Discussion | Link

Operation by two Russia-state groups has been ongoing since at least March.

A new AI-powered framework could transform how astronomers measure the expansion of the Universe. By analyzing images of Type Ia supernovae and modeling their environments in unprecedented detail, researchers can estimate cosmic distances with near-spectroscopic accuracy. The technique is designed for the flood of data expected from the upcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory and may greatly improve our understanding of dark energy.

Kevin O'Leary has been one of the most vocal advocates of building more data centers. ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images Fox News apologized after Kevin O'Leary said opponents of his Utah data center were working with China. The "Shark Tank" investor made the claim on Fox in May. He later said there was "no evidence" to support it. Mr. Wonderful's data center campus in Utah has sparked a wave of opposition from locals. Fox News issued an apology after Kevin O'Leary said during an appearance on the channel that opponents of his Utah data center were proxies for the Chinese government. Several Fox News and Fox Business hosts, including Maria Bartiromo, read out rare on-air apologies after O'Leary made the comments on the network in late May. Fox News host Johnny Joey Jones said in his weekend broadcast that there was "no evidence" that the groups referenced by O'Leary were funded by or working in coordination with the Chinese Communist Party. "He made certain claims relating to the opponents of his project. Mr. O'Leary has now corrected the record," Jones said, adding that "Fox News Media also apologizes for the error." FOX issues an apology: Kevin O'Leary appeared as a guest on the show and discussed the ongoing controversy surrounding his planned data center project in Utah and made claims relating to the opponents of his product.  Mr. O'Leary has now corrected the record and explained he has… pic.twitter.com/dh1Y89DPOt — Acyn (@Acyn) June 28, 2026 O'Leary wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday that he had no evidence that the opponents he called out on Fox, which included the Alliance for a Better Utah and Elevate Strategies, are working with China. "Who would want us to stop building our electrical grid? Who would want to stop us from having compute capacity to develop AI? Which adversary would want that?" O'Leary said on Fox in May. "There's only one: It's China," the "Shark Tank" host added, before proceeding to call out the data center dissidents by name. Gabi Finlayson and Jackie Morgan, political strategists for Elevate Strategies, told Business Insider at the time that the businessman's comments were "crazy and outlandish." Taylor Knuth, a longtime political organizer who O'Leary mentioned by name, told Business Insider in a phone call Monday that his reaction to the businessman's follow-up post was, "Oh, that's nice." Knuth joked that getting an apology from Fox News was something that he could put on his résumé. He said he was still confused about why he was named in O'Leary's interviews. While he formerly served as executive director of the Alliance for a Better Utah, he said that he left the organization in early April, before the first public proposal for the Utah data center. "I don't watch 'Shark Tank,'" Knuth said. "I think he knew more about me than I knew about him." Data center backlash The apologies come as the "Stratos Project" campus developed by O'Leary Ventures in Utah has become a flash point in a wider debate over data centers. Construction has boomed in recent years as the AI race has taken off, but concerns have been raised over the impact of new data centers on local water and electricity supplies. Around 71% of Americans say they don't want a data center built in their area, according to a recent Gallup poll, and some states are even considering legislation to ban new sites. O'Leary's Utah campus has faced fierce local opposition, with the self-described "Mr. Wonderful" agreeing earlier this month to cut the size of the 40,000-acre site in half after backlash from local politicians. pic.twitter.com/9wzF9Fz0Lu — Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) June 25, 2026 That has not stopped O'Leary from being one of the most prominent advocates of the data center buildout. In a June interview with Business Insider, he maintained that building more data centers was vital if the US were to retain its technological edge. "We're in a global competition, an economic competition, a military competition, and certainly a technological competition," said O'Leary. "We've got to keep our chops because we have led the world in this economy for 250 years," he added. Read the original article on Business Insider

Hundreds of contractors working on a project for Meta pretended to be kids in order to see how other chatbots like Gemini and ChatGPT would respond to high-risk subjects, WIRED found.

Carl Rinsch was convicted of scamming Netflix out of $11 million after he failed to finish his ambitious sci-fi series "White Horse." Lloyd Mitchell/Business Insider A judge sentenced Carl Rinsch to two and a half years in prison. The sci-fi director was was convicted of scamming Netflix out of $11 million. The judge said Rinsch may have been in a "manic state" but covered up his conduct with lies. Carl Rinsch, the director convicted of defrauding Netflix of $11 million, was sentenced on Monday to two and a half years in prison. Much of Monday's sentencing hearing was spent discussing Rinsch's mental health, an issue that had played out in court filings but was not part of his criminal trial. During the trial, a Manhattan federal jury heard evidence that the director, instead of delivering an ambitious sci-fi epic called "White Horse" to Netflix, went on a luxury spending spree that included a $439,000 handmade Hästens mattress. US District Judge Jed Rakoff pushed back against a prosecutor who argued that Rinsch was motivated solely by greed. "If he had purchased one Rolls-Royce, or even maybe the Rolls-Royce and the Ferrari, that would have been at least consistent with the view you're now expressing," Rakoff said. "But he purchased five Rolls-Royces plus the Ferrari. That suggests someone who is not operating solely from greed, but also someone who's got a kind of manic state of mind." At the same time, the director's conduct was egregious, the judge said. There was overwhelming proof that Rinsch had lied about his conduct, Rakoff said. "He chose to do this. And he chose to continue it and to cover it up for years," Rakoff said. Rinsch, wearing a blue suit with a salmon tie and matching pocket square, told Rakoff that the experience of going through the criminal justice system forced him "to confront things about my life and my health that I have been unable to confront" and that he was receiving mental health treatment. "I will spend every day of the rest of my life working to restore the trust I've lost," he said in the lower Manhattan courtroom. One of his attorneys, Daniel McGuinness, told Business Insider he looked forward to appealing the case. Prosecutors brought fraud charges against him following the collapse of "White Horse," a science fiction project about clonelike beings that form their own society. Netflix initially agreed to pay $44 million for Rinsch to deliver about 13 short episodes of the show. The director was a protégé of "Blade Runner" director Ridley Scott and had the support of Keanu Reeves, whom he had directed in the 2013 movie "47 Ronin." After the project went over budget, Netflix agreed to pay Rinsch another $11 million to complete it. Filming never picked up again. Rinsch moved the money through a series of bank accounts, invested in cryptocurrencies, and bought luxury goods. At trial, Rinsch testified that he believed the additional funds were mostly backpay for him paying out of pocket for earlier cost overruns. The jury found Rinsch guilty in December. Before the sentencing, Reeves wrote a letter asking the judge to show leniency, saying that Rinsch tended to self-sabotage. In addition to the prison sentence, Rakoff ordered Rinsch to pay $11 million in restitution, plus legal fees Netflix incurred assisting prosecutors and preparing executives who testified in the criminal trial. Rinsch separately owes Netflix millions of dollars in a related civil dispute over "White Horse." A spokesperson for Netflix declined to comment. Rinsch declined to comment. During the hearing, McGuinness noted the tall odds of Rinsch ever repaying the money he owed to Netflix. It is "preposterous" to think any Hollywood studio would give him millions of dollars for anything ever again, he said. "I hope he has some career, some creative outlet," McGuinness said. "But it's going to be nowhere near the scope he had in the past." Read the original article on Business Insider

The infostealer was delivered via CVE-2026-48558, a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in SimpleHelp, targeting credentials linking development and admin environments to wider enterprise systems.

Murray Stassen / Music Business Worldwide: Tidal adopts an AI policy that blocks wholly AI-generated music from earning royalties and removes AI-generated music that impersonates artists  —  TIDAL is introducing an AI policy that will automatically tag wholly AI-generated music in its app and block it from earning royalties.

