Artificial Intelligence
Rehumanizing global health care with agentic AI
Summary
The global health care sector is under increasing strain. Decades of chronic underinvestment and constraints in recruitment have coincided with a surge in demand for services for aging populations. Gaps in provision are already taking a toll, with fragmented access to care and high rates of stress and burnout among staff. And it’s getting worse. The World Health Organization has warned that current shortfalls will increase to 11 million workers by 2030. In their urgent hunt for a solution, many health-care providers are now pinning their hopes on agentic AI, with more than two-thirds (68%) having already adopted AI agents into their workforce, according to KPMG. The technology is being deployed to automate complex back-office processes, collaborate with medical teams, and even triage patients, all in a bid to reduce…
Musk v. Altman week 2: OpenAI fires back, and Shivon Zilis reveals that Musk tried to poach Sam Altman
Summary
In the second week of the landmark trial between Elon Musk and OpenAI, Musk’s motivations for bringing the suit were under scrutiny. Last week, Musk took the stand, alleging that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman had deceived him into donating $38 million to the company. He claimed that they’d promised to maintain it as a nonprofit dedicated to developing AI for the benefit of humanity, only to later accept billions of dollars of investment from Microsoft and restructure the company to operate a for-profit subsidiary. This week, Brockman fired back with his side of the story, arguing that Musk had actually pushed for OpenAI to create a for-profit arm and fought a bitter battle to have “absolute control” over it. OpenAI has argued that Musk is suing…
Why having “humans in the loop” in an AI war is an illusion
Summary
The availability of artificial intelligence for use in warfare is at the center of a legal battle between Anthropic and the Pentagon. This debate has become urgent, with AI playing a bigger role than ever before in the current conflict with Iran. AI is no longer just helping humans analyze intelligence. It is now an active player—generating targets in real time, controlling and coordinating missile interceptions, and guiding lethal swarms of autonomous drones. Most of the public conversation regarding the use of AI-driven autonomous lethal weapons centers on how much humans should remain “in the loop.” Under the Pentagon’s current guidelines, human oversight supposedly provides accountability, context, and nuance while reducing the risk of hacking. AI systems are opaque “black boxes” But the debate over “humans in the loop” is…
The gig workers who are training humanoid robots at home
Summary
When Zeus, a medical student living in a hilltop city in central Nigeria, returns to his studio apartment from a long day at the hospital, he turns on his ring light, straps his iPhone to his forehead, and starts recording himself. He raises his hands in front of him like a sleepwalker and puts a sheet on his bed. He moves slowly and carefully to make sure his hands stay within the camera frame. Zeus is a data recorder for Micro1, a US company based in Palo Alto, California that collects real-world data to sell to robotics companies. As companies like Tesla, Figure AI, and Agility Robotics race to build humanoids—robots designed to resemble and move like humans in factories and homes—videos recorded by gig workers like Zeus are becoming…
Business & Finance
Florida’s insurance exodus is triggering a 2008-style chain reaction — with one critical difference
Summary
While visiting family in St. Petersburg, Florida, in November 2024, I found myself walking down a quiet residential street in Shore Acres, a low-lying, bayfront neighborhood not far from where I grew up. Two months earlier, Hurricane Helene had sent several feet of water into homes here, even though the center of the storm had stayed far offshore. Just days after Helene, Milton made landfall nearby as a major hurricane, inflicting substantial wind damage. What I saw on that autumn morning was a scene of starkly unequal neighborhood recovery: Dozens of older homes, most built during the area’s postwar building boom, were in a state of shocking disrepair. Shattered drywall, warped kitchen cabinets, broken glass – entire interiors poured out into the street in piles, at times as high as…
Aliens are so mainstream the Catholic Church just fired an exorcist for saying UFOs are demons
Summary
In “Disclosure Day,” out Friday, Steven Spielberg is once again inviting audiences to ponder the existence of extraterrestrial life — and the implications it would have for religion on Earth. But Spielberg is hardly the only one making headlines of late about UFOs and the possibility of life on other planets. What was once considered fringe or conspiratorial has in recent months popped up everywhere from the White House to the Catholic Church, as public fascination with unidentified anomalous phenomena — or UAPs, as the government calls them — becomes more mainstream. The Pentagon in May made public large swaths of UFO files with very little context, leaving curious sleuths to piece together their own interpretations. The dump came just weeks after former President Barack Obama set off a media frenzy for stating unambiguously…
Brazil’s biggest soccer broadcaster Is now a guy who started on Twitch. He beat Globo
Summary
In Brazil, home of soccer-mad fans and the five-time world champions, the only way to watch all 104 games of the World Cup will be through a streaming platform anchored by an influencer. Elsewhere, users will get to see parts of matches live on YouTube and TikTok for the first time. Forget about the exclusivity of traditional over-the-air networks: The World Cup will be watched differently this time. As FIFA pushes to engage a new generation of fans, younger audiences will have more options to access soccer’s showcase event thanks to what soccer’s governing body describes as a record number of deals with broadcast partners that carry digital-only platforms. Creators’ perspectives will be brought to the forefront and user experiences worldwide will be enhanced thanks to what FIFA is calling “game-changing” partnerships. The goal…
Sam Bankman-Fried formally files for pardon—but White House reiterates that FTX cofounder’s odds are slim
Summary
