WhatsApp will soon let users choose usernames instead of showing their phone numbers. This change aims to improve privacy by allowing people to be contacted through unique usernames rather than personal phone numbers.
Key Facts
WhatsApp is owned by Meta and is used by about three billion people worldwide.
Users can reserve unique usernames or "handles" starting later this year.
Usernames will replace phone numbers as the main way to find and contact people on WhatsApp.
There will be no public directory or autocomplete for usernames; you must know the exact username to contact someone.
Users can add optional "username keys," meaning others need both the username and a code to reach them.
WhatsApp will limit how many new people a user can contact to reduce spam and will block abuse patterns automatically.
Companies and creators with Meta accounts on Facebook or Instagram can claim the same usernames on WhatsApp.
The username feature will roll out gradually, and users need to update their WhatsApp app to use it.
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NASA plans to launch a robotic mission to save the aging Swift space telescope from burning up as it falls toward Earth. The robot will catch the telescope in orbit and move it to a higher, safer altitude to extend its life.
Key Facts
NASA will send a robotic rescue mission to the Swift space telescope, which is losing altitude and will soon burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.
The mission will launch no earlier than July 1, 2026, from a Pacific Ocean site using a Pegasus rocket released from a jet aircraft.
The rescue robot will locate Swift in space, attach itself using three movable arms, and tow it about 300 km higher into a stable orbit.
The Swift telescope was launched in 2004 for a two-year mission to study gamma-ray bursts, very short bursts of intense energy from space.
Swift orbits at about 600 km altitude, where atmospheric drag gradually pulls satellites down, causing them to lose height over time.
This mission is one of the first attempts by NASA to extend the life of a satellite by moving it to a higher orbit, similar to a Chinese mission four years ago.
NASA started planning the rescue after detecting in early 2025 that Swift was nearing the end of its operational life.
The operation will take several months, with complex steps including locating, capturing, and raising the telescope.
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Last week, global stock markets fell, led by drops in tech companies tied to artificial intelligence (AI), like Alphabet, Samsung, and SK Hynix. Despite this, the AI industry’s overall growth and stock gains this year remain strong, and experts do not see these drops as the end of the AI boom.
Key Facts
Alphabet had its worst stock market day in over a year after several top leaders left its AI unit, Deepmind.
Samsung and SK Hynix shares fell sharply due to concerns over their $500 billion spending plans and weaker demand for their AI-related memory products.
Samsung and SK Hynix make up half of South Korea’s main stock index and can strongly influence the country’s economy.
Despite recent losses, Samsung’s share price is up 183% and SK Hynix’s is up 310% this year.
Google’s stock price has increased 20% year-to-date.
SpaceX, which owns Elon Musk’s xAI, saw big stock losses after its recent market debut and plans for a large bond sale.
Elon Musk lost his status as the world’s first trillionaire due to SpaceX’s stock drop.
The AI sector’s current market decline has not caused a crash but has impacted tech-heavy indexes like Nasdaq and contributed to higher tech product prices, like those from Apple.
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A study of a U.S. tech company with 200 employees found that using AI changes how people work. It makes work spread out more over time, leads to more multitasking, and increases the amount of work because tasks become easier to begin.
Key Facts
The study lasted eight months inside a tech company with 200 employees.
AI tools reduce friction, meaning tasks start more easily and quickly.
As a result, work expands and does not just fit normal hours.
People multitask more by handling several tasks at the same time.
These changes affect how fast people work and how they focus.
The study shows AI changes work habits rather than simply making work faster.
Companies should understand these shifts to manage workers and projects better.
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NASA is carrying out a special mission to save the Swift Observatory, a space telescope that is coming back down toward Earth. The telescope is at risk of falling into the atmosphere where it could burn up.
Key Facts
The Swift Observatory is a NASA telescope in space.
It is currently losing altitude and falling toward Earth.
If it enters the atmosphere uncontrolled, it could burn up or be destroyed.
NASA has started a rescue mission to prevent this from happening.
The mission aims to keep the telescope safe and operational.
This rescue operation is described as unprecedented, meaning it is never done before.
The telescope helps scientists study space and distant cosmic events.
Saving the telescope will allow NASA to continue its important research.
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Hackers stole more than 630 gigabytes of secret data from Tata Electronics, a key Apple supplier, and published details about the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro. The stolen information shows parts, suppliers, and insider information about Apple’s supply chain. Apple is investigating the breach and is concerned about the leak.
