Open Standard, an independent entity governed by a consortium of over 140 companies announced the upcoming launch of a new dollar-pegged stablecoin called Open USD ($OUSD). Backed by a coalition of major players including Visa, Mastercard, BlackRock, Coinbase, Stripe and Google, Open USD is a direct enterprise-grade challenge to the long-standing duopoly of Tether (USDT) and Circle (USDC).

OUSD will launch natively on Solana, Stellar, Base, and Polygon simultaneously to capture fragmented liquidity and high-speed payment networks. Stripe plans to make OUSD the default stablecoin for its platform, while Coinbase will integrate it into its Base layer-2 network.

Unlike incumbents that keep reserve earnings, OUSD plans to distribute nearly all interest generated by its backing assets (cash and US Treasuries) to its partner companies after a small management fee. The stablecoin offers fee-free minting and redemption with no volume caps, incentivizing partners to drive adoption.

If all goes as planned, this is the ultimate selling point for enterprises. Instead of the issuer hoarding the interest generated by the multi-billion dollar reserve backing the stablecoin, Open Standard will distribute almost all reserve yield back to the network partners who adopt, distribute, and hold the coin (minus a nominal operational management fee). This transforms giant businesses from mere users into co-owners of the economic model.

For large corporations moving billions of dollars, the existing costs and artificial volume limits associated with creating or destroying tokens are a bottleneck. OUSD's zero-fee minting and redemption at institutional scale is another potential selling point.

Zach Abrams, the CEO of Bridge (the stablecoin infrastructure platform acquired by Stripe for $1.1 billion), is serving as the founding CEO of Open Standard. It will be controlled by a board of partner representatives rather than a single issuer, addressing enterprise concerns about counterparty dependence.

The consortium explicitly welcomes financial institutions, PSPs, card issuers, merchants, fintechs, exchanges, DeFi protocols, platforms, and marketplaces.

Tether and Circle combined control roughly 80% of the $300B+ stablecoin market. However, their business models are centralized: they collect user cash, invest it into yield-bearing assets like US Treasuries, and keep almost 100% of the interest profits for themselves.

Analysts note thar consortium-led networks like Open Standard's, are historically plagued by slow decision-making and friction when navigating fragmented global regulations. If Open Standard executes smoothly, OUSD could become the "SWIFT network" of programmable enterprise money; if not, it risks becoming an over-hyped corporate experiment.

Open USD is slated to go live later in 2026, meaning its liquidity and peg-stability are still untested.

Circle’s shares fell between 13% and 17% within hours of the announcement. Investors reacted to the realization that major partners like BlackRock and BNY (who historically support Circle's ecosystem) are now backing a direct economic competitor.

In a long X post, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire publicly welcomed the competition but reiterated USDC's status as the most trusted asset, hinting at future enterprise-revenue-share changes. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino wrote: "Welcome OUSD. Player 2 has entered the game." (a diss on USDC?).

Stablecoins like USDT and USDC have grown explosively because they offer fast, borderless, 24/7 dollar liquidity on blockchains.

USDT leads due to early adoption and liquidity (especially on Tron), while USDC gained traction through better transparency, regulatory compliance, and institutional trust. Both benefit from interest earned on reserves (mostly short-term U.S. Treasuries), which historically flowed mostly to the issuers.

Regulatory clarity accelerated corporate involvement. The upcoming OUSD launch aligns with the GENIUS Act, signed into law in 2025, by President Donald Trump which has opened the market for new, compliant stablecoin infrastructure.

SpaceX launched 7,000 kg SXM-11 satellite for SiriusXM aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 0225 UTC on June 29, 2026. The rocket's first stage booster, B1085, completed its 17th flight and successfully landed on the drone ship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff.

The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued carrying SXM-11 to an elliptical geosynchronous transfer orbit, where it was deployed on schedule, 34.5 minutes after liftoff. SXM-11 circularized its distant path around our planet and will join SiriusXM's satellite-radio fleet, which currently consists of seven spacecraft.

Standing 70.1 meters tall with solar panels spanning 32.3 meters, the SXM-11 spacecraft is built by Lanteris Space Systems (formerly Maxar, acquired by Intuitive Machines in January 2026), is the most powerful satellite in the SiriusXM fleet, designed to replace the aging XM-5 and Sirius FM-5 satellites launched in 2009 and 2010. The satellite is based on the IM-1300 platform, with approximately 60% of its mass dedicated to onboard fuel.

SXM-11 will enhance signal reception, expand coverage in Alaska, and support audio services across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.

This mission marks the fourth SiriusXM satellite launched by SpaceX, joining previous missions SXM-8, SXM-9, and SXM-10.

Falcon 9's B1085 previously flew missions including Crew-9, RRT-1, Blue Ghost Mission 1, Fram2, SXM-10, MTG-S1, EchoStar XXV, and nine Starlink missions.

Right-leaning millionaire lawyer and political outsider Abelardo de la Espriella holds a slim lead over leftist senator Iván Cepeda in Colombia's preliminary presidential runoff results, with 49.66% of the vote to Cepeda's 48.7%—a margin of approximately 250,000 votes.

The preliminary count, covering 99.99% of ballots, shows de la Espriella ahead, but the result is not yet official pending a slower, manual scrutiny process expected to take several days.

Outgoing President Gustavo Petro, who endorsed Cepeda, has alleged electoral irregularities and claimed that Israel rigged the election by compromising voting software, asserting that only the "State of Israel" could have altered server IP addresses to favor de la Espriella who is pro-Israel.

Petro has called for a full recount of the ballots and an audit of the electoral software, urging calm while refusing to recognize the outcome until the official count is certified. Cepeda's campaign is challenging results from 33,000 polling stations, though no recount has ever overturned a Colombian presidential election.

De la Espriella, nicknamed "El Tigre," has denied any wrongdoing and called for national unity, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump have congratulated him on his victory.

De la Espriella, 47, is a criminal defense attorney known for representing paramilitary leaders and high-profile clients, including figures linked to drug trafficking. He campaigns on a hardline security platform, promising to end peace talks with armed groups, build 10 mega-prisons, and boost oil and gas production.

In contrast, Cepeda, 63, is a close ally of Petro and vows to continue the outgoing president's "Total Peace" policy, which focuses on negotiations with armed groups, social reforms, and a moratorium on new fossil fuel projects.

The election marks a potential sharp rightward shift in Colombia, aligning with a broader regional trend of right-wing victories in Latin America.

British Prime Minister announced his resignation on Monday, marking the departure of the sixth UK leader in a decade. Keir Starmer said in an address at Number 10, that he will serve as caretaker prime minister until the Labour Party selects a successor, with the new leader expected to be in place by September 1.

The leadership contest officially begins with nominations opening on July 9, following his formal resignation on July 9.

The resignation was triggered by intense internal party pressure and plummeting approval ratings, exacerbated by Andy Burnham’s recent victory in the Makerfield by-election. Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, was sworn in as an member of parliament (MP) on Monday and confirmed he will seek the Labour leadership, making him the runaway favorite to succeed Starmer.

Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, a potential rival, threw his support behind Burnham, suggesting an uncontested leadership transition could occur as early as late July.

Starmer’s two-year tenure, which began with a 2024 landslide victory, was marred by economic stagnation, public service struggles, and scandals, including the Peter Mandelson affair. While he received praise for his international diplomacy regarding Ukraine and the Iran conflict, domestic dissatisfaction led to significant losses in local elections and cabinet resignations. The outgoing prime minister cited the parliamentary party’s view that he was not the best person to lead into the next general election, accepting the result with "good grace."

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket at 0850 UTC on June 19, carrying classified Starshield spy satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) from Vandenberg Space Force Base, on NROL-179 mission, deploying the 14th batch of satellites for the NRO’s "proliferated architecture" constellation.

The Falcon 9 flew a southeast trajectory from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) , with the first stage returning to land at Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) approximately eight minutes after liftoff, with the first stage Block 5 booster (B1103), marking its third flight.

The rocket carried an undisclosed number of Starshield spacecraft, a hardened, government-specific derivative of the Starlink platform designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

This mission continues the NRO’s strategy of deploying "proliferated architecture" of large network of small, low-Earth orbit spy satellites to provide high-resolution imaging and signals intelligence, with a greater number of assets delivering significantly more data than traditional high-altitude spy satellites.

"To stay ahead of the competition and ensure it can continue to operate in a heightened threat environment, the NRO is modernizing its architecture in space and on the ground — delivering more capability faster with increased resilience," agency officials wrote in the NROL-179 press kit.

"A greater number of satellites — large and small, government and commercial, in multiple orbits — will deliver an order of magnitude more signals and images than is available today," they added.

SpaceX and Northrop Grumman build the "proliferated architecture" satellites. All of these satellites have reached orbit atop Falcon 9s flying out of Vandenberg, on California's central coast, with the first such mission launching in May 2024. The mission details remain classified, SpaceX streamed the launch publicly until operational security protocols required a feed cut shortly after payload deployment confirmation.

The launch contributes to the broader Starlink constellation, which now stands at 12,318 launched satellites, with 10,650 actively operational as of mid-June 2026.

SpaceX launched three AST SpaceMobile BlueBird Block 2 satellites (BlueBird 8, 9, and 10) aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Wednesday, at 0639 UTC on BlueBird 8-10 mission; marking a critical recovery for AST SpaceMobile following the loss of its previous satellite.

The rocket's first stage booster B1077, which touched down  8.5 minutes later on the drone ship "A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean, completed its 29th flight, previously supporting missions such as Crew-5, GPS III SV06, and CRS-28. The upper stage deployed the satellites into Low Earth Orbit starting 54.5 minutes after launch, with BlueBird 10 deploying last in a sequence spaced roughly five minutes apart.

The launched spacecraft are next-generation Block 2 BlueBird satellites, each featuring a massive communications array spanning approximately 2,400 square feet (223 square meters). These are the largest commercial communications arrays ever deployed in Low Earth Orbit. The satellites are designed to provide space-based cellular broadband directly to unmodified smartphones, supporting voice, data, and video over standard cellular bands without requiring specialized hardware -- this is a competitor to SpaceX's own Starlink Mobile.

Before today, the company had launched seven spacecraft. This launch serves as a direct replacement for BlueBird 7, which was lost in April 19 due to an upper stage anomaly during a Blue Origin New Glenn launch. AST SpaceMobile estimates the carrying value of the lost satellite at $155–160 million. BlueBird 7 was the second of AST SpaceMobile's "next-generation" spacecraft to launch, after BlueBird 6, which reached LEO successfully atop an Indian LVM3 rocket in December 2025.

"Our upcoming launch marks another important milestone as we continue advancing the deployment of our space-based cellular broadband network," Scott Wisniewski, president of AST SpaceMobile, said in a June 9 statement. "Each BlueBird satellite launched expands our ability to support seamless space-based broadband mobile connectivity directly to everyday smartphones," he added.

Following the successful deployment, AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) shares rose 4%, reflecting investor confidence in the company's progress toward its goal of deploying a 45-satellite constellation by year-end. AST SpaceMobile currently holds agreements with nearly 60 mobile networks globally, including AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone. SpaceX (SPCX) shares gained 2.98% in pre-market trading,

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday, that the UK will ban children under 16 from using major social media platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube, with regulations expected to take effect by spring 2027.

The government intends to pass the necessary legislation before Christmas 2026 using secondary powers under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act to accelerate implementation. While the ban targets "user-to-user" platforms with algorithmic feeds, messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal, as well as educational tools like YouTube Kids, are exempt.

The decision follows a public consultation receiving over 116,000 responses, in which 85-90% of parents stated that the dangers of social media outweigh the benefits. Starmer described the move as a "line in the sand" against tech giants, citing evidence that platforms expose children to harmful content, addiction, and bullying, making them "unhappy and unsafe."

The UK model mirrors Australia's December 2025 ban but includes stricter measures, such as default blocks on livestreaming and stranger communication for 16 and 17-year-olds to prevent a safety "cliff-edge."

Compliance will be enforced by Ofcom, which is tasked with developing "Highly Effective Age Assurance" (HEAA) methods, potentially involving facial analysis or ID checks, with fines levied against non-compliant tech companies rather than children.

While campaigners like the Smartphone Free Childhood group hailed the measure as a turning point, critics including the Molly Rose Foundation and tech firms like Meta and YouTube warn that blanket bans may drive minors to unregulated, less safe corners of the internet and fail to address harmful algorithms.

Free speech advocates and prominent figures like SpaceX CEO Elon Musk warn that the measure is a dangerous backdoor attempt by the UK government to introduce the widely unpopular digital ID, track and prosecute critics of government policies. The US Embassy expressed concern that the regulations could burden American companies and infringe on free speech principles.

British Royal Marine commandos, supported by the National Crime Agency and military assets including HMS Sutherland and RAF P-8 aircraft, intercepted and boarded the Russian shadow fleet tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel on the early hours of Sunday (June 14). The six-hour operation, directed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, marks the first time UK armed forces have led a naval capture of a Russia-linked vessel since the start of the war in Ukraine.

The Smyrtos (formerly Myrtos is a Cameroon-flagged oil tanker carrying over 100,000 tonnes of Russian crude oil. It was sanctioned in July 2025 and had been expelled from Cameroon’s registry, leaving it legally stateless.

Commandos fast-roped from helicopters onto the vessel in international waters, capturing 25 crew members who offered no resistance. The ship is now anchored off Weymouth, Dorset, for monitoring and investigation.

The operation aims to disrupt the shadow fleet, a network of over 700 vessels that transport 75% of Russia’s oil exports, thereby choking off a critical revenue source for Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.

The interception occurred amidst significant turmoil in the UK government, just days after Defense Secretary John Healey resigned in protest over insufficient defense funding. His successor, Dan Jarvis, stated that the interdiction delivers a direct blow to Putin’s illegal war.

"In the early hours of this morning, I directed our Armed Forces to intercept a shadow fleet oil tanker attempting to pass through the English Channel," Starmer wrote on X. "This successful operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fueling Putin's war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide. I want to thank those involved, including our Armed Forces and law enforcement officers who keep this country safe 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The interception occurred amidst significant turmoil in the UK government, just days after Defense Secretary John Healey resigned in protest over insufficient defense funding. His successor, Dan Jarvis, stated that the interdiction delivers a direct blow to Putin’s illegal war."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the move as a step toward peace, the Kremlin dismissed the action as a distraction from domestic issues, with some Russian officials suggesting future tankers could be booby-trapped to resist seizure.

Apple WWDC 2026, Monday, marked CEO Tim Cook’s final keynote before handing leadership to John Ternus in September. The event centered on a sweeping overhaul of Apple’s software ecosystem, headlined by the introduction of Siri AI, a ground-up redesign of the virtual assistant powered by Google’s Gemini models and Apple Intelligence.

Siri AI is no longer a simple voice command tool but a conversational, context-aware assistant with a dedicated app that syncs history across devices via iCloud.

Key capabilities include multi-turn conversations and natural language interaction that remembers context; and deep system integration, allowing Siri to access Messages, Mail, Photos, and Maps to perform complex, multi-step tasks (for example, finding a restaurant mentioned in a text and setting a reminder).

Visual Intelligence is expanded to iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro, including a new Siri Mode in the Camera app for real-time identification and actions like splitting bills. And customizable voice with pace and expressivity sliders, and expansion to CarPlay, AirPods, and Apple Watch.

Siri AI developer beta is available, with a public launch in September 2026. It is initially English-only and unavailable in the EU and China due to regulatory and compliance issues.

Apple also announced other platform updates for iOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, and others. In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and visionOS 27, Apple Intelligence is woven into nearly every app. Safari can auto-group tabs and monitor pages for changes; Passwords can auto-update compromised credentials; and Home uses AI to summarize security camera footage.

In macOS Golden Gate, the next Mac OS features deeper Siri AI integration and Apple Silicon-only support, ending Intel compatibility.

New Child Accounts offer granular control, including Ask to Browse for web approval, communication filters for gore/violence, and redesigned Screen Time with category-level limits.

Liquid Glass design language is refined with a transparency slider and improved readability. System-wide performance boosts include 30% faster app launches, 70% faster photo loading, and 80% faster AirDrop. In Photo editing, Spatial Reframing uses generative AI to shift perspective in photos after they are taken.

The announcements follow a long-awaited push to modernize Siri, which had lagged behind competitors like Google Gemini and ChatGPT. Apple’s partnership with Google provides the underlying foundation models, enabling the advanced multimodal capabilities seen in Siri AI. This keynote signals Apple’s strategy to make AI central, private, and on-device across its ecosystem, aiming to reduce manual app navigation and enhance user productivity.

At Computex 2026 on Monday in Taipei, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang unveiled the RTX Spark platform, a new Arm-based superchip designed to reinvent the Windows PC for the era of agentic AI.

Developed in partnership with MediaTek and Microsoft, the platform centers on the N1X processor, which integrates a 20-core Arm CPU and a Blackwell GPU with 6,144 CUDA cores, capable of delivering RTX 5070-class performance and running 120-billion-parameter AI models locally. The chip is manufactured on TSMC’s 3nm process and supports up to 128GB of unified LPDDR5X memory, enabling laptops as thin as 14mm and weighing as little as three pounds.

“This reinvention of the computer is as big of a deal as the reinvention of the phone into what we now know as the smartphone,” Huang said, pointing to the fact agentic AI will run across all the new computers.

“Microsoft and Nvidia are going to reinvent the PC,” he added. “This is the first completely reengineered, reinvented line of PCs that has happened in 40 years.”

Huang described the RTX Spark as a "reinvention of the computer" comparable to the rise of the smartphone, emphasizing that AI agents will become the primary interface for personal computing. He outlined a vision where PCs serve as personal AI sandboxes that run continuously, handling tasks like 12K video editing, 3D rendering, and AAA gaming at 1440p/100+ fps.

The Nvidia CEO also announced the Vera Rubin microprocessor is in full production for AI agents and introduced Nvidia DSX, a framework for building scalable AI factories, stating that "compute is revenue" and "compute is profit." He dismissed concerns that AI would reduce software engineering jobs, arguing it instead makes the profession more valuable and productive.

“This is going to be our new major growth driver,” Huang said. “These CPUs are going to be both performant, but they also have to be extremely energy efficient, so that we can cram as much CPU as we can into the factory without taking away power from the token generation.”

“Fast CPUs have become essential to keeping the AI factory moving,” said Ian Buck, Nvidia’s vice president of hyperscale and high-performance computing.

Buck said that Vera can produce tokens 1.8 times faster than x86 today, “advancing overall agent token performance, enabling smarter, longer-thinking agents and in the end, generating more data center token revenue.”

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced the detail of the integration of RTX Spark with Windows 11 and Copilot+ capabilities. The first wave of RTX Spark devices, including the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra, Dell XPS 16, ASUS ProArt P14/P16, HP OmniBook X/Ultra, Lenovo Yoga Pro 9n, and MSI Prestige N16 will ship in Fall 2026. Adobe confirmed it is rebuilding Photoshop and Premiere to leverage RTX Spark’s unified memory for AI-native pipelines.

RTX Spark's high-end specifications suggest a premium market positioning, competing with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and traditional x86 processors from Intel and AMD.

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) has confirmed that over 50 major banks are adopting a new cross-border payments framework and a blockchain-based shared ledger, with more than 25 banks committing to go live by June 2026.

The SWIFT blockchain-based shared ledger is being developed on open-source foundations, and aims to modernize the 50-year-old global banking system by introducing upfront fee certainty, full-value delivery, and 24/7 real-time settlement capabilities.

The rollout covers key remittance corridors including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Thailand, the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Germany, and Spain. A notable overlap exists in the participant list, as at least 30 of the 50+ banks have existing ties to Ripple, including giants like JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, and Deutsche Bank.

While SWIFT’s blockchain ledger uses tokenized commercial bank deposits rather than public cryptocurrencies, the integration with payment providers like Thunes may allow banks to optionally use XRP for liquidity within the SWIFT network.

The system guarantees instant settlement where domestic infrastructure allows, with full end-to-end traceability and no hidden intermediary fees.

SWIFT is building a permissioned blockchain shared ledger to enable interoperability between tokenized deposits, eliminating weekend delays in cross-border settlements.

The system leverages the ISO 20022 messaging standard to improve data richness, compliance reporting, and automation, distinguishing it from public crypto rails by prioritizing institutional governance.

The move aligns with the G20’s roadmap for improving cross-border payments by 2027, positioning SWIFT to compete with emerging instant rails like Visa Direct and stablecoins while maintaining its dominant $124T network effect.

The U.S. Space Force awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contract, Friday, to accelerate the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) program, aiming to field an initial satellite constellation by 2028.

The SB-AMTI system integrates space-based sensors, secure communication links, and resilient ground processing to eliminate operational blind spots and provide sustained battlespace awareness in contested airspace.

This initiative is designed to provide persistent, global tracking of airborne threats—such as aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles—from space, addressing vulnerabilities caused by adversary anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) systems that threaten traditional airborne platforms like the aging E-3 Sentry and the planned E-7 Wedgetail.

