A group of UK MPs and NHS workers have urged the Labour Party to end a £330 million contract with the US tech company Palantir, which provides software for managing NHS health data. Critics worry about patient privacy and public trust due to Palantir’s links to military and government agencies, while the company claims its software improves patient care.
Key Facts
Palantir has a £330 million contract with NHS England since 2023 to manage and analyze health data.
MPs on two parliamentary committees want the NHS to cancel the contract by using a break clause in 2027 or finding a UK alternative.
Around 117 NHS data and technology workers signed a letter criticizing the contract, citing risks to patient privacy and trust.
Palantir’s software is used by US, Israeli, and UK militaries, raising concerns about its involvement beyond healthcare.
Palantir's CEO, Alex Karp, responded controversially about the company’s military work, which has added to public debate.
Palantir says its software has helped reduce surgery delays by 15% and improve cancer diagnosis times.
Sadiq Khan, London’s mayor, prevented the Metropolitan Police from awarding Palantir a £50 million contract over similar concerns.
The NHS controls how the software is used and data is processed according to legal and contractual rules.
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Ofcom fined the company behind the porn site Fapello £630,000 for not checking if UK users are 18 or older, as required by law since July 2025. The company did not respond to Ofcom’s requests and later blocked UK visitors. Ofcom continues to monitor compliance and has fined several other adult sites for similar failures.
Key Facts
UK law requires porn sites to verify users are at least 18 using effective age checks since July 2025.
The operator of Fapello did not implement any age verification methods.
Ofcom fined the company £600,000 for not checking ages and an extra £30,000 for ignoring information requests.
The site blocked UK users after the fine, but Ofcom is still watching the company’s compliance.
Ofcom has fined other adult sites millions of pounds in total for failing to meet age check rules.
Age verification methods accepted include credit card checks, photo ID, and selfie-based age estimation.
Ofcom stresses that age checks must be accurate, reliable, and fair.
A new investigation is underway into another porn site, Bit Hive, due to concerns about its age verification methods.
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A new study shows that a common blood test measuring immature white blood cells, called immature granulocytes, can help predict the risk of death within 30 days after a heart attack. Researchers found that patients with higher levels of these immature cells in their blood were more likely to have severe heart attacks and worse outcomes.
Key Facts
Immature granulocytes are a type of white blood cell usually found in the bone marrow but can appear in the blood during severe heart attacks.
The study analyzed blood samples from over 200 patients and healthy volunteers to track these cells.
The highest levels of immature granulocytes were found in patients with STEMI, the most serious kind of heart attack.
Patients with the most immature granulocytes had a much higher risk of dying within one month after their heart attack.
The test is low-cost and uses a routine blood count, making it easy to include in hospital procedures.
These immature cells reflect the level of inflammation in the body after a heart attack.
Researchers confirmed these results by testing additional patient groups, showing this measure is better at predicting death risk than other current markers.
More studies are needed before using this test routinely, but it could help doctors identify high-risk patients quickly for better care.
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SpaceX’s Starship rocket can carry more than 100 metric tons into low-Earth orbit, which is much more than existing rockets. This large capacity could change how satellites are designed and launched, enabling new missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Starship is still being tested, but NASA, the US military, and satellite makers are preparing to use its capabilities.
Key Facts
Starship can carry over 100 metric tons (220,000 pounds) to low-Earth orbit.
Refueling in space could allow Starship to reach higher orbits, the Moon, or Mars.
Starship is still experimental and has not fully proven its capabilities.
NASA and the US military plan to use Starship for lunar missions and cargo transport to remote locations.
Satellite makers are designing new payloads to take advantage of Starship’s high capacity.
The traditional approach matched rocket size to satellite size; Starship’s size breaks this pattern.
NASA’s Space Shuttle once challenged these launch norms but was replaced by more cost-effective rockets.
Competitors like China are developing rockets similar to Starship.
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Virginia is known for having the largest number of data centers in the world, but a major new project called the Prince William Digital Gateway was canceled. This happened after courts ruled that the local government did not follow the proper legal steps when approving the land use for the project, which faced opposition from residents and preservation groups.
Key Facts
Virginia has the highest concentration of data centers globally, with Northern Virginia accounting for 13% of the world's data center capacity.
The Prince William Digital Gateway project planned to build the world's largest data center campus on about 2,100 acres.
Blackstone-owned QTS company stopped the project after losing a legal fight involving local residents and historians.
Courts found that the county did not give proper public notice before changing land rules for the project.
Opposition came from people concerned about damage to the nearby Manassas National Battlefield Park and local resources.
