Daily Tech News Digest – 2026-07-25

Top tech headlines from BBC Technology, TechRadar and Ars Technica in the last 24 hours.

BBC Technology

• Warning shot or publicity stunt - how worried should we be about the OpenAI hack?
  Hugging Face said the hack was done at superhuman speed by an AI with little or no human guidance.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 10:14:41 GMT
• Tech Now
  Highlights from the Esports World Cup in Paris and how to build a gaming PC.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 01:00:00 GMT
• PlayStation Network outage resolved after thousands of gamers unable to play
  The outage affected gamers' ability to launch games, apps or network features on their PlayStation.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 20:37:21 GMT
• Trump vows to investigate EU over fining of US tech companies
  The US president says fines against Google, as well as Apple, Meta and Amazon, should be "entirely reversed."
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 20:23:58 GMT
• How Jimothy the raccoon became the internet's latest animal obsession
  It all began with an innocuous video shared by Seattle resident Kiana Hall on Instagram.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:27:46 GMT

TechRadar Tech

• Vodafone is testing an AI robotic mast, but the future belongs to adjustable internal antenna components
  Vodafone is testing AI-controlled robotic antennas while preparing lower-energy internal antenna components for future autonomous 4G and 5G networks.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 12:05:00 +0000
• Vacation mode, activated: why this VPN belongs in every traveler’s carry-on
  Streaming, optimising hotel Wi-Fi and something to help with your roaming charges too...
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0000
• The Valve Steam Machine should be the perfect 'couch gaming' PC—but after testing it out, I'm not convinced it's worth the price
  Valve's long-awaited Steam Machine is finally here – but was it really worth the wait? I've gone hands-on to find out.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0000
• 'Not the USP I wanted': Nothing’s new Ear (3a) earbuds sound good and the ANC is effective, but they hide a troublesome secret I found it hard to get past during testing
  Is everything coming up roses for Nothing's new $99 / £99 noise-cancelling earbuds? Depends on whether the USP sits well with you, I think…
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000
• The Crow Girl season 2 is the 'unhinged, wild and deadly' crime drama you need to stream on Paramount+ and Channel 5 this weekend — I still can't wrap my head around its shocking finale
  What do you get when you cross a group of dead bodies, an unhinged psychologist, a vulnerable detective, and the mother of all unforeseen twists? The Crow Girl season 2, of course.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000
• ICYMI: the 7 biggest tech stories of the week, from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 to the Garmin Cirqa
  There was a lot of top-tier tech content published on TechRadar this week, and these are the highlights.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000
• 'The government has all but forgotten that most data centres require water to cool their systems': Industry trade board warns UK government over data center thirst for resources
  Water UK calls out the government for not taking water seriously enough, despite plans to treble data center capacity by 2030.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000
• Iran-linked group caught hiding surveillance tools in fake apps
  Researchers at Recorded Future found evidence that an Iran-linked group is spreading MarkiRAT spyware through fake VPN and media player apps promoted on social media, targeting Farsi speakers worldwide.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000
• Which DJI drone should I buy? Your simple guide to the different ranges and our top-rated flyers
  From a budget-friendly buy that blew us away in testing, to fantastic FPV option, to an ultra-capable camera drone for professional content capture.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000
• Stuart Fails to Save the Universe episode 1's 'OG death' isn't actually shocking at all — in fact, there's an overwhelmingly obvious clue to confirm that it's not even real
  Stuart Fails to Save the Universe episode 1 premiered by killing off a beloved Big Bang Theory character. Oops. Or did they? There's an obvious clue that everybody is overlooking.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 01:00:00 +0000
• 50 drones in one swat: Reusable Lockheed Martin's Morfius X-Rotor uses powerful microwave to kill dozens of UAVs at a time
  Lockheed Martin introduced the reusable Morfius X-Rotor, claiming it disables over 50 drones while reducing dependence on expensive interceptor missiles.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 00:05:00 +0000
• NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, July 25 (game #874)
  Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 23:00:00 +0000
• NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, July 25 (game #1140)
  Looking for NYT Connections answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, plus my commentary on the puzzles.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 23:00:00 +0000
• Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, July 25 (game #1643)
  Looking for Quordle clues? We can help. Plus get the answers to Quordle today and past solutions.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 23:00:00 +0000
• Russia converts planes older than Putin to launch drone killers — 80-year-old An-2 set to get FPV interceptors to down Ukrainian UAV
  Russia has adapted Yak-52 and An-2 aircraft into airborne FPV interceptor drone platforms, expanding counter-UAV capabilities using long-serving Soviet airframes.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 22:45:00 +0000
• Quote of the day by Netscape co-founder Marc Andreessen: 'Software is eating the world' — a pithy assessment of the modern tech landscape
  The venture capitalist and tech entrepreneur explained in a famous essay how software infiltrated every industry
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 22:00:00 +0000
• Oracle awarded 10-year $7 billion Pentagon deal to supply Department of War with vital software and services
  The contract unifies existing Oracle licensing under a single vehicle, and is expected to save $441 million across the 10-year period.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 21:20:00 +0000
• South Korean nuclear container ship proposal receives US approval for 15,000 TEU ultra-safe molten salt reactor design
  South Korea received preliminary US approval for a 15,000 TEU container ship powered by twin molten salt small modular reactors.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 20:05:00 +0000
• I wanted great filter coffee and espresso without buying two appliances — and 9 months later, the Ninja Prestige DualBrew System is still my absolute favorite for both
  I love both types of coffee equally, and this all-in-one brewer means I don't have to sacrifice my whole countertop for two separate machines.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 20:00:00 +0000
• Ukraine's heavy bomber drones airdrop ARK-1 mine-laying robots behind Russian lines
  Ukraine reportedly uses heavy drones to deploy ARK-1 robots carrying anti-tank mines, showing new combinations of aerial and ground systems.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:05:00 +0000

