It has taken some retailers longer than others, but Amazon UK has finally made pre-orders on Nintendo Switch 2 games & accessories available. From its dedicated store page, you can place orders on the vast majority of games, controllers, cases, additional storage, and extra gadgets to add to your Nintendo Switch 2 preorders and complete your set-up.Switch 2 Pro Controller£74.99 at AmazonMario Kart World£74.99 at AmazonDonkey Kong Bananza£64.99 at AmazonDonkey Kong Bananza£64.99 at AmazonThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition£64.99 at AmazonSuper Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Jamboree TV£64.99 at AmazonSamsung micro SD express card 256GB£49.99 at AmazonSandisk micro SD express card 256GB£49.99 at AmazonSwitch 2 Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip£29.99 at AmazonNintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case & Screen Protector£20.99 at AmazonJoy-Con 2 Wheel (Set of Two)£16.99 at AmazonJoy-Con 2 (L) and Joy-Con 2 (R) Controller Set£74.99 at AmazonNintendo Switch 2 Camera£49.99 at AmazonDaemon X Machina: Titanic Scion - Switch 2£59.99 at AmazonRune Factory: Guardians of Azuma - Switch 2£59.99 at AmazonYou may notice that some item listings are in French, but these items will still go to your address in the UK. We assume the error is due to an onboarding issue on Amazon's side that will hopefully be resolved soon. Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza also aren't currently showing within the complete collection via Nintendo's Amazon page, but each is still available to preorder for £74.99 and £64.99, respectively. With the exception of MK World, certain physical games Amazon UK is £2 cheaper compared to My Nintendo Store—with copies of DK Bananza and the Nintendo Switch 2 versions of Super Mario Party Jamboree, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom being priced at £64.99 instead of £66.99. PlayOther key items like additional sets of the Joy-Con 2 controllers, the steering wheel set, charging grip, and protective case are at the same price, but Amazon UK also has stock of the Switch 2 Pro Controller—which is currently out of stock at the My Nintendo Store. The other nice find is that Amazon UK are supplying both the SanDisk and Samsung versions of the Nintendo-branded 256GB micro SD Express card at £49.99 each. There are very few other ways to get this new type of memory card, with the regular SanDisk model not being available for delivery until the 25th of June at the latest, so these alternatives with the Mario 'M' put across are still the ideal way to expand your Nintendo Switch 2's storage.Altogether, if you're subscribed to Amazon Prime as well, this is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to get all your Nintendo Switch extras delivered together on time, while saving a bit of money as well. Piranha Plant CameraBravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster - Switch 2Street Fighter 6: Year 1-2 Fighters Edition - Switch 2As for what's not currently on Amazon UK in terms of the current Nintendo Switch 2 line-up, the only items that seem to be missing compared to other retailers are Piranha Plant Camera and a couple of games—Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster and Street Fighter 6: Year 1-2 Fighters Edition - Switch 2—which can both be found at ShopTo instead. If you're after the new Nintendo GameCube controller designed for the Switch 2, or the all-in-one carrying case, both are still exclusive to My Nintendo Store—with the former being only available on an invite-only basis.Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.