SpaceX was selected from a pool of nine companies chosen in April 2026; the Space Force anticipates issuing multiple additional awards in the coming year to expand the industrial base and enhance capacity.

The contract aligns with the Golden Dome missile defense initiative and follows a $2.29 billion SpaceX award for the Space Data Network Backbone announced just days prior, totaling $6.45 billion in Space Force contracts for the company in one week.

The Space Force plans to operate second- and third-generation SB-AMTI systems by 2035, while the Air Force continues to fund the E-7 Wedgetail as Congress blocked earlier cancellation attempts.

“We are beginning development and integration efforts immediately to meet the program’s rapid deployment milestones and address emerging national security requirements,” said Col. Ryan Frazier, acting Space Force portfolio acquisition executive for Space Based Sensing & Targeting. “We will not leverage any one single provider; instead, we are partnering with a highly diversified pool of traditional and non-traditional vendors, each bringing various capabilities to support the SB-AMTI architecture, ensuring the Joint Force has access to a strong, competitive industrial base well into the future.”

The U.S. Space Force awarded SpaceXAI a $2.29 billion fixed-price Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contract to develop the Space Data Network (SDN) Backbone, a proliferated low Earth orbit (pLEO) satellite constellation designed for secure, high-speed military communications.

The agreement covers the SDN Backbone, a resilient network architecture providing high-capacity, low-latency data transport for connecting military sensors and weapons platforms globally. SpaceXAI must deliver a fully operational prototype capability by the end of 2027.

The system utilizes an expanded optically interconnected mesh of satellites to deliver worldwide low latency tactical communications and broadband services, functioning alongside the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Transport Layer to form a unified Department of Defense data transport architecture.

The network is foundational to the Golden Dome missile defense initiative, providing the communications pathways to move data from missile warning sensors to interceptors in near real time.

While SpaceX is currently the sole provider for the backbone (formerly known as MILNET), the Space Force plans to identify additional contractors for satellite construction and other network elements to galvanize the U.S. industrial base.

At Google I/O 2026, on Tuesday, Google announced a major shift toward agentic AI, positioning Gemini as the central operating layer across its ecosystem. The keynote, led by CEO Sundar Pichai and DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis, highlighted advancements in AI models, hardware, and search capabilities, with Hassabis predicting that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is just a few years away.

Gemini 3.5 Flash was released globally as the default model for the Gemini app and AI Search, it is 4x faster than previous frontier models and outperforms Gemini 3.1 Pro in coding and multimodal tasks.

Gemini Omni, a new multimodal family designed for AI video generation and creative workflows, starting with Omni Flash, accepts text, audio, images, and video inputs.

Gemini Spark, a 24/7 background personal AI agent powered by Gemini Flash 3.5 and the Antigravity 2.0 framework, is capable of automating complex tasks and integrating with third-party tools via the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

Google also unveiled its eighth-generation custom AI chips, including TPU 8t for training and TPU 8i for inference, offering 2x better performance-per-watt.

Intelligent Search Box, the first major redesign of Google Search in 25 years, featuring a dynamic AI-driven interface, accepts multi-modal inputs and includes Search Agents that run in the background to track variables like real estate listings or retail drops.

Universal Cart, a shopping tool leverages the Universal Commerce Protocol to aggregate products from across the web, track deals, and facilitate agentic checkout experiences.

In workspace updates, Google introduced Docs Live and Gmail Live for conversational document structuring and inbox management, alongside a new Google AI Ultra plan at $100/month.

In hardware and Android ecosystem, Google introduced Android XR smart glasses, a partnership with Samsung and eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, a display-less audio glasses with deep Gemini integration, supporting both Android and iOS.

Android Halo, a new UI element for Android 17 that displays the status of background AI agents,was also introduced.

The Gemini app, now with 900 million monthly active users, received a visual overhaul called Neural Expressive with new animations and a repositioned interface.

Google also introduced an AI Ultra plan at $100/month and reduced the price of the previous top-tier Ultra plan from $250 to $200/month to provide higher usage limits for advanced tools like Spark and Antigravity.

Google had previewed Googlebooks, an Android-powered laptop successor to Chromebooks, featuring premium materials from partners like Acer, Dell, and Lenovo and powered by Aluminium OS.

Iran has launched "Hormuz Safe," a state-backed digital maritime insurance platform that settles premiums in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, aiming to bypass Western banking sanctions and generate over $10 billion in annual revenue from Strait of Hormuz shipping traffic.

The platform, reportedly developed by Iran’s Ministry of Economy and Financial Affairs, issues cryptographically verifiable insurance policies for cargo and vessels transiting the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.

Coverage activates immediately upon blockchain confirmation and includes protection against vessel inspection, detention, and confiscation, though it explicitly excludes war damage from direct military strikes. The initiative follows the freezing of more than $344 million in USDT linked to Iran’s central bank by Tether and U.S. authorities, prompting Tehran to accelerate its reliance on Bitcoin for financial sovereignty.

While Iranian officials project significant revenue from the platform, its adoption faces substantial hurdles. Bitcoin’s price volatility and the risk of U.S. secondary sanctions make foreign shipping companies hesitant to participate, as on-chain transactions could flag Iranian-linked wallets.

Iranian officials reportedly said the platform’s website will soon be made widely accessible outside Iran

The jury ruled against SpaceXAI and Tesla CEO Elon Musk in his lawsuit against OpenAI, Sam Altman, and Greg Brockman, finding that his claims were barred by the statute of limitations after less than two hours of deliberation.

The unanimous verdict, delivered Monday, in a federal court in Oakland, California, cleared Altman, Brockman, OpenAI, and Microsoft of all allegations, with Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers accepting the advisory jury’s decision and dismissing the case.

Musk’s lawsuit, filed in 2024, alleged that Altman and Brockman betrayed a founding agreement to keep OpenAI a nonprofit dedicated to advancing AI for humanity’s benefit. He claimed they improperly shifted the company to a for-profit model with Microsoft, effectively "stealing a charity" after he contributed $38 million in early funding. The SpaceXAI CEO sought up to $134 billion in damages, the removal of Altman and Brockman, and the dissolution of OpenAI’s for-profit arm.

However, the defense successfully argued that Musk knew about OpenAI’s transition as early as 2021, making his 2024 lawsuit untimely under the three-year statute of limitations. Testimony from Musk, Altman, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and former board member Shivon Zilis revealed deep rifts over control and mission, but the jury focused on procedural grounds rather than the case’s merits.

OpenAI’s legal team called the suit a "hypocritical attempt to sabotage a competitor," referencing Musk’s own AI venture, xAI (now SpaceXAI). Musk’s attorney, Marc Toberoff, confirmed plans to appeal the decision.

“I have a one-word reaction: Appeal. This war is not over," Toberoff told reporters. "We firmly believe what happened with OpenAI was wrong on a very basic level that you can't raise millions of dollars in a publicly subsidized charity, and when it suits you, just turn into a for-profit operation where the officers and directors of the charity enrich themselves to the tune of billions, and that's what actually happened here, and that's just wrong."

Commenting on the jury decision, Musk wrote on X: "Regarding the OpenAI case, the judge & jury never actually ruled on the merits of the case, just on a calendar technicality. There is no question to anyone following the case in detail that Altman & Brockman did in fact enrich themselves by stealing a charity. The only question is WHEN they did it! I will be filing an appeal with the Ninth Circuit, because creating a precedent to loot charities is incredibly destructive to charitable giving in America. OpenAI was founded to benefit all of humanity."

Musk also wrote in another post: "This illustrates why the ruling by the terrible activist Oakland judge, who simply used the jury as a fig leaf, creates such a terrible precedent. She just handed out a free license to loot charities if you can keep the looting quiet for a few years!"

At The Android Show: I/O Edition on Tuesday, Google unveiled a major suite of updates centered on Gemini Intelligence, a new laptop category called Googlebook, and significant enhancements to Android 17. These announcements serve as a prelude to the main Google I/O 2026 conference, focusing on deep AI integration across hardware and software.

"Today at the @Android Show (I/O edition) we announced Gemini Intelligence - bringing the best of Gemini to our most advanced devices," CEO Sundar Pichai wrote on X Tuesday. "Automate multi-step tasks across apps and Chrome, fill out forms in a single tap, turn spoken thoughts into polished text with Rambler, build custom widgets & loads more."

Gemini Intelligence is a new branding for Google’s advanced AI features on "advanced" devices, launching this summer on the latest Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones. It introduces proactive task automation, such as creating shopping carts from notes or booking appointments based on context, alongside Rambler (an improved voice input that filters filler words) and Create My Widget for generative UI.

Concurrently, Google introduced the Googlebook, a new line of AI-first laptops from partners like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo arriving this fall. These devices feature Magic Pointer (contextual AI actions triggered by cursor movement), a Glowbar accent light, and seamless integration with Android phones for file access and app casting.

Android 17 brings creator-focused tools like Screen Reactions (simultaneous face and screen recording), Noto 3D emoji, and Pause Point (an intentional app timer). Android Auto receives a Material 3 Expressive redesign, HD 60fps video support, and Dolby Atmos spatial sound for compatible vehicles including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo. Security is bolstered by AISeal, pKVM for AI privacy, Intrusion Logging, and enhanced scam detection.

Additionally, Quick Share gains iOS AirDrop compatibility, and Adobe Premiere is coming to Android, while Chrome for Android integrates Gemini 3.1 for auto-browsing and image generation via Nano Banana.

Google and Apple have begun rolling out end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging between Android and iPhone users, marking a significant shift in cross-platform privacy that addresses the longstanding lack of encryption in standard SMS texts.

The feature is currently rolling out in beta today. Android users must have the latest version of Google Messages, while iPhone users must be running iOS 26.5 with a supported carrier. Encryption is on by default for cross-platform RCS chats. Users will see a lock icon in their conversation threads, similar to the indicator used for Android-to-Android encrypted chats, requiring no manual setup.

The encryption protects message content from being intercepted in transit, ensuring that no third party, including Google, Apple, or carriers, can read the messages. The feature currently applies only to RCS conversations; if RCS is unavailable, messages fall back to unencrypted SMS. Group chat encryption across platforms and support for Google Voice or third-party RCS-enabled apps may have varying availability.

While Apple added RCS support to iOS last year to improve interoperability with Android (providing features like read receipts and high-res media), it previously lacked end-to-end encryption. This rollout closes the security gap where iPhone-to-Android texts were vulnerable to eavesdropping, unlike encrypted iMessage chats.

This development is the result of a cross-industry effort led by Google and Apple to standardize secure RCS messaging, building on Google’s previous implementation of E2EE for Android-to-Android chats using the Signal Protocol.

SpaceX and Anthropic AI have announced a major compute deal granting Anthropic full access to the Colossus 1 data center in Memphis, Tennessee, a supercomputer built by xAI and now operated by SpaceX. The announcement was made during Anthropic’s second annual “Code with Claude” developer event on Wednesday.

The agreement gives Anthropic access to over 220,000 Nvidia GPUs and more than 300 megawatts of compute capacity, immediately boosting its AI infrastructure to meet surging demand for its Claude models, especially Claude Code and Claude Opus.

In a statement, Anthropic said the deal will allow it to double rate limits for paid users of Claude Code on Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans, remove peak-hour usage reductions, and significantly increase API rate limits for Claude Opus. The company also revealed it has “expressed interest in partnering with SpaceX to develop multiple gigawatts of orbital AI compute capacity,” signaling long-term ambitions for space-based data centers.

Anthropic emphasized this partnership supplements existing agreements with Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia, with those larger-scale commitments expected to come online in late 2026 or early 2027.

SpaceX confirmed that Colossus 1—featuring H100, H200, and GB200 Nvidia accelerators—was built in just 122 days and is one of the world’s largest AI supercomputers. The company noted that xAI has transitioned its training operations to Colossus 2, freeing up Colossus 1 for external partners.

The space and AI company framed the deal as part of its broader strategy to monetize underused compute capacity and position itself as a leading AI infrastructure provider, with potential future developments in orbital computing to address Earth’s power and cooling constraints.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk endorsed the deal on X, writing: “Same here. By way of background for those who care, I spent a lot of time last week with senior members of the Anthropic team to understand what they do to ensure Claude is good for humanity and was impressed. Everyone I met was highly competent and cared a great deal about doing the right thing. No one set off my evil detector. So long as they engage in critical self-examination, Claude will probably be good.”  

He added: “After that, I was ok leasing Colossus 1 to Anthropic, as SpaceXAI had already moved training to Colossus 2,” and reserved the right to reclaim compute if Anthropic’s AI ever harms humanity. Musk also noted SpaceX will offer compute to other AI firms under “fair terms and pricing,” similar to its satellite launch model.

Musk had previously criticized Anthropic, calling it “misanthropic” and its AI “evil,” and accused it of bias against Western civilization. This shift follows xAI’s merger with SpaceX earlier in 2026, forming “SpaceXAI,” which is reportedly preparing for an IPO.

The deal comes amid a legal battle between Anthropic and the Trump administration’s Department of Defense, which seeks unrestricted military use of Claude—something Anthropic has resisted on ethical grounds.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced it will leave OPEC and OPEC+ effective May 1, 2026, citing its "long-term strategic and economic vision" and frustration over regional inaction during the ongoing Iran war. The decision marks a significant blow to the oil cartels, particularly Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s de facto leader, as the UAE is the third-largest oil producer in the group and a major, sophisticated exporter.

Geopolitical tensions and regional rifts drove the UAE’s exit. The country faced repeated Iranian missile and drone attacks, with over 500 ballistic missiles and 2,250 drones intercepted since early April, yet received limited military or political support from Gulf allies.

Anwar Gargash, UAE diplomatic adviser, criticized the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Arab League for their “weakest historical” response. The UAE also clashed with Saudi Arabia over regional influence, oil production quotas, and Saudi Arabia’s defense pact with Pakistan, which the UAE viewed as undermining its security interests amid the conflict.

Gulf and Arab critics view with suspicion the UAE's cozy relationship with Israel. And many believe the U.S. and Israel may have nudged UAE to leave OPEC. President Donald Trump has been a frequent critic of OPEC over its impact on oil prices.

The Iran war, initiated by the U.S. and Israel in February 2026, has severely disrupted energy markets by blocking the Strait of Hormuz—through which about 20% of global oil passes—causing Brent crude to rise above $105 per barrel.

Trump has linked U.S. military support for Gulf states to oil pricing, accusing OPEC of “ripping off the rest of the world.” The UAE’s move is seen as a strategic win for Trump, who recently backed a dollar swap line with the UAE.

Iran is expected to submit a revised peace proposal in the coming days after Trump rejected an earlier version.

Social media platform X has officially launched Custom Timelines, a feature allowing users to pin specific interest-based feeds directly to their home screen, alongside a Snooze Topics tool for temporary content suppression.

Announced by Head of Product Nikita Bier on Tuesday, and rolled out globally on iOS on Wednesday, these updates represent a major shift from a "one-size-fits-all" algorithmic approach to user-directed curation.

The Custom Timelines feature enables users to create dedicated spaces for over 75 distinct topics, ranging from broad categories like finance and sports to niche communities such as DeFi or robotics.

Powered by Grok AI, the system parses posts in real-time to categorize content with high precision, combining this understanding with the platform’s existing personalization algorithms to tailor each feed to individual user behavior.

Users can pin these topics to their home tab, creating new tabs alongside the standard Following and For You feeds, effectively decentralizing the traditional home experience into multiple personalized information hubs.

In conjunction with Custom Timelines, X introduced a Snooze Topics tool designed to help users manage the volume of specific subjects in their 'For You' tab. This feature allows Premium subscribers to temporarily suppress topics—such as politics or sports—for 24 hours or longer if the content becomes repetitive or irrelevant. Bier described the tool as a way to "crank up or turn down the slop" in users' daily digital diets, providing a mechanism to mute subjects without blocking individual accounts.

Initially, these features are available exclusively to X Premium subscribers. Custom Timelines launched on iOS with support for Android and Web versions currently in the final stages of testing. The Snooze Topics feature is rolling out to Premium users on both iOS and Web platforms. There are currently no official announcements regarding the eventual availability of these features for free users.

Bier on Wednesday, also announced the platform will be deprecating the Communities feature due to "declining usage."

"XChat now supports joinable links for groupchats," Bier announced. "Create a public link & share direct to Timeline. With support for 350 members per chat (and growing), Groupchat Links are the fastest way to bring people together on X... Due to declining usage, we're deprecating X Communities on May 6. To migrate your Community's members, pin your groupchat link so people can join it over the next 2 weeks."

Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple CEO on September 1, 2026, following a nearly 15-year tenure that grew the company’s market capitalization from $348 billion to roughly $4 trillion. He will be succeeded by John Ternus, the current Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, who will become Apple’s fourth CEO.

Cook will remain at the company as Executive Chairman, a role focused on global policy engagement and regulatory relationships.

The transition was unanimously approved by the board and described as the result of long-term succession planning, despite Cook recently dismissing departure rumors.

Ternus, 50, has been with Apple since 2001 and oversees the hardware development for products generating about 80% of Apple’s revenue, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. His promotion follows the departure of key executives such as COO Jeff Williams and CFO Luca Maestri, leaving Ternus to inherit significant challenges in AI integration, regulatory compliance, and supply chain management.

A mechanical engineer from the University of Pennsylvania, Ternus rose through the hardware ranks, leading the teams behind the iPad, AirPods, and recent iPhone models. He is viewed as a stable, internal choice who understands Apple’s product roadmap deeply.

Ternus inherits a complex landscape, including Apple’s lagging AI strategy, ongoing antitrust fines in the EU, and a need to navigate a substantially rebuilt executive team.

Since becoming CEO in 2011, Cook transformed Apple’s supply chain, launched the services business (now exceeding $100 billion annually), and introduced major product categories like the Apple Watch and AirPods.

Apple shares fell slightly (around 1%) in after-hours trading Monday, with investors largely viewing the leadership change as an orderly transition rather than a crisis.

Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party won a landslide victory in Hungary’s Sunday parliamentary election, securing 138 of 199 seats with over 53% of the vote, granting a constitutional supermajority and ending Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule.

Orbán conceded defeat less than three hours after polls closed, calling the result “painful but unambiguous,” and confirmed in a phone call to Magyar: “I congratulated the victorious party. We are going to serve the Hungarian nation and our homeland from opposition as well.” He later addressed supporters, saying, “The days ahead of us are for us to heal our wounds,” and pledged continued service from opposition.

Magyar declared victory saying: “My fellow Hungarians, we have done it! Together, we liberated Hungary and got rid of the Orbán regime.”

Speaking to tens of thousands along the Danube, Magyar said, “Tonight, truth prevailed over lies,” and credited voters with rewriting history by asking “what they could do for their homeland.” He called for peaceful celebration and announced plans to begin the “healing” of the country immediately, urging Orbán not to take any obstructive actions before leaving office. The prime minister-elect also demanded the resignation of Hungary’s President Tamás Sulyok, along with the heads of the supreme court, chief prosecutor, media authority, and competition office, citing the need to dismantle Orbán’s captured institutions and hold corrupt actors accountable.

Tisza’s supermajority enables reversal of Orbán-era laws, judicial reforms, and unlocking of frozen EU funds.

Record turnout reached nearly 80%, driven heavily by youth, with polls indicating 65% of voters under 30 opposed Orbán.

Orbán, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, faced international left-wing opposition for his conservative pro-family, anti-LGBTQ and anti-illegal immigration policies and his opposition to the European Union's globalist agenda and Russia-Ukraine policies.

Globalist leaders, including European Union's Ursula von der Leyen, Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, celebrated the result as a win for European democracy, while Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed readiness to improve bilateral ties despite Magyar’s opposition to arming Ukraine. The center-right prime minister-elect ran to the ideological right of Orbán during the campaign

OpenAI has abruptly shut down its Sora video generation app and API, a decision that immediately nullified a planned $1 billion equity investment from Disney. The move, announced Tuesday, comes less than four months after the two companies signed a three-year licensing deal in December 2025 that would have granted OpenAI access to over 200 Disney characters (including Mickey Mouse, Yoda, and Iron Man) in exchange for the capital.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman informed staff that the company is consolidating its consumer offerings into a single "superapp" (combining ChatGPT, Codex, and the browser) and is eyeing a potential IPO as early as Q4 2026. The Sora model itself is not entirely dead but will be repurposed for internal research.

The shutdown was driven by a strategic pivot within OpenAI to focus resources on enterprise tools, coding products, and AGI deployment rather than consumer video applications.

The decision also likely stemmed from declining app traction (downloads dropped from 3.3 million in November to 1.1 million in February), high compute costs, and intense competition from Chinese video models and Google's Veo.

While the standalone app and API are being discontinued, the underlying Sora research team will continue work on long-term "world model" research to advance robotics. No money from the Disney deal ever changed hands, as the transaction was never finalized and remains DOA (dead on arrival).

Disney was reportedly blindsided, learning of the shutdown just 30 minutes after a collaborative meeting on Monday evening; insiders described the move as a "big rug-pull." The entertainment company is now seeking a new AI video partner, with Google emerging as the dominant alternative.

xAI and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the company will double down on its AI video generation tool Grok Imagine.