Key Facts
The ransomware group World Leaks claimed responsibility for the attack.
Over 200,000 files containing detailed information about the iPhone 18 Pro were posted online.
Tata Electronics confirmed the security breach and is investigating it.
The stolen data includes details on parts like chips, batteries, and cameras, and supplier competition.
Cybersecurity experts say attackers likely had deep access within Tata Electronics systems.
World Leaks uses a "hack-and-leak" method, demanding ransom before exposing data.
No consumer data or payment information from Apple users was reported stolen.
The breach could damage the reputation of both Apple and Tata Electronics and shows risks in the supply chain security.
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China has successfully tested two large superconducting magnets used to contain superheated plasma in fusion reactors, a key step in their "artificial sun" project. These magnets are fully made in China and designed to operate under extreme conditions, helping advance fusion energy research.
Key Facts
Fusion energy is produced by combining light atomic nuclei, unlike traditional nuclear power which splits heavy atoms.
Fusion reactions require extremely high temperatures (over 180 million degrees Fahrenheit) and strong magnetic fields to hold plasma without touching reactor walls.
China tested a toroidal-field magnet measuring 69 x 39 x 11 feet, weighing 582 tons, with a 6.5-tesla magnetic field and a 60-year expected lifespan.
The high-temperature superconducting central solenoid coil drives plasma current to stabilize the fusion reaction.
These magnets store three times more energy than similar magnets used in the international ITER fusion project in France.
The tested components were developed in six years with 47 patents and 14 technical standards, all made within China.
The test confirmed the magnets' readiness but did not produce electricity during this phase.
China aims to lead in fusion energy as part of a broader push for technology-driven economic growth and has invested billions in fusion projects.
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The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is working to reduce Apple and Google’s control over mobile app purchases by allowing developers to direct users to pay outside their app stores. This change aims to increase competition and give users more payment options, as both companies now charge up to 30% commission on in-app purchases.
Key Facts
Apple and Google control over 90% of UK mobile devices, creating an “effective duopoly.”
The CMA wants to let apps guide users to websites for purchases, bypassing app store fees.
Currently, Apple and Google charge up to 30% commission on app-based payments.
Google has already allowed steering to external payment methods on its Play Store.
Spotify avoids Apple’s high fees by requiring subscriptions through its desktop website.
The CMA may require Apple to open its near-field communication (NFC) technology for contactless payments in iOS apps.
Apple warns that allowing steering could reduce user protections and increase risks like scams.
The CMA granted Apple and Google “strategic market status” last year to enforce specific rules on their conduct.
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Cliff Bleszinski, known for creating the Gears of War series, launched his own game studio Boss Key Productions and developed games like LawBreakers and Radical Heights. Despite positive reviews, these games struggled against competitors, leading to the studio closing in 2018. Later, Bleszinski found a new interest in Broadway production after connecting with actor Alex Boniello.
Key Facts
Cliff Bleszinski was the lead designer behind the popular Gears of War game series.
He started his own studio, Boss Key Productions, and released LawBreakers in 2017.
LawBreakers mixed unique gameplay but could not compete with Blizzard’s Overwatch.
Boss Key created Radical Heights, an early access battle royale game but lacked cheat protection.
Radical Heights gained temporary attention when streamer Ninja played it, but Fortnite kept most streamers.
Boss Key Productions closed in the summer of 2018 due to financial and competitive pressures.
Bleszinski struggled emotionally during the studio’s decline.
He later developed an interest in producing the Broadway musical Hadestown after meeting actor Alex Boniello.
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Social Media Day is celebrated on June 30 each year to recognize the role of social media in communication. Over 5.6 billion people, or more than two-thirds of the world population, use social media daily, spending an average of almost two hours and 40 minutes per day on these platforms. Some countries have started setting age limits to restrict children's access to social media to protect their well-being.
Key Facts
Social Media Day was created in 2010 by the website Mashable.
There are 5.66 billion social media users worldwide in 2025, about 68% of the global population.
Users spend an average of 18 hours and 36 minutes online per week on social media.
East Asia has the highest social media use at 88.1% of its population; Central Africa has the lowest at 12.1%.
Facebook is the most popular social media platform with 3.07 billion monthly active users.
