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Lead: A $700 Million Bet on the First Must‑Have AI Consumer Product Hark announced a $700 million Series A financing that pushes its post‑money valuation to $6 billion. The round, led by Parkway Venture Capital and populated by a roster of industry‑heavy investors, is earmarked for building a universal AI interface that could redefine how everyday users interact with digital services. Hark Secures Massive Funding to Build a Universal AI Interface The AI lab, founded in late 2025 by Brett Adcock—the entrepreneur behind Figure.AI and Archer—has kept details of its product under wraps. According to the announcement, Hark plans to release its first multimodal models this summer, which will power a personal AI platform capable of integrating with existing products and services. Subsequent hardware devices will be engineered specifically for these models. Lead investor: Parkway Venture Capital Participating investors: Align Ventures, AMD Ventures, ARK Invest, Brookfield, Greycroft, Intel Capital, Prime Movers Lab, Qualcomm Ventures, Salesforce Ventures, Tamarack Global Valuation and Investor Landscape Signal Massive Confidence The $700 million raise places Hark at a $6 billion valuation, a striking figure for a company that currently employs about 70 people and runs a data center equipped with Nvidia B200 GPUs. The investor mix—spanning venture capital, semiconductor giants, and corporate venture arms—underscores a broad belief that a dedicated AI interface, paired with custom hardware, could capture a sizable consumer market that current players have yet to dominate. Potential Shift in Consumer AI Assistants and Hardware Integration Industry observers note that while firms like Anthropic and OpenAI focus on coding tools and broader AI services, Hark’s singular emphasis on an “agentic” AI system and native hardware could create a new product category. Former Apple executive Abidur Chowdhury, now Hark’s director of design, highlighted the lack of consumer‑centric AI experiences that truly simplify daily life. If Hark succeeds, it may pressure incumbents to accelerate hardware‑first strategies and prioritize privacy‑preserving contextual awareness. What Hark’s Funding Could Mean for the Next Generation of AI Products With the fresh capital, Hark will invest heavily in talent acquisition for hardware engineering, product design, and AI research, as well as secure compute resources and component supply chains. The company’s roadmap suggests a rapid rollout: multimodal models this summer followed by dedicated AI devices later in the year. Should the demos that impressed investors translate into market‑ready products, Hark could set a benchmark for “universal” AI assistants, prompting a wave of competition focused on seamless integration rather than isolated functionalities.

The Lead Elon Musk's SpaceX has revealed plans for a highly anticipated $1.75tn (£1.3tn) flotation next month as he seeks investor backing for his quest to make life “multiplanetary”. SpaceX's Financial Performance SpaceX is a sprawling business, encompassing the eponymous rocket launch company, the Starlink satellite broadband service, Musk’s xAI artificial intelligence startup and the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The entire business lost $4.9bn in 2025 on revenues of $18.7bn. Revenue is growing, however, rising by a third on 2024. The Data Analysis SpaceX's losses have widened since the start of the year, losing $4.3bn in the first quarter, compared with a loss of $528m in the same period last year. The company is split into three segments: space, which incorporates the rocket launch business whose clients include Nasa; connectivity, which houses Starlink; and AI, the unit behind xAI and the X platform. Connectivity makes the most revenue, at $11.4bn Space with $4.1bn AI at $3.2bn The Impact Analysis Musk will have 85% control of the business under the IPO plans, making it extremely difficult to unseat him from the company. Musk's control will be derived from majority ownership of a type of stock known as class B, which carries much more heft than the class A stock that everyone else will own. The Prediction Musk, who is already worth about $676bn, stands to make a vast sum from SpaceX although the exact amount is unclear. He has been granted 1bn class B shares that vest – meaning, Musk gets full ownership of them – if SpaceX manages to achieve the “establishment of a permanent human colony on Mars with at least one million inhabitants”.

