Breaking AI & Tech News Analyzed

Palantir, one of the world's biggest tech companies, has been accused of launching an intimidation campaign against a small Swiss magazine, Republik, after it published an investigative report on the company's activities in Switzerland.The report, which was a collaboration between Republik and the independent Swiss research collective WAV, alleged that Palantir had persistently courted Switzerland but had been rejected. The investigation found that Palantir had pitched itself to Switzerland's chancellor during the Covid-19 pandemic to help with data tracking, approached the Swiss army, and met Switzerland's then finance minister, Ueli Maurer.Palantir was not happy with the report and filed a lawsuit in a Swiss commercial court demanding that Republik print a detailed rebuttal. The company claims that the report paints a false and misleading narrative about Palantir and sets back important discourse on European software modernisation.The journalists behind the report say they had interviewed company executives and sent a full list of questions before publication, but that Palantir demanded they print a detailed rebuttal that went beyond the scope of their investigation. The lawsuit has sparked concerns about Palantir's tactics and the impact on journalism, with the European Federation of Journalists claiming that the legal action is an attempt at intimidation aimed at discouraging critical analysis of Palantir's activities."It does feel like an intimidation campaign," says Marguerite Meyer, a journalist who works with WAV. "However, we adhered to all journalistic standards, and had a thorough factcheck done. They are suing for an absurd list of changes."The investigation, which was published in December, gave an account of Palantir's years-long efforts to try to sell itself to the Swiss government. The journalists found that despite Palantir's efforts, no government contracts had been reported."We tried to find out, is there any kind of government agency that uses this software? I mean, they are in Switzerland, eventually some government official maybe thought they could use this Palantir," says Balz Oertli, who is also with WAV.The lawsuit has raised questions about Palantir's influence and the limits of journalistic scrutiny. Swiss law allows the subjects of a story to request a right of reply, but this has caveats: the right of reply has to be concise and stick to the facts of the story."This lawsuit for a right of reply is not about whether Republik was technically inaccurate or not. It is only about whether Palantir is allowed to place its view of the facts alongside that of Republik and whether Republik must publish it," says Dominique Strebel, an expert in media law and the editor-in-chief of Beobachter, another Swiss magazine.

The stage adaptation of Andrea Levy's novel 'Small Island' has been brought to life with gravitas, speaking to our current era with startling clarity. The story, which begins over a century ago and culminates with the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush in 1948, explores themes of racism, immigration, and identity.Director Matthew Xia's production allows the story to exist in its period, without forcing a contemporary lens over the narrative. The result is a powerful exploration of the Windrush legacy, with themes that echo all too recognisably today. Fear of foreign men, distrust of dark-skinned strangers, and casual racism are all present in the play, making it a necessary history play that feels all too contemporary.The cast delivers stellar performances, with Anna Crichlow as Hortense and Bronté Barbé as Queenie standing out. The play's climax offers a note of optimism, reminding us that the promise of new life can overcome even the darkest of attitudes. As Gilbert (played by Daniel Ward) so eloquently puts it, "that is all" - a powerful reminder that our skin colour is just that, and nothing more.The production is set to tour to Leeds Playhouse, Birmingham Rep, and Nottingham Playhouse.

Lemi Limbu, a woman with severe intellectual disabilities in Tanzania, has had her conviction and death sentence quashed after spending more than a decade in prison awaiting execution. Limbu, now in her early 30s, was convicted of the murder of her daughter in 2015.On 4 March, a court in Shinyanga, northern Tanzania, declared she can appeal. She will face a retrial, but a date has yet to be set. Lawyers and activists have condemned her sentence, saying she should not be in prison at all. Limbu, who remains incarcerated, is a survivor of brutal and repeated sexual and domestic violence and has the developmental age of a child.Under Tanzanian and international law, Limbu should not be held criminally liable, given her intellectual disability. “She was not supposed to be in prison in the first place,” said Anna Henga, executive director of Legal and Human Rights Centre, a Tanzanian human rights advocacy organisation.At her first trial, Limbu pleaded not guilty. Unable to read or write, she said she did not know the contents of a statement that police claimed she had made admitting to the murder. Her original conviction in 2015 was nullified in 2019 due to procedural errors. In 2022, she was retried and sentenced to death a second time.The court did not allow evidence to be heard from medical professionals about her intellectual disabilities or history of abuse. A clinical psychologist who evaluated her had concluded she had a severe intellectual disability and the developmental age of a 10-year-old child or younger.A coalition of 24 African and international human rights groups last year condemned Limbu’s sentence as part of an appeal to the African court on human and peoples’ rights to look at the plight of women on death row throughout Africa. In Tanzania, the death penalty is the mandatory sentence for murder, although no executions have been carried out since 1995.

In a bid to make housing more affordable, some Seattle families are embracing a communal living model. This approach allows them to share resources and split costs, providing a more sustainable and economical way to live. The rising cost of living in Seattle has prompted many to seek alternative housing solutions. By pooling their resources, these families can enjoy a better quality of life while reducing their financial burden. Communal living arrangements can take many forms, from shared housing to cooperative living. These setups often involve shared responsibilities and resources, such as cooking, cleaning, and childcare. While this lifestyle may not be for everyone, it offers a unique solution to the affordability crisis in Seattle's housing market. As the city continues to grapple with rising housing costs, communal living arrangements are likely to become an increasingly popular option.

