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Bloomberg: The US FERC approves new orders to fast-track data center power requests, aiming to handle them in 90 days, while bringing new requirements for AI hyperscalers  —  US regulators have taken their biggest step yet to speed the connection of data centers to the country's grids while simultaneously attempting …

Researchers say these coral strongholds may help repopulate more degraded reefs.

Marilen Martin / Bloomberg: Siemens expects Xcelerator revenue to more than double in 2026, aiming to make the platform an industrial app store integrating software and hardware offerings  —  Siemens AG expects revenue from its online store to more than double this year, though the maker of industrial software and trains …

An F-16 flies alongside a KC-46 Pegasus tanker as the aircraft refuels an F-22 Raptor over the Mojave Desert. Courtesy photo A new investigation shows how a tanker lost its refueling boom last year. The Air Force blamed pilot and boom operator errors in the nearly $10 million mishap. Boom problems have been tied to past mishaps. A routine aerial refueling mission last year turned into a nearly $10 million mishap after a tanker lost its entire refueling boom while attempting to refuel an F-22 Raptor. On July 8, 2025, a KC-46A Pegasus tanker and an F-22A Raptor were conducting refueling operations roughly 100 miles off the coast of Virginia when the tanker boom became stuck in the fighter's refueling receptacle, according to a new Air Force accident investigation released last week. A refueling boom is essentially a flying gas pump. It's a rigid, maneuverable tube that extends from a tanker and plugs into a receptacle on another aircraft to transfer fuel in flight. Unlike day-to-day fuel transfers on the ground from a gas station pump to a vehicle, these complex transfers take place in the air at hundreds of miles per hour and require the tanker pilots, boom operator, and the pilot of the receiving aircraft to keep both the boom and each aircraft in position and alignment. That didn't quite happen here. The boom nozzle got stuck and wouldn't come loose, triggering an emergency breakaway. About 5 seconds after the F-22 disconnected, the boom came free and whipped up into the tanker's tail, damaging the aircraft's tail cone and auxiliary power unit exhaust duct. The crew described the impact as a "loud noise, violent action" that made the KC-46 "bow wave several times" before the boom began swinging and ultimately broke away, plummeting into the sea below. No one was hurt, but the mishap caused $9,978,567 in damage to the refueling tanker. Investigators found that the boom operator's control inputs caused the boom nozzle to bind inside the F-22's refueling receptacle. They also found that the F-22 pilot failed to take into account the KC-46's "stiff boom characteristics," which caused an "excessive closure rate" as the fighter jet moved in too quickly. The investigation said that the fighter jet struggled to maintain its position behind the tanker, forcing multiple corrections from the boom operator. After the aircraft finally established contact, the fighter inched too far forward as the operator continued adjusting the boom's control system. Those adjustments left the boom out of trim, meaning aerodynamic forces had built up in the boom, similar to tension in a bent spring. That force caused the nozzle to become stuck inside the F-22's refueling receptacle, and the boom operator was unable to unhitch it from the jet, setting the mishap in motion. The fighter jet pilot and tanker boom operator bore the brunt of the blame in the Air Force investigation, though the KC-46's stiff boom has been tied to previous refueling problems. At least three mishaps between 2022 and 2024 were found to have been caused by stiff booms, according to reporting from Air & Space Forces Magazine. In this incident, the F-22 got away safely. The KC-46 landed safely. The boom did not. Read the original article on Business Insider

The Miami-based AI startup Subquadratic came out of stealth mode last month with a huge claim. It announced that it had solved a mathematical bottleneck that had been holding back large language models for almost a decade. The details were thin, and many people were unconvinced. But Subquadratic has started to bring the receipts, sharing…

Research published this week by the CORNERSTONE Photonics Innovation Centre reveals that challenges with prototyping and access to scale-up infrastructure risk stalling the growth of the silicon photo...

