Apple was instrumental in TSMC setting up chipmaking plants in the US – not just by offering to be the first customer, but also in lobbying for the CHIPS Act funding that persuaded the company to proceed.
The Taiwanese company takes extreme precautions to protect the secrecy of its chipmaking processes, even for the somewhat older chips made in Arizona, but BBC News was given a very rare tour of the facility …
Microsoft’s annual developer conference kicks off today in Seattle, Washington, during the same week Google hosts its own I/O developer event in Mountain View, California. Build will be focused on Microsoft’s latest platform changes for developers, including new AI announcements that are bound to go head-to-head with Google’s own news.
Microsoft is streaming Build online free of charge and developers, students, and engineers will also be able to attend the in-person event at Seattle’s conference center. I’m expecting Microsoft to focus largely on AI this year, with emphasis on its push for AI agents that Microsoft envisions working alongside humans as digital colleagues.
We may also get some news on Microsoft’s plans to host Elon Musk’s Grok AI model. I revealed in my Notepad newsletter earlier this month that Microsoft is in discussions with xAI to host the Grok AI model on its Azure AI Foundry service, with a potential announcement at Build this week.
Perhaps we’ll also see OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appear at Build, just like he did last year. In Notepad earlier this year I revealed that OpenAI had been planning to launch its GPT-5 model in late May, but sources familiar with OpenAI’s plans tell me that’s less likely now due to service changes and recent delays affecting the launch of other models. Altman and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella are always keen to show that the partnership between the two companies remains strong — amid media reports of tensions — with the pair posing for a selfie earlier this month.
Nadella will kick off all of Microsoft’s AI announcements at 9AM PT / 12PM ET on May 19th, followed by a day two technical keynote hosted by Jay Parikh, Charles Lamanna, and Scott Guthrie.
How to watch Microsoft Build 2025 Keynote and Sessions
The widespread blackouts that recently brought parts of Spain and Portugal to a standstill triggered global speculation: was it an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack?
Though authorities later ruled out an EMP, the incident reignited urgent questions about America’s vulnerability to similar large-scale disruptions and whether the U.S. is prepared for a modern-day "black sky" event.
According to cybersecurity expert and former Army Cyber Institute board member Bryson Bort, the United States remains dangerously exposed to a range of threats: not just EMPs, but increasingly sophisticated cyber and artificial intelligence (AI) attacks.
"There are a lot of other problems that are higher probability," Bort told Fox News Digital. "The EMP thing is a little bit of a distraction – but that doesn’t mean it’s not a threat."
An EMP is a sudden burst of electromagnetic energy capable of disabling electronic devices across vast areas. It can be natural – from a solar flare – or man-made, triggered by a high-altitude nuclear detonation.
Unlike cyberattacks that target software, an EMP disables physical systems: from car engines and cellphone towers to hospital generators and water pumps. A major attack could throw society back to the pre-electric age, with devastating consequences.
Former CIA Director James Woolsey once called EMPs "one of the greatest national vulnerabilities," and some estimates suggest an EMP could result in the deaths of up to 90% of Americans within a year due to the collapse of infrastructure.
"The very first thing you’ve got to lose is your water supply," said Dr. William Forstchen, a longtime EMP researcher. "Within days, nursing homes, hospitals, law enforcement – they’re all in deep trouble."
While the Trump administration issued an executive order directing federal agencies to prepare for such an event, Bort said implementation has been inconsistent and fragmented.
"We are not prepared for this at all," he warned.
Forstchen expressed optimism that the administration’s "Golden Dome" project, a proposed ground-and space-based defense system, could intercept EMP threats – but the project remains years from completion.
While EMP attacks remain the stuff of both national security nightmares and Hollywood scripts, experts say cyberattacks are far more probable and still highly destructive.
"We know that the Chinese have been in the American civilian critical infrastructure since 2010," Bort said. "They haven’t done anything yet, but they are absolutely in there and setting up to do something at some point."
