China on Friday successfully recovered the booster of an orbital-class rocket for the first time, marking a major advance in its push to develop reusable launch systems.
The Long March 10B lifted off from the Hainan commercial space launch site in southern China at 12:15 p.m. on Friday and placed a satellite into its designated orbit, state media reported.
What do we know about the Long March flight?
Around six minutes after the booster separated from the rocket’s upper stage, it descended vertically toward an offshore platform and was captured by a net-based retrieval system.
Unlike the rockets used by US companies SpaceX and Blue Origin, which land autonomously on deployable legs, the Long March 10B uses four hooks to catch a net suspended above the sea platform.
China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology expert Chen Muye said the approach simplifies the rocket’s onboard structure, reduces its weight and could increase payload capacity.
“It is also highly adaptable to landing-point deviations, as coordinated ​net systems can effectively expand the capture window,” Muye told state media agency Xinhua.
How is China planning to deploy reusable rockets?
China has spent nearly a decade developing reusable rocket technology as it seeks to cut launch costs and support its rapidly expanding commercial satellite networks.
Previous recovery attempts by private company LandSpace and the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation failed during the final landing stage last year.
The Long March 10B is also part of the broader Long March 10 family that China is developing for planned crewed lunar missions before 2030. Data from Friday’s flight could help validate technology for the country’s lunar program.
Shares in several Chinese aerospace companies surged following the test, with China Spacesat and China Satellite Communications reaching their daily trading limits.
The Long March 10B can carry at least 16 metric tons into low-Earth orbit and has been compared to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, which has a maximum payload of 22.8 metric tons.
SpaceX first landed a Falcon 9 booster following an orbital mission in December 2015. It now launches the rocket around 150 times a year, frequently reusing individual boosters dozens of times.
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko

Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was buried early Friday morning local time, according to a statement posted on his official X account.
The burial took place at the Imam Reza shrine in the city of Mashhad, where Khamenei was born. Khamenei’s family attended the private ceremony, which came after a dayslong public funeral attended by waves of mourners.
New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public during the funeral events.
Diplomacy is happening behind the scenes right now to ease tensions in the US-Iran conflict, according to a US official.
The US has been deliberately striking and then pausing to avoid escalation and let diplomacy work, the official said. It is maintaining a target list as leverage.
Multiple officials told CNN there were preparations for potential US strikes if needed tonight, but they are currently letting diplomacy take the lead.
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Fighter jets take off from USS Abraham Lincoln for routine mission
CNN’s Pamela Brown reports aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, where pilots are preparing for anything as they experience their busiest day yet amid potential strikes. CNN exclusively captured US fighter jets taking off from the USS Abraham Lincoln to carry out a routine night-time mission over the Strait of Hormuz.
2:04 • Source: CNN
Fighter jets take off from USS Abraham Lincoln for routine mission
2:04
Earlier today, on the USS Abraham Lincoln stationed in the Arabian Sea, crews loaded up fighter jets with armaments and pilots practiced drills in preparation for any potential strikes.
The aircraft carrier’s captain told the thousands of crew members on board that things were heating up and they should maintain readiness, as they always do. While preparing for potential strikes, fighter pilots also carried out routine defensive operations, with flights taking off throughout the day and night.
US officials said Iranian claims that there had already been more US strikes tonight were inaccurate. However, the situation is dynamic and strikes could resume if needed, they added.
Iran’s state-run news media has claimed two Iranian military sites in two different cities were targeted by several strikes on Thursday evening.
But a US official told CNN the US military is not currently conducting strikes, while Israeli officials said they were “not familiar with any Israeli involvement in strikes in Iran right now.”
Citing Ehsan Jahanian, the political and security deputy governor of Bushehr province, Iran’s IRNA news agency reported that a military facility near the city of Bushehr was hit by “US-Israeli enemy projectiles.” It did not provide details on the extent of the damage or casualties.
Iran’s nuclear power plant is on the outskirts of Bushehr city.
Meanwhile, state broadcaster IRIB reported that a naval military zone in the southern city of Konarak had been “attacked by enemy fighter jets in two stages,” on Thursday evening. It quoted the governor of Konarak county, Mohammad Younes Haqani, as saying rescue teams and security forces were at the scene.
Konarak is a strategic port city on the Makran coast in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province, on the western shore of the Gulf of Oman. The city of Bushehr is in the southern coastal province of Bushehr.
CNN’s Zachary Cohen contributed to this report
This post has been updated with more details on the explosions.
The US and Iran continue to engage in technical negotiations on nuclear issues with an eye to a diplomatic solution, a US official says, even as President Donald Trump launched a fresh round of retaliatory strikes against Tehran this week.
