As artificial intelligence continues integrating into everyday life, some AI systems have demonstrated behavior that appears unexpectedly human. These moments, when AI assistants show empathy, reflection, or emotional nuance, illustrate a phenomenon called AI identity drift. While AI is not capable of consciousness or feelings, its ability to replicate human language patterns can make it seem as though it is aware, thoughtful, or emotionally present. AI identity drift often begins sub

Iran remained largely cut off from the global internet on Sunday, January 18, as a nationwide communications blackout extended into a tenth consecutive day following a brief and tightly controlled restoration of access. Internet monitoring organizations reported that limited connectivity, which had been temporarily allowed for select online services, was once again curtailed, leaving much of the country isolated amid continuing nationwide unrest. According to NetBlocks, a group that

A senior Iranian cleric closely aligned with the country’s leadership has called for the execution of detained protesters and issued direct threats toward the United States, further intensifying tensions as Iran continues a sweeping crackdown on nationwide unrest. Speaking during Friday prayers in Tehran, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami delivered a forceful sermon that was broadcast on state radio and echoed by chants from worshippers gathered in the capital. Khatami, known for his hardli

Verizon acknowledged a widespread disruption to its wireless network on Tuesday after customers across the United States reported problems with voice and data services. The company confirmed that its engineering teams are actively working to identify the cause of the outage and restore full service as quickly as possible. In a statement shared on social media, Verizon said it was aware of issues affecting some customers’ ability to place calls and access mobile data. The company e

Hundreds of U.S. troops have begun evacuating from a major air base in Qatar as part of a coordinated precautionary effort amid rising tensions with Iran. The move comes as the U.S. administration considers a range of military and diplomatic options in response to Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests, raising concerns about potential retaliation against American forces stationed across the region. Service members at Al Udeid Air Base are being relocated to other military installa

The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday issued a renewed travel advisory advising Indian citizens to refrain from travelling to Iran, citing the deteriorating security situation amid widespread anti-government protests across the country. The warning comes as unrest in Iran enters its third consecutive week, with the capital city of Tehran remaining one of the focal points of the demonstrations. In an official statement, the ministry said that Indian nationals are being “onc

Iran has once again imposed sweeping restrictions on internet access, escalating its long-standing campaign of digital control by reportedly disrupting even satellite-based connectivity such as Starlink. The latest shutdown marks a significant development, as Starlink has long been considered resistant to conventional censorship and network blocking methods used by state authorities. Digital rights researchers monitoring the situation say the government has deployed military-grade G

Microblogging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, experienced a widespread global outage on Tuesday, January 13, disrupting access for users across several regions. The platform, which hosts a wide range of content spanning news, entertainment, sports, and general discussion, saw users report significant difficulty in accessing both its mobile application and website. Complaints began surfacing as users encountered loading issues, delayed responses, and intermittent service interruptions.

Apple has emerged as the world’s leading smartphone manufacturer in 2025, overtaking long-time rival Samsung in global shipments, according to the latest industry analysis. The milestone marks a significant shift in the global smartphone market, ending a 14-year period during which Samsung consistently held the top position in worldwide shipments. Industry data shows that Apple recorded the highest year-on-year growth among the top five smartphone brands, capturing a 20 percent sh

Apple is preparing to introduce a major upgrade to its digital assistant through a multiyear partnership with Google that will bring advanced AI capabilities to Siri using Gemini models. This collaboration represents a significant evolution in Apple’s artificial intelligence strategy, enabling more natural conversations, improved contextual understanding, and deeper integration across devices. The enhanced version of Siri is expected to arrive later this year and marks Apple’s most prominent

Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has intensified his appeal to former United States president Donald Trump, urging immediate action against Iran’s leadership as nationwide protests continue to grip the country and reports of fatalities mount. In a series of statements issued on Monday, Pahlavi portrayed the Iranian government as severely weakened and argued that decisive international support could help protesters bring an end to the current political system. Pahlavi soug

Sergio Gor formally assumed charge as the United States Ambassador to India on Monday, marking the beginning of a new diplomatic chapter between the two countries. Speaking shortly after taking office, Gor described the relationship between India and the United States as the most consequential global partnership of the century, underlining its growing importance across economic, strategic, and technological domains. He confirmed that fresh trade negotiations between the two sides are schedule

Speculation about fresh job cuts at Microsoft sparked widespread debate online after reports claimed the technology giant was preparing for another major round of layoffs in January 2026. According to the report, as many as 22,000 roles could be at risk, triggering concern across social media platforms and technology forums. The rumours gained momentum quickly, particularly because Microsoft has carried out significant restructuring in the recent past. However, the company has now firmly deni

The Union government has sought additional information from social media platform X regarding the steps taken to address obscene and sexually explicit content linked to its artificial intelligence tool, Grok, and the measures planned to prevent similar incidents in the future, according to sources familiar with the matter. The request follows a detailed response submitted by the platform, which officials have assessed as insufficient in addressing key regulatory concerns. Sources in

Violent clashes broke out at Tehran Bazar on Tuesday as Iranian security forces confronted demonstrators in one of the most significant flashpoints of a protest movement that has spread across the country over the past 10 days. The unrest, driven largely by public anger over worsening economic conditions, has left at least 27 people dead, according to estimates released by a human rights organization monitoring developments inside the country. The confrontation in the capital came a

Tensions between Washington and Tehran intensified on Friday after a senior Iranian official warned that U.S. military installations and personnel across the Middle East could be targeted if the United States intervenes in Iran’s internal unrest. The warning came hours after former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States was prepared to protect protesters in Iran if authorities used force against them. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament,

A significant legal challenge to the steep increase in H-1B visa fees has suffered a major setback after a US District Court ruled that the federal government acted within its legal authority. The ruling has delivered a blow to business and employer groups that argued the move would restrict access to skilled foreign talent, even as the H-1B visa programme continues to face mounting pressure from stricter regulations and prolonged processing delays across the globe. The decision was i

Success stories in technology are often presented as clean narratives of vision, speed and inevitable triumph. An idea is born, a product is launched, and adoption follows. For students and young entrepreneurs trying to understand how innovation truly unfolds, these stories can feel motivating yet incomplete. The more useful insights frequently emerge not from success, but from missteps that expose the limits of confidence, timing and execution. That perspective was at the center of

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said the country is effectively engaged in a full-scale conflict with the United States, Israel and Europe, describing Iran’s current diplomatic and strategic environment as increasingly complex and difficult. His remarks reflect heightened regional tensions following months of military confrontation, economic pressure and stalled diplomacy. In an