It's an interim measure while the European Commission investigates the ban. The European Union has ordered Meta to open WhatsApp to AI chatbots from rival companies again, for free, as it investigates the messaging app's owner over potential antitrust violations. Meta introduced a new policy in October 2025 that banned third-party AI chatbots from the WhatsApp for Business API, making Meta AI the only chatbot that can access the service. Before the ban, companies could send notifications through WhatsApp, such as order alerts, using other AI assistants. EU officials opened an antitrust investigation into the new policy in December and then warned the company earlier this year that it can take interim measures against it. In its announcement, the commission explained that Meta has held a dominant position in the European messaging app market since at least 2023.

Ukrainian forces have carried out a missile attack deep inside Russia, hitting a major military plant overnight, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. He said FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles struck the drone and missile plant in the city of Cheboksary, in the Chuvash Republic, more than 900km (560 miles) from the front line. Local officials said three people were injured in a missile attack on the city. Ukraine also said it had hit the Moscow-occupied port of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, a Russian oil refinery in Samara and a shadow fleet oil tanker in the Black Sea. In recent months, Ukraine's military has intensified its drone strikes on key facilities across Russia.

Sen. Tom Cotton urges the Justice Department to investigate a China-linked influence campaign he says is aimed at undermining America's AI infrastructure.

To meet this moment, we need YOU. For five decades, has been exposing the corruption that the powerful would rather keep buried. That fight for the truth is at a pivotal point, and it takes readers like you to make it possible. To meet this moment, we need YOU. That fight for the truth is at a pivotal point, and it takes readers like you to make it possible. Amid public outcry over water-guzzling server farms, a Guardian analysis indicates trouble ahead.

They expect you to die! Interactive takes on MI6's globetrotting spy have been around almost as long as the films, but that doesn't mean all of them were a success. 'The enormity of the idea helped me': how Patrick Gibson became gaming's new James Bond Bond finally arrived in an official video game capacity in 1984, courtesy of Parker Brothers. The game grouped several 007 adventures (Diamonds Are Forever, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker and For Your Eyes Only) together. Yet despite including elements from each movie, it was essentially the same game throughout: an unsatisfying and tricky mashup of the arcade games Moon Patrol and Scramble, with the player controlling Bond's amphibious Lotus from The Spy Who Loved Me. Obscure pub trivia fact: due to the dispute between Bond producers Eon and screenwriter Kevin McClory, the Diamonds Are Forever segment replaced Blofeld with a villain named Seraffino.

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PCWorld reveals that robot vacuums require regular maintenance and human intervention despite being marketed as fully autonomous cleaning devices. While these devices excel at surface dust and daily cleaning tasks, they struggle with deep-seated pet hair, larger debris, and need consistent emptying and care. Advanced models with LiDAR mapping and scheduling features offer better navigation than cheaper alternatives, but even premium options cannot replace traditional vacuums for thorough cleaning. Years ago, I owned a robot vacuum named Gerald. After a catastrophic tumble down the stairs, I retired him early and have stuck with traditional vacuuming ever since. But after spending more time with them lately and chatting with the experts that make them, I realized I've been holding onto a lot of misconceptions, especially about how "smart" these things actually are in real homes with clutter and pets. I used to think suction power was everything.

Two former staffers have created a new, perplexing company. And DOGE alumni make splashy announcements about entering complex industries with scant qualifications while promising to "root out waste." This, at least, is the premise of Special, a newly announced start-up co-founded by Justin Fox and Nate Cavanaugh, two former Department of Government Efficiency staffers who left the federal government "motivated to extend the ethos of our work at DOGE back into the private sector," as they wrote on Special's website. The company officially launched last week with funding from the Elon Musk-friendly contingent of Silicon Valley, including the venture groups Andreessen Horowitz and Human Capital. Special is also backed by investments from numerous Musk associates, including Steve Davis, Musk's top lieutenant at DOGE.

A Waymo nearly hit me, but I'm still optimistic about driverless cars A near miss with a Waymo while cycling through London hasn't changed my optimistic stance on driverless cars, but we can't ever let our guard down, says Matthew Sparkes Waymo driverless cars are in London, but is this a positive move for road safety? Waymo's driverless cars have been rolling through London for months, although they aren't taking passengers yet and a human sits ready to seize control if needed. Every time I've encountered them, they have seemed cautious and predictable. But recently, I had a near miss. I was circling a roundabout as I cycled home from work and a Waymo was about to pull onto it in front of me.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Touchpad isn't centered and click action feels cheap The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x isn't the most exciting laptop, but it's a well-rounded machine powered by a Snapdragon X2 Plus chip with good CPU performance for the price. Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim 5 lineup has never been the sort to get your pulse racing. Instead, they're practical machines sold at a reasonable price, and as such they succeed or fail based on the overall value-per-dollar they provide. The IdeaPad Slim 5x does well on that account, providing good CPU performance and battery life for under $1,000. The headliner here is no doubt the Snapdragon X2 Plus chip.