Dutch neobank Bunq, Europe’s second-largest digital bank, is gearing up to expand across the Atlantic. The fintech company has filed for a broker-dealer licence with US regulators, completing the first phase of its two-step expansion strategy. The licence will allow Bunq to offer American users investment options — stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds — alongside cash management tools. These will include features like automatic transfers and Mastercard-backed debit cards. However, Bunq isn’t diving into the deep end just yet. This phased approach lets the company gather real-world data and user feedback before it applies for a full US banking licence later this year, Bunq said. A US banking licence would let Bunq operate like a fully regulated American bank. It would be able to offer checking and savings accounts, hold deposits directly, and issue credit. View the full agenda Ali Niknam, Bunq’s founder and CEO — who will share his company’s story at TNW Conference on June 20 — said the move aligns with his mission to serve a growing base of “location-independent” users: digital nomads, expats, remote workers, and global entrepreneurs.  Like most neobanks, Bunq doesn’t have physical branches. Instead, its customers do their banking fully online. “Our users live an international lifestyle, and they need a bank that’s global too,” said Niknam. “Today’s step brings us closer to making that vision a reality.”  Amsterdam-based Bunq has already seen rapid growth in Europe, where it now counts 17 million users. The company also reported €85.3mn in profit for 2024 — marking its second consecutive year of profitability and a 65% jump from the previous year.  Bunq said it plans to reinvest those profits into its international expansion, with the US a key target. At TNW Conference, Ali Niknam will explain how he built a bank that moves at startup speed. The event takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam — and tickets are now now on sale. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the check-out to get 30% off the price tag. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Ahead of Earth Day next week, Apple has provided an update on its “Apple 2030” goal to become carbon neutral across its entire footprint. The company says it has now surpassed a “60 percent reduction in its global greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2015 levels.” Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, touted this accomplishment in a statement today, but noted that the work is only getting harder as we approach 2030: “We’re incredibly proud of the progress we’re making toward Apple 2030, which touches every part of our business. Today, we’re using more clean energy and recycled materials to make our products than ever before, we’re preserving water and preventing waste around the world, and we’re investing big in nature. As we get closer to 2030, the work gets even harder — and we’re meeting the challenge with innovation, collaboration, and urgency.” Part of the Apple 2030 strategy is prioritizing cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 75% compared with its 2015 baseline year, then “applying high-quality carbon credits to balance the remaining emissions.” More stats from Apple today: There are now 17.8 gigawatts of renewable electricity online in Apple’s global supply chain. The renewable energy procured by Apple suppliers avoided 21.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024, an over 17 percent increase from the previous year. Suppliers avoided nearly 2 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions last year by working with Apple to optimize their energy efficiency. In 2024, suppliers participating in Apple’s Zero Waste program redirected approximately 600,000 metric tons of waste from landfills. Apple and its suppliers have saved over 90 billion gallons of fresh water since launching the Supplier Clean Water Program in 2013. In addition to a press release published today, Apple also shared its annual Environmental Progress Report. This offers an in-depth look at Apple’s ongoing environmental goals as it strives to become carbon neutral in the next five years. Power your Apple products with renewable energy. If you want to make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20 to 30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

In yet another sign that tech giant Microsoft is getting cold feet about overinvesting in AI infrastructure, the company has abruptly paused work on data centers in Ohio.As Bloomberg reports, the decision came to the surprise of officials who had agreed to develop a site near the city of Heath just two months prior.In late March, Microsoft told them it would be stopping the project, in addition to two other halted site developments in two nearby cities in the state. One of the projects outside of Columbus was valued at $1 billion, according to CBS News.It's the latest indication that Microsoft is looking to pull back as the AI industry continues to pour billions into building out infrastructure. Earlier this month, Bloomberg found that the software company had halted and delayed the development of data centers in Indonesia, the UK, Australia, Illinois, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.Investment bank TD Cowen also told the publication in February that Microsoft had canceled some leases for US data center power capacity, totaling a "couple of hundred megawatts."While Microsoft's exact reasoning for the scaling back remains unclear, waning demand and fears of a growing AI bubble are easy culprits.Case in point, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella admitted during a podcast appearance in February that generative AI simply hasn't generated much value so far, hinting at the possibility that the supply side could be vastly outstripping demand for the tech.Meanwhile, Microsoft's competitors at OpenAI, Meta, and Google continue to pour tens of billions of dollars into AI data center infrastructure projects.In Microsoft's case, there may be another explanation, as Bloomberg points out: the move could be tied to changes in its relationship with partner OpenAI.In February, Microsoft allowed OpenAI to buy computing from rival cloud services, news that coincided with Trump's announcement of a $500 billion joint venture to build cloud computing data centers dubbed Stargate."OpenAI was moving in one direction" by prioritizing advanced and hardware-intensive AI systems, while "Microsoft may not have been moving in that same direction," B. Riley Securities director of research Craig Ellis told CBS.Microsoft could also simply be readjusting its approach to building out infrastructure."Datacenter planning is a multi-year and capital-intensive program we plan for years in advance to ensure we have sufficient infrastructure in the right places," Microsoft cloud operations president Noelle Walsh suggested in a LinkedIn post earlier this month."By nature, any significant new endeavor at this size and scale requires agility and refinement as we learn and grow with our customers," she added. "What this means is that we are slowing or pausing some early-stage projects."Microsoft is still committed to spending a whopping $80 billion globally to expand its AI infrastructure this year."While we may strategically pace our plans, we will continue to grow strongly and allocate investments that stay aligned with business priorities and customer demand," Walsh wrote.Meanwhile, Heath mayor Mark Johns told Bloomberg that he hasn't given up on Microsoft living up to its promises to invest in the area."They have not given any indication that these projects are dead and gone," he said. "What they’ve told us is they’re basically paused."Share This Article

Apr 16, 2025Ravie LakshmananArtificial Intelligence / Malvertising Google on Wednesday revealed that it suspended over 39.2 million advertiser accounts in 2024, with a majority of them identified and blocked by its systems before it could serve harmful ads to users. In all, the tech giant said it stopped 5.1 billion bad ads, restricted 9.1 billion ads, and blocked or restricted ads on 1.3 billion pages last year. It also suspended over 5 million accounts for scam-related violations. The top six ad policy violations included ad network abuse (793.1 million), trademark misuse (503.1 million), personalized ads (491.3 million), legal requirements (280.3 million), financial services (193.7 million), and misrepresentation (146.9 million), among others. Most of the pages on which its ads were blocked or restricted include sexual content, dangerous or derogatory content, malware, shocking content, weapons promotion and sales, online gambling, tobacco, alcohol sale or misuse, intellectual property abuse, and sexually explicit content. Google said it has been using artificial intelligence (AI) powered tools to quickly flag emerging threats and abuse patterns, using signals like business impersonation and illegitimate payment details as early indicators to tackle ad fraud. "For instance, we tackled AI-generated deepfakes used in public figure impersonation scams, suspending over 700,000 accounts for this specific violation as part of our broader effort that blocked/removed 415 million ads and suspended over 5 million accounts for scam-related violations," the company said in a statement shared with The Hacker News. Google also said it expanded Advertiser identity verification to more than 200 countries and territories to increase transparency and enforce requirements for AI-generated content in election ads. As a result, more than 8,900 new election advertisers were verified and over 10.7 million election ads from unverified accounts were removed in 2024. Google's ongoing efforts towards ads safety come as malvertising continues to be an important initial access vector for malware, with threat actors abusing fraudulent ads on Google Search (and other search engines) to drive users to phony sites. "The ad safety landscape is constantly changing, reshaped by technological breakthroughs like advancements in AI, emerging abuse tactics, and global events, demanding continuous agility from our industry," it said. Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE    

John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorApril 16, 20255 Min ReadDmitriy Shironosov via Alamy Stock PhotoIn an era of unprecedented technological advancement, IT teams are expected to embrace new tasks and achieve fresh goals without missing a beat. All too often, however, the result is an overburdened IT workforce that's frustrated and burned out. It doesn't have to be that way, says Ravindra Patil, a vice president at data science solutions provider Tredence. "Overwork tends to come from an 'always-on' culture, where remote work and digital tools make people feel they must be available all the time," he explains in an online interview. Warning Signs One of the earliest signs that a team is reaching its breaking point is an increasing number of errors, missed steps, or just plain sloppy work, says Archie Payne, president CalTek Staffing, a machine learning recruitment and staffing firm. "These are indications that the team is trying to work faster than is realistic, which is likely to happen when they have too much work on their to-do lists," he explains