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama at the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center on June 18, 2026. Scott Olson/Getty Images Oprah, Tom Hanks, and Steven Spielberg attended the opening of the Obama Presidential Center. Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Bono, and Jennifer Hudson performed. The $850 million campus on Chicago's South Side commemorates Obama's presidency. The grand opening of former President Barack Obama's presidential center in Chicago was a who's who of American influence. The guest list at the Obama Presidential Center included former presidents, world leaders, and some of the biggest names in entertainment. The 20-acre campus on Chicago's South Side, which cost $850 million in total and includes a public library, playground, and sports facilities, commemorates Obama's presidency from 2009 to 2017. Among those in attendance on Thursday were former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder, and Tom Hanks. Here's a look at some of the notable guests who attended. Several music legends were in attendance, with Bruce Springsteen among those who performed. Bruce Springsteen performs during the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Kamil Krzaczynski / AFP via Getty Images Obama and Springsteen have been friends for years. After Obama left the White House, the pair cohosted the podcast "Renegades: Born in the USA" and later collaborated on a book. Christina Aguilera sang at the opening. Christina Aguilera performs during the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center. Win McNamee/Getty Images The singer gave a rendition of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World." Jennifer Hudson performed the national anthem. Jennifer Hudson performs during the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center, Win McNamee/Getty Images Hudson grew up in Chicago, making the opening a homecoming for the EGOT-winning singer, actor, and talk show host. Bono and U2's The Edge were part of the line-up. Bono (L) and The Edge of U2 perform during the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center. Win McNamee/Getty Images Bono and U2 performed for Obama at his inauguration celebration in 2009. And Stevie Wonder joined an all-star performance. Stevie Wonder performs during the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center. Win McNamee/Getty Images Wonder also performed at Obama's inaugural celebration in 2009 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from him in 2014. At Thursday's opening ceremony, he joined Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Common, and The Roots for a group performance. Three late-night television legends were there. Stephen Colbert (L) and David Letterman look on during the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center Win McNamee/Getty Images David Letterman, Stephen Colbert, and Conan O'Brien all attended the opening ceremony. NBA legend Dwayne Wade was spotted at the opening. Dwyane Wade arrives at the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Kamil Krzaczynski / AFP via Getty Images Wade, a three-time NBA champion and Hall of Famer, was at the opening with his wife, actor Gabrielle Union. Four former presidents gathered for a photo. Former President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, former President George W. Bush, and former President Bill Clinton. Pablo Martinez Monsivais-Pool/Getty Images The opening brought together four former presidents: Obama, Joe Biden, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. The creator of Star Wars, George Lucas, was among the Hollywood heavyweights in Chicago. George Lucas attends the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center Win McNamee/Getty Images Lucas is a major donor to the Obama Foundation, which oversaw construction of the presidential center. Steven Spielberg was there, too. Steven Spielberg speaks with Rep. Nancy Pelosi during the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center. Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images Spielberg, one of Hollywood's most influential filmmakers, is a longtime friend of Obama. He was also named one of the honorees of the Obama Presidential Center. Tyler Perry joined the Hollywood billionaires in attendance. Tyler Perry attends the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center. Scott Olson/Getty Images Perry built a fortune through his Madea franchise and Tyler Perry Studios, helping him amass an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion, according to Forbes. In the past, he has hosted fundraisers for Obama. Tom Hanks brought some Hollywood star power to the opening. Tom Hanks attends the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center. Win McNamee/Getty Images Obama awarded Hanks the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. One of Obama's earliest supporters was also there: Oprah Winfrey. Oprah Winfrey arrives at the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center. Kamil Krzaczynski / AFP via Getty Images Winfrey, an honoree of the Obama Presidential Center, endorsed Obama before he had even declared his candidacy for president. She has remained one of his longest-standing and most influential supporters. At the center of it all was the Obama family. Former President Barack Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama, and their children, Malia Obama and Sasha Obama, during the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center. Win McNamee/Getty Images The former president was joined by his wife, Michelle, and daughters, Malia and Sasha, to celebrate the opening of the project, which has been in the works since he left the White House. Read the original article on Business Insider

Ana-Maria Stanciuc / The Next Web: Turkey approves Uber's $335M deal to buy Getir's delivery business, tied to a $500M investment pledge in Turkey; Uber is also paying $100M for a 15% Getir stake  —  The regulator's approval, tied to a $500m investment pledge, lets Uber fold Getir into its Turkish operation.

