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Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced the launch of the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research Institute in 2026 to boost AI in healthcare, legal, and financial sectors, supporting the national "AI+" initiative and enhancing innovation in the Greater Bay Area.

The Shaoguan branch of the People's Bank of China issued a cryptocurrency risk warning, highlighting illegal activities like money laundering and scams. The public is urged to avoid crypto investments and report suspicious activities.

Experts, led by Jameson Lopp, proposed BIP-361 to freeze quantum-vulnerable Bitcoin addresses to protect 1.7 million BTC from future quantum threats. The plan includes phases to enhance security but faces criticism for contradicting Bitcoin's decentralization.

EFP, an Ethereum-based social protocol, has integrated with Etherscan, enabling users to view ENS domain names, avatars, and social data through the "Cards" tab on account pages, including follower counts and profiles.

SoftBank, NEC, Honda, and Sony have formed a joint venture, Japan AI Foundation Model Development, to create a trillion-parameter AI model for industrial applications by 2030, with funding support from NEDO.

Saudi Arabia's PIF invested an additional $550 million in Lucid Group, boosting its total investment to $8 billion, while Uber committed to purchasing 35,000 vehicles for its robotaxi service. Lucid aims for full-scale production in Saudi Arabia this year, targeting 150,000 vehicles annually by 2029, despite a significant drop in market capitalization.

TrendForce has lowered its 2026 server shipment growth forecast to 13% from 20%, citing extended lead times for general-purpose server components as suppliers focus on high-margin AI servers, affecting general server delivery and market demand.

CoW Swap suspended its protocol after DNS hijacking redirected users to a fraudulent site, resulting in over $1 million in crypto theft. The incident led to precautionary actions and user warnings, while security measures were implemented.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported ongoing operations in southern Lebanon, where they discovered and seized Hezbollah weaponry, including launchers and missiles. The IDF, alongside the Air Force, targeted Hezbollah infrastructure and will maintain their offensive actions.

The Ethereum Foundation launched the Ethereum Security Subsidy Program, committing $1 million to subsidize smart contract audit costs for mainnet builders. Over 20 audit firms are involved, aiming to enhance security within the developer ecosystem.

On April 15, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.76% amid gains in the biotech sector and rebounding airline stocks. Notable movers included Wuyi Vision and Lingrui Holdings, while Weijun Biotech saw a significant decline.

Gate News message, TRON's protocol revenue reached $82.69M in Q1 2026, second only to Hyperliquid among all chains. At the same time, TRON's TVL reached $4.52B.

Nvidia launched the Ising suite, AI models for quantum calibration and error correction, achieving significant performance gains. The suite is utilized by various quantum firms and provides frameworks for easier AI integration, while Nvidia's AI vision extends to multiple industries, including partnerships with Samsung and Hyundai.

Ripple partners with Kyobo Life Insurance to facilitate tokenized government bond transactions using Ripple Custody, enhancing efficiency and exploring stablecoin payments in a regulated setting.

Singapore's MS Capital has secured a $1 billion investment mandate for Chinese equities from a Middle Eastern sovereign fund, highlighting rising interest in quantitative strategies amid regional volatility. The firm managed $1.5 billion and plans expansions.

Claw Intelligence has secured $3 million in seed funding to simplify user interactions with Web3 ecosystems. Its platform uses a Model Context Protocol to streamline data and includes features like a secure code execution sandbox and LLM-powered device control.

The SEC has repealed the Pattern Day Trader rule, eliminating the $25,000 minimum balance requirement for day trading accounts, intended to limit frequent trading and investor risk.

President Trump criticized NATO on social media, claiming it has historically not supported the U.S. and will continue to do so, particularly in conflicts involving Iran.

Global smartphone shipments fell 4.1% in Q1 2026, the first drop since 2023, due to supply issues and rising costs from the Iran conflict. Apple and Samsung grew, while emerging markets saw price surges dampen demand.

Anthropic opposes Illinois bill SB 3444, which would protect AI labs from liability if they create safety frameworks. Governor Pritzker condemns the bill, while OpenAI supports it for reducing risk. Critics warn it could diminish legal accountability.