Former US President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated video showing Barack Obama in handcuffs, intensifying his claims of wrongdoing by the Obama administration. On Sunday, Trump shared a digitally altered video on his Truth Social platform depicting former President Barack Obama being handcuffed and later shown in federal prison attire. The AI video begins with Obama stating “no one is above the law” before law enforcement officers arrest him during an Oval Office meeting with Trump, footage originally from November 2016. The clip ends with Obama behind bars, set to the tune of “YMCA” by the Village People. This provocative post followed accusations from Tulsi Gabbard, the US Director of National Intelligence, who claimed on Fox News that the Obama administration conducted a “years-long coup” to undermine Trump’s presidency. Gabbard alleged that former officials including ex-FBI Director James Comey and former DNI James Clapper fabricated intelligence to justify claims of Russian interference in the 2016 election. She said she had referred them to the Justice Department for prosecution. Trump praised Gabbard and a Fox News analyst for exposing what he called “highest level Election Fraud” and posted doctored mugshots of other Obama-era officials alongside demands for the arrest of Senator Adam Schiff. The posts also revisited claims that intelligence agencies had no evidence of Russian hacking before the November 2016 election, a stance contrasting with later official reports. Senator Mark Warner, Democrats’ top member on the Senate Intelligence Committee, condemned Gabbard’s claims as “weaponising her position” to push election conspiracy theories, calling it “appalling” and political. The situation remains fluid as investigations and political debates continue.
Microsoft SharePoint Hack Puts Thousands of Organizations at Risk
A critical security flaw in Microsoft’s SharePoint server software is actively being exploited by hackers, putting thousands of organisations worldwide at serious risk. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-53770, allows attackers to remotely run malicious code on on-premises SharePoint servers without needing to log in. This means hackers can access sensitive files, steal security keys, and take full control of affected servers, including those used by governments, universities, and large companies. Microsoft confirmed the breach and released emergency security patches for SharePoint Subscription Edition and SharePoint 2019 but said fixes for SharePoint 2016 are still in development. The company urges all affected customers to install the updates immediately to reduce exposure. Experts warn that even patched systems might still be vulnerable if hackers had already stolen authentication keys or implanted backdoors before updates were applied. More than 10,000 organisations are estimated at risk worldwide, with the highest numbers in the United States, the UK, the Netherlands, and Canada; however, Nigerian organisations using on-premises SharePoint should also take note. Silas Cutler, a cybersecurity researcher, said, “This is a dream for ransomware operators. We expect a surge in malicious activity targeting this exploit over the coming days.” Palo Alto Networks likewise called it “a serious and active threat,” confirming real-world attacks are ongoing. To protect their servers, Microsoft and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recommend enabling Microsoft Defender Antivirus, configuring Antimalware Scan Interface (AMSI), and disconnecting vulnerable servers from the internet if applying patches is not immediately possible. This breach shows a major challenge for IT teams globally, including Nigeria’s, where many still rely on SharePoint servers for document management and internal communication. Gene Yu, CEO of Singapore’s Blackpanda cyber incident response firm, explains, “When they’re able to compromise the fortress that is SharePoint, everyone is at their mercy because SharePoint is one of the most secure protocols out there.” Microsoft’s SharePoint Online cloud service is not affected by this vulnerability, but customers using on-premise installations must act fast to secure their systems. Staying up to date with patches and following security guidance is critical to avoid costly data breaches and ransomware attacks. Nigerian organisations using SharePoint servers should urgently check their security settings and apply recommended protections to avoid falling victim to these dangerous attacks.
US tech company investigates after couple caught on screen at Coldplay concert
A US technology company, Astronomer, has launched a formal investigation after a video showing a couple embracing each other at a Coldplay concert in Boston went viral. The clip, recorded on July 16 at Gillette Stadium, captured a man and a woman with their arms around each other during the live show. When they noticed their image projected on the big screen, the man quickly ducked out of sight while the woman turned away, hiding her face. The band’s lead singer, Chris Martin, further fuelled the moment by joking, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy”. The awkward scene exploded on social media, racking up millions of views. Many users speculated about the pair’s identities, with reports linking them to Astronomer, a tech company based in New York. On Friday, Astronomer addressed the viral incident in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying it takes its values and culture seriously and expects its leaders to set high standards. The company confirmed that its Board of Directors had begun a formal investigation and promised to share more information soon. Astronomer also announced that its chief executive, Andy Byron, alleged to be the man in the video, has been placed on leave. However, the company stopped short of confirming whether it was actually him in the clip. They added that Mr. Byron has not commented, and they dismissed a fake statement circulating online claiming to be from him. The company did not reveal the identity of the woman in the video. The story has gripped the tech world and none of the people in the viral video have spoken publicly as of the time of writing this report.
