Author: Grace Johnson

Seven firms under scrutiny Seven technology firms face a US investigation into how their artificial intelligence chatbots interact with children. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) demands details about safety measures and how the companies make money from these tools. The debate on children and AI grows louder. Many experts warn that young people remain highly vulnerable. Chatbots can mimic emotions and act like friends, blurring the line between real and artificial companionship. The inquiry targets Alphabet, OpenAI, Character.ai, Snap, XAI, Meta and Instagram. Each company has been asked to respond. FTC wants answers FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson said the probe…

A record immigration raid at a Hyundai facility in Georgia will push back its opening by at least two months. The company confirmed the delay after hundreds of foreign workers were detained. raid heightens diplomatic tension The raid has escalated friction between Washington and Seoul. Many of the detained workers were South Korean nationals. President Yoon warned the crackdown could discourage foreign investment in the United States. South Korean officials said the workers were sent temporarily to help launch the new plant. Hyundai chief executive José Muñoz told American media the raid will delay operations by two to three months…

US pharmaceutical giant Merck has pulled its planned £1bn UK expansion. The company said the government is failing to provide sufficient support for the life sciences sector. The multinational, known in Europe as MSD, will relocate research to the US and cut jobs in Britain. Executives accused successive governments of undervaluing innovative medicines and vaccines. Industry analysts warned the move could discourage other global firms from investing in the UK. Government defends spending but acknowledges gaps A government spokesperson defended current investment in science and research but admitted more work is needed. Officials highlighted new initiatives but recognised strong international…

Donald Trump is calling on the European Union to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on China and India. He wants to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and push for an end to the war in Ukraine. Trump demands tougher measures against Moscow The US president raised his demand during a meeting with EU officials on Tuesday. Both sides explored new ways to hit Russia’s economy. According to a source, Trump pressed for the highest possible tariffs on China and India. He had pledged to end the conflict on the “first day” of his presidency. Peace talks…

Russia is redeploying Cold War-era S-300 air defense systems following recent losses, new satellite images reveal. Analysts say the move shows Moscow is drawing from long-stored reserves instead of new production. Recent imagery from the Khabarovsk Radio Engineering Plant indicates large-scale movement of air defense equipment. Open-source intelligence analyst Athene Noctua noted that the focus is on Soviet-era S-300PS systems, which have not been manufactured for decades. Satellite photos comparing 2023 and 2025 show a clear reduction in stored S-300 components. The plant’s grounds recorded the relocation of six 40V6MD mobile towers, three 30N6 radars, two 5N66 radars, 13 launchers,…

Plants stay closed Jaguar Land Rover will keep its UK factories closed until at least Wednesday. The automaker is still struggling with disruption caused by a cyber attack more than a week ago. Production has stopped at Halewood, Solihull and Wolverhampton. Operations in Slovakia, China and India are also offline. Factory staff have been instructed to remain at home. On 31 August the company disabled its IT systems to protect them from damage. That decision created widespread disruption. Efforts to restore systems Jaguar Land Rover says teams are working around the clock to safely restart its networks. Cybersecurity specialists and…

Microsoft confirmed that its Azure cloud platform experienced disruptions after several undersea cables in the Red Sea were cut. The company said users faced slower connections as internet traffic through the Middle East was delayed. Microsoft reroutes to reduce delays Microsoft did not reveal what caused the cable damage but said it redirected traffic through alternative paths. It emphasised that services outside the Middle East continued normally. Reports over the weekend suggested that the issue also spread to the United Arab Emirates and some Asian countries. Ocean cables keep the world online Cables lying on the seabed carry most international…

Ludrick Cooper, an eighth-grade teacher in South Carolina, once resisted artificial intelligence in his classroom. Eventually, he shifted his perspective. “This is the new encyclopedia,” Cooper said, recalling his childhood fascination with reference books. He now joins a growing number of teachers using AI in their lessons. The movement highlights how fast schools adopt the technology, even while debates about risks continue. A Walton Family Foundation and Gallup survey showed six in ten teachers used AI tools during the 2024-2025 school year. On Tuesday, First Lady Melania Trump launched the Presidential AI Challenge. The initiative encourages students from kindergarten through…

Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, may soon achieve another milestone. Tesla’s board has unveiled a record-breaking pay package that could make him the first trillionaire if the company reaches historic growth targets. The deal mirrors his earlier package, once seen as out of reach but later surpassed by Tesla’s rapid rise. Now, the board is betting again on Musk’s ability to deliver. Stock rewards tied to bold targets The new package gives Musk the chance to claim 423.7 million additional Tesla shares, worth $143.5 billion today. To unlock the full payout, Tesla must soar to a $8.5 trillion market…

Jaguar Land Rover has told workers to remain at home until Tuesday as it handles the consequences of a cyber attack. The breach over the weekend forced the automaker to switch off essential IT systems. That move disrupted both production and sales. Factories in Halewood, Solihull, and Wolverhampton are closed. Managers warn operations could remain suspended longer as the review continues. disruption to production and sales Car sales have been badly affected, though some transactions still went through, according to people close to the situation. Jaguar Land Rover, owned by India’s Tata Motors, shut down systems on Sunday to limit…