Business Insider spoke to six former Google interns who secured full-time offers. Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images Six former Google interns shared tips on securing their internships and converting to full-time employees. They emphasized preparing early and aiming for underclassman-targeted internships. Some also suggested being communicative on the job and networking with other Google employees. With internship application season in full swing, you might be wondering how to make the most of your summer gig — and turn it into a full-time offer. Landing an internship at a Big Tech company is highly competitive, but having one on your résumé can help you get in early. Google offers general online guidance for navigating the hiring process, like being specific about projects you've worked on or managed, and keeping your résumé one page. Business Insider spoke to six former Google interns who turned their summer gigs into full-time job offers at the tech giant. They shared their process of landing internships and advice for landing a permanent offer: Nancy Qi Nancy Qi graduated this past winter and has plans to return to Google full-time in June. Nancy Qi Nancy Qi returned to Google full-time last June after spending three summers there as an intern, the first two with STEP, its more junior engineering internship, and the last with Google's Software Engineering internship, which is a more competitive program geared toward technical development. Her primary advice: Start early. Qi said she started taking data structure classes in high school at a community college and was practicing with LeetCode the summer before she started college, well before she had interviews lined up. When Qi started sending out applications in the fall of her freshman year, she said her résumé mainly had website initiatives and leadership experience for volunteering clubs from high school. She said she also had some part-time tutoring experience teaching math and English, "I think at that age, you're not expected to have so much CS experience or coding experience," Qi said. "So I think if you have some leadership experience or experience that shows your character, I think that's important at that time." During her internship, Qi said she thinks her strong suit was building relationships with her teammates by getting lunch with them every day. She said doing helped to create "team chemistry," and she also said it helped her feel excited for work and "motivated to pump out code." Islina (Yunhong) Shan Islina (Yunhong) Shan interned at Google three times and is set to start full-time in the summer. Islina (Yunhong) Shan Islina (Yunhong) Shan interned at Google three times, beginning in the summer of 2022. She graduated from an accelerated computer science Master's program at Duke University and started a full-time role as a software engineer at the tech giant this spring. Shan first participated in STEP and later in the Software Engineering Internship. When she applied for her first internship, Shan said she had some hackathon experiences and some technical projects from school. After she sent her résumé, she was invited to two rounds of final interviews, both of which were technical and back-to-back, she said. Her advice to interns hoping to secure full time jobs: Choose a team during the match process that you're actually interested in. "Interest is really important in driving you to finish the project," Shan said. She also said it's important to choose a team with a manager you can see yourself working with because you'll have to communicate with them regularly. When she first started her internship, she said she set unrealistic goals. Once she adjusted expectations, she started seeing more progress. Shan suggested seeking help if needed, adding that Google engineers tend to be friendly. Lydia Lam Lydia Lam is a full-time software engineer at Google. Lydia Lam Lydia Lam graduated from college in 2024 and participated in three Google internships, beginning with a STEP internship in 2021. In her internship résumé, Lam included a seven-week Google program for high-school graduates called the Computer Science Summer Institute. She also had experience with a summer program for girls who code and a tech consulting student organization that she joined during her first semester of college. Lam also recommended applying early in the recruiting cycle and said programs geared toward first and second-year students tend to be more aligned with that experience level. Lam said "strong engineering practices" are highly valued at the company and mentioned feeling imposter syndrome and wanting to impress her internship host. However, she said asking questions sooner rather than later can help projects get done more quickly. "It's much more efficient to ask someone else who knows a lot more than you try to figure it out longer," Lam said. She also suggested "producing a lot of artifacts," whether designs or other "tangible pieces of work," that can help show your skill set and contributions. Tawfiq Mohammad Tawfiq Mohammad interned for two summers at Google before becoming a full-time software engineer at the tech giant. He said the summer after his first year in college, he didn't have any internships, so he took summer classes and did his own projects at home, like a gadget that read the license plate on his car and opened the garage without him having to press a button. Mohammad's biggest advice for incoming interns is to be prepared for imposter syndrome. Mohammad said the "biggest block" for him at first was being scared to do anything, and he suggested tuning out those negative feelings as much as possible. "You're going to feel very out of place initially," Mohammad told Business Insider. "I honestly felt like I had no idea what I was doing." He said interns should set a goal to "learn as much as possible" from the more experienced employees and try to believe that they, too, felt like they didn't fully "know what they were doing" at one point. "They're really smart so you want to absorb as much information as you can from them," Mohammad said. He also suggested thinking "outside the box." "You're going to be given a project that summer and try to own that project. Try to own it from A to Z," Mohammad said. He also recommended networking with other interns and team members, adding that Google provides a number of opportunities to do so. "It's good to build up a good network of successful people and it's just good to network with people that are farther along the career path than you," Mohammad said. Zachary Weiss Zachary Weiss interned at Google for three summers before landing a full-time job as a software engineer in the Cloud department. He said he wasn't thinking about summer internships when he started as a freshman at the University of Michigan, but an older computer science major encouraged him to apply to Google's STEP program. Google interns are given a summer project, and Weiss said that being proactive and anticipating problems in advance is key to excelling in the role. He said a former internship manager complimented him for identifying an issue with a "one in a thousand" chance of occurring. He said interns should think about all the "weird edge cases" and speak up instead of waiting for a manager to say something. "You're given work that would have been going to a full-time employee," Weiss said, adding that employees value your opinion and voice. Weiss said communication was another key skill that he didn't expect to be as important. He said that in school, students tend to focus on learning the principles, algorithms, and data structures involved in programming. In a workplace, though, verbal skills matter, too, Weiss said. "My day-to-day, I speak a lot more English. I read a lot more English. I read and write and talk and communicate a lot more than I am actually coding," Weiss said. "And I think communication is something that's really important." He said that at the University of Michigan, there were three courses about technical communications, like writing design memos, emails, and presentations. He said many students didn't take the class seriously, and it ended up teaching a crucial skill. Victoria Rozanska Victoria Rozanska was a Google intern who transitioned into a full-time employee. Victoria Rozanska Before Victoria Rozanska took on multiple roles across continents at Google, she interned there. She said she first applied to an internship through Google's website by following its CV guidelines. She said she remembers receiving a rejection email initially, followed by an interview months later. She said she went through three rounds of interviews and then received an internship offer. She said that while she didn't have experience at the time, she thinks having a "growth mindset" helped her succeed as an intern and eventually become a full-time employee, strategic partnerships development associate. "Mostly it was focusing on growing my network, asking questions, and having this growth mindset, which can also help to establish your position in the company," Rozanska said. She said she was able to make a name for herself by being curious about others in terms of the work they did. "Asking questions and being open-minded with this company," is key," Rozanska said. Read the original article on Business Insider

