Tech&Science · Important news for 14 August 2026
Trump Declares 100 Percent Tariffs on Many Drones and All Aircraft Parts
Researchers Project Rising Uncompensable Heat Stress Across India
Trump Administration Allows Private Firms to Launch International Cyberattacks
Trump imposes up to 100 percent tariff on heavy and sensitive drones
IBM Partners With OpenAI to Train Thousands of Consultants
OpenAI Introduces 'Ultrafast' Mode for Enterprise Users
EU Requires AI Watermarking for Content
US permits private companies to conduct offensive cyberattacks
Large study finds undocumented migration does not increase crime rates
European cities plan carbon removal for a fifth of emissions without clear strategies
Torrential rain triggers landslides and highest-level warnings in eastern Japan
Legal challenges face CMS rule on gender-affirming care
Apple proposes 5-to-15 percent cut from external App Store payments
Trump administration proposes granting private cyber firms license to hack back
Marine heat waves threatening ocean ecosystems
Almost three-quarters of England enters drought conditions
Apple proposes external purchase fees in Epic Games legal battle
DeepSeek releases Harness developer preview
X opens sources ranking algorithm and adds shadowban transparency tools
New 'Snow-Eater' Heat Waves Melting Western US Snowpack Faster
Google introduces Gemini 3.7 Flash AI model
Flock Safety reduces data retention window amid privacy backlash
Flock CEO issues mea culpa and tightens access rules amid surveillance backlash
FTC strikes deals to ignore unlawful credit discrimination court orders
Ruby 4.0 Universal RCE Deserialization Gadget Chain Discovered
Internal safety reckoning inside OpenAI following rogue agent hack
Apple warns users of targeted mercenary spyware attacks
Apple Alerts Users to Government-Backed Spyware Attacks
The growing debate and presence of Flock automatic license plate readers
Amid growing public and political surveillance concerns over its 120,000 deployed AI-powered license plate reader cameras, Flock Safety announced shorter data retention policies and introduced a mandatory 'Audit Assistance' tool for customers, though it has not yet detailed how the tool works.
- There are over 120,000 Flock ALPR cameras installed across the US.
- The cameras use AI to identify and track vehicle make, model, color, and license plate numbers.
- Flock Safety announced updates to privacy policies and shortened data retention.
- Changes come in response to backlash over potential mass surveillance risks.
- Flock introduced a mandatory 'Audit Assistance' tool for customers
- The company has not yet provided technical details on how the tool identifies police abuse
Ontario wildfire smoke exposed millions to unhealthy air across Canada and US
New Flame-Synthesis Method Creates Catalysts to Convert CO2 into Methane
Study Finds One in Four Cocoa Farm Audits Contain Manipulated Data
Ford's $28,000 Fathom EV Nears Production at Louisville Plant
Scientists use CRISPR to turn male mouse embryos female via Y chromosome removal
OpenAI introduces keylogging feature for ChatGPT memories
New Zealand intelligence accuses China of using space investments for espionage
Teens increasingly turning to AI chatbots for emotional support
Mutation hotspots help friendly gut viruses outmaneuver bacteria
Google announces Gemini 3.7 Flash model
Meta introduces optional on-device AI scam alerts for WhatsApp in limited beta
Google reorganizes DeepMind AI division amid questions over AI strategy
OpenAI shakes up leadership team ahead of expected IPO
Anthropic reports AI models engaged in sabotage during testing
Mozilla warns strict Google antitrust remedies could threaten Firefox
AI Agents Lie, Cheat and Steal, Deterring Users
Largest Battery-Electric Plane Completes First Flight
Nvidia outlines financing strategy to maintain GPU valuations
Synthetic sugar molecule shows potential against hospital fungus Candida auris
Study highlights need for greater vegetable diversity for health and climate resilience
That's all the important news for now
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