Breaking AI & Tech News Analyzed

Israel has reaffirmed that its military operations in Lebanon will persist, defying US President Donald Trump's ceasefire announcement aimed at Iran. The Israeli military has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon, with civilians in southern Lebanon being told to move north of the Zahrani River.The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that Trump's two-week pause in military action against Iran does not include Lebanon. This stance directly contradicts statements made by Iran and Pakistan, which has been mediating in the conflict.Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced that Iran, the US, and their allies had agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon. However, Israel maintains that its conflict with Lebanon, particularly with Hezbollah, is separate.On Wednesday morning, an Israeli military spokesperson confirmed that operations against Hezbollah were ongoing. The military also issued a warning in Arabic to people in Tyre to move away from a building, a common precursor to an airstrike in a populated area.The conflict in Lebanon has resulted in over 1,500 deaths, many of them civilians, and has displaced more than 1.1 million people, with many living on the streets. The situation remains volatile as Hezbollah is expected to issue a formal statement outlining its position on the ceasefire and Netanyahu's assertion that Lebanon is not included in the agreement.

Opening new oil and gas fields in the North Sea would send a shock wave around the world, senior climate diplomats warned, saying the move would imperil international climate targets, erode the United Kingdom’s reputation as a climate leader and embolden developing countries to exploit their own fossil‑fuel reserves.The UK government faces intense lobbying from the oil industry, Conservative MPs, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, certain trade unions and factions within the Treasury. Yet research shows that new drilling would do little to lower energy prices and would have almost no impact on gas imports.Two of the remaining large North Sea prospects – the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields – sit in a basin that is over 90% depleted and increasingly costly to develop. Even if fully exploited, they would displace only about 1% and 2% of the UK’s gas imports respectively, according to recent analysis.Senior figures in international climate diplomacy described the prospect of new drilling as dangerous for global emissions‑reduction efforts and a step back from the phase‑out of fossil fuels.Lord Nicolas Stern, professor at the London School of Economics, warned that “new drilling and a slowdown in climate action would be bad for growth and for energy security in the UK, and a damaging signal for the world.” He added that the UK’s pioneering climate legislation and its role as the first G7 nation to commit to net‑zero by 2050 give its actions “extra weight” on the global stage.An anonymous senior African negotiator reacted angrily to the proposal, stating that Africa would “reject any proposal for the UK to expand oil drilling” because it is “fundamentally inconsistent with both the letter and spirit of the Paris Agreement” and would “weaken trust with climate‑vulnerable nations”.Christiana Figueres, former UN climate chief and co‑founder of the Global Optimism think‑tank, argued that true energy independence lies in “scaling clean, domestic energy, not in extending the life of declining industries”. She cautioned that reverting to old‑fashioned oil expansion would lock in infrastructure at odds with the direction of the global energy system.The UK has been a vocal supporter of an upcoming conference in Colombia on the “transition away from fossil fuels”, a pledge made three years ago at COP28 that remains largely unfulfilled. However, the Guardian learned that Ed Miliband, the UK secretary of state for energy security and net‑zero, will not attend; the government’s climate envoy, Rachel Kyte, will travel in his place.Campaigners had urged Miliband’s presence, citing his pivotal role in securing a last‑minute deal at COP30 in Brazil last November.Experts caution that licensing new fields before the Colombian summit could undermine progress in persuading developing nations to forgo fossil‑fuel‑based economies and adopt cleaner energy pathways.Mohamed Adow, director of the Power Shift Africa think‑tank, warned that a UK approval would “send a shock wave around the world that short‑term interests are being prioritised over long‑term responsibility”. He stressed that many African countries are being asked to leapfrog to clean energy with limited financial support, and that wealthy nations continuing to invest in fossil fuels “undermine this message and diminish their credibility”.Several developing‑country officials echoed this concern, asking, “Why shouldn’t we tap into our own fossil‑fuel resources if the UK is doing so?” They argued that leadership on climate must be consistent with actions.An ally of Miliband praised the UK’s stance, calling “no new exploration licences” a “landmark global leadership position” that shows a major oil‑producing country can align policy with climate science to avoid a 3‑4°C warming scenario.A government spokesperson reaffirmed the administration’s commitment, stating that the UK has placed “clean energy and climate at the heart of its agenda”, and that it will continue to “stop issuing licences to explore new fields, in line with the science and in securing a just transition in the North Sea”.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are not armed while working in Canada, the agency said in a statement released as the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws near. The clarification comes amid public anxiety that U.S. officers might be deployed at tournament venues in Toronto and Vancouver.According to an ICE spokesperson quoted by CBC, the agency’s personnel collaborate with Canadian law‑enforcement partners on joint investigations into narcotics, weapons smuggling and human trafficking. However, they do not perform operational duties such as executing search warrants or making arrests on Canadian soil.ICE maintains five offices across Canada, including locations in the World Cup host cities of Toronto and Vancouver, which together will host 13 matches. Despite this presence, a spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree emphasized that ICE has no legal jurisdiction in Canada.Federal law grants U.S. immigration agents the power to arrest and detain individuals suspected of violating U.S. immigration statutes, but those powers do not extend beyond American borders. The distinction is crucial as Toronto’s city council recently passed a motion opposing any deployment of U.S. agents at World Cup venues.The clarification follows earlier protests, such as the February demonstration in Milan where hundreds rallied against ICE’s presence ahead of the Milano‑Cortina Winter Games. Those events underscore the sensitivity surrounding foreign law‑enforcement agencies operating in host nations of major sporting events.By confirming that its agents are unarmed and lack enforcement authority in Canada, ICE aims to allay concerns and preserve the collaborative spirit between the United States and Canada as they prepare for a tournament expected to draw millions of visitors.

