Features

• Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal met with the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) on Friday in Singapore to strengthen business engagement between the two nations. • Key attendees included SBF Chairman Mark Lee and SBF (India Business Council) Chairman Prasoon Mukherjee, focusing on expanding investment opportunities. • A primary highlight of the discussions was the promotion of investment potential specifically within West Bengal.

• Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal met with the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) on Friday in Singapore to strengthen business engagement between the two nations. • Key attendees included SBF Chairman Mark Lee and SBF (India Business Council) Chairman Prasoon Mukherjee, with discussions specifically highlighting investment opportunities in West Bengal. • The meeting matters as it seeks to attract foreign direct investment and foster strategic economic partnerships between Singaporean enterprises and Indian regions.

• Film Independent is expanding the Spirit Awards by introducing two new categories: Best International First Feature and a Digital Creator Award. • The Digital Creator Award targets storytellers producing original work for digital-first platforms, with the winner receiving a $25,000 unrestricted grant. • To support the new international category, the Berlinale has been added as a qualifying festival for the awards.

• TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will feature a high-profile lineup of speakers on its main Disrupt Stage, including leaders from Amazon, Replit, and Tether. • Key sessions will explore the future of AI hardware with Cerebras and the evolution of human-machine interaction through brain-computer interfaces discussed by Max Hodak. • The event highlights critical shifts in technology, specifically challenging current AI system assumptions and the difficulties of scaling breakthrough software companies.

• Flank announced the launch of Flank Record on Thursday, an AI agent designed to organize contract records and extract data from signed agreements. • The tool allows users to query contract information under human supervision to ensure accuracy and oversight. • This release highlights the growing trend of "agentic AI" in the legaltech sector, focusing on automating complex document management and data extraction.

• A series of AI updates includes upgrades to Claude and ChatGPT desktop apps, alongside the release of the Kimmi K3 model featuring 3 trillion parameters. • Legal and corporate tensions are rising, highlighted by a bias lawsuit against Meta and public criticism from Microsoft's CEO regarding Anthropic. • Strategic delays are impacting the market, specifically with the postponed release of Google’s Gemini 3.5 Pro.

• Israel and Lebanon have entered into a Trilateral Framework Agreement in 2026, aimed at managing conflict and establishing border security. • The agreement involves complex negotiations between state actors and non-state armed groups, with the United States playing a critical role as an international mediator. • This framework is significant as it addresses regional geopolitics and humanitarian concerns, demonstrating the use of diplomacy to resolve long-standing security tensions.

• The Munich Film Festival's CineCoPro pitch showcased a diverse array of Nordic-flavored projects, including superhero stories, political dramas, and family films, all seeking funding and production partners. • Key projects highlighted include the German-Danish coming-of-age drama *Bjørn & Matthias* and *Morphs (WT)*, a North Sea island drama marking the feature debut of Grimme Award-winner Hilke Rönnfeldt. • Other notable entries included *Bolliver*, a Norwegian family film centered on a performing teddy bear, illustrating the wide range of genres being developed.

• BBC Sport has launched an updated app experience specifically designed for the FIFA World Cup 2026. • The new features include live match updates on lock screens, short-form video content, and immersive 3D match experiences. • These enhancements aim to support the expanded scale of the tournament, which features 48 nations competing across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

• Apple announced enhanced Siri AI features at WWDC 2026, which are set to launch in beta later this year. • These new capabilities will be unavailable in the European Union and China upon release. • The restriction in the EU specifically affects iOS and iPadOS, as Apple seeks a viable path toward regulatory approval.

At his final WWDC keynote, Tim Cook highlights AI-forward upgrade to the voice assistant to be widely released in fallAfter years of anticipation, user frustration and false starts, Apple announced a major upgrade to Siri at its annual developer conference on Monday. The voice assistant will come integrated with Apple’s artificial intelligence tool, Apple Intelligence, and has been rechristened “Siri AI”.The new Siri, which will be widely released in the fall, will more closely resemble AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Google Gemini, than a question-and-answer tool that draws from the web. Continue reading...

• A review of the most innovative Asian brokers for 2026 evaluates the platform features and analytics of CMC Markets, IG, and Saxo Bank. • CMC Markets is highlighted for its high corporate transparency as a London Stock Exchange listed company and its adherence to MAS, ASIC, and FMA regulations. • The firm's "Next Generation" platform provides advanced technical tools, including over 115 technical indicators and 70 chart patterns.

• High-profile celebrity alliance declarations and streaming service changes dominate this week's entertainment news from Colombo Marciano. • Key announcements include major partnership deals involving top stars, reshaping industry collaborations. • These developments signal evolving business models in Asia's entertainment sector, impacting content distribution.

Whimsical film shows relay of animals carrying centennial card from Balmoral Castle to naturalist in LondonKing Charles has featured in a surprise birthday tribute to David Attenborough, with a cast of wild animals helping to relay his handwritten congratulatory centenary card.The whimsical film, A Very Special Delivery, begins with the king writing his tribute in the library of Balmoral Castle. Charles, wearing an animal-themed tie featuring elephants, reflects on more than 60 years of friendship with the renowned naturalist. Continue reading...

Suit says director used Q’orianka Kilcher’s features without permission after seeing her in advert for The New WorldSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailJames Cameron and the Walt Disney Company are facing a lawsuit that claims the director based a key character in the Avatar franchise on a teenage actor without her permission.The suit, filed by actor Q’orianka Kilcher, alleges that Cameron “extracted her facial features” and “directed his design team” to base the key Avatar character Neytiri on her appearance after seeing her in an LA Times advert for Terrence Malick’s 2005 film The New World. In the film Kilcher, who is Native Peruvian, played Pocahontas among a cast that also included Colin Farrell and Christian Bale. Continue reading...

• Deep Tech Week highlights The AI Collective, described as the world’s largest AI community, which connects more than 100,000 AI builders, researchers, and professionals through events, forums, and networking. • The gathering brings together startups, corporate labs, and academic groups to showcase advances in core machine learning, robotics, and applied AI, with a focus on interoperability and responsible deployment. • U.S. participation is strong, with many leading AI research labs and venture‑backed startups using the venue to announce new collaborations, model releases, and open‑source tooling.

• Apple unveiled iOS 20 on April 25, 2026, featuring Apple Intelligence enhancements for on-device AI processing in Siri and Photos apps, rolling out first to US users. • Key additions include real-time language translation supporting 15 languages and AI-generated summaries for Safari, trained on 3 trillion parameters without cloud dependency. • The update addresses privacy concerns post-EU DMA rulings, boosting Apple's 45% US smartphone market share amid AI race with Google Pixel.

• New TV premieres in April 2026 include returning favorites like 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' (RHOA) and 'Euphoria' alongside fresh series. • The watchlist highlights top streaming and broadcast shows for the month, focusing on drama, reality, and prestige content. • These releases cater to diverse U.S. audiences seeking binge-worthy entertainment options.

In his strongest intervention yet, PM says some features ‘shouldn’t be permitted’, while education secretary says things ‘are going to change’Keir Starmer has backed banning addictive social media features in his strongest intervention yet on curbs that could be placed on tech companies, saying the features “shouldn’t be permitted”.The prime minister said the government was “going to have to act” on the algorithms that hook young people and children to social media, such as scrolling or “streaks” that encourage daily usage of apps. Continue reading...

Prime minister says UK must do more to regulate against potential harms after landmark ruling in US courtSir Keir Starmer has said he will tackle “addictive features” in social media amid increasing signs the UK government is preparing to crackdown on risks to children after a landmark US court verdict which held Meta and YouTube responsible for harms caused by designing addictive technology.The prime minister said the verdict in a California court signals a rising public expectation for more aggressive regulation and said: “I’m absolutely clear that we need to go further.” Continue reading...

• NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day highlights NGC 1566, a grand design spiral galaxy located approximately 40 million light-years away in the constellation Dorado, known for its two prominent and graceful spiral arms traced by bright blue star clusters and red emission nebulas. • The galaxy's flaring center makes it one of the closest and brightest Seyfert galaxies, likely housing a central supermassive black hole affecting surrounding stars and gas, making it a prime target for Hubble Space Telescope observations studying star formation and supernovas. • NGC 1566 is among the most photogenic spiral galaxies in the universe, featuring a gorgeous face-on view and dark cosmic dust lanes that make it an ideal object for astronomical research and observation.

• Backstage at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, stars like Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti chatted candidly while winners such as Amy Madigan paused to celebrate their victories. • Emotional reactions and spontaneous conversations unfolded out of view from the main stage cameras at the Dolby Theatre. • These unscripted moments provided a glimpse into the excitement and relief of Hollywood's biggest night.

The brand has enlisted JW Anderson to help brew a 17-piece range of luxury fashionware, from ‘beer towel’ shorts to branded trousers and topsYou too can look like a pub carpet – and for the bargain price of £1,295. Such sartorial elegance – perhaps an option for anyone stepping out to celebrate St Patrick’s Day this week – is the aesthetic love child of a partnership between Guinness and the luxury clothing brand JW Anderson.Launched earlier this month, the tie-up allows fashionistas to get their hands on a range of Guinness-wear, exploiting the ongoing metamorphosis of the “black stuff” from unfashionable pub staple to social media status symbol. Continue reading...

• Minnesota Timberwolves face Oklahoma City Thunder at 1 p.m. ABC; Golden State Warriors visit New York Knicks at 8 p.m. NBC/Peacock. • Dallas Mavericks at Cleveland Cavaliers tips at 3:30 p.m. NBATV following Cavaliers' recent dominant win. • Games impact playoff seeding in tight Western and Eastern Conferences with late-season implications.