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US heatwave to test power grid amid soaring AI-driven energy demand
Power grid operators in the United States are warning that a dangerous heatwave could put more strain on an electric grid already under pressure from surging energy consumption. A stretch of extreme heat is expected to intensify across much of the central and eastern parts of the country this week, peaking from Tuesday through Thursday. Temperatures this week are forecasted to climb above 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) from Boston to Washington, DC, pushing up demand for air conditioning. The heatwave coincides with two major events on the US calendar. Saturday's holiday marks the 250th anniversary of the US's independence, and millions are expected to gather for barbecues, parades and fireworks.
Why the Reflecting Pool Is Full of Algae After Trump's Renovation
Why the Reflecting Pool Is Full of Algae After Trump's Renovation Warm weather has fueled a bloom that US National Park Service workers are trying to kill using everything from hydrogen peroxide to nanobubbles ahead of July 4 celebrations. On Wednesday morning, workers poured hydrogen peroxide into the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC. The treatment is the latest attempt by the Interior Department to control an algae bloom that has turned the pool bright green, despite President Donald Trump's costly renovation to make it "American flag blue" in time for the nation's 250th anniversary . Hot temperatures and climate change are among the risk factors that could be driving the outbreak. The Trump administration spent more than $14 million to update the pool ahead of celebrations across the US capital .
Anthropic Is Still at Odds With the White House Over Claude Fable 5
Anthropic leaders flew to Washington, DC, to meet with White House officials on Monday. Trump administration officials concluded talks with Anthropic on Monday without lifting export controls that were imposed last week on the company's most advanced AI models in response to jailbreaking concerns, according to three people briefed on the matter. The administration continues to believe that there are ways to disable some of the guardrails on Anthropic's Claude Fable 5, effectively allowing users to access the more powerful cybersecurity capabilities of the company's Mythos model, the people said. Anthropic has said for days that the administration's concerns are overblown, a position it reiterated in working group meetings held at the Commerce Department with government researchers from Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) and the Office of the National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross, one of the people said. The meetings were also attended by Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, who dialed in by conference call from the G7 summit in Evian, France.
Anthropic to meet White House over AI tool suspension
Bosses at the artificial intelligence (AI) firm Anthropic are set to meet senior White House officials amid fresh national security concerns over the company's latest release. The meeting is set to take place on Monday in Washington DC between executives at Anthropic and the US Department of Commerce, a government department led by Secretary Howard Lutnick, according to two people familiar with the matter. It comes after Anthropic blocked all public access to the recent release of its latest AI tool on Friday, which it has previously said is too powerful. The firm made the decision after the US government prohibited Anthropic from allowing any foreign national access to the technology. The AI tool at issue is named Fable 5 or Mythos 5. Fable 5 is a version of the tool with extra safeguards made available to the public, while Mythos 5 has different controls and is only available to a select group of organisations.
Waymo Takes Its Self-Driving Cars to Virginia
Best Power Banks Best Smart Rings Routers vs. Modems Choose the Right Laptop Smart Sprinklers Deals Delivered The company is mapping Alexandria and, soon, Arlington--right across from the power center of Washington, DC. Self-driving cars aren't yet permitted to operate in Virginia. But Alphabet-owned Waymo began transporting its cars to the state last week, a Waymo representative told Virginia officials, to map Arlington and Alexandria, in the northern part of the state. For most autonomous vehicle companies, mapping, or the creation of sensor-aided and ultra-precise digital representations of streets and the features around them, is the first step required to launch a local robotaxi service. Drivers will operate the mapping vehicles for now, Waymo says.
Watch: Trump is transforming Washington - by adding his face everywhere
US President Donald Trump is transforming Washington DC by renaming institutions with his name, doing major renovations at historic sites and putting his face around the city. BBC's North America editor Sarah Smith visits the sites he's changing, including the Trump Kennedy Center, the Donald J Trump United States Institute of Peace and the White House, where a ballroom is being built. Fans rally behind US men's national soccer team as World Cup roster revealed BBC's Carl Nasman was at the event, where he asked enthusiasts about World Cup ticket prices and what the sport means to the US. The plans include permanent human habitation on the Earth's only natural satellite by 2032. Elon Musk's SpaceX has successfully launched its Starship V3 rocket, which landed in a planned fiery explosion on Friday.