Space

SpaceX launches secret US spy satellites to orbit from California

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on May 11 carrying a classified payload of U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) spy satellites. The mission, called NROL-172, is part of an ongoing effort to expand a new “proliferated architecture” network designed to increase the number and capability of U.S. reconnaissance satellites. The satellites, built with SpaceX and Northrop Grumman, are … Continue reading SpaceX launches secret US spy satellites to orbit from California

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Space

Sun unleashes colossal solar flare and coronal mass ejection

A strong M5.7 solar flare erupted from the sun on May 10, producing a coronal mass ejection that may graze Earth later this week. The eruption came from sunspot region AR4436, which is rotating into a more direct position toward Earth, increasing the likelihood of future impacts. While most of the solar material is expected to miss Earth, forecasters say a small portion could arrive … Continue reading Sun unleashes colossal solar flare and coronal mass ejection

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Technology

Yarbo says it will remove the intentional backdoor from its robot lawn mower

Yarbo, the company behind a robot lawn mower that was found to have serious security flaws, says it will remove a remote backdoor that previously allowed engineers to access and potentially reprogram devices over the internet. The change follows a security researcher’s discovery that the system could be hijacked remotely, exposing user data and control vulnerabilities. Initially, the company planned to keep limited remote access … Continue reading Yarbo says it will remove the intentional backdoor from its robot lawn mower

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Business

April home sales disappoint as higher mortgage rates weigh on buyers

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes were nearly unchanged in April, rising just 0.2% from March and coming in below analyst expectations, according to the National Association of Realtors. The flat performance reflects deals likely made when mortgage rates were higher and volatility increased following geopolitical tensions that pushed borrowing costs up. Housing supply edged slightly higher but remained tight at 4.4 months, well below … Continue reading April home sales disappoint as higher mortgage rates weigh on buyers

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Business

Amazon says it won’t sell e-bikes in California that exceed state speed limits

Amazon says it will stop allowing sales in California of certain high-speed e-bikes that exceed state limits, following several deadly crashes and increased safety concerns. The move comes after state officials, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, issued guidance calling for stricter speed limits and clearer distinctions between e-bikes and higher-powered electric motorcycles. Safety advocates say the changes could help reduce confusion over e-bike classifications and … Continue reading Amazon says it won’t sell e-bikes in California that exceed state speed limits

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Business

Texas accuses Netflix of spying on children in new lawsuit

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Netflix, accusing the company of secretly tracking users, including children, and using addictive platform design features to keep viewers engaged. The state alleges Netflix misled consumers by claiming it did not collect or share user data while allegedly selling viewing habits to advertisers and data brokers for profit. The lawsuit also claims Netflix uses “dark patterns,” … Continue reading Texas accuses Netflix of spying on children in new lawsuit

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Politics

Hegseth says Pentagon will review Mark Kelly’s US weapons stockpile remarks

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he has referred Senator Mark Kelly to Pentagon lawyers for allegedly disclosing classified information about U.S. weapons stockpiles, a claim Kelly strongly disputes. Kelly said on television that American missile inventories were depleted after recent conflicts and warned it could take years to rebuild, arguing the information came from a public Senate hearing with Hegseth himself. Hegseth responded on social … Continue reading Hegseth says Pentagon will review Mark Kelly’s US weapons stockpile remarks

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Politics

Gov. Kemp signs Georgia tax relief bills lowering income taxes and expanding homeowner relief

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed major tax relief legislation into law Monday, lowering income taxes, expanding deductions, and introducing new property tax relief measures for homeowners. The income tax bill gradually reduces the state rate from 5.19% to 4.99% starting in 2026, with plans for further cuts if revenue growth allows, while also increasing standard deductions, dependent exemptions, and retirement tax relief. It additionally provides … Continue reading Gov. Kemp signs Georgia tax relief bills lowering income taxes and expanding homeowner relief

