A labour rights organisation claims it has found evidence of worker exploitation in a Chinese factory that makes the viral Labubu dolls. China Labor Watch (CLW), a US-based non-governmental organisation, alleges that its investigation found that one of Pop Mart's suppliers made employees work excessive overtime shifts, sign blank or incomplete contracts and did not give them paid leave. The furry Labubu dolls have surged in popularity around the world in recent years and are best known for selling toys in blind boxes, which hide its content from buyers until it is opened. Pop Mart told the BBC that it is investigating the claims. The Beijing-based toy retailer said it appreciated the details from the review and that it will firmly require companies making its toys to correct their practices if the allegations are found to be true.

Deforestation might lead to more deadly mosquito bites. The Atlantic Forest on the eastern coast of South America is home to about 40 different mosquito species. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. If you're someone who mosquitoes just, we feel your pain. Unfortunately, new data indicates the number of mosquito species that feed on humans is increasing--and it's likely to get worse.

Could Ukraine hold a presidential election right now? Will Europe use frozen Russian assets to fund war? How can Ukraine rebuild China ties? 'Ukraine is running out of men, money and time' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a state of emergency was being declared for Ukraine's energy sector, after repeated Russian attacks destroyed electricity and heat infrastructure. Zelenskyy said he asked the government to review curfew restrictions during "this extremely cold weather".

The news is a blow for Thinking Machines Lab. Two narratives are already emerging about what happened. Thinking Machines cofounders Barret Zoph and Luke Metz are leaving the fledgling AI lab and rejoining OpenAI, the ChatGPT-maker announced on Thursday. OpenAI's CEO of applications, Fidji Simo, shared the news in a memo to staff Thursday afternoon. The news was first reported on X by technology reporter Kylie Robison, who wrote that Zoph was fired for "unethical conduct."

Elon Musk's AI model Grok will no longer be able to edit photos of real people to show them in revealing clothing, after widespread concern over sexualised AI deepfakes in countries including the UK and US. We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis. This restriction applies to all users, including paid subscribers, reads an announcement on X, which operates the Grok AI tool. The change was announced hours after California's top prosecutor said the state was probing the spread of sexualised AI deepfakes, including of children, generated by the AI model. The update expands measures that stop all users, including paid subscribers, editing images of real people in revealing outfits.

Zelensky declares state of emergency in Ukraine's energy sector Ukraine has declared a state of emergency in the country's energy sector, with particular focus on Kyiv, as ongoing Russian strikes continue to leave thousands of residents without power. The nation is in the midst of a particularly cold winter, with overnight temperatures in Kyiv dropping to around -20C. After a special cabinet meeting, President Volodymyr Zelensky said a round-the-clock task force would be set up to deal with the damaging consequences of Russian airstrikes and worsening weather conditions. He accused Moscow of deliberately exploiting the harsh, sub-zero temperatures to target critical infrastructure, including energy distribution facilities. In recent weeks, Kyiv has been particularly affected by Russian attacks, leaving thousands of homes without regular power, heating or running water.

The killing of George Floyd in 2020 prompted a wave of statements from tech companies and CEOs. Today, pushback against ICE is largely coming from employees, not executives. Since Donald Trump returned to the White House last January, the biggest names in tech have mostly fallen in line with the new regime, attending dinners with officials, heaping praise upon the administration, presenting the president with lavish gifts, and pleading for Trump's permission to sell their products to China . It's been mostly business as usual for Silicon Valley over the past year, even as the administration ignored a wide range of constitutional norms and attempted to slap arbitrary fees on everything from chip exports to worker visas for high-skilled immigrants employed by tech firms. But after an ICE agent shot and killed an unarmed US citizen, Renee Nicole Good, in broad daylight in Minneapolis last week, a number of tech leaders have begun publicly speaking out about the Trump administration's tactics.

A child rights advocacy organisation in the United States is accusing Google of bypassing parental authority by allowing children to disable parental supervision over Google accounts after they turn 13. Melissa McKay, president of the Digital Childhood Institute, stated on LinkedIn that Google sent her 12-year-old an email that will unlock additional tools once he turns 13, posting screenshots of the email. Among the changes, once children turn the age of 13, they can turn off supervised experiences on YouTube and can add payment methods to Google Pay. Parents will no longer be able to block apps, turn on location sharing without the permission of the child user or block access to payment features. "Google is asserting authority over a boundary that does not belong to them. It reframes parents as a temporary inconvenience to be outgrown and positions corporate platforms as the default replacement," McKay said in a post on LinkedIn.

California's top prosecutor has launched an investigation into the spread of sexualised AI deepfakes generated by Elon Musk's AI model Grok. Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement announcing the probe: The avalanche of reports detailing the non-consensual, sexually explicit material that xAI has produced and posted online in recent weeks is shocking. California's inquiry comes as British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warns of possible action against X. In Wednesday's statement, Bonta said: This material, which depicts women and children in nude and sexually explicit situations, has been used to harass people across the internet. The Democratic prosecutor urged xAI to take immediate action.

New research has discovered that a neural circuit may explain procrastination. Scientists were able to disrupt this connection using a drug. The brain avoids unpleasant tasks even if they promise reward, according to a recent study. The reason you decide to postpone household chores and spend your time browsing social media could be explained by the workings of a brain circuit. Recent research has identified a neural connection responsible for delaying the start of activities associated with unpleasant experiences, even when these activities offer a clear reward.