Rapid‑Action Spyware: The Darksword Campaign UnveiledResearchers at Google, iVerify and Lookout traced a fresh wave of iPhone attacks against Ukrainian users to a toolkit they named Darksword. The tool, linked to the threat actor UNC6353, infiltrates devices via compromised Ukrainian websites, siphons passwords, photos, messaging app data and wallet credentials, then vanishes within minutes.Technical Footprint and Quick‑Turnover MetricsInfection vector: malicious scripts on Ukrainian‑hosted sites, active only for visitors inside Ukraine.Data exfiltration window: minutes of dwell time, depending on volume of harvested information.Capabilities: extraction of WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS, browser history, and cryptocurrency wallet keys.Design: modular architecture allowing rapid addition of new functions, mirroring the earlier Coruna toolkit.Geopolitical and Security ImplicationsThe Darksword operation underscores a growing trend of state‑aligned actors deploying highly specialized mobile spyware for short‑term, high‑value “smash‑and‑grab” missions. While the campaign was geographically limited to Ukraine, its sophistication suggests that similar tools could be repurposed for broader espionage or financial theft, raising concerns for iPhone users worldwide and prompting a reassessment of mobile threat models.Future Outlook: Modular Spyware on the RiseAnalysts predict that the success of Darksword will encourage further development of modular iPhone exploits that prioritize rapid data theft over persistent surveillance. Defensive measures will likely focus on hardening web‑delivery chains, improving app‑store vetting, and enhancing on‑device anomaly detection to counter fleeting, high‑impact attacks.

Graham Napier, a former Essex all-rounder, recalls the 2008 T20 Blast match where he scored 152 not out off 58 balls, breaking the English record for the highest score in T20 cricket. This impressive performance caught the attention of England's selectors and teams from the Indian Premier League (IPL), including Mumbai Indians, who were interested in signing him.Napier, who didn't have an agent at the time, was eventually signed by Mumbai Indians for an undisclosed fee. However, his availability was curtailed by Essex, and he only played one game for Mumbai, scoring 15 runs and taking one wicket. Napier reflects on the experience, stating that he was frustrated by not being allowed to participate in the auction and that the hype surrounding his performance was intense.Tymal Mills, a veteran of franchise T20 leagues, had a more successful auction experience, being picked up by London Spirit for £130,000 in the Hundred auction. Mills had previously been sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for £1.4m in the 2017 IPL auction. However, he admits that he didn't deliver on his whopping auction fee in 2017, taking only five wickets in five games before injury struck.Mills offers advice to young players, including James Coles, who was signed by London Spirit for £390,000. Mills cautions that the auction process can be bruising and that players must be prepared for the highs and lows of the experience.Napier, now a fire safety officer in Suffolk, has no regrets about his career, stating that he's proud of his achievements and the experiences he had. He notes that loyalty was a significant factor in his career, playing for the same team from age 10 to retirement at 36.

The WebKit Vulnerability and the New Patching MechanismApple has officially rolled out its first 'background security improvement' update, marking a significant evolution in its software maintenance strategy. This latest release targets a critical vulnerability discovered in WebKit, the browser engine that powers Safari across iPhones, iPads, and Macs.The advisory reveals that the bug, if exploited, could allow a malicious website to potentially access data from another website within the same browser session. To mitigate this risk, Apple introduced a new category of updates designed to be 'lightweight' and pushed between major software releases.Target Version: iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 26.1 and higher.Scope: Fixes for Safari, WebKit, and system libraries.Deployment: Background updates without requiring a full system reinstall.Efficiency in Security Response: The 'Quick Reboot' AdvantageOne of the most notable aspects of this update is the user experience. Unlike traditional major updates that often require lengthy reboots, this background security improvement only necessitates a quick device restart. This suggests a streamlined deployment process that minimizes user friction while maximizing security coverage.Apple has been testing this feature with software testers prior to the public release, indicating a deliberate effort to refine the mechanism before a wider rollout. The decision to withhold a specific reason for the patch from the public advisory highlights the sensitive nature of the vulnerability.Redefining the Security Patching LifecycleThe introduction of this update model fundamentally changes how Apple addresses the threat landscape. By decoupling critical security fixes from major feature updates, Apple can respond to zero-day threats and active exploits much faster.This approach reduces the 'window of exposure' for users, ensuring that security patches are applied as soon as they are available, rather than waiting for the next annual or bi-annual major OS release cycle.The Future of Continuous SecurityAs this is the inaugural release of the background security improvement program, it sets a precedent for future updates. We can expect to see a shift toward a more continuous security model, where minor but critical patches are pushed regularly to keep devices secure against evolving cyber threats.

Researchers at Cortical Labs in Melbourne have created a 'biological computer' using living human tissue, which can play the 1993 shooter game Doom. The team used 10ml of blood from CEO Hon Weng Chong to harvest 100 white blood cells, which were then reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These cells were used to create a dish of 200,000 neurons that can interface with a computer system.The brain cells were taught to play Doom by encoding game state information, passing it through a neural network, and converting it into signals the neurons can understand. The neurons then fire an output, which the system decodes and converts back into actions in the game. This process is similar to how humans operate, with information going into the retina, being converted into electrical signals, processed in the brain, and resulting in an output.While the achievement has sparked concerns about sentience and consciousness, Chong believes the brain cells are not conscious, stating, 'At first it didn’t know how to move, aim or shoot. Then it would shoot two enemies and stop. So it’s definitely learning.' The next step could be integrating this technology with Neuralink, a brain-machine interface developed by Elon Musk.The application of biological computing lies not in gaming, but in medicine, such as disease modeling for conditions like epilepsy. This technology could allow for personalized drug testing and tailored treatments. Meanwhile, Eon Systems in San Francisco has created a virtual insect brain that can behave like a real fly, challenging the assumption that intelligence must be acquired.Biological systems like these could eventually power robots, drones, and other machines that need to navigate complex environments. As Chong notes, 'Abstract reasoning, mathematics and language are relatively recent in evolutionary terms... but motor control and probabilistic decision-making are things we’ve inherited through millions of years of evolution.' While we're far from uploading human consciousness into the internet, this technology marks a significant step in the development of biological computing.