AirPods could soon double as your personal translator

Today’s topics

• Intel Stock Climbs to Dot-Com Peaks Amid Government Backing

• TSA Trades Pat-Downs for Facial Recognition

• AirPods Could Become Your Personal Translator

• Tesla Stretches the Model Y Into a Six-Seater

• NASA Confirms 29th Moon of Uranus, Discovered by JWST

• Shrek 5 Hits Another Delay

  and more…

Intel Stock Climbs to Dot-Com Peaks Amid Government Backing

Intel just pulled off a $24B rebound this month, jumping 28% on whispers of a U.S. equity stake and a $2B SoftBank lift. That hype pushed its valuation to 53x forward earnings — levels not seen since the dot-com bubble. Trump flipped from calling for Intel’s CEO to quit to praising his “amazing story,” while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick floated swapping federal chip grants for non-voting equity. Analysts warn the stock looks “incredibly expensive,” aka finance code for “buckle up.”

Volkswagen Puts Horsepower Behind a Paywall

Volkswagen just turned speed into a subscription. Its ID.3 EV now comes with a $22.50/month (or $878 lifetime) “power upgrade” that unlocks 20 hidden horsepower — horsepower that’s already in the car, just locked away until you pay up. VW has already tested this with heated seats, navigation, and voice assistants, but this latest move shows how cars are shifting toward the Netflix model. The future of driving? Fully loaded vehicles you don’t actually own — unless you’re ready to subscribe to your own acceleration.

Target’s CEO Shuffle Fails to Impress Wall Street

Target named longtime exec Michael Fiddelke as its next CEO, but investors weren’t impressed — shares plunged 10% on the news, with critics pointing out he’s been part of the team behind years of weak sales, inventory flops, crime headlines, and a messy DEI pullback that alienated customers. Fiddelke, a 20-year veteran and current COO, will officially take over in February 2026, while outgoing CEO Brian Cornell moves into the executive chairman seat — a role analysts dubbed “a reward for failure.” With Walmart and Costco sprinting ahead, Fiddelke says his focus will be sharper products, smoother shopping, and more tech. Wall Street’s response: good luck.

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TSA Trades Pat-Downs for Facial Recognition

First they let you keep your shoes on — now TSA wants you to ditch the ID shuffle, too. CLEAR just unveiled “biometric eGates,” futuristic doors that scan your face and boarding pass simultaneously, letting you breeze past the podium agent like you’re boarding a spaceship. The pilot launches this month at Atlanta, D.C.’s Reagan, and Seattle-Tacoma, with TSA staff still hovering nearby to smash the override button if the tech glitches (or just because they feel like it). Officially it’s about “speeding up the passenger experience,” but in reality it’s another step toward normalizing facial recognition under the guise of convenience. Expect more of these gates to pop up ahead of America’s big 2026 doubleheader: the World Cup and the nation’s 250th birthday bash.

AirPods Could Become Your Personal Translator

AirPods may soon double as your travel translator. iOS 26 beta files hint at a Live Translation feature that could let your earbuds whisper foreign phrases straight into your ear — essentially turning them into a sleek, overpriced pocket interpreter. A leaked image shows AirPods floating next to “hello” in multiple languages, suggesting AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 will be the first to support it. Naturally, Apple will likely tie it to Apple Intelligence (and a newer iPhone), because every feature is also an upgrade nudge. If real, the days of yelling English abroad and hoping for the best might finally be numbered.

Tesla Stretches the Model Y Into a Six-Seater

Tesla just unveiled the Model YL in China — a supersized spin on the Model Y that’s six inches longer, six seats wider, and about $47K to start (roughly $3.6K more than the standard Long Range AWD). The SUV packs a longer wheelbase, a touch more height, and even electric armrests for extra flair. Tesla claims 466 miles of range, though that’s on China’s ultra-generous CLTC cycle — about as believable as its delivery timelines. Still, with over 2,500 liters of cargo space, Elon’s new ride promises roominess galore. Deliveries are set for September… unless Tesla does what Tesla does best: delay.

NASA Confirms 29th Moon of Uranus, Discovered by JWST

NASA, via the James Webb Space Telescope, has added a 29th moon to Uranus’s roster—an orbiting satellite roughly 6 miles across. The tiny moon, provisionally named S/2025 U1, was invisible to earlier probes like Voyager 2 and Hubble but now comes into view thanks to JWST’s exceptional sensitivity. This find underscores the telescope’s power to unveil even minute, distant celestial objects. Read more

U.S. Lays Groundwork for a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon by 2030

In a bold strategy to secure American leadership in the lunar space race, NASA—backed by interim administrator Sean Duffy—is fast-tracking plans to deploy a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030. Designed to power lunar bases through long nights and support sustained exploration, the initiative doubles as a geopolitical signal in the face of China-Russia cooperation. Contracts for construction are expected to be awarded within six months. Read more

U.S. Unveils Ultra-Sensitive Gamma-Ray Detector to Probe the Atomic Nucleus

Researchers have completed a major milestone with the Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Array (GRETA), a powerful new detector built by the U.S. Department of Energy and national labs. GRETA promises to be 10 to 100 times more sensitive than previous systems, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the inner workings of atomic nuclei—a leap forward for nuclear physics with broad implications, from medical imaging to nuclear energy. Read more

U.S. Economists Sound the Alarm Over Environmental Rollbacks

Top economists—including Catherine Kling, Stephen Polasky, and Kathleen Segerson—are rallying their peers to resist Trump administration efforts to roll back environmental regulations. In a published statement, they warn that stripping away protections—from the Paris Agreement to limits on "forever chemicals"—threatens both economic efficiency and public health. With over 1,000 EPA scientists expected to lose their positions under the recent policy changes, the economists argue the U.S. must defend environmental science through public advocacy, collaboration with NGOs, and continued research. Read more

Global Plastic Treaty Talks Collapse; U.S. Among Opponents of Production Caps

Efforts to negotiate the first legally binding global agreement on plastic pollution ended in failure in Geneva. The impasse stemmed from disagreements over whether to cap plastic production or focus efforts solely on recycling and chemical safety. The U.S., alongside nations like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, opposed production limits, favoring improved waste management instead. The breakdown in talks has raised alarm about the future of plastic regulation and ecosystem safeguards. Read more

Little League World Series — Connecticut Advances to U.S. Championship

The Little League World Series is heating up in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Connecticut has advanced to the U.S. championship round on Thursday, while South Carolina held on in a nail-biter earlier in the week. Read more

Shrek 5 Hits Another Delay

Shrek 5 just got punted down the release calendar yet again. Once slated for summer 2026, then bumped to December, the ogre’s big-screen comeback is now delayed until June 2027. DreamWorks didn’t offer an official reason, but insiders say the studio isn’t eager to pit its swamp star against heavyweights like Avengers: Doomsday, Dune: Part III, or yet another Ice Age sequel. Translation: 2001 nostalgia still can’t outmuscle Marvel at the box office.

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