Taylor Swift with some of her friends and members of her "squad." Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Taylor Swift has a lot of famous friends who have been referred to as members of her "squad."  Selena Gomez, Martha Hunt, Abigail Anderson Berard, and Gigi Hadid are some of the original members. Swift's friendships with Blake Lively, Lena Dunham, and Emma Stone have also been documented. Taylor Swift has a lot of hit singles, eras, and famous friendships. Famously, throughout the mid-2010s, Swift had a "squad" of friends who she featured in her music videos, brought out at concerts, and even partied with. Over the years, Swift has kept close ties to many of these connections but hasn't publicly interacted with others. Here's a look at some of the singer's most famous friendships over the years. Karlie Kloss was once considered Swift's best friend. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images In the early 2010s, Karlie Kloss was famously considered to be Swift's best friend. At the time they met, Kloss was a new model on the scene, and she and Swift solidified their new friendship with a well-documented road trip to Big Sur in 2014. They were photographed together often, especially in New York City. Kloss and Swift haven't been photographed together in years. ANDREW KELLY/Reuters For years, the pair publicly supported each other at events and in social media posts. Kloss was even in Swift's "Bad Blood" music video. As their public outings and support slowed around 2016, fans began to wonder if the two were still friends. The last photo shared of the two was a selfie from backstage at the Reputation tour, nearly a decade ago. In 2018, Kloss said she was still close with Swift during an interview with The New York Times. Swift did not attend Kloss's wedding to Jared Kushner that same year. In 2019, the model was spotted vacationing with Scooter Braun amid Swift's feud with the music manager, which further fueled speculation of a falling out. Neither Swift nor Kloss has publicly shared what (if anything) happened to their friendship. However, fans have theorized that Swift's song "It's Time to Go" — a song about betrayal and knowing when to walk away — is about Kloss. In 2023, the model was spotted in the stands at Swift's Eras Tour in Los Angeles. Notably, she was not sitting in the VIP tent where celebrities often watch the singer's concerts.  In 2025, Kloss liked Swift's Instagram post about her engagement to Travis Kelce. Swift and Cara Delevingne seemingly met at the 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Alo Ceballos/GC Images Cara Delevingne and Swift seemed to link up after the 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, where Swift performed and Delevingne modeled. Soon after, the two were spotted hanging out in New York City. Delevingne is also one of Swift's friends who appeared in the "Bad Blood" music video. Delevingne and Swift still seem to be friends. Mario Anzuoni/Reuters In 2019, Delevingne seemingly made it clear the pair are still cool by posting on Instagram to congratulate Swift on the release of her latest album, "Lover." (The post is no longer available to view.) Delevingne was featured on the June 2020 issue of Variety, and Swift sent an email to the publication for the cover story, writing, "Cara is extreme, eccentric, hilarious, loving and deeply loyal." Swift also sent her a promotional cardigan for her "Folklore" album, which she wore with Kaia Gerber for an Instagram story. Delevingne supported Swift at the opening night of her Eras Tour in Arizona. The pair were also spotted hanging out before Jack Antonoff and Margaret Qualley's wedding in August 2023.  In a 2024 conversation with Nikki Glaser for Interview magazine, Delevigne spoke about living with Swift at one point. "I was going through a really horrible breakup, and she let me live with her," she said. "We're very different people. She's very homely, because she looked after me so well, but we got into some — not trouble, but I definitely took her for a bit of a wild ride," she added. Todrick Hall met Taylor Swift after she saw his YouTube cover of her "1989" album. Bruce Glikas/Getty Images Todrick Hall got his start on YouTube doing mash-ups and covers of iconic songs and musicals. He created an epic Swift-inspired mashup in 2015, and the "Red" singer loved it so much she invited him backstage to her 1989 tour, and they became real-life friends. He also appeared in the "Look What You Made Me Do" music video in 2017. Hall has collaborated with Swift several times. Matt Sayles/Invision/AP Hall is widely known for his visual albums and his roles as guest judge and choreographer on "RuPaul's Drag Race." He also starred on Broadway as Lola in "Kinky Boots" in 2017, where Swift watched him perform. Over the years, Hall and Swift have been close collaborators. He appeared in and was an executive producer of the "You Need to Calm Down" music video, which won video of the year at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. In a June 2020 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Hall praised Swift for using her platform to promote activism amid the Black Lives Matter movement. When Swift announced the drop of her new album "Folklore," Hall posted to Instagram to say he would "be listening on repeat. AAAAAHHHHHHHH." After Swift announced her ninth studio album, "Evermore," Hall once again showed his support with a series of tweets.  In 2021, he posted photos wearing his "Red (Taylor's Version)" merch on Instagram. Hall has also publicly supported some of Swift's other albums, like "Midnights" and "1989 (Taylor's Version)," on Instagram.  Martha Hunt seems to have met Swift at a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Michael Stewart/FilmMagic/Getty Images Swift likely met model Martha Hunt at the 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. After that event, the two were often photographed hanging out around Swift's New York apartment. Hunt has shown Swift support over the years. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Hunt is still a model and appears to still be friends with Swift. Hunt attended Swift's Pennsylvania Reputation tour stop in July 2018, where she also took a trip to Swift's childhood home. Shortly after, she was spotted hanging out in New York with Swift during one of the singer's rare paparazzi snaps of 2018. In 2019, Hunt shared a touching post for Swift's 30th birthday and helped her celebrate a few days later. When "Taylor Swift City of Lover Concert" was released online in 2020, Hunt replied to a post on X about it, calling it, "just heavenly." Swift gifted Hunt with a cardigan from her "Folklore" merch, and Hunt posted a few pictures on Instagram of herself wearing it with the caption "peter losing wendy" — a lyric from the single "Cardigan." Hunt celebrated Swift's win at the 2021 Grammys by posting a screenshot of the singer's acceptance speech on her Instagram story. Selena Gomez and Swift go way back. John Shearer/WireImage Selena Gomez and Swift met way back in 2005. Gomez told KISS FM UK in 2017 that they met because they were both dating members of the Jonas Brothers at the time. "She was the girl with the big curly hair and the bracelets and the cowboy boots, and I was definitely up-and-coming. We just clicked," Gomez said. Gomez and Swift are now one of Hollywood's power-couple friendships. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for dcp Gomez has furthered her own music career and even performed "Hands to Myself" with Swift during a May 2018 Reputation tour stop. While on the stage, Gomez gave a tribute to her longtime pal in front of Swift's fans. "The reason why she's one of my best friends is because this person has never, ever judged me for a decision I've made. She's always met me where I've been," Gomez said during the show. "She encouraged me when I had nothing to be encouraged about. And I don't know if I would be as strong as I am if I didn't have you and your family." Swift and Gomez still often show encouragement for each other online. When Swift released "Lover" and Gomez dropped "Lose You to Love Me" from her album "Rare," they promoted each other's songs on their Instagram stories.  In August 2020, Gomez said that she's "always dreamt of doing a song with Taylor." That same month, she launched her new cooking show, and Swift made a video-call appearance on one of the episodes. She introduced Swift to celebrity chef Roy Choi as her "best friend." When Swift dropped her rerecording of "Love Story" in the lead-up to the release of "Fearless (Taylor's Version)," Gomez posted to her Instagram story, writing, "So proud of you, as always, Tay ... LISTEN to THIS album" In November 2021, Swift posted a TikTok of her and Gomez hanging out backstage during "Saturday Night Live." During a June 2022 interview on USA Today's "Entertain This" series, Gomez said "Taylor really loved" season two of her Hulu show, "Only Murder in the Building." In July 2022, the friends also got together to celebrate Gomez's 30th birthday. And Gomez went to a Texas show of Swift's Eras Tour.  The friends celebrated the Fourth of July together in 2023, a few days before Swift released "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)." Gomez also attended an LA show of Swift's Eras Tour, and the friends have been spotted hanging out in LA and NYC periodically. Recently, Swift also attended Gomez's wedding to Benny Blanco. Blake Lively met Swift around 2015, but wasn't in tons of "squad" pics. Dustin Satloff/Getty Images It's unclear when Blake Lively and Swift first met, though some of the earliest photos of them together go back to 2015. Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, also attended Swift's iconic "Taymerica" Fourth of July party in 2016.  It's unclear if Lively is still close to Swift. Greg Allen/Invision/AP Swift and Lively (and Lively's husband, Reynolds) have been linked together several times over the years. Lively's daughter James' voice is heard on Swift's 2017 song "Gorgeous," she and Reynolds appeared in photos from Swift's 2019 New Year's Eve party, and the couple helped Swift celebrate her 30th birthday. During the 2021 Grammys, Swift thanked Lively, Reynolds, and their three kids in her speech after she won album of the year for "Folklore." On Halloween 2021, fans speculated that Swift — donned in a squirrel costume she posted on Instagram earlier in the day — joined Lively and Reynolds for trick-or-treating in NYC.  Lively also made her directorial debut in the music video for the "Red (Taylor's Version)" vault track "I Bet You Think About Me." Lively and Swift have been photographed hanging out together in New York City with groups of friends over the years. In 2023, the actor attended a Philadelphia show of the Eras Tour, and Swift gave Lively's daughters a shoutout during the concert.  Lively also joined Swift in the stands to watch Kelce play in Super Bowl LVIII. Over the past year, there's been speculation that the two have had a falling out amid Justin Baldoni and Lively's "It Ends With Us" legal drama. Baldoni's legal team requested to depose Swift, though a judge denied the request. Lively and Swift have not been photographed together since. Lorde and Swift bonded over music. Larry Busacca/Getty After Lorde burst onto the scene with her breakout single "Royals," Swift sent her flowers. Eventually, the two singers met up (at Shake Shack) and formed a friendship. Swift told PopCrush in 2014 that Lorde was one of the first people to hear "1989" before it was released because Swift said the young singer gives awesome advice. Lorde also performed as one of Swift's guest stars during her Washington, DC 1989 tour performance in 2015. Lorde's career took off as she battled reports about her friendship with Swift being over. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images In 2017, after a publication mistakenly reported that she and Swift were on the outs, Lorde posted on X: "I want to say one more time that Taylor has been there for me in all my dark and light moments these past five years. All of them." In recent years, however, Swift and Lorde haven't been photographed together much.  Lorde, for her part, has continued to grow her musical career, following up her debut album with 2017's "Melodrama," 2021's "Solar Power," and 2025's "Virgin." Hailee Steinfeld was also an early member of Swift's "squad." Amanda Edwards/WireImage The actor/singer appeared in a ton of Swift's Instagram posts in the pre-2015 "squad era," was in the "Bad Blood" video, and even walked onstage during one of the famous "squad" appearances from the 1989 tour. At the time, Steinfeld was best known for her roles in the "Pitch Perfect" series and budding music career. Steinfeld hasn't been seen with Swift much in recent years. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Steinfeld told Seventeen magazine in 2016 that she didn't spend as much time with Swift as people might have assumed, but that she does consider her a friend. The actor told People in 2023 that she will always "run to the phone" whenever Swift calls. When Steinfeld posted on Instagram about her engagement to athlete Josh Allen in 2024, Swift liked the post. Swift had Ellie Goulding perform with her during the 1989 tour. David M. Benett/Getty Images for Soho House & Bacardi The "Lights" singer was a fixture in Swift's "squad" during the 1989 tour, appeared in the "Bad Blood" video, and even reportedly first introduced Swift to musician Calvin Harris. Swift and Harris dated throughout 2015 and 2016. It's unclear if the two are still friends. SIMON DAWSON/Reuters Swift and Goulding haven't publicly interacted in years.  For her part, Goulding told Billboard in December 2018 that she has been in the studio for the last two years working on a new album and enjoying her engagement to Caspar Jopling. She and Jopling have since gotten married and separated. Her studio album "Brightest Blue" was released in July 2020, and she's continued releasing music since then. Lily Aldridge appeared to meet Swift at a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Kevin Kane/FilmMagic Swift and model Lily Aldridge appeared to have met at the 2013 Victoria's Secret show. The model also appeared in Swift's star-studded "Bad Blood" music video in 2015.  Aldridge has shown support for Swift over the years. Eric Gaillard/Reuters The model is still working on campaigns while raising her two children with husband Caleb Followill.  In 2018, she posted a throwback photo and called Swift her "bestest buddy" in an Instagram story for Swift's birthday. In 2021, Aldridge posted a video of Swift's Grammy performance to her Instagram story, captioned "Love you."  When Swift rereleased "Red (Taylor's Version)," she took to her Instagram stories to show off her album merch in support of her friend.  Aldridge attended one of the Nashville shows of the Eras Tour in 2023. Camila Cabello met Swift in 2014 at an awards show. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Camila Cabello told Teen Vogue that she first met Swift at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, where she worked up the courage to say hello to her and tell her how big a fan she was. The two hit it off as friends, and, in March of 2015, Swift even threw Cabello an epic 18th birthday party attended by fellow "squad" members Gomez, Steinfeld, Lorde, and HAIM. Later that month, they were photographed together at the iHeart Radio Music Awards.  