Instagram and WhatsApp each have about 3 billion monthly active users; YouTube has 2.58 billion; TikTok has nearly 2 billion.
Some countries like Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Turkiye, and the UK are introducing laws banning or limiting social media use for children under 15 or 16 years old.
The EU is considering rules to protect children from addictive features like infinite scroll and autoplay on social media.
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WhatsApp will allow users to create and use unique usernames instead of phone numbers to improve privacy. This feature will roll out later this year, letting people be found and contacted only by their chosen usernames without exposing their phone numbers.
Key Facts
WhatsApp will let users choose unique usernames to hide their phone numbers.
Users must know the exact username to contact someone new on WhatsApp.
This change adds a new privacy layer with no public username directory or autocomplete.
The update will be available to all users in the coming months, with early username reservations starting now.
Usernames must be 3 to 35 characters long.
High-profile usernames, such as those of celebrities and government groups, will be protected to prevent impersonation.
Current privacy only allows blocking or silencing unknown contacts.
Companies and creators with Meta social media accounts can claim their usernames early.
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The Oura Ring 5 is a much smaller and lighter smart ring that tracks health data like heart rate, sleep, and temperature. It costs around $399 and requires a monthly subscription to access full features, offering improvements in size, comfort, battery life, and durability compared to the previous model.
Key Facts
The Ring 5 is 40% smaller in volume than the previous Ring 4 and weighs about 2 grams.
It measures around 6mm wide and 2.23mm thick, making it similar in size to a regular wedding band.
It tracks over 50 health metrics including heart rate, blood oxygen, body temperature, movement, sleep, stress, and women’s health.
The Ring 5 comes in six colors, is made of titanium, and has a more scratch-resistant coating.
Users choose from eight sizes, and Oura offers a free sizing kit to help find the right fit.
The battery lasts between 6 to 9 days depending on ring size, with a full charge taking under 90 minutes.
The ring syncs with the Oura app on smartphones via Bluetooth, but full data access requires a subscription costing about $6 a month.
Optional accessories include a battery case for travel that provides multiple full charges.
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Iason Gabriel, a political philosopher, joined Google’s AI research lab DeepMind in 2017 to help address the ethical challenges of advanced artificial intelligence (AI). DeepMind aims to create artificial general intelligence (AGI), which means AI that can think and learn like a human, and Gabriel’s role is to consider the moral and societal impacts of this technology.
Key Facts
Iason Gabriel was a political philosopher and Oxford academic before joining DeepMind in 2017.
DeepMind is a London-based AI research lab owned by Google since 2014.
DeepMind became famous when its AI program AlphaGo defeated a top human player in the complex game Go in 2016.
The founders of DeepMind believe it is possible to create artificial general intelligence (AGI) that can match or surpass human intelligence.
Shane Legg, one of DeepMind’s founders, predicted AGI could arrive between 2025 and 2028.
DeepMind hires experts like Gabriel to think about the ethical and moral issues related to creating powerful AI.
Gabriel’s work has involved studying the ethical challenges raised by the rise of advanced AI systems, such as large language models.
Philosophers like Gabriel provide perspectives that differ from those of engineers, helping guide the responsible development of AI.
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NASA is planning a space mission to save an old telescope that is at risk of falling back to Earth. The rescue operation could start as soon as Tuesday morning.
Key Facts
NASA has an aging space telescope that may fall to Earth without intervention.
The agency is preparing a rescue mission to prevent the telescope from crashing.
The mission is described as daring and involves complex space operations.
The rescue attempt could begin on Tuesday morning.
Saving the telescope is important to continue its scientific work.
CBS News space consultant Bill Harwood is providing updates on the mission.
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The U.S. government is offering up to $10 million for information to help identify a Russian cyber group that hacked thousands of Signal and WhatsApp accounts. The group tricked users into giving access to their accounts, mainly targeting journalists and government workers.
Key Facts
The hacking campaign started at least in March and targets Signal and WhatsApp users.
Attackers send fake messages pretending to be support alerts, asking users to click links or share codes.
If users comply, hackers gain control or access to their accounts and messages.
Signal has a security feature that protects past messages, but attackers found a way to get backups by tricking users into sharing encryption keys.
Two Russian cyber groups linked to the FSB, UNC5792 and UNC4221, are blamed for the attacks.
The U.S. State Department’s Reward for Justice program is offering $10 million for information about these groups.
