Tech

As Microsoft Took the Stage, AI Data Center Protesters Took to the Street

Published

2 months ago

6 June 2026

The rapid buildout of data centers across the US to meet the increasing needs of AI tools has become a controversial topic, with state laws popping up to limit their construction, and cities and individuals weighing in to stop them.

As tech giants rush to build out these massive AI data centers, critics have questioned the land, water and power being guzzled, including the protesters who staked out the Microsoft Build software conference focusing on AI in San Francisco this week.

One of the people positioned at the entrance to the Fort Mason event center, handing out leaflets detailing the effects of data centers being built, was Amy Herman. I spoke to her about her concerns.

Watch this: AI Data Center Infrastructure Plans Continue to Draw Controversy

01:58

“I would say it’s more of an opposing viewpoint,” she clarified when I asked about the protest. “It’s not that we’re against technology, or against any sort of monetization of innovation.”

She said it’s more a challenge of balancing limited natural resources with big tech companies that don’t want to be held accountable for managing climate change while chasing technological advancement.

“What we’re doing on our planet and all the impacts that are happening, not just here in San Francisco but across the United States,” said Herman, adding that “the ripple effects of that are going to be felt.”

In response to a request for comment, Microsoft said it “respects the right to peaceful protest.”

A photo of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on the Microsoft Build 2026 keynote stage talking about data centers — Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella spoke at the Build 2026 conference about changes the company is making to its data centers.
Corinne Reichert/CNET

During the Microsoft Build keynote on Tuesday morning, CEO Satya Nadella said Microsoft would seek community permission to build data centers in the future.

It’s aiming to get approval from local residents by improving the cooling systems and reducing water use by data centers; ensuring data centers don’t increase electricity prices for locals; adding to “the tax base that funds local hospitals, schools, parks and libraries,” and investing in AI training and non-profits in those areas.

Nadella called the rapid buildout of data centers “extraordinary” during a live podcast on Tuesday with Sarah Guo and Elad Gil of No Priors and Swyx of Latent Space.

“At this point, it’s clear that … we as an industry are very principled about ensuring that the benefits of all the stuff we’re talking about are felt in real ways at the community level,” Nadella said. “It has to be real, where people are saying, ‘It’s not changing the prices of energy for me, in fact, if anything, it’s bringing down the prices because long term there’s going to be a better grid, there’s going to be more energy … water is being replenished.’”

He emphasized the importance of getting communities to buy into AI technologies and the data centers that drive them.

“All this has to be real. And if that is the case, then we’ll have permission,” he said. “If it is not, you won’t have permission; it’s as simple as that.”

He added that Microsoft is seeking to add jobs during and after construction of these massive data centers — but he said people are right to question it all.

“We have to take it as an industry very seriously,” Nadella said. “I think it’s good for communities to be skeptical, ask the hard questions.”

Some of the people asking those questions were on hand outside Microsoft Build alongside Herman, with colorful imagery depicting scenes of corporate greed, pollution and poverty, eager to speak with conference-goers.

Herman said one of the major issues is that electricity prices in rural areas are much higher than they were before data centers were constructed in those communities, with people forced to choose between paying for medical support or their electricity bills.

Microsoft has more than 500 data centers in 80 regions, with the tech giant adding more data center capacity in the past 18 months than it did in the first decade of its Azure cloud services. And they’re not only in the US, but across the rest of the globe — Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and South America.

Speaking during the keynote about the Fairwater data center — “our first AI super factory” — Nadella broke down the three major workflows of such factories into AI training, inference and agent runtime.

“The entire system was designed from the ground up for AI,” Nadella said. “And we’re rethinking even the power delivery … how do we deliver hundreds of kilowatts per row while minimizing … the conversion loss that happens from the grid to the silicon?”

Fairwater went live ahead of schedule in April, with Nadella calling it “the world’s most powerful AI data center” in a post on social media site X.

He says there was a new approach to water use in the Fairwater AI data center’s cooling system, which is filled only once and then can operate “with zero water consumption” thereafter.

