Technology

IMF says bitcoin remains key element in El Salvador program talks

(Reuters) - Program talks between the International Monetary Fund and El Salvador focus on strengthening reforms, while addressing risks arising from the use of bitcoin remains a key element of the discussions, the IMF said on Thursday.

Technology

Tesla plans four new batteries in 2026, including for robotaxi, The Information reports

(Reuters) - Tesla plans to design four new versions of its in-house battery to power the Cybertruck, its forthcoming robotaxi and other electric vehicles, the Information reported on Thursday, citing people with knowledge of its plans.

Technology

Exclusive-Rival browsers allege Microsoft's practices on Edge unfair, should be subject to EU tech rules

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Microsoft gives its Edge web browser an unfair advantage and EU antitrust regulators should subject it to tough EU tech rules, three rival browsers and a group of web developers said in a letter to the European Commission.

Technology

OpenAI secures $4 billion credit line after big funding round

(Reuters) -OpenAI has secured a new $4 billion revolving credit line, the ChatGPT maker said on Thursday, a day after it closed a $6.6 billion funding round that cemented its position as one of the most valuable private companies in the world.

Technology

US offers EVgo conditional $1.05 billion loan for EV chargers

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday offered EVgo a conditional loan guarantee of up to $1.05 billion to expand public electric vehicle-charging infrastructure across the country, some of which in marginalized urban communities.

Technology

Amazon plans to hire 250,000 workers for the holidays, same as last year

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Amazon plans to hire 250,000 transportation and warehouse workers this holiday shopping season, the same number as last year as e-commerce spending is expected to outpace overall holiday sales in the final quarter of 2024, the company said on Thursday.

Technology

Tanzania suspends media company's online platforms for 30 days

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) -Tanzania's communications regulator has suspended the digital platforms of a local media company over the publication of what it called restricted content, a move one opposition group said was aimed at muzzling media that is critical of the government.

Technology

Uber, Lyft drivers use Teslas as makeshift robotaxis, raising safety concerns

(Reuters) - A self-driving Tesla carrying a passenger for Uber rammed into an SUV at an intersection in suburban Las Vegas in April, an accident that sparked new concerns that a growing stable of self-styled "robotaxis" is exploiting a regulatory gray area in U.S. cities, putting lives at risk.

Gadgets

Dash camera captures woman fatally injecting husband with ‘poison’ in Ohio, US feds say

An Ohio woman was sentenced to prison after officials say she killed her husband then buried his body.

Internet

Angry Bank of America customers report outages, zero account balances across the country

Bank of America customers are dealing with a service outage with online and mobile accounts showing US$0 balances,and were taking to social media to gripe about it on Oct 2.

Technology

SWIFT to trial live digital currency transactions next year

LONDON (Reuters) - Global bank messaging network SWIFT will trial live transactions of tokenised assets and digital currencies next year, it said on Thursday, the latest step in the currently slow-moving integration of such assets into the wider financial system.

AI

Will AI one day win a Nobel Prize?

Artificial intelligence is already disrupting industries from banking and finance to film and journalism, and scientists are investigating how AI might revolutionise their field – or even win a Nobel Prize.

Social media

EU queries Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube over ‘harmful’ content risks

The EU voiced concerns about "harmful" content posted on Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube as it told the digital platforms on Oct 2 to hand over more information on how their platforms recommend content to users.

Internet

CIA seeks informants in China, North Korea and Iran, recruiting online

The US spy agency posts instructions for interested applicants in Mandarin, Farsi and Korean on several social media platforms

Robotics

Shanghai’s robot startup wants to brew up a coffee revolution with automated kiosks

Shanghai Hi-Dolphin Robot Technology aims to cut down the costs of operating coffee shops to revive the industry, says founder Philip Han.

Technology

Elon Musk and Mark Cuban agree on one thing: Dogecoin is no longer a joke

Dogecoin was quite literally meant to be a joke. Yet 11 years into its existence, a punchline is emerging that no one expected: The token has become surprisingly popular among businesses looking to accept crypto for real-world purchases.

Mobile apps

MyDigital ID cites issues like blurry photos and device errors for registration problems

MyDigital ID apologised on its website for registration difficulties, stating that a preliminary investigation indicates multiple factors, some unrelated to its platform, may have contributed to the issue.

Smartphones

French-speaking Belgium plans school cellphone ban

Belgium’s French-speaking region intends to ban mobile phones in schools starting next academic year to protect students from the negative effects of always being online, the region’s leaders said on Oct 2.

Data breach

Northern Ireland police fined over ‘serious’ data breach

Northern Ireland’s police authority was on Oct 3 fined £750,000 (RM4.17mil or US$996,000) over a data breach that saw the personal details of police and intelligence officers posted on a website.

Internet

In South Korea, deepfake porn wrecks women’s lives and deepens gender conflict

Deepfake porn in South Korea gained attention after unconfirmed lists of schools that had victims spread online in August.