Semiconducting Covalent Organic Frameworks as Functional Dopants for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells
Researchers introduced pyrene‑based covalent organic frameworks (PyCOFs) as bulk dopants for formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) perovskite solar cells. The COFs feature π‑conjugated linkages and Lewis‑basic groups (–C≡N, –C═N–, –SH) that coordinate with undercoordinated Pb2+ sites, passivating deep traps without altering the perovskite crystal lattice. This molecular design improves charge extraction and fill factor, pushing power conversion efficiencies to about 19.5%, well above the 17.75% of undoped devices. The work demonstrates a scalable route to more stable, high‑performance perovskite photovoltaics.
Azure Local Disconnected Looks the Part for Sovereignty. It Isn’t.
Microsoft announced Azure Local Disconnected Operations as generally available, positioning it as the flagship of a new Microsoft Sovereign Private Cloud. In reality, the offering is a controlled‑access preview that requires a Microsoft‑approved business need and explicit purchase approval. Technical...
Trust as the New Currency of Indonesia’s E-Commerce
Indonesia’s e‑commerce market is maturing, moving away from low‑trust, price‑centric marketplaces toward authenticity‑driven mall ecosystems anchored by authorized sellers. A 2025 Cube Asia study shows roughly 80% of Indonesian shoppers now favor these mall environments, driven by younger, middle‑class consumers...
Lotus Tech Gains UN R171 ADAS Certification in Europe
Lotus Technology has become the second automaker worldwide to secure UN Regulation No. 171 (UN R171) certification, allowing its Eletre hyper‑SUV to offer a Highway Navigation Pilot (HNP) function across Europe via OTA update from June 2026. The certification makes the Eletre the...
Hong Kong Watchdog Warns 24-Hour Gym Users of Hidden Costs, Data Privacy Risks
Hong Kong’s Consumer Council has flagged hidden fees and privacy risks at 24‑hour gyms after surveying 11 operators. Nearly half of the gyms impose non‑refundable surcharges that can double the cost for short‑term members. Monthly rates already vary widely, and...
Lucid Unveils Steering Wheel-Free Robotaxi Concept, Taking Aim at Tesla’s Cybercab
Lucid unveiled a two‑seater robotaxi concept without a steering wheel or pedals, alongside new self‑driving subscription plans ranging from $69 to $199 per month. The vehicle promises 40% lower operating costs and an efficiency of about 5.5 miles per kilowatt‑hour,...
BMW I3 Cuts Supply Chain CO2e Emissions by a Third
BMW announced that its upcoming i3 sedan will slash supply‑chain carbon‑dioxide‑equivalent emissions by roughly one‑third compared with industry averages. The vehicle incorporates about 30% secondary materials, including high‑recycled‑content aluminium and PET plastics, and its Gen 6 battery cells emit 33% less...
Viatris Settles Lawsuit Over Use of Woman’s ‘Immortal’ Cells to Power Drug Research
Viatris agreed to dismiss the Henrietta Lacks estate lawsuit with prejudice, ending claims that the company used HeLa cells without permission in its herpes drug Denavir and depression treatment Mylan‑Mirtazapine. The settlement details were kept confidential. This resolution follows similar...
The 9 Best AI Coding Tools in 2026
The article ranks the nine leading AI coding assistants for 2026, outlining each tool’s strengths, pricing, and ideal use cases. Cursor leads for complex, multi‑file projects with agentic workflows, while Claude Code shines on massive codebases with a 1 M‑token context window....
UNIVERSAL TRADE CAPTURE (UTC) – REPORTING ENHANCEMENTS
DTCC’s National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC) is adding a Universal Trade Capture (UTC) reporting enhancement that delivers direct trade‑capture data tied to a firm’s MPID. The service is optional for full‑service NSCC members that clear or introduce broker‑dealers through another...
Rethinking AEO when Software Agents Navigate the Web on Behalf of Users
The rise of AI‑powered agents that browse the web on users' behalf is eroding the long‑standing assumption that every click, scroll or purchase funnel step reflects a conscious human decision. While the raw data—page views, button clicks, time on page—remains...
Do Neoclouds Mean a World Where Anything Is Possible?
