Bloomberg This Weekend 4/18/2026
The news doesn’t stop when markets close. Hosts David Gura, Christina Ruffini and Lisa Mateo bring clarity, context and a bit of humor to the weekend’s biggest headlines, LIVE from New York. Joined by The Associated Press International Correspondent Philip Crowther, Ulta Chief Technology & Information Officer Mike Maresca, Sephora Senior VP & General Manager Nadine Graham, e.l.f. Beauty Chief Technology & AI Officer Ekta Chopra, Estee Lauder Chief Technology Data & Analytics Officer Brian Franz,...
China humanoid robot half-marathon to showcase technical leaps
Science & TechnologyChina humanoid robot half-marathon to showcase technical leapsBy Reuters -Apr 18, 2026BEIJING: More than 300 humanoid robots participating in China’s second robot half-marathon on Sunday will be facing tougher terrain designed to test their technical advancements, as Beijing seeks to develop the industry into a major pillar of its economy. Over 70 teams, almost five times as many as last year, will be competing in the 21 km (13 miles) race in Beijing that includes paved...
The digital decades by Subimal Bhattacharjee shows how India became a digital powerhouse
This is India’s story of harnessing technology as an instrument of governance and economic mobility.
NASA plans to ignite fire on Moon in historic safety test
Must ReadScience & TechnologyNASA plans to ignite fire on Moon in historic safety testBy Web Desk-Apr 18, 2026As NASA prepares to send humans back to the Moon with the Artemis mission, researchers are focusing on essential safety measures for future deep-space travel and lunar activities. During a recent talk at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, scientists officially announced the Flammability of Materials on the Moon mission—an exciting new project aimed at understanding how fires...
White House and Anthropic CEO discuss working together amid rising fear about Mythos model
InternationalScience & TechnologyWhite House and Anthropic CEO discuss working together amid rising fear about Mythos modelBy Reuters -Apr 18, 2026WASHINGTON: The Trump administration and Anthropic’s CEO on Friday discussed working together for the first time since a dispute earlier this year between the Pentagon and the AI firm over how that company’s models should be used. The meeting between CEO Dario Amodei and White House staff, which took place amid growing fears the AI startup’s late...
SHANTI Act push: Atomic Energy Commission clears FDI policy, sends it for inter-ministerial consultation
As India has mastered Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) technology and achieved criticality in Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) technology, Jain said the next challenge is the indigenisation of Light Water Reactor (LWR) technology, which dominates the global nuclear fleet.
Meta targets May 20 for first wave of layoffs; additional cuts later in 2026
Must ReadScience & TechnologyMeta targets May 20 for first wave of layoffs; additional cuts later in 2026By Reuters -Apr 18, 2026NEW YORK: Meta intends to conduct a first wave of sweeping layoffs planned for this year on May 20, with more coming later, three sources familiar with the plans told Reuters. The Facebook and Instagram owner will lay off about 10% of its global workforce, or close to 8,000 employees, in that initial round, one of the sources said. The company is planning further...
Disney tacitly admits it made a multi-billion dollar mistake with 'Star Wars' land
It was just a few short years ago that the Walt Disney Company was proudly announcing and opening their "Star Wars" themed land in multiple parks across the country.Disney invested billions of dollars in the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge design and construction, based on a fictional world called "Batuu." They hyped up technology and immersive elements meant to enhance the guest experience and allow for fans to spend hours in Galaxy's Edge. And return time and time again to build up experience points...
Why might China want to get involved in the war with Iran?
U.S. officials tell CBS News that days after the war with Iran started, U.S. intelligence detected that China was weighing whether to supply Iran with advanced radar technology. CBS News national security contributor Sam Vinograd has more.
Japan ditches decades of arm export curbs as US reliability wavers
Japan is set to take another step away from its long-standing limits on arms exports, a move analysts say will strengthen the domestic defence industry, spur innovation, deepen security ties and reduce Tokyo’s reliance on the US at a time when Washington is increasingly seen as a less reliable partner. The Yomiuri newspaper reported on Thursday that revisions to the Three Principles on the Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology would be approved at a cabinet meeting next week. The changes....