Later, Cabello opened for the Reputation tour. MARIO ANZUONI/Reuters Cabello opened for Swift on her Reputation tour in 2018. In 2019, Cabello and Halsey performed with Swift during her medley at the American Music Awards, the same show where Swift famously reacted to Cabello's "Señorita" performance with Shawn Mendes. Later that year, Cabello attended Swift's Christmas-themed birthday party. Swift also supported Cabello when she released her album "Romance" by posting about it on her Instagram story.  In 2023, Cabello attended one of Swift's New Jersey shows on the Eras Tour.  Emma Stone and Swift met over a decade ago. Mario Anzuoni/Reuters Emma Stone and Swift reportedly met at the Young Hollywood Awards in 2008 and became fast friends. At the time, Stone had already been in the hit comedy "Superbad" (2007) and was on her way to the A-list. Stone even brought Swift as her date to the 2010 premiere of her movie "Easy A." Stone still seems to be one of Swift's most low-key friends. PHIL MCCARTEN/Reuters Although Stone doesn't have Instagram and didn't appear in many of the Swift "squad" photos from the 2015-2016 era, she seems to still be acquainted with the singer. Stone attended the Reputation tour in New Jersey in July 2018, and the actor was spotted at Swift's Eras Tour in 2023. Fans have also speculated that Swift's "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" vault track "When Emma Falls in Love" is about Stone.  Stone is also credited on Swift's song "Florida!!! (feat. Florence + The Machine)" on "The Tortured Poets Department." Swift also mentioned in her docuseries about the Eras Tour that Stone helped connect her to a choreographer who worked on the shows. Abigail Anderson Berard has been friends with Swift since high school. Kevin Mazur/WireImage Abigail Anderson Berard is Swift's hometown friend. The two met in high school, and Swift's song "Fifteen" is inspired by Berard.  Swift brought Berard as her date to the 2015 Grammys.  Berard and Swift still seem to be friends. Larry Busacca/Getty Images for NARAS In 2017, Swift was a bridesmaid at Berard's first wedding.  Berard has also attended most of Swift's events, including "Taymerica" in 2018 and the singer's Christmas-themed 30th birthday party in 2019.  After the surprise release of "Folklore" in July 2020, Swift gifted Berard the cardigan from the album's merch, and Berard posted a picture of herself wearing it on Instagram. The caption read, "Taylor. Swift. What an absolute wonder you are. Your lyrical ability to move us is seismic. Much like this beautiful gifted cardigan, this album is a dream. I've never been more appreciative of your art. This one did something to me." In 2023, Berard attended the second Nashville show on the Eras Tour, and Swift dedicated "Fifteen" to her. The longtime friend even showed up on the Spotify canvas for "New Romantics" on Swift's "1989 (Taylor's Version)." Swift also seemed to write about Berard once more in her recent song "Ruin the Friendship" from "The Life of a Showgirl." Ruby Rose and Swift met around 2015. Jason Kempin/Getty Images for GLAAD Though she had been acting and DJing in Australia for many years, Ruby Rose got her big break in the US when she joined the cast of "Orange Is the New Black" in 2015. Rose appeared to befriend Swift sometime after the "Bad Blood" video made its debut, and the actress made an appearance during Swift's 1989 tour stop in New Orleans. In 2016, Swift presented Rose with an award at the 2016 GLAAD Media Awards. In 2018, Rose also wrote a long post on her Instagram to congratulate Swift on the tour. The two have been supportive of each other on social media over the years. Phillip Faraone/WireImage Rose posted to her Instagram for Swift's birthday in 2017 and 2018, and made an Instagram story for her in 2019.  When Rose was originally cast as Batwoman on The CW's show based on the DC Comics, Swift took to Instagram to support her on her next endeavor. In May 2020, Rose announced that she was leaving the series after the first season. In 2025, Rose posted on Threads about Swift amid speculation that the singer had become more conservative or had aligned herself with certain political views. "As someone who has spent many nights discussing the world, social injustice and life, with The Show Girl herself. I refuse to say her name in the same sentence as the hate group, Wackadoodles, are conspiring to attach her to," Rose wrote of Swift at the start of the thread. Jaime King and Swift met in 2014. Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Jaime King was starring on The CW's "Hart of Dixie" when she met Swift at a 2014 Golden Globes party. In 2015, King's ex-husband Kyle Newman directed Swift's 2015 music video for "Style." King and Swift became such fast friends that Swift was named godmother to King's son Leo Thames not long after. It's unclear if King and Swift are still close. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP On December 8, 2018, King shared a throwback photo of Swift dancing at that 2014 Golden Globes party where they met. It appears that it may have been deleted since then. King has seemingly attended fewer of the big events than other members of the squad, but the two have been known to have quiet nights together, just like this 2019 post from a few days before Swift's 30th birthday depicts.  In recent years, the pair has not publicly interacted or been photographed together. However, in 2025, following Swift's engagement to Kelce, King told Us Weekly she was "stoked." "This is her person," King said, referring to the athlete. "Yeah, I'm so happy." Ed Sheeran and Swift seemingly became close when he opened for her tour in 2013. Anna Webber/Getty Images Ed Sheeran and Swift performed together at the Z100 Jingle Ball in 2012 after Sheeran was featured on a song from her album "Red" that released that same year.  Swift also had Sheeran open for her Red tour, solidifying his place in the "squad."  Sheeran's career has continued to blossom, and he's still friends with Swift. Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift have collaborated a few times. Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management Sheeran's solo music career has continued to bloom with several hit albums and successful tours. He also collaborated with Swift again on her "Reputation" album, which was released in 2017. Sheeran returned on his original "Red" duet, "Everything Has Changed," for "Red (Taylor's Version)," and he also collaborated with her on the vault track "Run." In a 2021 Instagram post, he shared with fans that "Run" was actually the first song he and Swift wrote together. When Swift released "Midnights," Sheeran took to his Instagram stories to tell his fans, "So great! @taylorswift loving the whole album, everyone check it out." In 2025, the pair publicly joked about how Sheeran found out about Swift's engagement to Kelce from social media — in part, Swift said, because Sheeran can be a hard person to get in touch with. Swift met Dianna Agron while the actor was still starring on "Glee." Jeff Kravitz/AMA2014/FilmMagic Dianna Agron was acting on "Glee" when she met and befriended Swift sometime in 2011. Agron was also a member of the supposed "22" liner notes shout-outs, and Swift even appeared at her pal's circus-themed 26th birthday party. Agron is still acting, but it's unclear if she and Swift are friends. Dianna Agron attends Through Her Lens: Tribeca Chanel Women's Filmmaker Program Luncheon at Locanda Verde on Monday, Nov. 4, 2019, in New York. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Agron has continued to act in independent features, in addition to directing and doing charity work. She and Swift haven't been spotted together on or offline in a few years, so it's unclear if they're still friends. In May 2023, a Rolling Stone interviewer asked Agron about the reports that she dated Swift in 2012. Her response was, "That is so interesting. I mean, there have been many stories about my dating life that are so wildly untrue. That's funny." Ashley Avignone is a stylist who met Swift in the pre-"squad" era. Kevin Mazur/VF11/WireImage Ashley Avignone is a fashion stylist who has had Stone as a client, which might have been how she met Swift. The pair appears to have connected sometime in the early 2010s. Avignone is another friend whose name was supposedly mentioned in the secret "Red" notes.  Avignone appears to still be in touch with Swift. Perry Knotts/Getty Images Avignone attended several Reputation tour stops in 2018, including one where she posted a picture with Swift to Instagram, captioning it "Squa...JK." In 2018, Avignone hung out with Swift at the singer's childhood home, and the next year she attended Swift's 30th birthday party.  She hyped up Swift on her Instagram stories after the "Red (Taylor's Version)" release, writing that the song "22" "still hits." Avignone joined in on Swift's 2023 Fourth of July festivities, and she attended a Nashville show of the Eras Tour.  The stylist also accompanied Swift to the Super Bowl to watch the Chiefs beat the 49ers in 2024. Earlier this year, the two were photographed together in New York City. Gigi Hadid may have met Swift through mutual friend Kloss. Larry Busacca/LP5/Getty Images for TAS Gigi Hadid reportedly met Swift in 2014 at a pre-Oscar bash with mutual pal Kloss. A year later, Hadid appeared in Swift's "Bad Blood" music video, and in May 2015, Hadid joined Swift on stage as a special guest for one of her 1989 tour stops.  Hadid has regularly spoken highly of Swift to the press, and the model told Elle Canada in 2015 that the "squad" was a source of female empowerment. Hadid still appears to be friends with Swift. Bella Hadid, Taylor Swift, and Gigi Hadid in 2019. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Republic Records The supermodel appears to still be close with Swift and called her a "blessing and an inspiration to me and so many" in an Instagram story on Swift's 29th birthday. That same year, 2018, she attended Swift's New Year's Eve party. She was also seen at Swift's jolly 30th birthday celebration at the end of 2019.  In 2020, Hadid had her first child with musician Zayn Malik. After her baby girl was born, Hadid shared that "auntie" Swift sent her a handmade blanket. In 2022, Swift made an appearance at the launch party for Hadid's cashmere brand, Guest in Residence. Swift then wore a piece from the brand in a TikTok video for her "Midnights Mayhem With Me" series, and Hadid shouted it out in an Instagram story.  Hadid attended Eras Tour shows in both Nashville and Santa Clara. In recent years, she has been photographed hanging out with Swift and other friends in New York City. Swift connected with the band HAIM years ago. Christopher Polk/WireImage HAIM is a band comprised of three sisters: Este Haim, Danielle Haim, and Alana Haim. Swift and HAIM's relationship seemingly began online in the early 2010s after both of them tweeted about their love for one another's music. Swift hung out with the band at a Golden Globes party in January 2015, and later that month, they all took a trip to Hawaii together.  Swift invited the band to open for her 1989 tour later that year. The sisters have collaborated with Swift many times over the years — and have been regularly spotted hanging out with her. The Haim sisters performed during the Eras Tour. Jeff Kravitz/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management The band has continued touring, making music, and hanging out with Swift over the years. The band collaborated with Swift on her album "Evermore." They were featured on the track "No Body, No Crime." "Our dream of singing on a country folk song with the one and only queen of storytelling, miss Taylor Swift is our second Hanukkah present to you," the group wrote in an Instagram post at the time. In February 2021, Swift posted a photo on Instagram of herself and the Haim sisters hanging out in footie pajamas and eating pizza. That May, Swift posted a picture of them hanging out with the caption, "We meet up every Tuesday night for dinner and a glass of wine" — a lyric from "No Body, No Crime." The band showed their support for "Red (Taylor's Version)" on Instagram stories in November 2021. In July 2022, Swift surprised fans by appearing on stage with Haim at the band's concert in London. They performed a mash-up of Haim's "Gasoline" and Swift's "Love Story" in matching leather pants.  When Swift released a teaser trailer for her "Midnights" music videos that year, the Haim sisters were credited at the end.  The sister group joined as an opening act for a leg of Swift's Eras Tour, and they were also photographed hanging out with Swift on her days off. They also celebrated the Fourth of July with Swift in 2023. In June 2026, Swift was also photographed with the sisters — wearing matching punny Kicks shirts — at the NBA Finals. Swift and Lena Dunham's friendship seemingly began online. Kevin Mazur/WireImage In 2012, breakout actor and writer Lena Dunham praised Swift's music on X, saying she would have written papers about the singer in college had the "Red" album existed then. Swift responded and said she loved Dunham's HBO show "Girls," and then Dunham supposedly sent her a DM saying she was excited to become friends. In 2013, the two met in person at the Grammys. In 2015, Dunham appeared in the "Bad Blood" music video. Dunham still seems to view Swift in high regard. Lena Dunham and Taylor Swift in 2015. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Dunham attended Swift's Reputation tour in 2018 and told The Cut in November of that year that even she was surprised to still be friends with the superstar. Dunham also showed her support for Swift in 2018 after the singer publicly endorsed two Democratic candidates in Tennessee. In 2019, she praised Swift on Instagram for her "ME!" music video and posted a heartfelt message for Swift's 30th birthday later that year. In September 2021, Swift was one of Dunham's bridesmaids at her wedding to Luis Felber. Not long after, Dunham also supported Swift's "Midnights" album via an Instagram story. Part of the post read, "It's an honor and a pleasure to watch you best yourself again and again – which is hard to do when you're the best. Fan, friend, it's all the same. Now back to repeat listens." In 2023, Dunham attended a Philadelphia Eras Tour show on her birthday. Swift announced during the surprise-song set that the actor requested "Forever and Always" — and she'd play it for her as a gift. Dunham also gave Swift a mention in the acknowledgments of her 2026 memoir "Famesick." Per USA Today, Dunham wrote, "TayTay — you sing the songs I wrote this book to, the stories that pulled these stories out of me, the music that makes the whole world feel seen, and yet somehow, miraculously, you also pick up every desperate call at every desperate hour." This story was originally published in January 2019, and most recently updated on June 29, 2026. Read the original article on Business Insider

