The Department of Energy is leading a project called the Genesis Mission to use artificial intelligence (AI) to help clean up the environment in the United States. This mission aims to speed up the process of removing pollution and restoring natural areas using new AI tools.
Key Facts
The Genesis Mission is a project by the U.S. Department of Energy.
It uses artificial intelligence to assist in environmental cleanup efforts.
AI helps identify pollution and plan cleanup more quickly.
The mission focuses on restoring natural sites across America.
This project is considered a major scientific effort of the current generation.
AI tools improve the ability to analyze large amounts of environmental data.
The initiative supports President Donald Trump’s environmental goals.
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Will Cathcart is stepping down as head of WhatsApp after nearly seven years. Kunal Shah, the founder of the Indian fintech start-up Cred, will take over leading the messaging app, which is used by over three billion people worldwide.
Key Facts
Will Cathcart has led WhatsApp for almost seven years and helped it grow to more than three billion users.
Cathcart announced his decision to step back while WhatsApp is in a strong position.
Kunal Shah, founder of Cred, will become the new head of WhatsApp.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg praised Shah’s experience and global outlook.
Cred is an Indian fintech company that rewards users who pay their credit cards on time.
Meta invested $900 million in Cred, owning about 20% of the company.
Meta has no access to Cred’s member data despite the investment.
WhatsApp has about 853 million users in India and is part of Meta’s family of apps.
WhatsApp is exploring new revenue ways like ads, paid subscriptions, and AI features.
WhatsApp has faced privacy concerns and legal challenges in India related to data sharing.
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Two British hackers pleaded guilty to breaking into Transport for London's computer systems in 2024, causing £39 million in damage and affecting 10 million people’s data. The attack disrupted payment services and live travel updates, and one hacker also admitted hacking two U.S. healthcare companies.
Key Facts
Thalha Jubair (20) and Owen Flowers (18) pleaded guilty at Woolwich crown court to computer misuse offenses.
They attacked Transport for London (TfL), affecting live tube info, payment systems, and customer data for about 10 million people.
The hack caused losses estimated at £39 million.
TfL emailed over 7 million customers to warn them about the incident and possible data theft.
Flowers also admitted hacking two U.S. healthcare firms in September 2024.
Jubair faces additional accusations from the U.S. related to cyber-attacks on 47 organizations, involving over $100 million in ransom.
Both hackers were held in custody while awaiting sentencing in July 2024.
Some charges against them were not pursued further after guilty pleas on key offenses.
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The US Space Force conducted a secretive military exercise by launching a small satellite called Victus Haze Puma from New Zealand to test quick responses to potential threats in low-Earth orbit. This mission involved two satellites designed to approach, inspect, and switch roles to demonstrate how the military could manage space-based threats with commercial partners.
Key Facts
Rocket Lab launched the Victus Haze Puma satellite on Friday from Māhia Peninsula, New Zealand, with little public announcement.
The launch was part of a US Space Force exercise to test rapid response in low-Earth orbit, where satellites circle the Earth at relatively low altitudes.
The satellite entered a polar orbit between 215 and 286 miles above Earth, inclined about 97.5 degrees to the equator.
Victus Haze Puma was launched to inspect another satellite, Jackal-0004, built by True Anomaly, which was launched on May 3 via a SpaceX mission from California.
Jackal-0004 and Puma are maneuverable satellites designed to perform “rendezvous and proximity operations,” meaning they come close to each other and interact in orbit.
Within eight hours of launch, Puma approached Jackal to within about 60 miles (100 km) of each other.
The satellites will later switch roles, with Jackal inspecting Puma, showing advanced satellite capabilities for national security purposes.
Both companies and military officials have kept details about the launch and mission mostly quiet, with no public livestream or formal statements as of early Monday.
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Amazon Prime Video has canceled several shows, including an animated sitcom called Kevin and the superhero spinoff Gen V, while renewing at least seven other series. Some canceled shows received positive reviews and ratings but were ended after one or two seasons.
Key Facts
Amazon Prime Video canceled the animated sitcom Kevin after one season; the show had a 6.4/10 rating on IMDb.
