Pulse
Original reporting by Pulse, synthesizing breaking news from multiple sources with AI-powered analysis. Each story combines insights from leading publishers, expert commentary, and real-time data.
FCC Extends Software Update Waivers for Foreign Drones and Routers to 2029
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission announced on May 8 that it will allow software and firmware updates for foreign‑made drones and consumer routers through Jan. 1, 2029, reversing earlier restrictions. The move, issued by the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology, is intended to protect millions of devices from security gaps and operational failures.
Bard Associates Sells $7.7 Million of Willdan Shares, Cutting Stake Below 0.004%
Bard Associates reduced its Willdan Group position by 73,167 shares, cashing out roughly $7.74 million in the first quarter, according to a May 7 SEC filing. The divestiture shrank the fund’s stake to less than 0.004% of its reportable U.S. equity assets,...
Microsoft Advertising Adds Conversions, Clicks, and Spend to Performance Max Placement Reports
Microsoft Advertising announced on May 7, 2026 that its Performance Max campaigns will now surface conversion, click and spend metrics in the Website URL placement report. The move gives advertisers granular visibility beyond impressions, aiming to improve budget allocation and...
Indonesia’s EV Push Could Save $300 Bn and Cut 6 Bn Barrels of Oil by 2060
The International Council on Clean Transportation released a working paper showing Indonesia’s move to electric vehicles could reduce cumulative fuel consumption by 5.1‑6.7 bn barrels of oil equivalent and generate $255‑$321 bn in energy‑cost savings by 2060. The analysis links the shift...
Carrefour Rolls Out QR Codes on 50 Private‑label Items, Aiming for Full‑range Transparency
Carrefour has placed QR codes on 50 of its private‑label products, using GS1 technology to expand data capacity from 13 to over 4,000 characters. The rollout, which began with wine items, is intended to give shoppers instant access to product...
FDA Clears Genentech’s Ocrevus for Pediatric Relapsing‑Remitting MS
The U.S. FDA has approved Genentech’s ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) for relapsing‑remitting multiple sclerosis in children and adolescents aged 10 and older who weigh at least 55 lb. The decision, driven by the OPERETTA II trial, gives clinicians a high‑efficacy, FDA‑backed option that previously...
Serve Robotics Posts 578% Revenue Surge as DoorDash Partnership Fuels Premium Delivery Growth
Serve Robotics reported a 578% year‑over‑year revenue increase in Q1 2026, with fleet revenue climbing tenfold and a six‑times boost in DoorDash merchant count. The growth reflects a broader shift in gig‑economy platforms toward premium offerings for higher‑earning customers, a...
Gurgaon Attracts $3.3 Billion in Real Estate Investment in First Four Months of 2026
Developers invested about Rs 27,000 crore ($3.3 billion) in Gurgaon real‑estate projects between January and April 2026, according to RERA data. The influx reflects confidence in the city’s infrastructure, employment base, and faster project execution compared with the wider NCR.
Sherritt International Halts Cuban Nickel Production Amid U.S. Sanctions
Sherritt International Corp announced the shutdown of its nickel mining, refining and power‑generation operations in Cuba after U.S. sanctions, sending its Toronto‑listed shares tumbling 42% on the news and leaving Cuba without a key source of hard currency and electricity.
US Factories Shed 2,000 Jobs in April as Manufacturing Hiring Stalls
U.S. factories cut 2,000 jobs in April, deepening a year‑long trend of manufacturing job losses despite a strong overall labor market. Economists warn the sector’s weakness could linger as geopolitical tensions and energy costs weigh on production.
SkyWater Shareholders Approve IonQ Merger, Linking US Foundry to Quantum Leader
SkyWater Technology shareholders approved the merger with IonQ, the leading quantum‑computing company, at a special meeting. The transaction, pending regulatory clearance, is slated to close in the second or third quarter of 2026 and will combine the largest U.S. pure‑play...
Grant Thornton Unveils GTAP, an AI‑Powered Audit Platform
Grant Thornton announced the launch of GTAP, a proprietary cloud‑based audit infrastructure that embeds AI, analytics and automation throughout the audit lifecycle. The platform will first be used for private‑company audits in the U.S., with a public‑company rollout slated for...