South Korea targets physical AI lead and commercial humanoid robots by 2028.

One critical vulnerability, among many discovered by a researcher, could have allowed anyone to walk in and take over a national government portal.

VCs remain thirsty to fund AI coding startups. This one, founded by investor Chamath Palihapitiya, is no exception.

Jaspreet Singh / Reuters: Digital Realty says it plans to acquire a majority stake in three fully leased Northern Virginia data centers from Blackstone-managed funds in a $7.8B deal  —  Digital Realty (DLR.N) said on Monday it would acquire a majority stake in three fully leased Northern Virginia data centers …

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce photographed in New York City. Aeon/GCImages Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce began dating in the summer of 2023. The couple announced their engagement on August 26, 2025. Swift and Kelce are reportedly preparing to marry in New York City on the Fourth of July weekend. Shortly after he turned up to the Eras Tour with a friendship bracelet and a dream, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce began dating Taylor Swift. Kelce, 36, laid the groundwork in the summer of 2023. He made his feelings known for Swift, 36, after she performed on his home turf in Missouri. Soon, all the dominoes cascaded in a line: Swift began attending NFL games, openly cheering for the Chiefs, and stepping out with Kelce for date nights in New York City. Two years after their relationship began, Swift and Kelce got engaged, announcing the news with a romantic Instagram post. The couple is reportedly preparing to marry at Madison Square Garden in New York City on the Fourth of July weekend. Here's a complete timeline of their relationship so far. Eve Crosbie contributed to a previous version of this story. July 8, 2023: Kelce attends Swift's Eras Tour stop in Kansas City. Taylor Swift performs during the Eras Tour on July 8, 2023, at Arrowhead Stadium. Fernando Leon/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management Kelce officially entered his Swiftie era when he attended the second of Swift's two performances on his home turf. Before the concert kicked off at Arrowhead Stadium, Kelce was seen chatting with other Swifties and even trading friendship bracelets, according to a video posted on X (formerly Twitter). July 26, 2023: A few weeks later, Kelce reveals on his podcast that he hoped to give Swift his phone number. Travis Kelce discussed his failed attempt at wooing Taylor Swift on his podcast, "New Heights." YouTube/New Heights Show Speaking on his podcast "New Heights," which Kelce co-hosts with his older brother, Jason Kelce, the athlete said he was "butt hurt" because he didn't have the chance to give Swift a friendship bracelet that he made, a tradition among Swift's concertgoers. "I was disappointed that she doesn't talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings," Kelce told his brother. "If you're up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets," Kelce continued. "I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it." Jason then asked which number he put on the bracelet — the number on his Kansas City Chiefs jersey (87) or his phone number.  "You know which one," Travis responded with a smirk. He also joked that he "took it personal" that Swift didn't have time to meet him. During a later episode of that very same podcast, Swift revealed that she didn't even know Kelce was at the show. "He didn't even reach out to our management. When this podcast came out, I was like, 'Did he ever reach out to be like, in the tents? Did we know he was in the building?'" Swift said. "He thought that, 'cause he knows the elevator lady, that he could talk to her about just getting down to my dressing room… That's how it works in 1973." According to Swift, she and Kelce began dating "right after" the podcast episode aired. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift photographed in July 2023. JC Olivera/Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images In an interview with Time magazine, Swift confirmed her relationship with Kelce and offered details about the first stages of their romance.  "This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell," she said. "We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I'm grateful for, because we got to get to know each other." Dave Merritt, the Kansas City Chiefs' defensive backs coach, has also revealed that Swift secretly visited Kelce at the stadiums before their relationship went public. September 21, 2023: Kelce publicly invites Swift to one of his football games, saying he's "thrown the ball in her court." Travis Kelce. Lachlan Cunningham/AP Images Two months after his initial declaration, Kelce told ESPN's Pat McAfee that after trying to woo the Grammy winner with a friendship bracelet, he extended an invite to one of his upcoming games. "I told her, 'I've seen you rock the stage at Arrowhead, you might have to come see me rock the stage at Arrowhead and see which one's a little more lit,'" Kelce said in the interview.  "So we'll see what happens in the near future," he added. September 24, 2023: Swift attends the Chiefs game against the Chicago Bears three days later. Taylor Swift cheering from a suite with Donna Kelce as the Kansas City Chiefs play the Chicago Bears on September 24, 2023. Cooper Neill via Getty Images Swift sent the internet into meltdown when she accepted Kelce's invitation. However, according to Swift, the lovebirds were already official by the time she attended her first Chiefs game. "By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple," she told Time. "I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date." On that fated day, Swift was photographed wearing Kansas City colors as she watched the game from Kelce's private suite, alongside his mom, Donna Kelce. When Kelce — already considered one of the best tight ends in NFL history — hauled in a touchdown pass from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the third quarter, Swift rose to her feet and cheered. After chest-bumping with another spectator in the box, the singer appeared to shout a profanity as Mama Kelce smiled and applauded. After the game, images of Kelce and Swift walking out of the stadium together and driving off in his old-school convertible car were shared on X. The pair ended their night at Prime Social Rooftop, which Kelce rented out for Swift, his family, and his teammates, per Entertainment Tonight. In photos obtained by TMZ, the couple wasn't shy about showing their affection for each other as Swift was seen wrapping her arm around Kelce's neck as they chatted with other partygoers. In the days following, an anonymous source told People that Kelce and Swift had been "hanging out" and were still in the "super, super early days" of getting to know each other.  "They're having fun," the source told the outlet. "This was Taylor's first time meeting his mom and dad, and everyone was enjoying themselves." Meanwhile, Kelce debriefed the Swift-inspired frenzy on his podcast. He thanked her for "pulling up" to his game, saying he "sure as hell enjoyed this weekend." September 27, 2023: Kelce speaks about Swift again on his podcast. Travis Kelce on the field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 24, 2023. Cooper Neill/Getty Images During an episode of "New Heights," Kelce joked that his personal life is "not so personal" anymore. "Shout out to Taylor for pulling up," he said. "That was pretty ballsy." Kelce went on to praise Swift for her behavior with his family at her first Chiefs game. "I just thought it was awesome how everyone in the suite had nothing but great things to say about her. The friends and family," he said. "She looked amazing, everybody was talking about her in great light. And on top of that, the day went perfect for Chiefs fans, of course." October 1, 2023: Swift attends a second Chiefs game a week later — and brings some of her famous friends. Taylor Swift with MetLife Stadium. Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images During the Chiefs game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in New York, Swift supported Kelce again and brought along some A-list pals. Swift was spotted watching the game alongside Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Sabrina Carpenter, Hugh Jackman, Sophie Turner, and Antoni Porowski.  While Swift and Kelce left the stadium separately, it seems they had spent some time together beforehand; the Super Bowl champion was spotted by Page Six leaving Swift's New York apartment that morning. October 4, 2023: Kelce tries to get the NFL to pull back on its coverage of Swift at his games, declaring on his podcast, "They're overdoing it." Travis Kelce, left, and Taylor Swift, right, at Arrowhead Stadium. Denny Medley/USA Today/Reuters; Jason Hanna/Getty Images Kelce said the NFL had gone overboard in their coverage of Swift during an episode of his podcast, released on October 4.  "I think it's fun when they show who all is at the game. I think it brings a little more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you're watching," Kelce said. "But at the same time, I think they're overdoing it a little bit," he continued. NBC Sports, which aired the game, frequently cut to shots of Swift cheering on the Chiefs. The NFL also briefly changed its bios on Instagram and X to reference Swift after the Chiefs beat the Jets. In response, the NFL defended its coverage of the pair in a statement obtained by ESPN. Swift's regular game attendance has also been praised by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Quinton Lucas, the mayor of Kansas City. October 5, 2023: Swift reportedly flies to Missouri to celebrate Kelce's 34th birthday. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, both pictured in October 2023. Michael Owens/Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images According to multiple outlets, the "Fearless" singer spent a few days with Kelce following his 34th birthday. Us Weekly, Page Six, and the Daily Mail reported that Swift flew from her home in Nashville, Tennessee to Kansas City, Missouri the day after his birthday. The two were not seen out together, and an anonymous source told Us Weekly that the pair chose to have a "chill night" together. It's unknown when Swift left, but she was not present at the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Minnesota Vikings the following Sunday. October 12, 2023: Swift shows up to her third Chiefs game, one day after premiering "The Eras Tour" movie. Taylor Swift attended her third Chiefs game on October 12. RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images The "Cruel Summer" singer returned to the Arrowhead Stadium to cheer on Kelce as his team took on the Denver Broncos. In a video shared by People, Swift was seen wearing a Chiefs-branded jacket for the game, where she caught up with Kelce's parents in the family suite. Photos published by Mail Online showed what appeared to be Swift's security team outside Kelce's home until Friday afternoon, suggesting that the pop star had stayed the night. Kelce's mother later discussed the "whirlwind" caused by Swift's game-day appearances. "I thought it would be over at that point, but it seems to just continue, and every week just seems to trump the week before," Donna said during an episode of the "Got It From My Momma" podcast. "So it's really kind of wild, a wild ride."  October 14, 2023: The couple is photographed holding hands in public for the first time. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift attended the "SNL" after-party on October 15, 2023. Gotham/GC Images Swift and Kelce were photographed holding hands after enjoying a date night in New York City. The outing marked the first time the two have been photographed by paparazzi in public together, and at the time, many took it as confirmation of their relationship. Their first public display of affection came after the pair dined at celebrity hot spot Nobu, per photos and video obtained by TMZ and Page Six.  Swift and Kelce later went to Rockefeller Center, where they made separate surprise appearances on NBC's "Saturday Night Live." They finished the night at the show's after-party. October 15, 2023: One day after crashing "SNL," Kelce and Swift hold hands again after dining together in New York City. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in New York City on October 15, 2023. Gotham/GC Images Swift and Kelce were photographed by paparazzi after spending Sunday night at Waverly Inn.  Swift has dined at the West Village hot spot before, most notably in 2016 with Cara Delevingne, Lorde, and Jack Antonoff. October 22, 2023: Swift attends another of Kelce's games in Kansas City. Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium on October 22, 2023. Jamie Squire/Getty Images Just a few days before the release of "1989 (Taylor's Version)," Swift was on hand to support the Kansas City Chiefs as they took on the Los Angeles Chargers. She was filmed cheering for Kelce, looking concerned when he fell, and performing an elaborate handshake with Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Kelce's teammate, Patrick Mahomes. Swift and Kelce were also photographed together at a post-game party, alongside Kelce's teammate, Mecole Hardman Jr., and his girlfriend, Chariah Gordon. Gordon shared a series of photos on Instagram, including one of Swift kissing Kelce on the cheek. October 22, 2023: Jason Kelce says that Travis is "excited" about his new relationship. Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce both play for the NFL. Cooper Neill/Getty Images After the Chiefs beat the Chargers, Jason opened up to NBC Sports about his brother's new relationship and the frenzy it has caused. "It's certainly been weird, the level that it is now," he told NBC Sports on Sunday night. "On one hand, I'm happy for my brother that he seems to be in a relationship that he's excited about, that he is genuine about. But there's another end of it where it's like, 'Man, this is a lot.'" "This is another level of stardom that typically football players don't deal with," he added. October 24, 2023: Kelce's dad praises Swift as "smart" and "genuine." Ed Kelce. Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for The New Heights In an interview with People, Ed Kelce praised his son's new girlfriend as "a very, very sweet, very charming, down-to-earth young woman." Ed also described his first impression of Swift as "very genuine," presumably referring to the Chiefs game on October 12, when the two were seen chatting in the stands. "I'll tell you something very special that I noticed about Taylor the first time I met her," Ed shared. "We're sitting in the suite, she gets up and in the front room, she gets up to go get a drink or something and she starts picking up empty bottles, cans, plates that are scattered around. Because in the suites everybody gets stuff and you empty it down wherever you can." "And I'm just thinking, I don't think she got the diva memo. She didn't get the spoiled musician," he continued. "She doesn't know how to pull that off. And that really to me said a whole lot." November 3, 2023: Kelce responds with a smile when asked if he's "in love" with Swift. Travis Kelce at a press conference in Frankfurt, Germany. Arne Dedert/picture alliance via Getty Images At a press conference in Frankfurt, Germany, where the Kansas City Chiefs would soon play the Miami Dolphins, Kelce fielded a direct question about his feelings for Swift. According to ESPN's NFL reporter Jeff Darlington, the reporter asked, "What is the latest status, and are you in love?" "I got to see her last week. That's the latest status right there," Kelce said of their current status, though he added, "I'm going to keep my personal relationship personal." A video of the exchange shows that Kelce was grinning as he replied. During a recent episode of his podcast, Kelce also said it was "cool" to see people dress up as him and Swift for Halloween, though his brother thought it was "pretty creepy." November 10, 2023: Kelce joins Swift in Buenos Aires the day after she kicks off the Latin American leg of the Eras Tour. Taylor Swift photographed on November 4, 2023 in New York City. Gotham/GC Images Swift and Kelce were spotted at a restaurant in the Argentine capital after Swift postponed her second scheduled show in Buenos Aires due to "truly chaotic" weather in the city. According to People, the couple appeared to be joined by Swift's dad, Scott Swift, as they dined in a private room at Elena restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires. November 11, 2023: Kelce attends his second Eras Tour concert, where Swift changes the lyrics of "Karma" in his honor. Taylor Swift performs in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Marcelo Endelli/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management Swift made a small but significant tweak to the "Karma" lyrics during her second show in Buenos Aires, which Kelce watched from the VIP tent with Swift's father. "Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me," Swift sang with a giggle, per videos captured by fans at the Estadio River Plate concert. TikTok user @flormosso caught Kelce's reaction to the moment, when the crowd erupted into cheers. The two-time Super Bowl champ covered a huge grin with his hands while Scott patted him on the shoulder. Kelce later said he "had a little bit of a clue" that Swift was preparing something special for the show, but once he heard the lyric change, it "still shocked me." "I was like, 'Oh, she really just said that,'" he said on his podcast. November 11, 2023: Swift and Kelce share their first public kiss. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce kissing. X/@ViralContentz When her second concert in Buenos Aires ended, Swift left the stage and ran into Kelce's arms as he waited for her by an exit. The couple shared their first public kiss as fans cheered. November 20, 2023: Kelce praises Swift in an interview. Travis Kelce photographed for WSJ. Magazine. Gregory Harris for WSJ. Magazine In a cover story for WSJ. Magazine, the NFL player said he was a Swiftie before he began dating the pop star. He praised Swift's songwriting, especially her song "Blank Space," and even described his girlfriend as "a genius." "I'm learning every day," Kelce said, describing Swift's intelligence as "mind-blowing." He also said he's been hesitant to discuss their relationship in public because he doesn't want to spook her. "That was the biggest thing to me: make sure I don't say anything that would push Taylor away," he said. "Obviously I've never dated anyone with that kind of aura about them… I've never dealt with it," Kelce added. "But at the same time, I'm not running away from any of it." December 3, 2023: Swift attends another of Kelce's games in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes cheer for the Chiefs in December. Stacy Revere/Getty Images Once again, Swift was photographed cheering for Kelce in a private suite with Brittany Mahomes. (Unfortunately, the team lost to the Green Bay Packers 27-19.) "They're both really hard workers, and he acknowledges her art is hers, and he has what's his," an anonymous source told People. "He understands the territory their relationship comes with and like he said, isn't letting any of the hoopla impact how they're growing together." December 6, 2023: Swift confirms her relationship status with Kelce and says they're "proud of each other." Taylor Swift is Time's 2023 Person of the Year. Inez and Vinoodh for Time Swift opened up about Kelce in a cover story for Time magazine, which named her Person of the Year for 2023. She said she enjoys attending NFL games "to support Travis" and praised him for openly courting her on his podcast. Although Swift has a complicated history with dating in the public eye — and has kept previous relationships extremely private — she said there's nothing to hide when it comes to Kelce. "When you say a relationship is public, that means I'm going to see him do what he loves, we're showing up for each other, other people are there and we don't care," Swift told Time. "The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you're seeing someone. And we're just proud of each other." January 26, 2024: Kelce says he and Swift are happy to ignore the "outside noise." Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce photographed leaving Arrowhead Stadium. Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images During a Chiefs press conference, Kelce fielded questions about navigating his relationship amid his growing fame. "As long as we're happy, we can't listen to anything that's outside noise," Kelce said. "That's all that matters." Kelce added that he'd be "silly" to deny Swift's role in his growing fan base, but his priority is still his job. "I brought this upon myself, and I do enjoy having fun with it all, and the biggest thing is making sure my focus is right here in this building," Kelce told reporters. January 28, 2024: Swift celebrates with Kelce when the Chiefs secure their spot in the Super Bowl. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift celebrate the Chiefs' AFC Championship win. Patrick Smith/Getty Images For her 12th NFL appearance, Swift watched the Chiefs beat the Baltimore Ravens to secure their spot in Super Bowl LVIII. After the game, she joined Kelce and his family on the field to celebrate. The couple shared several hugs and kisses in front of the crowd. February 11, 2024: Swift joins Kelce on the field after he wins the Super Bowl. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift share a kiss at the Super Bowl. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images At the 2024 Super Bowl, Kelce and the Chiefs became NFL champions for the second year in a row. Swift had flown from Tokyo to watch the game and could be seen celebrating the historic win in a VIP box, flanked by friends and members of Kelce's family. Later, she joined Kelce on the field, where the couple shared several intimate hugs and kisses. April 13, 2024: Swift and Kelce attend Coachella together. Ice Spice, Taylor Swift, and Travis Kelce at Coachella. Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images Swift and Kelce were spotted in the crowd at Coachella watching pals Ice Spice and Bleachers perform.  Several videos showing the couple dancing and kissing at the music festival circulated on social media. Swift also wore a "New Heights" hat to support Kelce's podcast. Kelce later said that he prefers to watch concerts "from the fans' perspective." "I'm a fan of the music. I'm a fan of live shows," Kelce said on his podcast. "I want to see it from the front of the stage. Yeah, we probably could've finessed it that way [watching backstage], but I think it's just that much more of an experience if you're in the pit, man. If you're in the madness with all the fans. It was awesome though." April 19, 2024: Swift releases her new album "The Tortured Poets Department," which may include a nod to Kelce. Taylor Swift's 11th album, "The Tortured Poets Department," was released in 2024. Taylor Swift Swift's 31-track double album "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology" contains two songs that may nod to Kelce. The first is "The Alchemy," which doubles as a love song and an ode to Swift's enduring career. The lyrics feature several sport-related metaphors like "Call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team" and "Where's the trophy? He just comes running over to me." According to the liner notes, "The Alchemy" was copyrighted in 2023, so it's unclear how deeply tied to Kelce it can be. (Swift's albums are typically finished several months ahead of their release date, ensuring vinyl factories have enough time to fulfill preorders.) However, "So High School" was included in the deluxe half of "TTPD," meaning it wasn't included in the initial run of physical copies. A song can be made available to stream almost immediately after completion, so it's possible the song was written shortly before the album's release. "So High School" is perhaps the only straightforward love song on "Poets. " It depicts a relationship that transports Swift back to her "You Belong With Me" days — the giddy rush of young love and lust. The track appears to include direct references to Kelce, including "You know how to ball, I know Aristotle," "You knew what you wanted and, boy, you got her," and "Are you gonna marry, kiss, or kill me?" (Back in 2016, Kelce played a game of "Kiss, Marry, Kill" with AfterBuzz TV, in which he chose to kiss Swift.) The year after "Poets" was released, Swift seemed to confirm that Kelce inspired "So High School" by including the song in their engagement announcement. April 27, 2024: Kelce calls Swift his "significant other" at a charity gala. A Kansas City Chiefs fan supports Kelce and Swift at the Super Bowl victory parade. David Eulitt/Getty Images Kelce brought Swift as his date to the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation Golf Classic gala in Las Vegas. In a highlights reel shared by Kelce's teammate, the couple can be seen walking into the event holding hands. Other clips shared by fans at the event show Kelce and Swift cuddling and kissing at their table. At one point, Kelce made a speech and referred to Swift as his "significant other." For a surprise auction item, they sold four tickets to the Eras Tour for $80,000. May 12, 2024: Kelce watches Swift perform her 87th show on the Eras Tour. Taylor Swift performs in France. Kevin Mazur/TAS24/Getty Images When Swift returned to the stage for the European leg, she had adjusted the Eras Tour set list to perform songs from "The Tortured Poets Department." The new segment includes "So High School," likely as a nod to her relationship with Kelce. Swift's fourth and final performance in France also happened to be the tour's 87th show. Kelce, who wears No. 87 for the Chiefs, was in the audience. Kelce was spotted dancing with Swift's close friend, Gigi Hadid, and filming Swift on his iPhone. "Can you believe it's our 87th show tonight?" Swift asked the audience during her acoustic set, just before playing "The Alchemy" and "Begin Again" as the evening's surprise songs. During the concert's "1989" segment, Swift also debuted a new outfit: a glittering yellow top with a red ombré skirt. Fans interpreted this as a nod to Kelce and the Chiefs because the team's colors are yellow and red. (Kelce previously said his favorite song of Swift's is the "1989" hit single "Blank Space"). Finally, to close the evening, Swift tweaked the lyrics of "Karma" to salute "the guy on the Chiefs" for the second time. June 23, 2024: Kelce makes his debut appearance on the Eras Tour stage. Taylor Swift is joined onstage by Travis Kelce (R), during "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at Wembley Stadium on June 23, 2024 in London, England. Gareth Cattermole/TAS24 via Getty Images During Swift's third and final performance in London, Kelce made a surprise appearance during her onstage costume change for "The Tortured Poets Department." This scene depicts Swift getting shot and killed at the end of "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived." Then, she's picked up and revived by a set of dancers dressed as ringmasters. These characters force Swift to strip down, put on heels, and keep performing through the pain — a segue into her meta bop (and "Poets" album highlight) "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart." Kelce joined the skit as another ringmaster. He picked up Swift's body, carried her across the stage to the fainting couch, and mimed applying powder to her face with a makeup brush.  Kelce is now cemented in Swiftian history as the first boyfriend to grace Swift's stage during one of her concerts. September 7, 2024: Swift brings Kelce as her date to a friend's wedding. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leave a friend's wedding in New York City. MEGA/Getty Images Swift and Kelce were spotted out together in New York City, where they attended the wedding of Karen Elson and Lee Foster, per Vogue. Elson is a model, while Foster owns Electric Lady Studios, where Swift has recorded many songs over the years, from "Lover" to "The Tortured Poets Department." Swift wore a cream-colored floral dress for the occasion, paired with a Vivienne Westwood purse, Louboutin sandals, and $64,000 worth of jewelry. September 8, 2024: The couple attends the US Open together. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at the 2024 US Open Tennis Championships. Gotham/GC Images During an extended break from the Eras Tour, Swift and Kelce attended the 2024 US Open Tennis Championships, where they were photographed cuddling, kissing, and singing along to "I Believe In a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness. They even wore color-coordinating outfits. The couple was joined by friends like Brittany Mahomes and the Haim sisters. September 11, 2024: Swift gives a shout-out to "my boyfriend Travis" at the VMAs. Taylor Swift accepts the award for video of the year at the 2024 VMAs. Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images Swift's "Fortnight" won video of the year at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. During her acceptance speech, she described her joyful experience filming (and directing) the video. "Something that I'll always remember is when I finished a take and I'd say 'cut,' and we'd be done with that take, I would always hear someone cheering from across the studio where we were shooting it," she said. "That one person was my boyfriend, Travis." After an eruption of applause, Swift continued to thank Kelce for his positive attitude. "Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic," she said. "So I want to thank him for adding that to our shoot because I'll always remember that." October 7, 2024: After skipping a few games, Swift makes a stylish return to Arrowhead Stadium. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at the Chiefs game in Kansas City on October 7, 2024. David Eulitt/Cooper Neill/Getty Images Despite recent tabloid speculation about their relationship status, Swift showed up to cheer for Kelce when the Chiefs took on the New Orleans Saints. Swift wore Vivienne Westwood and glitter freckles for the occasion in Kansas City, where the Chiefs won their fifth consecutive game and extended their undefeated season. January 26, 2025: Once again, Swift celebrates on the field when the Chiefs win the AFC championship. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce celebrate the Chiefs becoming 2025 AFC champions. Jamie Squire/Getty Images For the second year in a row, Swift watched the Chiefs become AFC champions at Arrowhead Stadium — her ninth attendance of the season and 22nd total. She joined Kelce and his team for the on-field celebrations. February 9, 2025: Swift supports Kelce at Super Bowl LIX. Taylor Swift at Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images Swift traveled to New Orleans to cheer for Kelce at their second Super Bowl as a couple. Earlier that week, the couple was spotted dining with Patrick and Brittany Mahomes at Lilette, a popular French restaurant in the city. Swift also had dinner with friends at Gianna, an Italian restaurant near the French Quarter, the night before the big game. Some of those friends accompanied Swift to Caesars Superdome, including the Haim sisters, Ice Spice, and stylist Ashley Avignone, who was previously mentioned in the liner notes of Swift's 2012 album "Red." Unlike the previous year, the Chiefs lost at the Super Bowl, falling to the Eagles 40-22. June 12, 2025: The couple attends the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift attend Game Four of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final in Florida. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images Swift and Kelce were spotted in a VIP box at Amerant Bank Arena, when the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers faced off in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. July 24, 2025: Kelce shares several photos with Swift on Instagram to commemorate their recent "adventures." Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift in a photo shared to Instagram on July 24, 2025. @killatrav/Instagram With training camp freshly underway for the NFL's 2025-26 season, Kelce shared a photo dump on Instagram that offered a peek into his and Swift's downtime since the Super Bowl. "Had some adventures this offseason, kept it 100," Kelce wrote in the caption. Swift is featured in seven out of the 13 photos. The carousel includes shots of the couple ice skating, drinking wine with friends, and wearing novelty hats that say "Captain" and "First Mate." Swift's brother, Austin Swift, also appears in a few of the photos. The post marked the first time Kelce shared personal photos of Swift on social media. August 12, 2025: Swift announces her new album, "The Life of a Showgirl," with Kelce's help. Taylor Swift wears an orange dress onstage at the Eras Tour. Vittorio Zunino Celotto/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management Shortly after Swift's social media team began teasing her "new era" on August 11, she was confirmed as a guest on the forthcoming episode of "New Heights." At 12:12 a.m. ET on August 12, Swift shared a collaborative Instagram post with the "New Heights" account. In the short teaser clip, Swift, seated next to Kelce, revealed the title of her new album, "The Life of a Showgirl." August 12, 2025: Kelce gushes about being Swift's "plus one." Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce photographed in New York City. XNY/Star Max/GC Images In a cover story for GQ, Kelce opened up about his and Swift's relationship dynamic. "I get to be the plus one," he said. "I get to go and be that fan. Because I am a fan. I'm a fan of music. I'm a fan of art. And it's so cool that I get to experience her being that plus one for me on the football field… I feel that same enjoyment every time she comes to my shows." Kelce also discussed the similarities between himself and Swift as entertainers, performing for sold-out stadium crowds and pushing their bodies to their physical limits. "I hadn't experienced somebody in the same shoes as me, having a partner who understands the scrutiny, understands the ups and downs of being in front of millions," he said. "That was very relatable, seeing how exhausted she would get after shows. She may not think of herself as an athlete. She will never tell anyone that she is an athlete. But I've seen what she goes through. I've seen the amount of work that she puts on her body, and it's mind-blowing." August 13, 2025: Swift appears on "New Heights" to promote her new album. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift on an episode of "New Heights." New Heights/YouTube Making her debut podcast appearance on "New Heights," Swift opened up about her first impression of Kelce and his original method of getting her attention. "This kind of felt more like I was in an '80s John Hughes movie and he was just like, standing outside of my window with a boombox, just being like, 'I wanna date you!'" she said. "I was like, if this guy isn't crazy, which is a big if, this is sort of what I've been writing songs about wanting to happen to me since I was a teenager." In response, Kelce joked, "And I was sitting there at the Eras Tour, listening to every single one of those songs, like, 'I know what she wants me to do.'" Both Kelce and Swift repeatedly expressed admiration and awe for each other throughout the episode, thanking the "New Heights" editors and social media teams for helping to forge the connection. August 26, 2025: Swift and Kelce announce their engagement. Kansas City Chiefs fans celebrate the engagement of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Swift and Kelce shared a collaborative post on Instagram that included five photos of Kelce's opportune proposal, which, according to Kelce's dad, took place two weeks before the official announcement. The photo carousel shows the couple surrounded by pink and white flowers and a close-up shot of the diamond engagement ring on Swift's finger. "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married," they captioned the post, adding a dynamite emoji. ("TNT," get it?) August 28, 2025: Swift and Kelce make their debut appearance as an engaged couple. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium on August 28, 2025. Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images For their first public appearance since announcing their engagement, the couple watched Kelce's college football team, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Arrowhead Stadium. Swift wore white — and, of course, her new engagement ring — for the occasion. September 3, 2025: Kelce discusses their engagement during an episode of "New Heights." Travis Kelce on "New Heights." New Heights/YouTube Kelce took a moment while podcasting to thank his brother and their "New Heights" crew for sending their congratulations after he and Swift got engaged. "I appreciate everybody that reached out and sent something, and all the posts, and all the excitement that's been going on," he said. "It's been really fun telling everybody who I'm going to be spending the rest of my life with." Kelce said the engagement is "still fresh," and he feels "giddy" calling Swift his fiancée. When asked about their future wedding plans, Kelce said simply, "Oh, it's gonna go crazy." October 3, 2025: Swift releases her new album "The Life of a Showgirl," which includes explicit references to Kelce. Taylor Swift's 12th album, "The Life of a Showgirl," was released on October 3, 2025. TAS Rights Management Swift's 12th album, "The Life of a Showgirl," is dominated by love songs evidently inspired by Kelce. The album opens with "The Fate of Ophelia," which seems to recount Swift's first impression of Kelce publicly shooting his shot. "I heard you calling on the megaphone / You wanna see me all alone," she sings. "As legend has it, you are quite the pyro / You light the match to watch it blow." The chorus includes more apparent nods to Kelce: "Keep it 100 on the land, the sea, the sky / Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes / Don't care where the hell you've been, 'cause now, you're mine." A few months prior, Kelce wrote "kept it 100" in his Instagram caption, likely as a sneaky Easter egg for fans. Swift pledging allegiance to her lover's team also evokes her newfound devotion to the Chiefs. Swift told Capital FM that the title of the album's third track, "Opalite," is a nod to Kelce's birthstone. "I had written down the word 'opalite' because I learned that it's actually a man-made opal," she explained. "I thought it was kind of a cool metaphor that it's a man-made opal, and happiness can also be man-made." Elsewhere on the album, Swift offers peeks into her pre-marital bliss. "Eldest Daughter" features references to marriage and wedding vows ("I'm never gonna break that vow / I'm never gonna leave you now"), while "Wi$h Li$t" sees Swift fantasizing about a domestic, suburban life with her muse ("Have a couple kids, got the whole block looking like you"). In the album's ninth track, "Wood," Swift even name-drops Kelce's podcast ("New Heights of manhood"). March 26, 2026: Kelce joins Swift at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift kiss at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images Swift took home seven fan-voted awards at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, including artist of the year. Kelce was in the audience for Swift's acceptance speech, in which she advised fans to "nurture your hobby and your passion." "Give yourself time to make mistakes. Give yourself time to hone your craft. I'm a firm believer that anything you feed your mind, it will internalize. Anything you feed the internet, it will attempt to kill, and I don't want that for your dreams," Swift said. May 16, 2026: The couple attends a wedding together in Brooklyn. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce photographed in Brooklyn, New York on May 16, 2026. Aeon/GC Images Swift and Kelce were photographed arriving at Honey's cocktail bar for a friend's wedding, just one week after they were spotted in Greece attending the wedding of Kelce's teammate, George Karlaftis. Swift wore a gold Maria Lucia Hohan Allar silk dress for the event in Brooklyn, according to Vogue. She also wore gold and opal diamond jewelry that had belonged to her recent muse, Elizabeth Taylor. May 23, 2026: Swift and Kelce sit courtside at the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce watch the Knicks beat the Cavaliers at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images Kelce, who grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, cheered for the Cavaliers at Rocket Arena during game three of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Swift later cheered for the Knicks while sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden sans Kelce for game four of the NBA Finals, wearing a homemade "Stevie Knicks" baby tee. June 12, 2026: Kelce and his parents attend Swift's induction ceremony for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Taylor Swift attends the 2026 induction ceremony for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Swift's parents, her brother, her fiancé, and her future in-laws were all in the audience when Swift became the youngest-ever woman to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Videos from inside the induction ceremony, which took place at the Marriott Marquis in New York, show Swift and Kelce kissing before she took the stage for her speech. The following night, Swift and Kelce attended a performance of Broadway's "Oh, Mary!" at the Lyceum Theatre. Read the original article on Business Insider