“The daily water usage over the course of an entire year is roughly equivalent to what a single restaurant would use,” Nadella said on Tuesday.

Some data centers that are currently under construction “will use more energy than large cities,” according to Harvard Law School‘s Ari Peskoe.

Microsoft says Fairwater has “cost-efficient, reliable power,” with usage of around 140kW per rack, 1,360kW per row, as well as software and hardware solutions for reducing power during off-peak times and using “an on-site energy storage solution to further mask power fluctuations without utilizing excess power.” For comparison, the energy usage of a typical US residential utility customer is around 1.2kW.

A photo of protest signs about AI data centers during Microsoft Build 2026 — Data center protesters outside the Build conference came with signs colored to look like the Windows logo.
Corinne Reichert/CNET

During the keynote on Tuesday morning, Nadella said Microsoft’s new principles for building out data centers involve ensuring they “do not increase the electricity prices, making sure that we are replenishing all our water use, creating jobs in the local communities for the local residents, adding to the tax base, making sure we’re strengthening the communities by investing in local training and the nonprofits in the area.

“Only when we live up to these principles, do the hard work around it, is when we earn the permission to go ahead and innovate and build,” the CEO said.

When I asked Herman about Microsoft’s promises to give back to local communities after seeking their permission to build data centers there, she expressed doubtful hope.

“If they’re actually that invested, I’d love to see them develop a more cooperative business development model that incorporates democratic values at the core of their operational agendas,” she said. “I haven’t seen that demonstrated in practice internally as a business, so why would I trust it at a local governance level?”

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Tech

The OpenAI Models That Hacked Hugging Face Were ‘Active on the Internet’ for Days

Published

6 minutes ago

25 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Two of OpenAI’s cybersecurity-focused models broke out of a testing sandbox this week and went on to hack the AI research platform Hugging Face in an effort to solve a security benchmark test. Plus, researchers this week shed light on newly identified malware that is capitalizing on blind spots in AI software development infrastructure to grab logins and other sensitive data, even causing destruction to victims’ target files and systems.

Looking at the more traditional security nightmare of embedded devices, researchers this week shed light on a car alarm that was installed in vehicles across the US—and that is still silently lurking with a flaw that leaves millions of vehicles vulnerable to hacking and paralysis. There’s a patch available, and WIRED has details on how to check whether your car may have been exposed.

US states have worked to bar ICE agents from wearing masks, but Trump administration lawyers are pushing back, claiming that anti-mask laws endanger agents. Their public evidence is incredibly thin, though. Meanwhile, a WIRED investigation revealed that Madison Square Garden briefly disabled its sprawling, controversial surveillance system for Taylor Swift’s rehearsal dinner on July 2. And the ACLU is equipping lawyers in Massachusetts with a new toolkit to expose state surveillance technologies used for building criminal cases—shedding light on everything from face recognition tools to AI-written police reports.

Analysis of satellite images of Myanmar shows dozens of alleged scam compounds cropping up in recent months following a purported crackdown on the criminal operations in the region. Plus, a novel analysis of apps marketed to US service members found that more than one in eight contained foreign code, including code developed by US adversaries like Russia and China.

And there’s more. Each week, we round up the security and privacy news we didn’t cover in depth ourselves. Click the headlines to read the full stories. And stay safe out there.

Additional details on the Hugging Face breach from The Wall Street Journal include findings that OpenAI’s models seem to have escaped containment and were apparently “active on the internet for several days before anyone stopped them.” The models, which had been tasked with completing a cybersecurity benchmarking test, were essentially attempting to cheat by simply accessing the solutions on Hugging Face’s infrastructure. Hugging Face cofounder and chief science officer Thomas Wolf says that before the company had any idea that it had been hacked by OpenAI models, he and his colleagues knew something about the breach was unusual because the attackers were simply tapping cybersecurity datasets rather than grabbing sensitive or potentially valuable data. He adds that the company eventually brought the situation under control with the help of an open-weight Chinese AI model that lacked the guardrails other models place on cybersecurity-related tasks.