Gen V, a spinoff of The Boys, was canceled after two seasons despite strong reviews and a 7.6/10 IMDb rating.
The Runarounds, a musical drama, was canceled after one season; it holds a 7.8/10 rating on IMDb.
Hazbin Hotel will end after its fifth season, with three more seasons confirmed before concluding.
Prime Video renewed at least seven other shows, including Young Sherlock, Jury Duty, and a Legally Blonde prequel.
The cancellations come despite some shows having good audience and critic scores.
Creators of canceled shows expressed disappointment but confirmed plans to continue related projects or music careers.
Amazon MGM Studios praised Hazbin Hotel for pushing adult animation boundaries.
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On Monday morning, many people had trouble using X (formerly Twitter) because of a technical problem caused by Cloudflare, an internet service provider. Other sites like Reddit, Zoom, Robinhood, Canva, and Microsoft Teams also had some issues at the same time, but not as many as X.
Key Facts
Over 27,000 users reported problems with X around 10 a.m. Eastern Time.
The problem started around 13:35 UTC and caused slow performance and failures.
Cloudflare identified the issue and worked on a fix.
About half of the complaints said the X app would not load or refresh feeds.
Users moved to Meta’s Threads app to talk about the outage.
Other services like Reddit, Zoom, Robinhood, Canva, and Microsoft Teams also had increased problem reports.
The connection between Cloudflare’s problem and the other outages is unclear but suspected.
The problem affected X’s app, feed, and desktop website.
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Two teenagers have admitted to committing crimes linked to a major cyber attack on Transport for London (TfL). This attack caused TfL to experience several months of problems.
Key Facts
Two teenagers pleaded guilty for their role in a cyber attack on TfL.
The attack caused months of disruption to London's transport system.
Transport for London operates services like the London Underground.
The incident is part of ongoing reporting and more details will be shared soon.
Cyber attacks involve hacking or illegally accessing computer systems to cause harm or disruption.
The news is being updated as new information becomes available.
Alerts about the story can be received through the BBC News App or on social media via @BBCBreaking.
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Dan Roelker is a tech expert who started as a hacker and has worked in software development, cyberwarfare, and now builds telescopes and optics. He founded a company that focuses on using light in new ways, believing future space advancements will rely on controlling light both in space and on Earth.
Key Facts
Dan Roelker grew up in a working-class family and studied math and philosophy in college.
He first worked with computers as a hacker and software coder during the dot-com boom.
Roelker helped start Sourcefire, a cybersecurity company later bought by Cisco for $2.7 billion.
He worked in cyberwarfare with major defense contractors and was recruited by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
At DARPA, Roelker managed cyberwarfare programs, becoming one of the youngest program managers.
In 2025, he co-founded Observable Space, a company focused on advanced telescope and optics technology.
He believes future "space races" will focus on harnessing light for data and navigation, including laser data transmission from orbit.
Roelker’s work ties together space observation, laser technology, and satellite safety.
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Anthropic, an AI company, has warned more often about the risks of advanced AI than its rival OpenAI. This frequent caution may have contributed to a US government decision to ban foreign users from accessing Anthropic’s newest AI models, Mythos and Fable, as part of efforts to control powerful AI technology.
Key Facts
Anthropic uses words related to risk, regulation, and restrictions much more frequently than OpenAI in its public statements.
The US government recently blocked foreign nationals from using Anthropic’s latest AI models, Mythos and Fable.
Critics say Anthropic’s warnings about AI dangers influenced the export ban decision.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has publicly called for stronger government rules on AI safety.
Mythos is designed to find important cybersecurity weaknesses and was initially tested only by selected US groups.
Anthropic’s language about AI risks has become less severe since 2023, although still more cautious than OpenAI’s.
The export ban has caused concern in Europe and Silicon Valley about US restrictions on AI access.
OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, dismissed extreme warnings about Mythos as marketing exaggeration.
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Two separate Tesla cars crashed in the U.S., one in Texas and one in Connecticut. One crash caused a fatality when the car hit a house, and the other required a rescue after a car entered a swimming pool.