Convicted crypto fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried formally submitted a pardon request with the Department of Justice, but the odds of President Donald Trump granting him clemency remain slight, according to a White House spokesperson. The status of Bankman-Fried’s request is currently listed as “pending,” per the Department of Justice’s website on Monday. The FTX cofounder’s petition follows reports that his parents were engaging with individuals connected to Trump’s inner circle to curry the president’s favor—a notable pivot for the onetime crypto billionaire, who was briefly one of the largest donors to Democrats. Amid the charm offensive, Bankman-Fried even conducted an unsanctioned interview with conservative TV host Tucker Carlson from prison in March 2025. A White House spokesperson pointed Fortune to remarks made by Trump in January, in which the President said…
Education
Do You Like AI Because AI Likes You? How AI Flattery Crosses Signals
Summary
Myra Cheng, a computer science Ph.D. student at Stanford University, has spent a lot of time listening to undergraduates on campus. “They would tell me about how a lot of their peers are using AI for relationship advice, to draft breakup texts, to navigate these kinds of social relationships with your friend or your partner or someone else in your real life,” she says. Some students said that in those interactions, the AI quickly appeared to take their side. “And I think more broadly,” says Cheng, “if you use AI for writing some sort of code or even editing any sort of writing, it’ll be like, ‘Wow, your code or your writing is amazing.’ ” To Cheng, this excessive flattery and unconditional validation from many AI models seemed different from…
Education Department Takes a Preliminary Step Toward Revamping Its Research and Statistics Arm
Summary
In his first two months in office, President Donald Trump ordered the closing of the Education Department and fired half of its staff. The department’s research and statistics division, called the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), was particularly hard hit. About 90 percent of its staff lost their jobs and more than 100 federal contracts to conduct its primary activities were canceled. But now there are signs that the Trump administration is partially reversing course and wants the federal government to retain a role in generating education statistics and evidence for what works in classrooms — at least to some extent. On Sept. 25, the department posted a notice in the Federal Register asking the public to submit feedback by Oct. 15 on reforming IES to make research more relevant…
After Years of Declines, Young Students Show Gains in Reading and Math
Summary
New federal test scores show younger students are making gains in reading and math — after years of declines. “I think this is an optimistic release,” Matthew Soldner, acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, told NPR. Results from the long-term trend (LTT) report, released Wednesday, provide a national look at progress in reading and math for 9- and 13-year-old students. The tests, which students take on pencil and paper every few years, have asked many of the same questions since they were first given in the 1970s. The tests are part of the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) and are nationally representative of student learning. More than 30,000 students took the exams between October 2024 and March 2025. Here are five takeaways from the results: 1.…
Overworked and Understaffed: Special Ed Teachers Turn to AI for Help
Summary
Editor’s note: NPR uses only the first names of minors in this story because it discusses their learning disabilities and placement in special education. BAY POINT, Calif. — The sun would just be rising when teacher Mary Acebu began her days. She’d blast music on the way to work to get energized and get to her classroom by 6:30 to prepare for her students’ arrival at 8. Often, it’d be dark by the time she headed home, sometimes with paperwork in tow. Like so many special education teachers around the country, this was Acebu’s life for much of the 10 years she’s been teaching at Riverview Middle School, in this small, unincorporated northern California town. “I don’t do that anymore,” she says with a laugh. That’s because Acebu has been…
Entertainment
Bill Ackman to Sell Remainder of UMG Stock After Pershing Square’s Failed Acquisition Bid
Summary
Bill Ackman‘s Pershing Square Holdings is unloading the remainder of its shares in Universal Music Group (UMG) following its failed bid to acquire the music giant last week. According to documents obtained by Billboard, Pershing Square is selling all of its 80.6 million shares in UMG — representing a 4.70% stake in the music giant — at a price marketed between 17.66 euros ($20.48) and 18.62 euros ($21.59). The transaction could bring in around 1.5 billion euros ($1.74 billion) at the high end of that range. Bloomberg was first to report news of the sale. Related Universal Music Group’s Board Rejects Pershing Square Offer: ‘It Fundamentally Undervalues UMG’ How Access Opera's John Burton Kickstarted Ye's Touring Comeback: 'He's Like the Michael Jordan of This Thing' Clive Davis Hospitalized in New York After…
Bolloré Group Urges UMG Board to Reject Bill Ackman’s Purchase Bid: ‘The Price is Not There’
Summary
Cyrille Bolloré, CEO of the Bolloré Group, recommended that Universal Group’s management reject Bill Ackman’s bid to purchase UMG, according to Reuters. “We think the price is not there at all,” Bolloré said during the shareholders’ annual meeting. “He is not making an offer with his own money. It is our money, the company’s money.” Related Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Bids to Buy UMG For Over $60 Billion 'The Breakfast Club' to Stream Live Daily, Commercial-Free on Netflix: 'The Future Belongs to Those Who Can See What's Possible' Woman Accused of Attempting to Murder Rihanna to Face Mental Health Competency Test Bolloré also noted he believed Ackman’s management style would clash with the company culture, claiming that, “he is abrupt, faster.” Ackman’s Pershing Square (which owns 10% of UMG’s stock) made…
The Onion and Sandy Hook victims’ families finally land deal to take over Alex Jones’ Infowars and relaunch right-wing site as parody of itself
Summary