Neocloud providers are emerging as fast‑moving alternatives to the big three hyperscalers by offering GPU‑as‑a‑service compute built on crypto‑mining and liquid‑cooling expertise. They can stand up dedicated GPU clusters in weeks to months, far quicker than the years‑long procurement cycles...
New ABB Report Shows Energy Efficiency Investments Rising in Malaysia - Execution Now Defines Industrial Advantage
ABB’s latest report shows 63% of Malaysian industrial leaders have already invested in energy efficiency, with another 33% planning action within a year. Energy costs represent roughly a quarter of operating expenses, and 61% of firms say rising prices threaten...
Tejas Networks Wins Deal to Supply 4G RAN in South Asia
Tejas Networks announced it has secured a contract to supply its 4G radio access network equipment to an unnamed telecom operator in South Asia. The deal, disclosed in a regulatory filing, marks a strategic push to broaden the company’s international...
Reliance Industries’ Durga Prasad Dube Outlines ‘10 Laws of Cyber Defence’ Inspired by Sun Tzu
Durga Prasad Dube, EVP & CISO of Reliance Industries, presented a "10 laws of cyber defence" at ETCISO Secufest 2026, framing modern security through Sun Tzu’s *Art of War*. He stressed that most breaches stem from visibility gaps rather than sophisticated attackers and...
Malaysia Strengthening AI, Capabilities to Safeguard Technological Sovereignty
Malaysia announced a comprehensive drive to boost domestic AI, semiconductor and digital technology capabilities, aiming for greater technological sovereignty. Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang linked the initiative to lessons from the Middle East conflict, emphasizing national resilience...
Denali’s Hunter Syndrome Candidate in the Spotlight After REGENXBIO Rejection
REGENXBIO's gene therapy RGX‑121 for Hunter syndrome received an FDA Complete Response Letter, with the agency flagging patient‑eligibility definitions, natural‑history control comparability, and the surrogate endpoint as problematic. The rejection redirects focus to Denali Therapeutics, whose enzyme‑replacement candidate tividenofusp alfa...
Bridging the Warehouse Labor Gap: Untapped Talent and Smarter Strategies
U.S. warehouses have doubled their workforce to 1.8 million but face a projected 6 million labor shortfall by 2032. Companies are turning to underutilized talent pools—people with disabilities, workers without prior warehouse experience, and flexible‑hour employees—to close the gap. Studies show disabled...
Lay’s Uses WhatsApp to Create a Group Chat for World Cup Fans
Lay’s, a PepsiCo snack brand, launched a WhatsApp Channels group chat for FIFA World Cup fans, featuring celebrities such as Lionel Messi and David Beckham. The initiative is part of the fourth‑year “No Lay’s, No Game” campaign, extending the brand’s sports‑marketing push from the Super...
Large-Scale Neuroimaging Datasets Often Lack Information Specific to Women’s Health, Constraining AI’s Analysis Potential
Large‑scale neuroimaging studies largely omit women‑specific health information, limiting AI’s ability to model female brain dynamics. Only about 0.5 % of neuroscience papers address women’s health, and few datasets capture menstrual, pregnancy, or menopause data. Recent precision‑imaging work and the Women’s...
Liquid Propulsion Rocket Engines Market Analysis 2026
The global liquid‑propulsion engine market was worth about $7 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $11‑12 billion by 2030, driven by an 8‑10% CAGR. Methane‑fueled engines have overtaken RP‑1 as the commercial standard, with SpaceX’s Raptor becoming the highest‑volume high‑thrust...
Global Operational Orbital Launch Vehicles Market Analysis 2026
As of March 2026 the operational orbital launch market is defined by rockets that have proven repeatable service, not merely design concepts. The United States leads commercial reuse with Falcon 9 and maintains a strong national‑security lineup including Vulcan and Falcon Heavy, while...
4 Techniques for an Irresistible Value Prop
Effective value propositions require four essential components: proof of performance, certainty of the buying process, confidence the solution solves the problem, and trust in the seller. Without any of these, deals often stall or collapse, forcing sellers into price‑driven negotiations....
AI Creating More Jobs than Cutting Them, Study Says
A new Snowflake study of 2,050 leaders across ten countries finds AI is generating more jobs than it eliminates, with 77% of firms reporting net hiring and only 46% seeing cuts. The strongest gains appear in IT operations, cybersecurity and...
