The Bigger Picture Behind Apple HLS
Apple Podcasts is rolling out HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) support, enabling creators to publish identical video and audio versions of episodes that can be switched seamlessly on iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro and the web. HLS will handle video‑enabled podcasts while RSS remains the protocol for audio‑only shows, preserving the existing ecosystem. The new standard introduces HLS interstitials for dynamic video ad insertion and a yet‑undisclosed CPM‑based tech fee for hosting platforms. Early adopters such as Acast, ART19, Omny Studio and SiriusXM are already testing the workflow, signaling industry momentum.

Pulsar International Board to Consider Venture Into Precision Farming
Pulsar International’s board will review a proposal to extend its Smart Agri Solution into AI‑driven Internet of Things (IoT) precision farming. The plan calls for integrating AI analytics, IoT sensors and drones to fine‑tune fertilizer, water and other inputs while...
An Indiana Public Records Fight Went to Court. The Journalists (and the Public) Won.
Indiana journalists from the Indiana Capital Chronicle sued the state Department of Correction to obtain records on the cost of lethal‑injection drugs. After a year‑long legal battle, a Marion County Superior Court judge ordered the agency to release the data,...
Cosmetic Surgery Investigation Prompts Warnings for Patients, and a Push for Tighter Safety Standards
An investigation by KFF Health News and NBC News into cosmetic‑surgery chains has triggered warnings from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and calls for greater transparency on physician discipline in California. The series uncovered multiple deaths and severe complications...
Neglected Burden of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
A new BMJ‑published study quantifies obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) prevalence at 22.8% in the United States and 19.5% in the United Kingdom. Using self‑reported breathing pauses and daytime sleepiness, the authors estimate annual workplace productivity losses of $180.2 billion in the...

DHS Seeks Access to Massive Employment, Salary and Family Database Legally Restricted to Use in Child Support Cases
The Department of Homeland Security is requesting unrestricted access to the Federal Parent Locator Service, a comprehensive database originally limited to child support enforcement. The database contains personal and employment information for virtually every employed U.S. resident, as well as...

New £45,000 Jaecoo 8 Is Brand's Largest, Plushest Car Yet
Jaecoo has unveiled its flagship 8 SUV, a six‑ or seven‑seat plug‑in hybrid that will launch in the UK in May. The model arrives in two trims – Luxury at £45,500 and Executive at £47,500 – and is powered by...

AI Agents and a Real-Life Business Use Case
Procurement leaders are moving beyond reactive chatbots to deploy autonomous AI agents that execute end‑to‑end tasks. A leading media‑telecom firm rolled out four agents—contract analysis, deal memo drafting, an Ask‑Me‑Anything guide, and supplier‑insights—within 18 months. These agents automate contract review,...
The Best Screening Test Is the One That Gets Followed Up On
Recent RAND‑posted research underscores that colorectal cancer screening’s value hinges on effective follow‑up. While initiatives like the “80% by 2018” campaign lifted adult screening rates from roughly 65 % to 70 %, the target remained unmet. Emerging blood‑based tests promise higher participation,...
Intimate Partner Violence and Its Association with Symptoms of Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among HIV-Negative Cisgender Sexual Minority Men...
The RAND‑sponsored study examined 500 HIV‑negative cisgender sexual minority men (SMM) across the United States and found that 40% experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) in the past six months. IPV was positively associated with higher scores on depression (PHQ‑8) and...
Policy Actors’ Perspectives on Improving Federal Grants to Promote the Implementation Success of Evidence-Based Behavioral Health Practices
The study convened federal and state policy actors in four focus groups to examine how federal discretionary grants can better support the large‑scale implementation of evidence‑based behavioral health practices, using the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A‑CRA) as a case study....
How Closed-Ended Survey Questions and Narrative Comments Interact in Characterizing Caregivers’ Overall Assessment of Hospice Care
The study evaluated 3,811 open‑ended comments from the CAHPS Hospice Survey administered to caregivers of patients who died between March and August 2021 across 56 U.S. hospices. While 78% of caregivers provided comments, only a quarter were deemed actionable and...
EBAday Agenda to Provide Blueprint for the 2030 Payments Playbook
EBAday returns for its 21st edition on 16‑17 June 2026 in Copenhagen, drawing over 1,400 senior European payments executives. The two‑day conference will map the 2030 payments playbook, covering upcoming regulations such as PSD3, PSR and FIDA, as well as emerging technologies...
The Changing Landscape of School-Based Health Centers and Other School-Based Clinics in California, 2011-2023
Between 2011 and 2023 California saw a marked expansion of school‑based health centers (SBHCs) from 124 to 186 sites and a five‑fold rise in other school‑based clinics (OSBCs) to 104, with many adding mental‑health services. The study links clinic presence...
French Navy FREMM Frigate Wins Again U.S. Navy’s Hook ‘Em Award
The French Navy’s FREMM frigate Aquitaine earned the U.S. 6th Fleet’s Hook ‘Em Award, marking the fifth time a French unit and the fourth time a FREMM has been recognized for anti‑submarine warfare excellence. The award, reinstated in 2016, honors...