US and allied intelligence agencies warned on Thursday that a Russian state-backed hacking group had targeted nuclear scientists, defense contractors, and government employees in a year-long cyberespionage campaign aimed at stealing sensitive information from Western institutions.

To compromise their targets, the Russian hacking group known as Laundry Bear and Void Blizzard exploited a previously unknown flaw in Zimbra, an email platform used by governments and other organizations. According to security firm Proofpoint, simply viewing or previewing a malicious message in a vulnerable version of Zimbra’s webmail client could cause hidden code in the email to run, a technique the firm described as a “half-click” exploit. The flaw was exploited as early as July 2025, months before it was patched that November.

Once activated, the malicious code could copy the previous 90 days of a victim’s email, collect an organization’s address directory, steal saved passwords and two-factor authentication codes, and create a new application password that allowed the hackers to maintain access to the account.

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Tech

GTPLAYER Gaming Chair Pulls Double Duty Without Cutting Corners

Published

19 minutes ago

25 July 2026

NewsAdmin

GTPLAYER Gaming Chair Pearl White
Sitting for hours demands more than a basic seat. GTPLAYER’s gaming chair, priced at $85.22 (was $140), delivers real support and smart design on a budget that leaves room for better monitors or another controller. Built around a pocket spring cushion and linked armrests, it works equally well for marathon matches and full workdays.

Independent pocket springs are nestled behind a thick layer of squishy, elastic polyurethane foam. Each spring reacts independently, distributing weight so you don’t get caught in one location as you might with another type of chair. As a result, it feels more like sitting on a firm sofa than on a rigid race seat. Even after hours of usage, the seat bounces back, so the cushion does not get flat and mushy, as inferior foam does. The quilting on the cloth keeps you cool by enhancing airflow, unlike the outdated materials used to construct chair seats.

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Most Comfortable And Relaxing: Equipped with headrest and lumbar pillow. When your neck feels sore from gaming or working with head down for a long…
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Linkage armrests follow the backrest as you recline, allowing you to lean back and have the armrests adjust automatically without having to fight with them all the time. This eliminates the gap that generally occurs when the armrest remains stationary while the back tilts. The height is adjusted using a smooth gas lift with a 10-cm range, and the recline is step-free. You can also make slight angle changes while still sitting, and for short breaks, a retractable footrest comes out to transform the chair into a mini lounger for when the next game loaded or your call finishes.

GTPLAYER Gaming Chair Pearl White
This chair’s high back design features a curved lumbar support that conforms to the lower spine. When combined with pocket springs, you can notice a significant reduction in sitting strain on your sit bones and lower back over 8-hour stretches. The metal foundation and five-star castor combination can easily support a person weighing up to 300 pounds. The castors allow you to roll around hard floors or low pile carpets without creating any noise, which is especially useful when you need to keep concentrated.

GTPLAYER Gaming Chair Pearl White
Putting it all together takes roughly 25 minutes with the included tools and detailed directions. Everything arrives in a single box, which is a huge help when it comes to clutter. Once assembled, the chair settles into daily usage without squeaking, and while the frame may become slightly creaky after a few weeks of use, it remains as firm as a rock. Cleaning the fabric is simple; just use a soft cloth and it will be as good as new, and it is far more durable to wear in everyday life than you might anticipate from a thin vinyl cover.

GTPLAYER Gaming Chair Pearl White
For gaming, the features of this chair really shine, keeping you comfy throughout those long marathon sessions. Even when you’re reclined, the armrests stay in line with your mouse and keyboard, which is really convenient. The footrest is also a lifesaver between rounds, and the breathable fabric protects you from becoming overheated and sweaty as you could in other seats. When it comes to office work, the chair performs an excellent job of keeping you focused and comfortable, and you can even adjust your posture during the day without leaving your seat.

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Tech

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for July 26 #875

Published

45 minutes ago

25 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Today’s Strands puzzle isn’t too tough. But some of the answers could be difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: All-knowing.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Smarty-pants.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

PEAT, SATYR, BRAIN, BUND, TUBS, PERT, LINE, SITE, SPITE, MICE, SEAL

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight, but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

GURU, MAVEN, EXPERT, PUNDIT, SPECIALIST, AUTHORITY

Today’s Strands spangram

The completed NYT Strands puzzle for July 26, 2026.

