China’s rising investment in research and expansion of its higher education system suggests it is fast closing the gap with the United States in intellectual property and the struggle to be at the top in global technology power, according to patent experts.

According to the experts, while U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of punitive tariffs on high-tech U.S. exports could slow Beijing’s momentum, it won’t turn back the tide.

Washington’s allegation that the Chinese have engaged in intellectual property theft over many years which is denied by Beijing is a pivotal reason for the worsening trade conflict between the U.S. and China.

Google on Thursday, announced the launch of Google Go in Nigeria and across 26 other Sub-Saharan African countries. Google Go is a search app built specifically for the African market to address the issue of slow internet connectivity.

As smartphone penetration grows on the continent, there is still a wide divide in smartphone specifications and internet connectivity.

The app promises to offer users a seamless web, access and search experience across board regardless of what device they use or how strong their data is.

Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi said on Wednesday that the ride-sharing company still believes in the prospects for autonomous transport after one of its self-driving vehicles got involved in a fatal crash in Arizona last month.

A 49-year-old woman was killed after being hit by an Uber self-driving sports utility vehicle while walking across a street in Phoenix, prompting the company to suspend testing of autonomous vehicles.

Khosrowshahi declined to say when the company might resume testing or what might have gone wrong. He mentioned that the company was cooperating with federal investigators and dealing with the incident “very seriously.”

PHOTO CREDIT: [REUTERS ]

Apple's spaceship-like headquarters in Cupertino, California, has gone all-green, as it is adorned in solar panels, a testament to the company's pledge to power its facility with 100 percent renewable energy. “We’re committed to leaving the world better than we found it. After years of hard work we’re proud to have reached this significant milestone,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in the press release on Monday.

Bitcoin surged more than 17 percent in a sudden move on Thursday to rally above $8,000, according to trading on Coinbase. The cryptocurrency hit a high of $8,011 was trading about 11.5 percent higher near $7,645 as of 8:19 a.m. ET, according to Coinbase. Bitcoin leaped from a low of $6,786 Thursday morning and some traders are watching whether it can hold above $7,500.

Uber Technologies Inc on Tuesday unveiled a new app for its drivers that includes a real-time earnings tracker, the latest effort by the ride-hailing service to improve an often contentious relationship, according to Reuters. The move follows Uber’s ‘180 days of change’ program that was launched last June to make changes requested by drivers, such as tipping and compensation for the time spent waiting for passengers.