Virginia’s data center growth is driven by good internet infrastructure, reliable electricity, and tax incentives.
Increasing demand for data centers is linked to the rapid growth of artificial intelligence technology.
Experts warn that limited land and concerns about electricity and water use are making new data center projects harder to approve.
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Three major AI developments are happening at once, changing how governments and businesses respond. The U.S. and China are both considering controls on advanced AI technology to address security concerns and protect their leadership.
Key Facts
New AI models like Anthropic's Mythos and OpenAI's Sol can handle complex tasks like writing and testing code with minimal human help.
Elon Musk's SpaceXAI introduced Grok 4.5, a much bigger AI model, and plans to release an even larger one soon.
China leads in open-source AI with models like GLM-5.2, which matches top U.S. AI performances and may reach advanced levels by early 2027.
The U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, is debating stronger rules for AI development, including formal protocols before releasing powerful models.
Past restrictions on certain AI models showed the government can require companies to cooperate for national security reasons.
Officials are considering creating a new organization to oversee AI regulation, possibly with international partners.
China is discussing ways to limit global access to its best AI technology, while the U.S. is also thinking about blocking Chinese access to its models.
The growing abilities of AI have shifted the approach from light oversight to serious concern about security and global competition.
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Sony announced that it will stop making physical PlayStation game discs starting in 2028 and focus only on digital game sales. This decision follows a recent example where Sony removed some digital movies from users' libraries, highlighting concerns about owning digital products. Many gamers and companies reacted strongly to Sony's news, worried about losing the option to buy physical discs.
Key Facts
Sony will end production of physical PlayStation game discs in 2028.
Around 80% of PlayStation game sales are already digital downloads.
The switch saves Sony money on manufacturing and shipping discs.
Players will no longer be able to share, resell, or buy discounted physical games.
Sony currently controls game pricing through its digital PlayStation Store.
This decision might impact PlayStation superfans who spend above average and promote games.
Sony has faced criticism and lawsuits over its digital sales monopoly.
The change could lead to cheaper PlayStation consoles without disc drives in the future.
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Meta has launched Muse Image, a new AI tool that creates and edits images using photos from public Instagram accounts. Users with public profiles can opt out if they do not want their photos used, but privacy concerns have arisen because people are not notified when their images are used and past AI creations cannot be removed.
Key Facts
Muse Image is an AI model by Meta that generates and edits images based on text prompts and photos.
It can use photos from public Instagram accounts to create personalized images.
The feature is currently being introduced in the United States and is built into Meta AI and Instagram apps.
Users with public Instagram profiles must opt out if they do not want their photos included in Muse Image creations.
Meta does not notify users when their photos are used to make AI-generated images.
Opting out only stops future uses; existing AI-generated images using a person’s photos remain online.
Critics and privacy advocates worry about consent and personal data being used without clear permission.
Meta describes Muse Image as a tool for creating custom graphics, artworks, and edits combining multiple references.
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Low-emissivity (low-E) windows help keep homes warm in winter and cool in summer by reflecting heat. However, if the glass is curved or bowed, it can focus the reflected sunlight onto nearby objects, sometimes causing fires on neighbors’ properties.
Key Facts
Low-E glass has a special coating that lets light in but reflects heat to improve energy efficiency.
The glass keeps homes warm by reflecting interior heat back inside during winter.
It also reflects solar heat away in summer to keep homes cool.
If the glass is bowed or curved, it can act like a magnifying glass and concentrate heat on a single spot.
Concentrated reflected heat has caused damage like scorching wooden decks and melting artificial turf.
There have been cases where low-E windows caused fires on neighboring properties.
Large buildings avoid curved reflective glass because of this fire risk, but smaller home windows may still cause problems if poorly made.
One homeowner moved a propane tank after three fires linked to nearby low-E windows focused heat on it.
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Two 15-year-olds were stopped by police after being reported by a self-driving Waymo car in Northern California. The teens were drinking and shooting water beads while riding in the vehicle, which was remotely pulled over by the company and alerted law enforcement.
Key Facts
Two 15-year-old teens were detained by police in San Mateo, California.
They were drinking alcohol and shooting water-absorbent beads (Orbeez) from a self-driving Waymo car.
Waymo remotely stopped the vehicle and notified police, who then searched the car.
The teens were not locked inside and could leave the vehicle at any time.
Police used the Waymo’s communication system to talk to a company representative during the stop.
Waymo vehicles have internal cameras for safety and lost item recovery but do not use facial recognition.
Company policy allows reviewing video if an issue is reported or in urgent situations.
This incident follows another recent case where a Waymo vehicle was involved in a police matter after being used by a burglary suspect.