Silver Prices Plunge 48% in 2026, Triggering Volatility Spike in Options Markets
Silver tumbled from an all‑time high of $118/oz in January 2026 to around $60/oz within months, igniting a sharp rise in volatility for silver options and futures. The swing reflects a mix of macro pressures, leveraged speculation, and persistent industrial...
Freightos Names CFO Pablo Pinillos CEO, Flags Q1 Transaction Miss and Workforce Cut
Freightos announced CFO Pablo Pinillos as its new chief executive, disclosed that Q1 2026 transactions rose 15% YoY to 425,000 but missed internal forecasts, and unveiled a cost‑optimization program that includes a workforce reduction. The moves aim to sharpen execution...
Paga Teams with Sui to Tokenise Bonds and Real‑Estate, Opening Crypto‑Backed Investments in Africa
Nigerian fintech pioneer Paga announced a partnership with the Sui blockchain to tokenise bonds, real‑estate and other assets, using the newly launched USDsui stablecoin. The deal, unveiled at Sui Live in Miami, aims to give Paga’s 1.5 billion‑dollar monthly payment flow...
Neal Katyal’s AI Claim Triggers Legal Community Backlash After Supreme Court Win
Attorney Neal Katyal announced that a bespoke AI system helped him prepare for a Supreme Court argument that ended in a 6‑3 decision against President Trump’s tariffs. The claim ignited a wave of criticism from law professors and litigation veterans,...
EU Sets High‑Risk Rules for Agentic AI in Recruitment and Workplace Automation
The European Union announced a proposal to classify autonomous, goal‑setting AI agents as high‑risk under the AI Act, mandating transparency, human oversight and ENISA‑certified compliance for HR applications such as CV‑scanning and candidate ranking. The rules take effect on Aug. 2, 2026...
FDA Deploys AI Platform to Slash Tobacco Review Times by 70%
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched Elsa 4.0 and the HALO data platform to accelerate pre‑market tobacco product reviews, cutting backlog by roughly 70% and authorizing six nicotine‑pouch products in just three months. The move showcases AI integration in...
76‑Year‑Old Graduate Highlights Surge in Lifelong Learning at Bridgewater State
Sheryl Royster, 76, will receive a sociology degree and African American Studies minor from Bridgewater State University, spotlighting a wave of senior students pursuing higher education. The graduation caps a 50‑year journey and reflects expanding demand for flexible, adult‑focused learning...
Salesforce Turns Slack Into a Universal AI Hub for Enterprise Workflows
Salesforce announced that Slack will serve as a universal AI interface, letting users manage CRM data, trigger workflows and run third‑party apps from a single chat window. The upgrade adds a Model Context Protocol client, AI Skills modules and integration...
Vercel Open‑Sources DeepSec, AI‑Driven Scanner to Shift Security Left in CI/CD
Vercel has open‑sourced DeepSec, an AI‑powered security scanner that integrates directly into development workflows. The tool can cost thousands of dollars per scan for large repositories, yet promises a false‑positive rate of only 10‑20 percent, aiming to move vulnerability detection...
Three Mile Island Reopens as Crane Clean Energy Center to Power AI
Constellation Energy is set to restart the 835‑MW Unit 1 at Three Mile Island, rebranded as the Crane Clean Energy Center, under a 20‑year power purchase agreement with Microsoft. Backed by a $1 billion DOE loan and a $1.6 billion investment, the plant...
OpenAI Hires CRO and VP of Partnerships to Accelerate Enterprise AI Push
OpenAI announced the appointment of Denise Dresser as chief revenue officer and Samantha Jacobson as vice president of partnerships and monetization. The hires signal a concerted effort to scale AI tools beyond consumer products into corporate workflows and to build...
Bank of America Flags Upside in Apple, Caterpillar and Others After Earnings Beat
Bank of America’s latest earnings report included a research note that identified several large‑cap stocks with significant upside. Analysts lifted price targets for Apple, Caterpillar and Baker Hughes, underscoring a bullish stance that could lift the broader market.
Ontario Tribunal Orders Continental Casualty to Pay $445 Plus Penalty After Reversing Benefits
The Ontario Licence Appeal Tribunal ordered Continental Casualty Insurance Company to reimburse a Quebec resident $445 for approved assistive devices and to incur the maximum statutory penalty for unreasonably withholding payment. The ruling highlights the regulator’s willingness to enforce cross‑province...
