DMR News
Advancing Digital Conversations
Dutch Institute Issues Red Alert Over Trump-Shaped Ecstasy Pills Containing PMMA
The Netherlands’ Trimbos Institute has issued a Red Alert over potentially lethal ecstasy pills shaped to resemble U.S. President Donald Trump after tests found very high concentrations of PMMA. The…
Canada Recruits 64 Global Researchers as U.S. Funding Cuts Push Academics Abroad
Canada is recruiting 64 researchers from universities around the world under a new federally funded program, with 48 of them moving from U.S. institutions including Harvard, MIT, and the University…
Starbucks Leans on Cold Drinks as Gen Z Shifts Away From Traditional Coffee
Starbucks is increasingly relying on cold beverages as younger customers favor customizable drinks over traditional hot coffee. Cold drinks now account for the majority of Starbucks beverage sales, while products…
Widow Begins Legal Action Against Singapore Airlines Over Fatal SQ321 Turbulence Incident
A British woman whose husband died following severe turbulence aboard a Singapore Airlines flight has begun High Court proceedings against the carrier, seeking damages related to injuries she sustained during…
Bluesky Adds Opt-Out Setting to Keep Posts Out of Discover Feed
Bluesky has introduced a new setting that lets users stop their posts from appearing to non-followers in the platform’s main Discover feed. The feature is intended for people who want…
Meta Settlement Gives Meta Legal Protection for Using Children’s Data to Train Age Checks
Meta will receive limited protection from participating state attorneys general over its use of children’s data to develop age-assurance technology under its multibillion-dollar child-safety settlement. The agreement requires Meta to…
YouTube Lets U.S. Creators Tag Amazon Products and Earn Sales Commissions
YouTube is adding Amazon to its Shopping Affiliate Program, allowing eligible U.S. creators to tag Amazon products directly in Shorts, long-form videos, and livestreams. Creators can then earn commissions when…
ATF Declares Cyberattack a ‘Major Incident’ as Qilin Ransomware Gang Claims Responsibility
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has confirmed a cyberattack affecting a standalone computer system and said the incident has been formally classified as a “major incident.”…
OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Microsoft Join Call for Global AI Cyber Defense Effort
More than 100 technology, cybersecurity, financial, and infrastructure companies have signed an open letter calling for stronger coordination against increasingly capable AI-enabled cyberattacks. Signatories include OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, AWS,…
Google Launches $129 Fitbit Air Pokémon Sleep Edition for Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary
Google has introduced a special-edition Fitbit Air designed to work with Pokémon Sleep, combining Fitbit’s health and fitness tracking with the sleep-focused game. Priced at $129, the device is available…
Atorie Raises $9.5 Million to Connect Luxury Manufacturers Directly With Shoppers
Fashion startup Atorie has raised $9.5 million in seed funding to expand its AI-powered marketplace connecting consumers directly with manufacturers that also produce for luxury brands. The round included a16z…
Hoomanely Uses AI Feeding Station to Track Changes in Dogs’ Health
Hoomanely has developed an AI-powered feeding station called EverBowl that tracks changes in how dogs eat and drink to help owners identify potential health issues earlier. The system measures food…
Google Adds Flight Tracking, Hotel Booking, and Rewards Search to AI Mode
Google is expanding AI Mode in Search with new travel features that let users track flight prices, compare rewards rates, and book hotels through a conversational interface. The updates push…
CivilGrid Raises $26 Million to Map Underground Infrastructure and Reduce Utility Strikes
CivilGrid has raised a $26 million Series A to expand its platform for mapping underground infrastructure, property boundaries, and environmental constraints. The startup sells that data to utilities, engineering firms,…
Hugging Face and Pollen Robotics Launch $399 Open-Source Microduck Robot
Hugging Face and Pollen Robotics have introduced Microduck, a 25-centimeter-tall open-source biped robot designed to let developers train new physical behaviors with reinforcement learning. The robot costs $399 before taxes…
Twitter.now Launches in Early Access as Operation Bluebird Challenges X Over Twitter Brand
Operation Bluebird has opened early access to Twitter.now, a new social network that uses the Twitter name while remaining unaffiliated with X Corp. The startup says it is building a…
Waymo and Zoox Test Drivers Reported More Than Two Dozen Injuries From Sudden Vehicle Movements
Test drivers working with Waymo and Zoox reported more than two dozen workplace injuries in 2024 and 2025 linked to hard braking, sudden swerving, and other movements by autonomous vehicles.…
Australian Police Arrest Two Alleged TeamPCP Hackers Over Global Supply-Chain Attacks
Australian Federal Police have arrested two men in Perth accused of being members of TeamPCP, a cybercrime group linked to widespread software supply-chain attacks against more than 1,000 organizations. The…