“The United States is still committed to finding a resolution, and technical talks continue. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” the official said.
The memorandum of understanding, the official added, is “performance-based,” and Iran’s actions, including the Strait of Hormuz not being fully reopen and strikes on ships during the NATO Summit, “constitute failed performance at an unacceptable level.”
“Iran’s attacks on these innocent vessels are acts of terrorism,” the official added.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei made no public appearance at his father’s momentous funeral, leaving some observers questioning his capacity to lead at a precarious moment for the Islamic Republic.
Over the past week, waves of mourners loyal to the Islamic Republic took to the streets to bid farewell to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
He was buried in Mashhad on Thursday in a ceremony attended by members of the Khamenei family — but his successor, and son, Mojtaba, was not reported in attendance.
Why he has avoided all events — even the private burial of his father — is unclear but experts say security considerations are the likeliest reason.
Nevertheless, despite the security threats, skipping such an unmissable event will only fuel fresh speculation over his wellbeing, with opponents of the Islamic Republic claiming injuries he sustained in the strikes that killed his father have left him incapacitated or even already dead.
Even within the Islamic Republic’s own support base, Khamenei’s absence has left space for unrest and his core regime operators representing his leadership in negotiations with Washington are under heavy fire from the conservative camp.
During the funerals, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was reportedly attacked by regime supporters who oppose a ceasefire agreement with Washington, and President Masoud Pezeshkian was also confronted.
For now, Mojtaba’s absence risks bolstering opposition claims that his appointment was a deliberate strategy to assign responsibility to a symbolic leader.
Read more here.
The ceasefire between the US and Iran has broken down after both sides exchanged fresh strikes this week. Regional sources have confirmed to CNN that Pakistan and Qatar are working to bring the two countries back to the negotiating table.
Meanwhile, funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei are concluding in Iran today. A source told CNN that Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, the current supreme leader, is unlikely to attend any of the ceremonies, including a private family burial.
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US forces struck multiple locations on Thursday – Iranian state media
US forces struck several locations, including the perimeter of a nuclear power plant and pier for fishing boats, in Iran’s coastal province of Bushehr around midday local time Thursday, according to a regional official quoted by state media IRNA. Washington has not confirmed carrying out these latest attacks.
0:34 • Source: CNN
US forces struck multiple locations on Thursday – Iranian state media
0:34
If you’re just joining us, here’s the latest:
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call on Thursday evening, “during which they agreed to continue coordination between their countries on the various fronts,” according to a readout from the Israeli prime minister’s office.
Explosions were heard in the Iranian cities of Konarak and Bushehr on Thursday evening local time, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency and state-run IRNA. A government official of the Bushehr province told IRNA a military facility outside the city had been hit by what he described as “US-Israeli enemy projectiles,” and that Iran’s air defense then responded.
However, a US official said the US military is not currently conducting strikes and Israeli officials said they were “not familiar with any Israeli involvement in strikes in Iran right now.”
Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz dramatically dropped off again this week following strikes on several commercial vessels. Traffic had increased during the ceasefire when negotiations between the US and Iran were ongoing.
Separately, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun tied his country’s continued participation in talks with Israel to the beginning of a military withdrawal from occupied areas of southern Lebanon, according to a diplomatic source familiar with the matter.
CNN’s Dana Karni, Lauren Kent, Avery Schmitz, Jennifer Hansler, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Aida Karimi, Charbel Mallo and Sophia Saifi contributed to this report.
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call on Thursday evening, “during which they agreed to continue coordination between their countries on the various fronts,” according to a readout from the Israeli prime minister’s office.
“The Prime Minister, for his part, raised the severity of the statements made by (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan and his associates against the existence of the State of Israel, as well as the need to maintain security zones along Israel’s borders.”
For context: The leader of Turkey, which just hosted the NATO leaders summit in the capital Ankara, has repeatedly accused Israel of undermining the Memorandum of Understanding agreement between the US and Iran. Also this week, Israel expressed concerns over the potential sale of advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, which Trump had floated during the NATO summit.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Netanyahu said Erdoğan is “not exactly a model ally of the United States.” Netanyahu also claimed that Erdoğan “threatens to destroy my country, the one and only Jewish state.”
At least 13 commercial vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, according to MarineTraffic data, as the US-Iran ceasefire crumbles with new strikes across the Middle East.
Traffic had started to increase during the ceasefire when US-Iran negotiations were ongoing. But dramatically dropped off again this week following strikes on several commercial vessels.
Broken down, a total of seven ships entered the Persian Gulf over the past 24 hours — five cargo vessels and two tankers. An additional six ships left the gulf, consisting of four cargo vessels and two tankers.
Before the war, about 110 ships a day transited through the vital waterway.
GPS interference has also made a comeback in recent days, with elevated levels of spoofing visible in vessel and flight data around the Strait of Hormuz. Spoofing technology can be used to redirect GPS-reliant munitions away from their targets to disrupt enemy attacks. Spoofing had also eased during US-Iran negotiations.
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Coffin of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei carried to shrine
1:05 • Source: CNN
Coffin of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei carried to shrine
1:05
The marathon funeral ceremonies for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei have culminated with a final procession and televised prayer at Imam Reza shrine in the city of Mashhad.
The state media TV livestream from the shrine has now gone dark, indicating that the private burial may be underway.
Khamenei’s eldest son – Mostafa Khamenei – led the funeral prayer at the shrine, which was not in the original plans reported by Iranian media.
Current Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei could not be seen in the state media footage of that prayer.
A regional source had said earlier that the new supreme leader was unlikely to make an appearance at the funeral, as advised by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including at the private burial.
The first “pilot zone” in Lebanon, meant to transition control of Lebanese territory currently occupied by Israeli forces, will launch “in a matter of days,” a US official said Thursday.
The official said the US “will soon begin outreach to international partners to help the Lebanese Government effectively restore sovereignty in these zones and across their country more broadly.”
Planned talks in Rome next week will be “a closed discussion that will enable the governments to hand off to technical teams, which will work on all issues outlined in the Framework,” the official said. That 14-point framework was reached after the latest round of US-mediated talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington, DC, in late June.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has tied his country’s continued participation in talks with Israel to the beginning of a military withdrawal from occupied areas of southern Lebanon, according to a diplomatic source familiar with the matter.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has balked at the notion of a broad withdrawal from southern Lebanon. “We did not ask permission from anyone to enter Lebanon, and we do not need permission to remain in Lebanon,” he said in a statement.
CNN’s Charbel Mallo contributed reporting to this post.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun tied his country’s continued participation in talks with Israel to the beginning of a military withdrawal from occupied areas of southern Lebanon, according to a diplomatic source familiar with the matter.
After a series of meetings between Lebanon and Israel in Washington, DC, another round of talks is supposed to take place next week in Rome. Aoun’s office said he would travel to Washington to meet President Donald Trump on July 21.
Under the US-brokered ceasefire agreement signed late last month, the Israeli military is supposed to withdraw from two small areas along the so-called “Yellow Line,” which demarcates the territory occupied by Israeli forces. The Lebanese military is subsequently placed in charge of maintaining security in these pilot zones. But since the agreement was signed, there’s no indication Israeli forces have pulled back.
Aoun met with US Ambassador to Lebanon Michael Issa on Thursday and spoke of the importance of pressuring Israel to halt its military operation in Lebanon while advancing the ceasefire agreement. Aoun also “emphasized the need to stop the shelling, explosions, and bulldozing carried out by Israeli forces in a number of towns and villages it occupies,” his office said on X.
But Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz balked at the notion of a broad withdrawal from southern Lebanon. “We did not ask permission from anyone to enter Lebanon, and we do not need permission to remain in Lebanon,” he said in a statement.
Katz’s comments came after Trump said Wednesday at the NATO summit that Israel would “want to” withdraw troops from southern Lebanon.
Regional sources have confirmed to CNN that Pakistan and Qatar are working to bring the US and Iran back to the negotiating table.
Pakistan and Qatar were the key mediators in previous negotiations held in Switzerland, which ultimately led to the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in mid-June. Oman also helped facilitate earlier rounds of diplomatic talks.
On Wednesday night, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on all parties to exercise restraint and “refrain from any actions that may further undermine regional peace and stability.”
“There is no alternative to continued engagement, dialogue and diplomacy to achieve shared goal of peace in the region,” the ministry said in a statement. “Pakistan urges all sides to uphold their respective commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which remains an enduring foundation for understanding, mutual respect and shared prosperity for the region and beyond.”
Ceasefire crumbling: Thursday marked the second day of attacks between the US and Iran – further eroding their fragile ceasefire. The US military said it hit 90 targets along Iran’s coastline overnight. In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they targeted US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
As the day goes on, we’re learning more about the latest reported attacks across the Middle East, where more strikes between the US and Iran have deepened doubts about efforts to end the conflict.
Here’s where things stand:
• Iran said it fired 10 ballistic missiles at a US military base in northern Jordan. The Jordanian government confirmed it had intercepted Iranian missiles that breached the country’s airspace and triggered air raid sirens.
