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Skype to shut down after 20 years as Microsoft shifts focus to Teams Skype, the pioneering internet calling service, will ring its last call on May 5 as Microsoft retires the two-decade-old platform. The shutdown is part of Microsoft's strategy to streamline its communication services and focus on its own Teams platform. Launched in 2003, Skype revolutionized communication by enabling free audio and video calls across borders, challenging the landline industry. At its peak, it boasted hundreds of millions of users. However, Skype struggled to keep up with newer, more user-friendly platforms like Zoom and Slack, particularly as mobile technology advanced. The shift was further driven by Microsoft's pivot toward Teams, which it aggressively integrated with other Office apps to target corporate users. To help users transition, Microsoft is offering free access to Teams with automatic migration of contacts and chats. While Skype’s user base has significantly dwindled, down to abo...

Seven planets align in rare celestial parade, won’t happen again until 2040 On the last day of February, a rare planetary parade will light up the night sky, featuring seven planets in alignment—a spectacle not to be seen again until 2040. This alignment occurs when multiple planets appear to line up in the night sky, a phenomenon known as a planetary parade. The visibility and awe of these events depend on how many planets are in the alignment and their brightness, according to Dr. Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. “This week, all seven planets are technically visible, but not all are easy to spot,” Brown explained. “Mercury, Neptune, and Saturn are near the horizon in the early evening, making them harder to see. Neptune and Saturn, in particular, will be challenging to spot in the twilight, while Uranus is faint and nearly invisible without a telescope or binoculars.”         View this post on Instagram         ...

Bitcoin drops below $80,000 as $1 trillion crypto crash deepens under Trump Bitcoin dropped below $80,000 on Friday as a broader cryptocurrency selloff erased $1 trillion from the market, raising concerns over a deeper downturn. The digital asset is now down nearly 25% from its all-time high of nearly $110,000 in December, with analysts warning of further declines. The decline follows a week-long rout in Bitcoin, which hit a three-month low, reversing gains made after US President Donald Trump’s election victory in November. Bitcoin had surged following Trump’s win, as he positioned himself as a pro-crypto candidate. However, investor sentiment has soured amid uncertainty surrounding Trump’s proposed tariffs, global economic concerns, and ongoing conflict such as Russia-Ukraine and Israel's war on Gaza. Market Analysts Warn of Further Losses Technical analysts predict Bitcoin’s price could drop further if negative sentiment persists in equity markets. “Bitcoin’s next target is ar...

Pokémon CEO believes franchise can last 50 to 100 years with innovation The head of The Pokémon Company, Tsunekazu Ishihara, believes the iconic series can continue for another 50 to 100 years, provided it keeps evolving and innovating. Launched in 1996 on Nintendo's Game Boy, Pokémon has expanded into films, TV shows, toys, and a highly successful trading card game, becoming one of the highest-grossing media franchises in the world. Ishihara, who has led the company since 1998, discussed the franchise's enduring appeal in a recent interview ahead of Pokémon Day, an annual event that showcases upcoming releases and updates.         View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by ポケモン公式 (@pokemon_jpn) Ishihara attributes Pokémon’s success to its ability to bridge the gap between the real and virtual worlds, highlighting the role of Pokémon GO—an app that blends the real world with virtual mons...

Amazon introduces Alexa+ powered by generative AI to rival tech giants Amazon is revamping its Alexa voice assistant by incorporating generative AI capabilities, aiming to enhance its competitiveness against rivals like Google's Gemini and Microsoft-backed ChatGPT. During an event in New York City Amazon's head of devices and services, Panos Panay, introduced Alexa+, a new version of the assistant that uses Amazon's own large language models, as well as those from Anthropic, a company in which Amazon has made significant investments. Alexa+ will be available for $19 per month, or free for Prime users.         View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Prakhar Khanna (@parkyprakhar) Alexa+ introduces agentic AI features, allowing the assistant to perform tasks across multiple apps. Panay showcased various capabilities during a live demonstration, such as Alexa's ability to remember person...