The US-Iran conflict has taken a dire turn as President Donald Trump threatens to destroy Iran's power plants, bridges, and other vital civilian infrastructure if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts warn that such actions will only prolong and expand the conflict, which has already entered its sixth week.Naveed Shah, political director at Common Defense, an advocacy group led by US military veterans, cautioned that if the regional war is not brought to an end soon, “there’s no end in sight as to how far” it will spread. Shah emphasized that attacking infrastructure will not end the war faster, but rather make it go on much longer.Iran has warned of severe retaliation if its civilian infrastructure is attacked, potentially targeting energy and power facilities across the region, which could further raise oil and gas prices. Several Iranian officials have ruled out reopening the Strait of Hormuz under Trump's threats.Brian Finucane, an analyst at the International Crisis Group and former adviser at the US Department of State, stated that attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran are unlikely to help Trump achieve his goals, namely reopening Hormuz. “It’s hard to see this lead to some quick US victory,” Finucane said.The supply pressure from closing Hormuz is being felt in the US, where petrol prices have gone up to more than $4.11 per gallon from less than $3 before the war. Finucane noted that escalating attacks against Iran and having Iran escalate attacks against its neighbors is a recipe for “even higher gas prices.”Trump has set a deadline for Iran to reopen Hormuz or face widespread destruction, threatening that the “whole civilisation will die” after the deadline passes. Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari warned that prolonging the war benefits no one and could take the conflict to a point where it cannot be controlled.Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, said more threats and attacks by Trump will only lead to more resistance by Iran. “Maximum pressure has not produced surrender from Iran since the first term of President Trump,” Mortazavi told Al Jazeera.