The author, who travels for a living, said she's found that it's best for parents to ignore most of the advice they've heard about vacationing with their family. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. I've taken dozens of trips with my children all over the country and the world. Most of the travel advice I've gotten for traveling with kids didn't work for my family. Following three simile guidelines has helped make trips with my own kids more enjoyable. I travel with my children multiple times a year. We regularly take road trips across the country and fly around the globe. I used to follow rules other parents swore by, only to become upset and frustrated when they didn't work for my family. Learning to let these rules go and discover what made travel easier for my children and me was a process with many mistakes along the way. Now, my family has its own set of rules. Other families may scoff at the way we travel. However, the rules my family developed over time are what allow us to travel as much as we do and have a great time, even if they are unpopular with other parents. I choose flights based on when they land rather than when they depart When I first started traveling with my kids, I carefully chose flights based on their bedtimes. Popular wisdom holds that parents should choose long flights, especially overnight flights, so kids can have a shot at getting some sleep. I used to follow this rule religiously. Although the rule sounds good on paper, the reality is that my kids, like most children, have a hard time sleeping on planes. Because of the commotion and noise from meal service, I never even tried to get my kids to sleep until after cleanup. By that time, they were usually engrossed in a movie or video game that they wanted to finish. When my kids finally fell asleep on these flights, it was usually well past their bedtime, and they arrived exhausted despite my best efforts. The author, who often travels abroad with her family, said that she plans flights based on when they land, not when they take off. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. Then, on a trip to Korea, I had the choice between a flight that left around bedtime and arrived at 3:00 a.m.,, or one that left at a less convenient time but arrived around 5:00 p.m. I realized that landing at 5:00 pm, close to bedtime, was a better bet, even if the flight ran counter to conventional wisdom. Landing in the early evening was perfect. My kids were still tired, but after we arrived at our hotel, we had dinner and went to sleep, waking up refreshed the next day. Ever since that successful experiment, I started booking flights based on when they land rather than when they depart. Following this rule works much better for us. I let my kids eat familiar meals and fast food For me, and many others who love traveling, enjoying local specialties and discovering new foods is a highlight of many trips. My children are adventurous in many ways, following me literally to the end of the earth in Antarctica or traveling through ancient ruins in Jordan. However, when it comes to eating, it's a different story. My kids prefer safe, familiar foods. After many attempts to get my kids to try a few bites of everything from fermented soybeans in Japan to interesting curries in India, I decided to lean into their desire to eat familiar foods. Hungry children are not good travel companions, and I want my kids to enjoy themselves on our trips. Now, we regularly eat at McDonald's and Starbucks even when we are far from home. I've learned to enjoy seeing how different countries put their own spin on these American staples, from the fancy pastries and baked fries McDonald's serves in France to the local Dule de Leche treats we sampled at Starbucks in Argentina. I still encourage my kids to eat local foods when we travel, sometimes successfully and sometimes not, but learning that not every meal has to be a cultural experience has made our trips run more smoothly. We take organized tours I used to pride myself on my ability to arrange every detail of my trips on my own. I spent weeks researching every hotel, attraction, restaurant, and how to get to each one. However, once kids entered the picture, and the time I had to travel became constricted by the school year, I realized how much easier it was to outsource some of my planning. The author said that joining group outings and tours helps keep her children engaged on trips. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. Now, I embrace organized tours. After some trial and error, we stick mainly to small-group or private tours that don't feel overwhelming. I've now taken four family trips with Intrepid Travel around the world and regularly book day tours with services like GetYourGuide, Tours by Locals, or DayTrip. Giving myself a little breathing room and being able to enjoy my kids rather than stressing over every detail is worth the trade-off of losing some control over my schedule. I've also realized the value in having a local guide show us things we might not otherwise discover and to tell us about hidden gems that don't make the guidebooks. Plus, on small-group tours, having other kids to talk to and play with helps them get a break from me and each other, which they enjoy. Read the original article on Business Insider

