Breaking AI & Tech News Analyzed

Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company of the Truth Social platform, has formally withdrawn its defamation claim against The Guardian and two additional defendants. The suit had challenged a March 2023 Guardian report alleging that federal prosecutors were investigating $8 million in payments received by TMTG from entities with connections to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The dismissal was filed in the 12th Judicial Circuit Court in Sarasota County, Florida, on Friday. By withdrawing without prejudice, TMTG retains the option to re‑file the case at a future date. The Guardian’s original article said New York prosecutors opened a criminal inquiry into money wired to TMTG via the Caribbean by two parties that appeared to be partially controlled by an associate of a Putin ally. At the time, TMTG was preparing for a merger with Digital World Acquisition Corp (DWAC) that would have created a company valued at roughly $1.3 billion. Feeling vulnerable to accusations of receiving funds from a potentially hostile source, TMTG sued for libel, asserting that the Guardian’s statements were false and defamatory. In November, Judge Hunter W. Carroll dismissed the case against Guardian News and Media Ltd., Penske Media Corporation (owner of Variety), and former TMTG founder‑turned‑whistleblower Will Wilkerson, citing a failure to prove actual malice. Carroll, appointed by former Florida Governor Rick Scott, allowed TMTG to file an amended complaint, which the company did in January. A hearing was scheduled for the following Tuesday, but TMTG’s sudden withdrawal halted the proceedings. No reason was provided for the abrupt change. The Guardian has been contacted for comment. In April 2024, a lawyer for Trump sent The Guardian a letter calling its reporting “false” and a “hoax,” insisting that litigation would continue until the outlet retracted the story. Despite the legal tussle, there is no evidence that TMTG or its executives knowingly concealed the origin of the loans. No criminal charges have been brought against the company. Guardian News and Media responded, welcoming the voluntary dismissal and emphasizing that its reporting was based on meticulous fact‑checking, credible sources, and thorough documentation, while characterizing TMTG’s claims as meritless. The dismissal marks a rare retreat for Trump’s legal team, which has pursued an increasingly aggressive strategy against media outlets during his second presidential term, securing several high‑profile settlements with broadcasters such as ABC and CBS. Trump is currently pursuing a $15 billion defamation suit against The New York Times and a $10 billion claim against the BBC, alleging editorial manipulation of his speeches. Both cases have been described by the defendants as groundless and potentially chilling to press freedom. The Guardian’s investigation focused on two emergency loans TMTG received in December 2021 and February 2022, when the company faced a financial crisis after its merger with DWAC was delayed by SEC and FINRA investigations. Wire‑transfer records traced a $2 million payment through Paxum Bank, a Dominica‑registered institution, and a subsequent $6 million payment involving the ES Family Trust, whose trustee also served as a Paxum director. Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York examined Paxum Bank’s ownership, identifying a link to Anton Postolnikov, a relative of Aleksandr Smirnov, an associate of Putin.

On a recent weekday evening, a special bus tour whisked art lovers through over twelve galleries and museums that stayed open until midnight, offering a late‑night glimpse of the Abidjan Art Week programme.The after‑hours event, dubbed the Night of the Galleries, was first trialled in January 2024 alongside the Africa Cup of Nations – a tournament that Côte d’Ivoire both hosted and won – and has become a staple of the festival’s third edition, which ran from Tuesday to Sunday.Since its inception, the week has broadened its footprint, moving beyond the city centre to include venues such as the La Rotonde des Arts contemporary‑arts hub in the Plateau district and the Adama Toungara Museum of Contemporary Cultures (MuCAT) in the working‑class neighbourhood of Abobo.Local collectors are emerging in force. MuCAT has hosted the Africa Foto Fair each year since 2022, and the Marché des Arts du Spectacle d’Abidjan – the city’s answer to the Dakar Biennale – is set to launch its 14th edition later this month.A graffiti festival launched two years ago has transformed the perception of street art, with vibrant murals now adorning the façade of the La Pyramide building and several upscale hotels in Plateau.Organisers stress that the festival’s growth should be independent of external validation. This year’s roster featured artists from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mali, and the number of participating galleries more than doubled compared with previous editions.Founder Yacouba Konaté, who also directs La Rotonde des Arts, highlighted the festival’s commitment to accessibility, arguing that art should not be seen as an elite pastime.The opening tribute honoured Simone Guirandou‑N’Diaye, a pioneering Ivorian art historian whose legacy lives on through Galerie LouiSimone Guirandou, now run with her daughter Gazelle.Among the week’s highlights, MuCAT presented Murmures d’Archives, a quieter, archival‑focused exhibition that concluded with an artists’ workshop and a DJ set.In the upscale Cocody district, New York‑based artist Ouattara Watts staged a solo show at Galerie Cécile Fakhoury, drawing the Ivorian diaspora into dialogue with the local scene. Watts explained that his work aims to transcend borders, describing it as “a vision that goes beyond any map – it is the cosmos that I paint.”

