According to the U.S. Army, soldiers won't be arresting people suspected of being in the country illegally, and instead will offer "logistical support" to Border Patrol agents.
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Microsoft has reportedly cut 203 jobs from its UK workforce despite healthy financial performance, however it might not spell out disaster for the company.
The figures come from account documents shared with Companies House (via City AM), revealing the company had reduced its headcount from 5,540 to 5,337 in the year to June 30, 2024.
However, despite the small drop, Microsoft had grown its headcount from 4,955 in the previous year, so the UK footprint is still of a considerable size.
Microsoft trims UK workforceMicrosoft Limited, the company’s primarily British arm, posted £9.62 billion in revenue in the 12 months leading up to June 30, 2024, marking a considerable 15% increase from £8.38 billion in the previous year.
Microsoft as a whole generated $245.12 billion in revenue in the same period – itself a 16% increase over the $211.92 billion 2023 saw in revenue.
One of the most notable regulatory things to have happened for Microsoft in the UK last fiscal year was the clearing of its partnership with OpenAI by the Competition & Markets Authority, which ruled that a full-scale investigation would not be required.
However, more recently, two US Senators have raised concerns about both Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI and Google’s partnership with Anthropic.
Despite the headcount reduction, Microsoft continues to expand its footprint in the UK, having announced plans for a new hyperscale data center near Leeds after the acquisition of a 48-acre site in June 2023, which had previously been used for a power station.
This marks the third series of minor layoffs in 2025 (via layoffs.fyi), and a considerable slowdown from previous years.
TechRadar Pro has asked Microsoft to share details of the nature of the redundancies, but we did not receive an immediate response.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is not new – it has been evolving for over 70 years. However, recent advancements in compute power, the rise of AI applications like ChatGPT, the emergence of Agentic AI, and real-life use cases have created a perfect storm, driving unprecedented demand for data centers.
Yet, this surge presents significant challenges for operators who must rethink infrastructure to keep up. A holistic approach to design is now essential to overcome operational inertia and ensure scalability.
I recently chaired a panel at Data Centre World 2025, where industry leaders Niklas Lindqvist, Nordics General Manager at Onnec and Stefan Nilsson, Sales & Marketing Manager at Conapto shared their insights on the future of AI-ready data centers. Here are some key takeaways from our discussion.
Designing AI-Ready Data CentersAI investment is accelerating, but traditional data center infrastructure is struggling to keep up. Unlike conventional IT workloads, AI tools are highly unpredictable and often require immense power and cooling capabilities.
In some regions, such as Sweden, retrofitting existing sites is becoming increasingly unfeasible. Many Swedish facilities have been upgraded in recent years, making another wave of retrofits for AI impractical – both financially and spatially. For instance, AI requires increased height above racks for cooling solutions, which many legacy facilities simply cannot accommodate.
Historically, data centers were designed for moderate-density, air-cooled environments, but AI demands high-density solutions with hybrid cooling methods. Operators must rethink their design philosophy, to ensure that new builds can support liquid cooling and other innovative technologies. Without this shift, retrofitting will remain costly, slow, and ultimately ineffective in supporting AI growth.
The Need for a Holistic Design ApproachA successful AI-ready data center must integrate both traditional and AI-specific infrastructure under one roof. Flexibility and scalability are paramount here. AI-ready facilities must accommodate a range of workloads, from low-density racks to 100kW+ liquid-cooled deployments. This is where a modular approach is key. Operators must be able to expand incrementally by adding power and cooling modules as demand grows. This strategy helps to align with customer-specific hardware needs and avoids unnecessary upfront costs.
Operators must embrace a holistic design mindset. Power, cooling, and cabling cannot be treated as separate components – they must be integrated from the outset. Poor planning leads to capacity constraints, delays, and costly modifications.
There is also a need for an “inside-out and outside-in” approach: operators must first understand computing needs and design the data center accordingly, while also considering space constraints and facility requirements. High-quality cabling is another crucial yet often overlooked element.
Many operators prioritize speed to market and opt for second-tier cabling, but this short-term gain results in long-term operational headaches and frequent retrofits. Hyperscalers invest heavily in structured cabling strategies, and colocation providers must follow suit to remain competitive.
Sustainability: The Industry’s Biggest ChallengeSustainability remains the most pressing issue facing the data center industry. Simply acquiring renewable energy certificates is no longer enough – operators must actively reduce their carbon footprint. One major consideration is location. Many data centers in the Nordics are built in remote areas where excess heat cannot be effectively utilized.