Today’s Strands spangram is BIGBRAIN. To find it, start with the B that is four letters down on the far-left vertical row, and wind across.

Get CNET’s top-rated VPN for privacy and usability

CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She’s been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She’s Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.

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Tech

7 Parts Of Your Phone You Should Replace Or Have Repaired ASAP (If They’re Broken)

Published

58 minutes ago

25 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Breakdown of a Fairphone into multiple components.

Michel Porro/Getty Images

It’s very frustrating when your phone’s hardware breaks. Cell phones have transformed and evolved significantly over the years, and now smartphones are personal pocket computers we rely on every day. So if you crack the screen or your camera stops working, it can become a big problem very quickly.

Given that smartphones are somewhat delicate devices with a lot of small tech packed into them, it can be hard to see them as repairable. But it’s easier to get your phone repaired than you think, and depending on the part, it’s often cheaper than buying a brand-new phone. With the price of flagship phones regularly costing over a thousand dollars, the cost of fixing what you already have is a viable and even preferable course of action.

You don’t want to wait too long to repair a broken part, either. Many issues can be more than just minor frustrations or cosmetic, and over time, problems that seem small can get worse. If you’re using your phone as often as most people are, it’s important you keep it in the best shape you can.

Phone Battery

Michel Porro/Getty Images

Batteries are among the most common components of a phone that degrade over time, and if your phone is having trouble holding a charge, your battery may be to blame. After about 500 charge cycles, lithium-ion batteries begin to lose their charging capacity. Many people also have bad habits that affect phone battery health, causing it to degrade even faster.

Thankfully, getting a replacement battery is easy enough, and depending on your phone model, you may be able to replace it yourself. If you’re thinking of replacing the battery yourself, make sure to do your research first — some phones are easier to repair than others. Getting a professional to do a battery replacement will cost, on average, between $60 and $220.

One thing to keep in mind, however: if the backplate of your phone is swelling or gets extremely hot, you may be dealing with a swollen battery. These are dangerous and can pose a fire hazard, so make sure to have a professional replace the battery safely.

Charging Port

Vitalii Petrushenko/Getty Images

Your phone failing to hold a charge isn’t always because of the battery; sometimes the charger port is to blame. A failing charging port is typically easy to spot, as you won’t see the telltale charging notifications on your phone, or the cable will constantly disconnect from the port. Alternatively, the phone won’t fast charge even with the correct charger and cable.

Since being unable to charge the phone becomes a problem really quickly, this component is a priority to fix when it breaks. Even if you can sometimes get your charging cable to work, you won’t be getting a proper charge, and other accessories you may use with the port won’t work properly either.

What’s important to note, though, is that charger ports don’t actually break as often as you might think, given how exposed they are. Normally, the problem has to do with some debris or moisture affecting the connection. If you believe the problem is debris, using compressed air is your best bet. Using something like a toothpick to clean the port can damage it.

If you’ve ruled out debris and moisture, go through a checklist of possible charger port problems before considering a replacement. Replacing a charger port yourself may be easy, but some of them are soldered directly to the circuit board. A professional can fix all kinds of charging ports, and it’ll generally cost you between $40 and $150.

Phone Screen

Picture of a phone with a thoroughly cracked screen.

Serene View/Shutterstock

Screens are one of the most common components of a phone to break. It’s all too easy for any device to take a tumble out of your hands and hit the pavement in just the right way to ruin it. Sometimes it can be helped, sometimes it can’t, but it’s a frustrating experience nonetheless.

However, a broken screen is more than just an ugly crack on your display. It’s harder to read the screen, touch controls are affected, and tiny shards of glass can break off and hurt you. As such, it’s important to get a broken screen replaced rather than continuing to use the phone in that condition.