Instagram reportedly considers Reels app as TikTok’s US future hangs in balance Instagram is reportedly exploring the possibility of launching its short-form video feature, Reels, as a standalone app, as the future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain. According to a recent report from The Information, Adam Mosseri, Instagram's head, informed staff about the potential move earlier this week. The decision comes at a time when TikTok’s presence in the US is under intense scrutiny, with concerns over the app's ties to China and its potential use as a tool for espionage and political manipulation. The Biden administration has expressed these concerns, with the US government pushing for either a forced sale or ban of the app. In response to these challenges, US President Donald Trump had granted TikTok a 75-day extension in January to comply with a law requiring the company to either sell its US operations or face a ban. While no official comment has been made by Meta,...

7 Planets Will Be Visible in the Night Sky This Week, Last Until 2040 Skywatchers are in for an extraordinary celestial treat this week as seven planets—Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn—will be briefly visible in the evening sky. This rare event, known as a planetary parade, is the last time such an alignment will occur so clearly until 2040. The best opportunity to witness this spectacular phenomenon will be just after sunset on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week. During this planetary parade, four planets—Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury—will be visible to the naked eye. Venus and Jupiter, both incredibly bright, will be the easiest to spot, while Mars will stand out with its distinct reddish hue. Saturn will be harder to see as it will be low on the horizon, and the outer planets, Uranus and Neptune, will require a telescope for clear viewing. Although the planets will be aligned, the window of visibility will be brief, so timing is es...

Pi Network price jumps 22% despite scam allegations, market cap hits $12b Pi Network has defied the broader cryptocurrency market downturn, with its price surging 22% in the past 24 hours, reaching $1.90. This recent uptick leaves Pi Network only 10% below its all-time high of $2.10, which was set on February 20, following its launch. In contrast to the wider crypto market, which has seen a 2% decline in total market capitalization, Pi Network's surge has captured significant attention. The 24-hour trading volume for Pi Network has surpassed $700 million, signaling increased market activity. On the technical front, the cryptocurrency has displayed strong bullish momentum, trading well above its 25-period exponential moving average (EMA) at $1.64. Prior to this surge, Pi Network's price had been consolidating between $1.50 and $1.70 from February 24 to February 26, with the $1.64 EMA providing dynamic support. The breakout above $1.70 was accompanied by rising trading volume, ...

Pakistani scientists develop low-cost java plum sensor to detect spoiled milk This summer, when you eat delicious Java Plum or jaman, just remember the shiny pulpy fruit could save billions of litres of milk worldwide from spoilage. Thanks to a low-cost sensor made from its extracts and regular filter paper by Pakistani scientists. This piece was first published in DW Urdu. Without any electronics, the biologically driven probe was devised by researchers from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Education Lahore, in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Biomaterials (IRCBM) at COMSATS University, Lahore. They have developed an eco-friendly milk freshness sensor based on the natural compounds that give Java Plum (Syzygium cumini) its vibrant purple color. This sensor, which changes color, can effectively indicate whether milk is fresh or spoiled. According to a research paper published in the prestigious journal Food Chemistry, the team isolated ...

Adobe launches Photoshop for mobile with free, low-cost subscription options Adobe said on Tuesday it is bringing its Photoshop app to mobile phones for the first time, offering both a free version and a paid version at the lowest cost yet for the app, at $7.99 per month. First released in 1990, Adobe's digital image software is enough of a household name to have become a verb for touching up photos. But it has always cost money, and the lowest-cost version previously was a $9.99 per month subscription for Apple's iPad. Adobe has now released a free version for Apple's iPhone, with an Android app coming soon, Adobe executives told Reuters. Adobe will offer a premium version for $7.99 a month that includes more features as well as access to more cloud storage and the web-based version of Photoshop for editing on larger screens. The move comes as mobile operating systems from Apple and Alphabet's Google have replicated, for free, many longtime Photoshop features such as...