Germany is interested in the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile made by the Ukrainian firm Fire Point. The Flamingo can reportedly strike targets 1,800 miles away. JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP Berlin is hunting for cruise missiles that it can buy cheaply and that have a long range. Planning documents show Germany is pursuing four tracks to acquire deep-strike missiles. Until now, Berlin has relied on the US to provide the long-range firepower needed to deter Russia. Germany is turning to Israel and Ukraine to potentially acquire the low-cost, long-range cruise missiles it needs to deter Russia, according to German defense ministry planning documents seen by POLITICO, which, along with Business Insider, is part of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network. The push has taken on new urgency after US President Donald Trump decided not to deploy a unit of troops equipped with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany and Berlin's efforts to buy the missiles for itself remain open. Now, the arms directorate in Germany's defense ministry is interested in smaller defense companies such as Ukraine's Fire Point and Israel's Covenant, according to industry and government officials familiar with the matter. Two Ukrainian companies are in the running — a first for a major European defense contract — highlighting the technological leap in Kyiv's defense industry. Berlin looks past the US German officials are also considering an upgraded Taurus missile for longer-range strikes. The air-launched missile is built via an MBDA Deutschland GmbH-Saab partnership and is deployed by the German Air Force. Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images The outreach does not mean Germany is about to buy missiles from any of the companies. But it signals what Berlin is hunting for: cruise missiles cheap enough to buy in bulk, fast enough to field quickly and capable of putting Russian military targets at risk. The planning documents show Germany is pursuing a four-track ground deep-strike plan. The first track is to buy the US-made Typhon launcher, a ground-based system that can fire Tomahawk cruise missiles, with an initial capability planned for 2029. The second track is to buy low-cost cruise missiles, with an initial capability planned for 2027. The other two tracks are longer-term European development projects: a high-end cruise missile with Britain planned for 2032, and a hypersonic glide vehicle, also with Britain, planned for 2035. A diversified cruise missile arsenal would be a major shift in strategy for Germany. Until now, Berlin relied heavily on Washington to provide the kind of long-range firepower needed to deter Russia. At the 2024 NATO summit, US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed that the United States would begin deploying long-range fires to Germany in 2026. The package was expected to include Tomahawk cruise missiles, SM-6 missiles and later hypersonic weapons under US command. The idea was to give Europe time to develop its own long-range missile program. But Trump's decision to halt that deployment after his pique at Chancellor Friedrich Merz's criticism of the war in Iran has upended that plan. Germany is also trying to buy its own Tomhawks. In July 2025, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius submitted a formal letter of request to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the Typhon system. But the US Department of Defense is not expected to enter the formal sales process before mid-2026 because export policy has not yet been settled, according to one person familiar with Pentagon sales policy. An Israeli startup catches Berlin's eye Germany seeks to buy the US's Typhon system, which can fire Tomahawk missiles from a mobile launcher. Sgt. Perla Alfaro/US Army The US war on Iran also depleted US stocks of Tomahawk missiles, with The Washington Post estimating that 850 were fired in the first weeks of the conflict — about a quarter of US overall stocks. The U.S. Navy is only set to receive 110 new missiles this year, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. That's forcing Germany to hunt for alternatives. According to multiple people familiar with the matter, the German defense ministry's procurement agency sent a request for product proposals to Covenant, a low-profile Israeli-American missile firm. Company information reviewed by POLITICO describes Covenant as a US-Israeli-linked firm founded in 2024, with plans to build a sovereign European supply ecosystem and production lines in Germany and the United Kingdom. Its investors include US venture capital firms Founders Fund, led by German-American