Key Facts
In Katy, Texas, a Tesla Model 3 crashed into a house, killing a 76-year-old woman inside.
The driver said the car’s automated driving assistance was on during the Texas crash.
Authorities said the driver lost control and hit the house; he was not intoxicated.
In New Canaan, Connecticut, a Tesla car crashed through trees and into a community pool while parking.
A lifeguard and responders helped rescue the driver from the sinking car; he was unharmed.
Tesla recalled over 2 million vehicles in 2023 to improve automated driving alerts and controls.
Tesla’s autopilot and full self-driving systems assist drivers but require full attention at all times.
A previous incident involved a Tesla Cybertruck entering a lake using its “wade mode” feature.
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Agencies from the Five Eyes alliance (Australia, US, UK, New Zealand, Canada) warned that advanced AI systems capable of disrupting governments and businesses could be ready within months. They urged leaders to treat cyber risks from AI as a major business and security issue requiring broad action.
Key Facts
The Five Eyes intelligence agencies issued a rare joint warning about powerful AI models.
These AI systems could greatly increase the speed and complexity of cyber attacks.
The agencies say AI will change cyber offense and defense far sooner than expected—within months, not years.
The US recently blocked foreign nationals from using Anthropic’s AI models, Fable and Mythos, due to security concerns.
Mythos AI detects cybersecurity weaknesses but is tightly controlled to prevent misuse.
Experts believe other advanced AI models from around the world may soon emerge.
Australia included Anthropic in its national AI plan to promote safety and information sharing.
The Australian government prefers light regulation aiming to support innovation and economic benefits.
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New research shows that the drug tirzepatide, which affects GLP-1, might help the body burn more calories by activating brown fat. This could mean tirzepatide works not just by lowering appetite but also by increasing calorie use.
Key Facts
Tirzepatide is a drug related to GLP-1, a natural hormone in the body.
The drug may increase the activity of brown fat, a type of body fat that burns calories.
Brown fat helps generate heat by using calories, unlike regular fat which stores calories.
Activating brown fat could help with weight loss and metabolism.
The research suggests tirzepatide works in two ways: reducing appetite and boosting calorie burning.
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A new study shows that using two drugs together, apitegromab and tirzepatide, might help people with obesity lose fat while keeping their muscle. This combination could improve health outcomes during weight loss.
Key Facts
The study tested a combination of apitegromab and tirzepatide.
Tirzepatide is already known to help people lose weight.
Apitegromab may help protect lean muscle during weight loss.
Preserving muscle is important because it helps keep the body strong and healthy.
The combination could be beneficial for people with obesity.
More research is likely needed to confirm these findings.
This approach aims to improve weight loss without losing muscle mass.
The study focuses on supporting healthier weight loss results.
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New research shows that GLP-1 drugs can help men with obesity improve their fertility. These drugs appear to increase testosterone levels and improve sperm health.
Key Facts
GLP-1 drugs are medicines originally used to treat diabetes and obesity.
The research found a link between these drugs and better male fertility.
Men with obesity often face lower testosterone and reduced sperm quality.
Using GLP-1 drugs may raise testosterone levels in these men.
The drugs also seem to improve sperm count and overall sperm health.
This finding could offer new options for treating fertility problems linked to obesity.
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Rising costs for memory chips, driven by increased demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, are causing smartphone prices to rise. Apple plans to increase its prices, and experts expect price hikes for most smartphone makers, especially affecting lower-end phones the most.
Key Facts
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said higher memory and storage chip costs make price increases “unavoidable.”
AI data centers are using more memory chips, reducing supply for smartphones and pushing chip prices up.
Analysts predict the average global smartphone selling price could rise by about 20%.
Entry-level Android phones might see price increases as high as 40%.
Premium brands like Apple and Samsung may raise prices by around 10%.
Memory shortages are expected to last at least until 2027 due to ongoing AI demand.
Earlier forecasts predicted smaller price increases, around 3-8%, before these memory cost rises.
Price increases will vary by device type, with lower-cost phones hit hardest because memory costs are a bigger part of their total cost.