Disney Shifts Into High Gear with New F1 Collabs and Trackside Activations
Disney is expanding its multi‑year “Fuel the Magic” partnership with Formula 1 for the 2026 season, adding new merchandise collections, retail tie‑ins and character appearances. A global Disney × F1 apparel line of ten streetwear pieces launches on March 12, while host‑city capsule drops...
Hydrogen Used to Decarbonise Asphalt Production in UK First
Heidelberg Materials UK completed a pilot at its Criggion plant using hydrogen to heat asphalt production, generating over 1,300 tonnes of asphalt without quality loss. The trial cut direct (Scope 1) emissions by 76 % and lowered the overall carbon footprint by 23%,...
Capital Market Stocks Shine in FY26; MCX India Tops Chart with 143% Rally
India’s capital‑markets segment emerged as the second‑best performer in FY 26, with the Nifty Capital Markets Index climbing 35% while the PSU‑Bank index posted a 44% gain. Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) led the rally, its stock soaring 143% and...

Commercial Readiness Confirmed for Alfa Laval’s Ammonia Fuel Supply System as FAT Wraps Up
Alfa Laval has completed a certified factory acceptance test (FAT) for its FCM Ammonia fuel supply system, earning class certification from China Classification Society and confirming commercial readiness for ammonia‑fueled two‑stroke engines. The test validated hardware integration, control logic, safety...
COLUMN: The Terrorism Risks of Escalation: What Military Strikes on Iran Could Trigger
The column warns that recent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, including the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, could reshape the global terrorism landscape. It argues that leadership decapitation rarely dismantles either terrorist groups or state‑based ideological systems, as Iran’s institutional...

Deepwater Energy Project Duo in Angola and Brazil Getting Exail’s Subsea Tech
Exail secured contracts to provide its long baseline (LBL) subsea positioning systems for two deep‑water energy projects in Brazil and Angola. Over 70 acoustic transponders and integrated navigation suites will support operations at depths up to 4,000 m. The hybrid acoustic‑inertial...
![[Industry News] Perforce Is Betting on Creators in the Age of AI Execution](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/26818133-1a88-4c0d-93e3-a13a3a3fa4a8-1749140855371.png)
[Industry News] Perforce Is Betting on Creators in the Age of AI Execution
Perforce announced a suite of creator‑focused initiatives at GDC 2026, including a live podcast with Sandfall Interactive co‑founder Tom Guillermin, an open 3‑D art competition, and a partnership with AWS for a Real‑Time Workflow Survey. The company also unveiled new...
Sunlight-Activated Graphene Membrane Recovers Battery-Grade Lithium From Brines
Researchers at POST, Griffith and King Khalid Universities unveiled a graphene‑based nanofiltration membrane that uses sunlight to pull lithium ions from magnesium‑rich brines. The hybrid membrane, combining edge‑functionalized graphene nanoribbons with photothermally reduced graphene oxide, delivers a lithium flux of...

Dreamland Opens Its First Three Stores at Cora Shopping Sites
DreamLand, the Belgian toy retailer, will launch three new experience stores on March 13 at Cora Shopping locations in Rocourt, Châtelineau, and La Louvière. The openings replace two existing outlets and add one new footprint, bringing DreamLand’s total to 93 stores...

