Riley on the day · June 16th

What’s odd is that AMD quietly pulled the Transparent Secure Memory Encryption feature from its consumer Ryzen line, something they’d been adding for years to guard against cold‑boot attacks.

The change shows up only on Windows as a silent drop, while on Linux you have to hunt through kernel logs to see the flag disappear. No notice, no explanation—just a terse reply that TSME is now a PRO‑only tech.

People who grew used to that extra layer feel blindsided, especially since the hardware itself hasn’t changed; it’s just a firmware tweak. Until AMD clarifies why they rolled it back, the community is left guessing and a bit uneasy.

Fox is buying Roku for $22 billion, combining Fox's sports, news, entertainment, Tubi, and Fox One offerings with a streaming platform that reaches about 100 million people. The companies say the merger would create the "third-largest player in US television by share of viewing," while Fox insists Roku will remain open to competing apps after the deal closes. CNN reports: Fox has dabbled in streaming over the past few years -- finally launching its Fox One competitor last August -- but has lacked a serious streaming business with the ability to compete in a space dominated by YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+ and Peacock. With CNN parent company Warner Bros. Discovery receiving initial US regulatory approval to combine with Paramount, Fox's purchase of Roku became more urgent. [...] The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2027 with the companies forecasting $400 million in savings. "This is a defining moment for Fox, and a natural extension of the deliberate and focused strategy we have been executing for nearly a decade," said Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch. "Today, we take the next step: bringing together the most valuable live content portfolio in video consumption with the preeminent streaming platform through which America watches it." Murdoch said Roku will continue to offer competing apps. "It's essential that Roku remain open and partner-friendly business. We don't see that changing at all."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

It’s a bit worrying when a scientific paper begins, “How long will life on Earth survive?” But in this case—a study by Jacob Haqq‐Misra of Blue Marble Space and Eric Wolf at the University of Colorado Boulder—the billion-plus-year timeline under consideration shouldn’t cause you too much existential panic. The context for this question is that we understand the Sun will brighten as it eventually matures into a red giant that swallows the Earth in a solar furnace. So, where along that 5 billion-year path will life on Earth, in fact, be cooked? Weathering and the weather This isn’t just a question of incoming radiation. Among the thermostat-like stabilizing feedback loops in Earth’s climate, the cycling of CO2 through the solid Earth is a major factor over timescales this long. The weathering of silicate rocks at the surface converts atmospheric CO2 into carbonate that ends up on the seafloor, where it can be subducted into the mantle with tectonic plates. (And eventually, it can cycle back out to the atmosphere through volcanoes.) Read full article

It’s a bit worrying when a scientific paper begins, “How long will life on Earth survive?” But in this case—a study by Jacob Haqq‐Misra of Blue Marble Space and Eric Wolf at the University of Colorado Boulder—the billion-plus-year timeline under consideration shouldn’t cause you too much existential panic. The context for this question is that we understand the Sun will brighten as it eventually matures into a red giant that swallows the Earth in a solar furnace. So, where along that 5 billion-year path will life on Earth, in fact, be cooked? Weathering and the weather This isn’t just a question of incoming radiation. Among the thermostat-like stabilizing feedback loops in Earth’s climate, the cycling of CO2 through the solid Earth is a major factor over timescales this long. The weathering of silicate rocks at the surface converts atmospheric CO2 into carbonate that ends up on the seafloor, where it can be subducted into the mantle with tectonic plates. (And eventually, it can cycle back out to the atmosphere through volcanoes.) Read full article