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Politics

Trump calls on Congress to pass Senate’s housing bill

President Donald Trump is urging Congress to pass the Senate’s 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, breaking a stalemate between the House and Senate over competing housing affordability plans. The Senate version, which has already passed with strong bipartisan support, aims to curb large Wall Street investors from buying single-family homes to prioritize homeownership for individuals. Trump and his allies argue the bill is necessary … Continue reading Trump calls on Congress to pass Senate’s housing bill

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Politics

President Trump calls for suspension of Federal Gas Tax

Rising global energy tensions tied to the conflict in Iran have pushed gas prices higher, with California averages reaching about $6.15 per gallon and the national average climbing to $4.53. President Donald Trump is urging Congress to temporarily suspend the federal gas tax to ease costs for drivers, though the move requires legislative approval and is not guaranteed to pass. Supporters argue it could provide … Continue reading President Trump calls for suspension of Federal Gas Tax

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Politics

Republicans want more details on ballroom security funding request

President Donald Trump and Republican leaders are facing pushback from within their party over a proposed $1 billion in Secret Service funding tied in part to White House security upgrades, including a controversial ballroom project. Some GOP senators and House members are questioning the scope, cost, and justification of the spending, with several demanding more details before supporting it. While the White House argues the … Continue reading Republicans want more details on ballroom security funding request

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U.S. News

Alabama attorney general announces civil probe of Southern Poverty Law Center

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has launched a civil investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), issuing a subpoena over its fundraising and use of donations following a related federal indictment. Marshall said the probe will examine whether the organization violated state laws on charities or deceptive trade practices. The U.S. Department of Justice has separately accused the SPLC of fraud related to payments … Continue reading Alabama attorney general announces civil probe of Southern Poverty Law Center

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U.S. News

University of Washington student found fatally stabbed, police say

A 19-year-old University of Washington student was found fatally stabbed in a laundry room at the Nordheim Court off-campus housing complex in Seattle, prompting a police investigation. Officers and firefighters attempted life-saving measures, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect remains at large, with police describing him as a Black male wearing a vest, button-up shirt, and blue jeans. University officials … Continue reading University of Washington student found fatally stabbed, police say

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U.S. News

Man charged in White House correspondents’ dinner attack pleads not guilty

Cole Tomas Allen pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges that he attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump during an armed attack at a White House Correspondents’ Association event in Washington, D.C. Prosecutors say Allen, armed with a shotgun, knives, and other gear, fired at a Secret Service officer who confronted him after he breached security at the Washington Hilton hotel. The attack injured … Continue reading Man charged in White House correspondents’ dinner attack pleads not guilty

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U.S. News

Gunman shot by trooper and civilian after opening fire on Memorial Drive in Cambridge

A shooting on Memorial Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts, left two men with life-threatening injuries after a gunman opened fire with an assault-style rifle on Monday afternoon. The suspect, 46-year-old Tyler Brown, was shot by both a State Police trooper and a civilian after allegedly firing dozens of rounds at passing vehicles and causing widespread panic. Authorities said Brown had previously made a suicidal statement and … Continue reading Gunman shot by trooper and civilian after opening fire on Memorial Drive in Cambridge

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U.S. News

Mayor of California city resigns over charges of being a foreign agent of China

Eileen Wang, the mayor of Arcadia, California, resigned after being charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with acting as an unregistered agent for China and agreed to plead guilty to a felony. Prosecutors allege she worked with an associate to promote Chinese government interests by publishing pro-PRC propaganda through a website aimed at the Chinese American community. Authorities said she shared and quickly posted … Continue reading Mayor of California city resigns over charges of being a foreign agent of China

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World News

Congo rebels pull back from key positions amid US pressure

The Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebel group has withdrawn from several key positions in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s South Kivu province, marking the first major battlefield shift in months. Congolese military officials said the retreat followed pressure from the national army and diplomatic efforts led by the United States. Rebels pulled back from areas near the city of Uvira toward positions closer to Bukavu, while … Continue reading Congo rebels pull back from key positions amid US pressure

