Stories from United States

The FIA has confirmed that the sole practice session for the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix has been extended by 90 minutes. The extension aims to provide more preparation time before qualifying. The team has scored two points in three races this season, with Gabriel Bortoletto achieving a ninth-place finish in Australia. While the car shows speed in qualifying, its race performance remains inconsistent. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was slightly faster than Verstappen, according to the report. Formula 1 competition had previously been paused for one month following the cancellation of two races in the Middle East due to unrest. Verstappen drove a Red Bull car that received necessary upgrades. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the fastest pace during the opening practice session at the Miami Grand Prix. Leclerc was approximately three-tenths of a second faster than Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) at Kitt Peak National Observatory continues its mission to observe the universe. This ongoing research is critical for understanding the nature of dark energy and the expansion of the cosmos. New scientific challenges are questioning the property of dark energy that suggests it maintains constant density as the universe expands. Dark energy is estimated to make up approximately 68% of the universe. The current model posits that the universe is 13.8 billion years old. Scientists use the term 'dark' to describe this unknown component of the universe.

OpenAI has launched its latest AI model, GPT-5.5, featuring expanded cybersecurity safeguards. This release follows the recent deployment of GPT-5.4 and signals accelerating competition in the high-performance AI model market. The update aims to address security concerns as developers race to release more robust large language models. The tool is engineered to analyze large volumes of scientific data without human intervention. The announcement was reported by Radio Cooperativa Chile.

Microsoft is reportedly offering voluntary severance packages to employees following a year in which the company laid off 15,000 workers. This move follows significant restructuring efforts within the tech giant. The decision aims to manage workforce reductions through voluntary departures rather than further involuntary cuts. Microsoft CFO Amy Hood reported that the company's recently announced voluntary retirement program will incur roughly $900 million in one-time costs. This cost follows a quarterly profit report of nearly $32 billion. The announcement was made during Wednesday's earnings call.

Sean Plankey has requested to withdraw his name from consideration to lead the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The move follows a year of leadership instability within the agency. This development occurs as the Trump administration continues its appointments for key cybersecurity roles. Sources told NPR that the nomination had been on hold for weeks due to ethics and conflict of interest concerns. Former Park Service employees also pointed to ties between Socia and interests pushing for national park privatization. The agency has previously operated with only acting directors during the first Trump administration. Former Park Service employees had previously noted Socia's ties to interests advocating for the privatization of national parks. The agency is currently facing record visitation levels alongside billions of dollars in maintenance backlogs.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is facing criticism following the FDA's rejection of a lifesaving cancer drug. Kennedy is reportedly attempting to distance himself from the regulatory decision. The backlash centers on the impact the rejection will have on patient access to treatment. The mood at the National Institutes of Health is described as grim following interference by RFK Jr. The source claims Kennedy's involvement will lead to many preventable deaths for decades to come. The discussion noted a decreasing number of doctors available during visits to the agency.

Meta Platforms is planning to reduce its total workforce by 10 percent as part of a strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence development. This move follows recent volatility in tech stocks and aims to streamline operations for AI integration. The layoffs represent a significant restructuring for the social media giant. The company's people officer stated that the organization will continue to evolve teams as needed and attempt to redeploy talent. Meta is currently investing in its applied AI organization. Leaders noted during a meeting that AI token usage will not be a factor in the layoffs. Meta shares fell more than 8% in regular trading, marking the largest single-day decline in six months. The drop follows investor concerns that the company's investments in artificial intelligence may not yield returns.

Diplomatic efforts regarding US-Iran nuclear negotiations remain stalled as the Iranian regime faces increasing pressure to return to the table and make concessions. Analysts suggest that Israeli involvement could complicate the process, while the US maintains a serious stance on potential military pressure if economic measures fail to yield results. The complexity of the Iranian file suggests that any successful deal will require significant time and effort. US President Donald Trump stated on social media that Iran claims the country is in a state of total collapse. Trump reported that Iran expressed a desire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible. The prospect of a deal between the US and Iran remains uncertain according to reporting. This follows a surge in inflation to 4.6% in March, an increase of over 1% from 3.7% in February, driven by higher fuel prices.

Major technology stocks saw significant losses during trading, with Tesla falling nearly 4% and Microsoft dropping over 4%. Specific declines included Oracle falling 4.02%, Micron Technology dropping 3.87%, Western Digital decreasing 2.41%, and NVIDIA falling 1.60%. Major US stock indices declined on Tuesday following reports that OpenAI's revenue did not meet expectations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 419,141.93, down 25.86 points. Cold air from China is expected to spread over the South China Sea and surrounding areas. US semiconductor stocks including Nvidia and Broadcom declined following reports that AI revenue and new user growth fell below internal targets. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index dropped by more than 3 percent. The news follows reports that competitor Anthropic is expanding its market share in the enterprise and coding sectors.

Social media giant Meta plans to reduce its workforce by 10%, affecting approximately 8,000 employees. The layoffs are scheduled to begin on May 20th. This follows a previous reduction of roughly 10% of staff in January. Meta is laying off approximately 8,000 employees, with job losses beginning in May. OpenAI is also releasing a new model, GPT 5.5, which they describe as a step towards a 'super app' and an 'electronic Swiss army knife'. Meta is reportedly planning to terminate 8,000 additional staff members to offset expenses. This follows a previous reduction of approximately 5% of its workforce in February and the closure of 6,000 vacancies. The announcement comes as the company manages a workforce that includes numbers of employees outside of Generation Z. Meta will monitor employee clicks, typing, and navigation patterns to train artificial intelligence models.