In contrast, urban data centers offer opportunities to contribute to local infrastructure, turning AI into part of a circular economy. Many Swedish data centers are integrated with Stockholm’s district heating network, selling excess heat back to the city. This approach is made even more efficient with liquid cooling and internal cooling loops that ensure sustainability without compromising operations.
Regional climate also plays a role in determining the best cooling strategies. For example, in southern Europe, where temperatures remain high year-round, immersive cooling systems may be more effective than traditional liquid cooling. Best practices in sustainability extend beyond cooling solutions.
Operators must prioritize genuine renewable energy sourcing, heat reuse initiatives, and battery storage solutions that enhance grid stability. Sustainability must be embedded in every stage of AI data center design – treating it as an afterthought will only lead to inefficiencies and missed opportunities.
The Human Factor: Skills, Safety, and Community EngagementAs AI data centers boom, the demand for skilled professionals in power, cooling, and infrastructure design is outpacing supply. This skills gap presents a serious challenge, as AI facilities require expertise in handling high-power densities, advanced cooling systems, and complex network architectures. Undertrained workers in these environments pose significant operational risks.
The rapid pace of AI-driven expansion also increases workplace safety concerns. Shortened build timelines can lead to accidents if proper safety protocols are not enforced. Proactive risk assessments, rigorous documentation, and meticulous planning are essential to maintaining a safe working environment. Operators today must prioritize worker safety as much as they do technological innovation.
Community engagement is another critical aspect often overlooked. Data centers frequently face local opposition due to misconceptions about their environmental impact and perceived lack of community benefits – think ‘not in my backyard’. To counter this, operators must take an active role in educating the public about their role in digital infrastructure, sustainability efforts, and economic contributions.
Keeping Up with the AI RaceThe rise of AI is transforming data center demands at an unprecedented pace, requiring operators to adapt quickly, and smartly. Meeting these challenges isn’t just about scaling up power and cooling; it’s about rethinking the entire approach to design. AI-ready data centers must be built with flexibility, efficiency, and resilience at their core, ensuring they can evolve alongside fast-moving technological change.
Success will depend on more than just infrastructure – it will require a shift in mindset. Operators who invest in integrated, sustainable designs, prioritize skills development and safety, and engage with local communities will be best positioned to thrive in the AI era. Those who fail to take this holistic view risk falling behind in an increasingly competitive landscape. The AI race is on – and the data centers that power it must be ready to run at full speed.
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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
In a global economy, something called "substantial transformation" comes into play when the U.S. determines where a product is made.
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The program, Charting My Path for Future Success, aimed to help teens with disabilities transition from high school to the real world. It abruptly ended when DOGE terminated its federal contract.
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The first few months of the new year have already proven transformative for the AI sector, with rapid advancements reshaping the industry landscape. As we close out the first quarter of the year, let’s look ahead at how emerging trends are likely to evolve throughout 2025.
From reasoning models with enhanced critical thinking capabilities to agentic systems operating with greater autonomy, we are entering a new era where AI implementation moves from experimental to essential.
From tailored model training to groundbreaking advances in IT infrastructure, the focus has shifted towards solving real-world problems at scale. However, addressing the substantial costs of acquiring, operating, and maintaining GPU compute remains a critical challenge for long-term sustainability. Organizations that can implement more energy-efficient solutions will not only optimize computational resources but also significantly reduce utility expenses.
2025 will also push the AI industry to redefine innovation and accessibility. With heightened attention to sustainability, regulatory oversight, and hardware specialization, the stage is set for a new wave of breakthroughs with AI tools that will impact industries across the board.
AI gets personal for enterprisesThe era of one-size-fits-all AI is coming to an end. In 2025, enterprises will accelerate their efforts to fine-tune AI models using proprietary data, creating hyper-targeted tools that transform industry-specific workflows. Large-scale AI adoption will move beyond proof-of-concept to fully integrated systems designed for efficiency and measurable impact.
From an infrastructure perspective, as AI models grow more complex, demand for advanced GPUs and high-performance computing (HPC) clusters will continue to rise. Meeting this demand will require not only innovation in hardware but also significant improvements in data center power efficiency, cooling, and network capabilities.
The compute divide persists and innovators step inAccess to high-powered computing resources remains uneven, with large enterprises and well-funded AI labs enjoying privileged access to superclusters, while startups, independent researchers, and universities struggle to secure the latest chips at reasonable costs.
This imbalance presents an opportunity for specialized providers to step in and level the playing field. Some companies are addressing this challenge by offering flexible, affordable access ranging from on-demand GPU rentals to dedicated, high-performance clusters. By making AI infrastructure more accessible, it ensures that innovation is available to a broader ecosystem of builders and researchers.