Satirical news outlet The Onion has finally landed a deal to take over Infowars, with the help of the families of Sandy Hook victims Infowars is a right-wing media platform that was run by alt-right figure and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. He gained notoriety for falsely claiming for years that the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School never happened, and in 2022 was ordered to pay nearly $1billion in damages. Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems, filed for bankruptcy protection in 2022, and Infowars went to a bankruptcy auction, where it was bought by The Onion. This included the company’s intellectual property, including the website, customer lists, inventory and certain social media accounts, and the production equipment. The amount that The Onion paid in its winning bid has not been publicly…
Zohran Mamdani’s Lucky He’s Mayor, Because His Streams Blew Up in 2025, But His Rap Royalties Do Not Pay the Bills
Summary
You know that old saying about “don’t quit your day job?” Well, that’s excellent advice for Zohran Mamdani, who has a solid gig as New York’s Mayor since his election last November. But according to the New York Times, on Thursday (April 16), Mamdani, 34, and his wife, graphic designer Rama Duwaji, released the details of their joint tax return and let’s just say it’s a good thing his new gig pays in the mid-$250K range, because the cash coming in from Mamdani’s previous rap career isn’t going to keep the couple afloat. The paper said that the couple reported a total 2025 income of $145,000, most of it coming from Mamdani’s state assemblyman salary of $131,296. A much smaller portion, $1,643, came in the form of royalties from Mamdani’s…
Environment & Sustainability
NASA’s X-59 Reaches Speed, Altitude for Future Quiet Supersonic Flights
Summary
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft reached its target speed and altitude for future community overflights for the first time during a flight on Friday, June 12, 2026. The milestone marked the first time the aircraft flew at Mach 1.4 and 55,000 feet — conditions it will fly when gathering community response data to its quiet sonic thump. NASA/Lori Losey NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft reached a major milestone Friday, June 12, flying Mach 1.4 (about 924 mph) and an altitude of 55,000 feet, the conditions required for the aircraft to make future flights critical to its mission. The X-59 still has months of performance testing ahead, but after those are complete, NASA’s Quesst mission will fly the aircraft over several U.S. communities to collect data on public perception of the quiet sonic thump it will make at supersonic speeds. Those community overflights will include flights at Mach 1.4 and 55,000 feet. The milestone comes just…
Hazard Detection Lidar System Goes to the Moon
Summary
STMD Flight Opportunities Home Transitions of Flight Tested… Hazard Detection Lidar System… Home About News Work with Us Access Flight Tests Flight Providers Resources Overview Community of Practice Webinars Lessons Learned Library Newsletters Reports and Fact Sheets Solicitations Archives Tech Portfolio Technologies Flight Summaries Tech Transitions Images Hazard Detection Lidar System Goes to the Moon A flight testing success story Enabling landers to autonomously identify the safest sites to touch down Moon craters and their surrounding areas are high-value destinations for lunar missions since they may contain important resources and valuable science targets. However, these sites are also home to dangers such as steep slopes that are difficult to see in the challenging lighting conditions. As a result, selecting landing sites on lunar surfaces is a critical component for…
Meet the Artemis III Crew
Summary
Episode description: Meet the astronauts who will fly on Artemis III: Commander Randy Bresnik, Pilot Luca Parmitano, and Mission Specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas. In this special presentation of Houston We Have a Podcast, the Artemis III astronauts discuss their backgrounds and training ahead of them to prepare for one of the most complex human spaceflight missions in history. For more information about Artemis III, visit nasa.gov/artemis-iii The Artemis III crew: from left: Andre Douglas, Luca Parmitano, Randy Bresnik, and Frank Rubio. [Music: Curiosity by SYSTEM Sounds] HOST JACOB PINTER: Hey. NASA dropped some big news. Big, big, big news. We now know which astronauts will fly on the next Artemis mission. Following the Artemis II test flight around the Moon, the crew of Artemis III will perform a series…
Meet Artemis III
Summary
From Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars, explore the world of human spaceflight with NASA each week on the official podcast of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Listen to in-depth conversations with the astronauts, scientists and engineers who make it possible. On episode 426, the Artemis III astronauts discuss their backgrounds and training ahead of them to prepare for one of the most complex human spaceflight missions in history. This episode was recorded in June 4, 2026. Transcript Nilufar Ramji Houston We Have a Podcast. Welcome to the official podcast of the NASA Johnson Space Center, episode 426: Meet Artemis III. I’m Nilufar Ramji, and I’ll be your host today. On this podcast, we bring in the experts: scientists, engineers, and astronauts, all to let you know…
Food & Travel
The Best Sun Protection Shirts Our Editors Tested for Summer Adventures
Summary
Warmer days are upon us, and that means spring and summer outdoor adventures are in full swing. It’s hard to stay inside on a sunny day, with warm and dry weather typically offering the best conditions for activities like hiking, biking, and even water sports. The flip side to perfect weather, however, is that you’re increasing your exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays. In order to best protect yourself, it’s important to dress appropriately – and for many outdoor activities, that means wearing a sun shirt. This is particularly true if you’re heading to the beach, as scientists have found that a chemical found in many sunscreens (oxybenzone) is converted by coral into a substance that actually harms them. If you want to protect the ocean, you’ll need to…
Book Your Travel Early: Flight Prices Are Rising as Fuel Costs Surge
Summary
As oil and jet fuel prices climb due to the war in Iran that’s disrupting shipping lanes in the Middle East, airlines are warning that ticket prices will rise, too. Jet fuel costs have jumped sharply since the conflict began on February 28. According to reporting from the Associated Press. Fuel is one of the airline industry’s biggest expenses, typically accounting for about a fifth to a quarter of operating costs. Threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is the sole sea passage from the Gulf to the open ocean, is having the biggest impact on pricing pressures. Nearly 20 percent of global oil supply moves through that chokepoint, and although the waterway is…
