Astronauts Stranded in Space

NASA and Boeing confront urgent engineering challenges with the Starliner spacecraft. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are stuck on the ISS.

Their return has been delayed multiple times due to serious system failures. The Starliner, launched on June 5, encountered five helium leaks and thruster failures.

This makes its return to Earth risky. Engineers haven’t fully fixed the issues. NASA has now pushed the return date to at least June 26.

Starliner can stay docked for up to 45 days using backup systems. If it fails to return safely, the astronauts might need to use SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. However, this is seen as a last resort.

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Hey Alexa, You're not Free Anymore?

Amazon is planning an upgrade for Alexa. They are calling it "Project Banyan."

Amazon may charge $5 to $10 monthly for the improved service. They hope to release it by August.

Alexa, launched in 2014, has never been profitable. Some employees call this upgrade a desperate attempt to revive the service.

The new service, named "Remarkable Alexa," will include free and paid tiers. The paid version promises more complex tasks like writing emails and ordering food. Unlike the current version, it will offer more personalized interactions.

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Music Industry Lunges at AI Companies

Record labels Sony, Universal, and Warner have filed lawsuits against AI companies Suno and Udio.

They claim the AI firms used copyrighted songs to train their music-generating systems without permission. Suno and Udio can allegedly create music and vocals that closely mimic famous artists.

The record labels argue this technology harms human artists. They seek up to $150,000 per infringed song. Suno and Udio are accused of copying hundreds of songs each.

Suno's CEO defends their technology as innovative, stating it creates new content rather than copying.

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Apple Faces Charges for Breaching EU Antitrust Rules

The European Commission has charged Apple with breaching the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This follows Apple's new business terms, which limit app developers' communication with users.

Apple faces an investigation into new fees for app developers, impacting how apps can reach users. The EU regulators are concerned that Apple's actions favor its own services over others, stifling competition.

If found guilty, Apple could face fines up to 10% of its global revenue. The final decision is expected by March 2025.

Apple claims its revised terms comply with the law. The company has made several changes, based on feedback from the European Commission and developers.

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