Fox Corp. has announced an agreement to acquire Roku in a deal that values the connected TV company at $22 billion. The transaction will involve a mix of on-hand cash and Fox Class A stock. Both companies suggest the acquisition will be finalized in 2027, depending on regulatory approvals. If the merger goes through, Fox shareholders are “expected to own approximately 73% of the combined company and Roku shareholders approximately 27%.” The acquisition marks an aggressive shift in Fox’s corporate strategy, which has long-focused on broadcast TV. Fox CEO Lachlan K. Murdoch is calling it a “defining moment” for the company, which seeks to operate Roku as an "open, partner-friendly platform." Roku Founder, Chairman and CEO Anthony Wood will reportedly join the Fox Board of Directors once the deal has closed. A press release from Fox offers more insight into what the acquisition means for the company's future: “Together, Fox and Roku will create a scaled next-generation media and technology company positioned at the intersection of two of the most important forces reshaping video consumption: the enduring primacy of live sports and news, and the continued rise of streaming.” Roku provides a leading operating system for smart TVs while also producing its own line of streaming devices. The company recently reported reaching over 100 million streaming households. Fox Corp. highlights the value of Roku’s audience data, platform technology, and advertising opportunities. This is not necessarily Fox's first move into the streaming space. The entertainment company acquired Tubi, a particularly popular free streaming service, for $440 million back in 2020. Tubi has continued to grow in reach since its acquisition, and Fox owning both Tubi and Roku would give them direct control over the vast majority of the free streaming space. Fox also launched its own direct-to-consumer streaming service, FOX One, just last year. The new service offers unified access to Fox’s live networks without needing a separate cable subscription. There's plenty more action currently happening in the media landscape. The Justice Department recently approved Paramount’s attempted acquisition of Warner Bros., which, if finalized, will mark one of the biggest mergers in media history. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who, when she isn't following streaming news, spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.

Fox has announced that it is buying video streaming company Roku for a total of around $22 billion, including taking on debt. It follows the acquisition of Tubi back in 2020. The move will make the combined company the third largest player in US television, measured by share of viewing …

SpaceX stock jumped 8% after the U.S. and Iran announced a cease‑fire, sending the rocket‑builder’s valuation past $150 billion. The agreement, brokered in Geneva, halted the two‑month skirmish that had spiked oil prices and rattled emerging‑market bonds. Traders cheered the de‑escalation, with the MSCI World index up 0.4% and the dollar‑index slipping 0.2% as risk appetite returned. Meanwhile, the Pulse panel dissected the geopolitical shift: Tina Fordham warned that the truce could be fragile, while Karen Ward highlighted the upside for commodities and a rebound in European equities. Maxim Timchenko noted the broader impact on energy‑transition financing. Bottom line: the cease‑fire eases market tension, and SpaceX’s rally suggests investors are already pricing in a longer‑term growth story.

Restrictions in the UK will go even further than those in place in Australia, preventing under-17s from accessing live-streaming and chatting with strangers, and under-18s from using romantic companion AI chatbots.

The US-Iran ceasefire could reshape geopolitical dynamics, impacting crypto markets and sanctions, with potential global economic reverberations. The post US and Iran agree to cease hostilities as Bitcoin climbs and $1B in crypto assets hang in the balance appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

"This is not something I do lightly, and I will not present it as cost-free, as if social media has [brought no] benefits to young people, because clearly that is wrong," he said. "But government is always about choices, and it's clear to me that a total ban is the right choice."The plan goes further than a similar ban introduced in Australia. It will cover major platforms Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. An exhaustive list has not yet been released, but Starmer said the rules will apply to services "whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material." Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal are not covered by the ban, and most social media platforms already require children to be over 13 to create an account and use their services. Platforms will also be required to stop under-16s from livestreaming, including on gaming services, and to block functions that let strangers contact children. Those restrictions will be on by default for under-17s to avoid what the government called "a cliff-edge at 16." Meanwhile, "romantic companion" chatbots designed to simulate sexual relationships will have to enforce a minimum age of 18, and AI chatbots in general must restrict "intimate functionalities" for under-18s. "I am not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children, and that is why this ban must happen, and that is why this ban will happen," Starmer said. "Yes, it's hard – hard to legislate for, hard to regulate, hard to enforce. That's why we sought a wide range of views on this. That's why we listened to people, had a conversation, we looked carefully at the evidence, learned from countries like Australia that are taking similar steps."Starmer said he plans to pass legislation before Christmas, ahead of a spring 2027 rollout. The government said on Sunday that responses to its "Growing Up in the Online World" consultation showed that 90 percent of parents supported setting a minimum age of 16 for access to the apps. Tag: United Kingdom This article, "UK to Ban Social Media for Under-16s Starting in 2027" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums