NEW YORK (AP) — Some sharp reversals kept financial markets unsteady on Thursday, as oil prices rose and U. S. stock indexes finished mixed.
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Growing international participation highlights the rapid convergence of drones, AI, robotics and autonomous technologies across Asia. With less than two months to go until DronTech Asia 2026, momentum continues to build ahead of its third edition, taking place 11–13 November 2026 at IMPACT Exhibition & Convention Center, Thailand, as a growing international line-up of drone, unmanned systems and advanced technology companies confirms its participation. The growth comes at an important time for the industry. The Asia-Pacific drone market was valued at approximately US$22.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$54.9 billion by 2033, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.1%, according to Grand View Research. Growth is being driven by expanding commercial applications alongside increasing government and defense demand for unmanned capabilities. The technology is also changing quickly. Artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, autonomous navigation, advanced communications, cybersecurity, propulsion, batteries and advanced materials are all playing a greater role in how drones are designed, operated and deployed.
LONDON, UK – October 8, 2026 — Adobe — the global technology leader that unleashes creativity, productivity and customer experiences through innovative tools and platforms — and Heathrow Airport, have today announced an extended partnership that places Adobe’s industry-leading agentic AI and customer experience orchestration technology at the heart of Heathrow’s ongoing digital transformation. The Adobe partnership aims to deliver AI-powered, personalised experiences and best-in-class customer service to over 84.5 million annual Heathrow passengers.
Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world and passenger expectations for seamless, personalised digital experiences continue to grow. Adobe’s customer experience orchestration solutions will play a crucial role in helping Heathrow become more of an agentic-led organisation, ensuring they can continue to deliver exceptional customer experiences and stronger business outcomes.
Technology is reshaping nearly every dimension of human life. “Technologies like AI are shaping ideas about work, education, relationships, and what it means to be human,” said Derek Schuurman, professor of computer science at Calvin University. Whether or not Christians engage conversations around these emerging technologies is a decision Schuurman says has significant stakes. He says a technological agenda that’s driven by a faith in technology will lead to consequences, while a pessimistic suspicion of technology will lead to missed redemptive opportunities. “The stakes are high, and these conversations will proceed, with or without Christian voices,” said Schuurman. Schuurman and his colleagues at Calvin University believe the conversations must continue with Christian voices and they see immense value in them being led by voices from within the Reformed tradition – a tradition that’s been committed to engaging the intersection of faith and technology for centuries. “Our tradition calls us to both courage and curiosity about technology and human culture.
University of Auckland research may help the world to miniaturize the laser tools used for ultraprecise measurements such as atomic clocks and quantum computing.
There are big scientific and commercial implications.
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Martin Mwangi Ndegwa did not need to convince Kenyan students that artificial intelligence was interesting. He says the curiosity was already there. Kids talked about AI, robotics and the technologies they glimpsed through phones, games and online searches. Ndegwa had returned home to Kenya with a plan to teach AI and data literacy as part of a community give-back project connected to his Mastercard Foundation scholarship. But once he began visiting schools, the project changed. Some of the schools he visited lacked reliable electricity. Some did not have computers. Internet access was limited. In parts of Kilifi County, where Ndegwa visited rural primary schools near the Arabuko Sokoke forest, even access to books was a challenge. For some communities, the nearest library services were more than 30 kilometers away. “You can do your best to plan everything,” says Ndegwa, a master’s student in data science, analytics and engineering in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. “But when you go to the field, you have to listen to what the field requires.”
Our latest report, ‘The Middle Speaks’, finds that mid-market firms represent one of the UK economy’s greatest growth opportunities, but are often overlooked by support designed for smaller firms and large corporates.
The report explores the challenges facing mid-market companies through three areas that businesses consistently tell us matter most: technology, talent and trade.
Asif Valley is leaving Microsoft after more than a decade with the company, ending an eight-year spell as National Technology Officer for Microsoft South Africa. Valley announced his departure on LinkedIn, where he pointed to work spanning digital transformation, AI adoption, government modernization, responsible technology policy and digital skills development. He did not disclose his next role, saying instead that he was looking ahead to continuing to work around technology and societal impact. “The future is filled with possibility, and while I don't yet know exactly where the road will lead, I am energised by the opportunity to continue building, learning, and contributing in new ways,” he wrote. Valley joined Microsoft South Africa as Cloud Development Lead in October 2016 before becoming National Technology Officer in September 2018. In the technology leadership role, his remit included shaping Microsoft’s technology strategy in regulated markets and working with business leaders, government decision makers and regulators around cloud adoption and digital transformation. His work also extended into education and skills.
The federal government is investing up to $1.98 million in a Canadian company developing a biodegradable coating for controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced up to $1,976,150 for Burnaby-based Lucent BioSciences Inc. through the Agricultural Clean Technology Program’s Research and Innovation Stream.