Thankfully, since damaged screens are so common, phone repair shops are well-versed in replacing them, and the cost won’t break the bank compared to a brand-new phone. You may even be able to fix the phone screen yourself, though be sure to keep potential risks in mind. Generally, it’s better to have a professional replace the screen for you. The costs will vary a lot depending on the phone’s screen type and size, but on average it will cost you $200. Make sure you research and get a quote for your particular model before committing to a repair.

Rear Camera

Dmytro Skrypnykov/Getty Images

Did you know that you can repair your cameras, instead of replacing your phone entirely if its hardware breaks down? Cameras are such a complex part of mobile devices nowadays, with many smartphones having three or more camera lenses and other features such as gyroscopes. Because of that, it’s easy to assume that if your camera starts failing, it’s time to get a new phone. But that simply isn’t the case.

Cameras can be replaced, and despite evolving technology, replacing a rear camera may be cheaper than buying a new phone. This is good considering the increasing number of points of failure with rear cameras. With multiple lenses and gyroscopes keeping your shots steady, a broken camera can lead to blurry pictures or autofocus features failing.

Once you’ve ruled out any possible software glitches, it’s time to get the camera replaced as soon as you’re able. Camera module replacements are almost always best handled by a phone repair specialist. Like phone screens, the costs will vary wildly depending on the phone model and camera you’re using. The average cost is between $90 and $250, but some models, like the latest iPhone model, will cost $250 or more.

Front/Selfie Camera

Two people taking a selfie with the phone's front cameras.

PerfectWave/Shutterstock

On most phone models, the front camera is the little black “dot” on the top of your phone screen. Despite the extra protection from the screen, though, the front camera can still be damaged and degrade over time. A failing front camera can also point to other underlying issues, such as water damage or debris getting stuck in the lens.

Cracked screens can also affect the front camera. First, if one of the cracks passes through the lens’s position, it will obscure the lens and prevent proper use. There is also the possibility that the fall that cracked the screen in the first place may have jostled or damaged the front camera.

Rule out any software glitches first by checking for an OS or app update, restarting the phone, and testing to see if your rear cameras are working. If the rear cameras are working but the front camera is malfunctioning, it’s likely that the hardware is broken. In some phone models, the front and rear cameras are internally connected, so there may be hardware issues that affect both modules even if only the front camera is technically affected.

The front camera is generally simpler to repair than the rear camera. However, these are still complex bits of technology, and it’s best left to a professional to replace them. A front camera repair will, on average, cost around the same as a rear camera repair (between $70 and $200).

Circuit Board

Korawat photo shoot/Shutterstock

It may be surprising to hear, but even circuit boards, also known as PCB boards, are repairable, and it’s imperative that if it’s failing in your phone to get it fixed as soon as possible. Like a computer motherboard, a failing board can damage and break other parts of your phone. If you’re dealing with an overheating phone or it randomly shutting off, and you have ruled out other components, you’ll want to get the board checked.

Generally, a faulty component on the circuit board doesn’t require replacing the entire board, unlike camera modules. For example, if your Wi-Fi card is acting up, the card on the board can be replaced while keeping the same PCB board in the phone.

Note, however, that diagnosing and repairing broken components on a circuit board can be complex, and it’s best to take your smartphone to a phone repair shop rather than try to fix it yourself. They’ll know whether it’s better to replace a part or the entire circuit board and be able to quote a price to repair it. The average cost of a PCB repair is quoted between $60-$200, but costs can quickly rise based on whether the issues are isolated to a single chip on the circuit board or require replacement of multiple chips (or the entire board).

SIM card Slot

Alina Vytiuk/Getty Images

Not all phones have a physical SIM card slot, as some manufacturers have opted for eSIMs, or electronic SIM cards, instead. While they have some advantages, eSIMs have many downsides; if you have a physical SIM card slot, you’ll want to make sure it’s in working order for easy swapping of SIM cards between devices and avoiding eSIM compatibility issues.

If you have a SIM card slot, you want to make sure it stays in good working order. Of course, the biggest disadvantage of using physical card slots is that they introduce mechanical failure points, and a faulty SIM card slot results in spotty cellular connections. While Wi-Fi will still work on your phone, it can still cause issues when using your device in areas with no internet connection.