Grimaldi Euromed and FS Logistix Join Forces for Sea-Rail Links
Grimaldi Euromed and state‑owned FS Logistix signed a memorandum of understanding to launch sea‑rail connections, initially linking the Adriatic ports of Ancona and Venice with intermodal terminals across Italy and Europe. The partnership will use Grimaldi’s short‑sea Ro‑Ro network and...

Gracenote Brings “Treasure Trove” Of Content Data to CTV Market with Launch of New Ads Business
Gracenote, the Nielsen‑owned entertainment metadata giant, has launched a CTV advertising business that layers its extensive content data onto programmatic buys. Research cited by the company indicates that about 70 % of bid requests lack basic genre signals, prompting a push...

Ropes & Gray Raises London NQ Pay to £170k
Ropes & Gray has increased its newly qualified solicitor salary in London to £170,000, a 3% rise from the previous £165,000 level. The uplift, effective 1 January 2026, places the US‑based firm ahead of the Magic Circle, whose NQ pay sits at...
Adisyn Reports Graphene-Based Radar Signature Reduction for Drones
Adisyn demonstrated that graphene‑enhanced composite materials can cut radar reflection by up to 20 dB in lab tests, and the team is targeting a 30 dB reduction that would shrink a drone’s radar cross‑section by a factor of 1,000. The proof‑of‑concept was...
Top-5 White-Label Payment Gateway Providers Powering PSPs and Fintechs
White‑label payment gateways let PSPs and fintechs launch branded payment products without building a full gateway stack. The article evaluates five providers—Corefy, SDK.finance, Gr4vy, Spell and Decta—against criteria such as multi‑provider connectivity, routing control, tenant isolation and global scalability. Each...
UK Faces Cost of Balancing Defensive Capabilities Abroad as Iran Conflict Widens
The United Kingdom has dispatched the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon, Wildcat helicopters equipped with Martlet missiles, Eurofighter Typhoons and F‑35B aircraft to Cyprus and the wider Middle East following a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri. These assets aim to reinforce regional air‑defence...

Australia Orders 40 Additional Bluebottle USVs
The Australian government has approved a $176 million contract with Ocius Technology to procure 40 additional Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessels, raising the navy’s fleet to 55 units. The solar‑, wind‑ and wave‑powered USVs provide long‑endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance across the...

Eight Cultural Shifts Shaping the GCC’s New Trust Economy
The M+C Saatchi Group Cultural Power Report 2026 maps eight deep‑seated cultural shifts reshaping the GCC’s emerging trust economy. Influencer growth has exploded to over 263,000 creators, yet trust in influencers has fallen to the region’s lowest‑rated profession, prompting a...
Adani Energy Solutions Raises $500 Million From Apollo Global Through Dollar Bonds
Adani Transmission Step‑One Limited, a wholly‑owned arm of Adani Energy Solutions, secured a $500 million dollar‑denominated bond from Apollo Global Management. The proceeds will be used to refinance an equal‑amount of 2016 senior secured bonds that mature in August. Moody’s reaffirmed...

Deep Science Ventures Launches New Doctoral Cohort to Turn Science Into Startups
Deep Science Ventures (DSV) has funded the third cohort of its Venture Science Doctorate programme, launching five venture scientists in April. The cohort is backed by Germany’s SPRIND and Builders Vision, offering all‑expenses‑paid doctoral training that combines research autonomy with...

Ford Explorer with LFP Battery Starts at €39,990
Ford Europe has launched an updated Explorer electric SUV featuring a larger 58 kWh LFP battery, boosting WLTP range to 444 km. The powertrain now delivers 140 kW and 350 Nm of torque, while the list price remains €39,990 in Germany. Additional upgrades include...

Canal+ to Deploy Google Cloud AI Tech; Successful 2025
Canal+ has entered a multi‑year partnership with Google Cloud to roll out the latter’s generative AI suite across its European and African app markets starting in June. The AI tools will automate video indexing, create a multimodal content database and...
Press Release: Tokyo Motor to Exhibit Hydrogen and Fuel-Cell Technologies
Toyota announced its participation in the 25th International Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Expo in Tokyo from March 17‑19, 2026, where it will display its latest hydrogen and fuel‑cell technologies. President Mitsumasa Yamagata will present partnership initiatives aimed at building a...

Beyond Trade Policy: What the BIS Connected Vehicle Rule Really Demands From Automotive Software Teams
The U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security’s Connected Vehicle Rule, effective March 2025, focuses on software provenance rather than merely restricting Chinese or Russian components. It requires manufacturers to file Declarations of Conformity backed by defensible documentation that proves where each...
Persimmon Earnings: Superb Performance but War in the Middle East Clouds Outlook
Persimmon reported 2025 earnings that beat expectations, driven by higher completions and a rise in average selling price. The firm kept its GBX 1,680 fair‑value estimate and reaffirmed 2026 guidance of 12,000‑12,500 completions with a £284,000 average selling price. While results...
EPMB Launches Local Assembly of MG S5 BEV in Malaysia
SAIC Motor’s MG brand has begun local assembly of the S5 battery‑electric vehicle in Malaysia through a partnership with EP Manufacturing Bhd (EPMB). The Alor Gajah plant will assemble up to 2,000 units this year from imported CKD kits, leveraging...

What’s New in the North Wales Train Timetable?
Transport for Wales is launching a sweeping timetable overhaul for North and West Wales in May, adding roughly half as many new services on the North Wales Coast Line and introducing an hourly clock‑face pattern. The changes include direct Manchester...
Aypa Power, Six Nations Secure $512m for BESS Projects in Canada
Aypa Power, backed by Blackstone, and Six Nations of the Grand River Development have secured C$700 million (US$512 million) financing for the Elora and Hedley battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Ontario. The two sites together will deliver roughly 422 MW of...
Nio Enters Thai Market with Firefly BEV
Chinese EV manufacturer Nio has launched its Firefly compact battery‑electric vehicle in Thailand, the brand’s second Southeast Asian market after Singapore. The rollout was supported by a distribution agreement with Thonburi Blue Sky, the Thai importer that also handles Mercedes‑Benz....
Morgan Stanley Hires Contract Staff in Hong Kong as Deals Surge: Sources
Morgan Stanley has begun hiring one‑year contract bankers in Hong Kong to support a wave of IPO listings, marking the first Wall Street bank to adopt such a model in the region. The move aims to keep costs low while...
Vietnam Vehicle Market Declines 9% in February – VAMA
Vietnam's wholesale vehicle market slipped 9% in February 2026, registering 15,665 units, a dip attributed to fewer working days during the Lunar New Year. Despite the monthly decline, the first two months of the year saw a robust 38% increase...

IOC, BPCL, HPCL Could See Margin Pressure Amid Oil Price Spike: S&P
S&P Global Ratings warns that India’s oil‑marketing firms IOC, BPCL and HPCL could see profit margins squeezed as they keep retail petrol and diesel prices steady amid a recent crude price surge. Crude oil jumped above $100 per barrel after...
Intra‐Articular Injectable Hydrogel Microsphere‐Based Drug Delivery System for Osteoarthritis Treatment
Osteoarthritis incidence is climbing as populations age and obesity spreads, intensifying health and economic pressures. Conventional treatments merely decelerate disease progression and often entail systemic side effects or surgical risks. Emerging hydrogel microsphere platforms create a biomimetic joint microenvironment, offering...
Short‐Range Order and LixTM4−x Probability Maps for Disordered Rocksalt Cathodes
Researchers used Monte Carlo simulations with a simplified cluster model to map short‑range order (SRO) in cation‑disordered rocksalt (DRX) cathodes. They discovered that the probability of forming Li₄ tetrahedral clusters is governed primarily by nearest‑neighbor pairwise SRO, and that this SRO...

ACMI Installs AMCM M 8K Metal 3D Printing System
The American Center for Manufacturing and Innovation (ACMI) has installed the world’s first AMCM M 8K metal 3D printing system, a large‑format laser powder‑bed fusion (LPBF) machine with an 800 × 800 × 1,200 mm build volume. The platform uses eight 1.2 kW nLIGHT lasers, the AirSword...

DAZN App Now on EE TV
EE announced that the DAZN sports streaming app is now available on its EE TV Box Pro and Box Edge devices, accessible via the Apps rail. The partnership brings live boxing, MMA, football, golf and more to UK households, with over 185...