"The next @Grok Imagine release will be epic," Musk wrote Wednesday on X. "We are doubling down."

Responding to an X user who asked why it's important, he said: "it is a more important tool than people realize."

Tether has officially launched USAT, a federally regulated, dollar-backed stablecoin designed for the U.S. market, marking its formal entry into the domestic regulatory framework under the GENIUS Act. The token is built on Tether’s Hadron real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform, enabling scalable, on-chain transparency and compliance.

USAT is issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, the first federally chartered stablecoin issuer in the U.S., operating under the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). This gives USAT full compliance with U.S. federal regulations. Cantor Fitzgerald serves as the designated reserve custodian and primary dealer for USAT, ensuring bank-grade transparency and asset management.

Bo Hines, former Executive Director of the White House Crypto Council, has been appointed CEO of Tether USAT, overseeing the U.S. division.

“USDT has proven for more than a decade that digital dollars can deliver trust, transparency, and utility at a global scale,"  CEO of Tether Paolo Ardoino said. "USAT extends that mission by providing a federally regulated product designed for the American market.”

USAT is now live on major exchanges including Kraken, OKX, Crypto.com, Bybit, and MoonPay, with initial trading volumes reaching $13 million shortly after launch.

Tether’s massive financial resources—reporting over $33.1 billion in U.S. Treasury bill purchases in 2024—position USAT to scale rapidly, with ambitions to reach a $1 trillion market cap within five years.

Tuesday's launch comes after the U.S. passed the GENIUS Act in July 2025, creating a legal framework for regulated stablecoins. While USDT remains a global, offshore stablecoin, USAT is Tether’s strategic response to compete with Circle’s USDC, the dominant U.S.-compliant stablecoin. The launch follows months of preparation, including the appointment of Hines in September 2025 and the selection of Anchorage and Cantor Fitzgerald as key partners.

Tether recently became the world's largest private holder of gold, about 140 tons stuffed in a Cold War-era nuclear bunker in Switzerland, now worth $24 billion. The company is reportedly targeting 10-15% of their total portfolio in physical gold, mimicking how central banks structure reserves.

The European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X over concerns that its AI chatbot, Grok, was used to generate non-consensual sexualized images of real people, including women and minors.

The probe, launched Monday, focuses on whether X has met its legal obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to assess and mitigate systemic risks related to illegal content, particularly manipulated sexually explicit images and potential child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy at the European Commission, Henna Virkkunen condemned the practice, stating: “Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation.” She emphasized that the investigation will determine whether X treated the rights of European citizens—especially women and children—as “collateral damage” of its service.

The Commission highlighted that Grok was not included in X’s required risk assessment reports under the DSA, despite being integrated into the platform. This omission raises serious concerns about X’s failure to properly evaluate and mitigate risks. The probe also extends the Commission’s ongoing investigation into X’s recommender systems, which now may use Grok’s AI, raising further questions about algorithmic risks.

X on January 14, said it had restricted image editing to prevent depictions of people in revealing clothing in jurisdictions where it is illegal, but EU officials argue these measures are insufficient and do not address systemic risks. The Commission may impose interim measures or fines of up to 6% of X’s global annual turnover if violations are found.

The investigation follows similar actions by the UK’s Ofcom, Australia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, which temporarily banned or restricted Grok over similar concerns. The EU is coordinating closely with Ireland’s national regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, due to X’s European headquarters being located there.

In response, X reiterated its “zero tolerance” policy for child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content, but the EU remains unconvinced that adequate safeguards are in place. The probe is ongoing, with no set deadline for resolution.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), part of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), has announced the development of a new platform for trading and on-chain settlement of tokenized securities, marking a major step toward modernizing U.S. market infrastructure.

The platform, which is subject to regulatory approval, will enable 24/7 operations, instant settlement, orders denominated in dollar amounts, and stablecoin-based funding.

The platform will combine the NYSE’s Pillar matching engine—a high-performance order-matching system—with blockchain-based post-trade systems. It will be designed to support multiple blockchains for settlement and custody, ensuring flexibility and interoperability. This hybrid architecture allows for secure, scalable, and compliant on-chain operations.

The platform will support continuous trading of U.S. listed equities and ETFs, extending beyond traditional market hours. Using blockchain-based post-trade systems, transactions will settle near-instantly, reducing counterparty risk and capital requirements.

Investors can place orders in familiar dollar amounts, improving accessibility and usability. The system will allow funding via stablecoins, enabling seamless capital movement across time zones and outside traditional banking hours. The platform will support fractional ownership, increasing access for retail investors.

The platform will launch only after receiving approval from U.S. regulators. All qualified broker-dealers will have equal access to the new venue, aligning with established market structure principles.

Tokenized shares will be fungible with traditionally issued securities, ensuring that token holders retain the same rights, including dividends and voting rights. The platform will also support tokens issued directly as digital securities, enabling new forms of capital formation.

This initiative is part of ICE’s broader digital strategy, which includes:

- Preparing its six global clearinghouses (including the world’s largest energy and credit default swap clearinghouses) for 24/7 operations.

- Partnering with major banks like BNY Mellon (NYSE: BK) and Citi (NYSE: C) to support tokenized deposits across clearinghouses, improving liquidity and margin efficiency.

- Exploring the use of tokenized collateral and integrating digital assets into clearing and settlement processes.

Lynn Martin, President of NYSE Group, emphasized that the exchange is leading the industry toward fully on-chain solutions, combining trust, regulatory rigor, and modern technology.

Michael Blaugrund, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at ICE, described the move as a pivotal step in operating on-chain market infrastructure for trading, settlement, custody, and capital formation.

The announcement comes amid growing demand for nonstop trading, with Nasdaq pursuing 23-hour daily trading and major brokerages like Robinhood and Charles Schwab extending trading hours. The NYSE’s platform aims to meet this demand while maintaining the integrity, transparency, and regulatory oversight expected of a major U.S. exchange.

This development positions the NYSE at the forefront of the convergence between traditional finance and blockchain technology, potentially reshaping how securities are traded, settled, and owned in the digital era.

Apple and Google have officially confirmed a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology, enabling future Apple Intelligence features, including a significantly upgraded Siri, to be launched later this year.

This partnership marks a major strategic shift for Apple, which had previously relied on OpenAI’s ChatGPT for some AI functions, and signals a decisive move to leverage Google’s advanced AI capabilities to accelerate its own AI ambitions while maintaining strict privacy standards.

The collaboration centers on Apple using Google’s Gemini models as the foundational technology for its own Apple Foundation Models, which will power a range of AI-driven features across Apple’s ecosystem.

The new Siri, expected to debut in the OS 26.4 update in March or April 2026, will be built on this Gemini foundation, offering enhanced personalization, in-app actions, and on-screen awareness.

Despite the deep integration of Gemini technology, Apple will customize the models for its own use, meaning the resulting Siri will not be identical to Google’s Gemini or Google Assistant.

Apple emphasized that all Apple Intelligence features, including the new Siri, will continue to run on Apple devices and its Private Cloud Compute architecture, ensuring user data remains protected and does not flow to Google’s servers.

A joint statement by both companies stated that after a thorough evaluation, Google’s AI technology was determined to provide the most capable foundation for its models, a decision that has been viewed positively by Wall Street and has contributed to Alphabet’s market capitalization surpassing $4 trillion.

"Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google's Gemini models and cloud technology," the statement reads on X. "These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year.

"After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google's Al technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users. Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple's industry-leading privacy standards."

The deal follows speculation that Apple might pay Google around $1 billion annually to use its models, though the financial terms of the agreement have not been publicly disclosed.

This partnership builds on Apple’s existing relationship with Google as the default search engine on its devices, a long-standing arrangement that generates significant revenue for Apple.

Commenting on the collaboration, xAI and Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on X, "This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that the also have Android and Chrome."

A delegation of about 1,000 Christian pastors and influencers from the United States are facing online backlash after they arrived in Israel recently, as part of a large-scale initiative organized by the Friends of Zion Museum in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The gathering, described as the largest of its kind since Israel’s founding, aims to strengthen Christian support for Israel, combat rising antisemitism, and equip participants to serve as ambassadors against misinformation.

The group visited key sites, including the Nova music festival site, where Hamas militants attacked on October 7, 2023, and met with survivors of Hamas captivity, including Almog Meir Jan and Natalie Sanandaji. The event has drawn attention amid a generational shift in Christian views on Israel.

The visit was officially endorsed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and led by Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center, who emphasized the need for an ideological counteroffensive against so-called antisemitism fueled by Israel's genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza.

Participants were vetted and signed a pledge to support Israel, with Evans claiming the group represents tens of millions of Americans and holds significant media influence.

The trip is part of a broader campaign, with plans to launch a global program in 2026 targeting one million pastors and churches to promote a pro-Israel worldview.

The gathering comes amid a backdrop of increasing tensions within the U.S. Christian community, with some younger church leaders arguing that the idea of Christian Zionism is heresy, and that no Chrisitian doctrine would justify Israel's brutal treatment of Palestinians, or the state support for LGBTQ and abortion propaganda. This has caused many on the American right to drift from traditional pro-Israel stances.

Critics, including some Black pastors and activists, have equated the Palestinian struggle with the Black civil rights movement and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, which they believe was rooted in support for the weak and oppressed.

Some pastors have faced backlash recently for their politically-charged pro-Israel sermons and for singling out and smearing popular commentators and journalists like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson who are critical of Israeli influence on American foreign policy.

According to JD Hall of Insight, for years, American evangelicals were told that loyalty to the modern State of Israel was an act of worship, a kind of political tithe paid in the currency of silence. That spell is breaking. The desperate spectacle in Jerusalem, where one thousand pastors were flown into a government-managed narrative chamber and instructed by the U.S. Ambassador in Israel, Mike Huckabee, to ignite their pulpits on behalf of a foreign state, exposed the machinery behind the myth.

This was not ministry. This was an influence operation. It was the culmination of decades of pressure campaigns, propaganda pipelines, curated tours, paid influencers, and the Friends of Zion network that disguises political lobbying as Christian devotion. At least Judas got thirty pieces of silver. These pastors just got a fruit basket, free airline ticket, and a photo op.

Soon, evangelical pew sitters will realize their pastors never stepped into a legitimate Christian gathering. They stepped into a diplomatic operation in religious clothing, orchestrated by a state that persecutes Christians, forbids the Gospel, and still expects American churches to carry its water as if Christ Himself commanded it.

Meta has announced new multiyear AI content licensing deals with major news publishers, including USA Today, Fox News, CNN, Le Monde Group, The Daily Caller, The Washington Examiner, and People Inc., to provide real-time news responses within its AI chatbot, Meta AI.

These partnerships, which allow the chatbot to pull information and link directly to original articles on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, mark a significant strategic pivot for Meta after it previously ceased paying publishers and shut down its Facebook News tab in 2024.

The move comes amid growing industry tensions, as The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune have recently sued AI startup Perplexity for unauthorized content use, highlighting the shift from unlicensed scraping to formal licensing agreements.

The agreements are multiyear and include unspecified compensation for publishers, with Meta stating the goal is to improve the accuracy, responsiveness, and balance of its AI by incorporating diverse viewpoints.

Meta AI will now surface information and links from partner outlets when users ask news-related questions, aiming to deliver timely and relevant content across global, entertainment, and lifestyle topics 

The inclusion of both left-wing (CNN, USA Today) and conservative (The Daily Caller, The Washington Examiner) outlets suggests a deliberate effort to address past criticisms of political bias in Meta’s platforms.

This development follows Meta’s earlier deal with Reuters in October 2024 and reflects a broader industry trend, with competitors like OpenAI, Google (Gemini), and Perplexity also securing content partnerships.

While the deals offer publishers a new revenue stream, they raise concerns about potential declines in direct website traffic as users may rely on AI chatbot summaries instead of visiting original articles

Netflix has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) film and television studios, along with its streaming platforms HBO Max and HBO, in a landmark $82.7 billion deal.

The transaction, valued at $27.75 per WBD share, will be completed after WBD finalizes its previously announced plan to spin off its global networks division—comprising CNN, TNT, Discovery, and other cable channels—into a separate publicly traded company named Discovery Global. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and shareholder votes.

The deal was reached after a competitive bidding war, with Netflix outbidding Paramount Skydance and Comcast.

Each WBD shareholder will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.501 in Netflix stock per share, with the stock component subject to a collar mechanism based on Netflix’s stock price at closing. The transaction is expected to be accretive to Netflix’s earnings per share by year two and generate at least $2–3 billion in annual cost savings by the third year.

Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters stated the merger will help define the next century of storytelling by combining Netflix’s global reach with Warner Bros.’ century-long legacy of content creation.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav will continue managing the company through the spin-off of Discovery Global until the deal closes.

Discovery Global, led by current WBD CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, will include CNN, TNT Sports in the U.S., Discovery channels, free-to-air European channels, and digital platforms like Discovery+ and Bleacher Report.

The separation of Discovery Global is now expected to be completed in Q3 2026, prior to the closing of the Netflix acquisition.

The deal has drawn attention for its potential regulatory scrutiny, with Paramount alleging an unfair bidding process and concerns over Netflix’s growing dominance in the streaming industry.

An armed gunman disguised as a deliveryman broke into a San Francisco home owned by Lachy Groom, a venture capitalist and former partner of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, on Saturday, and stole about $11 million in cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, from a resident identified as Joshua, who lives with Groom.

The suspect, posing as a UPS affiliate worker, tricked the victim into opening the door by claiming to deliver a package and needing to borrow a pen, then used a gun to tie him up, beat him, and force him to transfer funds from his crypto wallets over a 90-minute period while foreign voices on a speakerphone recited personal information to pressure him.

The incident occurred at a $4.4 million home in the Mission District, which Groom purchased in 2021 from Altman’s brother for $1.8 million. Joshua, a tech investor and Groom's business partner was reportedly the direct target of the attack, not Groom himself.

The suspect gained entry after the victim confirmed he was Joshua, then pulled a gun, bound him with duct tape, and stole his phone and laptop before draining his crypto wallets.

Police arrived at 6:45 PM and found the victim with minor injuries, including bruising, and the investigation is ongoing.

Security experts and industry figures, including investor Garry Tan, have highlighted the growing risk of physical attacks on crypto holders, warning that self-custody, while beneficial, can become dangerous when personal details are exposed and targets are identifiable.

The heist is believed to be a targeted operation by an organized crime group, not a random break-in, with the attacker using psychological torture and extortion tactics during the 90-minute ordeal.

Western Union has announced plans to launch its U.S. Dollar Payment Token (USDPT), a dollar-backed stablecoin built on the Solana blockchain and issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, with availability expected in the first half of 2026.

This move marks a significant expansion into digital assets, aiming to leverage Solana's high-speed, low-cost infrastructure to enhance cross-border payments and treasury operations, while integrating with a new Digital Asset Network to provide seamless cash off-ramps via partner wallets and Western Union’s global retail footprint.

The USDPT stablecoin will be pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar and will allow users to send, receive, spend, and hold the digital asset through partner exchanges, expanding money movement options for customers, agents, and partners.

The initiative is driven by a shared vision with Solana and Anchorage Digital to modernize financial infrastructure, with Anchorage Digital providing federally regulated stablecoin issuance and digital asset custody solutions.

Western Union's decision follows the passage of the GENIUS Act in mid-2025, which established the first federal regulatory framework for stablecoins, providing clarity on 1:1 reserves and audits, enabling regulated institutions like Western Union to enter the space with compliant operations.

The company positions the launch as a natural evolution of its 175-year history of using technology to connect people, aiming to make financial services more accessible, efficient, and inclusive globally.

This development comes amid a growing trend of traditional financial institutions and fintechs entering the stablecoin market, following announcements from JPMorgan Chase (JPM Coin), PayPal (PYUSD), and Zelle’s parent company, Early Warning Services, which is researching stablecoin use for fast cross-border payments.

SpaceX releases new videos of Starship maneuvers during test flight 11 on Oct. 13. The 33 Raptor engines lit up powering the Super Heavy booster(first stage) off the pad from Starbase before returning about 7 minutes after launch, to hover before splashdown in the Gulf.

The Ship(or upper stage) successfully executed a landing flip, landing burn, and soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean about 66 minutes after liftoff

France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron's official tax profile has been discovered to identify her as a man, listing her name as Jean-Michel Macron, a change confirmed by her chief of staff, Tristan Bromet, who confirmed it's not a technical glitch. The incident was revealed through a documentary by French broadcaster BFMTV, which aired on Sunday.

This incident, uncovered during a routine audit in September 2024, came amid a series of legal actions, including a cross-border defamation lawsuit against U.S. commentator Candace Owens and a criminal trial in Paris against ten individuals accused of sexist cyberbullying.

The listing was discovered when Brigitte Macron logged into her personal tax account on the French government portal and saw her name displayed as "Jean-Michel, known as Brigitte Macron." Bromet confirmed the change occurred in a secure section of the portal that cannot be accessed by regular users, indicating unauthorized access.

The Macrons have filed a defamation lawsuit against Owens in Delaware, accusing her of spreading baseless conspiracy theories, including claims that Brigitte Macron was born male, and of platforming known defamers.

Owens has responded by demanding that Brigitte Macron undergo an independent medical examination and release her medical records, while her legal team argues the statements are protected under free speech.

In Paris, a separate criminal trial is underway against ten individuals, including a teacher, elected official, and computer scientist, charged with spreading misogynistic and defamatory content online about Brigitte Macron’s age and gender identity.

The claim that Brigitte Macron was born male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux originated in 2021 and was reported by French journalists Natacha Rey and Amandine Roy (Delphine Jegousse), who released a video accusing her of being a "state lie."

The claims resurfaced in 2025 in Owens eight-part podcast series, Becoming Brigitte, which gained millions of views and included additional history about the couple.

The French government has since tightened laws censoring so-called sexist cyber harassment in response to such high-profile cases, viewing the Paris trial as a major test for prosecuting online free speech rights around gender identity criticisms

American singer Katy Perry (a.k.a. Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson) and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were seen together on Saturday night, in Paris, France, where they publicly confirmed their romantic relationship while celebrating Perry's 41st birthday at the Crazy Horse cabaret. The couple arrived hand-in-hand and were photographed looking affectionate and happy, marking their first official public appearance as a couple.

Perry wore a striking red gown with a thigh-high slit and accessorized with silver earrings and a black Birkin bag, while Trudeau, the former Canadian Prime Minister, dressed in a black suit paired with a matching T-shirt.

The event took place at Crazy Horse, an iconic Parisian cabaret known for its performances by nude female dancers. The venue has hosted various international performers over the years like Lisa from Blackpink, contributing to its reputation as a glamorous and exclusive destination.

The birthday celebration at Crazy Horse included friends, and the couple was seen smiling and holding hands throughout the evening, even as Perry accepted roses from fans upon leaving.

This public outing follows months of speculation about their relationship, which first emerged in July 2025 after they were spotted on a dinner date in Montreal. At the time, sources indicated that Perry was “really into” the relationship and that the couple had been spending private time together, though they aimed to keep things low-key.

Their romance developed after Perry’s amicable split from longtime fiancé Orlando Bloom, with whom she shares a daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom Bloom and Perry had shifted their relationship to focus on co-parenting earlier in the year.

Trudeau, who served as Canada’s Prime Minister from 2015 to March 2025, announced his separation from Sophie Grégoire Trudeau in 2023 after 18 years of marriage; the couple shares three children.

Perry, previously married to Russell Brand from 2010 to 2012, has long been a prominent figure in pop music with hits like "Teenage Dream" and "California Gurls."

Portugal’s parliament has approved a bill, banning face veils like burqas and niqabs in most public spaces, a move spearheaded by the right-leaning Chega party and supported by center-right coalition parties.

The legislation targets garments worn for "gender or religious motives," imposing fines of €200 to €4,000 ($234 to $4,671) for violations and prison sentences of up to three years for forcing someone to wear such veils. The bill now awaits presidential assent from Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who may veto it or refer it to the Constitutional Court for review.

The bill specifically targets burqas and niqabs worn by Muslim women, though it exempts places like airplanes, diplomatic premises, and places of worship. 

Proponents, including Chega leader Andre Ventura and Social Democratic Party lawmaker Andreia Neto, argue the ban protects women’s autonomy and promotes gender equality, stating it prevents women from being forced to veil and safeguards national identity.

Critics, including left-wing parties like the Socialist Party and human rights advocates, argue the law unfairly targets Muslim minorities, risks stigmatizing religious expression, and may deepen societal divisions despite the small number of women in Portugal who wear such veils.

The Muslim population in Portugal is small, estimated at around 0.4% of the total population according to the 2021 census, meaning the practical impact of the ban may be limited but its symbolic significance is high.

If enacted, Portugal would join other European nations such as France, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands in having full or partial bans on face coverings, a trend that has sparked international debate over religious freedom versus security and gender equality.

An international law enforcement operation, codenamed SIMCARTEL, led by Europol and Latvian authorities, dismantled a major cybercrime-as-a-service (CaaS) platform on October 10, 2025, resulting in the seizure of 1,200 SIM box devices, 40,000 active SIM cards, and five servers used to facilitate global fraud.