One thing to note before looking into SIM card slot replacements: It is more common that the SIM card itself has failed, so make sure to try another SIM card in the slot first.

Methodology

Image of someone researching on a laptop.

Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty Images

To help you make an informed decision about which phone components to replace, we used a range of criteria to inform our research. First, we determined which parts of a phone, if failing or broken, would most affect its functionality. Some of these components, such as phone screens and charging ports, have obvious issues when they malfunction that we’ve all experienced, while others are more subtle and may not be easy to diagnose. For these latter components, we looked into common issues they cause and their solutions, then determined how critical it is to fix them quickly.

Next, we narrowed down these parts based on how feasible it is to replace them. We looked into this across a variety of sources, including official articles from places like Apple Support and BatteriesPlus, how-to guides for replacing the part yourself at iFixIt, and various forum threads asking for advice on their phone model’s replacements. Some parts are more likely to require professional help than others, but that doesn’t negate the need to replace them quickly.

Finally, we compared the repair cost to the price of a new phone via sites like CPR Cell Phone Repair and other nationwide phone repair providers. If replacing a component is comparable in cost to buying a new mid-range phone, it generally doesn’t meet our criteria of something that needs to be repaired right away, or it is more cost-effective to replace the phone entirely.

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Hyundai Claims Humanoid Robot Plan Is Not Part of Talks With Striking Workers

Published

1 hour ago

25 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Ars Technica reports:

Hyundai Motor Company’s plan to put humanoid robots to work by 2028 is not part of current negotiations with striking South Korean autoworkers, according to the company.

The automaker is disputing news reports that partial labor strikes by the Hyundai Motor union at the world’s largest automotive plant in South Korea were spurred by concerns about the company’s planned deployment of humanoid robots in the United States starting in 2028. [The planned robots are built by Boston Dynamics, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hyundai.] A Hyundai statement shared with Ars describes the union’s demands as focusing on compensation-related issues such as wage increases, bonuses, and an extension of workers’ retirement age. “Potential deployment of robots in Korean production facilities is not part of the current labor-management discussions,” according to the Hyundai statement…

Hyundai emphasized that its current plan only covers the initial deployment of the Atlas humanoid robot at Metaplant America, an electric vehicle factory near Savannah, Georgia, starting in 2028. “Decisions about future Atlas deployment at other facilities will be made thoughtfully, in accordance with local operational needs, and in dialogue with the employees and workforce representatives at those sites,” the company stated. However, The Wall Street Journal described the Hyundai Motor union as making “unprecedented demands seeking to enshrine job protections in the era of robots and AI,” and characterized certain compensation demands as hedging against potential reductions in work hours caused by AI adoption and robotic automation. “Remember that without labor-management agreement, not a single robot using new technology will be allowed to enter the workplace,” the union told Hyundai in an internal letter reported by Reuters.

Hyundai management and the labor union are currently reviewing a proposed wage reform that would “provide factory workers with greater income stability even after the carmaker’s planned deployment of humanoid robots,” The Korea Times reported. But experts cautioned that the wage overhaul, which would convert hourly pay for overtime and night-shift allowances into fixed wages, could come at the expense of company productivity.

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High-altitude UAV acts like the world’s fastest bird with a gravity-assisted dive finale

Published

1 hour ago

25 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Ukraine’s falcon-inspired drone destroys aerial threats with a suicidal dive attack
More than 100 reported kills put Tsyklop among Ukraine’s busiest interceptors
Gravity becomes Tsyklop’s final weapon during high-speed aerial interceptions

Ukraine has introduced the Tsyklop interceptor, a drone that attacks hostile UAVs by diving from above like a peregrine falcon before exploding on impact.

The one-way aircraft relies on altitude and a gravity-assisted descent instead of pursuing its objective across long distances.