This week, Reuters reported that U.S. officials found communication modules embedded in Chinese-made power inverters – devices used to connect solar panels and wind turbines to the grid.
Bort pointed to "Jack Voltaic," a multi-year cyber warfare simulation by the Army Cyber Institute, designed to test military-civilian coordination in response to attacks on critical infrastructure.
"What we found is there’s a great interdependence," he said. "You can’t even have an electric grid if you don’t have water – because you can’t cool it."
Bort said cyberattacks are often the product of long-term reconnaissance, with hackers quietly positioning themselves inside systems for months or years.
"A cyberattack is not something where Putin says, ‘Hey, hit Detroit tomorrow,’" he explained. "It’s already set in place. When the political situation calls for it, that’s when the trigger gets pulled."
Another, less understood, threat to America’s infrastructure is the rise of AI. In particular, the race toward artificial general intelligence (AGI), or AI systems with human-level cognitive abilities.
Tyler Saltzman, a military technologist working on AI systems capable of operating in disconnected environments like an EMP aftermath, warned that AI – if used maliciously – could bring the grid down entirely. "Our infrastructure is very fragile," Saltzman said. "All you need to do is take down our power grid, and we’re in complete chaos."
Saltzman expressed deep concern about efforts to create AGI – systems he says could eventually surpass human control.
"Once AGI comes online, it could easily take down our power grid, infiltrate our financial systems, destroy our economy," he said. "If it sees how violent humans are to each other, why would it serve us?"
In 2023, a Chinese surveillance balloon drifted over U.S. territory for days before it was shot down by the military. While believed to be for spying, defense officials note that a high-altitude balloon could be used for electronic warfare – including an EMP.
The Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from EMP Attacks has long warned about balloon-based delivery. Others argue a missile would be more effective, since it would be harder to intercept.
Whether the next major threat comes from above or from a keyboard, experts agree: the U.S. is not ready.
"We’re still thinking about wars with tanks," Bort said. "Meanwhile, the real fight is already happening inside our infrastructure."
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy pushed back on allegations that "hateful comments" were reportedly made toward Angel Reese during the Chicago Sky’s game against the Indiana Fever.
The WNBA launched an investigation on Sunday. The remarks were allegedly made toward the second-year Sky star during Saturday’s matchup, according to The Associated Press. The league said it "strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms."
No specifics were presented, and Portnoy cast doubt on whether the comments happened and speculated that internet trolls could have been behind it. Portnoy was at the game at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse and sat courtside in a Caitlin Clark jersey.
Portnoy said in a video posted to his X account that the only "hate" he saw came from Reese against Clark after the Fever star hit Reese with a hard foul in the third quarter. Reese let Clark know emphatically that she did not like it. Clark was given a flagrant foul but said there was "no malicious intent" behind it.
"Listen, I was at the game. If there was somebody being racist or saying s---, obviously boot ’em. Never let them back," Portnoy said. "I would be stunned beyond belief if that was the case. … The crowd at the Fever game? Little girls, families, ladies, nice crowd. Were we mad when Angel Reese attacked Cailtin Clark for no reason? Yeah. Did we boo her? Yeah. Is it sports? Yeah.
"For the WNBA, and now the Indiana Fever, to issue statements, ‘We’re investigating,’ unless something so preposterous happened that nobody in the stadium saw — there’s not an ounce of proof, there’s not a video of it, there’s not camera phone of it — unless something happened, which I know it didn’t. For them to acknowledge this and, again, kind of paint Indiana Fever fans, like, by just saying ‘We’re investigating the hate’ … even though it’s 100% false, by acknowledging ‘We don’t condone hate,’ and not seeing that this was an internet rumor founded of complete bulls---, you’re lending credence to this."
Portnoy added that the crowd was good and that Reese "deserved" to at least be booed but had a message for the WNBA.