Is Mexico Safe Right Now? What US Travelers Should Know
Summary
Mexico is experiencing localized travel disruptions after a federal security operation in Jalisco on February 22, according to reporting by the Associated Press. The country remains open to tourism, but there are developments travelers should be aware of. Mexican authorities confirmed the operation targeted a senior leader of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). In the hours that followed, roadblocks and vehicle fires were reported in parts of Jalisco, the western Mexican state that includes the beach resort of Puerto Vallarta and the city of Guadalajara. Mexico’s Defense Secretariat confirmed the operation and said intelligence cooperation with the United States took place, noting that information “was provided” by US authorities while Mexican forces conducted the mission. President Claudia Sheinbaum said that “in most of the national territory, activities are developing…
Dodging the “King of Fruits”: Inside the Dangerous Durian Plantations of Raub, Malaysia
Summary
People in the United States usually only mention durian in the form of a punchline. It’s the spiky “King of Fruits” that’s banned on trains and in hotels thanks to a potent sulfur, sewage, rotting smell. The sweet-savory custard flavor that makes it so appealing despite the aroma is often forgotten in the viral videos and meme-ready headlines. So too is the multi-billion dollar (and growing) economy behind this fruit that sends massive shipments from Southeast Asia into China and around the world. The biggest oversight, however, is of the farmers and families who have built a life around durian. Ian Poh Jin Tze has spent years documenting the people and places behind Southeast Asia’s most iconic ingredients. In his book, “Behind The Scenes: Lives of These Unsung Heroes,” the…
Gaming
The BBC quizzed chip maker TSMC on the possibility of increased prices and you’re really not going to like the answer
Summary
The ever-spiralling cost of computing components is not exactly news. But the big question is how much longer this will all continue. Unfortunately, a new interview by the BBC with TSMC, the company that manufactures so many of the chips that go into our PCs, suggests there's plenty more to come. TSMC's Chief Financial Officer, Wendell Huang, was asked: "Are you likely to increase your prices for customers?" His answer was, well, it went like this: "We don't increase the price suddenly, four fold, five fold," he said. Er, OK, how about two fold or three fold? The BBC didn't ask that, but Huang did continue when pressed again on the matter of TSMC increasing its prices. "We reflect our value," Huang said, before going on to explain that TSMC's…
Reports suggest Meta was working on another facial recognition feature that was quietly pushed out to millions of users before being just as quietly deleted
Summary
Welcome to the future, where there's always a camera lens within arm's reach. I'll park my wider-ranging rant about surveillance culture for the time being and attempt to just focus on the news story that's most recently made me consider stepping on to the soap box: the facial recognition system that was at one point in Meta's smart glasses app. Last week, Wired reported it had found code that suggested Meta had quietly embedded face-recognition technology into its smart glasses app. Now Wired reports that, since it published its original story, the code in question has been removed from the Meta AI app. That's good news, right? Well, I'm not sure I feel especially great about it. The code Wired identified was referred to internally as 'NameTag,' and reportedly added…
Netflix Movie Boss Says ‘We Won’t Work With’ Filmmakers Who ‘Still Want Theatrical’ Releases
Summary
Don't expect Netflix to push for more theatrical releases anytime soon, as film boss Dan Lin has said the streamer "just won't work with" filmmakers who push to bring their films to the big screen. Lin, who replaced Scott Stuber in the role in early 2024, spoke about the streaming giant's movie strategy during an interview with The New York Times. As Netflix heads into the back half of 2026 and plans for 2027, one topic is on many subscribers' minds: movie theaters. With David Fincher's Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood follow-up, unofficially titled The Adventures of Cliff Booth, recently landing Imax screens, and Greta Gerwig's Narnia: The Magician's Nephew set with a full theatrical release in February 2027, some have hoped Netflix may be turning a new leaf.…
Anthony Stewart Head, star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died
Summary
Beloved actor Anthony Stewart Head, best known for his role as surrogate father Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, died this week from complications with pneumonia. He was 72. "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father," Giles' daughters Daisy and Emily Head said in a statement to the BBC. "It has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many." Head's seven season role as Rupert Giles on Buffy placed him firmly in the canon of all-time TV dads, while occasionally giving him a chance to highlight his talents beyond the screen. Head was an accomplished singer and theater performer,…
Health & Wellness
New CRISPR approach may open path to hepatitis E treatment by blocking viral RNA
Summary
Researchers at the Ruhr University Bochum have developed a novel antiviral concept: Using the CRISPR/Cas13 system, they were able to specifically suppress the replication of the hepatitis E virus in human cells. Hepatitis E is a common cause of acute liver inflammation worldwide, yet effective specific therapies are still lacking. The team has now demonstrated that the virus can be targeted using an RNA-directed CRISPR system. The results, published on May 4, 2026, in the journal JHEP Reports, open new perspectives for the development of antiviral strategies. Researchers at the Ruhr University Bochum have developed a novel antiviral concept: Using the CRISPR/Cas13 system, they were able to specifically suppress the replication of the hepatitis E virus in human cells. Hepatitis E is a common cause of acute liver inflammation worldwide,…
Why only some patients get liver disease: New protein pathway may help forecast alpha1-antitrypsin outcomes
Summary
Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, an inherited disorder affecting 100,000 people in the U.S., causes a progressive and incurable lung disease. A subset of patients with the condition—about 10% to 15%—also develop liver disease because of the accumulation of the aggregated protein variant resulting from the genetic error that causes the disease. Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a previously unknown biological process that helps explain why only a subset of the affected population develop liver disease. Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, an inherited disorder affecting 100,000 people in the U.S., causes a progressive and incurable lung disease. A subset of patients with the condition—about 10% to 15%—also develop liver disease because of the accumulation of the aggregated protein variant resulting from the genetic error that causes the disease.…
Scientists uncover surprising health benefits of watermelon
Summary
Studies suggest watermelon could be a hidden powerhouse for better health. Researchers found that people who eat watermelon tend to have higher-quality diets packed with more vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants — while consuming less added sugar and saturated fat. Another study showed watermelon juice may help protect blood vessel function and support heart health. Studies suggest watermelon could be a hidden powerhouse for better health. Researchers found that people who eat watermelon tend to have higher-quality diets packed with more vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants — while consuming less added sugar and saturated fat. Another study showed watermelon juice may help protect blood vessel function and support heart health. Studies suggest watermelon could be a hidden powerhouse for better health. Researchers found that people who eat watermelon tend to have higher-quality…
Wealth and health divide: Obesity rates plateau in rich nations but surge in developing world
Summary
Obesity has long been the invisible health crisis looming over humanity, with rates climbing globally. There is some positive news now emerging from a multi-decade study spanning several nations. A recent study published in Nature by the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), a global network of health scientists, analyzed obesity-related data from 232 million people aged 5 years or older, spanning 45 years. Obesity has long been the invisible health crisis looming over humanity, with rates climbing globally. There is some positive news now emerging from a multi-decade study spanning several nations. A recent study published in Nature by the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), a global network of health scientists, analyzed obesity-related data from 232 million people aged 5 years or older, spanning 45 years.
Lifestyle
Meta Quietly Added Facial Recognition to Its Smart Glasses
Summary
According to a report from Wired, Meta has been quietly installing facial recognition in its Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta smart glasses for the last few months. Internally called "NameTag", the feature, if activated, will use AI to identify people captured by Ray-Ban Meta's camera, alert the wearer when it recognizes someone, and store faceprints on users' phones. How Meta's "NameTag" works The software has not been switched on, but if it is, it will use Meta's AI app to transform images of anyone photographed with Meta glasses into a biometric faceprint, and check against a database of faceprints stored locally on the user's Meta AI mobile app. If it finds a match, the user will be notified. If it doesn't, the faceprint will be indexed into a folder named…
That Email From ‘Microsoft’ Is Actually a Scam
Summary
We all get enough spam messages these days that we can avoid the obvious scams: If an unknown number texts you asking for money, or a spammy email address warns you about a computer virus, you'll likely delete them and move on. But if the message comes from a company you trust, like Microsoft, with a legitimate email address at that, you wouldn't be blamed for assuming that email was real. In this specific case, however, it's not, and you should be wary when interacting with it. As reported by TechCrunch's Zach Whittaker, scammers are sending emails from a legitimate internal Microsoft email address: msonlineservicesteam@microsoftonline.com. Microsoft uses this address to send a host of important messages, like two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, as well as other PSAs about user accounts. If…
Venmo’s New App Design Comes With a Great Privacy Update
Summary
For me, Venmo has always been the app to settle quick debts. Someone puts their card down at dinner, and I Venmo them my share; I covered costs on a trip, and the group Venmos me in return. But Venmo has always seemed like it wanted to be more than that. The app feels like a hybrid between a banking service, a social media platform, and a place to buy and sell crypto. None of that is changing with its new redesign; in fact, it feels like it's leaning into that multi-use experience more than ever. But it is making a big privacy change, at least for new users, that probably should have been there from launch. How Venmo is changing in the coming weeks Venmo is launching a redesigned…
Your Instagram Conversations Won’t Be so Private Anymore
Summary
Before you send your next Instagram DM, be warned: Whatever you share with that friend, influencer, or business could potentially be seen by anyone—including but not limited to hackers, law enforcement, or even Meta itself. As of today, May 8, 2026, Instagram DMs are no longer end-to-end encrypted (E2EE). Your messages are vulnerable, whether you're discussing a reel you saw, or sharing your Social Security number. (Please don't do this.) E2EE is necessary for any messaging service that wants to protect its users' privacy. This level of encryption ensures that the only people who can read the contents of a conversation are the ones with access to the devices involved. When you send a message over E2EE, the program encrypts, or "scrambles," it. Each device contains a "key" to decrypt,…
Marketing & SEO
How AI may increase the value of SEO expertise
Summary
By now, you’ve heard the doom and gloom. In April, Verizon CEO Dan Schulman warned that AI could push U.S. unemployment to 20%-30% over the next two to five years. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned that AI could wipe out half of entry-level white-collar jobs within five years. Ford CEO Jim Farley has said AI could replace “literally half” of white-collar workers in the U.S. SEO is a white-collar job. So does that mean our jobs will be eliminated, too? The answer isn’t as obvious as you might think. Yes, the world is changing. But if you’ve been doing SEO for a while, you should be used to that by now. SEOs have always been forced to wear strange combinations of hats: part technical analyst, part content strategist, part…