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Meta will spend over $9.1 billion to build its first AI data center in Canada, located in Alberta. The center will be the largest outside the U.S. and will be powered by a natural gas plant planned to start operating in 2030.
Key Facts
Meta owns Facebook and Instagram.
The new data center will be in Sturgeon County, Alberta.
It will be Meta’s biggest AI data center outside the United States.
The power for the center will come from a natural gas plant developed by several companies including Pembina Pipeline.
Alberta aims to attract data centers by allowing companies to build their own power sources.
The data center will use a cooling system that does not use local water sources.
Meta will also spend $42 million to improve local roads and water systems.
The natural gas power plant is planned to begin operations in the second half of 2030.
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A Brown University economics professor noticed unusually high scores on a take-home midterm exam and suspected many students used AI tools to cheat. When the final exam was held in person, scores dropped sharply, confirming widespread cheating with AI during the midterm.
Key Facts
Brown University economics professor Roberto Serrano offered take-home midterm and final exams in spring 2026 after a traumatic campus event.
Enrollment in Serrano’s course rose from a usual 8–30 students to 86 students that semester.
The midterm average score was 96 out of 100, with 40 students scoring a perfect 100, unusually high for this difficult course.
Professor Serrano and his assistants found student exam answers resembled responses generated by ChatGPT, an AI chatbot.
Serrano made the final exam in-person to compare results and verify academic honesty.
For the in-person final, average scores dropped sharply to 48 out of 100.
27 students dropped or skipped the final; most of them had scored perfect 100s on the midterm.
The case highlights concerns about AI use for cheating and its impact on learning.
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Twenty states and Puerto Rico now offer digital driver’s licenses that you can store on your phone. These digital IDs let you prove your identity by tapping your phone or showing a QR code, which can protect more of your personal information than a plastic ID. However, some people are worried about privacy, especially if governments could track where you use your digital ID.
Key Facts
Twenty states plus Puerto Rico offer mobile driver’s licenses (mDL).
You can add the digital ID to your phone’s mobile wallet or a state app.
Over 250 U.S. airports accept mobile driver’s licenses for domestic flights.
Digital IDs can share only necessary information, like age, without revealing full details.
Phones can use security features like facial ID or fingerprints to protect the digital ID.
If a phone with a digital ID is lost, the ID can be remotely removed via your DMV account.
Privacy advocates worry that digital IDs could allow governments to track users.
The AAMVA guidelines forbid “phone home” systems where the ID checks call back to a server, reducing tracking risks.
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Quantum computers have the potential to break current security systems that protect important digital information like money and personal data. Because large institutions cannot rebuild their security systems quickly, experts say they need to develop new quantum-safe infrastructure that can work with existing technology.
Key Facts
Quantum computing can eventually break the encryption that protects online banking, passwords, and government communications.
Preparing for quantum-safe security is urgent because large institutions take a long time to update systems.
Many current plans suggest completely replacing infrastructure, which is unrealistic for banks, governments, and other institutions.
Quantum-safe infrastructure should strengthen security without forcing organizations to replace their entire systems.
Encryption is essential for protecting digital economy operations such as payments, medical records, and identity verification.
Companies must test new quantum-safe security measures in real-world conditions before fully adopting them.
Security changes affect many parts of digital systems, including access controls, approvals, and compliance processes.
Experts focus on developing cryptographic tools that are strong, efficient, and meet new standards for quantum safety.
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A lawsuit alleges that a man used the AI tool Grok to create 7,000 sexually explicit images of his stepdaughter and then took his own life after police discovered this. The complaint claims the AI company xAI failed to help law enforcement by withholding important user information, which delayed the investigation.
Key Facts
A stepfather used Grok to make thousands of illegal sexual images of his stepdaughter starting from one photo when she was 11 years old.
Grok allowed creating extreme and harmful images without warning or blocking until a certain prompt triggered a report to a national child protection center.
xAI, the company behind Grok, reportedly did not provide police with key details like the user’s IP address, which is usually required in such cases.
This lack of cooperation allegedly obstructed law enforcement’s ability to identify and arrest the man quickly.
After his release on bail, the man died by suicide.
The stepdaughter suffers from serious emotional harm, including anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
The lawsuit claims that many reports sent by xAI to the child protection center did not include enough information to act, protecting users instead of children.
Jane Doe 4, the victim, says the company remained silent despite knowing about the abuse caused by their AI.
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Two serious security bugs have been found in Linux, an open-source operating system used around the world. One bug allows virtual machines to break out and take control of the main system, and the other lets users gain higher access rights than allowed. Google paid large rewards to the researchers who found these bugs.