At its 2026 I/O developer conference, Google introduced a suite of AI‑driven agents – Information agents, Spark, Android Halo and Daily Brief – designed to automate everyday information tasks. While the technology showcases deep integration across Gmail, Docs and Chrome, the initial rollout is restricted to paid Gemini Ultra subscribers, raising questions about mass‑market adoption. New AI Agent Products: Information Agents, Spark, Halo, and Daily Brief Information agents: A modern take on Google Alerts that runs continuously, surfacing market trends, price changes or weather alerts. Google Spark: A personal assistant that taps into Gmail, Google Docs and Workspace to summarize newsletters, track home inventory, restock items and coordinate group trips. Android Halo: The branding for Spark‑derived notifications on Android devices, slated for a later‑year release. Daily Brief: An AI‑generated digest that pulls data from a user’s inbox, calendar and tasks, currently rolling out to Ultra, Pro and Plus subscribers in the U.S. Pricing Model and Early Access: Gemini Ultra’s $100‑per‑month Plan Gemini Ultra subscription: $100 per month, targeting heavy‑use “AI‑pilled” customers. Information agents become available to Pro and Ultra users in the U.S. this summer. Spark will reach Ultra subscribers “soon,” with broader availability hinted for the future. Halo is promised for Android users “later this year,” while Daily Brief is already live for qualifying subscribers. Potential Consumer Friction and Market Implications The announcement generated confusion due to the proliferation of brand names—Information agents, Spark, Halo, Daily Brief—and the fact that most features remain behind a paywall. Average users, who still associate Google’s AI efforts with chat‑based search enhancements, may find the ecosystem overly complex and inaccessible. This strategy risks widening the gap between “AI‑subscribed” power users and the broader free‑tool audience, potentially ceding ground to messaging‑first AI startups such as Poke, Poppy, RPLY and Wingman that already offer free, text‑based agent interactions. Outlook: Path to Wider Availability and Competitive Landscape Google has signaled that the agentic features will eventually reach free users “when the time is right,” but no concrete timeline was provided. If the company can demonstrate clear, everyday problem‑solving use cases—such as reducing screen time or automating routine chores—consumer uptake could improve. Meanwhile, competitors are positioning themselves as more approachable alternatives, emphasizing seamless messaging integration. The success of Google’s AI agents will hinge on moving beyond developer‑centric demos to tangible benefits for the average consumer.

The Growing Concern of Forced Disappearances Ecuador has been grappling with a disturbing trend of forced disappearances, which has left many families in a state of anguish and uncertainty. The issue has gained significant attention from human rights organizations and local authorities, who are working to uncover the truth behind these incidents. The Extent of the Problem While exact numbers are difficult to come by, reports indicate that numerous individuals have gone missing in recent times. The disappearances have been reported across various regions of Ecuador, sparking fears of a larger, more complex issue at play. Investigations and Concerns Authorities in Ecuador have launched investigations into the disappearances, but the lack of concrete information has fueled concerns about the extent of the problem and the potential involvement of organized crime or other malicious actors. The Human Impact The forced disappearances have had a profound impact on the families of the missing individuals, who are often left with little information about the fate of their loved ones. Human rights groups have emphasized the need for urgent action to address the issue and ensure that those responsible are held accountable. Seeking Answers and Justice As the situation continues to unfold, there is a growing demand for transparency and justice. The Ecuadorian government, along with international organizations, must work together to uncover the truth behind these forced disappearances and take concrete steps to prevent future incidents.