Bitcoin drops 6%, crypto market tumbles to multi-month lows The cryptocurrency market tumbled on with Bitcoin and Ether hitting multi-month lows, as a broader cross-market sell-off and concerns over last week’s $1.5 billion Bybit hack continued to weigh on investor sentiment. Bitcoin and Ether slide to multi-month lows Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market value, dropped as much as 6%, falling to $88,245, its lowest level since November and the first time it has slipped below $90,000 since mid-January. Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency, saw an even sharper decline, plunging as much as 11% to $2,333, marking its lowest price since October. Altcoins struggle as weak sentiment and scandals mount Alongside Bitcoin and Ether, major altcoins such as Solana and Dogecoin also faced heavy losses. Solana dropped 15%, while Dogecoin declined 13%, reflecting a broader risk-off sentiment in the digital asset market. "Crypto is just weak and has been for eight weeks,...

$1.5B stolen in Bybit crypto heist, North Korean hackers blamed A cybersecurity firm has claimed that North Korean hackers orchestrated a sophisticated cyberattack, stealing approximately $1.5 billion in digital assets from Bybit, a major cryptocurrency exchange. Dubai-based Bybit confirmed the breach, calling it the largest crypto heist to date. The exchange reported that hackers infiltrated its systems and siphoned off over $1.5 billion in assets, raising serious concerns about the security of digital currency platforms. In a statement, TRM Labs a blockchain intelligence firm specializing in financial crime investigations claimed with "high confidence" that the attack was orchestrated by North Korean-linked hackers. However, the firm did not provide direct evidence to support the claim, relying instead on an analysis of transaction patterns. TRM’s allegations and tracking efforts "TRM has determined – with high confidence – that the Bybit hack was perpetrated by Nort...

Apple to invest $500b in US, create 20,000 jobs by 2026 Apple on Monday said it plans to help bring online a quarter-million-square-foot factory in Texas by 2026 to build artificial intelligence servers and will add about 20,000 research and development jobs across the US. Apple said that it plans to spend $500 billion in the United States over the next four years, though that figure includes everything from purchases from US suppliers to US filming of television shows and movies for its Apple TV+ service. The company declined to say how much of the figure it was already planning to spend with its existing US supply base, which includes firms such as Corning, which makes glass for iPhones in Kentucky. The move comes after media reports that Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook met with President Donald Trump last week. Many of Apple’s products that are assembled in China could face 10% tariffs imposed by Trump earlier this month, though the iPhone maker previously secured some waivers from...

What to expect in global markets this week: inflation, earnings, and data This week, global markets will focus on key economic data, inflation indicators, and corporate earnings reports. Highlighted events include the release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) inflation data, revisions to US GDP, updates on consumer confidence, housing data, and earnings from major global companies such as Nvidia, Salesforce, Lowe’s, and Home Depot. Wednesday will see Nvidia’s earnings report, its first since challenges from China's DeepSeek, a tech company whose AI model raised concerns about AI development costs. Other significant reports will come from Salesforce, Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Stellantis, all major players in their sectors. On Friday, the PCE index will offer a critical measure of inflation, which the US. Federal Reserve is watching closely as it looks for signs of inflationary trends before making any further interest rate decisions. Market participants will also focus ...

Pi Coin rebounds by 80% after 60% dip—signaling hope but caution remains Pi Coin, the cryptocurrency launched by Pi Network, has surged 80% to $1.29 following a dramatic 60% drop after its mainnet launch. The token, which saw a peak of $1.97 on its first trading day, plunged to a low of $0.737 before rebounding in recent sessions. The sharp fluctuation in Pi Coin’s price has raised concerns among investors about its long-term stability. However, data from CoinMarketCap shows strong buying interest, with Pi Coin recently hitting a high of $1.52 and support levels around $1.10. Experts suggest that if the token maintains its position above the $1.10 mark, it could see further gains, while a drop below this level may result in a retest of the $0.94–$1.00 range. Photo: Pi Network (Pi Coin) price chart/TradingView Growing User Base and Global Expansion Despite the volatility, Pi Network continues to expand its user base. The platform, launched in 2019 by Stanford Ph.Ds Nicolas Kokkalis an...

