TECH
Taiwan ramps up drone production for defense amid China tensions
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense has proposed a $6.6 billion six‑year budget to acquire over 208,000 domestically made attack drones and related unmanned systems, aiming to strengthen its deterrent capability against China. The plan also seeks to boost the local drone industry, with firms such as Thunder Tiger and NCSIST securing U.S. contracts, expanding overseas production, and reporting $115 million in exports in early 2026. While political deadlock and competition from Chinese manufacturers like DJI pose challenges, Taiwan is pursuing AI partnerships and a goal of 100,000 drones per month by 2030, according to Ars Technica.
NASA orders halt to Northrop Grumman’s lunar HALO module work
Ars Technica reports that NASA has issued a stop‑work order for the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) module being built by Northrop Grumman for the Lunar Gateway, and its subcontractor Paragon Space Development Corp. was also instructed to cease work. Northrop says the module could be repurposed for future lunar missions and most affected employees will be reassigned, while NASA and the contractor remain on good terms. The agency has not publicly confirmed the decision, and analysts speculate that the HALO’s large mass or corrosion issues may have prompted the pause.
NASA and Katalyst launch swift rescue mission on Pegasus XL
NASA commissioned Katalyst Space Technologies to build and launch the Link servicing satellite, aiming to rendezvous with the aging Swift observatory and raise its orbit before it decays below 300 km. The half‑ton spacecraft, equipped with robotic arms and thrusters, will be launched aboard a Pegasus XL air‑launched rocket from Wallops on June 27, meeting a sub‑year deadline and a $30 million budget. Ars Technica describes the effort as a record‑speed, high‑risk rescue that could set a new model for rapid commercial‑government space missions.
Blue Origin rebuilds launch pad as companies push Mars, Swift and more
Blue Origin has begun rebuilding Launch Complex 36 after a New Glenn explosion, targeting a return to flight by year‑end, with NASA eyeing the vehicle for Artemis, according to Space News. At the same time, Relativity announced a commercial Mars orbiter for 2028, while SpaceX readies its next Starship test flight and companies such as Isar Aerospace, Katalyst Space, and AST SpaceMobile reported launch delays, a rapid Swift satellite reboost and a Falcon 9 mission, respectively, as detailed by Ars Technica. International developments include Japan’s H3 rocket successfully returning to flight (Kyodo News) and a Chinese Zhuque‑2E upper‑stage breakup tracked by the US Space Force. The coverage highlights how different outlets emphasized distinct angles, Space News on Blue Origin, Ars Technica on the broader industry, Spaceflight Now on AST SpaceMobile, and regional sources on Japan and China.
UK moves ahead with facial age checks for asylum seekers despite flaws
Ars Technica reports that the Home Office plans to deploy facial age‑estimation AI at borders to determine whether asylum seekers are minors, even though internal tests showed frequent misclassifications, especially for Sub‑Saharan African children. WIRED and Lighthouse Reports, citing a leaked Home Office study, highlight bias and error rates that could label a 13‑year‑old as an adult, raising human‑rights concerns. Officials say the technology will supplement, not replace, officer judgment and an independent review is underway.
Apple patches high‑severity eavesdropping bug in Beats Studio Buds
Ars Technica reports Apple released firmware update 1B211 for Beats Studio Buds to fix CVE‑2025‑20701, a high‑severity Bluetooth authentication flaw that let nearby hackers eavesdrop on users. The vulnerability, part of a broader set of Airoha‑chip flaws affecting multiple headphone brands, also allowed attackers to retrieve call data and make calls. Apple’s patch is delivered automatically to paired devices, and users are advised to keep Bluetooth off when not needed.
Google sets September rollout for Android app verification, lists supported stores
Google confirmed that its developer verification system will begin enforcing on Android devices in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand on September 30, 2026. The rollout will be preceded by a system‑service update this month and the release of APIs to help developers register, while verified developers in major third‑party stores, including Honor, OPPO, Samsung, Transsion, Vivo and Xiaomi, will be recognized by Google. A $25 verification fee and optional “limited distribution” accounts for hobbyists were introduced earlier, and an “advanced flow” allowing users to bypass verification will be available globally in August before the September deadline.
Waymo recalls nearly 4,000 robotaxis over missed construction zone signs
Waymo is recalling 3,871 of its fifth‑generation robotaxis after the vehicles failed to recognize freeway construction‑zone signs and drove past closed lanes in Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area. The company has imposed a temporary restriction on freeway operation for the affected fleet while engineers work on a software fix, a step that follows a recent flood‑related recall and other past incidents. The Register emphasizes the safety‑recall angle, while Waymo stresses its broader safety record of millions of autonomous miles and a lower crash rate than human drivers.
Nobel laureate John Jumper leaves DeepMind for Anthropic
TechCrunch reported that Nobel Prize‑winning scientist John Jumper announced his departure from DeepMind after nearly nine years to join rival Anthropic, praising DeepMind’s supportive environment. Bloomberg added that Jumper was a key figure in Google’s coding‑tools effort, a project that has struggled commercially. The article also noted that another DeepMind veteran, Noam Shazeer, is moving to OpenAI.
Scientists hunt heat‑resistant “super reefs” to safeguard coral future
Ars reports that researchers are racing to locate and protect heat‑tolerant coral reefs, dubbed “super reefs,” as marine heatwaves accelerate bleaching worldwide. Using tools such as the Yellowfin unmanned surface vehicle, temperature‑logging models, and laboratory heat‑stress tests, teams led by Woods Hole scientists have identified resilient sites in the Marshall Islands and are working with local communities to establish protected areas. The effort aims to create a network of protected reefs that can supply heat‑resistant coral larvae to help restore degraded reefs across the Pacific.