Public research university with three campuses in the Greater Toronto Area
Budget and premium ice makers are transforming how households cool drinks and desserts. Lidl’s Silvercrest slushy maker is now on shelves at £24.99, while Salter markets an affordable rival to Ninja’s slushi; meanwhile Cuisinart and Govee offer premium options for home use and smart control.
Anthropic has called for a coordinated global option to slow or temporarily pause frontier AI development, warning that models are accelerating their own improvement and could enable recursive self‑improvement. The proposal has prompted debate with OpenAI and US officials as both firms race to release models and prepare IPOs.
Meta has announced a new line of smart glasses with AI-assisted features, priced at $299 and developed with EssilorLuxottica. The glasses lack Ray-Ban/Oakley branding, and Meta is positioning them as fashion-forward wearables. Competitors like Snap and Google are racing to release their own AI eyewear.
Prime Day discounts have slashed prices on Apple Watch SE 3, Series 11, and Ultra 3. The SE 3 gains major upgrades, while the Series 11 and Ultra 3 offer advanced health features and outdoor durability. Deals vary by model, with continued price drops through the event.
Google has released a stand-alone Google Finance app for Android, bringing the AI-powered web facelift to mobile. The app mirrors the updated Finance web experience, including AI-generated key moments, an AI research tool, and chat-based insights tied to users’ portfolios and watchlists. An iOS version is planned for later, with more features rolling out over time.
A wave of compact, feature-rich ice makers has hit the market. Independent, New York Post, Business Insider UK and TechCrunch review Ninja Creami and rival models, highlighting speed, versatility, and price. GoveeLife pro aims for luxury nugget ice with smart features, drawing attention to space and noise considerations.
Citizen Lab has found that Stelios Kouloglou's iPhone was infected with Pegasus at least three times in 2022–23 while he served on the European Parliament's PEGA committee investigating spyware. Researchers say they have high confidence in the forensic evidence but do not attribute responsibility; the findings have prompted calls in Brussels for stronger limits on spyware.
Canada’s Mark Carney has arrived in Saudi Arabia to deepen economic ties, with a focus on mining, energy cooperation, and investment in AI and skills development. The visit follows a 2023 diplomatic reset and precedes a signing ceremony for commercial agreements worth over CAD 1 billion.
The European Commission has found that Meta breached the Digital Services Act by failing to assess the risks of Instagram and Facebook's 'addictive design'. Brussels has told Meta to disable autoplay and infinite scroll by default, add effective screen-time breaks and make recommendations less engagement-driven. Meta has disagreed and will respond before a final decision and possible fines.
Google is updating its image search with a real-time, You-for-you gallery and new AI image-generation in AI Overviews. The changes span desktop English US rollout and aim to boost engagement by letting users explore, collect, and generate visuals within Google's ecosystem.
A wave of updates across major platforms aims to curb content theft, boost creator earnings, and foster communities. TechCrunch reports on X’s Grok AI updates and the company’s move to reclaim earnings from stolen content, while independent coverage notes subtle changes to X’s feed algorithm aimed at surfacing mutuals and interests. Threads also touts new community-building tweaks in response to rival moves.
Waze has rolled out five new features, including personalized navigation, a new motorcycle mode, and a less chatty voice. The updates are rolling out globally on Android and iOS as the company leans on Gemini AI to refine routing and communications.
Smoke from hundreds of active wildfires in Canada has blanketed large parts of the US Midwest and Northeast and made air quality hazardous in cities including Detroit, Chicago and New York. Authorities have issued health alerts, opened cooling centres and distributed masks; officials expect rain to disperse some smoke but warn that pollution will linger in the Upper Midwest.
Meta has introduced a live alert system for teen conversations with its AI across platforms, directing at-risk youths to crisis resources and notifying supervising parents via Instagram tools. The update follows input from clinicians and parents, and includes manual review before any alert.
Wildfire smoke from Canadian fires has blanketed the northeastern United States, affecting air quality ahead of the Spain-Argentina final in East Rutherford. Rain and thunderstorms are forecast to improve conditions, but health warnings remain in place for players, fans and residents.
Wildfire smoke from Canadian and U.S. fires has created unhealthy air across the Midwest, Northeast and beyond. Official alerts urge residents to stay indoors as air-quality deteriorates. Climate-linked fires are intensifying, with conditions likely to persist and spread smoke further south and east.
Google has introduced a new account-recovery method using uploaded selfie videos. Users can sign in by comparing a live video to a stored reference video, with optional opt-in for using data to improve facial-recognition tech. The feature is rolling out gradually and excludes Workspace, child accounts, and Advanced Protection users.
Recent reporting shows chronic inflammation is linked to aging disorders such as cancer and Alzheimer’s. Studies indicate inflammation may be a cause, not just a symptom, of broad health risks. Policy and lifestyle factors are under scrutiny as researchers push for preventative strategies.
Apple has launched Apple Upgrade, a lease-to-own program through Klarna, allowing customers to lease iPhones, Watches, Macs, and iPads for 12–36 months with upgrade, return, or purchase options at term end. The move aligns with rising device prices and longer replacement cycles, aiming to keep customers in Apple’s ecosystem. Pricing starts at $17.99/month for iPhone and scales by device and term.
Measles cases in the U.S. have surged to 2,371 this year, the highest in years, prompting renewed calls for vaccination amid political and public health pressures. Outbreaks are intensifying in several states as officials warn that vaccination alone may not curb spread. Health Secretary Kennedy faces scrutiny over his vaccine stance while states push to bolster immunization programs.
Researchers at Stanford and the Arc Institute have used generative genome models to design and synthesise bacteriophage genomes; 16 of the lab-made viruses proved viable and a cocktail of them rapidly killed E. coli strains resistant to natural phages. Experts have warned the work has raised urgent biosafety and biosecurity questions about AI-designed genomes.