tech investor Peter Thiel, and Addreesen Horowitz, led by US investors Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. Covenant's missile system, called Anthem, is expected to be tested in Israel in the third week of June, according to people familiar with the plans. German defense ministry officials have been invited to observe the test, the people said. Covenant did not respond to a request for comment. Ukraine's battle-tested missile options Ukraine's Fire Point has the advantage of developing systems shaped by the war with Russia. Fire Point held a forum between operators and journalists in Kyiv in November 2025. Ukrinform/Ukrinform/Sipa USA Ukraine is the other major source of low-cost missile options Berlin is considering, industry and government officials told POLITICO. The planning documents name two Ukraine-linked systems as candidates for Germany's low-cost cruise missile track: Flamingo, made by Ukrainian company Fire Point, and BARS, a mid-range missile-drone combination produced by an unnamed Ukrainian company. Both systems are being looked at as part of an experimental study that could lead to a production contract if the weapons prove suitable, according to the documents. Fire Point is already known in Berlin. The company's FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile has a 3,000-kilometer range, a 1-ton warhead and is already hitting targets inside Russia. Diehl Defence, the German maker of the IRIS-T air defense system, is in talks with Fire Point about possible joint production of the Flamingo in Germany, the Financial Times reported. For Berlin, that is an attractive formula. Ukraine brings systems shaped by the war against Russia; a German partner can help with production, certification and the long road into Bundeswehr procurement. The Ukrainian missiles cost about $500,000 each — about a fifth of the cost of a Tomahawk, making them better suited to wars of attrition like the one Ukraine is waging against Russia. Fire Point declined POLITICO's request for comment. There are still hurdles. The planning documents note export restrictions around Fire Point's Flamingo, meaning the system would have to clear legal and political barriers before it could become part of a German procurement path. Speaking at Eurosatory arms show in Paris on Wednesday, Fire Point CEO Iryna Terekh said Ukraine's missile progress came from "close cooperation between the defense manufacturers, between our end users, our army, and between our government." She said Kyiv had "removed a lot of bureaucracy," allowing companies to focus on "R&D and on development" rather than paperwork — a model that may be harder to replicate in German procurement. But there is a broader logic. Germany is not looking for one silver-bullet missile. Officials are studying a layered deep-strike arsenal: upgraded Taurus missiles — an already-deployed German-Swedish missile with a 500-km range, a future high-end cruise missile with Britain, possible hypersonic systems and cheaper weapons that could be bought in larger numbers. Responding to POLITICO's request for comment, a defense ministry spokesperson said the war in Ukraine had shown that hitting strategic targets deep behind enemy lines had become "indispensable for credible deterrence." "Cost-effective systems can overwhelm enemy air defenses through mass attacks and are therefore of high operational value," the spokesperson said. The ministry wants to expand the capability "as quickly as possible" and is monitoring the market, but declined to discuss specific procurement plans or companies. For Germany, this is also about sovereignty. The country will still try to buy US systems where it must. The planning documents still list Typhon and Tomahawk as one of the four main action lines in Germany's ground deep-strike plan. But the same documents also warn of the risks of relying too heavily on the United States — especially at a time when US missile stocks are under pressure and Washington's European posture is politically uncertain. But the 2027 timeline pushed in the planning documents shows how urgent the problem has become. Chris Lunday is a defense reporter for Politico Europe who is based in Berlin. This story originally appeared on POLITICO and is courtesy of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which harnesses the resources of the company's newsrooms to publish ambitious scoops, investigations, interviews, opinion pieces, and analysis. It allows journalists — including those from POLITICO, Business Insider, WELT, BILD, Onet, and Fakt — to collaborate on major stories for an international audience of hundreds of millions across platforms. Read the original article on Business Insider