in an email interview. "This is likely to be paired with a general decline in morale, which can come across as more complaints, more cynical or frustrated comments, a lack of enthusiasm for the work, or increased emotional volatility." IT leaders can also detect overwork through various warning signs, such as a mounting number of sick leaves, high turnover rates, increasing mistakes, and overall lower work quality, Patil says. He adds that beleaguered team members may also look tired, act emotionally, or seem unengaged during meetings. "Keeping an eye on things like overtime, slower progress, or falling performance despite long hours can also show that the team is under too much pressure." Related:John Russo, vice president of technology solutions at healthcare software provider OSP Labs, says that a sudden drop in creativity and problem-solving are also strong signs indicating team weariness. In an email interview, he states that an IT team that's stretched too thin will stop generating innovative ideas, opting instead to complete tasks mechanically. Another strong unrest indicator is a change in communication patterns. "If the team members delay responses, or seem disengaged during discussions, it's worth digging deeper," Russo recommends. Working under unrelenting high pressure is a recipe for burnout, and that's the greatest risk if you keep pushing your IT team too hard, Payne says. "Burnout could drive employees to quit, forcing you to waste resources on recruiting replacements," he warns. "Even if they stay, burned-out employees are less productive and more likely to make mistakes, so your overall team productivity and work quality will likely suffer." Related:Pressure Release The simplest and most effective answer to burnout is reducing the team’s workload. This can be accomplished in several ways, Payne says. Review the IT team's current assignments, then consider whether some of the tasks could be assigned to another team or department, which may be more adequately staffed. "If all of the work must be done by IT, that may mean it's time to expand the team," he advises. Meanwhile, adding temporary freelance talent during workload spikes can relieve IT team pressure during peak times without committing to adding new hires who may not be needed over the long-term. Careful planning, focusing on important tasks, and delaying or skipping less critical ones, can also make workloads more manageable, Patil says. Setting realistic deadlines can help, too, preventing the dread that can, over time, lead to burnout. He also advises using automation tools whenever possible to cut down on repetitive tasks, making work easier and less stressful. Patil says that Tredence reduces team pressure with initiatives, such as "No-Meeting Fridays," which gives team members uninterrupted time to focus and recharge. "Flexible schedules and open communication also help our teams stay balanced," he adds. Related:IT leaders should schedule regular check-ins with their teams to identify stress points as soon as possible, Russo advises. "When employees feel heard and validated, they're more likely to share their concerns before burnout sets in," he explains. At OSP Labs, Russo introduced flexible work models into well-being initiatives. "This policy allows my team members to set their own hours, with more freedom to balance work and personal time." Russo says he also makes a concerted effort to celebrate his team's accomplishments with "thoughtful goodies and high-fives". Such small initiatives, he notes, eventually make a huge difference. Parting Thoughts Long-term excessive pressure can lead to burnout, leaving team members feeling completely drained, Patil says. "This lowers productivity and may cause employees to leave, leading to more stress for those who stay." Health issues may also arise. including anxiety, depression, or even physical problems. Russo recommends setting realistic expectations and encouraging a culture in which asking for help isn't seen as a weakness. "Create an environment where open communication about workloads is the norm, not the exception," he advises. About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

Sam Neill has signed on to the Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire sequel.The Jurassic Park icon, 77, will be joining Kaitlyn Dever, Jack O’Connell, Matthew Modine, Delroy Lindo and Alycia Debnam-Carey in the next entry in Legendary’s MonsterVerse.The Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire follow-up will also see Dan Stevens reprise his role as Trapper Beasley.While Neill’s casting in the Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire sequel has been confirmed, no details about his role have been revealed yet.I Am Mother director Grant Sputore is to helm the movie, which has been penned by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings writer David Callaham. Although specific plot details have not been revealed, Deadline reports the film will introduce several new human characters who will join the titular Titans as they face off against a new world-ending threat.Getty ImagesGetty Imagesloading...READ MORE: What’s the Worst Jurassic Park Sequel?Starring Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens and Brian Tyree Henry Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire followed the legendary Titans, Godzilla and Kong, as they joined forces to face a powerful new threat rising from within Hollow Earth — one that poses a danger to both their kind and the future of humanity.Last May, it was announced that Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire director Adam Wingard would not be helming the next movie