For years, Ukrainian officials have hinted that they are working on Starlink alternatives. But the truth is, there aren’t many options on the table. The one most discussed is OneWeb, a satellite communications network owned by Eutelsat, a satellite operator in France. Like Starlink, this network relies on small, ground-based terminals, and its total constellation…
Employees at the Social Security Administration (SSA) were informed on Thursday morning that new rules forbid them from accessing “general news” websites, including those that have been at the forefront of the reporting on Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort. In an email reviewed by WIRED and addressed to “all SSA employees”…
Their answers provide the basis for our ratings for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction in our vacuum ratings. The scores apply to all models from that brand in a particular category—upright, canister, corded stick, cordless stick, or robotic—and figure into each model’s Overall Score. Because we consider reliability and satisfaction over time so important, brands…
To help steer you to the best choice, we’ve assembled a list of the most fuel-efficient 5-year-old nonhybrid midsized sedans. All performed well enough in our tests to be recommended when new. All have average or better reliability, according to CR’s Annual Auto Surveys, where we ask CR members to tell us about what went…
Over the past year, Karla Reyes and her team at Anima Interactive have visited the US-Mexico border twice to interview migrants and humanitarians. Once a month, Reyes interviews migrants remotely via video calls. She’s spoken to dozens. They come from Latin America, but also South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, each with a shared…
The State Department’s air quality program eventually became an example of a smart, efficient diplomacy that boosted American soft power while bringing about real-world changes. “I’ve never seen an initiative of the US government have such an immediate, dramatic impact in a country,” Gary Locke, a former US ambassador to China, told the Washington Post…
Like most high-end smartphones—and certainly any new iPhone—the 16e has a display that looks pretty great. It’s a 6.1-inch OLED screen with a max brightness of 1,200 nits—which is significantly bigger and brighter than the 4.7-inch LCD display on the iPhone SE. To expand the screen, Apple ditched the Home button on the SE, replacing…
Fact: Usually, one flush does it. Many toilets in our ratings, including low-flow models, can remove simulated solid waste in just one flush. That’s because water isn’t the only factor when it comes to effective flushing—or what sets apart good and poor performers. Other design elements matter more—like whether the toilet relies purely on gravity…
Representatives from dozens of nonprofit organizations attending a major human rights conference in Taipei, Taiwan last week woke up Thursday to devastating news. Over the previous night in Asia, the Trump administration abruptly announced it would end nearly 10,000 contracts and grants from the US State Department, including the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and…
Donald Trump provoked a riot of cryptocurrency trading and accusations of favoritism on Sunday after identifying several coins that may feature in a future US strategic crypto reserve. Alongside bitcoin, Trump said that XRP, solana, cardano, and ether will be considered for inclusion. “A U.S. Crypto Reserve will elevate this critical industry after years of…