Government
There Is No Male Loneliness Crisis. What's Actually Happening Is So Much Darker.
One group of people is more isolated than anyone else. Become a member to share 10 free articles a month. Men are lonely, you've probably heard. "Few men will admit it, but it's true of most of them," declared Los Angeles Times columnist Jean Guerrero in one in a tsunami of recent takes on the "male loneliness epidemic." Guerrero partially blamed the "virtual world" and its "pornography and ideological provocation." A Guardian columnist theorized, "Many men are socialized to prioritize strength, independence and stoicism, making it difficult for them to open up and form emotional connections." An Atlantic writer agreed, writing, "Friendships are hard to maintain but the social stigma that some men face when opening up and being vulnerable can make things even harder." A "punk-rock psychologist" told Vice that men have low emotional intelligence. BuzzFeed has cranked out 12 posts about male loneliness in 2026 alone (so far, at least). Some of them are pretty brutal--for example, " 27 Loser Men Whose Actions Single-Handedly Prove the'Male Loneliness Epidemic' Is Self-Inflicted ." The inability of men to form friendships, or even make conversation, with each other is a ready setup for a bit.
CBP Workers Allegedly Used Government Databases to Spy on Exes, Crushes, and Colleagues
Records obtained by WIRED detail hundreds of allegations of Customs and Border Protection workers misusing internal tools to look up romantic interests and track colleagues' cell phones. Internal records obtained by WIRED reveal how, for years, United States Customs and Border Protection employees and contractors were accused of abusing sensitive government databases for reasons that had nothing to do with their jobs. The records contain hundreds of allegations of misuse of law enforcement databases, including federal agents querying data to look up romantic interests, monitor family members, expose various personal information and, in some cases, provide intelligence to suspected smugglers or drug-trafficking organizations. Acquired through Freedom of Information Act requests to CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility and the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, the records reveal the breadth of alleged database abuse by CBP employees spanning more than a decade. As immigration and border authorities expand their surveillance through facial recognition, license plate readers, mobile-device searches, and commercially purchased location information generated by ordinary apps, the sheer range of these records, which date from 2009 through 2022, highlights how US residents can be--and have been--targeted by federal government employees with access to highly sensitive data and powerful tools.
'They knew something was happening': Videos show birds thrown into state of confusion during dramatic solar eclipse
You're viewing the US edition You can switch to the UK or AU homepage at any time using this menu. WNBA chiefs make decision on trans athlete debate as league slams'bad-faith efforts' to'marginalize others' amid explosive controversy Twins who were orphaned by boy racers win $33 million payout as aunt who adopted them hails'justice' As new'Godzilla' weight loss drug retatrutide rolls out, first users report'genuinely unbearable' side effect: 'My soul left my body' Devastating full horror of Perez Hilton's knife livestream unravels: Friends reveal tragic life-long disfigurement... what star is admitting from hospital bed... and why he may now be locked up for YEARS Insiders reveal painful real reason behind Karoline Leavitt's decision to QUIT'thankless' White House... and Trump's pleading messages Read Lindsay Clancy's horrifying private messages sent just weeks before she killed her three young children: 'I don't care' Boy, 17, asked ChatGPT for'murder my family' fantasies.. then killed his mom and brother, 14, at $1m Massachusetts home, cops say Female squatter used terrifyingly easy trick to take over couple's apartment Humiliating string of events that mean JD Vance has now beaten Rubio to become Trump's 2028 heir... and decisive moment he was crowned: MARK HALPERIN Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding guest Graham Norton makes shady remark as he dishes on star-studded nuptials Why Brad Pitt is REALLY back on the booze... a decades-long problem, Alcoholics Anonymous, and his children turning on him - and the pact he's hoping will stop him relapsing I'm approaching 40 and I've only ever had one true friend. Now, I've finally found a bond with another mother - and I know I'm going to mess it up. Inside the secret group chat of JD and Usha Vance's ex-law school friends as her REAL personality is revealed'They knew something was happening': Videos show birds thrown into state of confusion during dramatic solar eclipse Birds across the country were thrown into a state of confusion as the sun disappeared behind the moon during yesterday's solar eclipse. Bizarre videos shared online show large flocks flying chaotically through the air as the sky began to darken.
UK economy grows between April and June but experts warn of challenges in coming months
An added boost from summer sun and sports fixtures for some businesses helped the UK economy to grow by 0.4% between April and June, according to official data. But the figure - in line with economists' expectations - is below the 0.6% expansion recorded in the first three months of this year. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said growth had remained relatively robust, with services sector propelling growth in the second quarter while manufacturing also grew. The economy is now 1.2% bigger than a year ago, but economists warn growth is likely to slow in the second half of the year. Computer programming, advertising and the pharmaceutical industry were areas of strength, the ONS said.
Twitch faces backlash over Amazon using content to train AI
Twitch has been criticised by users after it emerged the popular streaming platform allowed their content to be used to train Amazon's artificial intelligence (AI) models. Amazon owns Twitch and a setting allowing the US tech giant to take data generated by creators and audiences to train AI is turned on by default. Users can now opt out of that, Twitch said on Wednesday, but the announcement sparked a backlash with some users questioning why it was allowed in the first place. Twitch's chief product officer Mike Minton, said it's respecting users by letting them opt out but on why data was collected by default, he admitted: If it's opt-in, nobody would opt-in. Users who remain opted in could have any of their channel content used for training, Minton said during a livestream, adding that the data collected will not be re-sold to other companies.
Taiwan says it was hit by 'abnormal' AI-assisted cyber-attack
Taiwan did not say who was behind the AI cyber-attacks, but it has in recent years complained about China's pressure on the democratically governed island through acts of'hybrid warfare'. Taiwan did not say who was behind the AI cyber-attacks, but it has in recent years complained about China's pressure on the democratically governed island through acts of'hybrid warfare'. Taiwan says it was hit by'abnormal' AI-assisted cyber-attack Taiwan's statement comes a day after reports that suspected China-linked hackers had carried out a first-of-a-kind breach Taiwan says it detected AI-assisted cyber-attacks on government agencies that came from overseas last month, a new kind of threat that has been reported as "first-of-a-kind breach". The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MDA) said its cybersecurity monitoring units detected the "abnormal attack" targeting government agencies, which began on 20 July. The National Institute of Cyber Security issued a series of warning alerts while it investigated.