Multiple news sources indicate a "golden age" for affordable watches (under $350), where brands are combining reliable mechanics with luxury-inspired designs. This trend offers consumers a diverse selection of high-quality, stylish, and functional timepieces suitable for various occasions, including dress watches, divers, and collaborative pieces.

Multiple news sources indicate a "golden age" for affordable watches (under $350), where brands are combining reliable mechanics with luxury-inspired designs. This trend offers consumers a diverse selection of high-quality, stylish, and functional timepieces suitable for various occasions, including dress watches, divers, and collaborative pieces.

Multiple news sources report on concerns surrounding the potential shift in the number of political appointees within science agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the Trump administration, questioning whether traditionally non-political roles will now be filled by political appointees, potentially impacting the independence of scientific research oversight. This raises concerns about the future of the established practice of scientists and experts leading research funding and direction with minimal political interference, particularly given recent changes to hiring practices at NIH.

Multiple news sources report on concerns surrounding the potential shift in the number of political appointees within science agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the Trump administration, questioning whether traditionally non-political roles will now be filled by political appointees, potentially impacting the independence of scientific research oversight. This raises concerns about the future of the established practice of scientists and experts leading research funding and direction with minimal political interference, particularly given recent changes to hiring practices at NIH.

Multiple news sources report that Indonesia has conditionally lifted its ban on xAI's Grok chatbot, following Malaysia and the Philippines, after X (an xAI subsidiary) outlined steps to prevent the creation of nonconsensual, sexualized imagery that led to the bans; this decision comes after Grok was used to generate millions of such images, prompting investigations and criticism, including a cease-and-desist letter from the California Attorney General. While xAI has taken some restrictive measures and CEO Elon Musk has stated consequences for illegal content, the Indonesian ban could be reinstated if violations continue.

Multiple news sources report that Indonesia has conditionally lifted its ban on xAI's Grok chatbot, following Malaysia and the Philippines, after X (an xAI subsidiary) outlined steps to prevent the creation of nonconsensual, sexualized imagery that led to the bans; this decision comes after Grok was used to generate millions of such images, prompting investigations and criticism, including a cease-and-desist letter from the California Attorney General. While xAI has taken some restrictive measures and CEO Elon Musk has stated consequences for illegal content, the Indonesian ban could be reinstated if violations continue.

AI-powered physical notetakers are emerging as versatile alternatives to digital meeting platforms, offering recording, transcription, and summarization capabilities for both in-person and remote scenarios. Devices like Plaud Note Pro and Mobvoi TicNote utilize advanced microphones and AI algorithms to capture audio, generate summaries, extract action items, and even provide live translation, potentially disrupting traditional meeting dynamics and workflows. These devices offer varying features, pricing, and subscription models, impacting accessibility and adoption across different professional settings.

AI-powered physical notetakers are emerging as versatile alternatives to digital meeting platforms, offering recording, transcription, and summarization capabilities for both in-person and remote scenarios. Devices like Plaud Note Pro and Mobvoi TicNote utilize advanced microphones and AI algorithms to capture audio, generate summaries, extract action items, and even provide live translation, potentially disrupting traditional meeting dynamics and workflows. These devices offer varying features, pricing, and subscription models, impacting accessibility and adoption across different professional settings.

Punxsutawney Phil, the famous weather-predicting groundhog, will announce his forecast for the remainder of winter, continuing a tradition rooted in ancient agricultural practices. While largely symbolic, the event highlights humanity's ongoing attempts to predict seasonal changes, a task increasingly aided by sophisticated AI-driven weather models that analyze vast datasets to provide more accurate forecasts.

Punxsutawney Phil, the famous weather-predicting groundhog, will announce his forecast for the remainder of winter, continuing a tradition rooted in ancient agricultural practices. While largely symbolic, the event highlights humanity's ongoing attempts to predict seasonal changes, a task increasingly aided by sophisticated AI-driven weather models that analyze vast datasets to provide more accurate forecasts.

Multiple news sources report that John Lithgow defended his role in the upcoming "Harry Potter" HBO series amidst ongoing controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling's views on transgender issues, which Lithgow finds "ironic" given the series' themes of acceptance. Lithgow emphasized the production's focus on inclusivity and distanced Rowling from the show's development, while other sources mention Rowling's continued criticism of transgender ideology and backlash from various groups.

Multiple news sources report that John Lithgow defended his role in the upcoming "Harry Potter" HBO series amidst ongoing controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling's views on transgender issues, which Lithgow finds "ironic" given the series' themes of acceptance. Lithgow emphasized the production's focus on inclusivity and distanced Rowling from the show's development, while other sources mention Rowling's continued criticism of transgender ideology and backlash from various groups.

