Strike-Back

APPLE'S NEXT CHAPTER MAY SHIFT THE FUTURE OF AI

META FACES ENERGY HURDLES FOR AI DATA CENTERS

A small business owner in Ohio scrolls through her Facebook feed, unaware that the Al shaping her ads is powered by data centers straining the nation's energy grid. Earlier this week, U.S. regulators and lawmakers sounded alarms over the rapid expansion of these facilities, driven by companies like Meta to fuel artificial intelligence and cloud computing. For American consumers, utility companies, and policymakers, this clash highlights a growing dilemma: can tech giants sustain Al's growth without destabilizing the power supply that millions rely on?

GOOGLE'S SEARCH MONOPOLY FACES SWEEPING U.S. ANTITRUST REMEDIES

Picture a world where your smartphone’s search bar isn’t locked to Google, where a single tap unveils a kaleidoscope of rival engines, each competing to deliver the fastest, most relevant answers. That possibility loomed larger earlier this week when U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta heard closing arguments in a landmark antitrust case against Google, grappling with remedies that could dismantle its iron grip on online search. For U.S. consumers, small businesses, and tech innovators, this moment heralds a potential revolution in how Americans navigate the internet, promising a future of choice and competition.

POTENTIAL DWARF PLANET DISCOVERED AT SOLAR SYSTEM'S EDGE

In a quiet observatory nestled in the Chilean desert, a telescope's lens captures a faint speck of light moving against the starry void, revealing a hidden world at the solar system's farthest reaches. Last week, astronomers announced the discovery of a potential dwarf planet, a distant object roughly 435 miles wide, orbiting the sun far beyond Neptune. Located approximately 90 times farther from the sun than Earth, this icy body offers a rare glimpse into the outer fringes of our cosmic neighborhood.

META'S NUCLEAR BET TO POWER AI RAISES STAKES FOR TECH AND ENVIRONMENT

Can a social media giant’s hunger for artificial intelligence reshape America’s energy landscape? Earlier this week, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, struck a 20-year deal with Constellation Energy to secure nuclear power for its AI-driven data centers, a move that keeps an Illinois nuclear plant running beyond its planned 2027 closure.

QUANTUM COMPUTING'S LEAP FORWARD: PATH TO 2030 AND BEYOND

A researcher in a Palo Alto lab watches a screen flicker with calculations that could unlock a new cancer drug, her quantum computer humming with possibilities that classical systems can't touch. Breakthroughs in quantum computing hinted at such futures, as scientists and startups pushed the boundaries of a technology poised to reshape industries.

CHATGPT ENHANCES CAPABILITIES WITH FILE, EMAIL, AND MEETING NOTE SEARCH

OpenAl has introduced new features allowing it to search users’ files, emails, and meeting notes, aimed at enhancing productivity for business users. The updates enable the Al to connect with internal data sources and provide real-time context for queries.

DENVER RESEARCH SHOWS ROBOT COMPANIONS ENHANCE SENIOR QUALITY OF LIFE

Denver researchers announced that artificial intelligence-powered robot companions can improve the quality of life for senior citizens by addressing loneliness and supporting daily activities. The findings, part of ongoing studies at the University of Denver, highlight the potential of these robots to provide social interaction and assistance in assisted living facilities.

HELPING KIDS FIND THEIR FUTURE: CAREER TALKS IN A NEW ERA

In a sunlit Denver backyard, a first-grader named Mia spins tales of becoming an astronaut, her small hands tracing imaginary orbits in the air. Earlier this week, experts urged parents to lean into such moments, sparking conversations about career dreams to guide children like Mia toward futures filled with possibility.

NEURALINK'S $650 MILLION FUNDRAISE FUELS AMBITIOUS BRAIN-COMPUTER VISION

In a dimly lit lab in Austin, a patient with paralysis moves a cursor across a screen using only their thoughts, a quiet triumph for Elon Musk's Neuralink.

APPLE VISION PRO BRINGS IMMERSIVE MUSIC AND FILM TO LIFE

A young musician in Chicago slips on a headset, and suddenly she's not just listening to Bono's voice—she's standing beside him at New York's Beacon Theatre, feeling the pulse of the crowd as he sings “Vertigo.” Earlier this week, Apple's Vision Pro headset made such moments possible, launching immersive experiences like Bono's “Stories of Surrender” film and Metallica’s Mexico City concert, redefining how Americans connect with music and cinema. This leap in spatial computing promises to blur the line between audience and performer, reshaping entertainment in a vibrant industry.

META TRACKS ANDROID USERS WITHOUT CONSENT

Meta has been covertly tracking Android users' web browsing activity through its Facebook and Instagram apps without their consent, according to researchers at Radboud University and IMDEA Networks. The tracking involves apps collecting data from websites visited on Android devices.

