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As consumers, businesses, and governments flock to the promise of cheap, fast, and seemingly magical AI tools, one question keeps getting in the way: How do I keep my data private? Tech giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, Google, and others are quietly scooping up and retaining user data to improve their models or monitor for safety and security, even in some enterprise contexts where companies assume their information is off limits. For highly regulated industries or companies building on the frontier, that gray area could be a dealbreaker. Fears about where data goes, who can see it, and how it…

CNN  —  A group of musicians from the United Kingdom and Ireland say they have formed a syndicate to advocate for artists speaking out against Israel’s war in Gaza and the role of foreign governments in funding it. “Because of our expressions of conscience, we’ve been subject to various intimidations from within our industry” and “legally via organised bodies such as UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI),” read a social media post by the band Massive Attack, a version of which has been shared by Kneecap and Fontaines D.C., as well as musician and producer Brian Eno. The musicians said they…

French AI lab Mistral introduced a range of new features to its Le Chat chatbot on Thursday that bring it closer to the capabilities of rivals like OpenAI and Google. The new update includes a new “deep research” mode, native multilingual reasoning, and advanced image editing.  The news comes a couple days after Mistral released Voxtral, its first open source AI audio model that’s capable of reasoning in multiple languages, transcription, and more. Voxtral is also available via Le Chat. Mistral says its new deep research mode, like those offered by rivals, turns Le Chat into a coordinated research assistant…

The beauty industry has seen an explosion of offerings recently. Customers can now access treatments far beyond basic hair and nail care, from wrinkle-smoothing Botox and fillers to permanent laser hair removal to weight management through GLP-1 medications. Riding this wave of industry growth is Boulevard, a provider of scheduling and payment software for the self-care sector. The 9-year-old Boulevard just raised $80 million in Series D funding, valuing the business at nearly $800 million, a meaningful uptick from the $595 million valuation it garnered three years ago. The round was led by growth equity firm JMI Equity and included…

CNN  —  Mexico City officials have announced a 14-point plan to address the capital’s housing and gentrification problems, which sparked large and sometimes violent protests earlier this month. Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada said officials will propose a law to regulate rental prices, strike a balance between the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants, prevent people from being displaced and regulate short-term rental properties. Many residents say they’ve been priced out of their neighborhoods, in part because of overtourism, short-term home rentals and an influx of people and businesses with higher purchasing power. Brugada said on Wednesday that an…

Hackers are targeting a previously reported bug in the Signal clone app TeleMessage in an effort to steal users’ private data, according to security researchers and a U.S. government agency. TeleMessage, which earlier this year was revealed to be used by high-ranking officials in the Trump administration, already experienced at least one data breach in May. The company markets modified versions of Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram for corporations and government agencies that need to archive chats for legal and compliance reasons.  On Thursday, GreyNoise, a cybersecurity firm with visibility into what hackers are doing on the internet thanks to its…

CNN  —  A prominent human rights group critical of El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has suspended operations in the country, citing the government’s harassment, repression and persecution of human rights defenders. Cristosal Executive Director Noah Bullock said the group would continue to operate from Guatemala and Honduras, and that the Salvadoran government’s actions have made it difficult to continue their work. “We are forced to choose between prison or exile,” Bullock said at a press conference in Guatemala City on Thursday. CNN has reached out to the Salvadoran presidency for comment on Bullock’s remarks. Bukele has been carrying out an…

Rivian will resume prep work on its planned Georgia factory in August and is still looking to break ground early next year, according to emails TechCrunch obtained through a public records request.   The restarted effort comes months after the Biden administration’s Department of Energy approved a $6.6 billion loan meant to fund construction. Rivian has invested more than $80 million in the project as of June 20, 2025, up from $41 million in July 2024, according to a progress report submitted to the local joint development authority included in the emails. The project has created 46 full-time jobs so far.…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration insists it hasn’t wavered in its duty to protect the civil rights of America’s children even as it dismantles the Education Department. Yet its own data shows the agency has resolved far fewer civil rights cases than in past years despite families filing more complaints.The Education Department’s civil rights branch lost nearly half its staff amid mass layoffs in March, raising questions about its ability to address a deep backlog of complaints from students alleging discrimination based on disability, sex or race. Pressed on the issue in June, Education Secretary Linda McMahon denied a…

Seoul, South Korea CNN  —  In a quiet corner of Seoul’s Hyuga Cafe, a warm, honey-toned space nestled inside what once served as the dormitory for K-pop megaband BTS, two young men sip iced americanos, sketching out their own dreams of superstardom. A table away, tourists murmur over lattes, unaware that they’re seated beside what a new record label hopes will be the next big thing in K-pop. Seok and Hyuk, members of the newly debuted group 1VERSE (spoken as “universe”), are modest in demeanor, almost reluctant to speak of themselves as anything more than trainees with a shot at…