Google confirms AI headline rewrites test in Search results
Summary
Google is testing AI-generated headline rewrites in Search results, describing it as a small, narrow experiment for now. What’s happening. Google confirmed to The Verge (subscription required) that it’s testing AI-generated titles in traditional Search results, not just Discover. The test is “small” and “narrow,” and not approved for broader rollout. It impacts news site but isn’t limited to them. The goal is to better match titles to queries and improve engagement, Google said. One example showed Google replacing original headlines with shorter or reworded versions, sometimes changing tone or intent (e.g., reducing “I used the ‘cheat on everything’ AI tool and it didn’t help me cheat on anything” to “‘Cheat on everything’ AI tool.”). Why we care. Google Search is already sending fewer clicks. Now you also have to…
Yahoo CEO: Google AI Mode is the biggest threat to web traffic
Summary
Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone said AI-powered search — especially Google’s AI Mode — is putting the open web’s core traffic model at risk and argues AI search engines must send users back to publishers. “I think that the LLMs are one big reason that they’re under threat, with AI Mode in Google being the biggest challenge.” “Those publishers deserve [traffic], and we’re not going to have the content to consume to give great answers if publishers aren’t healthy.” Why we care. Many websites are seeing less traffic from answer engines like Google and OpenAI — and I think it’ll only get worse. So it’s encouraging to see Yahoo trying to preserve the “search sends traffic” model. As he said: “We have very purposefully highlighted and linked very explicitly and bent…
Meta is passing Europe’s digital taxes directly to advertisers
Summary
Starting July 1st, Meta will add “location fees” to ad buys targeting users in six countries — effectively offloading the cost of European digital services taxes onto the advertisers themselves. The numbers. Fees will match each country’s digital services tax rate: France, Italy, Spain: 3% Austria, Turkey: 5% UK: 2% How it works in practice. Per Meta’s email to advertisers — “$100 in ads delivered to Italy will cost $103, plus any applicable VAT on top of that.” The fine print. The fees apply to where the ad is delivered, not where the advertiser is based — meaning a US brand running campaigns targeting French users will pay the French rate regardless. Why we care. This is a direct, unavoidable cost increase hitting European campaigns on July 1 — with…
Politics & Society
CDC Director Susan Monarez ousted just weeks after confirmation
Summary
Susan Monarez, the longtime government scientist recently confirmed as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has been let go from her position after less than a month in the role. A source familiar with the situation confirmed to The Hill that Monarez is ousted as CDC director. The Senate confirmed her on July 29. The Washington Post was first to report Monarez's firing. The Hill has reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services for comment. Prior to being nominated to lead the CDC, Monarez had served as acting CDC Director shortly after the start of the second Trump administration. She previously served as deputy director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). President Trump chose Monarez as his second choice after…
Suspected Minnesota shooter’s rifle magazine had ‘Kill Donald Trump’ inscription
Summary
The suspected shooter who killed two children at a Minnesota church on Wednesday wrote incendiary messages on gun magazines, including one that read “Kill Donald Trump.” The images appeared in a manifesto posted online around the same time as the shooting on Wednesday morning. The manifesto included a lengthy written note from the suspected shooter as well. The video had been taken down from YouTube as of late Wednesday afternoon. The video also showed messages written on rifle magazines that said "For the Children" and "Where is your God." "This level of violence is unthinkable," said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, in a post on X where she discussed the messages. "Our deepest prayers are with the children, parents, families, educators, and Christians everywhere. We mourn with them,…
Trump ramps up DC power grab
Summary
President Trump is ramping up his power grab over Washington, D.C., on everything from the city’s law enforcement to a takeover of its transportation hub and key cultural center. He’s called for the death penalty in D.C. murder cases, cleared out homeless encampments, and is promising to fix everything from fences to light fixtures in what he calls a “beautification” of the city. On Wednesday, his Transportation secretary also announced a takeover of managing Union Station, where National Guard troops have been stationed for weeks. It marked the latest escalation by Trump to encroach on the city’s key institutions and landmarks, and that timing, according to a source close to Trump World, is no coincidence ahead of Congress coming back. “Trump is on very firm political footing on this issue.…
Nvidia revenue jumped 56 percent last year, beats Wall Street expectations
Summary
Nvidia reported a solid jump in second-quarter revenue Wednesday, beating Wall Street expectations for its highly anticipated earnings report. The chipmaker reported $46.7 billion in second-quarter revenue, up 6 percent from the previous quarter and 56 percent over the past year. Wall Street analysts had forecasted revenue of roughly $46 billion, according to consensus estimates. Nvidia has become one of the most powerful and richest U.S. technology companies amid the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including generative AI chatbots and image generators, which use immense computing power. Nvidia has risen to prominence as the top U.S. manufacturer of the semiconductor chips widely used to run AI programs. The company has also found itself caught in the crossfire of the U.S-China battle over AI. Nvidia and AMD, another major U.S.…
Science
NASA Robotic Tech Demo Will Advance Prototype Gamma-Ray Detectors
Summary