The campaign targets high-value individuals like U.S. government officials, military personnel, political figures, and journalists.
Attackers also used Signal’s feature for creating group chat links to help in their hacking efforts.
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Peacock has announced over 80 movies and several new TV series coming in July 2026. Titles include popular movies like "Titanic," "Bridesmaids," and "Jaws," along with new series such as "The Five Star Weekend" and the exclusive film "Reminders of Him."
Key Facts
Peacock will add more than 80 movies on July 1, 2026.
Popular movies include "27 Dresses," "Bridesmaids," "Titanic," and "Jaws."
New series "The Five Star Weekend" based on Elin Hilderbrand's novel premieres July 9 with all 8 episodes released at once.
"Reminders of Him," a film based on Colleen Hoover's book, premieres on Peacock exclusively on July 10.
Several movies and shows marked with an asterisk (*) are exclusive to Peacock.
Other TV show premieres and finales are scheduled throughout the month, like "Love Island USA" and "Jeopardy!"
Some episodes from popular series will be available on demand shortly after airing.
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South Korea’s government and major technology companies are investing $1 trillion in projects to increase memory chip production, build large AI data centers, and develop humanoid robots by 2028. These efforts aim to support the growing global demand for AI-related technology but also raise challenges like resource needs and worker concerns about robots replacing jobs.
Key Facts
South Korea plans to invest $1 trillion in technology projects by 2028.
Samsung and SK Hynix will spend $585 billion on new memory chip factories to double DRAM production in five years.
Building new chip plants could take many years, with one previous facility taking nine years to complete.
SK Group, GS Group, and Naver will invest $357 billion in creating large AI data centers in several provinces.
These projects will require a lot of electricity and water; the government is working to secure these resources.
South Korea uses nuclear, coal, and natural gas power, but natural gas supply is unstable due to global issues.
Hyundai plans to mass-produce humanoid robots to assist in factories and other workplaces.
Some workers and policymakers are concerned about large company profits and the impact of robots on jobs.
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The U.S. government has allowed the company Anthropic to provide access again to its Mythos 5 artificial intelligence model. This access is limited to certain U.S. companies and government agencies.
Key Facts
Anthropic is a company that develops AI models.
Mythos 5 is one of Anthropic’s artificial intelligence models.
The U.S. government had previously restricted access to Mythos 5.
The current administration led by President Donald Trump has eased these restrictions.
Only a select group of U.S. companies and federal agencies can now use Mythos 5.
This change aims to balance innovation with security concerns.
The New York Times tech reporter Sheera Frenkel has reported on this development.
The news was covered by CBS News.
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Sony told PlayStation customers in the UK that they will lose access to 551 movies and shows from StudioCanal starting September 1. This means users cannot watch content they previously bought because Sony’s licensing deal ended.
Key Facts
Sony will remove 551 StudioCanal titles from UK PlayStation libraries on September 1.
Affected titles include popular movies like Paddington, Terminator 2, and Rambo 3.
Sony said this removal is due to content licensing agreements, which give temporary rights to show the content.
Sony previously removed StudioCanal titles from Germany and Austria in 2022.
Sony also deleted Funimation digital libraries after merging it with Crunchyroll.
Sony stopped selling movie and show rentals and purchases on its store in August 2021.
Digital purchases are actually long-term licenses that can be revoked if agreements expire.
Some customers are upset and want refunds or clearer terms about digital ownership.
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The engineer of the Jeddah Tower, soon to be the world's tallest building, predicts that skyscrapers could become two to three times taller in the next 50 years. Advances in building materials and construction methods will help achieve this, while future challenges may also focus on making existing buildings more sustainable.
Key Facts
The Jeddah Tower will be over 1,000 meters tall, surpassing Dubai’s Burj Khalifa at about 828 meters.
Engineer John Peronto says projects for skyscrapers twice or thrice as tall as Jeddah Tower are already being planned but are not public yet.
Advances in concrete and other building materials are key to enabling taller buildings.
Engineers are facing limits in current construction technology and must improve collaboration to build supertall structures.
Environmental concerns and the age of many existing buildings are driving interest in restoring and improving current buildings.
Architect Gordon Gill suggests the future focus may shift to upgrading buildings for sustainability rather than just building higher.
Peronto also mentioned the possibility of constructing tall buildings beyond Earth, such as on the moon, within the next 50 years.
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