YouTube at 20: From Amateur Clips to AI-Powered Entertainment Giant Two decades after its launch, YouTube has transformed from a scrappy website of low-budget videos into a global entertainment powerhouse. Today, the platform commands 2.7 billion users, including celebrities such as British pop star Dua Lipa, who share polished, professional content. With its growing dominance, YouTube is now the most popular way Americans watch television. Industry analysts expect its revenue this year to surpass Disney’s, a company long considered the leader in media. AI at the Core of YouTube’s Future At its annual Made on YouTube event, the platform, owned…
Author: Arushi Pandey
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Colgate-Palmolive will update its toothpaste packaging and marketing after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton raised concerns about fluoride use in children. Beginning 1 November, the company will adjust how it depicts toothpaste on products under its Colgate, Tom’s of Maine, and Hello brands. Paxton said Colgate will now show “safe, age-appropriate amounts” of toothpaste for children under six. Packaging and promotional images will feature a pea-sized amount rather than the larger swirls often displayed. The change is intended to align with usage instructions already printed on labels. The new depictions will appear online first and roll out to store shelves…
US Court Rejects Lawsuit Against FAA Approval of SpaceX Expansion A US district court has dismissed a lawsuit from conservation groups that opposed expanded rocket launch operations by SpaceX in South Texas. The groups argued that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) failed to fully consider environmental risks when approving the company’s expansion in 2022. The concerns included noise, light pollution, construction, and road traffic in an area near a national wildlife refuge. This region is home to endangered species such as ocelots and jaguarundis, as well as nesting sites for Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles and threatened shorebirds. Judge Rules in…
Australia Calls for Low-Impact Age Checks in Teen Social Media Ban Australia is pushing social media companies to use “minimally invasive” methods to verify users’ ages, as the country prepares to enforce a groundbreaking ban on social media access for anyone under 16. The new law, set to take effect in December 2025, will make Australia the first nation to implement such a restriction. The eSafety Commissioner has released formal guidance urging platforms to avoid blanket age-verification processes. Instead, companies are encouraged to use existing data, artificial intelligence and behavioural signals to determine a user’s age. Social Media Firms Expected…
Vietnam Probes Cyberattack on National Credit Database Vietnam’s cybersecurity agency has launched an investigation after hackers attacked a large national database containing sensitive creditor information. The breach targeted the National Credit Information Center (CIC), a unit of the State Bank of Vietnam. The CIC holds critical data, including personal details, credit card records, payment histories, and risk analysis. Authorities confirmed that the attack showed signs of unauthorised access aimed at stealing personal data. However, the full impact of the incident is still under review. In a letter dated 11 September and sent to financial institutions, CIC said it was assessing…
Musk’s Starlink Restores Service After Brief Global Outage Elon Musk’s satellite internet provider, Starlink, has restored service after a brief outage early Monday disrupted connections for tens of thousands of users. According to outage-tracking site Downdetector.com, reports of issues peaked at more than 43,000 in the US before dropping below 1,000 by 1:15 a.m. ET (0515 GMT). Starlink acknowledged the disruption on its website, saying its team was investigating the problem. That message was later removed once services resumed. The company did not provide details on the cause of the outage. Ukraine Reports Service Impact on Battlefield The outage was…
Elon Musk’s xAI Lays Off Hundreds from Data Annotation Team Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, has laid off over 500 workers from its data annotation team, according to a report by Business Insider. These employees played a central role in training the company’s Grok chatbot by organising and labelling large volumes of data. The layoffs were announced via email on Friday night, according to internal communications seen by Business Insider. The message informed staff that the company was reducing its team of generalist AI tutors. Workers were told they would continue to receive pay until either the end of…
US Launches $151 Billion Golden Dome Missile Defence Project The Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency has officially begun the contracting process for the Golden Dome missile defence initiative. This major programme, backed during President Donald Trump’s administration, aims to create a multi-layered shield to protect the US and its allies from advanced missile threats. Golden Dome: Inspired by Iron Dome, Expanded in Scope Similar in concept to Israel’s Iron Dome, the Golden Dome will be much larger in scale. The system will require a vast network of satellites to offer broader protection. It is designed to defend against a range of…
TDB Backs Aodh Lifesciences in Breakthrough Pneumonia Drug Development In line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision and India’s goal to lead in affordable healthcare innovation, the Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Department of Science and Technology has partnered with Hyderabad-based Aodh Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd. This support will aid in developing AONEUM-04, a pioneering antibiotic nebulisation suspension designed to treat pneumonia and combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Innovative Treatment Targeting Lung Infections Unlike traditional oral or injectable antibiotics, AONEUM-04 offers a direct and localised drug delivery method through nebulisation. This allows for a higher concentration of the medicine at the site…
US Regulators Dismantle Climate Risk Committees in Shift Toward Traditional Financial Oversight US financial regulators have voted to dissolve two key committees responsible for assessing climate-related financial risks. The decision marks a significant rollback of climate-focused oversight efforts initiated under the Biden administration. The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), chaired by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, rescinded the charters for the Climate-Related Financial Risk Committee and its advisory body. The vote was held during a public session, with no dissent or abstentions recorded. Rollback Signals Shift in Regulatory Focus These committees were originally established by former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. She…