4 min read NASA Robotic Tech Demo Will Advance Prototype Gamma-Ray Detectors A new type of gamma-ray sensor developed by NASA, called AstroPix, will take part in a robotic arm demonstration on the agency’s upcoming Fly Foundational Robots mission, set to launch in late 2027. Gamma rays are the highest-energy form of light. Scientists observe them coming from events like lightning in Earth’s atmosphere, powerful solar flares from our Sun, and cosmic collisions in distant galaxies. The sensors on the AstroPix technology demonstration are designed to measure gamma rays between 20,000 and 700,000 electron volts. For comparison, visible light’s energy falls between 2 and 3 electron volts. Current NASA missions, including the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, also observe gamma rays, including those with even higher…
NASA to Preview Katalyst Mission to Boost Swift Spacecraft’s Orbit
Summary
Katalyst Space’s LINK robotic servicing satellite awaits encapsulation inside a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL on June 8, 2026, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The rocket will carry LINK to space for an attempted orbital boost of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Credit: NASA/Ron Beard NASA will host an audio-only media teleconference at 11 a.m. EDT, Wednesday, June 17, to preview the Katalyst Space mission to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft, called LINK, will attempt to rendezvous with Swift and raise its altitude, extending its science mission lifespan and advancing a key capability for the future of space exploration. The LINK spacecraft will launch on Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket later this month from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Media…
Flight Dynamics Research Facility Characteristics
Summary
1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) HomeCharacteristics The Flight Dynamics Research Facility (FDRF) is a large, subsonic wind tunnel with a vertical test section for conducting flight dynamics research for stability, controllability, free-fall and aircraft spin, and spin recovery testing of atmospheric vehicles. Characteristics Test Section Dimensions: 20 ft. diam. by 24 ft. high Speed: 0 – 172 ft/s (0 – 117 mph) Dynamic Pressure: (0 – 35 psf) Reynolds Number: 0 – 1.10×10^6 per ft. Pressure: Atmospheric Temperature: Actively cooled (79° F) Test Gas: Air Facility Height: 131 ft. Flight Dynamics Flight Research Aerosciences Evaluation and Test Capabilities Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASAes @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 4 min read Award-Winning NASA Camera Revolutionizes How We See the Invisible Article 4…
How NASA Science and Artemis Are Shaping the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Summary
Researchers tested soccer balls aboard the International Space Station to study how internal mass affects motion and stability in microgravity. NASA As the FIFA World Cup approaches, NASA is bringing space science and engineering to soccer fans worldwide. From June 11 to July 19, 2026, NASA will host an exhibit at FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston where visitors can learn how research aboard the International Space Station benefits life on Earth and experience missions in low Earth orbit, the Moon, and beyond through the Artemis program. On June 11, as the FIFA World Cup begins, NASA’s exhibit at Fan Festival Houston will open to the public. The event is free to attend and open for every match of the tournament in East Downtown, Houston. On June 20, Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche will introduce select Artemis II crew members following their historic mission around the Moon. The crew will participate in World Cup activities ahead of the Netherlands-Sweden match in Houston and will appear on the Fan Festival Houston main stage to share…
Sports
Report: Argentina-PR moved, Chicago unrest cited
Summary
A friendly between Argentina and Puerto Rico, originally scheduled for next week in Chicago, has been relocated to Florida amid the immigration crackdown in the city, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday. A friendly between Argentina and Puerto Rico, originally scheduled for next week in Chicago, has been relocated to Florida amid the immigration crackdown in the city, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday. A friendly between Argentina and Puerto Rico, originally scheduled for next week in Chicago, has been relocated to Florida amid the immigration crackdown in the city, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday. A friendly between Argentina and Puerto Rico, originally scheduled for next week in Chicago, has been…
Phillies’ Schwarber 1st in NL to reach 50 homers
Summary
Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber hit his 50th home run of the season, a three-run shot off reliever Justin Hagenman in the seventh inning that gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead en route to a comfortable 9-3 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night. Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber hit his 50th home run of the season, a three-run shot off reliever Justin Hagenman in the seventh inning that gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead en route to a comfortable 9-3 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night. Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber hit his 50th home run of the season, a three-run shot off reliever Justin Hagenman in the seventh inning that gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead en route to a comfortable 9-3 victory over the New…
Kane among those thrilled to see return of Toews
Summary
Like so many around the NHL, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, who won three Stanley Cup championships with the Blackhawks playing alongside Jonathan Toews, is eager to see the return of his former running mate, who signed with the Jets this offseason. Like so many around the NHL, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, who won three Stanley Cup championships with the Blackhawks playing alongside Jonathan Toews, is eager to see the return of his former running mate, who signed with the Jets this offseason. Like so many around the NHL, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, who won three Stanley Cup championships with the Blackhawks playing alongside Jonathan Toews, is eager to see the return of his former running mate, who signed with the Jets this offseason.