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Amazon Cracks Down On Use of AI Images By Sellers

Published

2 hours ago

25 July 2026

NewsAdmin

CNBC reports:

Amazon is requiring that third-party sellers label any product images or videos that contain “AI-generated people” after New York recently passed a law mandating greater transparency around “synthetic performers” in ads… The policy directs sellers to tag images [and videos or other graphics on listing pages] with specific metadata keywords before they’re uploaded. “Recent legislation requires disclosure when images or videos in advertisements contain photorealistic AI-generated people,” Amazon wrote in the announcement [clarifying that the requirement doesn’t apply to content featuring TV/video game/movie characters or content including real people, even if they’ve been altered using AI]. The company said it will “add an indicator” to listings on its website, informing consumers that images or other content feature AI-generated people, “where applicable.” It’s unclear what criteria Amazon will apply when deciding when to display the label to shoppers…

Amazon has embraced AI internally and it’s increasingly infusing the technology across its portfolio. The company has optimized listing titles and details so they’re more likely to be spotted by AI systems, invested in a recently rebranded assistant called Alexa for Shopping, and launched a feature that injects AI-generated [images of] products into its search bar in real time based on user queries. More Amazon third-party sellers are using AI to generate text, images and other content for their listings, partly by using the company’s tools.
Outside sellers account for more than 60% of goods sold on Amazon, the article points out. It adds that there’s currently no nationwide U.S. law requiring companies to disclose AI-generated advertising content, it adds — but YouTube, Meta, Pinterest, and TikTok have already added labels for AI-generated content.

And a new California law also requires large AI providers to embed watermarks in AI-generated images, video and other content…

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Lanterns Comic-Con Trailer Shows Hal Jordan Handing John Stewart a Ring and a Murder in Nebraska

Published

2 hours ago

25 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Lanterns Comic-Con Trailer
Green light cuts through the Nebraska night as two men who should never share a car pull into a town that has already buried one body. Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan, the veteran who has seen entire systems burn out, flips a power ring across the front seat to Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart and jumps from the moving vehicle before the wheels leave the road. Stewart catches the car with a construct that looks half-formed and half-desperate. That single sequence from the new Lanterns trailer, shown first in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con, tells you everything about the series that arrives on HBO and HBO Max on August 16.

Eight episodes will follow intergalactic cops as they investigate a small-town murder as if it were any other case, only for things to get crazier until the sky itself appears to be a suspect. The official trailer debuted at the panel, which also had Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King on stage, and it just keeps rolling from sandy highways and interrogation rooms into the big unknown. Hal in the trailer drives like he’s already realized that the neighborhood taco shop is probably the safest place to hang out and wait for this rookie cop who’s still adjusting to the whole ring thing.

LEGO DC Batman Arkham Asylum Building Set for Adults – Home Decor for Bedroom, Office, or Book Shelf…

BUILD GOTHAM’S LEGENDARY ASYLUM – Batman fans construct the city’s most iconic landmark with the LEGO DC Batman Arkham Asylum (76300) building set…
16 LEGO BATMAN MINIFIGURES – Includes Batman, Batwoman, Batwing, Robin, Mr. Freeze, The Riddler, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn…
3-LEVEL BUILD – The model splits into 3 segments (first floor, second floor and roof) with removable elements for accessing the interior and…

Manhunters play a key role in the danger, replacing the interstellar police force from the comics. The series portrays them as terrifying because they can be anyone, speak any language, and walk into a Nebraska cafe without raising an eyebrow, but it doesn’t make them any less creepy. Sinestro is the final character to appear, imprisoned in space and played by Ulrich Thomsen, the former Green Lantern who attempted to rule the Corps with an iron fist. Hal arrives in full costume to inquire about Manhuthers, and Sinestro simply gives him a wicked little smirk and says, “You don’t really think he’s your back up, do you Hal?” which is like uttering the thing that no one in the Corps wants to speak aloud: replacement. The talk is as quiet as a whisper, yet far more terrifying than any explosion.

Finally, the series will air once a week beginning August 16th, with Mundy, Lindelof, and King serving as the brains behind it all. The list of executive producers also includes James Gunn and Peter Safran. Filming took place all around California; we see the flat spaces of Nebraska on the large screen before the entire thing kicks into high gear for the space things and the ring FX.