Tens of thousands of people have been hired by Scale AI – a firm 49% owned by Meta – to train artificial‑intelligence models by scraping Instagram accounts, harvesting copyrighted artwork and transcribing pornographic soundtracks, according to the Guardian.Scale AI promotes its Outlier platform as a flexible, expert‑driven marketplace, recruiting professionals from medicine, physics and economics to "become the expert that AI learns from."Workers, however, say the reality diverges sharply from high‑level model refinement. They describe tasks that involve massive personal‑data scraping and content that many find morally uncomfortable.Outlier is managed by Scale AI, which holds contracts with the U.S. Pentagon and other defense companies. Its chief executive, Alexandr Wang, is hailed by Forbes as the world’s youngest self‑made billionaire, while former managing director Michael Kratsios served as science adviser to former President Donald Trump.One contractor noted that users of Meta platforms would be shocked to learn their photos and friends’ images are being harvested for AI training, with workers manually reviewing profiles to extract data.The Guardian interviewed ten Outlier contributors – many also journalists, graduate students, teachers or librarians – who took the gig work out of economic desperation. One said, "A lot of us were really desperate" and felt compelled to accept the unstable, low‑pay assignments.These gig workers, dubbed “taskers,” often feel they are training their own replacements, expressing “internalised shame and guilt” over contributing to the automation of creative professions.Law firm Clarkson, representing AI gig workers, estimates that hundreds of thousands of people worldwide now labor on platforms like Outlier. Taskers report bait‑and‑switch recruitment tactics, where advertised high salaries are replaced by lower‑paid projects after onboarding.All contributors are monitored through a tool called Hubstaff, which can screenshot browsers to verify work. While Scale AI claims the software is only for accurate payment, workers describe it as constant surveillance.Assignments have ranged from transcribing pornographic audio and labeling photos of dead animals or dog faeces, to annotating diagrams of infant genitalia and violent police scenarios. One doctoral student recounted being promised “no nudity” only to receive explicit porn clips.Scale AI says it shuts down any task flagged as inappropriate and does not accept projects involving child sexual‑abuse material or pornography, though workers note that publicly available images of minors have been used for training.Social‑media scraping tasks required workers to tag individuals by name, location and age, sometimes pulling data from accounts of users under 18. One task asked contributors to order Facebook photos by the subject’s age, prompting ethical unease.In addition to personal data, taskers were asked to harvest copyrighted artwork, with strict instructions to avoid AI‑generated images and select only hand‑drawn pieces. Scale AI maintains it does not ask workers to violate copyright standards.Scale AI’s client list includes major tech firms such as Google, Meta and OpenAI, as well as the U.S. Department of Defense and the government of Qatar, highlighting the growing demand for labelled data as AI models scale.Some workers reported interacting with ChatGPT and Claude, and speculated they might be training Meta’s upcoming model, code‑named “Avocado.”OpenAI announced it ended its partnership with Scale AI in June 2025, citing its supplier code of conduct that mandates ethical treatment of all workers.Despite irregular pay, occasional mass layoffs and the unsettling nature of many tasks, many taskers remain on the Outlier platform, hoping the AI future will eventually improve conditions. One said, "I have to be positive about AI because the alternative is not great."In response, a Scale AI spokesperson stated, "Outlier provides flexible, project‑based work with transparent pay. Contributors choose when and how they participate, and we regularly hear from highly skilled contributors who value the flexibility and opportunity to apply their expertise on the platform."

Kanye West, legally known as Ye, has been criticized for his antisemitic remarks, including voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler. UK Jewish groups have threatened to organize mass protests outside the Wireless festival if West's appearances go ahead. The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said that if West was genuinely contrite, he should cancel the gigs. A CAA spokesperson stated that the festival's organizers should be ashamed of themselves for booking West. West has offered to meet and listen to members of the UK's Jewish community after a backlash over his planned appearance at the festival in July. However, some Jewish organizations have condemned his appearance and urged the government to ban him from the country. The health secretary, Wes Streeting, said West should not be headlining the festival. Meanwhile, John Swinney, the leader of the Scottish National party, argued that West should be able to perform, citing freedom of expression. Pepsi and Diageo withdrew their sponsorship of the festival after West was announced as the headline act. The festival's managing director, Melvin Benn, called for forgiveness and giving West a second chance.