Cole Allen’s Defense Seeks DOJ Recusal Over Conflict Claims in Trump Assassination Case
Attorneys for Cole Allen, the alleged assassin of former President Donald Trump, filed a nine‑page motion Thursday demanding that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche be removed from the case, citing personal ties to Trump and...
April Hedge Fund Winners: Tiger Global +15% and Graham Capital +6.6% in Record Month
Tiger Global’s flagship fund surged 15% in April while Graham Capital’s Tactical Trend strategy added 6.6%, helping the hedge‑fund industry post a 4.8% average gain – the second‑best month since 2009. The rally was driven by a sharp equity rebound,...
Mehak Gulati Leaves Airtel After Seven Years as Chief Brand Officer
Mehak Gulati, who joined Bharti Airtel in 2019, announced her departure as chief brand officer, ending a seven‑year tenure that saw the carrier revamp its brand, media, and AI‑driven marketing. Her exit comes as the telecom market intensifies competition over...
Wharton Business Group Buys $27 Million of iShares Defense ETF Amid Rising Spending
Wharton Business Group disclosed a new $27.15 million position in the iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF (IDEF), acquiring 804,617 shares. The purchase represents about 1.03% of the fund’s reportable assets and underscores a broader institutional tilt toward defense‑related equities as global...
Botswana Governor Calls for Deepening African Capital Markets at IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings
Botswana’s central bank governor, Lesego Moseki, used the IMF and World Bank’s 2026 Spring meetings in Washington to champion deeper domestic capital markets as a catalyst for African growth. He chaired the IMF’s Africa Group 1 Constituency of 14 nations and...
Las Vegas Resorts Launch $100‑$400 All‑Inclusive Packages to Win Back Budget Travelers
Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts introduced all‑inclusive bundles priced $100 to $400 per night, adding food, drinks and perks to lure cost‑conscious visitors. The move responds to a dip in visitor traffic reported by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors...
Sandhills Medical Names Sena Ocloo as CIO to Accelerate Tech and Security Overhaul
Sandhills Medical announced the appointment of Sena Ocloo as chief information officer. Ocloo, who brings 13 years of IT leadership at Kintegra Health, will steer a multi‑year technology refresh that includes automation, next‑gen wireless and stronger system redundancy, positioning the...
Cognex Unveils In‑Sight 3900 AI Vision System for Robotics, Boosting Speed and Accuracy
Cognex Corp. launched the In‑Sight 3900 Vision System, a fully integrated AI‑powered vision platform built on Qualcomm Dragonwing. The system promises deterministic, real‑time inspections at full line speed, eliminating the traditional trade‑off between inspection depth and throughput for robotic automation.
Renewable Stocks Surge 71% as Iran Conflict Drives €2.6bn Inflows, Outpacing Fossil Fuels
European renewable‑energy equities have outperformed fossil‑fuel stocks since the Iran war began, with Nordex up 71% and Ørsted up 40%. Investors poured €2.6bn ($2.8bn) into clean‑energy index funds in April, the biggest monthly inflow since 2021, shifting market momentum toward...
POWI Posts 3% Q1 Revenue Rise, Cites Renewable Demand and $18M Free Cash
Power integrator POWI announced Q1 2026 revenue of $108.3 million, a 3% year‑over‑year increase and a 5% sequential gain. CFO Nancy Erba highlighted strong industrial and renewable‑energy orders, a $18 million free‑cash‑flow surplus, and a capital‑expenditure plan that leans heavily into the...
Cloudflare Cuts Over 1,100 Jobs as AI‑Driven Reorg Takes Shape
Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince disclosed that the company will eliminate more than 1,100 positions worldwide as it restructures around artificial‑intelligence‑driven workflows. The move, framed as a strategic shift rather than a cost‑cutting exercise, includes severance that extends base pay through...
Generative AI Tools Target Employee Impulse Management, Sparking Benefits and Risks
Employers are increasingly deploying generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT to help workers manage impulses and self‑control, a shift noted in a recent column that cites 900 million weekly active users seeking mental‑health advice. The move promises 24/7 support but also...
Warner Music Group Posts $1.73B Q2 Revenue, Citing Streaming Surge and AI Push
Warner Music Group reported $1.73 billion in second‑quarter revenue, up 12% year‑over‑year, with streaming revenue climbing 15% and AI projects entering the spotlight. Executives said the results validate the company’s transformation strategy and set the stage for further catalog acquisitions.