due to scheduling conflicts.The Hollywood Reporter said at the time that the filmmaker’s departure was amicable, and the door had not been closed on Wingard returning to direct another film in the MonsterVerse in the future.Despite his exit, Wingard previously teased he had “more story to tell” in the Monsterverse.He told Discussing Film ahead of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’s cinematic debut in March 2024: “The whole idea that if you've done two movies, like, maybe you should just go ahead and do a third because, as you said, there’s a trilogy in there ... it just depends on how [Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire] does and how things kind of shape out.Legendary’s Monsterverse launched in 2014 with Godzilla, followed by the introduction of King Kong in 2017’s ‘Kong: Skull Island’.The franchise continued with Godzilla: King of the Monsters in 2019, leading to the epic showdown between the two Titans in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong.The MonsterVerse has since expanded to television, with the animated spin-off series Skull Island on Netflix and the Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.Get our free mobile appThe ABCs of Movies: The Best Movie For Each Letter of the AlphabetThe 26 best films that start with each letter of the alphabet, from A to Z.Categories: Movie News

Thousands of people across the world come to EDUopinions to research schools every day. It’s where they get advice, inspiration, and plan for what matters most. Our mission is to help those prospective students find their ideal schools and create their dream futures. In your role, you’ll be challenged to take on work that upholds this mission and pushes EDUopinions forward.EDUopinions is looking for Student Ambassadors who want to gain invaluable social media marketing and content creation experience. Being an EDUopinions Ambassador means representing EDUopinions and creating an authentic experience for our audience – prospective students looking for university rankings and reviews.The Ambassador Program is responsible for bringing honest student reviews to the EDUopinions platform by creating social networking and student outreach campaigns to achieve database objectives. Our goal is to build an inclusive and diverse online student community that provides advice and feedback regarding the university experience at different higher education institutions around the world.An EDUopinions Ambassador will work alongside the Reviews Manager and other student ambassadors, getting exposure in social media campaign strategy and user-generated content creation and gaining firsthand experience in a remote start-up environment. This is a contract role.ResponsibilitiesThink creatively about new ways to engage students through online and offline channelsEncourage students and alumni to share their honest opinions regarding their studies.Provide feedback on challenges and opportunities.QualificationsEnjoys talking to students and grads about higher educationExperience in and understanding of social media platformsMotivated self-starter who takes initiativeBenefitsPartners set their own schedules and are paid based on performance.Fully remote team.Hands-on experience with social media marketing, online networking, and campaign performance dashboard.Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Automatically Apply to Remote All Other Remote JobsLet your copilot automatically search and apply to remote jobs from We Work Remotely

This is today's edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. AI is coming for music, too While large language models that generate text have exploded in the last three years, a different type of AI, based on what are called diffusion models, is having an unprecedented impact on creative domains. By transforming random noise into coherent patterns, diffusion models can generate new images, videos, or speech, guided by text prompts or other input data. The best ones can create outputs indistinguishable from the work of people, as well as bizarre, surreal results that feel distinctly nonhuman.Now these models are marching into a creative field that is arguably more vulnerable to disruption than any other: music. Music models can now create songs capable of eliciting real emotional responses, presenting a stark example of how difficult it’s becoming to define authorship and originality in the age of AI. Read the full story.—James O'Donnell This story is from the next edition of our print magazine, which is all about how technology is changing creativity. Subscribe now to read it and get a copy of the magazine when it lands! A small US city is experimenting with AI to find out what residents want Bowling Green, Kentucky, is home to 75,000 residents who recently wrapped up an experiment in using AI for democracy: Can an online polling platform, powered by machine learning, capture what residents want to see happen in their city? After a month of advertising, the Pol.is portal launched in February. Residents could go to the website and anonymously submit an idea (in less than 140 characters) for what a 25-year plan for their city should include. They could also vote on whether they agreed or disagreed with other ideas. But some researchers question whether soliciting input in this manner is a reliable way to understand what a community wants. Read the full story.