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Canada issues 421 Express Entry invitations through PNP draw
IRCC conducted a PNP-specific Express Entry draw on April 28, issuing 421 ITAs with a minimum CRS score of 727. This marks the second PNP-focused round in April, as IRCC aims to welcome 395,000 new permanent residents in 2025, with a significant portion through economic immigration programs like Express Entry. Successful applicants can include family members in their PR application.
Driving in Germany: A necessity turning into a privilege
In Germany, obtaining a driving license is becoming increasingly expensive, costing between 2,500 and 3,500, making it a luxury for many. Strict regulations, mandatory classes, and high failure rates contribute to the high costs.
Trump's first 100 days target diversity policies, civil rights protections
President Trump's second term has seen a dismantling of diversity and inclusion policies, impacting education, cultural institutions, and economic opportunities for marginalized groups. These actions include revoking equal opportunity mandates, slashing funding for minority businesses, and censoring historical content, raising concerns about a regression in civil rights and a sanitized view of American history.
Up to 30% of Microsoft’s code is now written by AI: CEO Satya Nadella
Microsoft’s Satya Nadella says AI now generates 20-30% of its code, boosting efficiency especially in Python. Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg predicts AI will soon handle half of their coding work. This AI-driven shift is transforming software development, making coding faster and more accessible than ever before.
Canada elections: A look at Mark Carney's promises amid anti-Trump wave and trade tensions with US
Mark Carney's Liberals retained power in Canada, fueled by anti-Trump sentiment, but fell short of a majority. Carney pledged to counter Trump's trade war, aiming to build the strongest G7 economy. He promised support for industries, retirees, and Quebec's identity, while criticizing Trudeau's carbon tax and advocating for capped immigration.
Urban Company founders sell stock; Alibaba ups AI ante
Founders of Urban Company have sold shares in the run-up to the firm's IPO. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
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VCs should understand that AI is a ‘product’, not a ‘company’: Ronnie Screwvala
Screwvala believes India will become the largest consuming market for AI globally. “Not the hyper-advanced AI, but that base-level, accessible AI. Look at the Ghibli trend. Think of how platforms like Facebook grew their largest non-US user base in India. That’s going to happen with AI too. The native Indian user will learn AI faster than most, leapfrog the curve, and adapt quickly.”
Israel's AI experiments in the war in Gaza raise ethical concerns
In the past 18 months, Israel has also combined AI with facial recognition software to match partly obscured or injured faces to real identities, turned to AI to compile potential airstrike targets, and created an Arabic-language AI model to power a chatbot that could scan and analyze text messages, social media posts and other Arabic-language data, two people with knowledge of the programs said.
Israel's AI experiments in the war in Gaza raise ethical concerns
The Gaza conflict saw rapid deployment of AI tools—from facial recognition to Arabic-language chatbots—raising both strategic advantages and ethical concerns over surveillance, misidentification, and unintended civilian harm. These technologies, developed by Unit 8200 and tech-industry reservists, mark a new era of real-time AI use in warfare, prompting urgent debate over accountability and the human cost.
Sarvam AI selected to build indigenous foundational model under IndiaAI Mission
Sarvam will receive access to GPUs from the IndiaAI Mission’s common compute cluster to train the model. Capable of reasoning, designed for voice, and fluent in Indian languages, the model will be ready for secure, population-scale deployment in six months.
Immigration becomes key battleground in final days of Canada’s 2025 election campaign
Canada's upcoming election on April 28 focuses on immigration. Liberal Party's Mark Carney and Conservative Party's Pierre Poilievre propose different reforms. Carney aims to stabilize immigration until housing expands. Poilievre wants to link immigration to homebuilding capacity. Proposals cover permanent residents, temporary workers, and border security. Voters, newcomers, and business leaders closely watch these issues.
US Justice Department grant cuts said to be valued at $811 million
The Justice Department is terminating $811 million in grants, impacting victim service programs and police training. These cuts, managed by the Office of Justice Programs, affect various initiatives, including those supporting domestic violence and trafficking victims.
WhatsApp for Android now allows instant translation of chat messages
WhatsApp rolls out offline translation feature for Android users. On-device translations keep chats private, but accuracy may vary.Beta testers get early access to WhatsApp’s multilingual chat feature.
Do you say 'Please' to ChatGPT? Sam Altman reveals how much electricity your manners cost to OpenAI
Sam Altman recently highlighted that seemingly simple politeness, such as using “please” and “thank you” in interactions with ChatGPT, is contributing to significant energy costs for the company. Each additional word increases processing power and electricity usage, leading to tens of millions of dollars in expenses. This comment sparked discussions on how people treat AI, with many users incorporating manners, believing it’s morally right or to hedge against a potential AI uprising. While this politeness increases operational costs, some experts argue it leads to better user experiences by promoting more collaborative and thoughtful AI responses.