Watch: AI robot attacks' participant at Chinese festival A shocking incident at a festival in China has sparked heated debate about the safety of AI-powered robots. A viral video circulating on social media appears to show a humanoid robot moving erratically toward festival-goers before security guards intervene. Some netizens claim the robot was attacking attendees, while others argue it was simply a malfunction. What happened? According to reports, the incident occurred at a festival in China, where a group of AI-powered robots was performing. Footage shared online shows one of the robots unexpectedly moving towards the crowd. While it remains unclear whether it attempted to hit people or simply stumbled due to a barricade, the situation escalated quickly, prompting security personnel to step in.   Event organizers described the incident as “a simple robot failure” but acknowledged that the unexpected malfunction raised concerns about AI reliability. Authorities confirmed that ...

Meta doubles executives' bonuses to 200% of salary after recent layoffs Meta has announced that it will more than double the target bonus percentage for its top executives to 200% of their base salaries, a move that comes just a week after the company laid off 5% of its workforce. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday, Meta stated that it had approved an increase in the bonus targets for its executive officers. The new bonus structure will see executives receive up to 200% of their base salaries, a significant increase from the previous target of 75% in 2023 and 2024. The company explained that this change in the bonus structure aims to "motivate" and "reward" its executives for their contributions to the company’s priorities and achievements. Meta’s Chief Financial Officer Susan Li, Chief Product Officer Christopher K. Cox, Chief Operating Officer Javier Olivan, and Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth will all benefit ...

AI may surpass humans in most tasks by 2027: Anthropic CEO Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has predicted that artificial intelligence (AI) could surpass human capabilities “in almost everything” within the next two to three years. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Amodei told The Wall Street Journal that highly advanced AI models may soon outperform humans in nearly all economically valuable work.         View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by The Wall Street Journal (@wsj) “I don’t know exactly when it’ll come, I don’t know if it’ll be 2027. I think it’s plausible it could be longer than that. I don’t think it will be a whole bunch longer than that when AI systems are better than humans at almost everything,” Amodei said during an interview at the Journal House in Davos. “Better than almost all humans at almost everything. And then eventually better than all humans at everyt...

Pi Network: A new Bitcoin or just another crypto experiment? As the cryptocurrency landscape continues to evolve, Pi Network has emerged as a potential game-changer. Designed to be a more accessible and user-friendly digital currency, Pi Network has garnered a growing global community and sparked debates about its long-term viability and value. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies that demand extensive computational power, Pi Network enables users to mine Pi coins directly from their smartphones without excessive battery drain or energy consumption. This innovation has democratized digital currency mining, leveraging social networks to expand its reach and adoption. Pi Network: Innovation in Digital Currency Pi Network introduces several unique features aimed at making cryptocurrency more inclusive and sustainable: Mobile Mining: Users can mine Pi coins directly from their smartphones without needing high-powered hardware. Decentralized Security: The network employs a trust graph mech...

Delta Force launches free Black Hawk Down co-op campaign Delta Force, the free-to-play military simulation game developed by Team Jade, has reimagined the classic Black Hawk Down as a co-op campaign for up to four players. The update, now available, is based on the original 2003 game, which was adapted from Mark Bowden's book about the Battle of Mogadishu. The remake retains the core of the original while introducing a modern look and feel. Initially launched as a multiplayer experience, Delta Force has expanded its horizons to feature tactical gameplay in several distinct modes. The Black Hawk Down campaign is a seven-mission-long experience that draws players into the brutal and unforgiving world of the Battle of Mogadishu. As a specialist, you and your squad will need to work together, each fulfilling a unique role like providing ammo or healing teammates, to survive and complete objectives. The game's difficulty is designed to be unforgiving. Players must be tactical and ...