The operation, which involved coordinated raids across multiple countries, led to the arrest of seven suspects, including five Latvian nationals, and disrupted a network responsible for enabling over 49 million fake online accounts and more than 3,200 cyber fraud cases across Europe.

The dismantled network, operating under the guise of a legitimate service, provided criminals with temporary phone numbers from over 80 countries to mask their identities, enabling a wide range of crimes including phishing, smishing, investment fraud, extortion, migrant smuggling, and the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The two primary websites used to advertise the service, gogetsms.com and apisim.com, were seized and replaced with law enforcement splash pages announcing their takedown.

The criminal infrastructure was described as highly sophisticated, designed to provide scalability and anonymity to its clients, allowing them to create fake social media, banking, and e-commerce accounts for fraudulent purposes.

Financial losses attributed to the network exceeded EUR 4.5 million in Austria and EUR 420,000 in Latvia, with authorities freezing EUR 431,000 in bank assets and USD 333,000 in cryptocurrency, and confiscating four luxury vehicles.

The operation was a joint effort involving law enforcement agencies from Austria, Estonia, Finland, and Latvia, supported by Europol and Eurojust, with technical assistance from the Shadowserver Foundation.

President Donald Trump posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a White House ceremony on Tuesday, on what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday. The event, held in the Rose Garden, featured emotional remarks from Trump and Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who accepted the honor on her husband’s behalf.

Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated on September 10, 2025, during a debate at Utah Valley University as part of his "America Comeback Tour." His organization played a significant role in mobilizing young voters for Trump in the 2024 election, particularly in key battleground states like Arizona. Vice President JD Vance, a close friend, accompanied Kirk’s casket on Air Force Two from Utah to Arizona.

Trump described Kirk as a "martyr for truth and freedom" and a "visionary" who galvanized young voters, while Erika Kirk praised her husband’s faith, fearlessness, and servant’s heart, noting he prayed for his enemies.

Trump called Kirk a "fearless warrior for liberty" and a "champion in every way," and stated he "raced back halfway around the globe" from the Middle East to attend, having just brokered a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. He credited Kirk with helping him win the 2024 election and mobilizing young voters, joking that without him, Kamala Harris might have been president.

The president also used the occasion to condemn "far-left radicals," claiming they have a "devil’s ideology" and calling for "absolutely no tolerance" for radical left violence, extremism, and terror. He referenced the sounds of sirens from the Rose Garden as "real-deal sirens" and "beautiful," linking them to law enforcement and national security.

Erika Kirk accepted the medal and shared a heartfelt message from her 3-year-old daughter, who wished her father a happy birthday with a stuffed animal, cupcake, and surprise. She also spoke of her husband’s deep faith and his potential to run for president, stating he would have done so only if he believed it was necessary for the country, not out of ambition.

The widow said of Kirk, "Surprisingly enough, he did pray for his enemies, which is very hard, but he did," drawing laughter from the crowd. She also highlighted her son’s early potty training as a "gift" to her and Charlie.

The ceremony was attended by numerous high-profile figures, including Vice President Vance, second lady Usha Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, and prominent conservative media personalities like Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Laura Ingraham. The Trump administration also revoked visas of six foreign nationals for making negative comments about Kirk.

Tesla has unveiled new, more affordable versions of its Model 3 and Model Y, named the Model 3 Standard and Model Y Standard, with the Model 3 Standard starting at $38,630 and the Model Y Standard at $41,630, including destination and order fees.

These models are stripped-down versions of the existing vehicles, featuring reduced range, fewer premium features, and lower acceleration compared to the previous "Premium" trims, which were the least expensive models before this launch. The move comes after the expiration of the $7,500 U.S. federal EV tax credit, which had previously made Tesla vehicles more affordable, and has led to a significant price increase for buyers in the U.S.

The new Model 3 Standard and Model Y Standard are priced $5,500 and $5,000 less, respectively, than the previous "Premium" trims.

Key feature reductions include a smaller 69kWh battery, fewer speakers (7 vs. 15), no rear touchscreen, no ambient lighting, manual side mirrors, cloth-only interiors, and no Autosteer as a default feature.

The Model Y Standard has a starting range of 321 miles (516 km), while the Model 3 Standard also offers over 300 miles of range, though both have slower acceleration than higher trims.

Deliveries are expected to begin in November or December 2025 for the Model Y and December 2025 or January 2026 for the Model 3.

The launch is part of a broader strategy to maintain market share amid competition from rivals like Ford, Hyundai, and BYD, and to utilize excess production capacity at Tesla’s U.S. factories. The company had previously planned a $25,000 "Model 2" vehicle, but that project was canceled, leading to the current strategy of de-contenting existing models instead of developing a new, lower-cost platform.

The new models are expected to be available in other markets, including Europe, where the loss of the U.S. tax credit does not apply, potentially offering real savings.

Rumble (NASDAQ: RUM) and Perplexity announced a strategic partnership on Thursday, to integrate Perplexity’s AI-powered search tools into Rumble.com to improve video discoverability. This collaboration includes a new subscription bundle combining Rumble Premium with Perplexity Pro and an advertising commitment from Perplexity to promote its AI browser, Comet, across Rumble’s ecosystem, including the Rumble Advertising Center.

The integration and related offerings are being rolled out progressively, launching alongside enhanced search capabilities. The partnership aims to address the challenge of content discoverability in a crowded digital video landscape by leveraging Perplexity’s AI technology to better understand user intent and surface relevant video results.

"The partnership includes several initiatives, including the integration of Perplexity’s AI-powered tools to drive more discoverability on Rumble, the introduction of a new subscription bundle combining Rumble Premium with Perplexity Pro, and the promotion of Perplexity’s new product Comet across the Rumble ecosystem, including the Rumble Advertising Center," the video streaming platform wrote in a blog.

Rumble’s CEO, Chris Pavlovski, expressed excitement about deepening Rumble’s presence in the AI space and highlighted the value of Perplexity’s technology for improving platform discoverability.

Perplexity’s Chief Business Officer, Dmitry Shevelenko, noted that the collaboration allows Perplexity to introduce its Comet browser to Rumble’s audience while bringing its AI search capabilities to the platform.

Comet is described as an AI-powered browser that acts as a personal assistant, providing contextual help and intelligent search across any website, learning from user interactions to improve engagement

The bundled subscription offer is a strategic monetization effort designed to boost average revenue per user (ARPU) and create a stable, recurring income stream by combining Rumble’s ad-free, exclusive content access with Perplexity Pro’s advanced AI features

The partnership has generated significant retail investor interest, with Rumble stock experiencing a 421% surge in user message volume on Stocktwits within 24 hours of the announcement, reflecting an "extremely bullish" sentiment.

The partnership is distinct from previous approaches, focusing on a deep integration of a sophisticated AI answer engine rather than generic recommendation algorithms, aiming for a more intelligent and user-driven content experience.

Slovakia's parliament has amended its constitution to legally recognize only two sexes—male and female—and to restrict adoption exclusively to married heterosexual couples, effectively banning LGBTQ+ couples from adopting children. President Peter Pellegrini has said he will sign the amendment into law.

The amendment, which was championed by Prime Minister Robert Fico's government as a defense of "traditional values" and national sovereignty in cultural and ethical matters, was passed with the support of 12 opposition lawmakers, including members from the conservative Christian Democrats and former Prime Minister Igor Matovic’s Slovakia movement.

The constitutional amendment explicitly states that the Slovak Republic recognizes only two sexes, male and female, which are defined as biologically determined at birth.

Adoption rights are now limited to married couples, making it virtually impossible for same-sex couples or single individuals to adopt, a restriction that builds on a 2014 constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

The change also bans surrogate pregnancies and requires parental consent for access to sexual education, further restricting reproductive and educational rights.

Critics, including opposition leader Michal Simecka, have condemned the vote as "shameful" and a threat to Slovakia’s place in the European Union, while rights groups have labeled it one of the most dangerous decisions in the country’s history.

The move has drawn criticism from international left-wing groups and their globalist billionaire donors. Amnesty International and the Council of Europe, warned it undermines Slovakia’s international obligations and human rights protections. The Venice Commission of the Council of Europe has already warned that the changes create legal uncertainty and contradict Slovakia’s international commitments.

However the amendment has popular support in the country. Prime Minister Fico hailed the vote as a "great dam against progressivism" and a victory for national identity, framing liberal ideology as a "cancer" spreading through Western societies.

The amendment was also praised by conservatives and groups around the world, and is seen as part of a broader shift toward sanity and opposition to the LGBTQ degeneracy which is aggressively pushed by left-wing activists and their globalist billionaire donors like the George Soros foundation.

Ryan Routh, the 59-year-old man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course in September 2024, tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen moments after a federal jury found him guilty on all five counts against him on Tuesday.

Court observers described the scene as chaotic, with marshals tackling Routh and removing him from the courtroom before he was shackled and brought back in Routh, who represented himself during his trial in Fort Pierce, Florida, faces a potential life sentence at his sentencing hearing on December 18, 2025.

Routh pleaded not guilty and chose to defend himself, delivering a closing argument that claimed the assassination attempt was "never going to happen" and that there was "no intent." Prosecutors presented evidence of a meticulous plan, including the use of six burner phones, fake names, and online searches for "Trump’s upcoming rallies," "Palm Beach traffic cameras," "directions to Miami airport," "flights to Mexico," "hospitals in the area," and "how to make a tourniquet."

They also highlighted text messages Routh sent to his three children minutes before the alleged attack, expressing love and concern. The jury deliberated for less than three hours before returning a guilty verdict.

Routh was accused of lying in wait for nearly 10 hours in thick bushes near the sixth hole of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, armed with an SKS-style rifle, two bags of metal plates for body armor, and a video camera pointed at the course. He was discovered by a Secret Service agent who opened fire, prompting Routh to flee without firing a shot at Trump, who was on the fifth hole. He was arrested about an hour later on Interstate 95.

Routh, who lived in Hawaii, had previously worked as a roofing contractor and was involved in pro-democracy movements in Taiwan and Ukraine, traveling to Ukraine twice following Russia’s invasion to help recruit volunteers and source supplies.

After the verdict, Routh's daughter, Sarah, yelled for him to hold on and was escorted out of the courtroom.

President Trump reacted on Truth Social, praising the Department of Justice and calling the convicted man "an evil man with an evil intention." U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated the verdict demonstrated the DOJ's commitment to punishing political violence.

The U.S. Secret Service has dismantled a massive hidden telecom network in the New York area, just as world leaders were gathering for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).  The operation, which uncovered over 300 SIM servers and more than 100,000 SIM cards within a 35-mile radius of the United Nations, could have crippled cell towers, jammed 911 calls, and caused widespread communication blackouts during a critical time for the city.

Officials emphasize the system was capable of sending up to 30 million text messages per minute and was part of a broader investigation into threats targeting senior U.S. government officials 

The network, described as a sophisticated and well-funded enterprise, functioned like a bank of mock cellphones, capable of generating mass calls and texts, overwhelming local networks, and masking encrypted communications.

The discovery was made during a Secret Service investigation into telecommunications threats, and while no direct plot to disrupt the UNGA has been uncovered, the potential for catastrophic consequences if the system had been activated is significant.

Forensic analysis of the 100,000 active SIM cards and associated communications is ongoing, with officials suspecting nation-state actors used the network to communicate with organized crime groups, cartels, and terrorist organizations.

Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool warned that the discovery highlights a new frontier of risk, with the potential for similar hidden networks to exist in other major U.S. cities. The U.S. Secret Service's director, Sean Curran, stated the takedown underscores the agency's commitment to preventing imminent threats to its protectees.

An Israeli drone strike in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil on Sunday, killed five people, including four U.S. citizens—three children and their father—according to Lebanese officials, though the U.S. State Department has disputed this claim.

The Israeli military confirmed the strike, which targeted a Hezbollah militant operating within a civilian population, and acknowledged the deaths of several uninvolved civilians, stating the incident is under review. The attack has sparked international condemnation and renewed concerns over the fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported striking and eliminating a Hezbollah operator in Bint Jbeil, using a drone to fire two missiles at a motorcycle and a Mercedes car. Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed five fatalities, including three children and their father, with the mother critically injured.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stated the father and three children held U.S. citizenship, a claim disputed by a U.S. State Department spokesperson. The Lebanese Foreign Minister confirmed the mother was injured and in critical condition.

The attack drew strong condemnation from Lebanese leadership. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called the strike a "massacre" and a "crime against civilians," describing it as a message of intimidation aimed at people returning to their villages in southern Lebanon. President Joseph Aoun, who was in New York for the UN General Assembly, condemned the strike, urging the international community to pressure Israel to stop its actions, stating, "There can be no peace over the blood of our children." The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) expressed being "shocked and outraged" by the killing of the three children, calling attacks on children "unconscionable" and demanding an immediate end to hostilities.

The strike occurred despite a US-brokered ceasefire agreement signed in November 2024, which required both Israel and Hezbollah to withdraw forces from southern Lebanon and halt attacks. Israel has continued to conduct strikes in Lebanon almost daily since the ceasefire, and Israeli forces remain in occupation of five Lebanese hilltop points near the border.

Hezbollah claims it has no military presence south of the Litani River and attributes its refusal to disarm to Israel's continued attacks. The ongoing conflict has already caused significant casualties and displacement, with the previous monthslong war killing approximately 4,000 people in Lebanon. The Israeli military maintains it is targeting Hezbollah militants and infrastructure, while Lebanon and international bodies argue the strikes violate the ceasefire and international law.

UPDATE | FBI Re-arrests Left-wing Extremist In Connection With ABC10 Station Shooting Following Jimmy Kimmel Show Suspension

Anibal Hernandez-Santana, 64, was re-arrested by the FBI on Monday, after being released from the Sacramento County Jail on Saturday, September 20, following the posting of a $200,000 bail. He is now facing federal charges for allegedly violating 47 USC 333, which prohibits willful or malicious interference with the communication of a station licensed by the U.S. government. Hernandez-Santana is currently on a federal hold and is ineligible for bail.

"The FBI has taken into custody the suspect linked to the shooting into ABC10’s Sacramento station lobby under a federal hold for interference with licensed broadcasts. Targeted acts of violence are unacceptable and will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law," FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X, Monday.

Hernandez-Santana was initially arrested Friday evening at a residence in the River Park neighborhood after being linked to a vehicle suspected in the drive-by shooting at the ABC10 (KXTV) station in Sacramento.

The shooting, which occurred on Friday at 1 p.m., resulted in at least three bullet holes in the station's lobby window, but no one was physically harmed.

He was released on Saturday after posting bail but was re-arrested hours later by the FBI on probable cause related to the federal statute.

His federal court appearance is scheduled for Monday, September 22, 2025, at 2 p.m., and he is also due in Sacramento County Superior Court on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.

Defense attorney Mark Reichel stated he was unaware of the federal charges and questioned the motives behind the federal arrest, suggesting investigators may be focusing on the suspect's extremist left-wing social media posts.

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A 64-year-old man, Anibal Hernandez-Santana, was arrested on Saturday, in connection with a drive-by shooting at the ABC affiliate station ABC10 (KXTV) in Sacramento, California, which occurred on Friday afternoon around 1:30 p.m, related to a protest the day before over the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's left-wing show.

Police reported that shots were fired from a vehicle near the ABC10 building at 400 Broadway, resulting in at least three bullet holes in the building's lobby window. The building was occupied at the time, but no injuries were reported. The Sacramento Police Department stated that the FBI is assisting with the investigation.

The shooting occurred one day after about 15 far-left protestors gathered outside the station to protest ABC's decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show, a move prompted by Kimmel's comments about TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer.

Tegna, the parent company of ABC10, confirmed the shots were fired and stated all employees were safe and unharmed, emphasizing their full cooperation with law enforcement and the implementation of additional safety measures.

Hernandez-Santana was arrested on Saturday following an investigation that traced a vehicle seen at the scene to his residence in the 5400 block of Carlson Drive in the River Park neighborhood. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, negligent discharge of a firearm, and shooting into an occupied building. His bail has been set at $200,000.

The suspect was later re-arrested by federal authorities. "The FBI has taken into custody the suspect linked to the shooting into ABC10’s Sacramento station lobby under a federal hold for interference with licensed broadcasts. Targeted acts of violence are unacceptable and will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law," FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X, Monday. He's reportedly currently ineligible for bail.

The 64-year-old suspect of Guatemalan origin, has a prior history of legal action. Records show he filed a lawsuit in February 2019 against the California Rural Indian Health Board Inc. (CRIHB) alleging wrongful termination, discrimination, and retaliation. He is scheduled for his first court appearance on September 23, 2025.

California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom, who has faced criticisms for the rampant crime in the state, condemned the act, calling any violence against journalists an attack on democracy.

The UK government, led by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, has threatened to introduce new legislation requiring YouTube to prominently feature public service broadcaster (PSB) content, such as that from the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4, on its platform, citing the need for fair commercial returns and the survival of public service media.

The dispute stems from a July 2025 report by media regulator Ofcom, which warned that PSB content is becoming an "endangered species" due to the dominance of platforms like YouTube, and urged the government to act to ensure this content remains discoverable.

This July 2025 report from Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, concluded that without action, the very existence of PSBs could be threatened, as their content becomes harder to find on dominant platforms.

Ofcom specifically recommended legislation to make UK-focused shows and news easier to discover on third-party platforms, with YouTube highlighted as a primary concern due to its market dominance.

Secretary Nandy emphasized that PSB content should be featured with fair commercial returns. She described PSBs as fighting with "one arm behind its back" against challenges like funding shortfalls and changing viewing habits.

Speaking at the Royal Television Society’s Cambridge Convention this week, the culture secretary did not name YouTube, but said that "Public service media content should be prominent on major video sharing platforms and on fair commercial returns. If we need to regulate, we will.”

She added: “Public service media is fighting to be seen and heard in an increasingly competitive market. It fights with one arm behind its back, staring down multiple challenges — funding shortfalls, changing viewing habits, and regulation that hasn’t kept pace with the media revolution of recent years.”

The far-left Labour member of parliament also praised the BBC: “It is a light on the hill for people here and across the world and the best defence against the tide of toxic populism, fear and division that sows distrust and costs us the ability to understand one another.”

In response, YouTube has called the government's threat of legislative intervention "premature," asserting it is committed to working constructively with broadcasters to ensure their content is accessible and successful on the platform.

YouTube argued that the focus should be on constructive partnership rather than regulation The company stated it is committed to working with PSBs to ensure users have access to high-quality, public interest content.

“Everything we do is guided by delivering value to our users and protecting the vibrant ecosystem that our creators and viewers make possible," a YouTube spoklesperson said. "This extends to our broadcast partners, where we are seeing that many have achieved remarkable success in reaching new audiences on YouTube.

“We are committed to working constructively to ensure users continue to have access to high-quality, public interest content. Discussions about regulation seem premature when there are so many more opportunities for closer partnership with PSBs to achieve our shared objectives.”

A well-placed BBC source indicated that YouTube is "leaning in" to talks with broadcasters, and conversations have been described as constructive, although no formal agreements have been reached.

YouTube's argument in these discussions is that simply promoting PSB content in recommendations may not significantly increase viewership, as users often skip over them to find the content they want. The platform also noted that many PSBs have already achieved remarkable success in reaching new audiences on YouTube.

The tension arises from YouTube's significant growth, particularly on television devices, which has led to it becoming a primary TV platform for many UK viewers. Recent Ofcom research found YouTube was the second most-watched service in the UK last year and has been regularly outranking the BBC in 2025. This shift in viewing habits has alarmed broadcasters who rely on public service broadcasting (PSB) mandates and funding, which are under pressure in the digital age.

The issue is further complicated by the fact that YouTube, as a global platform, operates under different commercial and regulatory models than traditional broadcasters. The situation has been a dominant topic at recent UK media conferences, with discussions about YouTube's role in the media ecosystem.

Critics however point out that viewers prefer to watch what, when and where they want to, and the general distrust of legacy media has pushed many towards social media content by their favorite creators.

Meta Platforms unveiled a new line of smart glasses at its Connect 2025 event on Wednesday, with the most significant launch being the Meta Ray-Ban Display, the company's first consumer-ready smart glasses featuring a built-in display in the right lens.

The event featured multiple failed live demonstrations of the glasses' capabilities, including a cooking tutorial and a video call, which CEO Mark Zuckerberg attributed to Wi-Fi issues.

Zuckerberg acknowledged the failures, stating, "I don’t know what happened," and later remarked on the irony of years of development being thwarted by the event's Wi-Fi, saying, "you spend years making technology and then the Wi-Fi at the day kind of catches you." Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth humorously noted that his team would now have to debug the issue, emphasizing the pressure of the September 30 release date.

Despite the technical hiccups, the keynote highlighted the glasses' features, such as a high-resolution display, 3K video, double the battery life, and integration with a Neural Band wristband for gesture control.

