iWorld
Sony LIV to adapt yes Studios’ gripping crime drama Magpie
Mumbai: Magpie, whose second season has just run on yes TV to rave reviews, was produced by yes TV and Donna & Shula Productions (Tehran). It tells the story of Asa Katz, a man serving 17 years in prison for murder who gets released early on the condition that he cooperates with the police as their informant – a role (known as a magpie) that he also had in jail. Asa returns to his old neighbourhood and his older brother, David, who has little regard for his younger sibling. Asa constantly tries to resolve this, but numerous conflicting interests put him in precarious situations, and he finds himself torn between his life of crime and his work with the police, while skilfully navigating both worlds to his advantage.
yes Studios MD Sharon Levi commented: “We are honoured that this new format deal for Magpie means Sony LIV will soon become home to a third of our drama series. With its key themes of sibling conflict and a desire for a fresh start while constantly being pulled back into an old life, Magpie’s characters and storylines are instantly recognisable – and ripe for adaptation. We look forward to working with the Sony LIV team as it develops the series for its audience and cannot wait to view the final programme once it has been completed.”
Sony LIV head of content Saugata Mukherjee said, “With the Indian adaptation of Magpie, we are aiming to weave global threads into the tapestry of our culture. The character is complex and piques the viewer’s interest with a compelling storyline. We are happy to collaborate with yes Studios once again to bring forth this highly acclaimed thriller.”
Magpie was created by Adam Bizanski, Omri Shenhar and Dana Eden and written by Adam Bizanski and Omri Shenhar. yes Studios is the distributor of the finished programme and format. The series won Best Screenplay at the Berlin TV Series Festival in 2019 and was nominated at the same event for Best International Series and Best Performance.
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