Senator Bernie Sanders used a Manhattan rally on Sunday to issue a stark warning: “the worst is yet to come” for the U.S. economy unless workers confront a ruling class of billionaires. Sharing the stage with New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, the two leaders announced the launch of Union Now, a nationwide drive to boost union density and provide resources for organizing and strikes. Sanders singled out high‑profile billionaires – Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), and President Donald Trump – as the architects of a looming crisis. He warned that Musk’s push for robotics and AI, coupled with Bezos’s recent pledge to raise $100 billion for buying and automating manufacturing firms, threatens to replace human labor on a massive scale. “Unless we fundamentally transform our economic and political systems, the worst is yet to come,” Sanders declared, emphasizing that increasing union membership is the most effective tool to tackle income inequality. Mamdani echoed the sentiment, noting that artificial intelligence is “coming for human jobs” and that worker protections are eroding. He pledged his administration’s support for Union Now, describing the effort as essential for safeguarding workers’ rights. Data presented at the rally underscored the scale of wealth concentration: in 2025, 938 U.S. billionaires saw their net worth rise by $1.5 trillion, while Musk alone possesses more wealth than the bottom 53 % of Americans. Sanders painted the billionaire class as “extremely greedy” and likened their self‑perception to 19th‑century monarchs who believe they have a divine right to rule. He warned that their unchecked influence could leave future generations without a safety net. Highlighting a recent political victory, Sanders cited Mamdani’s mayoral win as proof that ordinary people can defeat billionaire‑backed opposition. He warned that if the current trajectory continues, “fewer people will have more wealth and power, democracy will be undermined, and workers will be left with no recourse.” Closing his speech, Sanders urged unity: “If we stand together and fight for a government that works for all of us, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.”