—James O'Donnell How Colossal Biosciences is attempting to own the “woolly mammoth” What’s new: Colossal Biosciences not only wants to bring back the woolly mammoth—it wants to own it, too. MIT Technology Review has learned the Texas startup is seeking a patent that would give it exclusive legal rights to create and sell gene-edited elephants containing ancient mammoth DNA.But why? Ben Lamm, the CEO of Colossal, says that holding patents on the mammoth and other creatures would “give us control over how these technologies are implemented, particularly for managing initial releases where oversight is critical.” Patents, which usually last 20 years, could provide “a clear legal framework during the critical transition period when de-extinct species are first reintroduced,” he says. Read the full story.—Antonio RegaladoIf you’re interested in what else Collossal’s been up to, check out: + Game of clones: Colossal’s new wolves are cute, but are they dire? The company recently claimed it has revived an extinct species, but scientists are skeptical. Read the full story.+ As a first step towards resurrecting woolly mammoths, Colossal created these adorable gene-edited ‘woolly mice.’ The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 OpenAI might be  building its own social network It’s a move that’s likely to enrage Elon Musk even further. (The Verge)+ Musk and Sam Altman are still locked in a legal dispute. (CNBC)+ There are plenty of reasons why OpenAI might want to build a social feed. (NY Mag $) 2 Buying directly from Chinese factories is not a good ideaDespite what TikTok tells you. (WP $) + The popularity of apps allowing shoppers to buy from factories is skyrocketing. (WSJ $)3 Mark Zuckerberg tried to settle Meta’s antitrust case last month Unfortunately for him, the head of the FTC was unmoved by the offer. (WSJ $)+ The CEO considered spinning off Instagram in 2018, apparently. (Reuters)+ The first two days of the trial have focused on 2010-2014. (Bloomberg $)4 A whistleblower has shed light on how DOGE may have taken private dataLabor law experts are certain the information is completely unrelated to making the government more efficient. (NPR) + Federal workers are wading through the chaos. (The Atlantic $)+ A lot of DOGE’s fraud claims are old news. (The Guardian)+ DOGE’s tech takeover threatens the safety and stability of our critical data. (MIT Technology Review)5 Nvidia is bracing itself to lose $5.5 billion As a result of the Trump administration’s new chip sales restrictions. (FT $)+ Its new H20 chip now requires a special license. (The Guardian)+ The company’s shares plunged in response to the news. (CNN) 6 We’re getting closer to a cure for seasonal allergies An injection usually administered to treat asthma could hold the key. (Vox)7 Maybe LLMs don’t need language after allAllowing them to process queries in mathematical spaces could improve their output. (Quanta Magazine) + Why does AI being good at math matter? (MIT Technology Review) 8 YouTube was given an exemption from Australia’s social media ban for under-16sEven though it’s the most popular platform for children by far. (Bloomberg $) 9 Social media can still fight hate without censorship Although X is probably too far gone, admittedly. (The Atlantic $)+ How to fix the internet. (MIT Technology Review) 10 How to survive on Mars Thanks to water-rich asteroids. (Wired $)+ The quest to figure out farming on Mars. (MIT Technology Review)Quote of the day "How else can OpenAI acquire new training data at scale going forward?" —Bill Gross, the founder of tech incubator Idealab, believes OpenAI has a very clear motive for wanting to build its own social network, Insider reports. The big story How refrigeration ruined fresh food Three-quarters of everything in the average American diet passes through the cold chain—the network of warehouses, shipping containers, trucks, display cases, and domestic fridges that keep meat, milk, and more chilled on the journey from farm to fork. As consumers, we put a lot of faith in terms like “fresh” and “natural,” but artificial refrigeration has created a blind spot. We’ve gotten so good at preserving (and storing) food, that we know more about how to lengthen an apple’s life span than a human’s, and most of us don’t give that extraordinary process much thought at all. But all that convenience has come at the expense of diversity and deliciousness. Read the full story. —Allison Arieff We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.) + This list of the 30 best fiction books of the last 30 years does not disappoint.+ Travel ghost stories? Truly chilling.+ It’s time to caulk the wagon—the seminal Oregon Trail is celebrating its 50th anniversary.+ These photos of fifties fashion are simply the best.

Wates and Havering council scheme the latest in £1.2bn plan to build 3,500 homes in borough CGI of the scheme as submitted to Havering council 1/3 show caption Collado Collins has submitted a planning application for a 481-home regeneration of the Farnham and Hilldene estate in east London. The scheme in Harold Hill is the latest to be brought forward under the 12 Estates Project, a £1.2 billion joint venture between Havering council and Wates Residential which is set to build 3,500 homes across the borough. The 1950s estate’s 117 existing homes would be demolished under plans drawn up by architect Collado Collins with 57% of the replacement homes to be affordable by habitable room. An estate ballot carried out during pre-application stage showed strong community support, with 96.3% of the 49.8% turnout voting in favour of the plans. The scheme would be the third phase of a wider regeneration masterplan for Harold Hill town centre.  The first phase, which is currently under construction, will see a new family welcome centre built on the site of a former hostel. The second phase is a 138-home affordable home scheme at Chippenham Road which was approved in February.