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World News

New gang violence in Haiti displaces hundreds of people

A new surge of gang violence in Haiti has forced hundreds of people to flee neighborhoods in the capital, Port-au-Prince, with many taking shelter along roads near the main airport. Residents described armed gangs burning homes and spreading fear as criminal groups continue to control more than 90% of the city following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Doctors Without Borders evacuated a hospital … Continue reading New gang violence in Haiti displaces hundreds of people

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World News

Disappearances in Mexico involving state at ‘alarming’ rate, says report

A report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights found that state actors in Mexico are involved in disappearances at an “alarming” rate, often working in collusion with organized crime groups. More than 130,000 people have gone missing in Mexico, mostly during the last two decades of violence linked to the country’s war on drug cartels. The report says disappearances are carried out both directly … Continue reading Disappearances in Mexico involving state at ‘alarming’ rate, says report

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World News

Iran hangs grad student accused of spying for the CIA and Israel’s intel agency

Iran executed 29-year-old graduate student Erfan Shakourzadeh on espionage charges, accusing him of collaborating with the CIA and Israel’s Mossad during a period of heightened tensions with the United States and Israel. Rights groups said the elite aerospace engineering student from Tehran’s Iran University of Science and Technology was tortured, held in solitary confinement, and forced to give false confessions before his execution. In messages … Continue reading Iran hangs grad student accused of spying for the CIA and Israel’s intel agency

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World News

Knesset passes law establishing military tribunal to try October 7 perpetrators

Israel’s Knesset passed a bipartisan law to create a special military tribunal for roughly 300 Palestinian attackers captured during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led invasion, with the vote passing 93-0. The tribunal would prosecute suspects for crimes including genocide, terrorism, harming Israeli sovereignty, and assisting an enemy during wartime, with genocide convictions carrying the possibility of the death penalty. Supporters described the legislation as a … Continue reading Knesset passes law establishing military tribunal to try October 7 perpetrators

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Space

Radio telescopes confirm 3.3-million-light-year halo in unusually quiet galaxy cluster

Astronomers using the uGMRT and MeerKAT radio telescopes have studied the galaxy cluster RXCJ0232–4420 and found it hosts a giant radio halo extending over 3.3 million light years. The cluster, first discovered in 2002, contains two central bright galaxies and shows both diffuse radio emission and a large radio relic structure. The observations revealed relatively uniform spectral properties, suggesting charged particles are being re-accelerated throughout … Continue reading Radio telescopes confirm 3.3-million-light-year halo in unusually quiet galaxy cluster

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Business

General Motors to pay $12.75m settlement for selling drivers’ location and data

General Motors has agreed to pay $12.75 million to settle allegations that it illegally sold the location and driving data of hundreds of thousands of California drivers to data brokers without their consent. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the automaker collected sensitive information through its OnStar system and shared it between 2020 and 2024 despite telling customers it would not sell such data. Regulators … Continue reading General Motors to pay $12.75m settlement for selling drivers’ location and data

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Business

More chocolate bars added to nationwide recall over possible contamination

Spring & Mulberry has expanded an ongoing recall of chocolate bars due to potential salmonella contamination, following an investigation that traced the issue to a single ingredient lot. The company and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration say the affected products were sold nationwide since August 2025, though no illnesses have been reported and tests have been negative so far. Consumers are being advised not … Continue reading More chocolate bars added to nationwide recall over possible contamination

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Business

Saudi Aramco Q1 profit jumps 26% as key pipeline reaches capacity

Saudi Aramco reported a 26% rise in first-quarter profits, reaching $33.6 billion and beating analyst expectations. The company credited the strong performance partly to its East-West Pipeline, which reached full capacity and helped bypass disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Ongoing regional conflict and Iran-linked shipping disruptions have tightened global oil supply and pushed prices sharply higher. Despite market volatility, Aramco increased its dividend and … Continue reading Saudi Aramco Q1 profit jumps 26% as key pipeline reaches capacity

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