment
Technology secretary plays down fears over jobs and cyber security as stake taken in British startupThe UK technology secretary has urged the country to “make AI work for Britain”, brushing off fears about its impact on jobs and cybersecurity as the government announced its first investment under a £500m sovereign AI fund. Liz Kendall said the UK had to “seize” the opportunity offered by AI despite concerns underlined this month when US startup Anthropic revealed it had developed an AI model th...
India's 'Maharaja in Denims' stakes claim in AI film race
Many filmmakers fear the existential threat of artificial intelligence, but in India the race is on to produce the first hit Bollywood feature generated by the technology. One contender is Maharaja in Denims, based on a popular 2014 novel by Khushwant Singh and set for cinematic release this summer. "There is no actor fee, there is no fuss over them coming late or causing delays. There are no sets," Singh told AFP. "It is sheer creativity of mind and the machine," said the a...
Factory hits $1.5B valuation to build AI coding for enterprises
More than three years after the emergence of generative AI, AI-assisted coding remains by far the most popular and lucrative use case for the technology. Although multiple companies—including Anthropic, maker of Claude Code, as well as Cursor and Cognition—are already vying for dominance, investors believe there is room for at least one more player.
Diamond coating nearly doubles Chinese AI data centre’s cooling efficiency
Chinese researchers have developed a new diamond-copper material that they say can improve the cooling efficiency of artificial intelligence (AI) data centres by up to 80 per cent. The functional carbon materials team – from the Ningbo Institute of Industrial Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) – said the composite material had already been deployed in an AI computing node in Zhengzhou in Henan province, China Science Daily reported. The global computing industry’s pursuit of AI....
Bernie Sanders, labor leaders warn of AI risks for workers
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and the leaders of several major labor unions warned Thursday about the risks AI poses to workers amid concerns about the technology’s ability to replace jobs. Sanders, who is pushing for a moratorium on data center construction, argued that AI could displace both blue-collar and white-collar workers. “How the hell do…
From the Startup Battlefield stage to the International Space Station: geCKo Materials built a sticky product
For a successful deep tech startup, the laboratory breakthrough is only the first step. To spin out an innovative technology into a scalable business, a founder has to navigate a complicated legal process. This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen speaks with Capella Kerst, founder and CEO of geCKo Materials. Kerst was a Stanford PhD student, working on bio-inspired adhesives — materials modeled after the microscopic hairs that allow geckos to stick to walls. She wasn’t looking to be a foun...
Altman attack suspect suggested ‘Luigi’ing some tech CEOs’ in online chat
The suspect accused of attempting to murder OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed interest in “Luigi’ing” technology leaders in an online chat late last year, seemingly referring to Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing United Health CEO Brian Thompson.  A team member of the podcast “The Last Invention” first made contact with the suspect, Daniel…
Lebanon, Israel Agree on Ceasefire, Gold Recovering From Recent Lows | Bloomberg Markets 4/16/2026
"Bloomberg Markets" follows the market moves across every global asset class and discusses the biggest issues for Wall Street. Today's guests: Brookings Institution VP and Director, Foreign Policy Program Suzanne Maloney, Angel Oak Capital Advisors Senior Portfolio Manager Cheryl Pate, Standard Charted Bank Global Head, Commodities Research Suki Cooper, Citi Co-Head of Technology Investment Banking Pankaj Goel, and Actress and Writer Kirsten Vangsness. (Source: Bloomberg)
Claude Opus 4.7 launched: 4 ways it is better than Anthropic’s Opus 4.6
Anthropic has launched Claude Opus 4.7, a new AI model positioned between everyday tools and its restricted "Mythos" technology. This release emphasizes "cyber-safety" with new guardrails, while Opus 4.7 demonstrates significant improvements in complex task handling, high-definition vision, professional creativity, and literal instruction following compared to its predecessor, Opus 4.6.
Simon Helberg talks new series "The Audacity" and its message on humanity
Simon Helberg, known for his role as Howard in "The Big Bang Theory," talks about the new show "The Audacity." Helberg plays a developer who is creating an AI companion. He explains what drew him to the role and discusses the show's messages about humanity and technology.
India’s big nuclear leap: How Stage 2 criticality will power the road to energy security
India's nuclear ambitions have reached a pivotal stage with the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor achieving criticality, marking a significant step in its three-stage nuclear program. This advancement positions India as a leader in advanced nuclear technology, bolstering its drive for energy self-reliance and security amidst a rapidly expanding power sector.
Morocco Moves to Digitize Driving Licence Exams with AI Oversight
Tetouan – Morocco’s National Road Safety Agency (NARSA) is preparing a significant overhaul of how driving licence exams are conducted, turning to artificial intelligence and video monitoring to tighten oversight and restore confidence in the system. According to le360, the reform, led by the road safety authority, introduces a technology-driven framework across both theoretical and practical testing centres. The objective is to eliminate irregularities, ensure equal treatment for all candidate...
Stock Rally Leaves Options Traders Readying for a Tech Rebound
A dramatic shift is underway in US equity markets. Stocks hit an all-time high Wednesday as Middle East peace hopes tamped down geopolitical anxiety, and derivatives traders who had pulled back from bullish bets are now racing to position for further gains in technology shares.
TSMC Boosts Tech Rally as Stocks Extend Highs; Live Nation's Court Loss | Bloomberg Brief 4/16/2026
US equity futures rise after the S&P 500 reached a fresh record high, while TSMC's strong revenue outlook fuels tech gains. Live Nation contests a federal jury's verdict that the ticket seller illegally monopolized the events industry. Stephanie Guild of Robinhood sees bigger tech gains to be less in the Magnificent Seven stocks and more in the optical technology space. (Source: Bloomberg)