Ars Technica Technology

• With help from data, art museums are reframing the visitor experience
  Museums are embracing data-driven curation and a shifting technology landscape.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 11:00:32 +0000
• Big Tech accused of stonewalling European social media researchers
  Researchers say TikTok, X, and Meta aren't providing data they're legally required to.
  Sat, 25 Jul 2026 10:45:32 +0000
• Wildfire forces evacuation of NASA's Deep Space Network complex in Spain
  "Any potential damage will be assessed when it is safe to do so."
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 22:28:20 +0000
• Paramount/WBD merger delayed for months as states' lawsuit moves toward trial
  “Halting this merger while our case proceeds is a critical victory," NY AG said.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 21:56:02 +0000
• Canadian legislator reads out apparent LLM response in floor speech
  "Here’s a more natural, flowing version of that section..."
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 21:25:15 +0000
• Anthropic's Opus 5 is about token efficiency, not a capability leap
  Models are improving quickly, but the cheaper options are often good enough.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 21:05:51 +0000
• Roku raises streaming stick prices by up to 60 percent
  Roku blames RAM shortage after CEO called it "great" for business in May.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:41:06 +0000
• RFK Jr.'s handpicked committee approves manufacture of peptides he uses
  There's no human safety or efficacy data, but that no longer seems to matter.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:10:09 +0000
• Judge rebuffs Trump admin demand for phone records from NYT reporters
  "We can quash the subpoenas, or you could withdraw the subpoenas,” judge told US.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:02:21 +0000
• European Union grants US request to restrict satellite images of Iran War region
  New delay on Copernicus satellite pics comes as US ramps up war with Iran again.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:45:05 +0000
• Team uses AlphaFold AI to redesign gene-editing proteins to make them safer
  Google's AlphaFold can help ID what parts of a gene editing protein enable mistakes.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:31:26 +0000
• This is the world's most advanced robotic servicing satellite—that we know about
  "These are things that tend to be really hard."
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:23:06 +0000
• Rocket Report: Lightning strikes in China; Starship launch on deck
  Relativity Space announced plans to build a second rocket factory near Cape Canaveral, Florida.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:34:25 +0000
• AI firms want more data centers; Trump's EPA may give neighbors less say
  Rule would allow states to decide how much—if any—public input there can be.
  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:49:38 +0000

— Auto-generated digest