The biggest World Cup ever is pushing fans, players, and host cities to their limits—and experts say this is only the beginning.

Built around digital twin technology and customer-dedicated AI models, Cumulo answers the recent announcement by GCHQ for AI Cyber Shield, enabling early identification of threats and vulnerabilities before incidents occur Abingdon, U.K., 19 June, – SOC-as-a-service provider, e2e-assure, today announced the launch of the updated Cumulo, the U.K.’s only sovereign, AI-first, IT/OT connected SOC platform, designed to help organisations defend […] The post e2e-assure introduces Cumulo, the U.K.’s only sovereign, AI-driven, zero-day SOC platform to secure IT and OT environments appeared first on AI News.

Priyanka Salve / CNBC: Filing: Jio Platforms, India's largest wireless operator with 526M+ subscribers, files for an IPO; the deal is expected to be one of India's biggest IPOs ever  —  Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Jio Platforms, India's largest wireless operator and digital service provider, filed draft papers for an initial public offering on Friday.

Jiahui Huang / Wall Street Journal: Sources: Chinese autonomous driving company Momenta has reached a ~$9B valuation as it gears up to raise ~$1B in an upcoming Hong Kong IPO  —  The company has also been backed by Toyota and SAIC Motor  —  Chinese autonomous-driving company Momenta's valuation has reached around $9 billion …

Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates his second goal against Algeria on Tuesday. Tom Weller/picture alliance via Getty Images Goldman Sachs analysts created a model to predict the World Cup winner. Spain, France, and Argentina are the favorites, with fairly similar chances. After a 4-2 victory over Croatia, England's chances increased the most after one game. Forget psychic octopuses, pundits, and betting markets — the best guess about who'll win the World Cup might come from Wall Street. Goldman Sachs has crunched the numbers for the tournament, but it's still a close call to determine who could win the most-viewed event in sports. Spain, France, and Argentina stand out above the rest, while the US' chance is only about one in 100. Spain, France, and Argentina are the most likely World Cup winners. Goldman Sachs Goldman first published its World Cup forecasts before the tournament began, but analysts are updating them periodically, and on Thursday, shared a note after all 48 teams had played their first game of the tournament, giving a better idea of how the teams may fare on the big stage under pressure. The Goldman analysts' model predicts how many goals each team would score against a particular opponent, then simulates the team's chances of progressing through each round. It is largely based on historical performances, including the World Football Elo Ratings. This accounts for more variables than FIFA's official rankings, such as the margin of victory and the importance of the game. Analysts also incorporated each team's goal-scoring talent, momentum, mentality, and geography — such as the country's altitude and average temperature compared to where their World Cup games are played. Goldman's model found that Spain, France, and Argentina each have a 31.5%-31.7% chance of reaching the World Cup final. By comparison, fourth-ranked England has a 15% chance of getting to the final. When it comes to winning the whole thing, the model makes Spain the favorite on 20.4%. France isn't far behind, on 20%. Argentina, which won the last World Cup, has an 18% chance — slightly penalized by the statistical underperformance of reigning champions. 15 teams have literally no chance of winning the World Cup, Goldman's model suggests. Goldman Sachs Any other team winning would likely be considered a surprise. England has the next highest probability, at 7.1%. But that figure is actually up 1.6 percentage points since the tournament started — the most of any team — after England beat Croatia 4-2 on Wednesday evening in Texas. Spain's chances of winning the World Cup only dipped by 0.2 percentage points after the reigning European champions were held to a shocking goalless draw by Cape Verde. Meanwhile, Goldman's model lowered France's chances by 0.3 after beating Senegal 3-1. Portugal, the seventh-likeliest winners led by 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, saw the biggest fall after playing their first game. After tying DR Congo 1-1, their chances dropped by 1 percentage point. The US has the 11th-highest chance of winning the trophy, at only 1.2%. However, playing on their home turf with exciting, attacking-minded tactics, nothing can be ruled out. Read the original article on Business Insider

Getting the future right is now big business. But at a festival in Berkeley, forecasters worry that sports markets could take the whole industry down.