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Some Republicans are saying that opposition to building data centers in the U.S. might be encouraged by foreign countries like China. These countries may be running influence campaigns to affect debates about technology and data infrastructure.
Key Facts
Republicans have suggested that foreign actors are behind opposition to new data centers in the U.S.
Reports from companies like OpenAI support claims of influence campaigns by China and others.
These campaigns aim to affect discussions on tech policy and data infrastructure.
The topic is part of a major ongoing debate about technology and data security in the U.S.
Data centers are facilities that store and manage large amounts of digital information.
Concerns involve whether foreign influence is shaping local or national tech decisions.
The issue highlights tensions between national security and technology development.
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A recent poll shows many Americans are worried about the growth of data centers, which support artificial intelligence (AI) technology. While few people live near data centers, almost half support a temporary pause on building new ones as a way to address concerns about costs and environmental impact.
Key Facts
Only 8% of people who oppose data centers actually live near one.
38% of respondents would support a data center being built near their home; 34% would oppose it.
49% support a temporary ban (moratorium) on constructing new data centers; 16% oppose this ban.
The poll suggests people are uneasy about how quickly data centers are being built and want more information on issues like water use and who benefits.
AI critics from different political views warn about job losses caused by AI, increasing public concern.
Most new data centers are planned for rural areas, while most existing ones are in cities.
Tech companies face a labor shortage to staff large data centers and are developing robots to help.
The poll surveyed 6,872 registered voters in key states, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
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Nvidia says its new AI system cooling technology can use warm liquid instead of cold water, greatly reducing water use in data centers. This technology may cut or remove the need for water-hungry chilling machines, helping address environmental concerns as AI demand grows.
Key Facts
Nvidia’s new AI cooling system uses a warm liquid mix, including water and propylene glycol, running at 113°F.
Higher cooling temperature means less or no need for energy- and water-heavy chillers in data centers.
The system could save water and energy, especially in hot climates like Arizona.
Adoption will take years since many centers still use old cooling methods.
Nvidia did not share cost details but says the tech will save money on cooling.
Water use for cooling is only one part of AI’s environmental impact; power production also uses water.
Nvidia aims for efficiency improvements to support AI growth, not reduce overall demand.
Other companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are also involved in addressing data center water issues.
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Cory Doctorow’s book explains that many people distrust artificial intelligence (AI) because it is often used to reduce workers' freedom and harm jobs rather than help people. He argues that AI’s problems come more from the way big companies use it to cut costs than from the technology itself.
Key Facts
Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, was booed when promoting AI to students worried about job losses from AI.
Many Americans believe AI harms jobs, creativity, privacy, and the environment.
AI’s reputation shifted from a futuristic threat to an immediate problem since ChatGPT’s release in late 2022.
Cory Doctorow calls out Big Tech’s business model as a cause of AI’s negative effects.
Doctorow describes two types of AI use: “centaur” (AI helps humans) and “reverse centaur” (AI controls or limits humans).
In healthcare, AI can either improve doctors’ work or reduce skilled workers to simple overseers, saving money but lowering quality.
Doctorow says opposition to AI often reflects frustration with how companies prioritize profits over people.
The book suggests workers need to unionize to protect themselves from unfair AI-driven labor changes.
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A therapist says teenagers today are losing the chance to be bored in a constructive way because smartphones keep them constantly busy. This lack of “aimless time” makes it harder for teens to reflect on their feelings, explore their interests, and form their own opinions.
Key Facts
Teens used to spend free time exploring hobbies and socializing, but now smartphones provide nonstop stimulation.
Constant engagement with digital content reduces teens’ ability to process emotions and reflect inwardly.
In the UK, a social media ban for under-16s is planned by 2027 to protect children from harmful online content and excessive screen time.
Boredom is seen as important for creativity, self-discovery, and emotional insight.
Social media exposes teens to millions of opinions, making it difficult for them to form their own views.
Fear of being judged or permanently recorded online stops teens from freely expressing or changing their opinions.
Parents’ own heavy use of phones models this constant digital engagement to children.
The therapist suggests it is important for families to reduce screen time to improve emotional wellbeing.
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