Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Against Injunction The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has lost its appeal against a court ruling that allowed Microsoft to proceed with its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The decision marks another setback for the agency’s efforts to block the high-profile gaming industry merger. In 2023, the FTC had asked for a preliminary injunction to halt the acquisition. The goal was to stop Microsoft and Activision from closing the deal while the FTC pursued its legal challenge, which began in 2022. However, a district court judge rejected that request. The very next day, the FTC appealed…
Author: Arushi Pandey
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Zalando Accelerates Fashion Imagery with AI, Cuts Costs and Production Time Zalando, the European online fashion retailer, is now using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to create imagery faster and more efficiently for its app and website. This move is transforming how the company responds to fast-changing fashion trends and reducing costs significantly. AI Delivers Faster, Cheaper, and Trendier Content The Berlin-based company operates across 25 European markets, offering a wide range of clothing, shoes, and accessories. According to Matthias Haase, Zalando’s Vice President of Content Solutions, generative AI allows the company to quickly adapt to new fashion trends, especially those…
Chile Cancels Evacuation Orders After Powerful Earthquake Near Antarctica Authorities in Chile have cancelled evacuation orders after a powerful earthquake struck off the country’s southern coast early on Friday. The 7.4 magnitude quake triggered temporary tsunami warnings, prompting evacuations across remote areas and bases in Antarctica. Earthquake Strikes Near Cape Horn The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometres. It hit in the Drake Passage, located between Cape Horn and Antarctica, shortly after 9 a.m. local time. Despite the strength of the quake, no immediate damage to infrastructure or…
Animated Idols Break Records and Win Hearts The members of PLAVE, one of the trendiest groups in K-pop today, have performed on stage, made TV appearances, and even landed on the Billboard Global 200 chart. Yet, these five stars—Yejun, Noah, Eunho, Bamby, and Hamin—aren’t real-life performers. They are two-dimensional virtual idols. Despite being avatars, PLAVE has gained a massive following, amassing over 470 million views on YouTube. Their popularity continues to soar, with their latest album, Caligo Pt.1, selling over one million copies in a single week since its release earlier this year. Human-Controlled Avatars with a Real-Time Fan Connection…
Robots Now Supporting Traffic Management and Patrol Duties The police department in Mianyang City, located in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, has introduced robot police officers to support law enforcement tasks, including traffic control and public safety patrols. These advanced humanoid robots are now operating alongside human officers to enhance daily policing operations. Deployed during peak traffic hours—from 08:00 in the morning until 17:00 in the afternoon—the robots are helping to manage congestion and ensure smoother vehicle movement across key city roads. Equipped with multi-modal artificial intelligence, these machines are designed to interact with their surroundings and respond intelligently to dynamic…
New CIA Campaign Aims to Reach Discontented Chinese Insiders The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has released two new Chinese-language videos designed to persuade Chinese officials to share classified information with the United States. This marks the latest public step by the agency to strengthen its human intelligence operations targeting Beijing. The CIA’s focus on China is part of a wider strategy to gather insights from strategic rivals. This follows an earlier campaign launched in October, where the CIA invited potential informants from China, Iran, and North Korea to get in touch through secure online channels. The agency previously reported success…
Indigenous Fashion and Finance: Women in Brazil Lead Change with Amazon Fund In a workshop near Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, a group of women cuts, sews and paints fabrics decorated with traditional Indigenous patterns. They work with industrial machines purchased through the first Amazon community fund entirely managed by Indigenous people. Founded in 2020, the Atelie Derequine Indigenous fashion collective began by making face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, it provides jobs and showcases Indigenous fashion and rights on runways in Manaus, a major industrial city in Brazil. Empowered by Indigenous-Led Funding The collective’s progress was made possible by a…
Technical Fault Causes Upper Stage Failure in Sixth Alpha Mission Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket experienced a technical malfunction during its sixth launch on Tuesday, causing the loss of a Lockheed Martin satellite. The mission ended with both the rocket’s upper stage and its payload crashing into the Pacific Ocean. Launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the Alpha rocket initially performed as expected. However, about two minutes into flight, the nozzle on the upper engine detached while separating from the booster. This significantly reduced thrust, according to Firefly. Unlike typical rocket failures that involve explosions or emergency shutdowns, Alpha’s…
Emotional Homecoming After Successful Mission Chinese astronaut Song Lingdong has safely returned to Earth following the successful completion of the Shenzhou-19 mission. He was the second of the three crew members to exit the return capsule after landing at the Dongfeng Landing Site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The capsule touched down at 13:08 on Wednesday, Beijing Time. Expressing his gratitude and pride, Song reflected on the mission’s achievements. “I feel proud, happy, and full of anticipation. Our efforts have turned into real scientific progress,” he said. “Completing three extravehicular missions has been a major milestone. Serving my…
Rising Solar Costs Push Middle Class to the Brink In the sweltering heat of Karachi, Fahim Ali wipes dust from the solar panels on his rooftop. The 31-year-old industrial engineer chose to go off-grid in August last year, driven by steep electricity prices and frequent blackouts. His decision came as Pakistan increased power and gas tariffs under an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support a struggling energy sector. Ali spent around 1 million rupees ($3,559) on his off-grid system, which includes batteries and a water motor. Though costly, he believes it is better than paying monthly electricity…