White House and Anthropic set aside court fight to meet amid fears over Mythos model
White House and Anthropic set aside court fight to meet amid fears over Mythos modelJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleKali Hays,Technology reporterandLily Jamali,North America Technology correspondentReutersAnthropic CEO Dario AmodeiThe White House has said it had a "productive and constructive" meeting with the head of artificial intelligence firm Anthropic, which is suing the US Department of Defense.The meeting comes a week after the firm released its Claude Mythos preview,...
White House meets AI firm Anthropic amid political tensions, Pentagon dispute
One month after President Donald Trump ordered a government-wide halt on artificial intelligence firm Anthropic’s technology following a clash with the Pentagon, the company’s CEO is back at the White House for high-level talks — as officials reconsider whether a system they sidelined over national security and political concerns may be too important to ignore.A source familiar with the meeting told Fox News White House chief of staff Susie Wiles met with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei Friday. Anthr...
UM6P Spin-off ‘SensThings’ Gains International Certification for Radiofrequency Detection
Rabat – SensThings, a spin-off from Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), has gained international recognition after its radiofrequency detection technology received certification under BTL Inc. according to ANSI/IEEE Std 149 standards. The certification validates the performance of its electromagnetic detection systems designed for critical and high-security environments. The company, Sensthings, a Moroccan deeptech startup specializing in phygital security solutions, said...
Is that person real? Zoom rolls out new tool to verify meeting participants
Dubai: Zoom is introducing a new feature designed to verify whether meeting participants are real people, as concerns grow over AI-generated avatars and deepfakes in video calls.The company has partnered with World, a digital identity platform, to integrate a system that confirms a user’s identity during meetings. According to a report by TechCrunch, the feature uses “World ID” technology to validate participants before or during a call.Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app...
Tinder and Zoom offer 'proof of humanity' eye-scans to combat AI
Tinder and Zoom offer 'proof of humanity' eye-scans to combat AIJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleKali HaysTechnology reporterReutersTinder will let users prove they are human and not robots by bringing advanced eye-scanning technology to the app amid rising fears over AI.Users of the dating app, as well as other major platforms such as video calling service Zoom, will be able to scan their irises to earn a "proof of humanity" badge attached to their profile or name....
AI minister Kendall says she doesn't use AI at work
AI minister Kendall says she doesn't use AI at work14 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleMatt ChorleyPresenter, BBC Radio 5 Live and NewsnightBBCLiz Kendall was treated to a demonstration of a driverless carLiz Kendall, the cabinet minister in charge of Artificial Intelligence (AI), has revealed she does not use AI in her job.The Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary this week unveiled a £500m fund aimed at backing British AI firms, which she said was "crucial to our...
Steve Bannon sides with Anthropic in fight with Pentagon: ‘It’s almost too dangerous’
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon said he believes artificial intelligence company Anthropic “had it right” in demanding its technology not be used in fully autonomous lethal weapons, setting off a fight with the Pentagon.  The Pentagon has insisted it be allowed to use Anthropic’s Claude for “all lawful uses” and last month labeled the…
OpenAI’s policy chief says AI companies ‘need to do a much better job’ talking about AI as industry leaders face personal attacks
Dario Amodei warned last May that AI could wipe out half of entry-level white collar jobs. Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman predicted the technology would automate most tasks of the entire white-collar workforce in a year to 18 months. And recently, a report from Anthropic mapped out exactly what Suleyman warned about, and what Elon Musk thinks will make work optional. The successive statements about AI’s transformative impact on labor may help justify the booming valuation of some AI compan...
Why 69 is the age you're officially deemed 'old', according to science
Why 69 is the age you're officially deemed 'old', according to scienceREAD MORE: Scientists pinpoint the most EXHAUSTING decade of lifeBy SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Published: 15:16, 17 April 2026 | Updated: 16:33, 17 April 2026 e-mail 106 View comments
CPEC Phase II gains momentum
Chinese Consul General Yang Yundong has said that key discussions between Pakistan and China regarding CPEC Phase II, water storage technology, and new energy projects have entered their final stages. He expressed strong support for Pakistan's diplomatic role, stating that China backs Pakistan's mediation efforts between Iran and the United States, and acknowledged Pakistan's active role in promoting stability during ongoing tensions in the Middle East. He made these remarks while...