Green is the new goldAs AI adoption skyrockets, so too will its energy demands. The computational requirements of training and running increasingly sophisticated models are straining already overburdened power grids and challenging sustainability commitments.
This growing energy footprint is prompting organizations to pursue innovative cooling techniques, renewable energy partnerships, and more efficient model architectures that deliver comparable performance with reduced computational resources. As industry leaders recognize that addressing AI’s energy consumption is not only an environmental imperative but also a significant cost factor, sustainability will drive innovation in more efficient chips, data center design, and AI model optimization.
AI systems will evolve and become autonomousAI is evolving beyond simple tools into self-directed agents capable of handling complex, multi-step tasks with minimal human intervention. The shift will move beyond model fine-tuning and prompt engineering towards fully integrated AI solutions that can automate entire workflows, creative processes, and business operations.
We'll see more focus on developing specialized chips designed specifically for AI tasks. These chips will make AI systems faster, more efficient, and more affordable to deploy across various industries. Having hardware for specific AI functions will enable businesses to run generative AI solutions at scale without the high costs or performance issues that come with general-purpose hardware. This will enable a wider range of applications, from healthcare to entertainment, and could make advanced AI more accessible to companies of all sizes, and for their final customers.
Regulation homes in on dataset copyrightWith AI permeating every sector, legal and ethical scrutiny will intensify. Expect stricter regulations around data ownership, licensing, and privacy, with an emphasis on transparency and accountability. These changes will likely mean more clear guidelines on who can access and use data, and how it should be handled by different parties.
Open-source video models will reshape content creationThe availability of open-source tools for video generation will make advanced video creation more accessible to everyone, fueling a new wave of creativity and innovation. In the coming years we will see major advancements in real-time, interactive, and personalized video generation, enabling new forms of media, entertainment, and marketing experiences. In terms of creativity the possibilities will be endless. Things we haven’t seen or even thought about will be possible through video and image generation tools accessible to everyone.
Future-forward AIAs we progress through 2025, AI is continuing to evolve at a rapid pace, shaped by enterprise-driven innovation, sustainability imperatives, and increasing regulatory oversight. While compute access disparities persist, new players are stepping up to bridge the gap. AI systems are becoming more autonomous, open source video generation is unlocking new creative frontiers, and specialized hardware is making large-scale AI adoption more efficient.
The organizations that adapt to these shifts, investing in tailored AI solutions, sustainable infrastructure, and regulatory compliance will be the ones leading the next wave of technological transformation. Meanwhile, AI builders of all sizes will benefit from increased access to high-performance infrastructure, unlocking new levels of creativity and innovation. With these forces converging, 2025 is not just a turning point, it is a proving ground for the future of AI.
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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
A giant of Latin American culture, Llosa used powerful imagery and sometimes fantastical storytelling to explore issues of male violence, societal disruption and authoritarian politics.
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The MDLondon Curl is a curling wand with a difference. For one, it looks more like something you'd find in a tool box than on a dressing table. That right-angled wand is designed to be more comfortable to hold, for a styling experience with more control and less arm-ache. Unfortunately, the only demo video I can find shows someone having their hair done, and I'm struggling to envisage how you might use it on yourself.
The main body of the curler is shaped very similarly to most of today's best hair dryers. It's not a hair dryer, though – there's no air blowing out. The ceramic barrels simply heat up to set the hair into place, like a traditional curling tong.
Another cool upgrade is that the curl barrel is swappable. The Curl comes with four different barrel styles, and you can simply switch them out for different looks. There's a fairly standard 25mm barrel, a chunkier 31mm one for bigger curls, an ultra-thin 10mm one for super-tight corkscrews and an intriguing reverse conical one (pictured below) that the brand says will give you a relaxed, beachy look.
(Image credit: MDLondon)While I'm still a little unsure about the right-angled design, I am fully sold on the idea of swappable barrels. In a market flooded with multi-stylers, it's starting to feel old-fashioned to have a tool that just does one thing, and this is a clever way to add versatility. Tiny curling wands (to create tight curls) are having a bit of a moment right now, but for most people that'll just be an occasional look rather than something for every day. Adding it as an option alongside more relaxed curl barrel options saves you from having to buy a whole separate gadget that you just might not need that often.
We've tested MDLondon hair gadgets before and been consistently impressed – the MDLondon Strait features in our best hair straightener roundup, and we found the MDLondon Blow hair dryer "lightweight yet luxurious, compact yet powerful". Both have some slightly out-of -the-ordinary design tweaks, although neither are quite as head-turning as the Curl. I'm interested to see how it holds up in practice, and if other haircare brands start to follow suit.
