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One million more UK homeowners set to face higher mortgages

BBC News

The impact of the Iran war means a million more homeowners face higher mortgage bills than the Bank of England had previously expected. Just over five million homeowners should expect their monthly mortgage repayments to increase by the end of 2028, according to Bank forecasts. That compared to four million projected by the Bank in December. However, the Bank's Financial Stability Report said the hit would not be as hard as seen in recent years. A typical owner-occupier rolling off a fixed rate in the next two years is likely to face an increase of £45 on their monthly mortgage bill, the Bank said. That compares to a typical rise of £120 for those getting a new deal between the end of 2022 and end of 2024.


Erling Haaland Is Everywhere at the World Cup. Most of It Is AI

WIRED

Erling Haaland Is Everywhere at the World Cup. He's become an internet character perpetuated by fans and AI. Last week, somewhere amid the World Cup frenzy, a now-viral video circulated of Norwegian striker Erling Haaland mid-mouthful in a restaurant, glancing left and flinching at his own reflection. One post on X sharing the video racked up more than 31 million views in mere days. Fact checkers traced the footage to a slapstick skit by the Chinese comedian Jin Long, posted to TikTok in mid-June .


People Used to Control Machines. They Don't Anymore

WIRED

People Used to Control Machines. In a world regulated by devices, humanity has become disconnected from the physical world--from stick-shift cars to postcards. If gratification is so easy, why don't you feel more gratified already? It's still easy to experience individual feats of gratification when you find them (or they find you). But the ordinary circumstances that once produced so much gratification have gradually receded. Unseen choices in design, business, and social life have made it harder for you to engage directly with the sensory world.


We Are Not Machines by Sarah O'Connor review – can dignity at work survive the tech revolution?

The Guardian

We Are Not Machines by Sarah O'Connor review - can dignity at work survive the tech revolution? I t's never been easy to land and keep a decent job. But it feels like it's getting harder. In June, the number of job vacancies in the UK fell to a five-year low; headlines warn of a looming AI-employment shock. What might the future of work look like - and who or what will shape its terms?


Zelensky to press Nato for air defence systems after intense Russian strikes

BBC News

Ukraine's president plans to use the Nato meeting in Turkey to urge Kyiv's allies to deliver the air defence systems it urgently needs to protect it from escalating Russian attacks. Volodymyr Zelensky's call for help rings with extra intensity after Russian missiles rained down on the Ukrainian capital twice in less than a week, crashing into blocks of flats and killing more than 50 civilians. The summit in Ankara will also be a chance for Zelensky to hold a crucial meeting with Donald Trump and press home his case that Russia's brutal attacks are a show of weakness, not strength, and that Vladimir Putin should be pressured into talks towards a dignified peace. The latest strikes on Ukraine come as it has been stepping up its own long-range drone attacks against Russia, hitting oil refineries and military targets there and causing significant fuel shortages and power cuts. To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Russian social media accounts are full of videos of people queuing for hours to buy petrol and fighting over what little they're allowed.


AI chip boom lifts Samsung profits by 1,800%

BBC News

Image caption, Samsung is also one of the world's leading smartphone makers South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics says it expects to post a 19-fold jump in its profits, driven by global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) memory chips. The company forecast that it made 89tn won (£44bn; $58bn) between the start of April and the end of June, marking its third record quarterly operating profits in a row. Major South Korean firms like Samsung release forecasts of their earnings ahead of official detailed reports to help guide investors. Samsung's latest forecast, released on Tuesday ahead of its full results due later in July, comes as demand for semiconductors continues to outstrip supplies - which has pushed up prices . Samsung said in the preview, known as earnings guidance, that it brought in around 171tn won of sales during the quarter, more than double the amount for the same period last year.


Terrified passengers film Waymo autonomous vehicle driving into live fireworks in San Francisco

FOX News

Waymo passengers were terrified as a driverless car drove into lit fireworks on a San Francisco street during Fourth of July celebrations. No injuries were reported.


Robots available for rent: But what can they do?

BBC News

Robots available for rent: But what can they do? In hospitals across the US, patients and staff have become accustomed to seeing a one-armed, four-foot high, friendly-looking white robot going about its business. Nurses have been known to greet Moxi, as the robot is called by its maker Diligent Robotics, with a good morning, a high five or even a hug. Moxi - which shuttles medical supplies around hospitals - might respond by displaying its heart-shaped LED eyes and a beep beep greeting of its own. We get a lot of feedback that Moxi feels like a part of the team, says Todd Brugger, chief operating officer at the Texas-based robotics company, which has around 100 of the wheeled robots in operation.


Scotland could freeze datacentre projects in challenge to UK's AI strategy

The Guardian

Scotland could freeze datacentre projects in challenge to UK's AI strategy The Scottish government is about to consider a sweeping moratorium on building new datacentres, putting a key plank of the UK's AI strategy at risk. Last Sunday the Scottish National party (SNP)'s national council passed a motion to freeze all new datacentres in Scotland. That motion has been sent to the Scottish government to consider. It could apply to all datacentre projects that have not yet received planning permission - although its exact implementation is up to the Scottish government to decide. Lesley Backhouse, who attended the national council meeting, said that Scotland's current datacentre plans amounted to "overdevelopment" and were "intrusive and not keeping with the local environment".


Report warns Russia using shadow fleet to probe NATO drone defenses

FOX News

Russia's shadow fleet appears to have launched drones at European military bases and airports to test NATO air defenses, according to a new IISS report.