US houses are sitting vacant while many Americans can't afford to move. Grace Cary/Getty Images Harvard researchers released their annual housing market report in June. Rising vacancies and steep cost of living were headlines for both renters and buyers. Local governments are brainstorming ways to make housing more affordable. America's homebuyers are staying put. As home prices and the cost of essentials climb across the country, households are struggling to keep up — and increasingly looking to their local governments for help. That's according to Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies 2026 State of the Nation's Housing report. The findings, released June 17, detailed trends and challenges in the US housing market in recent years. From a wave of vacant residences to a shortage of affordable housing, here are Business Insider's biggest takeaways. Americans are paying more for housing while demand weakens Homeowners in particular are experiencing rising non-mortgage costs from line items like taxes and insurance. Between 2019 and 2025, average national property taxes rose 31%, and average monthly insurance premiums increased 72%. With many first-time homebuyers already straining to come up with a down payment, the data indicates that the long-term cost of owning a home is growing, too. (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); Meanwhile, homeowners are locked in place, with the share of households that relocated at a record low of 11.2% in 2024. Mortgage rates have also remained stubbornly high, as steep inflation keeps interest rates elevated. Renters are also facing steep costs. In 2024, about half of renter households were cost-burdened, meaning they spent at least 30% of their income on housing. Twenty-six percent of those renters were severly cost burdened, meaning they spent more than half their income on housing. The pandemic-era construction boom helped bridge some of the US' supply gaps, but with increasingly steep rents, people cannot afford to move. Lower-income households are disproportionately affected, as 83% of renters who earn less than $30,000 are cost-burdened. The broader economic picture is also driving down housing demand: The last couple years have been defined by a low-hire, low-fire job market and stubborn inflation, while a key marker of consumer sentiment hit historic lows earlier this year. With stretched wallets, people are making fewer major financial decisions, like buying a new home. In 2025, net international migration also halved, and the report noted that the Census Bureau estimates it could fall another 75% this year. The decrease in immigration to the US will slow population growth, an impact that will be "substantial and increasingly evident over time," according to the report. Housing is available, but not affordable Construction for new units is slowing as vacancies start to open up, but Americans are still struggling to find affordable housing. High construction costs make most new builds too expensive for many households, particularly those with low and moderate incomes. It leaves many homes sitting vacant — the national unsold inventory reached 127,000 in January 2026, the highest level since 2009. (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); Rental units have felt this rebound in particular. From 2021 to 2025, apartment vacancy rates in Austin increased 5%, and the number of active for-sale listings was more than three times as high. Yet, this oversupply did contribute tor a 7% annual decrease in rents, as landowners try to fill empty spaces by lowering prices. Yet, this trend does not apply to all cities in the US. During the same period, Chicago apartment vacancy increased 0.5%, and for-sale listings fell by over 20%. As the burdens of homeownership become heavier, access to affordable housing disproportionately impacts Black, Hispanic, and multiracial renters, widening racial homeownership gaps, according to the report. The pressure to produce affordable housing will fall on local governments As the market pushes for less construction due to low demand and rising costs, the responsibility for producing low-cost units will fall to local and state governments. The report said that the burden was exacerbated by federal spending cuts under the Trump administration. Loosening restrictions on zoning and land-use laws, along with creating state Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs, are some of the strategies local governments are using to encourage affordable development. A few cities are trying creative housing solutions. Business Insider has reported on Minneapolis' 2040 plan, which eliminated single-family exclusive zoning, helped increase affordable housing supply in the city. New York is now taking on housing reform too, with Mamdani's new housing plan focused on building 200,000 new homes. Reporters have also heard from single mothers living together to make ends meet, small business owners barely breaking even to cover rent, and artists who have to pay both housing and studio rent in New York. In the long run, federal support is still crucial to support the necessary funds "essential for generating the deeply affordable units in shortest supply." The need for federal aid goes beyond affordability. As climate-related disasters occur more often, racking up 23 billion-dollar events last year, federal funding will be necessary to help households recover, the report said. As the Harvard researchers put it, the "US faces interlocking housing crises — affordability, homelessness, climate change, and discrimination — that demand coordinated action across federal, state, local, private, and nonprofit actors." Read the original article on Business Insider