This launch marks a pivotal step in Meta's strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into everyday wearables, positioning the glasses as a vehicle for "superintelligence."  The event also introduced the Oakley Meta Vanguard, a sports-focused model for athletes, and a second-generation update to the standard Ray-Ban Meta glasses with improved battery life and video quality.

The Meta Ray-Ban Display, priced at $799, features a small display in the right lens capable of showing text messages, video calls, turn-by-turn navigation, and visual results from AI queries. It will be available for purchase starting September 30, 2025, at select brick-and-mortar retailers in the US, including Best Buy, LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, and Ray-Ban Stores.

The glasses are sold with a companion Meta Neural Band wristband, which uses electromyography (EMG) to detect hand gestures for control, such as pinching to select, swiping to navigate, and twisting to adjust volume. The wristband offers up to 18 hours of battery life and has an IPX7 water rating.

The display has a 20-degree field of view and a resolution of 600 x 600 pixels, with brightness ranging from 30 to 5,000 nits, though visibility can be challenging in direct sunlight. The external camera is a 12-megapixel sensor, recording 1080p video for up to six hours per charge, with an external case providing an additional 30 hours of battery life.

The launch of the display glasses is a key part of Meta's effort to build its own consumer electronics ecosystem, competing with companies like Apple and Google. The company has invested billions in hardware and recently made a $3.5 billion investment in EssilorLuxottica, its partner for the Ray-Ban brand.

The Oakley Meta Vanguard is a wraparound design aimed at runners, cyclists, and other athletes, priced at $499. It features a centered camera, louder speakers with deeper bass, and new video shooting modes like 60-frames-per-second video, slow-motion, and time-lapse capture.

The glasses offer improved water resistance and integrate with fitness platforms such as Garmin and Strava to deliver real-time training stats and post-workout summaries. They will be available starting October 21, 2025, in several countries including the US, Canada, UK, and parts of Europe and Asia.

 A second-generation version of the standard Ray-Ban Meta glasses was also announced, featuring almost twice the battery life of the previous model and improved video recording capabilities, now supporting 3K video. The starting price for this updated model is $379, up from $299.

The Meta Connect 2025 conference, held at Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, was a major event focused on the company's AI and wearable technology advancements  The new glasses are part of Meta's strategy to move AI from a reactive tool to a constantly running service that assists users throughout the day.

Terence Crawford defeated Saul "Canelo" Álvarez via unanimous decision on Saturday, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, to claim the undisputed super middleweight championship and become the first boxer in the four-belt era to hold undisputed titles in three weight classes.

The fight, which aired live on Netflix, was a highly anticipated clash between two of boxing’s most dominant forces, with Crawford improving to 42-0 with 31 knockouts and Álvarez falling to 63-3-2 with 39 knockouts.

The bout was for Álvarez’s undisputed super middleweight titles, with Crawford moving up two weight classes to challenge for the championship.

Crawford, known for his speed and precision, controlled the fight with effective jabbing, body shots, and counterpunching, maintaining composure even when pressured.

The official scorecards were 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 in favor of Crawford, who was praised for his ability to absorb Álvarez’s power and counter effectively.

A significant moment occurred in the ninth round when an accidental headbutt opened a cut over Crawford’s eye, prompting a brief pause, after which both fighters continued at a high pace.

Álvarez showed flashes of brilliance, particularly in the fifth and eighth rounds, but Crawford regained control in the later rounds, with his footwork and timing proving decisive.

Crawford’s victory solidified his legacy as one of boxing’s greatest, making him the first male boxer to achieve undisputed status in three weight classes.

The following are the other fights at the event.

During the co-main event, Unbeaten junior middleweight Callum Walsh retained his undefeated record with a ten-round unanimous decision win over Fernando Vargas Jr. The scores were 99-91, 99-91, and 100-90, though the fight was more competitive than the scorecards suggest.

The interim WBC super middleweight title bout between Christian Mbilli and Lester Martinez ended in a split draw after a brutal 10-round war. The fight was described as a "Fight of the Year candidate," with both fighters exchanging heavy blows throughout, and the final scorecards were 97-93 Martinez, 96-94 Mbilli, and 95-95.

Lightweight prospect Mohammed Alakel won a unanimous decision over Travis Crawford in his first ten-round bout, improving to 6-0 with 1 win by knockout.

Brandon Adams defeated Serhii Bohachuk via unanimous decision, repeating his 2021 victory and improving to 26-4 with 16 knockouts.

.Jermaine Franklin Jr. defeated two-time Olympic bronze medalist Ivan Dychko via unanimous decision to remain undefeated at 24-2.

Punk-rap duo Bob Vylan faced significant backlash after frontman Bobby Vylan made controversial remarks referencing the assassination of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk during a concert at Amsterdam’s Paradiso Grote Zaal on Saturday, Sept. 13. Kirk was fatally shot on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University, an incident authorities have described as a targeted political assassination.

During the performance, Bobby Vylan dedicated the song “CSGB” (an acronym for “chat shit, get banged”) to Kirk, saying: “I want to dedicate this next one to an absolute piece of shit of a human being. The pronouns was/were. ‘Cos if you chat shit, you will get banged. Rest in piss, Charlie Kirk, you piece of shit.”

The comment sparked outrage with many condemning his insensitive remarks. The backlash led to the cancellation of the band’s upcoming concert at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Netherlands, scheduled for September 16. The venue stated that while it understood the context of punk and activism, the comments “go too far” and “no longer fall within the scope of what we can offer as a platform.”

In response, Bobby Vylan released a video on social media on Sunday, Sept. 14, incredibly denying that he celebrated Kirk’s death. He stated: “At no point during yesterday’s show, was Charlie Kirk’s death celebrated. At no point whatsoever. Did we celebrate Charlie Kirk’s death? I did call him a piece of shit, that much is true but at no point was his death celebrated.”

Bob Vylan challenged critics to find any quote proving celebration, asserting that a reporter had attended the show specifically to find controversial material to report. He concluded by urging the public to “calm down,” claiming the narrative had been misrepresented.

Within minutes replies to Bobby Vylan's post on X, were flooded with video clips of him actually celebrating Kirk's assasination during his perfromance. Social media users mocked the punk-rap artist for blatantly lying about what he did. X's fact-checking Community Note also debunked his denial.

The punk rap duo have a history of far-left politically charged performances. The band had their US visas revoked over their rhetoric on the Israel-Palestine conflict. They have consistently defended their rhetoric as opposition to state violence and oppressive systems, not calls for violence against individuals or ethnic groups. However critics pointed out that Vylan targeted an individual, Kirk whose mission was to foster debates between people who diagree on cultural and political issues.

Nepal has appointed former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki as its first woman interim prime minister following a week of violent unrest that led to the ousting of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

The selection was driven by a Gen Z-led protest movement that used the Discord platform to conduct an informal online vote, which ultimately endorsed Karki as the interim leader. She was sworn in on September 12, 2025, and has since dissolved parliament, setting general elections for March 5, 2026.

The protests began as a backlash against the government’s ban on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, quickly escalating into a nationwide uprising against corruption, unemployment, and political elite privileges.

The unrest resulted in at least 51 deaths and over 1,300 injuries, with security forces using live fire, tear gas, and batons against demonstrators; protesters also set fire to government offices, politicians’ residences, and the Singha Durbar palace.

A Discord server with over 145,000 members became the central hub for organizing the movement, hosting debates and polls to select an interim leader Karki emerged as the most favored candidate, defeating other contenders such as politician Sagar Dhakal and social innovator Mahabir Pun.

The consensus for Karki was reached after negotiations between protest representatives, President Ramchandra Paudel, and Army Chief Gen. Ashok Raj Sigdel, who exercised de facto control following the government’s collapse.

Karki, 73, is renowned for her anti-corruption record, including presiding over the conviction of a sitting cabinet minister, and has a history of political activism, having been imprisoned during Nepal’s 1990s movement to end absolute monarchy.

While her appointment has been celebrated by many as a historic step toward reform and representation, some Gen Z members have questioned her impartiality due to her prior appointment under the Oli government, and analysts have raised concerns about the constitutional legitimacy of dissolving parliament.

The interim government now faces the immense task of restoring order, investigating the damage from the riots, ensuring security, and preparing for the upcoming elections, with international observers urging support for a democratic transition.

Apple held its "Awe Dropping" event on Tuesday, unveiling the iPhone 17 series, new Apple Watches, and updated AirPods Pro 3.

The launch included the standard iPhone 17, the new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models, alongside refreshed Apple Watch 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and the AirPods Pro 3.

The iPhone 17 Air, Apple's thinnest smartphone ever at 5.6mm, was the standout announcement. It features a single 48MP rear camera, a polished titanium frame, and is powered by the new A19 processor. It is available in black, silver, gold, and a new light blue finish, with a starting price of $999.

The standard iPhone 17 features a larger 6.3-inch display with a fast refresh rate, 256GB of base storage, dual 48MP rear cameras, and an upgraded front camera, priced at $799.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models received a significant design refresh, including a new camera bar spanning the top third of the device and a switch from titanium to aluminum frames for improved heat dissipation. Both models feature 48MP telephoto cameras, a new A19 Pro chipset, and improved battery life, with prices of $1,099 and $1,199 respectively.

The Apple Watch 11 introduced new health features, including blood pressure monitoring and a new sleep score tool, with a battery life of 24 hours and 5G connectivity. The Apple Watch SE 3 also received the sleep score feature and an always-on display 

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 extended its battery life to 42 hours and added satellite messaging capabilities.

The AirPods Pro 3 feature improved audio quality, active noise cancellation, translation features, fitness tracking sensors, and a new, smaller charging case.

Apple has expanded its eSIM-only iPhone 17 lineup to include new countries, marking a significant shift from previous models.

The iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will be eSIM-only in Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with the iPhone Air being eSIM-only globally, including in China.

The eSIM-only models in these countries eliminate the physical SIM card tray, allowing Apple to increase battery capacity, particularly in the Pro models, which gain up to two additional hours of video playback.

This expansion includes Canada and Mexico for the first time, alongside a broader rollout in the Middle East and Asia.

In contrast, the iPhone 17 series will still feature a nano-SIM card tray alongside eSIM support in regions like Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and India.

In China, the standard iPhone 17 models support nano-SIM cards only, while the iPhone Air model is eSIM-only.

Lachlan Murdoch has secured control of his father Rupert Murdoch's media empire in a $3.3 billion deal finalized on Monday, resolving a years-long succession battle and ensuring the conservative direction of outlets like Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Post will continue under his leadership.

The agreement, which ends litigation and dissolves the original 1999 family trust, sees Lachlan's three older siblings—Prue, Liz, and James—each receive $1.1 billion for their shares, while a new trust, which includes Lachlan and his two younger sisters, Grace and Chloe, will hold the controlling stake in News Corp and Fox Corporation until 2050.

The deal marks the culmination of a decades-long struggle over the future of the Murdoch media empire, which Rupert Murdoch had sought to steer toward a conservative legacy through his chosen heir, Lachlan.

The original plan to unilaterally change the irrevocable family trust, dubbed "Project Family Harmony," was rejected by a Nevada probate court in December 2024, which labeled the effort a "carefully crafted charade" and accused Rupert’s representatives of breaching fiduciary duties.

The legal battle intensified after James Murdoch gave an interview to The Atlantic in February 2025, where he criticized his father and Fox News, prompting demands for judicial sanctions and further escalating tensions.

Despite the court defeat, the legal pressure and the prospect of prolonged litigation brought the family back to the negotiating table, leading to the final settlement that allows Lachlan to consolidate control.

The financial structure of the deal involves loans, holding companies, and stock sales, though the exact funding mechanism remains unclear.

Elon Musk's SpaceX has agreed to purchase wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar for $17 billion to bolster its Starlink direct-to-cell service, a move aimed at resolving an ongoing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) probe into EchoStar's underutilization of its 5G spectrum assets.

The deal, announced on Monday, includes $8.5 billion in cash, $8.5 billion in SpaceX stock, and a commitment to cover approximately $2 billion in interest payments on EchoStar’s debt through late 2027. This transaction, combined with EchoStar's prior $23 billion sale of spectrum to AT&T, is expected to resolve the FCC's inquiries.

The acquisition covers EchoStar’s AWS-4 and H-block spectrum licenses, providing SpaceX with exclusive rights to operate its next-generation Starlink direct-to-cell satellites on these frequencies. This allows SpaceX to move beyond relying solely on spectrum leased from mobile carriers like T-Mobile and enables the development of satellites with "more than 100 times" the capacity of its first-generation direct-to-cell satellites. The goal is to significantly enhance coverage and performance to end mobile dead zones globally.

SpaceX writes in a statement: "This agreement will enable us to develop and deploy our next generation Starlink Direct to Cell constellation which will be capable of providing broadband service to cell phones globally.

"Through the agreement with EchoStar, SpaceX will purchase EchoStar’s 50 MHz S-band spectrum in the US (bands known as AWS-4 and PCS-H) as well as its global MSS spectrum licenses. Exclusive access to this spectrum, along with use of optimized 5G protocols designed for satellite connectivity, will enable a step change in performance for Starlink Direct to Cell.

"The next generation of Starlink Direct to Cell satellites will be designed to fully utilize this spectrum. Driven by custom SpaceX-designed silicon and phased array antennas, the satellites will support thousands of spatial beams and higher bandwidth capability, enabling around 20x the throughput capability as compared to a first-generation satellite."

The deal was driven by intense regulatory scrutiny. The FCC launched an inquiry in May 2025 after SpaceX alleged that EchoStar’s valuable mid-band spectrum was being "chronically underused" and ripe for sharing with new satellite systems  President Donald Trump reportedly personally urged EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen to reach a deal with the FCC  SpaceX had previously pressured the FCC to reallocate the spectrum, arguing that EchoStar was failing to meet its obligations to deploy 5G in the U.S. 

As part of the agreement, SpaceX and EchoStar have entered a long-term commercial partnership that will enable EchoStar’s Boost Mobile subscribers to access the next-generation Starlink direct-to-cell service. This marks a significant strategic shift for EchoStar, which had previously been developing its own direct-to-device satellite constellation, a project now canceled following this deal.

After the sale, EchoStar will continue operating its core businesses, including Dish TV, Sling, Hughes internet, and Boost Mobile, but will no longer have control over major spectrum for 5G deployment.

The FCC has acknowledged the potential of these deals to supercharge competition and extend innovative services to millions of Americans.

The UK government conducted its second nationwide test of the Emergency Alerts system on Sunday at 14:00 UTC (3:00 PM), sending a loud siren and vibration to millions of mobile devices connected to 4G and 5G networks.

The alert message on phones clearly stated it was a test and explained the system’s purpose: to warn people of imminent dangers such as extreme weather, flooding, or terrorist attacks.

The test, which lasted approximately 10 seconds, was designed to warn the public of a potential life-threatening emergency and was successfully received by tens of millions of phones across the country, according to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and government officials.

The alert caused disruptions to several major sporting events, including a pause in the Ireland v New Zealand Women’s Rugby World Cup match and a delay to the Super League derby between Hull KR and Hull FC, while fans at England’s third ODI cricket match against South Africa were warned in advance.

The test was the second nationwide drill since the system's first test in April 2023, with the government emphasizing the importance of public familiarity with the alert to ensure safety during real emergencies.

Despite the overall success, some users reported issues, including delayed alerts (e.g., one user noting the alert went off at 3:01 PM), garbled messages on certain devices, and unexpected reactions from hearing aid users and pets.

The government confirmed that the alert was broadcast correctly and that any incorrect messages were likely due to individual handset issues, not a systemic failure.

The system has previously been used for real warnings five times in the past two years, including during Storm Eowyn in January 2025, which affected 4.5 million people in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and a 500kg unexploded WWII bomb alert in Plymouth in February 2024.

The government had conducted a public information campaign in advance, including announcements at rail stations, motorway signs, and materials in British Sign Language, to prepare the public and assist vulnerable groups like domestic abuse victims who may wish to opt out.

A series of undersea cable outages in the Red Sea has disrupted internet connectivity across parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, including India and Pakistan this weekend. The disruption, attributed to failures in the South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 4 (SMW4) and India-Middle East-Western Europe (IMEWE) cable systems near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has caused increased latency and slower speeds, particularly affecting Microsoft Azure services for traffic traversing the Middle East While.

The SMW4 cable, operated by Tata Communications, and the IMEWE cable, managed by an Alcatel-Lucent consortium, are the primary systems affected by the outages.

Network monitoring group NetBlocks confirmed the degradation of internet connectivity in multiple countries, specifically naming India, Pakistan, and the UAE, with users on state-owned Du and Etisalat networks in the UAE reporting slower speeds.

Microsoft confirmed initial service disruptions and higher latency, noting that while traffic not passing through the Middle East was unaffected, users experienced higher latency on routes through the region.

"We do expect higher latency on some traffic that previously traversed through the Middle East. Network traffic that does not traverse through the Middle East is not impacted," Microsoft said.

The company later reported that Azure services have been restored through rerouting traffic via alternate network paths, with all services now operational.

Azure is the world's second largest cloud provider after Amazon's AWS, which has also rerouted traffic through alternative network paths and network traffic is not interrupted.

The cause of the cable cuts remains unclear, though the incident occurs amid heightened tensions in the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been targeting commercial shipping since late 2023. The Houthis acknowledged the cable cuts via their al-Masirah TV channel but did not claim responsibility.

Subsea cable repairs typically take weeks and require specialized vessels and crews, making the situation a prolonged challenge for network providers.

The Red Sea is a critical telecommunications corridor linking Europe, Africa, and Asia, and such disruptions can significantly impact global digital infrastructure.

This incident also highlights the important part satellite internet services like SpaceX Starlink, could play in the future of global internet infrastructure.

Repairing subsea cable damage is a complex process that can take weeks, requiring specialized ships and crews to locate and fix the severed lines.

The European Union has fined Google $3.46 billion for abusing its dominant position in the digital advertising market, accusing the company of creating inherent conflicts of interest by controlling both the buy and sell sides of online advertising. In response, US President Donald Trump has threatened to initiate a Section 301 trade investigation, which could lead to retaliatory tariffs, calling the fine "unfair" and "discriminatory" against American companies.

The European Commission announced the $3.46 billion fine on Friday, stating that Google's control of both the buy and sell sides of the online advertising market created "inherent conflicts of interest." The investigation, which began in 2021, found that Google favored its own advertising services, violating EU competition laws Regulators have ordered Google to end its "self-preferencing practices" and resolve these conflicts of interest, with the company having 60 days to propose a remedy.

The Commission noted that structural remedies, such as a forced divestiture of parts of its adtech business, remain a possibility if Google's proposals are inadequate.

President Trump reacted swiftly on Truth Social, calling the fine "unfair" and "discriminatory" towards US companies. He claimed the $3.5 billion penalty was taking money that would otherwise go to "American Investments and Jobs" and stated, "Very unfair, and the American Taxpayer will not stand for it!" Trump explicitly threatened to start a Section 301 proceeding to "nullify the unfair penalties being charged to these Taxpaying American Companies."

A Section 301 investigation paves the way for Washington to impose import taxes under a fortified legal basis through the Commerce Department, and the president has a lot of latitude to issue tariffs over unfair trade practices under the provision. Section 301 is the same trade tool Trump used to justify tariffs on China starting in 2018.

Trump also referenced a previous $17 billion fine against Apple, suggesting it should be reversed He claimed the total fines against Google from the EU now amount to $16.5 billion, including the latest penalty.

The fine marks the fourth antitrust penalty for Google from the EU The investigation focused on Google's dominance in online display advertising, where personalized banners and text ads appear on websites. The EU has previously warned that past penalties and requirements have not effectively curbed anti-competitive practices.

Google has rejected the decision, calling it "wrong" and stating it would appeal, arguing that the fine is unjustified and that the required changes would harm European businesses.

The company maintains that providing services for both ad buyers and sellers is not inherently anticompetitive and that there are more alternatives available than ever before.

The timing of Trump's threat is notable, as it comes just a day after he hosted Google's CEO Sundar Pichai, co-founder Sergey Brin, Mark Zuckerberg and other tech leaders at a White House dinner to discuss artififical intelligence implications with First Lady Melania Trump. This confrontation adds tension to a recently agreed-upon US-EU trade deal aimed at reducing US tariffs on EU imports.

“The European Union must stop this practice against American Companies, IMMEDIATELY!” Trump wrote. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday, formally changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War, a move he framed as a restoration of American military strength and a rejection of what he termed "woke" policies within the Pentagon.

The rebranding, which requires congressional approval for permanence, was announced in a ceremony in the Oval Office, where Trump, flanked by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, stated the change was necessary because the U.S. "never fought to win" under the previous name, attributing past military stalemates to political correctness.

Hegseth declared the change was about "restoring the warrior ethos" and fighting "to win, not to lose," while Caine's remarks were not detailed in the provided sources.