OpenAI launches ChatGPT agent to handle real-world tasks for pro users worldwide
OpenAI has introduced a new ChatGPT feature that lets its Pro, Plus, and Team users delegate tasks to the AI, allowing it to work independently on their behalf. This latest update moves ChatGPT beyond simple chatting, enabling it to perform entire tasks from start to finish using its own virtual computer. Users can now activate this “agentic system” to handle daily activities like checking calendars, preparing meeting briefs, planning meals with ingredient shopping, or even analyzing competitors and creating slide presentations without additional input beyond the initial instruction. OpenAI’s new system combines three prior tools, Operator (for web navigation and interaction), Deep Research (for analyzing and summarizing data), and the original ChatGPT model, into a single AI assistant that can click, scroll, type, run code, and generate polished outputs such as editable spreadsheets or PowerPoint decks. Users can ask ChatGPT to research online and create detailed presentations, complete with downloadable files. OpenAI assures that user control and security remain top priorities. The AI only logs into websites with the user’s permission and users can interrupt or take over tasks anytime. The agent can also run multiple tools at once, for example, getting calendar events via an API, browsing the web for up-to-date info, manipulating files in a virtual terminal, and sending task updates to the user’s phone once done. This upgrade marks a big step toward AI-driven productivity, helping users save time on routine work like rearranging meetings or compiling financial data. For personal use, it can plan trips or organize events effortlessly. ChatGPT now also supports connectors with popular apps like Gmail and GitHub, allowing it to fetch emails, review code, or access documents under user supervision. Though this rollout started July 17, OpenAI says it’s only the beginning and promises more improvements in intelligence, speed, and capability later in 2025. The arrival of AI agents like this, smart assistants that actively carry out tasks, reflects a growing trend among tech giants like Microsoft, Salesforce, and Oracle, all investing heavily in AI to boost productivity and reduce costs.
South Korea’s Supreme Court clears Samsung boss Lee Jae-yong of fraud
South Korea’s highest court has declared Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong not guilty of fraud, ending years of legal drama around a major 2015 business merger. Lee Jae-yong, who heads the world’s biggest smartphone maker, was found innocent on Friday after the Supreme Court dismissed all fraud claims. This verdict lets Lee focus on Samsung’s future without further courtroom distractions. Lee became Samsung’s top leader in 2014 after his father, Lee Kun-hee, suffered a stroke. In 2015, Lee pushed forward a big merger between Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries, two major Samsung units. Prosecutors said Lee and his team illegally boosted the value of Samsung Biologics, part of Cheil, by more than $2.8 billion. They argued this move gave Lee tighter control over Samsung C&T, strengthening his grip on the company at the expense of investors. But courts remained on Lee’s side. He was cleared of all 19 charges, including stock manipulation and accounting fraud, by two lower courts earlier this year. After a long appeal, the Supreme Court agreed there was no evidence of wrongdoing. “Today, the Supreme Court has clearly confirmed that the merger … and the accounting treatment of Samsung Biologics were lawful,” Lee’s legal team said. “We sincerely thank the court for its wise judgment following a thorough five-year trial process.” This isn’t Lee’s first run-in with the law. In 2017, he was jailed for bribery to secure his place at the top of Samsung after his father’s illness. He served 18 months before being released on parole in 2021, receiving a presidential pardon so he could help South Korea recover from COVID-19. The verdict comes when Samsung is facing big threats, from falling sales to rivals like SK Hynix, TSMC, and Apple. Lee admitted in court this year that things “are harder than ever,” but promised to push forward. .
Musk’s xAI offers big salaries for engineers to build anime-style avatars
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is on a major hiring drive, looking for top multimedia engineers to join its Grok avatar team, with pay reaching up to $440,000 a year. xAI wants new talent to help create the next generation of real-time AI avatars, especially characters with anime and cartoon personalities. The jobs are open in Palo Alto, California, and target people ready to build fast, reliable, and engaging digital companions that interact with users across different devices. The engineering roles are tied to developing “Companions”, AI avatars like Ani, an anime-inspired character, and Rudi, a cartoon red panda. Candidates will work on making these avatars more responsive and realistic, with a focus on audio, visuals, and game-like features. xAI says the best applicants should love high media quality and smooth user experiences. Applicants need to know Python and Rust, and have experience with real-time systems using WebSocket and WebRTC. There’s also a preference for developers skilled in iOS, low-latency systems, and building media pipelines. The company’s hiring process is fast: it starts with a CV review, then a short technical interview, followed by a coding challenge and meetings with the team. Everything is expected to wrap up within a week. xAI is offering a salary range of $180,000 to $440,000 per year, plus equity and benefits like health insurance and retirement plans. The team structure is flat, meaning everyone is expected to contribute directly, and those who show initiative quickly move into leadership. xAI’s push for new hires comes after Musk announced big funding wins: $10 billion raised in loans and equity this month alone, for expanding AI research and infrastructure.