Debby Wu / Bloomberg: Source: Taiwanese authorities raided Super Micro's Taiwan office as part of a probe into the alleged smuggling of Nvidia chips to China; SMCI closed down 8.1%  —  Super Micro Computer Inc.'s offices in Taiwan were raided by government authorities on Monday, widening an investigation …

Gender-based violence researchers, feminists and activists use the term “rape culture” to describe a society where violence against women, girls and gender-diverse people is normalized, victims are blamed and perpetrators are routinely excused. Earlier this month, it reared its head again: this time among school-aged youth in an Alberta school. Boys at Camrose Composite High School reportedly listed girls they wanted to sexually assault or mutilate in a series of Snapchat group messages. According to news coverage, one boy even called himself a “rapist” in the chat. Following this discovery, students walked out in protest against this technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence involves the use of digital and emerging technologies to stalk, surveil, harass or humiliate a target — typically a woman, girl or member of an additionally equity-denied group. Instances of this form of violence are not uncommon, including among youth. In fact, within the same week, two 14-year-old boys were charged after they allegedly used artificial intelligence to create graphic deepfake nudes of multiple girls from Edmonton high schools. As of publication, no charges or school disciplinary findings have been publicly confirmed in connection with the Camrose incident. But what happened in the days after the chat surfaced says as much about Canada’s rape culture as the chat itself. When institutions use neutral language The problem isn’t just boys engaging in technology-facilitated gender-based violence. It’s also how others in their environment react to these kinds of events. First, there is the culture of impunity. The social media threads were allegedly active since fall 2025, with multiple boys said to have contributed over that period of time. Then, according to a Grade 12 student who was part of the protest, when other students tried to report the chat to school officials, they were told by a staff member that “boys will be boys.” The phrase “boys will be boys” is a hallmark of rape culture. This saying deftly writes off responsibility for the boys and men who perpetuate abuse. It also leaves girls, women and gender-diverse individuals to deal with the consequences without benefiting from a sense of justice, closure or, at bare minimum, support. Consequences of gender-based violence can be physical, emotional, sexual or economic, to name a few. For example, costs can quickly mount when therapy is needed or a survivor misses work. Meantime, a culture that normalizes gender-based violence creates a space where abuse continues unchecked. Equally notable is the school’s persistently gender-neutral language. Instead of disclosing that the thread’s creators were boys, the Battle River School Board’s statements call them “students.” Such gender neutrality rewrites Canada’s gender-based violence problem as something all students face or perpetrate equally, which is far from the case. This gender-neutral language had downstream effects. It made it hard for media outlets, in the wake of the Camrose events, to clarify to the public that gendered abuse specifically had taken place. As a scholar whose work explores technology-facilitated gender-based violence and who was interviewed by news media in the aftermath of the Camrose events, I can attest to this. The school board’s and police’s gender neutrality made it hard to comment on the case in a way that meaningfully raised awareness about violence against girls or allowed for an intervention in the issue. Canada’s gender-based violence problem The use of social media apps and AI tools by school-aged children (typically boys) to create deepfake pornography of classmates (typically girls) is on the rise. Research has linked growing misogynistic attitudes among teen boys broadly to influencers like Andrew Tate and manosphere rhetoric — a trend made worse by a society that ineffectually addresses gender-based violence. This degendering of violence — leaving out specifics about who most perpetrates and who most experiences it — is common in rape culture. And it makes it harder for critics, scholars and activists to paint a complete picture of Canada’s deadly problem. While violent crime has decreased overall through the years in Canada, gender-based violence has continued to rise. One woman or girl is killed every 48 hours, primarily by men. One in four women reports gender-based violence to the police, although experts believe one in three actually face it, but are too afraid, due to stigma or potential disbelief, to report. Women are five times more likely to face sexual assault than men, and four times more likely to experience intimate partner violence. The risk, however, is distributed in additionally unequal ways. The highest rates of gender-based violence are experienced by specific marginalized groups. Indigenous women and girls are far more likely to be murdered or to disappear than other women in Canada. Transgender and gender-diverse people experience violent victimization at substantially higher rates than cisgender people. Women of colour, and those with disabilities or from rural areas, are among the groups facing the highest rates of GBV. What a better response looks like Still, there are hopeful aspects to the Camrose case. Young people have a voice, as evidenced by the student protests. They are making clear that they are experiencing Canada’s gender-based violence problem, especially as it extends onto digital platforms, and that this is not OK. It is also heartening to know that boys were standing alongside girls and gender-diverse individuals near their high school in support, and to hear their thoughtful commentary in news broadcasts. Hopefully, more will join. Similarly, in the case of the two boys who created deepfakes, a schoolteacher reported the matter and charges were laid. When educators act meaningfully to protect students, it is another step in the right direction. We can all learn to better respond to gender-based violence, both online and offline. First, don’t normalize misogynistic threats and behaviour — it extends the harm that victims will experience while minimizing responsibility for the perpetrator. Second, don’t degender the crime. Doing so makes this deadly Canadian issue seem like something all people face equally, when it isn’t. Third, when students are courageous enough to come forward about gender-based violence, acknowledge their experience and be of assistance to them. Research shows harm is reduced when survivors experience support and care. And finally, help men and boys by providing a safe space for them to be vulnerable and express emotions without shame. They too have been harmed by a society that demands that they be tough, stoic and aggressive and that they reject what is “feminine” as weak and less than. Nicolette Little receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Investigators say they recovered $300,000 worth of copper wire and $1 million worth of data infrastructure equipment from an Illinois truck yard. Cook County Sheriff's Office Investigators in Illinois recovered $1.3 million worth of data center supplies. Two trailers found in a Chicago-area truck yard had been reported stolen in Florida and Alabama. Cargo theft has posed a significant challenge for retailers. Now thieves have a higher-tech target. Cargo thieves have a new target. Investigators with the Cook County Sheriff's office in Illinois said last week they recovered a pair of trailers with $1.3 million worth of data center supplies at a Chicago-area truck yard. Officials said the organized retail crime unit was tipped off about a trailer containing about $300,000 worth of copper wire spools, which had been reported stolen from Pine Hill, Alabama. Copper wiring is a key supply for building and connecting data centers. After inspecting the trailer and finding the wire, investigators said the truck yard owner told them that the person who delivered that load had dropped off another load a week earlier. That trailer also turned out to have been stolen — from Jacksonville, Florida — and contained $1 million worth of data center infrastructure equipment, the Sheriff's office said. Cargo theft is a problem that typically affects retailers, as criminals target supply chains to intercept products on their way to stores. The US Department of Homeland Security estimates that cargo thefts account for as much as $35 billion in losses a year. Theft rings have also targeted metals such as platinum, palladium, and copper used in industrial applications. The recent boom in data center construction presents a new opportunity for criminal groups that the National Retail Federation said last year continue to evolve in their targets and tactics. Read the original article on Business Insider