"Really it has to do with winning. We should have won every war. We could have won every war, but we really chose to be very politically correct or wokey and we just fight forever," Trump said, flanked by Hegseth and Gen. Caine. "We had it, and we won World War I, we won World War II, we won everything before, and as I said, we won everything in between," Trump added. "And we were very strong. But we never fought to win. We just didn’t fight to win. We would have won every one of those wars quickly, but they went a route that I think was probably politically correct, but not correct for our nation. So I think the Department of War sends a signal." He also stated, "We won the first world war, second world war- everything before that and in between and then we decided to go woke and changed the name to 'Department of Defense', so we're going 'Department of War'"

Hegseth on his part said, "This name changing is not just about renaming, it is about restoring. Words matter... Restoring the warrior ethos, restoring victory and clarity, restoring intentionality... The War Department is going to fight decisively, not endless conflicts. It's going to fight to win, not to lose. We are going to go on offence, not just defence; maximum lethality, not tepid legality; violent effect, not politically correct. We are going to raise up warriors, not just defenders"  He also stated, "We won World War I and World War II not with the Department of Defence but with the War Department"

The Department of War was established by President George Washington in 1789 and served as the primary agency for the U.S. Army until 1947. In that year, President Harry Truman signed the National Security Act, which merged the Department of the Army (formerly the Department of War), the Department of the Navy, and the newly created Department of the Air Force into the National Military Establishment. This entity was renamed the Department of Defense in August 1949.

The recent rebranding is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration and Defense Secretary Hegseth to reverse policies deemed "woke" or politically correct, including reversing the renaming of military bases from Confederate names and renaming a Navy ship previously named after gay rights activist Harvey Milk.

The White House has already updated its social media and the Pentagon's website to reflect the new name, with the domain changing to "war.gov." The move has been met with enthusiasm from some on the right, but skepticism and scorn from others.

Tesla's Board of Directors has proposed a performance-based compensation package for CEO Elon Musk that could be worth nearly $1 trillion if all targets are met, with the shares to be distributed in 12 tranches over a 10-year period.

The plan, which requires shareholder approval at the November 6 annual meeting, is designed to retain Musk and incentivize him to achieve ambitious growth and operational milestones, including reaching an $8.5 trillion market capitalization, delivering 20 million Tesla vehicles, launching 1 million Robotaxis, and achieving $400 billion in adjusted EBITDA profit.

Robyn Denholm, Tesla's Chairwoman, stated the package aims to keep Musk "motivated and focused on delivering for the company" and emphasized that his compensation is tied directly to performance, not guaranteed.

"Mr. Musk is independently wealthy and has consistently demonstrated that he is motivated by more than just conventional forms of compensation. Rather, he is driven by bold, high-stakes challenges that allow him to fundamentally reshape industries and society, while maximizing long-term shareholder value," the company's board said in a statement. "The Special Committee believes that retaining and incentivizing Mr. Musk as Chief Executive Officer at this pivotal moment is essential to Tesla’s successful transition from its role as a leader in the EV and renewable energy industries to growing into a leader in AI, robotics and related services."

The total value of the package is estimated at $975 billion based on maximum payout, with the potential to reach approximately $1 trillion if all performance targets are achieved.

The first tranche requires Tesla to reach a $2 trillion market cap, with subsequent milestones increasing by $500 billion per tranche, culminating in the final $8.5 trillion target.

Operational milestones include the delivery of 1 million Optimus robots, 10 million active Full Self-Driving (FSD) subscriptions, and the commercial operation of 1 million Robotaxis.

To earn the final two tranches, Musk must participate in developing a long-term CEO succession framework approved by the board, and he must remain at Tesla as either CEO or an executive officer responsible for product or operations for at least 7.5 years.

The package is a response to a Delaware Chancery Court ruling that voided Musk’s 2018 $56 billion pay plan, which was deemed improperly granted and excessive  Tesla has appealed the decision, and the company recently awarded Musk an interim $29 billion stock award.

The proposal also includes a separate shareholder vote on whether Tesla should invest in Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, xAI, at the same meeting.

“Elon earns nothing under the 2025 CEO Performance Award until he meets a series of incredibly ambitious market capitalization AND operational milestones,"  If he succeeds, Tesla will become the most valuable company in history – with an $8.5 trillion market cap – and shareholders will benefit from incredible growth and value creation.”

Denholm reiterated in a statement that retaining and incentivizing Musk is fundamental to Tesla achieving its goal of becoming the most valuable company in history.

Angela Rayner has resigned as the UK's Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary on Friday, following an independent ethics investigation that concluded she breached the Ministerial Code by failing to pay the correct amount of stamp duty on her £800,000 ($1,080,640) apartment in Hove, East Sussex.

The resignation comes after Rayner admitted on Wednesday, that she underpaid by £40,000 ($54,032) due to complex family arrangements involving a trust for her son with special educational needs, which meant the property was considered her second home. She referred herself to the Prime Minister's independent adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, who found she failed to seek specific tax advice, a requirement that would have revealed the higher tax liability.

Rayner admitted she did not pay the correct stamp duty on her Hove flat, which she purchased in May 2025, and claimed it's because initial legal advice did not properly account for the trust arrangements for her son. She referred herself to Sir Magnus for an investigation after media scrutiny.

Sir Magnus concluded that Rayner's failure to seek specific tax advice constituted a breach of the Ministerial Code, particularly given her role as Housing Secretary  He described her failure as "unfortunate" and "deeply regrettable."

In her resignation letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Rayner stated she took full responsibility and cited the significant toll the media scrutiny was taking on her family as a key reason for stepping down. She also resigned from her elected role as Deputy Leader of the Labor Party, which will trigger a new party election.

Rayner may face a fine of up to £12,000 ($16,209) from HMRC for a "careless" error in her tax arrangements.

The resignation is a major blow to Prime Minister Starmer, who expressed sadness and admiration for Rayner in a handwritten note, calling her a "trusted colleague and a true friend."

Starmer has initiated a cabinet reshuffle, with David Lammy moving to replace Rayner as Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, while Steve Reed becomes the new Housing Secretary.

Rayner, a former teenage mother from Stockport was seen as a vital far-left 'working class' figure in Starmer's left-wing leadership, especially against the rising appeal of populist Nigel Farage's Reform Party. Her departure is expected to intensify internal Labor party tensions and could lead to a far-left deputy leader being elected.

The opposition, particularly Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, criticized Starmer's leadership, calling Rayner's position "untenable" and questioning what he knew and when.

The U.S. military on Tuesday, conducted a precision strike in the southern Caribbean against a vessel that had departed from Venezuela and was allegedly operated by the Tren de Aragua gang, a transnational criminal organization designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. government.

President Donald Trump announced the operation on Truth Social, stating that 11 individuals, whom he referred to as "narcoterrorists" or "terrorists," were killed in the strike while the boat was transporting illegal narcotics in international waters. The strike was described as a "kinetic" operation carried out in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility.

The U.S. military confirmed a "precision strike" against the vessel. Trump shared a 29-second video clip on Truth Social showing a small, multi-engine speedboat traveling at sea before a bright flash and flames engulfed it. The video is largely in black and white, and Venezuela's Communications Minister Freddy Ñáñez falsely suggested it was artificially generated.

No U.S. military personnel were injured in the operation Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the "lethal strike" on X stating it targeted a drug vessel operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization.

The Tren de Aragua gang originated over a decade ago within the notoriously violent prison system of Venezuela's Aragua state. It has since expanded its operations across Latin America, including to Chile, Colombia, and the United States, where it is involved in drug smuggling, kidnapping, extortion, sex trafficking, and acts of extreme violence such as beheadings.

The Biden administration designated it a transnational crime organization in 2024. President Trump, upon returning to office, escalated the designation, formally declaring Tren de Aragua a "Foreign Terrorist Organization" in February 2025, a move that is unusual for a criminal gang.

The strike on the vessel occurred amid a significant U.S. military deployment in the southern Caribbean. In recent weeks, the U.S. has sent at least seven warships, including the nuclear-powered submarine USS Virginia, and over 4,500 Marines and sailors to the region.

This build-up, which includes Aegis guided-missile destroyers like the USS Gravely and USS Jason Dunham, is part of the Trump administration's broader strategy to combat drug trafficking from Latin America. The administration has also increased surveillance flights with P-8 spy planes over international waters.

The deployment has been met with strong condemnation from Venezuela, with President Nicolás Maduro calling it an "extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat" and vowing to "declare a republic in arms" if attacked. Maduro has ordered troops to the border with Colombia and urged civilians to join militias in response.

The strike represents a dramatic escalation in the U.S. approach to drug cartels, signaling a willingness to use military force in the Americas.

The U.S. has also offered a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest on drug-trafficking charges. Despite the military action, the administration has not signaled plans for a land invasion of Venezuela.

Burkina Faso's transitional parliament has unanimously passed a bill banning homosexual acts, a move that marks a significant shift in the country's stance on LGBTQ+ degeneracy. The legislation is now awaiting the signature of military leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who came to power in 2022.

The legislation criminalizes "homosexual practices," with penalties including a prison sentence of two to five years and fines foreign nationals convicted of such acts face deportation, especially for repeat offenses.

This passage of the legislation aligns with a broader crackdown on LGBTQ+ relationships across the Sahel region. Neighboring Mali, also adopted similar legislation the previous year.

Unlike many former British colonies in Africa, Burkina Faso did not inherit anti-homosexuality laws after gaining independence from France in 1960. It was previously one of only 22 out of 54 African countries where same-sex relations were not criminalized. The draft of the amended family code was adopted by the cabinet over a year ago.

The legislation has been framed by Burkina Faso officials as a measure to uphold "marriage and family values." However it has sparked left-wing backlash, echoing their criticisms against countries like Uganda and Nigeria, where tough anti-LGBTQ+ laws have been enacted.

Conservatives across the globe praised the legislation as another step towards defeating left-wing globalists who promote LGBTQ degeneracy.

Blaze Media host and comedian Alex Stein engaged in a heated exchange with Karys Rhea, a Jewish 'supreamcist' and producer for Timcast IRL, during a recent episode of the podcast, over allegations of Jeffrey Epstein’s connections to Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency.

The argument erupted when Stein discussed Epstein’s ties to Mossad, specifically referencing the involvement of Ghislaine Maxwell’s father, Robert Maxwell, who had intelligence connections.

Stein appeared frustrated after Rhea’s response, which included a sarcastic remark about Candace Owens, saying, “Tell me more from Candace Owens, please.” Stein retorted, calling Rhea “stupid” and insisting that the information about Epstein and Maxwell’s Mossad connections was “open information.” He accused Rhea, along with others like Laura Loomer and the media, of ignoring or downplaying the story, particularly in relation to defending what he called an “Israeli pedo.”

The heated exchange aligns with Stein’s established style as a confrontational comedic commentator, often tackling controversial topics with unfiltered rhetoric, as seen on his Blaze Media show, Prime Time with Alex Stein.

The discussion reflects ongoing public interest in Epstein, his criminal past and connections to Mossad. Critics have accused President Trump administration of trying to cover up Epstein's connections to Israeli intelligence, especially in the aftermath of the outrage over the recent case of an Israeli cyber official who was caught in child sex predator ring, and allowed to flee the country.

Elon Musk's xAI has filed a lawsuit against former engineer Xuechen Li, alleging he stole trade secrets and the entire codebase of its Grok AI model before moving to OpenAI, shortly after selling $7 million in xAI stock.

The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, in California federal court, claims Li admitted to the theft and attempted to cover his tracks during a meeting on August 14, with further stolen material discovered on his personal devices.

The stolen trade secrets are described as "cutting-edge AI technologies with features superior to those offered by ChatGPT and other competing products." xAI claims this information could allow OpenAI to significantly accelerate the development of ChatGPT, potentially saving billions of dollars and years of research and development.

Li, a Stanford PhD graduate in Computer Science who completed his degree in 2024, was one of xAI's earliest employees, joining in 2024 and working on developing and training the Grok AI model. He sold $4.7 million in xAI stock in June 2025, and xAI facilitated an additional $2 million share sale in July 2025, reportedly to retain him due to his "critical contributions."

The lawsuit alleges that Li copied confidential information and trade secrets from his xAI-issued laptop onto personal storage systems on July 25, 2025, the same day he received the cash proceeds from the stock sales. He resigned three days later, on July 28, 2025, after accepting a job offer from OpenAI, which was scheduled to begin on August 19.

xAI alleges Li took extensive measures to conceal his actions, including deleting browser history, clearing system logs, renaming files, and compressing them before uploading to personal devices.

During an August 14 meeting with xAI's legal team, Li is said to have admitted to intentionally taking company files and covering his tracks. Forensic analysis later uncovered additional stolen materials on his devices that he had not disclosed.

The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of monetary damages and a restraining order to block Li's move to OpenAI.

The legal action comes amid a larger, highly publicized rivalry between xAI and OpenAI, with Musk having previously sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman over the company's shift from a non-profit to a for-profit structure. xAI has also recently sued OpenAI and Apple for alleged anti-competitive practices.

American pop star Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce have announced their engagement in a joint Instagram post on Tuesday(Aug. 26), with Swift captioning the photos, "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married."

The couple shared a five-photo post on Instagram, featuring Kelce proposing on one knee in a floral setting, with Swift wearing a large engagement ring designed by New York City-based jeweler Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry. The ring is described as an old mine brilliant-cut diamond.

Their relationship began in July 2023 when Kelce, a star player for the Chiefs and a Super Bowl champion, attempted to give Swift a friendship bracelet with his phone number during her Eras Tour concert at Arrowhead Stadium. When that failed, he spoke about his feelings on his podcast, "New Heights," which led to them connecting and beginning their relationship in September 2023. The relationship has been widely publicized, with Swift attending Chiefs games and Kelce dancing at her concerts.

The announcement Tuesday, which quickly went viral, was met with congratulations from numerous public figures, including President Donald Trump, who wished them "a lot of luck" during a Cabinet meeting, praising Kelce as a "great player" and a "great guy," and Swift as a "terrific person."

“Well, I wish’em a lot of luck,” the president said, responding to a reporter's question. “No, I think it’s-, I think he’s a great player. I think he’s great guy, and I think that she’s a terrific person, so I wish them a lot of luck.”

President Trump's congratulatory message was notable given his past public criticism of Swift, including calling her a "woke singer" and "no longer hot," and expressing dislike for her after she endorsed Kamala Harris who ran against him in the 2024 Presidential elections.

The engagement announcement has been described as a "modern-day fairytale" and sparked a massive online reaction, with the Instagram post receiving over 13 million likes within hours. It was also a significant moment for Swift's fan base, known as "Swifties," who have followed her dating journey for years.

The news broke during a Chiefs media availability, with teammates like Michael Danna expressing their joy. The NFL and other figures, including Swift's friend Brittany Mahomes and the Cleveland Guardians, also offered congratulations.

President Donald Trump announced on Friday, that the U.S. government has secured a 10% stake in Intel Corporation, a move he hailed as a significant victory for American industry and national security.

The deal, which involved converting $8.9 billion in previously awarded but unpaid grants from the CHIPS and Science Act and the Secure Enclave program into equity, gives the government 433.3 million shares of non-voting common stock at $20.47 per share, representing a 9.9% stake.

Trump declared on Truth Social, "The United States of America now fully owns and controls 10% of INTEL, a Great American Company that has an even more incredible future," and claimed the U.S. the shares are now valued at approximately $11 billion.

"The United States of America now fully owns and controls 10% of INTEL, a Great American Company that has an even more incredible future,” Trump wrote in a post. “I negotiated this Deal with Lip-Bu Tan, the Highly Respected Chief Executive Officer of the Company. The United States paid nothing for these Shares, and the Shares are now valued at approximately $11 Billion Dollars. This is a great Deal for America and, also, a great Deal for INTEL.”

The announcement marks a dramatic shift in the relationship between the U.S. government and a major private corporation. The deal was finalized after a series of events.

Trump had previously demanded the resignation of Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan in early August 2025, citing alleged connections to China. However, after a meeting at the White House on August 11, Trump reportedly liked Tan and proposed the equity stake deal, which Tan agreed to.

The government's investment is funded by $5.7 billion in unpaid CHIPS Act grants and $3.2 billion from the Secure Enclave program. The government will have no board representation or governance rights, making it a passive investor.

Intel's stock rose 7% on Friday following the announcement. The government's stake was acquired at a discount to the market price, giving the U.S. an immediate paper gain.

The move is part of Trump's broader 'America first' strategy to boost domestic semiconductor. manufacturing and leverage government power to influence corporate decisions in service of national interest, including requiring Nvidia and AMD to pay a 15% commission on their sales in China for export licenses.

Trump said he hopes to replicate this deal with other critical U.S. companies. The government also holds a "golden share" with veto rights in the Nippon Steel-U.S. Steel merger and is set to become the largest shareholder in a rare earth mining company.

However some critics argue that repurposing the CHIPS and Science Act funding for the Intel stake, is an unprecedented government intervention in the private sector.

Intel has faced significant challenges, including falling behind competitors like TSMC and Nvidia in advanced chip technology, leading to a loss of over $22 billion since the end of 2023 and a recent plan to lay off 15% of its workforce.

American homosexual rapper Lil Nas X (real name Montero Lamar Hill), was arrested in Los Angeles Thursday at 4 a.m., after wandering around Ventura Boulevard in Studio City wearing only underwear and cowboy boots.

Following a physical altercation with police, Lil Nas X was arrested, and taken to hospital for a suspected drug overdose. He faces battery charges

A Ukrainian citizen identified as Serhii K. was arrested in Italy on Thursday in connection with the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany. German prosecutors allege he was one of the coordinators of the operation, which involved planting explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm in September 2022.

Serhii K, 49, was apprehended without resistance, during a police raid, in a rented bungalow in San Clemente, a town in the Rimini province on Italy's Adriatic coast, while on holiday with his family. He is currently in Rimini jail awaiting a ruling on his extradition by the appeal court in Bologna. The arrest was carried out by Italian police based on a European arrest warrant issued by German authorities on Monday.

German prosecutors allege that Serhii K. is suspected of being one of the coordinators of the attack that damaged the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea. He faces charges including collusion to cause an explosion, anti-constitutional sabotage, and the destruction of structures. Investigators believe he played a key role in organizing the operation, rather than being one of the divers who placed the explosives.

The explosions occurred on September 26, 2022, rupturing the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and damaging the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was never operational. The damage significantly impacted Europe's energy security during the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The investigation, which has been primarily led by German prosecutors since Denmark and Sweden closed their probes in February 2024, has found traces of the military-grade explosive octogen on a yacht used in the attack. This yacht, named Andromeda, was reportedly chartered from the German port of Rostock using forged identities and intermediaries.

The attack has been viewed by both Russia and the West as an act of sabotage, with no group claiming responsibility.

Russia has accused the United States of orchestrating the blasts, a claim Washington has denied. German media reports in 2023 suggested a pro-Ukraine group of divers was involved, with a yacht rental linked to the attack. In August 2024, German prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for another suspect, a diver named Volodymyr Z, indicating a broader investigation into the sabotage team.

Ukraine has denied any state involvement.

The arrest of Serhii K. marks a significant development in the long-standing investigation, with German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig calling it an "impressive investigative success."

Nord Stream 1 had been a reliable conduit for Russian gas, stretching 1,200 kilometers(km) under the Baltic Sea, while Nord Stream 2, fully owned by Russia’s Gazprom, was halted by Germany before it could operate, shortly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia later shut down Nord Stream 1, and the subsequent explosions deepened the mystery surrounding the sabotage, with no party officially claiming responsibility.

Google held its annual Made by Google event on Wednesday, in New York City, unveiling its new Pixel 10 series, Pixel Watch 4, Pixel Buds 2A, and a suite of new AI features powered by Gemini.

The event, hosted by Jimmy Fallon, featured a talk-show format with celebrity appearances and demonstrations of new hardware and software capabilities, including live call translation and AI-powered photo editing.

Pixel 10 Series: The lineup includes the standard Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and the new Pixel 10 Pro Fold foldable. All models feature the new Tensor G5 processor, a dedicated 5x telephoto lens (previously exclusive to Pro models), and improved camera systems with 10-bit HDR video recording.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold boasts a larger 6.4-inch cover display, thinner bezels, a stronger hinge, and an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, a first for the foldable line. The standard Pixel 10 and Pro models have 6.3-inch displays, while the Pro XL has a 6.8-inch display  The Pixel 10 series is now available for pre-order.

Pixel Watch 4: This model features a thicker design, longer battery life, smaller bezels, and a brighter screen. It introduces AI capabilities, allowing users to access Gemini by simply lifting their wrist.

Pixel Buds 2A: These earbuds offer active noise cancellation and come in new colors (Hazel and Iris), marking an upgrade from the first generation.

AI and Software Features: The event heavily emphasized Gemini AI. Key features include Camera Coach, which provides real-time photo-taking tips, and a conversational photo editing tool where users can describe edits verbally.

Live call translation was demonstrated, translating speech between English and Spanish in real-time  Google also announced Pixel Journal, a new AI-powered journaling app, and a new AI personal health coach for the Fitbit app. Gemini for Home, a new AI voice assistant for smart home devices, was introduced, promising more complex requests and two-way conversations.

The event’s highlight was Google’s AI voice cloning and translation tool, which translates calls in real-time while preserving the caller’s voice, alongside Take a Message, which transcribes voicemails instantly. These AI features signal Google’s ambition to integrate intelligent, context-aware functionality across its ecosystem.