‘Pokémon Go’ to sell to a Saudi-owned firm for $3.5 billion Niantic Inc., the maker of the globally popular game Pokémon Go, is in negotiations to sell its video-game business to Scopely Inc., a mobile game company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Sources familiar with the discussions say the deal could be valued at around $3.5 billion and might be finalised in the coming weeks. The agreement is expected to include the Pokémon Go franchise as well as other Niantic mobile games. Niantic, which was spun out from Google in 2015, found massive success with Pokémon Go, an augmented reality game that became a worldwide phenomenon. However, in recent years, the company has struggled to replicate that success. In 2022 and 2023, it made staff cuts and canceled several upcoming games, including the Harry Potter: Wizards Unite game, which was shut down in 2022. Representatives from both Niantic and Scopely have declined to comment on the discussions. Scopely is owned by Savvy Gam...

Pi Coin crashes 55% after Surge: will it be crypto’s next big break or a bust? Pi Coin, the digital currency from Pi Network, faced a dramatic 55% crash just hours after its Open Mainnet launch. The token initially surged by 36% during the first hour of trading, peaking at $1.99 on major exchanges, but quickly plunged to a low of $0.9123, according to OKX. The price swings left investors reeling, with heavy sell-offs and liquidity issues causing significant volatility. Analysts are now fearing the coin could crash to zero after the early surge fizzled out. The brief surge in excitement was overshadowed by a rapid sell-off, and the token's price continued to fluctuate wildly across various platforms. On Bitget, Pi briefly reached $3.40 before plummeting again, while on Bybit, Pi Coin fell below the $1 mark shortly after trading commenced. Binance and other major exchanges watch closely Pi Coin saw immediate listings on major exchanges like OKX, Bybit, BitMart, Gate.io, MEXC, and B...

Pi Network mainnet launch drives Pi coin up 35%, major market activity follows Pi Network's highly anticipated mainnet launch on February 20, 2025, marked a historic moment for the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Within less than an hour of going live, Pi Coin surged more than 35%, reflecting the excitement and growing market interest surrounding the project. The Pi Network, a "tap-to-earn" blockchain project, has spent over six years in development and operated on a closed mainnet since 2021. With its open mainnet now launched, Pi's community—referred to as "Pioneers"—can finally trade their Pi Coins. Developers on the platform are also now able to showcase over 100 decentralized applications (dApps) created for various sectors, such as decentralized finance (DeFi) and gaming. What sets Pi Network apart from traditional proof-of-work cryptocurrencies is its mobile-based mining model. This unique approach has enabled widespread adoption, with millions of users e...

OKX earns MiCA license, expanding crypto services to 400M users in Europe OKX has become one of the first cryptocurrency exchanges to receive MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) authorisation, marking a major milestone in its global expansion. This achievement not only strengthens OKX’s reputation but also allows it to offer fully regulated and localized crypto services to users worldwide, including the European Economic Area (EEA). What the MiCA License Means for OKX The MiCA license allows OKX to operate across 28 countries within the EEA, offering services to over 400 million people. This new authorization will help the platform provide secure and fully regulated products, including OTC trading, spot trading, bot trading, and access to over 240 cryptocurrencies. Users can also easily trade crypto with a variety of popular local payment methods, including the ability to deposit and withdraw euros without any fees. Additionally, the MiCA license provides OKX with passporting rights. Thi...

Apple launches first modem chip to reduce dependence on Qualcomm Apple on Wednesday revealed its first custom-designed modem chip that will help connect iPhones to wireless data networks, a move that will make the company less reliant on chips from Qualcomm that also power its Android rivals. The chip will be at the heart of Apple's $599 iPhone 16e unveiled on Wednesday. Apple executives told Reuters these chips will roll out across its products in the coming years but did not give details on the timing. The chips are part of a new collection of components Apple calls the C1 subsystem. A subsystem houses key components like processors and memory. The iPhone 16e, which will feature the same A18 processor chip as the rest of its iPhone 16 lineup, has the best battery life of any of its 6.1-inch phones thanks to the C1 system, Apple's Kaiann Drance, vice president of iPhone product marketing, told Reuters. The iPhone 16e will also have Apple's latest artificial intelligence ...