The Army's crewed watercraft fleet has is smaller and less mission-ready, prompting the service to look for new solutions. US Army photo by Pfc. Peter Bannister The US Army is eyeing drone boats to help fix its watercraft logistics problem. The Army's watercraft fleet for carrying personnel and supplies has shrunk and declined in readiness. The service anticipates testing one autonomous vessel sometime next summer. The US Army is interested in acquiring drone boats to supplement its limited fleet of supply and transport watercraft in the Pacific. The Army faces fleet size and readiness problems with its watercraft. Uncrewed surface vessels, or USVs, are seen as a potential solution that could relieve the logistics strain on crewed watercraft, operating in more forward-deployed environments and quickly dispatching supplies, weapons, and equipment. Speaking with reporters at a media roundtable last week, Maj. Gen. Gavin Gardner, head of 8th Theater Sustainment Command, said the Army anticipates testing a drone boat sometime as early as next summer. He said that the Army could ultimately end up buying a fleet of anywhere between 30 and 100 medium-sized vessels capable of carrying eight to ten 20-foot containers. He didn't identify companies involved but said that some firms had traveled to the region and demonstrated some of their systems. These future autonomous vessels could range in size and use, but larger ones would need to be capable of carrying shipping containers, supplies, and soldiers. "I could see those operating in the US PACOM area of responsibility," Gardner said, referring to US Pacific Command, which oversees military operations in the region. "I think that gives you a ton of operations, inventory in motion, easy to respond. And then because they're autonomous, and we can work with our partner nations forward, you have those berthed up everywhere from Korea to Japan, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, etc." Those vessels could be controlled from the command's headquarters in Hawaii but would likely be forward-deployed in response to a constant demand on Army vessels to deliver supplies and equipment in the Pacific area, he added. Drone boats could supplement crewed watercraft, but the Army doesn't anticipate replacing its fleet with uncrewed vessels. US Army photo by Pfc. Jose Nunez The expectation is that the first contracted vessel would head out to Hawaii this time next year and assist in moving equipment and supplies in the Hawaiian islands for evaluation. The Army's watercraft problem has long been a challenge for the service. In 2024, the US Government Accountability Office, a congressional watchdog, reported that the mission-capable rate of the Army's 70 watercraft had slid from more than 70% in 2020 to less than 40% in 2024, partially due to long-standing maintenance issues. The service is currently working to address problems with its fleet in ways beyond autonomous surface vessels. In 2024, the Army activated its first new composite watercraft company in decades, and it has plans to receive a total of seven Maneuver Support Vessels (Light); one is currently in service. Another composite watercraft company is set to be activated in October, Gardner said, and one potentially consisting of autonomous and crewed vessels could be ready next year. The Army doesn't view USVs as a wholesale replacement of crewed watercraft but rather a complement. "I use autonomous watercraft to do routine delivery, and then I see my manned Army watercraft systems to really give commanders operational maneuver to deliver at the time and place of our choosing, on the beach, that maybe an autonomous watercraft doesn't have the capability to do, but current Army watercraft systems are designed to do," he said. The command is also looking at pulling prepositioned watercraft out of storage, using contractor-owned and -operated vessels, training Army personnel on those contractor vessels, and relying on allies like Japan and the Philippines for assistance to address shortfalls. Read the original article on Business Insider

Google is expanding Gemini’s personalized AI image generation to eligible free users in the U.S., allowing the chatbot to create images based on your interests and data from connected Google apps.

Small-scale solar helped renewables hit nearly triple coal's generation in the US.