"Angel Reese deserved to get her a-- booed when she attacked Caitlin on a normal foul," he said. "Other than that, what are you talking about? The WNBA, talk about killing the golden goose. Like, you guys are lucky you have Caitlin Clark. You are lucky you have the Indiana Fever. It makes the league relevant. All you do is s--- on ‘em.
"And for the Fever, by the way, to even put out that statement, I’ll eat my words if you find one iota, or if there’s even one person who is doing something. Being in that crowd, seeing that crowd, being at the game, zero point zero, zero, zero, zero, zero chance there’s any truth to this. And you add validity when you acknowledge the statement, ‘We don’t condone hate.’ There was no hate. The only hate was coming from Angel Reese attacking Caitlin Clark."
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) released a statement on the issue as well.
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter. Such behavior is unacceptable in our sport," the statement said. "Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
The Fever acknowledged the investigation was taking place, as did the Sky.
"We will do everything in our power to protect Chicago Sky players, and we encourage the league to continue taking meaningful steps to create a safe environment for all WNBA players," Sky CEO Adam Fox said.
The Sky and Fever have four more matchups on the docket this season.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer suggested that the Department of Government Efficiency may be at least partly responsible for a Mexican navy tall ship crashing into the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night.
Schumer made the claim in a press release on Sunday, saying he had been briefed on the details of the deadly crash, which left two people dead and over a dozen more injured. Schumer argued that a U.S. Coast Guard system may have been operating at partial capacity due to a DOGE hiring freeze at the Department of Homeland Security, but the Coast Guard itself says the system was "fully functional during the incident."
"We know that the Trump administration has been meddling in U.S. Coast Guard operations, from staffing to command and comms, and I have the general sense of a DOGE dysfunction in parts of the Coast Guard, to put it mildly," Schumer wrote in a statement. "After being fully briefed on last night's Brooklyn Bridge accident, one thing is very clear. There are many more questions than answers as to how the accident occurred and whether it could have been prevented."
Schumer went on to point to the DOGE-implemented hiring freeze at the U.S. Coast Guard, arguing it could have impeded the Coast Guard's Vehicle Traffic System (VTS), which works in a similar fashion to the air traffic control system.
"There are indications that this service called the VTS may not have been fully or adequately functional in light of that hiring freeze. We don't know the answer to that question. We need answers. If this were the case, Brooklyn Bridge accident could be a national harbinger, demanding immediate attention," Schumer said.
"The current hiring freeze at the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, which the Coast Guard is part of, may have limited the ability of the Coast Guard to fully staff up at the VTS, the vehicle traffic service, the shore-wide system that provides quote air traffic control for the seas, especially in congested areas and restricted waters like New York Harbor," he added.
The Coast Guard rejected Schumer's claim in a statement of its own. Furthermore, there were no other ships involved in Saturday's crash that would have involved the VTS.
The Coast Guard said VTS was "fully functional during the incident and operating in accordance with established procedures to manage commercial traffic and facilitate safe navigation," according to CBS News.
"Our response included launching a crew from Station New York, establishing a temporary safety zone, and coordinating with NYPD, FDNY, and NYC DOT," they added.
The Coast Guard did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, said the Mexican navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc "lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge."
"At this time, of the 277 on board, 19 sustained injuries, 2 of which remain in critical condition, and 2 more have sadly passed away from their injuries," the mayor wrote on X.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she regretted the passing of two crew members who "lost their lives in the unfortunate accident at the port of New York."
"Our solidarity and support go out to their families," she wrote at 1:15 a.m. on X. "The Secretariat of the Navy, with the support of local authorities, is attending to the injured. The Ambassador of Mexico to the United States and staff from the Consulate General of Mexico in New York are assisting the Secretariat of the Navy."
Fox News' Danielle Wallace and Greg Wehner contributed to this report
A WSJ piece today suggests that big tech lawyers for Apple, Amazon, Google and other industry giants are not only failing to properly advise their clients, but are “actively encouraging” them to break the law.