Multiple news sources report that a partial government shutdown began after funding for several federal agencies lapsed, despite the Senate passing a bipartisan funding package that includes extending funding for the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks to allow further immigration enforcement talks. The House Rules Committee will consider the Senate-passed package on Monday, but its passage is uncertain due to potential opposition from conservatives, although there is little desire in Washington for a prolonged shutdown.

Multiple news sources report that a partial government shutdown began after funding for several federal agencies lapsed, despite the Senate passing a bipartisan funding package that includes extending funding for the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks to allow further immigration enforcement talks. The House Rules Committee will consider the Senate-passed package on Monday, but its passage is uncertain due to potential opposition from conservatives, although there is little desire in Washington for a prolonged shutdown.

Multiple news sources report that John Lithgow defended his role in the upcoming "Harry Potter" HBO series amidst ongoing controversy surrounding author J.K. Rowling's views on transgender issues, which Lithgow finds "ironic" given the series' themes of acceptance. Despite backlash and Rowling's outspoken criticism of transgender ideology, Lithgow emphasized the production's focus on inclusivity and his desire to work with the show's creators.

Multiple news sources report that John Lithgow defended his role in the upcoming "Harry Potter" HBO series amidst ongoing controversy surrounding author J.K. Rowling's views on transgender issues, which Lithgow finds "ironic" given the series' themes of acceptance. Despite backlash and Rowling's outspoken criticism of transgender ideology, Lithgow emphasized the production's focus on inclusivity and his desire to work with the show's creators.

Following coordinated suicide and gun attacks in Balochistan, Pakistan, that killed 33 people, Pakistani officials report killing 145 "Indian-backed terrorists" in counterterrorism operations, claiming the militants were members of the Baloch Liberation Army and some were Afghan nationals. These operations, which authorities say resulted in the highest number of militant deaths in decades, occurred in a region where Pakistan is seeking foreign investment, including a recent US metals company agreement.

Following coordinated suicide and gun attacks in Balochistan, Pakistan, that killed 33 people, Pakistani officials report killing 145 "Indian-backed terrorists" in counterterrorism operations, claiming the militants were members of the Baloch Liberation Army and some were Afghan nationals. These operations, which authorities say resulted in the highest number of militant deaths in decades, occurred in a region where Pakistan is seeking foreign investment, including a recent US metals company agreement.

Enterprises adopting Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) for LLMs are finding that retrieval has evolved from a simple feature to a critical infrastructure component, as failures in retrieval can lead to business risks related to trust, compliance, and reliability. This shift necessitates a system-level approach to designing retrieval platforms that prioritize freshness, governance, and evaluation, mirroring the rigor applied to traditional infrastructure like compute and storage.

Enterprises adopting Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) for LLMs are finding that retrieval has evolved from a simple feature to a critical infrastructure component, as failures in retrieval can lead to business risks related to trust, compliance, and reliability. This shift necessitates a system-level approach to designing retrieval platforms that prioritize freshness, governance, and evaluation, mirroring the rigor applied to traditional infrastructure like compute and storage.

Multiple news sources report that a partial government shutdown began after funding for several federal agencies lapsed, despite the Senate passing a bipartisan funding package that requires House approval. The House Rules Committee will consider the package on Monday, but its passage is uncertain due to potential opposition from conservatives, though there is little desire for a prolonged shutdown.

Multiple news sources report that a partial government shutdown began after funding for several federal agencies lapsed, despite the Senate passing a bipartisan funding package that requires House approval. The House Rules Committee will consider the package on Monday, but its passage is uncertain due to potential opposition from conservatives, though there is little desire for a prolonged shutdown.

Multiple news sources report that Fred and Peter Done, founders of Betfred, topped the UK's list of 100 biggest taxpayers with an estimated £400.1m tax bill, while the list also included celebrities like Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua, and JK Rowling, and saw an overall increase in tax payments attributed to changes in corporation and dividend tax rates. The list highlights the significant tax contributions of high-earning individuals and businesses in the UK, with Manchester City's Erling Haaland being the youngest person on the list.

Multiple news sources report that Fred and Peter Done, founders of Betfred, topped the UK's list of 100 biggest taxpayers with an estimated £400.1m tax bill, while the list also included celebrities like Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua, and JK Rowling, and saw an overall increase in tax payments attributed to changes in corporation and dividend tax rates. The list highlights the significant tax contributions of high-earning individuals and businesses in the UK, with Manchester City's Erling Haaland being the youngest person on the list.