Heat vs airIt's a little unusual to see a traditional heated tong (albeit within a non-traditional design) being launched these days. The current focus seems to be all about Dyson Airwrap-style tools that use directed air to create curls using the Coanda effect. The idea is that it's better for your long-term hair health because there's less extreme heat.
While I do like that approach – I've just reviewed the Dyson Airwrap i.d. and was very impressed, and today's best Airwrap dupes are increasingly capable too – I will concede that it does have its drawbacks. Curls created using air still tend to drop more quickly than those created using heat, the styling process takes longer (and especially if you're diligent about using a cold shot to help set each curl) and it can be fiddly, too – hair is attracted to the barrel and wraps around automatically, but you have to be precise or you'll end up with strands from other curls getting pulled into the curl you're currently working on. It might be that a revamped traditional tong is just what we need.
The MDLondon Curl curling wand is only currently available in the UK, and it costs £129 (but that would make it around $168 or AU$270, as a rough estimate).
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Mild spoilers follow for The Last of Us season 2 episode 1.
The Last of Us season 2 has a lot to live up to. Its predecessor set a high bar for HBO's TV adaptation of Naughty Dog's popular video game franchise. So, the pressure on season 2 to reach the heady heights of the hit series' first season and authentically adapt the story told in The Last of Us Part II couldn't be greater.
Based on this season's opening episode, 'Future Days', it seems The Last of Us' sophomore season will be a largely faithful take on its gaming namesake. However, future episodes will need to ratchet up the tension, melodrama, and horror-infused action if season 2 wants to be talked about as glowingly as its forebear.
The dark side of us Some years have passed since we last saw Ellie (left), pictured here with Joel's brother Tommy (right) (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)Like The Last of Us Part II game, episode 1 of the hit HBO series' second season reunites us with Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) after a time jump. Indeed, five years have passed since the explosive season 1 finale where Joel massacred numerous Fireflies to save Ellie's life.
Remember, she's immune to the Cordyceps virus because the Fireflies' doctors believe the fungus has been growing in her brain since she was born. So, they were going to use Ellie's brain to create a vaccine, which would kill Ellie in the process. Cue a furious Joel going on a bloodthirsty rampage to rescue Ellie, seemingly consigning humanity to its fate with no cure to combat the virus, and then lying to Ellie about what actually happened at the Fireflies camp.
I was already convinced that Dever would be a vengeance-fuelled tour de force
One push of the fast-forward button later, and the pair have grown accustomed to life in Jackson, the now-bustling Wyoming town that's become a safe haven from the life-threatening, global scourge that's decimated humanity.
Before we catch up with our intrepid duo, there's the small matter of addressing Joel's murder spree and the deceased Fireflies' devastated relatives left to pick up the pieces. That includes Kaitlyn Dever's Abby, The Last of Us Part II's divisive deuteragonist, whose father is among the people Joel mercilessly gunned down.
What's immediately apparent about Dever's Abby is that she's not as physically imposing as her video-game counterpart. Loathed as Abby is by some The Last of Us fans for events in the game that I won't spoil here, I suspect those same devotees will be vexed over what they perceive to be an unnecessary tweak to her build.
I've no doubt that Dever will deliver a powerful portrayal of Abby in HBO's TV adaptation (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)Honestly, though, I don't mind this minor, if controversial, change. Yes, Abby's physicality is a large part of her identity, so the decision to downgrade this part of her character is one reason why fans expressed concern for Dever's welfare in the lead-up to season 2's release.
Nonetheless, based on her portrayal of tough and complex yet empathetic characters in other projects, I was already convinced that Dever would be a vengeance-fuelled tour de force in HBO's small-screen adaptation. My confidence has only grown after witnessing the emotional gravitas she imbues Abby with during her limited screentime in 'Future Days', and I can't wait to see how she builds on the character in Part II in future episodes.
Season 2 isn't afraid to show how Joel and Ellie's once-strong bond has deteriorated
By and large, though, this is still the Ellie and Joel show, and the critically acclaimed Max series isn't afraid to show how their once-strong bond has deteriorated in the time since we last saw them.
A major part of the heartbreaking shift in their relationship is down to Ellie's growth as a person. She's still the oft-amusing, impulsive, and reckless individual we came to adore in The Last of Us season 1, but an animalistic fury – one born out of traumatic events she's endured – now courses through her veins. That means she's not only physically older and more world-weary than last season's Ellie, but also far more temperamental and destructive than before.