The piece suggests that one reason Apple was rebuked by the judge in the Epic Games lawsuit was that its lawyers encouraged the company to abuse legal privilege …
The Florida Panthers bashed the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals and moved on to the conference finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Panthers scored three goals in the first period and three more in the second in the 6-1 win. Florida had six different goal scorers – Seth Jones, Anton Lundell, Jonah Gadjovich, Eetu Luostarinen, Sam Reinhart and Brad Marchand.
Marchand scored in the latter stages of the game, capping off his history-making effort.
In the win over the Maple Leafs, the NHL said Marchand became the first player to win five winner-take-all games against the same team. Marchand was with the Boston Bruins when the team won four Game 7s against Toronto. Florida’s win was his fifth.
"I grew up a Leafs fan, and I enjoy playing against the Leafs," Marchand said after the game. "I enjoy interacting with fans. It’s fun. I don’t take myself too seriously. I love getting made fun of, and I love making fun of people. If you can’t take it, then so be it. I’m going to enjoy the moments that I have.
"When I come in here and I get booed, I’m good. I’m going to show it. I’m going to enjoy that."
Florida acquired the veteran from the Bruins at the trade deadline, and it was for the extra push when it came to the postseason.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice also kept his Game 7 winning streak alive. He is 6-0 in Game 7s as a head coach.
"Game 7s are for the players," Maurice said. "It doesn’t matter how your hands feel. It doesn’t matter how your body feels. It doesn’t matter how well you execute. If it’s how comfortable you are in hard situations, then you have a chance."
The Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions and will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference finals.
Influencer Emilie Kiser’s 3-year-old son, Trigg, has died.
Us Weekly confirmed via the Chandler, Arizona, Police Department on Sunday, May 18, that the child passed away “earlier this afternoon.” He was pulled out of a backyard pool on the evening of Monday, May 12.
The statement to Us continued, “The investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident remain ongoing. This is still an open investigation. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not be releasing additional details until the investigation is closed.”
Chandler Fire Department told Arizona’s 12 News on Wednesday, May 14, that a 3-year-old boy was in critical condition after being discovered. According to the department, police officers got to the residence first and began CPR on the unconscious boy before firefighters arrived and took over.
The boy was then flown to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for treatment.
While the boy was not identified initially, rumors began to circulate online that suggested the boy could be Kiser’s son after her followers noticed the popular influencer, who is located in Arizona, had not posted a TikTok video in more than two days.
“Emily i hope you are okay. i feel sick!! ,” one follower wrote in the comments section of Kiser’s latest morning routine TikTok video that featured Trigg, her newborn son, Teddy, and husband Brady.
“Please be a bad rumor I’m sick,” another person said, while a third added, “I’m sending you so much love Emily. ”
Kiser, who has amassed 3.1 million followers on TikTok and more than 1 million on Instagram, is known for her relatable videos on the day-to-day experiences of being a wife and mother.
After welcoming Trigg in July 2021, Kiser and Brady announced they were expecting baby No. 2 in September 2024.
“WE GOTTA BABY GROWING,” Kiser wrote via Instagram alongside a photo of herself with Brady and Trigg holding a sonogram photo. “We can not wait to add another angel to our family. Whatever you are, we love you so much already.”
The couple welcomed son Teddy in March, which Kiser announced via Instagram. “We love you so much and our hearts feel like they are going to burst,” she wrote at the time, sharing a series of photos from the hospital birth. “I am so grateful for a smooth delivery, a healthy baby, and the best husband. Could not have done it without my rock @bradykiser. The love I have for my boys is infinite.”
OWC has just announced their new CalDigit E5 in the market. The OWC dock is set to start shipping in July.
Thunderbolt 5 enables higher bandwidth, which allows the OWC dock to sport three daisy-chained Thunderbolt 5 ports, as well as power things like 2.5Gb/s Ethernet, and feed multiple high-res external displays.
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