Key Facts
A Linux bug called Januscape lets a virtual machine escape its container and take over the host system.
Januscape affects KVM, a virtual machine feature used in many Linux systems, and has been undetected for 16 years.
The bug works on computers with both AMD and Intel processors.
Exploiting Januscape requires root access inside the virtual machine.
Another Linux flaw, named GhostLock, allows users with limited rights to gain full root access.
GhostLock was found in a kernel system related to task priority and memory handling and existed for 15 years.
Google awarded $250,000 for Januscape and $92,337 for GhostLock through its bug bounty program.
Both bugs have been fixed with software updates released to protect users.
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The Australian government’s broadband testing program, run by the ACCC and using SamKnows routers, ended on June 30, 2026. After the program finished, thousands of these routers were disabled, even though many still work and could be reused.
Key Facts
The Measuring Broadband Australia (MBA) program started in 2020 to test internet speeds using SamKnows routers given to volunteers.
The program focused on fixed-line broadband services over Australia’s NBN network and other access networks.
After June 30, 2026, the routers were “bricked,” meaning they were disabled and stopped collecting data.
Volunteers were told their accounts would be closed and their data deleted after the program ended.
Some volunteers pointed out the routers still function and can be reused by installing open-source software called OpenWRT.
Reusing the routers could prevent unnecessary electronic waste, but the government encouraged volunteers to dispose of the devices responsibly instead.
About 4,000 routers were expected to be distributed during the program, with over 2,600 given out by late 2020.
A similar program in the US distributed 9,000 routers in 2011, but it is unknown what happened to those devices afterward.
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Researchers from Northwestern University studied how TikTok’s For You Page (FYP) algorithm reacts to user feedback. They found that while users can reduce unwanted videos by marking them "not interested," the effect usually fades unless users keep providing the same feedback repeatedly.
Key Facts
TikTok’s FYP uses an algorithm that looks at how long users watch videos and if they like or follow content creators.
Some users feel their negative feedback, like clicking "not interested," does not stop certain videos from appearing.
Northwestern researchers created 90 bot accounts to test how the TikTok algorithm responds to different signals.
Their tests focused on three video types: cooking, fitness, and sports betting.
Using the "not interested" button reduced unwanted videos by about 84%, but skipping videos only lowered them by 48%.
The "not interested" button is not always easy for users to find.
The algorithm often returns to showing unwanted videos after a short time, especially if the user briefly interacts with that content again.
The research shows TikTok’s algorithm needs constant, repeated negative feedback to keep unwanted videos off a user’s feed.
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SpaceXAI, led by Elon Musk, has launched Grok 4.5, a new advanced AI model focused on coding and work tasks. This model is faster and cheaper than some rivals and is now available on several platforms, but not yet in the EU.
Key Facts
Grok 4.5 is SpaceXAI’s newest AI model, designed mostly for coding and work automation, not just chatting.
It was developed together with Cursor, an AI coding startup recently acquired by SpaceXAI.
The model is claimed to be faster, lower cost, and more efficient than Anthropic’s Opus 4.8 and some OpenAI models.
Grok 4.5 costs $2 per million input tokens and $6 per million output tokens, cheaper than some competitors.
The AI was trained using the same computer power that SpaceXAI currently rents out to competitors like Anthropic and Google.
Grok 4.5 is available in Grok Build, Cursor, and on the SpaceXAI console, but not yet in the European Union.
OpenAI is releasing its GPT 5.6 model widely soon, alongside new voice AI models.
SpaceXAI plans to compete seriously with other AI companies by offering a business-focused, cost-effective model.
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City Labs, a company in Miami, launched a small satellite called BOHR that uses a new type of nuclear battery powered by tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen. This marks the first commercial nuclear-powered CubeSat satellite, designed to provide a small but steady source of electricity in space without relying on sunlight.
Key Facts
BOHR stands for Betavoltaic Orbital High-Reliability and is a "1U" CubeSat, about the size of a softball.
The satellite uses a betavoltaic battery that converts energy from tritium decay into electricity.
Tritium is a radioactive isotope with low-energy radiation, making it safer and less toxic than common nuclear fuels like plutonium or uranium.
BOHR was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of a mission that carried 80 other payloads.
The satellite’s main spacecraft functions still rely on solar power; the nuclear battery powers a demonstration payload.
Betavoltaic batteries provide low-level, long-lasting energy, suitable for remote sensors and small devices.
City Labs is working with NASA and the U.S. military on other nuclear power applications in space and on Earth.
BOHR was the first commercial nuclear satellite to receive launch approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration under new rules.
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