META'S AI VISION TO REDEFINE ADVERTISING BY 2026

In a bustling Manhattan ad agency, a creative director uploads a sneaker image and a $10,000 budget to Meta's platform, then leans back as artificial intelligence spins it into a vibrant Instagram campaign tailored to millions in seconds.

TRUMP PULLS JARED ISAACMAN'S NASA NOMINATION OVER PRIOR TIES

What does it take to lose a NASA nomination days before a Senate vote? For Jared Isaacman, a billionaire astronaut handpicked by President Donald Trump, the answer lies in a vague phrase: \"prior associations.\"

Temple University scholar authors books about Black male student-athletes

The recently published “Playing the Game, Self-Presentation, and Black Male College Athletes: A Critical Understanding of the Holistic Experience” outlines how Black male student-athletes often feel compelled to alter their self-presentation.

Parties come together to shut out Surinamese government

An interesting phenomenon has taken root in the Caribbean Community nation of Suriname, as six political parties of varying and even contrary political ideologies have come together to shut out the main player in a multiparty coalition that had run the country for the past five years.

A Spirited Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre returns to the Brooklyn Academy Of Music June 5-8

This summer, June 5-8, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (AAADT) returns to the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) with a program that includes a world premiere from renowned choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar in collaboration with two outstanding Ailey dancers, Samantha Figgins and Chalvar Monteiro.

Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello continues to push her dominant squad

The New York Liberty look unstoppable early in the WNBA season and now sit at a perfect 7-0 after a 100-52, the second-largest victory in league history, matching a franchise record by nailing 19 three-pointers in a win over the Connecticut Sun at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The team has won those seven games by a combined 144 points.

With Weaver down, Devin Williams gets another chance as Yankees' closer

Devin Williams is back where he began this season for the American League East-leading Yankees.

No safe haven: Venezuelan migrants caught between Maduro's brutal regime and Trump's immigration crackdown.

For Hiowanka Avila Rivas, the torture her brother experienced at the hands of Venezuelan authorities is proof of the danger that Venezuelans face if deported from the United States.

A conversation with 'The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery' author Clarence A. Haynes

Clarence A. Haynes knows books. Which is to say that he doesn't just write them, but actively cultivates them. He's established himself in middle-grade nonfiction with his 2022 authoring of “The Legacy of Jim Crow,” and has made his mark in science fiction by collaborating with actor/producer Omar Epps to co-author the teen fiction companion works “Nubia: The Awakening” and “Nubia: The Reckoning.” Meanwhile, as a freelance editor, he regularly burnishes the offerings of fellow writers.

Chinatown residents propose new location for Manhattan jail in Rikers' closure plan

Manhattan Chinatown advocates seek a middle ground on 124-25 White Street before machinery breaks literal ground.

Beyoncé blends genres on 'Cowboy Carter' tour

Music genres seemingly blend to Beyoncé’s will during the “Cowboy Carter” tour.

Primary Care: Democratic mayoral hopefuls talk civil rights at Cooper Union

Eight mayoral candidates in the upcoming democratic primary took the stage at Cooper Union for a forum on how they would protect civil rights hosted by the New York Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP New York State Conference on Monday, June 2.

Kara Young on 'Purpose,' Harlem, and Broadway history

With the Tony Awards just days away, this Sunday, June 8, at Radio City Music Hall, one Harlem daughter is poised to make theater history again.

Queens community packs District 28 City Council forum

More than 250 community members packed Liberty Palace Banquet Hall in Richmond Hill on Thursday, May 22, eager to hear from five City Council candidates in the Queens District 28 race.

To sustain long term growth, women's sports needs a thoughtful path forward

The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) had just closed its second season with the Minnesota Frost back-to-back Walter Cup Champions when talk turned to imminent expansion. After playing its first two seasons with six teams, the PWHL will expand to eight teams for 2026.

Brooklyn's Richardson Hitchins headlines boxing card at MSG

Undefeated IBF World Junior Welterweight champion and Brooklyn native Richardson Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) will face former unified champion George Kambosos Jr. (22-3-0, 10 KOs) next Saturday at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Supernatural stories coming out this summer

Now that you've seen “Sinners,” surely you're hankering for some more playtime with the otherworldly, the un/dead, and all things fantastically Black. Tf so, thi your lucky summer. Three novels by Black authors that are on sale in the coming weeks delve, in their own distinct ways, into supernatural realms that feature adventures in Black culture, family, and community.

Cowboy Carter

Performed in a denim dress, unbothered by the weather. “I love you through the rain and shine,” she proclaimed to the crowd. Daubon said the weather transformed the concert into a “magical” experience. “It was my first time seeing her in the rain — the difference was undeniable,” she said.