Source: Steelers sign Peppers with Elliott injured
Summary
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, a source confirmed to ESPN, after starting safety DeShon Elliott left Sunday's season opener against the Jets with a knee injury. The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, a source confirmed to ESPN, after starting safety DeShon Elliott left Sunday's season opener against the Jets with a knee injury. The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, a source confirmed to ESPN, after starting safety DeShon Elliott left Sunday's season opener against the Jets with a knee injury. The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, a source confirmed to ESPN, after starting safety DeShon Elliott left Sunday's season opener against the Jets with a knee injury.
Technology
Israeli firm BlackCore suspected of meddling in New York and Scotland votes
Summary
Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/world/israeli-firm-blackcore-also-suspected-meddling-nyc-scotland-votes-french-2026-06-11/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48514560 Points: 26 # Comments: 4 Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/world/israeli-firm-blackcore-also-suspected-meddling-nyc-scotland-votes-french-2026-06-11/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48514560 Points: 26 # Comments: 4 Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/world/israeli-firm-blackcore-also-suspected-meddling-nyc-scotland-votes-french-2026-06-11/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48514560 Points: 26 # Comments: 4 Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/world/israeli-firm-blackcore-also-suspected-meddling-nyc-scotland-votes-french-2026-06-11/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48514560 Points: 26 # Comments: 4 Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/world/israeli-firm-blackcore-also-suspected-meddling-nyc-scotland-votes-french-2026-06-11/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48514560 Points: 26 # Comments: 4 Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/world/israeli-firm-blackcore-also-suspected-meddling-nyc-scotland-votes-french-2026-06-11/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48514560 Points: 26 # Comments: 4
SpaceX is now a public company valued for its AI potential, so what comes next?
Summary
Space Exploration Technologies, better known simply as SpaceX, became a publicly traded company on Friday nearly a quarter of a century after it was founded. The company began trading on the Nasdaq exchange in New York City at $135 a share, valuing SpaceX at nearly $1.8 trillion. By the end of the trading day the company's shares were selling at $160.95, a respectable increase of more than 19 percent. On paper, SpaceX founder Elon Musk became the world's first trillionaire, with his personal stake in the company valued at more than $700 billion. Because of the company's stock options plan, thousands of current and former employees became overnight millionaires. Employees at SpaceX have worked remarkably hard over the last 24 years, and now they will be richly compensated for having…
Nothing CEO says phone prices are going to keep going up
Summary
Nothing Phone 4A Pro | Photo: Dominic Preston / The Verge If you're thinking about upgrading your phone, "the best time was yesterday," according to Nothing CEO and co-founder Carl Pei, echoing a message we heard during MWC. As Android Authority reports, Pei said in a post on X that the RAM shortage has already impacted Nothing's less expensive mid-range phone: "For Phone 4A , memory costs doubled between when we decided to build the device and when it launched. They've doubled again since." He warned that "Phone prices are going up, and they'll keep going up into next year." Pei says RAM can now account for over 50 percent of the cost of a new phone. Nothing's just the latest phone maker to warn … Read the full story…
EV demand up 50% in France and Germany since Iran war
Summary
Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/renault-electric-vehicle-orders-have-surged-since-start-iran-war-says-ceo-2026-06-10/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48507986 Points: 26 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/renault-electric-vehicle-orders-have-surged-since-start-iran-war-says-ceo-2026-06-10/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48507986 Points: 26 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/renault-electric-vehicle-orders-have-surged-since-start-iran-war-says-ceo-2026-06-10/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48507986 Points: 26 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/renault-electric-vehicle-orders-have-surged-since-start-iran-war-says-ceo-2026-06-10/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48507986 Points: 26 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/renault-electric-vehicle-orders-have-surged-since-start-iran-war-says-ceo-2026-06-10/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48507986 Points: 26 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/renault-electric-vehicle-orders-have-surged-since-start-iran-war-says-ceo-2026-06-10/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48507986 Points: 26 # Comments: 0