Qomply Expands Into Hong Kong as APAC Regulators Tighten Transaction Reporting Scrutiny
Qomply, a regulatory‑technology firm specializing in transaction reporting, has opened a new office in Hong Kong, extending its footprint in the Asia‑Pacific region. The expansion comes as Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong roll out extensive OTC derivatives reporting reforms, marking...
AWS Marks Twenty Years of Partnerships and Next Phase of AI Growth
Amazon Web Services celebrates its 20‑year milestone by highlighting the pivotal role of its Partner Network, which has expanded from 50 partners in 2012 to nearly 150,000 today. AWS reported a 24% revenue surge in Q4 2025, reaching a $142 billion annualised...
The Quiet Rise of ‘Dark Brands’: Companies That Win Without Being Famous
The article highlights the emergence of “dark brands” – private‑label and marketplace‑native products that thrive without consumer awareness. Growth in e‑commerce and algorithmic recommendation engines now drives sales, eclipsing traditional brand visibility. In the United States, store brands account for...
Victoria’s Train-Goers Test Accessible ‘Tap and Go’ Tech
Victoria’s public‑transport authority is piloting a contactless “tap and go” ticketing system on its City Loop, Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour train lines. Full‑fare passengers can tap on and off using Mastercard, Visa, smartphones or smartwatches, eliminating the need for...
Astro Teams with Naga DDB Tribal on Raya Platform Celebrating the Power of Togetherness
Astro has teamed with advertising agency Naga DDB Tribal to launch its 2026 Ramadan‑Raya campaign, “Bila Bersama, Lagi Jadi,” centered on the traditional pelita panjut lamp as a symbol of togetherness. The initiative features a 15‑minute short film, a batik‑inspired...
“Arguably a World First:” Historic Solar Thermal Plant Lines up for Heritage Listing
The White Cliffs Solar Power Station, built in 1980, is the first commercially operated solar‑thermal plant in Australia and one of the earliest worldwide. The outback NSW site featured 14 parabolic dishes with over 2,000 mirrors each, generating steam‑driven electricity...
Plant-Based Eatery Smith and Daughters Eyes Expansion
Australian plant‑based chain Smith and Daughters, together with Smith and Deli, announced a national expansion backed by impact investor Kelly Jarrett. The rollout begins with a new Smith and Deli outlet in Melbourne’s CBD in April and the launch of...
Trump Accuses Iran of Using AI to Spread Disinformation
U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Iran is deploying artificial intelligence as a disinformation weapon, citing fabricated images of kamikaze boats, a false attack on the USS Abraham Lincoln, and a non‑existent rally of 250,000 supporters for Iran’s new Supreme Leader....
Tackling Complexity with Smart Automation
Swiss 3PL Alloga modernized its Bern distribution center by integrating Interroll’s Modular Conveyor Platform with Flück Fördertechnik. The modular, zero‑pressure accumulation system increased transport capacity, boosted throughput by 45% and expanded storage within the existing footprint without interrupting operations. Custom...
Hong Kong’s Chow Tai Fook Jewelry Group Unveils $115,000 Gold AirPods Case for China’s Ultra-Rich
Hong Kong‑based Chow Tai Fook Jewelry Group launched a gold‑embedded accessories line in mainland China, headlined by a diamond‑studded AirPods case weighing 350 g and priced at CNY 788,800 ($115,000). The collection also features gold‑inlaid hair clips containing 0.42 g of gold each....
Vitamin B2 Pathway Identified as Potential Target for Cancer Therapy
A CRISPR‑Cas9 screen revealed that riboflavin (vitamin B2) sustains the ferroptosis suppressor protein FSP1, shielding cancer cells from iron‑driven lipid peroxidation. Depleting vitamin B2 destabilizes FSP1 and renders tumor cells highly susceptible to ferroptosis. The researchers demonstrated that roseoflavin, a bacterial analog...
Scindia Launches First Integrated Phygital Service Centre in MP's Guna District
Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated India’s first integrated phygital service centre in Umri village, Guna district, Madhya Pradesh. The Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot combines healthcare, education, agriculture, financial and e‑governance services under one roof, powered by BharatNet’s high‑speed...
