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Meta's New Feel-Good AI Ad Uses a Song About the World Ending
The clip features the David Bowie track "Five Years," which includes lyrics such as "Earth was really dying (dying)." On Thursday morning, Meta published an ad to its official Instagram account with the message that artificial intelligence will not "make us less connected" or "leave us behind." It was set to the 1972 David Bowie track "Five Years," which is about, among other things, the end of the world. "Call us optimists, call us dreamers, call us whatever the hell you want--but we're betting on people, and we like those odds," the narrator says, as a toddler plays with a butterfly, two parents laugh with their infant, and Jalen Brunson waves at the Knicks Championship Parade. The snippet of "Five Years" used in the ad includes the following lyrics: I never thought I'd need so many people When reached for comment, Meta spokesperson Francis Brennan said he "would like to highlight what David Bowie himself said about'Five Years' and its meaning: having optimism for the future." Brennan sent along a 1972 quote about the song that he sourced to BowieBible.com .
Steep rise in civilian casualties in Russia-Ukraine war, UN says
Is the war entering a new phase? Civilian casualties in the war between Russia and Ukraine are increasing sharply, mainly because of long-range ballistic missiles and drones "affecting densely populated urban areas that are far away from the front line", the United Nations says. Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday that the unit documented 1,396 civilians killed and 7,978 wounded in Ukraine in the first six months of 2026. Pointing to credible Russian open-source reporting, Bell said 250 civilians had been killed and 1,596 injured in attacks inside Russia during the first six months of this year. "This represents a 121 percent increase in civilian casualties in the Russian Federation compared with last year," she said.
Angel Reese's latest WNBA controversy shows how victimhood became central to her brand
Atlanta Hawks dump former No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher after disappointing two-year stint Angel Reese thanks WNBA for suspending Sandy Brondello, frames'protected species' comment as discrimination Rory McIlroy should be the last golfer to criticize others for'performative' behavior Brexton Busch wins first race since father Kyle Busch's death in emotional return to Victory Lane Caitlin Clark'cheering hard' for Argentina over Spain in World Cup final: 'I want Messi' Ella Langley turns 63-year-old former NFL head coach into'Ella Fella' I am once again begging the folks in USC's athletic department to study some Greek literature Jaxson Dart's swimsuit model girlfriend gets patriotic, golfer Hailey Ostrom takes on Lake Powell & Bigfoot Caitlin Clark's former teammate calls out WNBA for suspending Tempo head coach over'protected species' remark Faith leaders divided on AI's role in worship Rod Blagojevich: Democratic Party infected with'virus of socialism' We've already been living in a'data center world': mikeroweWORKS Foundation CEO GOP lawmaker explains how litigation is the'problem' in energy projects Iranian regime has ruled the country'brutally' for 47 years: Defense of Democracies CEO Mark Levin: Trump is the ONLY president to recognize this... Iranian regime has proven they will not abide by'any agreement': Former Israeli ambassador OutKick Sports Angel Reese's latest WNBA controversy shows how victimhood became central to her brand From the Sandy Brondello'protected species' controversy to accusations against Caitlin Clark fans, Reese's formula is consistent. Dan Dakich responds to Annie Costable's claim that WNBA players receive more vitriol than male athletes in other sports. For some unknown reason, claiming victimhood is very popular in modern society. Many people seem to think being a victim earns them social capital, so they look for every opportunity to capitalize. A perfect example is WNBA star Angel Reese . WNBA star Angel Reese loves to play the victim card. Perhaps no prominent professional athlete embodies the desire to be seen as a victim as much as Reese, who has spent years painting herself as someone unfairly treated by fans, coaches, referees, reporters and society at large. Of course, that runs counter to the fact that Reese gained immense popularity, fame and money from the same society she regularly claims hates her. The latest example came this weekend, when Toronto Tempo coach Sandy Brondello was caught on a microphone referring to Reese as a protected species. It was immediately obvious what Brondello meant. She thought the referees were giving Reese preferential treatment.
Shirtless man arrested after police say he climbed, vandalized a Waymo in East Hollywood
Things to Do in L.A. Tap to enable a layout that focuses on the article. One of the self-driving cars was vandalized Sunday at Sunset and Edgemont. See more from the L.A. Times in Google Search. A shirtless man recorded standing atop a Waymo and yanking pieces off the self-driving car was arrested Sunday by Los Angeles police. LAPD officers were called to the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Edgemont Street at 1:34 p.m. after receiving a call of someone disturbing the peace.
Ford rehires human engineers after AI fails to match quality checks
Ford says it has hired back some human engineers after AI failed to match their skills and experience. In a bid to reap the benefits of the tech, which developers claim can cut costs and boost productivity, the US carmaker adopted it across some parts of its operations including for quality checks. But, according to Bloomberg, external, its executives said the firm has rehired more than 300 veteran quality inspectors in recent years to make up for the pitfalls of automated systems. Artificial intelligence is a fantastic tool, but it's only as good as the information you use to train it, Charles Poon, vice president of vehicle hardware engineering, told reporters. Over prior years, we didn't pay as much attention as we should have to the experience of our most knowledgeable engineers that have been with us through many product cycles, he said.
The Pentagon Is Looking Into the Dialog Data Exposure for Unmasking National Security Officials
Exposed records from the private group included the personal information of a senior White House intelligence official and an active-duty special operations officer. A data exposure at Dialog, the private events group cofounded by Peter Thiel, exposed personal information of multiple US national security personnel. These include an intelligence official on the National Security Council (NSC) and an active-duty intelligence officer supporting sensitive military operations, WIRED has learned. The Pentagon is now examining the matter. Personal information about intelligence and military personnel is among the data most sought by foreign intelligence services, which use it to identify, surveil, and approach US operatives abroad and at home.
Some Electricians Think Building Data Centers Is for Sellouts
Big Tech is throwing big money into data center buildouts. As national opposition to the facilities grows, some workers are beginning to question whether it's worth it. As Big Tech dumps billions of dollars into America's data center buildout, a slew of opportunities have opened up to the electricians wiring these massive facilities. In some cases, the scale of the projects and the demanding construction timelines are fueling talent wars for the industry's best and brightest. The US-based International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) has argued that its workers are "powering the AI Revolution," and a set of "Data Center Principles" published in March argues that union labor is "essential to the future of AI." Tech companies are trying to meet the moment: Meta recently announced a skilled trade academy program, and Google committed $50 million to help train people in skilled trades.
Canadian lynx one of big cat sightings in Welsh countryside
A panther, a leopard and a Canadian lynx are among the reported sightings of big cats in Wales, according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Fifteen big cats were reported to authorities in Wales between January 2020 and July 2025, the FOI to the Welsh government found. The apparent spottings were made in areas ranging from Pembrokeshire to Ceredigion, Powys, Swansea, Denbighshire and Carmarthenshire. One reporter described seeing what they believed was a panther jumping over a hedge onto the road in front of them while they were driving. A leopard sighting was reported to Dyfed-Powys Police in Cwmtwrch, Swansea, on 16 January 2023, when the reporter saw a leopard with spots walking around the garden when their dog was let out.