Thunder Even Series Behind MVP's Strong PerformanceShai Gilgeous-Alexander bounced back from a subpar series opener to score 30 points, Alex Caruso added 17 off the bench and the host Oklahoma City Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 122-113 on Wednesday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. The victory evens the series at 1-1 as it shifts to San Antonio for Game 3 on Friday.Thunder's Adjusted Defense Contains WembanyamaThe Thunder playbook in Game 2 was about making life as difficult as possible for Victor Wembanyama, hoping to prevent outbursts like the 41-point, 24-rebound gem he put together in San Antonio's 122-115 win in Game 1. Coach Mark Daigneault adjusted his defensive strategy after the first game, implementing a more varied approach to contain the Spurs' star."Every good player, they have to feel the defense," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It's tough. He's very different to scout. You've got to try to mix things up, you've got try different things. And that's just what we did. Coach tried something in the first game, didn't like it, tried something else. That's what it's about."Bench Depth and Turnovers Prove DecisiveThe Thunder finished with a 57-25 edge in bench scoring, plus a 27-10 advantage in points off turnovers. Chet Holmgren scored 13 points and reserves Jared McCain and Cason Wallace each had 12 for Oklahoma City, demonstrating the team's depth beyond their star players."I thought we all played better," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "I had a quiet confidence about that. I didn't know if we'd win or lose the game, but I was pretty sure after watching Game 1 and knowing our team that we were going to come out and play better tonight."Injuries Mount as Series Shifts to San AntonioThe win was not without cost for the Thunder, who lost guard Jalen Williams in the first half with a recurrence of a hamstring issue. He had already missed six games in these playoffs with a left hamstring strain, putting his availability for Friday into doubt.The Spurs also got banged up. Already without All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox because of ankle soreness, San Antonio lost his replacement in the starting lineup, Dylan Harper, to a right leg injury after he took a couple of awkward falls in the third quarter."Obviously this team is as good as anybody at turning you over, so when you're down some of your primary creators and initiators it causes a little bit of an extra strain, whether that's who to play, what to play, what to run, etc, etc," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "We'll just have to be sharper in that area because it's tough fully loaded against these guys."Series Outlook Shifts After Thunder's ResponseWith the series now tied and heading to San Antonio, both teams face questions about health and adjustments. The Thunder showed their ability to respond after a poor Game 1 performance, while the Spurs must determine how to compensate for their growing list of injuries."The guys brought it tonight," said Gilgeous-Alexander, who was recently named the league MVP for the second straight season. "Knowing what it would have meant if we lost this one, we brought the energy from the jump." The series now becomes a best-of-three with Game 3 set for Friday in San Antonio.

The Deportation Process Israel has begun deporting the hundreds of activists abducted by Israeli forces who stormed a Gaza aid flotilla earlier this week, according to the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, Adalah. The rights group told Al Jazeera on Thursday that most of the roughly 430 abducted activists were being transported to Ramon Airport in southern Israel, from where they would be deported. The rest will be deported from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Global Condemnation The abductions have been widely condemned, with the foreign ministers of 10 countries, including Spain, Brazil and India, slamming Israeli forces’ actions as “blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian law”. Israel’s treatment of the activists has since been condemned by more countries, including several key allies, after far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video on X on Wednesday of him taunting activists who were kneeling on the floor with their hands tied behind their backs. International Repercussions In response, several countries, including France, Canada, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, summoned the Israeli ambassadors to their capitals to express their outrage. Meanwhile, European Council President Antonio Costa said he was “appalled” by Ben-Gvir’s behaviour, calling it “completely unacceptable”. “It really goes to show how much Israeli authorities wanted to make a show out of [this] and how it’s very much an extension of the Israeli treatment towards Palestinians, which obviously gets a lot less of a public outcry,” Miriam Azem, the international advocacy coordinator at Adalah, told Al Jazeera. The Future Outlook Earlier, Turkiye announced it was sending chartered flights to Israel to repatriate some of its citizens and those of third countries, including Spanish nationals. Jordan has confirmed that two of its nationals have returned home via the southern crossing with Israel. Reporting from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim said the ongoing deportations were the fastest Israel has ever carried out, as it scrambles to contain the public relations damage caused by Ben-Gvir’s video. Ibrahim added that many Palestinians believe the incident has gained more international attention because those mistreated were from foreign countries.