This week Anthropic revealed that its latest AI system, dubbed Mythos, is so powerful that the company will not make it publicly available, arguing that the potential risks outweigh commercial incentives.U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened senior banking executives to discuss the implications of the model, underscoring growing governmental concern over advanced AI capabilities.In the United Kingdom, Reform MP Danny Kruger wrote to the government urging an immediate dialogue with Anthropic, warning that Claude Mythos could pose "catastrophic cybersecurity risks" to the nation.Critics such as AI researcher Gary Marcus questioned the hype, suggesting that Anthropic’s co‑founder Dario Amodei may possess strong technical skills but is "graduated from the same school of hype and exaggeration" as OpenAI’s Sam Altman.Beyond the policy debate, Anthropic has mounted a striking media offensive. The startup secured a 10,000‑word profile in the New Yorker, two feature pieces in the Wall Street Journal, and a Time magazine cover that placed founder Amodei alongside the Pentagon and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.Co‑founder Jack Clark and Amodei appeared on separate New York Times podcasts, fielding questions about machine consciousness and the model’s potential to "rip through the economy." Their "resident philosopher" even discussed with the WSJ whether Claude, Anthropic’s commercial product used for cryptocurrency trading and missile‑target designation, possesses a "sense of self."Anthropic’s public‑relations lead, Danielle Ghiglieri, celebrated the coverage on LinkedIn, describing the Time cover as a "mad dash" that finally let the company tell its own story.However, the company’s PR triumphs have not been without missteps. In early April, Anthropic inadvertently released part of Claude’s internal source code, though it assured that no customer data or credentials were exposed.Experts remain skeptical about the unverified claims surrounding Mythos. Dr. Heidy Khlaaf of the AI Now Institute warned that the vague marketing language could be an attempt to attract investment without substantive scrutiny.Cybersecurity specialist Jameison O’Reilly acknowledged the model’s novelty but downplayed Anthropic’s assertion of discovering "thousands of zero‑day vulnerabilities," noting that in a decade of offensive operations, zero‑days were rarely needed to achieve objectives.Anthropic also faces operational constraints. The firm has imposed usage caps on its popular Claude model and now requires customers to purchase additional compute capacity for third‑party tools, suggesting that infrastructure limitations may be a practical reason for withholding Mythos.As the race to dominate the emerging AI market intensifies, Anthropic’s strategy appears to blend genuine safety concerns with a calculated publicity push, positioning Mythos as a strategic signal that the company remains "open for business" while keeping the technology under tight control.

Texas is expanding its global reach with the launch of a new office in London, aimed at attracting UK businesses and investment to the low-tax Lone Star State. The office, led by James Taylor, one of the founders of the Austin-based lobbying and public relations firm Vianovo, is part of Texas's efforts to lure corporate heavyweights across its borders.The new site adds to a growing list of international offices from which Texas can try to draw businesses. Texas charges neither corporation nor income tax, making it an attractive destination for companies looking to relocate or expand.Lobbyists working in the London office will court UK bosses with incentives including new, fast-track business courts and multimillion-dollar subsidies. Their targets are expected to include the City's banks and investment houses, as the state aims to build on Dallas's financial-sector boom.The ambitions have caught the attention of the City of London Corporation, with the City's mayor, Susan Langley, discussing how London could tap into excitement over the launch later this year of the state's first dedicated stock market, the TXSE. “With the launch of the Texas Stock Exchange, new dual-listing opportunities could connect British and Texan firms to fresh capital,” she said.The news comes as London tries to reverse a trend where businesses have been abandoning the UK stock market, choosing either to go private or shift their listings to hubs overseas, including New York.Texas has already had success luring jobs and investment from rival US states, including California, Delaware, and New York. Texas has overtaken California in having the largest number of Fortune 500 company headquarters of any American state, with companies like Oracle, Tesla, X Corp, and SpaceX having moved to the state in recent years.A spokesperson for Governor Greg Abbott's office said: “Texas has long had a global presence, with offices in Mexico and most recently in Taiwan designed to attract foreign direct investment and job creation into Texas, while also helping Texas companies export worldwide.”

A violent incident unfolded at New York City's iconic Grand Central station on Saturday, when a man armed with a machete allegedly attacked and wounded three elderly individuals.Police responded swiftly to the situation, and one officer opened fire, striking the attacker. The man was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.The victims, identified as an 84-year-old man, a 70-year-old woman, and a 65-year-old man, were hospitalized in stable condition. The NYPD reported that the incident occurred at 9:40am Eastern Time (13:40 GMT).Grand Central station, a major transit hub in Midtown Manhattan, is renowned for its Beaux-Arts architecture and is one of the most visited tourist attractions globally, with an average of 750,000 travelers and visitors daily.