Pascal's emotionally rich performance in 'Future Days' tugs at the heartstrings (Image credit: HBO)Unfortunately for Joel, he bears the brunt of the highly charged verbal torpedoes Ellie lets loose. This is more than a normal teen rebelling against a parent, biological or otherwise, though. Indeed, it's a surrogate father-daughter bond on the verge of total collapse.
A clear animosity has developed between them since The Last of Us TV show's season 1 finale. That much is clear in the plot exposition woven into a conversation between Joel and Isabela Merced's season 2 newcomer Dina, who's an utter delight as Ellie's bestie and Joel's surrogate daughter substitute for Ellie.
Fans of Naughty Dog's games aside, I don't think anyone will be prepared for the breakdown in their relationship – hostilities that'll only grow when that huge showdown between Joel and Ellie occurs. In fact, I'd go as far as to say some viewers will be stunned by this development, especially as they spent little time apart in season 1. Like The Last of Us Part II, 'Future Days' keeps interactions between them to a minimum, which serves to make the brief scenes they share all the more heart-shattering.
Support structures Merced's Dina is a perfect foil to Ramsey's Ellie in more ways than one (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)There's more to one of the best Max shows' return than this season's tritagonists in Joel, Ellie, and Abby, though.
The return of characters from season 1, including Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Maria (Rutina Wesley), plus the addition of new characters like Merced's Dina, Young Mazino's Jesse, plus Abby's strike team (read more about them in my season 2 cast guide) help to populate this universe with fascinating, complex characters whose relationships will be impacted by the actions of the aforementioned trio. That each new actor fits their character like a glove only makes them more likable and/or intriguing to watch, too.
That each new actor fits their character like a glove only makes them more likable and/or intriguing to watch, too
There's also a largely gratifying expansion of the narrative depicted in Part II. Most are minor narrative improvements that flesh out its story or refine the tale Naughty Dog originally told, but the odd one or two additions might frustrate long-time fans wanting a beat-for-beat re-tread of the game series' latest entry.
One change that won't irk fans is the addition of Gail (Catherine O'Hara), a psychotherapist whose complex relationship with Joel is already a season highlight of mine after season 2's opening episode. I reveled in seeing these powerhouse actors, whose emotion-wracked performances speak louder than words ever could, go toe-to-toe. I really hope we're treated to more similarly intense interactions between them over the course of this season.
O'Hara's Gail is one new addition to HBO's interpretation that builds on its video game counterpart (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)The premiere's near-hour-long runtime allows for brief moments of levity to shine through the post-apocalyptic melodrama, too.
Much of that comes by way of Ellie and Dina's endearing puppy love-style dynamic. Ramsey and Merced clearly revel in egging each other on as their respective characters; their playful exchanges punctuating the sobering yet dangerous world they inhabit.
Even though I know what happens in Part II, I'm still keen to see how their relationship evolves.
Ramsey and Merced clearly revel in egging each other on as their respective characters
'Future Days' has already set up fascinating threads for this dynamic with the fallout from their romantically charged dance, Ellie's physical run-in with a new version of the Infected (aka the Stalker), and the ominous, double-headed nature of how this season's premiere ends all set to change the duo's perceptions of, and loyalty to, each other. That's before we even get to that absolutely soul-crushing moment from Part II (if you know, you know) that'll severely impact their friendship.
If there's one criticism I have of 'Future Days', it's that it's the epitome of a calm before the storm-style episode.
Okay, it's supposed to serve as a slow-paced reintroduction to this universe that moves the requisite chess board pieces into place for more heart-pounding, shocking, and revelatory events to come. Still, there are moments of thrilling action and/or location-based exploration in Part II's first few hours of gameplay that, while they can't be directly translated for television, could've been substituted for other suspense-filled storytelling beats.
My verdict'Future Days' is a purposeful and methodically paced reintroduction to HBO's retelling of The Last of Us, and one I mostly enjoyed. As a catch-up episode, it didn't need to employ a gung-ho storytelling approach. I was also largely satisfied with its near-perfect authentic take on Naughty Dog's source material.
That said, compared to season 1's action-heavy and emotionally devastating opener, it felt somewhat underwhelming in its design. Part II's most heart-rending moment notwithstanding, more thrills and tragedy-laced incidents will be required in future episodes – in season 2 and The Last of Us' recently confirmed third season, both of which cover the story told in Part II – to recapture the infectious magic of its predecessor.
The Last of Us season 2 episode 1 is out now on Max (US and Australia) and Sky Atlantic (UK).
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