Bank Indonesia Launches Large‑Scale FX Intervention as Rupiah Hits Record Low
Bank Indonesia said it will conduct large‑scale, 24‑hour foreign‑exchange interventions in both domestic and offshore markets to stabilise the rupiah, which hit a record low of 17,445 per US dollar. The central bank also lowered the documentation threshold for dollar...
RBC Raises S&P 500 Year‑End Target to 7,900 Amid AI‑Driven Rally
RBC Capital Markets lifted its 12‑month S&P 500 target to 7,900 from 7,750, reflecting confidence that AI‑related earnings will sustain the rally. The firm trimmed non‑AI earnings expectations by 7.5% while keeping AI forecasts near consensus, underscoring a “two‑speed” market...
China's April Coal Imports Drop 12.5% YoY to 33.08 Mt, Value Falls 6.2%
China's customs data show April coal imports slid to 33.08 million tonnes, a 12.5% year‑over‑year decline and 15.3% below March. The drop translated into a $2.62 billion import bill, 6.2% lower than a year earlier, underscoring softening demand for thermal coal amid...
JPMorgan, Mastercard and Ripple Execute First Near‑Real‑Time Tokenized Treasury Settlement on XRP
JPMorgan, Mastercard and Ripple completed a pilot on May 6 that redeemed a tokenized US Treasury fund on the XRP Ledger in under five seconds and delivered the USD proceeds to Ripple’s Singapore account via JPMorgan’s correspondent network. The test shows...
SpaceX Fires All 33 Starship V3 Engines, but Lawsuit Threatens Launch Cadence
SpaceX successfully performed a full‑duration, full‑thrust static fire of all 33 Raptor engines on its first Starship V3 Super Heavy booster at Starbase, Texas. The milestone clears a key propulsion hurdle ahead of a mid‑May launch window, but a lawsuit...
Neil Hershman Expands 16 Handles to 46 Stores with $460K Seed Funding
Neil Hershman, who bought the 16 Handles brand in 2022, has scaled the self‑serve frozen‑yogurt concept to roughly 46 locations across six states. Leveraging $160,000 of his own money and a $300,000 SBA loan, he doubled store profitability and plans...
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Unveils 1.7 Mm Optical Sensor that Lets Surgical Robots Feel Touch
Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University have built a 1.7 mm optical sensor that measures force, pressure and torque in all directions, enabling surgical robots to detect hidden tumor‑like structures in real time. The breakthrough could close the tactile gap that...
NIQ Unveils AI‑Powered Price & Promo Optimizer to Streamline Retail Margins
NIQ Global Intelligence (NYSE:NIQ) launched an AI‑enabled Price & Promo Optimizer on May 9, 2026, designed to centralize pricing and promotion workflows for manufacturers. The tool uses store‑level data to simulate scenarios, letting brands test pricing moves before they reach...
Cisco Unveils Room‑Temperature Quantum Switch That Routes Qubits Across Vendors
Cisco announced a working prototype of its Universal Quantum Switch, a room‑temperature device that can route and convert quantum information across four major photon‑encoding modalities with less than 4% fidelity degradation and sub‑milliwatt power draw. The breakthrough removes the need...
Lux OOH Advertising Declares Out‑of‑Home the Premier World Cup 2026 Brand Play
Lux OOH Advertising says out‑of‑home (OOH) advertising will be the most effective channel for brands during the 2026 World Cup, a six‑week tournament spanning 16 U.S., Canadian and Mexican cities, 48 teams and 104 matches. The agency warns digital‑only campaigns...
Defense AI Startup Helsing Plans $1.2 B Raise at $18 B Valuation, Dragoneer Leads
Helsing, the European defense‑AI specialist, is in advanced talks for a $1.2 billion financing round that would value the company at $18 billion. The round is being led by Dragoneer Investment Group with Lightspeed Venture Partners as co‑lead, while the cap table...
AI‑Enabled SaaS Leaders Instructure and McGraw Hill Gain Investor Attention in 2026
Instructure and McGraw Hill are emerging as top AI‑software picks for 2026 after announcing strategic AI partnerships and expanding AI‑powered learning tools. Analysts cite the companies' deepening AI integration in education SaaS as a catalyst for future earnings growth.