Jimmy's Corner, a beloved dive bar in New York's Times Square, has been a staple of the community for over 55 years. However, the bar is now facing closure due to an eviction notice from its landlord, the Durst Organization.The bar's history dates back to 1971 when it was opened by Jimmy Glenn, a former boxer. Over the years, Jimmy's Corner has become a safe haven for locals and a symbol of the city's gritty past. The bar's walls are adorned with ageing photos of boxers and its restrooms are decorated with stickers representing long broken-up bands and long-shuttered bars.Regulars, including David Gladman, a 73-year-old former executive chef, have expressed their attachment to the bar. Gladman, who has been drinking at Jimmy's Corner since 1988, said, “It holds a lot of memories for me. For everyone.”The eviction notice has prompted a rally from the community, with local politicians and patrons coming together to protest the closure. Adam Glenn, Jimmy's son, who took over the bar in 2015, has filed a lawsuit against Durst and is fighting to keep the bar open.The Durst Organization has offered Adam money to vacate the premises, but he has refused. In a statement, the company said it had done nothing wrong and that the building was ideal for a new housing development.Local politicians, including Julia Salazar, a New York state senator, have joined the fight to save Jimmy's Corner, citing the importance of small businesses to the community. Salazar said, “Small businesses are the beating heart of the city. They represent culture. They also employ more than half of the workers in New York state, and it really has a profound ripple effect when a small business is forced to close due to unsustainable costs.”

The New York Times Company has launched an investigation into the coverage of New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel by NFL reporter Dianna Russini. This move comes after photos of Russini and Vrabel together at an Arizona resort were published, raising concerns about their relationship and potential bias in reporting.Russini, who works for The Athletic, owned by The New York Times, has been temporarily sidelined while the review is ongoing. The images, published by the New York Post’s Page Six, show Russini and Vrabel together at a luxury hotel in Sedona, including by a pool, in a hot tub, and on a rooftop deck. Some photos appear to show the pair embracing and holding hands.Both Russini and Vrabel, who are married to other people, have claimed that the interaction was platonic and taken out of context. Russini stated that the photos did not reflect that they were part of a larger group gathering, while Vrabel called any suggestion of impropriety “laughable”.The Athletic initially defended Russini, with executive editor Steven Ginsberg saying the images lacked context and depicted public interactions among multiple people. However, the outlet has since expanded its review after additional reporting raised questions about Russini’s coverage of Vrabel and the nature of their relationship.Editors are now seeking to verify claims that others were present at the gathering. Notably, no stories under Russini’s by-line have been published since the photos surfaced earlier this week. The review is ongoing and expected to take time. Russini is among the highest-paid reporters at The Times Company, and her contract is set to expire later this year.

NASA's Artemis II mission is nearing its final stage, with the Orion spacecraft set for a high-speed return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The mission is a critical test for systems that the space agency plans to use in future crewed moon landings, including Artemis III.The splashdown, scheduled for April 11 at about 00:07 GMT (8:07pm ET on April 10), will mark the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972 that NASA and the Department of Defense are recovering a crewed spacecraft returning from the moon. The Orion spacecraft, named Integrity by the crew, will re-enter the atmosphere and splash down off the San Diego coast.NASA has set strict 'go' conditions for splashdown, including wave heights below six feet (1.8 meters), winds under 28.7mph (46 km/h), and no rain or lightning within a 30-nautical-mile radius. Clear visibility is also essential for tracking Orion and safely recovering the astronauts.The Orion spacecraft will come hurtling back to Earth, hitting the atmosphere at about 34,965 feet (10,657 meters) per second, roughly 23,800mph (38,300km/h), fast enough to travel from New York to Tokyo in less than 20 minutes. The spacecraft's heat shield, a critical component, will protect it from temperatures of up to 2,700 degrees Celsius (4,900 degrees Fahrenheit).The mission has raised concerns about the heat shield's performance, with some experts questioning its safety. However, NASA officials say they are confident in the shield's ability to protect the crew and have adjusted the re-entry path to limit stress on the shield.The splashdown and recovery will be broadcast live on NASA+, the NASA app, and YouTube channel. A detailed timeline for the final stages of the mission has been outlined, including the crew wakeup, cabin configuration, trajectory correction, module separation, atmospheric entry, communication blackout, and splashdown.