Richard Walker, chair of Iceland and cost of living tsar for the UK government, has offered a job to Walker Smith, a 54-year-old former Waitrose employee who was sacked for confronting a shoplifter at a Clapham Junction store. Smith had worked at Waitrose for 17 years before being fired after stopping a shoplifter from taking Easter eggs, including Lindt chocolate bunnies, from the store. The incident led to a public outcry, with many criticizing Waitrose's decision to sack Smith. In a LinkedIn post, Walker wrote: “You’re welcome to a job with us. We even share the same name …” An Iceland spokesperson confirmed that the supermarket chain had been in touch with Smith and offered him a job. Waitrose has doubled down on its decision to sack Smith, citing the danger to life in tackling shoplifters. However, politicians, including Nigel Farage and Chris Philp, have criticized the supermarket's decision, with Farage saying that the UK now favors criminals over law enforcers. A fundraiser for Smith has raised over £7,500 to help with his rent and bills. Smith had apologized to his manager for his role in the incident and had previously been instructed not to approach suspected shoplifters.

Offset, the former Migos member, was wounded in a shooting outside the Seminole Hard Rock hotel and casino in Florida on Monday and is currently listed as stable while being closely monitored by medical staff.The incident occurred in the valet parking zone of the venue, according to the artist’s spokesperson, who confirmed that the rapper – whose legal name is Kiari Kendrell Cephus – was promptly taken to a nearby hospital.Law enforcement officials detained two individuals in connection with the case, and the Seminole police department issued a statement emphasizing that the location remains secure and poses no danger to the public.Details surrounding the motive or events leading up to the shooting have not been released, and investigators are continuing to gather evidence.Offset, who was previously married to fellow rapper Cardi B and shares three children with her, has been a prominent figure in the hip‑hop scene since the rise of Migos. The group gained fame with the 2013 hit “Versace” and later secured Grammy nominations for albums such as 2017’s Culture. Their chart‑topping collaborations include “Bad and Boujee” with Lil Uzi Vert and “MotorSport” featuring Nicki Minaj and Cardi B.The shooting revives memories of the 2022 murder of Migos member Takeoff, who was killed outside a Houston bowling alley. The alleged shooter, Patrick Clark, maintains his innocence and is slated for trial in November.In personal news, Cardi B filed for divorce from Offset in 2024, ending their secret 2017 marriage.Associated Press contributed to this report.

UK manufacturers are facing a significant increase in business rates, with a projected annual hike of £940m due to changes introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. These changes, effective this month, have sparked concerns among industry leaders.The increase is attributed to the government's decision to raise business rates at the budget in November, which included an additional surcharge on buildings with a rateable value of more than £500,000. This move has been criticized by MakeUK, an industry lobby group, as it disproportionately affects manufacturers with large factory floors.According to MakeUK, factories account for a fifth of England and Wales's property by rateable value, despite manufacturers only contributing a 10th of economic output. The lobby group argues that the current system of business rates is outdated and unfair, leaving manufacturers paying disproportionately more than other sectors relative to their size.Verity Davidge, policy director at MakeUK, stated: "The current system of business rates is outdated and is a blunt instrument that leaves manufacturers paying disproportionately more than other sectors relative to their size. This increase couldn’t come at a worse possible time and is set to hammer one of the government’s key strategic sectors which is already facing existential threats from increased energy and employment costs which are completely out of their control."The government has faced backlash from various sectors, including pubs and live music venues, and has made some concessions, such as announcing £80m in discounts in January. However, MakeUK is calling for further support, including a year's notice before raising rates and a more nuanced system that takes into account business turnover, size, and type.A government spokesperson responded to MakeUK's analysis, stating: "We have the right economic plan - we’re reforming business rates to back manufacturing, with a £4.3bn support package to limit bills rises, alongside capping Corporation Tax at 25%, cutting red tape and taking action on energy by reducing electricity bills by up to 25% for over 7,000 businesses."