Overview

• EU leaders and President Biden made progress in trade talks, but failed to reach agreements on disputes in the energy, steel, and aluminium sectors; the conflict between Israel and Hamas overshadowed negotiations.
• Amazon has become the first tech giant to operate computers in space, launching two prototype satellites for its $10 billion Kuiper constellation project - the company's second-largest investment after Whole Foods.
• Despite a global increase in oil prices with Brent crude exceeding $92 a barrel, US gas prices continue to fall, attributed largely to seasonal changes; the national average for a gallon of gas dropped 32 cents within a month.
• AI companies, including Meta and Character.AI, are employing professional actors at rates of up to $150 per hour to express a wide range of emotions for avatars, despite ongoing protests by Hollywood actors against such technology.
• The timing of these job postings is being questioned, as it coincides with Hollywood actors' protests against the use of such technology.