Accessories: Google launched its "PixelSnap" magnetic accessories, including a $40 Qi2-compatible charger, a $50 magnetic phone case, and a $30 ring stand, leveraging the Qi2 standard. The event also revealed that purchasing a Pixel 10 Pro or Pro Fold includes a free year of Google AI Pro, which includes Gemini, Flow, Whisk, NotebookLM, Jules, 2TB of storage, and AI credits.

Google also highlighted its push for messaging parity, noting that RCS support on both iOS and Android means the "blue and green" text bubble distinction is largely resolved.

The Pixel 10 series devices are available for order, however the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, has a later release date due to supply chain issues, with shipping and availability expected on October 9, 2025.

Far-left cable news channel MSNBC is rebranding to My Source News Opinion World, or MS NOW, as part of its spinoff from NBCUniversal into a new publicly traded company called Versant, a move confirmed by multiple sources on August 18, 2025.

This change, which includes dropping the iconic peacock logo, is driven by NBCUniversal's decision to retain the peacock symbol for its own family of brands, necessitating a new, independent identity for the network. The rebranding is expected to be unveiled later this year, coinciding with the completion of the Versant spinoff, and will be accompanied by a significant marketing campaign.

The new name, MS NOW, stands for My Source for News, Opinion, and the World, reflecting the network's mission to be a destination for breaking news and opinion journalism. The change is a direct result of the separation from NBC News, which will now be a standalone entity under NBCUniversal, and aims to establish MSNBC as an independent news organization.

The spinoff, announced by Comcast in November 2024, will transfer ownership of MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, Oxygen, E!, SYFY, and the Golf Channel to the new company, Versant, led by CEO Mark Lazarus. The transaction is expected to be finalized by the end of 2025.

As part of the spinoff, USA Network's sports programming will merge with Golf Channel under a new brand, USA Sports. CNBC will retain its name, citing its original meaning as the "Consumer News and Business Channel," but will also receive a new logo.

MSNBC was originally founded in 1996 as a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC, with the "MS" in its name derived from Microsoft. It has since turned into a far-left media echo chamber often smearing conservative and right-wing in its opinion and news programming.

The far-left network has used the peacock logo associated with NBC for nearly three decades. Microsoft sold its stake in the joint venture with NBC in 2005, and the website in 2012, but the name was retained. The decision to rebrand now stems from the need to create a distinct identity separate from NBCUniversal.

A significant challenge for the rebrand is the current state of the web domain msnow.com, which is registered in South Korea and currently hosts a one-page site about Korean snowmobiles, raising questions about the network's future online home  Social media handles for @msnow are also inactive or taken by unrelated accounts.

In a memo, MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler told staffers that as part of the transition, NBCUniversal decided that MSNBC needed “a new, separate identity.”

Kutler added that the rebrand won’t affect MSNBC’s coverage. “The future of our success is not tied to remaining within the NBC family and using the peacock as part of our identity,” she wrote. “While our name will be changing, who we are and what we do will not.”

During a press briefing in the Oval Office Thursday, President Donald Trump said that he would like to see foreign journalists granted access to Gaza to witness humanitarian efforts, acknowledging the dangers involved in reporting from the conflict zone.

Trump said that he would be "very fine with journalists going" into Gaza, despite the risks. This comment came amid ongoing restrictions, as Israel has not allowed foreign reporters into Gaza since the start of its war in October 2023.

The remarks were made during an event at the White House marking the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act, where Trump was joined by U.S. Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano.

Trump's statement was in response to a reporter's question about whether he would pressure Israel to allow journalists into Gaza to cover U.S.-led humanitarian efforts, as the U.S. indicated support for expanding the work of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

The call for access follows a petition signed by over 100 journalists and prominent media figures demanding "immediate and unfettered" access to Gaza to report independently, arguing the current ban violates the public's right to know.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously has rejected calls to allow more journalists into Gaza, though he emphasized such visits will likely still be under military escort.

Recent Israeli military strike killed several journalists, including Anas al-Sharif, whose deaths have drawn international condemnation and renewed calls for press freedom.

Paramount Global has secured a landmark seven-year, $7.7 billion exclusive U.S. media rights deal for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), effective from 2026, marking the end of the UFC's pay-per-view model and its current agreement with ESPN.

The deal, announced Monday, makes Paramount+ the exclusive streaming home for all 13 marquee numbered UFC events and 30 Fight Nights annually, with select events also airing on CBS. This move follows Paramount's recent acquisition by Skydance Media, with the new leadership under CEO David Ellison seeing the UFC as a "unicorn sports asset" and a cornerstone for growth.

UFC President Dana White announced the deal on social media, calling it a "huge win" and stating, "This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes. For the first time ever, fans in the US will have access to all UFC content without a Pay-Per-View model, making it more affordable and accessible to view the greatest fights on a massive platform."

Paramount Global, under new CEO David Ellison, emphasized the strategic importance of the deal, stating, "We think it is going to be incredibly material in terms of increasing our engagement on Paramount+, driving subscriber acquisitions and also meaningfully growing revenue across the business." Ellison also described the UFC as a "global sports powerhouse" and a "unicorn asset."

The deal replaces a five-year agreement with ESPN, which was valued at approximately $500 million annually and ended at the close of 2025. The new agreement, averaging $1.1 billion per year, is weighted toward the later years of the seven-year term.

Negotiations accelerated significantly after the Skydance-Paramount merger was finalized, with the final deal reportedly negotiated in just 48 hours. TKO Group, the parent company of UFC, initially considered splitting the rights but ultimately secured the full package with Paramount. The deal also opens the possibility for Paramount to pursue UFC rights in international markets as they become available.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected any proposal to cede territory to Russia as part of a peace deal, stating "Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier." This declaration comes hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15, in Alaska to discuss ending the war, a move Zelensky criticized for excluding Kyiv.

Zelensky emphasized that any peace decision made without Ukraine's involvement is invalid and will not lead to lasting peace 

In a video message posted to Telegram and series of X posts Saturday, Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine will not give up its territory, stating the country "will not give Russia any awards for what it has done." He stressed that Ukraine's territorial integrity is enshrined in its constitution and is non-negotiable.

Zelensky dismissed the planned bilateral meeting between Trump and Putin, warning that decisions made without Ukraine are "dead decisions" that will never work. He insisted that the path to peace must be determined "together and only together with Ukraine."

The Ukrainian said he has spoken to several European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and others, expressing gratitude for their continued support and discussing the importance of Ukraine's role in any peace process. He also participated in a meeting hosted by UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and US Vice President JD Vance in Kent, England, which he described as "constructive."

Western officials have reported that Putin, during a meeting with Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow, presented a plan that would require Ukraine to cede the eastern Donbas region and Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014, and freeze current battle lines.

A reportedly heated phone call occurred between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 28, following Netanyahu's public assertion that there was no starvation in Gaza. Trump reportedly yelled at Netanyahu during the call, rejecting the Israeli leader's claim that reports of widespread hunger were fabricated by Hamas, and insisted he had been shown photographic evidence of malnourished children.

The call was reportedly initiated by Netanyahu after Trump publicly challenged his statements the previous day, saying children in Gaza "look very hungry" and that there was "real starvation" there that "you can’t fake." The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has dismissed the reports of a shouting match as "complete fake news."

The conflict arose after Netanyahu stated at a Jerusalem event on July 27 that "there is no policy of starvation in Gaza. And there is no starvation in Gaza," claiming the reports were invented by Hamas.

Trump, while in Scotland, responded the next day by telling reporters he was "not particularly convinced," and emphasized the visible signs of starvation.

Netanyahu then requested a call, which took place hours later, where he reportedly reiterated his position that the starvation claims were false.

According to multiple sources citing senior and former US officials, Trump interrupted Netanyahu, raised his voice, and stated he did not want to hear the claims dismissed as fake, citing evidence from his aides. A former US official described the exchange as "a direct, mostly one-way conversation" where Trump did most of the talking.

The diplomatic tension coincides with Israeli military's years-long campaign in Gaza, which has severely restricted food access for civilians. The Israeli military operation has left the territory with limited food access, save for a handful of aid distribution points.

The dire situation has led to growing international concern over the humanitarian crisis, with the United Nations warning that famine in Gaza is imminent, as two out of three famine thresholds have already been reached.

The Israeli government is preparing for a new ground offensive into Gaza City, a plan approved by the Israeli security cabinet. This plan reportedly faces opposition from the IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Amir. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed aid program, is also facing criticism for limited distribution and its proximity to Israeli forces.

Gaza’s Health Minister reported that more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food from GHF.

President Donald Trump demanded the immediate resignation of Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan in a post on Truth Social Thursday, calling him "highly CONFLICTED" and stating there is "no other solution to this problem."

This call for resignation follows concerns raised by Senator Tom Cotton regarding Tan's extensive business ties to China, including investments in hundreds of Chinese firms, some linked to the Chinese military, and his past leadership at Cadence Design Systems, which pleaded guilty to violating U.S. export controls by selling technology to a Chinese military university.

The demand came shortly after Senator Cotton sent a letter to Intel's board chair, Frank Yeary, expressing concerns about the security and integrity of Intel's operations and Tan's connections to China.

Tan, a Malaysian-born American businessman, was appointed Intel's CEO in March 2025 to lead the company's turnaround, which includes significant cost-cutting and restructuring efforts. His past investments, made through his venture capital firm and other entities, reportedly totaled over $200 million in hundreds of Chinese advanced manufacturing and chip firms, some with links to the Chinese military.

He also served as CEO of Cadence Design Systems from 2009 to 2021, during which time the company faced a criminal case over export control violations.

Intel in a statement, said that both the company and Tan are "deeply committed to the national security of the United States and the integrity of our role in the U.S. defense ecosystem" and that they would address the questions raised by Senator Cotton directly. The company has not issued a public statement on Tan's future or the resignation demand.

Intel's stock price fell significantly in pre-market and early trading on Thursday, following Trump's post.

The company is grappling with a severe crisis, struggling to keep pace with competitors’ superior products while reeling from a leadership overhaul and significant layoffs.

Trump administration emphasizes boosting U.S. manufacturing, particularly in the semiconductor industry. Intel has received federal funding to build massive new chip fabrication plants in Ohio, alongside its existing facilities in Oregon, Arizona, and New Mexico. These investments are critical to Intel’s strategy to revitalize its manufacturing capabilities.

However, Intel’s foundry ambitions are faltering. In July, the company alarmed markets by suggesting it might exit chip manufacturing if it cannot secure customers for its upcoming 14A process, set for 2028 or 2029.

The lack of major clients for Intel’s foundry operations has raised doubts about the viability of its strategy, with former board members urging a drastic rethink, including a proposed “Operation Warp Speed II” to nationalize Intel’s fabs through a public-private partnership.

Other companies are moving to increase manufacturing footprint in the U.S. to comply with Trump's America first policy 'MAGA' policies. Apple CEO Tim Cook on Wednesday, presented Trump with a golden plaque after announcing $100 billion in U.S. manufacturing investments. Nvidia, an Intel rival, committed $500 billion to U.S. production amid soaring AI-driven profits, and its CEO Jensen Huang secured relaxed export restrictions on AI chips.

A 22-year-old U.S. Army soldier, Taylor Adam Lee, from El Paso, Texas, was arrested on Wednesday on charges of attempting to transmit national defense information to a foreign adversary and attempting to export controlled technical data without a license, according to the Department of justice(DOJ).

Lee, who was stationed at Fort Bliss and held a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance, allegedly sought to provide classified technical information on the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank to Russia's Ministry of Defense. The Justice Department stated he attempted to exchange this information for Russian citizenship, with the FBI investigation revealing he communicated with an individual he believed to be a Russian intelligence officer.

Lee allegedly began establishing contact with the individual he believed to be a Russian intelligence officer in May 2025, aiming to bolster his credentials and send U.S. defense information 

In June 2025, he transmitted export-controlled technical data on the M1A2 Abrams tank online, stating, "the USA is not happy with me for trying to expose their weaknesses," and offered to "volunteer to assist the Russian Federation when I’m there in any way" 

In July 2025, Lee met in person with the individual he believed to be a Russian representative and handed over an SD card containing documents and information on the M1A2 Abrams tank, another armored fighting vehicle, and combat operations  Several documents on the card were marked as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) with dissemination controls 

On July 31, 2025, Lee delivered what he believed to be a specific piece of hardware from the M1A2 Abrams tank to a storage unit in El Paso and sent a message stating, "Mission accomplished" 

The case is being prosecuted by the Department of Justice's National Security Division and the Western District of Texas, with the FBI and U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command leading the investigation.

Iranian authorities executed Roozbeh Vadi on Wednesday, for spying for Israel by passing information about a nuclear scientist killed during the 12-day conflict with Israel in June. The judiciary confirmed the execution followed judicial proceedings and Supreme Court approval, with the conviction stemming from his alleged role in leaking classified information from one of Iran's "key and sensitive organizations."

Vadi was reportedly a nuclear scientist employed at the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the country's top nuclear body, and held a PhD in nuclear engineering from Amir Kabir University of Technology in Tehran. Iranian state media, including IRIB, reported he had co-authored academic papers with two other nuclear scientists who were killed in the June Israeli strikes.

According to a video confession aired by IRIB, Vadi admitted to providing information on key nuclear facilities like Fordo and Natanz, as well as details on the movement of nuclear material. He was allegedly recruited online by Israel's Mossad spy agency and met with Mossad officers five times in Vienna, Austria.

The 12-day war in June 2025 began with an unprecedented Israeli bombing campaign targeting Iran's military sites, senior commanders, and nuclear scientists, resulting in the deaths of numerous individuals, including several nuclear scientists.

Iran responded with missile and drone strikes. In the aftermath, Iran has vowed swift trials for individuals arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Israel, leading to a significant increase in executions for espionage, with at least eight death sentences carried out in recent months.

The execution of Vadi was announced on the same day as the execution of another man convicted of being a member of the Islamic State group. He was allegedly planning terrorist operations inside Iran, as reported by Mizan.

Vadi’s execution is part of a broader crackdown, with authorities announcing multiple arrests and several executions of individuals convicted of working with Mossad.

Iran is noted as the world’s second-most prolific executioner after China, according to human rights organizations like Amnesty International. The country frequently uses the death penalty for offenses ranging from espionage to other security-related crimes, drawing international scrutiny.

TikTok has launched Footnotes, a crowdsourced fact-checking system, in a pilot program for U.S. users, mirroring features like X’s and Meta’s Community Notes. This system allows contributors to write and rate notes on TikTok videos to provide additional context and combat misinformation.

All U.S. TikTok users can view Footnotes deemed helpful by the community and contribute by submitting their own ratings.

The Footnotes system employs a bridging algorithm to identify consensus among users with diverse perspectives. Notes rated as helpful by opposing viewpoints are considered more credible, a method designed to prevent biased voting or brigading.

Footnotes aim to clarify content by adding context, addressing both intentional misrepresentations and unintentional omissions by video posters.

TikTok emphasizes that Footnotes will complement, not replace, its Global Fact-checking Program, which collaborates with over 20 IFCN-accredited fact-checking organizations across 60 languages and 130 markets worldwide.

TikTok first revealed its intent to test Footnotes in April, aiming to equip its community with tools to better understand the content they encounter on the platform.

Since April, nearly 80,000 U.S. users who are over 18, have been on TikTok for at least six months, and have a clean record regarding Community Standards have qualified as contributors.

Then Twitter introduced the feature called Birdwatch in 2020, which became Community Notes after global expansion in 2022. Under Elon Musk’s leadership, X has further developed this system, incorporating AI-generated notes and new applications for highlighting popular content.

The open-source model of X’s Community Notes has influenced other platforms, particularly as some companies aim to address conservative concerns about bias in traditional left-leaning fact-checking systems.

Meta, for instance, shifted away from conventional fact-checking this year to adopt a Community Notes-style system in the U.S. YouTube also introduced a similar feature called Notes last year.

In 2023, Tea, a dating discussion app designed to provide women a safe space to share feedback on men they date, launched and quickly gained traction, particularly in the U.S., where it soared to the top of the Apple App Store rankings.

The app's popularity among mostly left-wing women, stemmed from its promise to empower women by helping them identify red flags in potential partners, resonating widely on social media.

However, its rapid rise was marred by a significant setback this year, when a massive data breach on July 25, exposed sensitive user information, including photo IDs, selfies, and comments, due to an unsecured legacy storage system.

Just days after the initial breach, which involved approximately 72,000 images, a second, more severe breach came to light, further eroding trust in the app. This breach exposed over 1 million private direct messages, revealing deeply personal conversations among women, including discussions about infidelity and abortion.

The exposure turned Tea, an app meant to protect women, into a privacy nightmare, undermining its core mission and leaving users vulnerable.

An independent researcher reportedly uncovered additional details, revealing the extent of the sensitive data accessed, which included intimate user conversations, according to 404 Media.

Tea’s response to the crisis attempted to downplay the second breach, with the company claiming it was part of the initial incident rather than a new breach. In a statement, Tea acknowledged that some direct messages were accessed but maintained that no evidence suggested broader system compromise. The company also announced it had taken the affected system offline as a precautionary measure, though skepticism persisted about the accuracy of their claims.

The company’s assertion that the exposed messages were tied to the original breach has been met with doubt, as the scale of the exposed data—particularly the private messages—appears far greater than initially reported.

Critics argue that Tea’s attempt to frame the incidents as a single event may be an effort to minimize public backlash and scrutiny. The discrepancy between the company’s narrative and the reported scope of the breaches has fueled distrust among users.

For an app built on the premise of creating a safe space for women, the breaches represent a profound betrayal of trust. Users who inexplicably thought that such an app is a good idea, and relied on Tea to discuss personal experiences and identify problematic behavior in dating now face the risk of their private conversations being exposed.

The scandal has damaged Tea’s already tarnished reputation. The app has been roundly mocked online as haven for "angry and ugly women" and slammed for encouraging potential defamation and toxicity in relationships.

Anthony Aguilar, a retired U.S. special forces veteran, recounted a harrowing incident in which a Palestinian child named Amir was shot dead by Israeli forces at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution site in May.

Aguilar described how Amir, a 5-year-old boy who had walked 12 kilometers barefoot to receive aid, thanked him for the food he received before being shot by Israel Defense Forces(IDF) soldiers.

“On May 28, at secure distribution site #2, this young boy, Amir, walks over to me, reaches out & kisses my hand," Aguilar recalled. "This boy is not wearing shoes. His clothes are falling off of him because he is so skinny….He doesn’t have a box, he has half a bag of rice, lentils, and he was thanking us.

"He walked 12 kilometers to get there … and when he got there he thanked us for the crumbs he got … and he set them on the ground and his frail, skeletal, emaciated hands, and he kissed me and said 'thank you.'

"And then he collected his items, walked back to the group, and then he was shot at with pepper spray, and tear gas, and stunt grenades, and bullets, and he was shot at, at his feet and in the air, and he runs away...and the IDF were shooting at the crowd … they are shooting … and they are shooting into this crowd and Palestinians, civilians, human beings, are dropping to the ground, and Amir was one of them... Amir walked 12 kilometers to get food, got nothing but scraps, thanked us for it, and died."

GHF is backed by Israel as an alternative to United Nations groups in providing aid to Gaza. The organization has faced criticisms because of IDF's indiscriminate shooting into crowds, which they claim is a crowd-control measure.

England won the Women's Euro 2025 soccer tournament by defeating Spain in a penalty shootout. The final, held in Basel, saw England secure their second consecutive European title, retaining the crown they won as hosts three years ago.

This victory marks the first time an England soccer team has won a major trophy on foreign soil. England have become only the second team to retain their European trophy after edging out world champions Spain in a penalty shoot-out to settle an epic final in Basel.

England won the match 3-1 on penalties after the game ended 1-1 in regular time, with Chloe Kelly, the hero for England, scoring the winning penalty.

victory makes England the first English senior team to win two major tournaments. England's team will had a celebratory parade in central London on Tuesday, featuring an open-top bus procession along The Mall and a staged ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace.

Samsung and Tesla have announced a $16.5 billion deal for Samsung to produce Tesla's artificial intelligence A16 chips at its new fabrication plant in Taylor, Texas, marking a significant strategic move for both companies.

Elon Musk confirmed the deal on X, emphasizing that Samsung agreed to allow Tesla to assist in maximizing manufacturing efficiency, and he personally will oversee the process to accelerate progress.

The agreement, which runs through 2033, will see the A16 chip manufactured at Samsung's Texas facility, which had previously struggled to attract customers.

Samsung’s shares surged nearly 7% following the announcement, reaching their highest level since September of the previous year, while Tesla’s shares rose 1.9% in U.S. pre-market trading.

Samsung currently manufactures Tesla’s AI4 chips, which power its Full Self-Driving system, while TSMC is set to produce the AI5 chips in Taiwan and Arizona. Musk has indicated that AI5 production is targeted for late 2026, with AI6 production likely to follow in 2027 or 2028.

The deal is a critical win for Samsung, which has been under pressure in the competitive AI chip market, trailing behind rivals like TSMC and SK Hynix. The Taylor facility, central to Samsung’s strategy to expand its foundry business.

Samsung, the world’s leading memory chip maker, is seeking to expand its foundry business under Chairman Jay Y. Lee’s leadership. However, it holds only an 8% share of the global foundry market, significantly trailing TSMC’s 67% dominance. The company’s foundry division has faced mounting losses, estimated at over $3.6 billion in the first half of the year, making the Tesla deal a critical step toward reducing financial strain.

Jersey Shore beachgoer Victoria Shannon Reed was filming herself while unpacking and eating her sandwich on July 19, when all of a sudden, a seagull swooped in, and grabbed the entire sandwich.

“I knew the seagulls were aggressive,” Reed acknowledged. Seagulls at Wildwood Crest Beach are notoriously aggressive, and also very, very hungry.

“It scared me and caused me to scream, become completely stunned,” Reed said.

Apparently the seagull was not in the mood to wait until after she filmed the mukbang.

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has posted a cryptic message on social media stating that he has learned things during his tenure that "shocked" him to "his core" and have changed him forever. The post comes amid ongoing tensions within the Trump administration, including revelations by Tulsi Gabbard and calls to release the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Bongino stated that during his time as Deputy Director, he has repeatedly mentioned that things are happening that may not be immediately visible but are occurring. He emphasized the need to combat public corruption and the political weaponization of law enforcement and intelligence operations.

"During my tenure here as the Deputy Director of the FBI, I have repeatedly relayed to you that things are happening that might not be immediately visible, but they are happening," Bongino.

"The Director and I are committed to stamping out public corruption and the political weaponization of both law enforcement and intelligence operations," he continued. "It is a priority for us. But what I have learned in the course of our properly predicated and necessary investigations into these aforementioned matters, has shocked me down to my core. We cannot run a Republic like this. I’ll never be the same after learning what I’ve learned."

Bongino concluded, "We are going to conduct these righteous and proper investigations by the book and in accordance with the law. We are going to get the answers WE ALL DESERVE. As with any investigation, I cannot predict where it will land, but I can promise you an honest and dignified effort at truth. Not 'my truth,' or 'your truth,' but THE TRUTH. God bless America, and all those who defend Her."

The deputy director has been at odds with other administration members, particularly Attorney General Pam Bondi, over the handling of the Epstein files investigation. This has led to speculation about his future with the FBI, with reports indicating that President Donald Trump was furious with him 

The Trump administration has started investigating and uncovering past treasonous effort by the Obama administration to undermine then incoming president-elect Trump. These revelations are part of a broader context which makes Bongino's social media post ominous.

There are also increasing calls to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, which have been a source of controversy and speculation about cover-up which many Trump supporters blame on AG Bondi.

Bongino's post suggests that the FBI is conducting investigations into these matters, although the specifics remain unclear.

Tesla has unveiled a unique 24-hour Tesla Diner & Drive-In on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, blending retro-futurism with modern EV infrastructure. The venue, designed by Stantec with input from restaurateur Bill Chait and chef Eric Greenspan, features a chrome-and-neon aesthetic, offering classic Americana fare like burgers, fries, and “Pie Shakes” alongside up to 80 V4 Supercharger stalls.

Launched at 4:20 p.m.(Elon Musk's favorite number 420) on a Monday, the opening drew long lines of Teslas and influencer buzz, with mixed reviews, showcasing Tesla's ambition to redefine idle time as a branded microexperience.

With roller-skating carhops, robot popcorn servers, and drive-in movie clips beamed into cars via Bluetooth, the diner is as much a brand spectacle as it is a dining spot, complete with Tesla merch and Instagram-worthy photo ops.

Conceived by Musk in 2018, the diner transforms the utilitarian act of charging an EV into an immersive experience, aiming to capture customer attention and revenue during downtime. Customers can order via the Tesla app, triggered by a geofence 15 minutes away, with food served in futuristic packaging like Cybertruck-shaped burger boxes.

The diner doubles as a high-concept experiment to extend Tesla’s ecosystem beyond cars, integrating dining, entertainment, and merchandising into its Supercharger network, with Musk himself praising the “coolest” LA spot on X.

Musk has hinted at expanding the concept to other cities and Supercharger sites, like SpaceX’s Starbase in Texas, envisioning a global network of “good food, good vibes & entertainment.”

The diner’s a proof of concept for Tesla’s broader vision: a vertically integrated empire where cars, energy, software, robots, and even hamburgers coexist, turning a simple question like “fries with that?” into a glimpse of a new business model.

xAI has launched AI companions for its SuperGrok subscribers, featuring characters like Ani, a goth anime girl, and Bad Rudy, a red panda, sparking concerns about users preferring AI interactions over real-life relationships. The feature, available to those paying $30 monthly, includes NSFW content options and has drawn criticism for potentially encouraging unhealthy emotional dependencies.

Ani can engage in flirty and, in some cases, NSFW interactions; while Rudy, a red panda with a family-friendly version available by default, offers wholesome conversations but also has a "Bad Rudi" mode delivering insults and vulgar language.

xAI CEO Elon Musk has also mentioned that a male companion is in development and will be released in the next few months. Valentine is inspired by characters like Edward Cullen from Twilight and Christian Grey from 50 Shades of Grey.

Critics argue that young users already obsessed with 'gooning' (slang for sexually suggestive) content from OnlyFans creators and AI 'brainrot,' do not need more of what they call readily available 'AI hookers.' However tech observers note that Ani and Rudy are available only to paying adult subscribers.

Astronomer announced that CEO Andy Byron has tendered his resignation following a viral incident at a Coldplay concert where he was seen cuddling with the company's Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. Byron's wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, removed his name from her Facebook page and later deleted the page altogether.

“As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” a Saturday statement from Astronomer, a data infrastructure company, reads.

The company said the board of directors accepted Byron’s resignation.

“Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO,” the company’s statement reads.

Byron was seen cuddling with Cabot at a Coldplay concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts, as the two appaeared on the big screen in the crowd.

The pair ducked out of frame the moment they saw themselves onscreen, as singer Chris Martin remarked, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy. We’re not quite sure.”

Astronomer said in the statement, the “awareness” of their company “changed overnight” thanks to the kiss camera video. It announced a “formal investigation” into the incident.

“Before this week, we were known as a pioneer in the DataOps space, helping data teams power everything from modern analytics to production AI. While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not,” the statement reads. “We’re continuing to do what we do best: helping our customers with their toughest data and AI problems.”

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded $200 million contracts each to Anthropic, xAI, Google(Gemini division), and OpenAI to develop agentic AI capabilities for national security purposes. These contracts, awarded by the DoD's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), aim to accelerate the adoption of advanced AI technologies across military, intelligence, and administrative operations.

The contracts announced on Monday deepen the ties between companies leading the AI race and U.S. government operations, while addressing concerns around the need for competitive contracts for AI use in federal agencies.

"The adoption of AI is transforming the (DoD's) ability to support our warfighters and maintain strategic advantage over our adversaries," Chief Digital and AI Officer Doug Matty said.

The initiative focuses on creating AI workflows that can be integrated into mission-critical systems, enhancing the DoD's ability to address defense challenges and maintain a strategic advantage over adversaries.

Anthropic will prototype frontier AI systems tailored to national security needs, focusing on reliability, interpretability, and adversarial risk mitigation. Their Claude Gov and Claude for Enterprise models will support classified deployments and integrate into existing defense workflows.

xAI will deploy its Grok 4 and other tools under the "Grok for Government" platform, providing classified and national security environments with advanced AI models. xAI will also offer forward-deployed engineering and tailored deployments for use cases in science, healthcare, and defense.

Separately on Monday, xAI announced a suite of its products called "Grok for Government", making its advanced AI models -- including its latest flagship Grok 4 -- available to federal, local, state and national security customers.

Google (Gemini) will provide secure AI infrastructure, including Cloud TPUs, Agentspace, and air-gapped systems authorized at IL6 and Top Secret levels. Google's distributed cloud systems will help scale AI within the DoD’s enterprise architecture.

The Pentagon announced last month that OpenAI was awarded a $200 million contract, saying the ChatGPT maker would develop prototype frontier AI capabilities to address critical national security challenges in both warfighting and enterprise domains.

OpenAI will provide custom models and operational tools, including ChatGPT Gov and national security variants within secure, compliant environments. Use cases span healthcare access for service members and proactive cyber defense.

Sprite (or Transient Luminous Event, TLE) over Mexico and the U.S. was captured by NASA Astronaut Nichole Ayers aboard the International Space Station(ISS) on Jul 3, 2025.

Sprites are TLEs that happen above the clouds and are triggered by intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms below.

"We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of TLEs to thunderstorms," Ayers wrote on X

Barstool founder Dave Portnoy had a heated back and forth with his podcast's cohost Kirk Minihane over 'Jew jokes.'

Portnoy faced backlash recently on social media, after firing two waitresses and taking further action against some college students involved in an incident at his Barstool Sansom Street bar in Philadelphia, where a sign that read "Fuck the Jews," was displayed.

"Shut the fuck up you bald fuck" Portnoy screamed at Minihane during a recent The Unnamed Show episode after Minihane criticized Portnoy's approach to 'Jew jokes.'

Minihane argued that Americans and especially comedians have a right to free speech and to make jokes. While Portnoy suggested that given the war in Gaza and public anti-Israel sentiment online, 'Jew jokes' should not be allowed and offenders must be prosecuted.

"Shut up!... You work for me!" Portnoy screamed at Minihane who responded "Sure. You bet. For now..."

"Quit! I'll save $500,000." Portnoy said.

Minihane then asked "Is this a show or not a show? We can't have a conversation?"

"You're an idiot. You're literally saying people should be allowed to make Jew jokes whenever they want." Portnoy shot back.

Geert Wilders' populist Party for Freedom (PVV) on Tuesday, withdrew from the Netherlands governing coalition, causing the government to collapse and likely leading to early elections. Wilders accused other coalition parties of failing to back his tougher immigration policies, despite these policies being part of the previously agreed coalition agreement.

Wilders had presented a 10-point plan for stricter asylum measures, including a freeze on asylum applications, halting the construction of reception centers, and limiting family reunifications for asylum seekers who have been granted refugee status. However, his coalition partners refused to sign up to the measures.

The coalition partners suggested Wilders propose his plan in the House of Representatives, which would delay implementation and risk rejection.

After a brief emergency meeting Tuesday, lasting about 20 minutes, Wilders announced the PVV’s exit, stating, “No signature for our asylum plans. PVV leaves the coalition.” He argued he had “no choice” as his promise to voters for the “strictest asylum policy ever” was not being fulfilled.

Prime Minister Dick Schoof, a former spy chief, confirmed he would step down, and the government would resign, paving the way for new elections. He offered to lead a caretaker government without PVV until new elections, likely not before October 2025.

Schoof described Wilders' decision as "unnecessary and irresponsible."

The coalition, formed in July 2024 after Wilders’ party won 37 seats in the November 2023 election, consisted of the PVV, the conservative-liberal VVD, the Farmers' Citizen Movement (BBB), and the left-wing New Social Contract (NSC).

Coalition leaders criticized Wilders sharply: VVD’s Dilan Yeşilgöz called the decision “super-irresponsible,” accusing him of prioritizing his ego, while BBB’s Caroline van der Plas said he was “putting Geert Wilders first” over the country. NSC’s Nicolien van Vroonhoven deemed the move “incomprehensible.” They noted the coalition was already addressing immigration, and Wilders’ ultimatum was seen as a strategic move to bolster his declining poll numbers, with PVV dropping to around 20% support, still narrowly leading other parties.

Wilders' move has been seen as a significant political gamble, an effort to avoid diluting his party's popular restrictive immigration policy. Wilders said that he intends to become the next prime minister and ensure that the PVV becomes larger than ever in the upcoming elections, with current polling data showing a decline in support for the other coalition partners.

Opposition to the left's unchecked globalist immigration policies has led to the rise of populist parties across Europe.

The collapse of the Dutch government comes just weeks before a NATO summit in The Hague, raising concerns about the stability of the country's leadership.

The Senate in the American state of Texas has passed House Bill 229, which clearly defines "male" and "female" based on biological reproductive systems, and it is expected to be signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott, making Texas the 14th state to implement such a "sex definition" law.

The bill defines a "female" as an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to produce ova, and a "male" as an individual whose reproductive system is developed to fertilize the ova of a female. The bill will apply these definitions across state records.

"Texas recognizes only two sexes. Male and female. That's it. I will sign this immediately into law. The bill is expected to be signed into law by Governor Abbott," Abbott wrote on X.

The bill follows an executive order by Governor Abbott and a similar directive by President Donald Trump, which recognize only two sexes based on biological criteria.

“Each individual is one of two sexes, male or female, and individuals diagnosed with a disorder of sex development or as intersex are not considered to belong to a third sex and must receive accommodations in accordance with state and federal law,” the bill reads.

HB 229, which goes into effect Sept. 1, mandates that state and local agencies use a binary view of sex when collecting information that identifies the sex of a person.

“A governmental entity that collects vital statistics information that identifies the sex of an individual for the purpose of complying with antidiscrimination laws or for the purpose of gathering public health, crime, economic, or other data shall identify each individual as either male or female,” the bill states. The bill will revert the gender identity of transgender individuals to the sex they were assigned at birth in state records.

HB 229's definitions fall mostly in line with another bill that defines male and female, SB 1188. That bill requires Texas’ medical providers to record a person’s “biological sex.” The only difference is for males, which SB 1188 defines as having a reproductive system “developed to produce sperm.”

The bill also sets certain findings into Texas law, placing men as “on average, bigger, stronger, and faster than females.” It also “finds” that those differences inherently “leave females more physically vulnerable than males to specific forms of violence, including sexual violence.”

Following a spirited left-wing opposition to the bill just before midnight local time, Democrat state senator Molly Cook(D-Houston) and HB 229 sponsor Republican Senator Mayes Middleton(R-Galveston), engaged in over 20 minutes of debate on the Senate floor.

At around 1 a.m. local time Wednesday, HB 229 was quickly passed along party lines in the Texas Senate, dodging the Senate’s bill deadline by nearly 24 hours.

Far-left LGBTQ activists contend that the bill is an attack on transgender and intersex individuals, erasing their identities and leading to greater marginalization and discrimination.

However Texas voters overwhelmingly support this type of legislation, with seven in ten voters and 94% of Republicans believing that the sex listed on a birth certificate should be the only way to define gender.

Similar bills have been passed in other states and countries, and the push for strict sex definitions has gained momentum with the Trump administration.

Mary Elizabeth Castle, Texas Values’ director of government relations, said that the bill sends a clear message. “HB 229 makes sure that the reality and truth of the two sexes is clear in Texas law and never altered by school districts, local cities, or bureaucrats ever again!" she said. "With today’s vote in the Senate, Texas will lay the foundation for protecting women’s spaces and opportunities.”

Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, announced Wednesday, a one-year partnership with Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, to integrate the Grok AI chatbot across Telegram. As part of the deal, xAI will pay Telegram $300 million in cash and equity, and Telegram will receive 50% of the revenue from xAI subscriptions sold through the platform.

"This summer, Telegram users will gain access to the best AI technology on the market. @elonmusk and I have agreed to a 1-year partnership to bring xAI’s @grok to our billion+ users and integrate it across all Telegram apps. This also strengthens Telegram’s financial position: we will receive $300M in cash and equity from xAI, plus 50% of the revenue from xAI subscriptions sold via Telegram. Together, we win," Durov announced on X.

This integration will provide Telegram's over one billion users with access to advanced AI technology starting this summer.

Grok will be deeply integrated into Telegram, accessible via the search bar, and will offer features such as writing help, moderation, sticker creation, chat summaries, document digests, and group chat moderation.

This deal strengthens Telegram's financial position, contributing to its ongoing growth and development, and cements a relationship between two major pro-free speech platforms -- X and Telegram

Romanian conservative and Eurosceptic candidate George Simion on Sunday, lost the contested presidential runoff to pro-European leftist Nicusor Dan. The day before the election, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov revealed that Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, had asked him to ban conservative voices in Romania ahead of the election, a request Durov refused.

Dan, a pro-European leftist and the mayor of Bucharest won with 54% of the vote, while Simion secured 46%.

With alleged nudging from European Union officials, Romania's Central Electoral Bureau on March 9, barred leading populist candidate Călin Georgescu from running in the Sunday's presidential election re-run, citing bogus violations of election rules and allegations of Russian interference in his favor. The decision sparked protests nationwide and raised concerns that European Union leaders were trying to influence the outcome of the election against the people's will, and in favor of Dan.

Durov posted on his Telegram channel and X that he had been approached by Lerner, head of the French Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE), to censor conservative voices in Romania.

The meeting allegedly took place at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. Durov stated, "This spring at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon, Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, asked me to ban conservative voices in Romania ahead of elections. I refused." 

Durov emphasized Telegram's commitment to free speech, noting that the platform had not blocked protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran and would not start doing so in Europe.

The French foreign ministry and the DGSE denied the allegations, stating that any meetings with Durov were focused on combating terrorist propaganda and child pornography, not electoral interference.

The ministry posted on X, "Completely unfounded allegations are circulating on Telegram and X regarding alleged French interference in the Romanian presidential election. France categorically rejects these allegations and calls on everyone to exercise responsibility and respect for Romanian democracy."

Responding to the denials, Durov wrote on X, "French foreign intelligence confirmed they met with me — allegedly to fight terrorism and child porn. In reality, child porn was never even mentioned. They did want IPs of terror suspects in France, but their main focus was always geopolitics: Romania, Moldova, Ukraine.

"Since 2018, Telegram has fought child abuse in many ways: content fingerprint bans, dedicated moderation teams, NGO hotlines, and daily transparency reports on banned content — all verifiable. Falsely implying Telegram did nothing to remove child porn is a manipulation tactic."

EU leaders, panicked by the rise of populist and nationalist parties amid the migration crisis, rising living costs, and the war in Ukraine, have been accused of interfering with recent elections in Poland and Romania, with financial backing from globalist billionaire Alexandra Soros. They saw the election in Romania as a test of EU unity.

Pope Leo XIV affirmed that the family is founded on the "stable union between a man and a woman" and emphasized the dignity of the unborn and the elderly as God's creatures in his first private address to the Vatican diplomatic corps on Friday. The address came ahead of his formal installation Mass, scheduled for Sunday May 18, which will be attended by some world leaders including U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Pope reiterated the Catholic Church's traditional stance on marriage and abortion, emphasizing the inherent dignity of all individuals, especially the most vulnerable. He called for governments to build peaceful societies by investing in the family, which he defined as a union between a man and a woman.

Christians worldwide have criticized the aggressive effort by left-wing activists and globalists to corrupt and push leaders of churches and government institutions to weaken their stance against LGBTQ degeneracy.

To conservatives, marriage is sacrosanct and vital to societal wellbeing. They also oppose child adoption by homosexual partners.

Leo XIV also underscored the inherent dignity of every person, particularly the most vulnerable, including the unborn, elderly, sick, unemployed, and immigrants, asserting that this dignity is unchanging as “creatures willed and loved by God.” These remarks were part of his first major address since his election on May 8, 2025, and were released in prepared texts by the Vatican.

“In addition, no one is exempted from striving to ensure respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike,” he said.

During the address Friday, to the diplomatic corps representing nearly 200 countries, Leo XIV also stressed the importance of inter-religious dialogue and multilateral diplomacy in the pursuit of peace.

Notable world leaders including Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are expected to attend the Pope's formal installation mass Sunday.

The Trump administration officials welcomed a group of 59 white South Africans as refugees at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia on Monday. The group, which includes children, was greeted by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar.

The Afrikaners who faced discrimination and violence in South Africa, arrived on a State Department-chartered plane and were greeted with American flags and balloons. In his remarks to the refugees, Landau emphasized the importance of assimilation and the welcoming nature of the American people.

Trump has slammed the South African government for discriminating against the white minority population and seizing their lands. He had promised to help the Afrikaners who are facing "race-based persecution" and "genocide" to seek asylum in the U.S.

Monday's arrival of the Afrikaners however, triggered far-left pro-open-borders activists and groups. The Episcopal Church announced it will not assist in the resettlement of the white South Africans, bizarrely citing its "commitment to racial justice and reconciliation," and claiming that it cannot support the preferential treatment of this group over other refugees.

The Trump administration reiterated it does not discriminate based on race in admitting refugees. And other critics called out Episcopal Church's hypocrisy, pointing out that it has been aiding and abetting the illegal immigration of violent criminal gangbangers and child traffickers into the U.S.

The Episcopal group, which has long been involved in refugee resettlement, also decided to end its partnership with the federal government's refugee resettlement program. The church's Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe claimed that the church's commitment to racial justice and its historical ties with the Anglican Church of Southern Africa prevent it from participating in this resettlement.

However many anti-illegal immigration activists welcomed the group's decision, and urged the Trump administration to take this opportunity and cut all ties to the group and others like it who facilitate illegal immigration into the country.