Anger over the data center boom has spilled into politics with voters unseating local politicians who support them. It's become an issue hard to ignore in the midterm elections.
Canada's Communications Security Establishment (CSE) disclosed conducting three state-authorized foreign cyber operations last year, targeting fentanyl brokers, violent extremist recruiters, and a ransomware-as-a-service gang to disrupt their operations and protect national security.
In 1973, gay preacher Ray Broshears founded the Lavender Panthers in San Francisco to protect the LGBTQ+ community in the Tenderloin from violence. Despite his controversial methods, the group exemplified queer mutual aid in a homophobic society and predated later movements. Broshears actively sought publicity, which helped preserve information about the group, unlike many other discreet queer defense organizations.
WhatsApp is allowing its 3 billion users to reserve usernames, a feature that will go live in the coming weeks. This allows users to share contact information without revealing their phone numbers, enhancing privacy for individuals and potentially simplifying customer outreach for businesses.
A major World Cup controversy erupted after FIFA allowed U.S. forward Folarin Balogun to play despite a red card, allegedly due to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. Belgium is challenging the ruling, with UEFA criticizing FIFA for an "unjustifiable decision" that undermines the game's integrity.
Xbox is undergoing its most significant restructure, impacting approximately 3,200 roles by FY27, with 1,600 layoffs today. Four studios will transition to new management, including Compulsion Games and Double Fine becoming independent, and Ninja Theory and Undead Labs moving to new ownership. The company cites unhealthy business operations, lower margins, and industry hardware crises as reasons for the changes, aiming to simplify operations and refocus content strategy.
Microsoft has announced job losses primarily affecting its Xbox division and commercial sales organizations, though specific numbers or locations were not detailed in the brief report.