Bengaluru’s ex-beauty queen stuns internet with 30 kg weight loss. How she did it
Archana Kapoor Nagpal, a fitness and lifestyle influencer, inspired her followers by revealing her weight loss journey from 85 kg to 53 kg. Overcoming endometriosis and multiple surgeries, she transformed her health through yoga and a focus on holistic well-being. Nagpal now advocates for prioritizing life enhancement over mere weight loss, emphasizing inner strength and self-love.
NYT Connections Answers and hints for April 21, 2025, Monday: Here’s how you can solve today’s puzzle
NYT Connections continues to demonstrate the New York Times’ success in crafting intellectually engaging games that blur the line between vocabulary, trivia, and puzzle-solving.
Student's study abroad dream in 2025: A permanent crackdown or just another cycle?
In 2025, international education faces a turning point due to shifting geopolitics and tighter visa regulations. While some countries impose restrictions, others emerge as attractive alternatives. Students must strengthen applications and explore diverse destinations. Universities adapt with flexible programs and policy engagement to maintain global appeal, ensuring international education remains viable.
Foreign students in America are terrified, and they're right to be
Under the Trump administration, international students and faculty in the U.S. are facing increased visa revocations and immigration status terminations, fueled by minor infractions and social media monitoring. This has created a climate of fear on campuses, threatening academic freedom and U.S. global leadership in higher education.
Infosys Q4 results; Sunscreen storm clears up
Infosys posted a drop in net profit for the March quarter. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
OpenAI unveils technology that can 'reason' with images
Unlike early versions of its ChatGPT chatbot, these reasoning systems spend a significant amount of time "thinking" about a question before answering, rather than providing an instant response. The systems are part of a wider effort to build AI that can reason through complex tasks. Companies like Google, Meta and DeepSeek, a Chinese startup, are developing similar technologies.
Has PM Internship Scheme deadline been extended again? Check if you missed Rs 5,000 monthly stipend & Rs 6,000 grant
The government has extended the registration deadline for the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) to April 22, 2025, offering students and young professionals more time to apply. This initiative, announced in the Union Budget 2024-25, provides practical work experience in India's top 500 companies.
Video: Trump struggles to say 'Make America Great Again' in Spanish during Fox News interview
Fox News Host Rachel Campos-Duffy tried to teach US President Donald Trump how to say ‘Make America Great Again’ in Spanish. A video of the conversation has gone viral on social media with netizens heaping praises on Trump. Trump responded with "América grande otra vez!" This interview, his first since announcing and then pausing global tariffs, will air in two parts on Fox Noticias and FOX Deportes.
Tehran says next round of Iran-US nuclear talks talks in Oman after Rome named by officials
Negotiations between Iran and the United States regarding Iran's nuclear program faced uncertainty as the next round's location shifted between Rome and Oman. Despite conflicting reports, Iran insisted on Oman, while the U.S. remained silent.
Can AI Trump tariff turmoil?
Amid US-China tariff tensions, companies are turning to AI and automation to cut costs. Indian IT firms and startups are betting big on AI despite global slowdown risks. Data centers in India stand to benefit from rising US costs, attracting hyperscalers. Meanwhile, tariff impacts and chip controls may shape the future of AI expansion.
Next round of US-Iran talks to be held in Rome: Diplomats
The United States and Iran will resume indirect talks on Tehran's nuclear programme in Rome on Saturday, according to Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp and diplomatic sources.
Move beyond UK and Canada—These destinations are coming up as new educational hubs
Indian students are rethinking pursuing education overseas due to ever-changing global dynamics. For many, Canada, the UK, the US, and Australia are becoming less accessible. In its stead, Germany, Ireland, and France are emerging as viable options. While Germany offers affordable STEM education, France aims to attract more Indian students with scholarships and student-friendly policies.
The paradox of AI
AI's rapid integration into the IT sector has raised concerns about job displacement, particularly in India's outsourcing hub. While AI tools enhance coding speed, over-reliance could erode essential problem-solving skills, limiting innovation.
AI: The next frontier of India’s digital diplomacy
India is uniquely positioned to lead in AI for public good by leveraging its digital infrastructure and vast talent pool. The nation aims to build in-house AI capabilities, fostering public-private partnerships to address local needs across governance, agriculture, healthcare, and financial inclusion. India can become a global champion for AI self-reliance, sharing its expertise to empower other emerging economies.
IIT-Madras, Ziroh Labs Launch CPU-Based AI Platform to Bridge India’s Compute Divide
IIT-Madras and its technology arm, IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation, have partnered with California-based deep-tech startup Ziroh Labs to launch a Centre of AI Research. The centre will focus on developing smaller, task-specific AI models that can be deployed in rural and underserved regions, where infrastructure for high-end computing is often lacking.
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