Thailand to Digitally Consolidate National Disease Surveillance System
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control has signed an MoU with the National Science and Technology Development Agency to digitally consolidate the nation’s disease surveillance system. The partnership will build big‑data, AI‑driven platforms and strengthen personnel capabilities to shift from reactive...
SAF-Holland Launches Real-Time Brake Pad Wear Monitor
SAF‑Holland unveiled BrakeSight, a real‑time brake‑pad and rotor wear monitor, at the ATA Technology & Maintenance Council event on March 15, 2026. The sensor integrates directly into Haldex ModulT air‑disc calipers and reports wear data to a frame‑mounted ECU, covering temperatures from ‑40 °C...
How Simmons Is Turning Snoozing Into a Shareable Moment
Mattress maker Simmons marked World Sleep Day with a social‑first campaign featuring humor‑laden greeting cards. Created by The Secret Little Agency, the cards encourage sharing on Instagram and include a limited‑time SG$100 discount on Beautyrest Prime and Platinum mattresses. The...
Australia OKs Coin-Sized Sensor for Hydrocephalus Management
Australian regulators have approved M.scio, a coin‑sized, fully implanted intracranial pressure sensor developed by Germany’s Miethke and distributed by B. Braun. The Class III device provides continuous, telemetric ICP data for up to four years and is available in Flat and Dome...
Turning B2B Events Into Content Engines
Corporate B2B events are evolving from logistical chores into strategic content engines. Marketers often spend 80 to 200 hours on operational tasks, diverting senior talent from narrative development. By treating logistics as infrastructure and outsourcing execution, companies free creative resources...
How Captain Fresh Is Wiring AI Into a $600-Billion Seafood Supply Chain
Captain Fresh, an Indian unicorn founded in 2020, is using artificial intelligence to overhaul the $600 billion global seafood supply chain. The startup embeds AI in both its acquisition engine—automating due‑diligence and decision‑making—and its proprietary digital operating system that links fishermen,...
Building Smarter — by Putting People First
Singapore’s construction sector increasingly relies on Building Information Modelling (BIM) to design buildings before they rise. Digital construction firm AcePLP, with more than 200 BIM specialists, discovered that skill gaps hindered effective on‑site application of BIM data. Partnering with the...
Enormous Top End Solar and Battery Project Seeks Federal Green Tick
TotalEnergies‑Eren subsidiary TE H2 has lodged a 56‑page EPBC referral for the Wak Wak project, a proposed 2.7 GW solar farm paired with a 6 GWh battery on up to 3,400 ha near Darwin. The development, slated to start construction by May 2027, would connect to...
Scientists Discover AI Can Make Humans More Creative
Swansea University researchers found that AI can act as a creative collaborator, not just an efficiency tool. In a study of over 800 participants designing virtual cars, an AI system using MAP‑Elites generated diverse galleries of designs, including intentionally flawed...
Does A MacBook Pro Last Longer Than A MacBook Air?
Apple does not publish a fixed support schedule for its MacBooks, but historically they receive five to seven years of major macOS updates followed by about two years of security patches. Recent data shows the 2019 MacBook Pro continued receiving...
Aussie Startup Neosframe Promises To Improve Retail Ad Production
Australian startup Neosframe has launched an AI‑powered creative automation platform that streamlines retail advertising production from asset creation to compliance and multi‑channel versioning. The system promises to increase campaign output by up to ten times without adding headcount, targeting regulated...
When Insider Risk Is a Wellbeing Issue, Not Just a Disciplinary One
The article argues that insider risk should be viewed primarily as a wellbeing issue rather than a purely disciplinary or compliance problem. It highlights that most insider incidents develop gradually from stress, fatigue, disengagement, or external coercion, and are often...
Reading Europa's Fingerprints
A new James Webb Space Telescope study used spectral decomposition to map Europa’s surface chemistry, revealing that carbon dioxide extends far beyond the previously isolated Tara Regio chaos terrain. The CO₂‑rich areas align with unusual ice textures, indicating that the...
Agents Urged to Help Shape the Future of the Property Market
The Smart Property Data Trust Framework sandbox, funded with a £742,700 government award, has launched to build a more efficient, transparent housing market. Delivered by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers and the Open Property Data Association, the 12‑month pilot uses...