The LeadLast week came the news that Gen Z are big fans of going to the cinema. Now here's a Gen Z romcom from Working Title, the company behind Bridget Jones's Diary and Notting Hill. Directed by Alicia MacDonald from a script by Rachel Hirons, Finding Emily shares DNA with Richard Curtis's comedies – the same warm heart and charm, plus levels of cheesiness that some may find cringe. In the end, I found it impossible to hate, though one or two performances felt a bit lacking in comic flair.The Campus Romance UnfoldsIt's set in Manchester, where indie singer-songwriter Owen (Spike Fearn) meets undergraduate Emily (Sadie Soverall) at the student union. They click, but when Emily taps her number into his phone, she misses out a digit. Is it a drunken error, or has she wrong-numbered him? Owen is convinced it's a mistake and sticks up posters around campus to find her. After a tipoff, he waits outside a lecture hall for psychology student Emily (Angourie Rice). She's American, and not his Emily, but she offers to help, suggesting Owen emails every Emily enrolled at the university – all 318 of them. Owen accidentally sends the email to all rather than BCCing, creating an email group of Emilies who are divided in their reactions. Is he some kind of creepy virgin "incel"? Or a diehard romantic? Owen becomes a meme: "email guy".Social Media SatireSome of the funniest scenes are the reactions on social media after Owen appears on a college YouTube channel with a guitar playing a song he wrote for Emily. "It's like Ed Sheeran on Crimewatch," someone writes. Another coins the hashtag #ratboysummer. This is a very gentle, light-touch send-up of campus culture wars and social media pile-ons. In fact, psychology student Emily has an ulterior motive for helping Owen: she wants to use him as a case study for her thesis that being in love is temporary insanity. "He is just data," she says, protesting too much.Supporting Characters and PerformancesBut, like in Curtis's films, the supporting characters are the most fun. Prasanna Puwanarajah is very funny as Emily's professor, a celebrity psychologist with a rampant ego. Distractingly, Owen is the spitting image of the young Liam Gallagher and at certain angles, Rice's Emily is a dead ringer for Taylor Swift. In a couple of scenes of them together, the effect is plain weird.Release TimelineFinding Emily is out on 21 May in Australia, on 22 May in the UK and on 28 August in the US. The film's release strategy appears to be targeting international markets sequentially, with the UK release following closely after Australia but before the US market.

The Gaza Sisters' Innovative Solution In a remarkable display of ingenuity and determination, two sisters from Gaza have been awarded the Earth Prize for their groundbreaking work in transforming war rubble into sustainable bricks. This initiative not only highlights the sisters' creativity but also underscores the critical need for innovative solutions in regions devastated by conflict. The Problem and The Solution Gaza has long been plagued by the challenges of war, leaving behind a landscape of destruction and a significant amount of rubble. The sisters, leveraging their backgrounds in environmental science and engineering, devised a method to recycle this rubble into bricks that can be used for rebuilding. This process not only helps in cleaning up the environment but also provides a sustainable material for construction. The Impact of Their Work Environmental Impact: Their work significantly contributes to reducing the environmental footprint of rebuilding efforts by recycling materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. Community Impact: By providing a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials, the sisters are helping to pave the way for more eco-friendly construction practices in Gaza. The Earth Prize The Earth Prize is an annual award that recognizes and supports young innovators who have developed solutions to environmental challenges. The sisters' win is a testament to the global recognition of their efforts and the potential of their solution to inspire change. Looking Forward As the sisters continue their work, they are likely to inspire a new wave of environmental innovation in Gaza and beyond. Their achievement demonstrates that even in the most challenging circumstances, creativity, resilience, and a commitment to sustainability can lead to remarkable outcomes.

The Lead: International Outrage Over Ben-Gvir's Video Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has posted a video of himself taunting foreign activists abducted from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla at a makeshift holding pen in Israel's city of Ashdod. The activists, abducted by Israeli forces in international waters, are seen cable-tied and kneeling while Israel's national anthem blares in the video, which was released on Wednesday. Several countries, including Italy and France, have summoned Israeli ambassadors to explain the stunt. As well as a global backlash, the video has even been met with sharp rebukes from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and staunch ally, United States ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. Who is Ben-Gvir: The Far-Right Minister at the Center of Controversy The 50-year-old lawyer and politician has led the far-right Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit) party in Israel since 2019. He was sworn into the cabinet after the 2022 elections and was later appointed as national security minister and given control of Israel's Border Police division in the occupied West Bank. A settler in Kiryat Arba, one of the most radical settlements on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank – all of which are illegal under international law – Ben-Gvir has convictions for incitement to racism, destroying property, possessing a "terror" organisation's propaganda material and supporting a "terror" organisation – Meir Kahane's outlawed Kach group, whose founder advocated for expelling non-Jews from Israel and which Ben-Gvir joined when he was 16. He frequently carries out anti-Palestinian acts, including regularly storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem's Old City, Islam's third holiest site, alongside Israeli settlers and under the protection of Israeli forces. The Flotilla Activists: International Aid Efforts to Gaza This refers primarily to the Gaza aid flotillas – groups of boats carrying activists from different countries which have set out across the Mediterranean in an attempt to deliver aid and raise awareness at various times since October 2023, when Israel launched its brutal assault on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians. The modern flotilla movement emerged in 2006 during Israel's war on Lebanon and expanded after Israel imposed its blockade on Gaza in 2007. Since then, hundreds of vessels organised by international solidarity groups have attempted to reach the territory, carrying humanitarian aid and activists. In 2008, two boats from the Free Gaza Movement became the first to successfully reach Gaza by sea despite the blockade. But since 2010, Israeli forces have intercepted nearly every flotilla in international waters. On Tuesday, at least 430 activists from more than 46 countries were abducted during Israeli interceptions of the latest flotilla. The Video: Ben-Gvir's Taunting of Detained Activists In the video released on Wednesday, a woman approaches the minister and says in English, "Free Palestine!" before masked security officers put their hands on her head as they snap it down and push her away. "Good job," Ben-Gvir says to the officers, before stating, "Welcome to Israel. We are the landowners here; that is how it should be." Activists are then seen on their knees with their heads on the ground and arms tied behind their backs in "stress positions" as the figures of armed Israeli security officers look down on them from atop shipping containers. Ben-Gvir, waving an Israeli flag and heavily protected by security personnel, can be seen weaving in between the activists, appearing to relish the moment as he taunts them. International Response: Global Condemnation of Israel's Actions Several countries, including Italy, France, the Netherlands and Canada, have summoned Israeli ambassadors to their capitals to express their "indignation" over Israel's treatment of the abducted Gaza flotilla activists and to demand the release of their citizens. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also denounced Ben-Gvir's actions as "unacceptable", calling for the release of French citizens "as soon as possible". Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand called the incident "deeply troubling". United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the video showed "totally disgraceful scenes". "The images of Israeli Minister Ben Gvir are unacceptable. It is unacceptable that these protesters, including many Italian citizens, are subjected to this treatment that violates their human dignity," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement on X. Previous Treatment of Activists: A Pattern of Controversy In May 2010, when Israeli commandos stormed the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, 10 activists were killed and dozens were wounded. Allegations of mistreatment by activists who have been brought to Israel after naval interceptions have been common, and organisers say they fear sanctions and accusations of Hamas links are being used to justify further crackdowns. The concerns come amid previous allegations by activists of abuse, including sexual abuse, during past interceptions by Israeli officials. Organisers have also accused Israeli naval forces of firing "rubber bullets" at activists during the latest interception, which occurred in international waters. Many activists who have previously been detained have been eager to point out that the focus should be on Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails who are subjected to torture and do not have the option to be deported. In 2025, high-profile activist Greta Thunberg, who was on board a previous flotilla, told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that activists had been beaten, kicked and threatened with being gassed in cages. Palestinian Prisoners: The Broader Context of Detention Nearly 10,000 Palestinians are currently being held in Israeli prisons in Israel and in the occupied territory, according to the prisoners' rights group Addameer. Some 3,532 of them are administrative detainees – people held without charge or trial – while 342 are children. Israel is the only country in the world that tries children in military courts, often denying them their basic rights. Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons suffer near-constant dehumanising treatment by guards and soldiers. Under a new law passed this year and spearheaded by Ben-Gvir, military courts are now able to impose the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis in acts of "terror". This law will not impose the same penalty on Jewish Israelis convicted of killing Palestinians, which reinforces the legal inequalities that grant privileges to Jewish citizens while targeting Palestinians.