• US forces struck several locations in the Iranian coastal province of Bushehr around midday local time, Iranian media said. The perimeter of a nuclear power plant and a pier for fishing boats were among the targets, according to a regional official quoted by state media IRNA. Washington has not confirmed carrying out these latest attacks, but the reports follow a wave of earlier US strikes overnight into Thursday.
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The US has struck Iran at least 170 times in two days. But what is the goal?
The US military says it has carried out at least 170 strikes on Iran over the last two nights as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have flared once again. CNN’s Paula Hancocks explains whether this latest exchange could be different.
1:22 • Source: CNN
The US has struck Iran at least 170 times in two days. But what is the goal?
1:22
• Iranian state media also released images of several burned boats that it said were damaged by US airstrikes.
• Jets rumbled onto the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, where CNN’s Pamela Brown is reporting during flight operations today.
• Qatar’s foreign minister held high-level calls with his Iranian, Saudi and UAE counterparts as Gulf states endure increasing volatility in the region. Doha also condemned attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and stressed the need for dialogue and diplomacy.
• Meanwhile, thousands of mourners filled the streets of Mashhad, Iran, as the country’s deceased supreme leader’s coffin arrived, wishing to bid the ruler of almost four decades farewell. Many clutched red-colored banners and red flags symbolizing vengeance for their leader’s killing. A banner emblazoned with the words, “Hey TRUMP We will kill you” was also draped across the crowd. CNN has been reporting on how Tehran’s projection of unity during the funeral does not capture the full spectrum of responses from Iranians.
CNN’s Jomana Karadsheh, Sarah Tamimi, Tim Lister, Aida Karimi and Nadeen Ebrahim contributed reporting.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate phone calls with his counterparts in Turkey, Oman and Saudi Arabia on Thursday, amid the resurgence in conflict in the region.
“The parties emphasized the importance of making full use of diplomatic channels, maintaining ongoing communication and coordination to address regional issues, and preventing any further escalation of tensions,” the statement added.
For context: It comes as international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped after renewed US strikes against Iranian coastal installations, according to marine tracking data on Thursday.
A US official told CNN earlier this week that Iran fired on three commercial vessels in Oman’s territorial waters near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. Iran’s continued firing on ships has prompted US retaliation each time.
CNN’s Tim Lister, Jessie Yeung and Brad Lendon contributed previous reporting.
International shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped after renewed US strikes against Iranian coastal installations over the past two nights, according to marine tracking data.
But some vessels continue to transit the strait without active transponders, making an accurate assessment difficult.
Fresh US strikes were triggered Wednesday and Thursday after drone attacks on three ships passing through Hormuz without Iranian consent.
On Thursday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that “foreigners have no stake whatsoever in this land or the Strait of Hormuz,” and that “interference in determining the shipping route will not only be met with our crushing response, but will also seriously disrupt the gradual reopening process” that had begun with the signing of a memorandum between the US and Iran last month.
Ships must “obtain authorization from the IRGC Navy by disciplined compliance with security protocols,” it added in its statement.
Iran has used the recent lull in the conflict to accelerate exports from Kharg Island, its main export hub, according to shipping analysts.
“Anticipating a possible imminent resumption of the US Navy blockade, Tehran shipped out no less than 10 million barrels of crude oil and fuel oil overnight,” TankerTrackers reported Thursday.
“All three of Kharg Island’s export terminals stayed fully occupied” despite the latest US strikes, according to analysts at Windward, a maritime intelligence service.
“Approximately 63 million barrels of Iranian crude are now at sea,” Windward said. After the US this week revoked a waiver that had allowed Iranian crude exports, “operators, insurers, and buyers [are] fully exposed to U.S. secondary sanctions on any cargo they handle,” Windward noted.
Data from tracking service MarineTraffic showed just a handful of vessels in the Strait on Thursday, including two empty Iranian tankers entering the Gulf. A laden liquid petroleum gas carrier operated by ADNOC, the United Arab Emirates’ state energy company, was leaving the Gulf by a route close to the Omani coast.
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On board the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Strait of Hormuz
Fighter jets are carrying out defensive missions throughout the Strait of Hormuz, launching from aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian sea, as the US weighs up its next move against Iran.
1:15 • Source: CNN
On board the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Strait of Hormuz
1:15
CNN is aboard the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on Thursday, following another day of strikes exchanged between the US and Iran and reported explosions in an Iranian coastal area.
Jets have rumbled onto the vessel throughout the day for flight operations, CNN’s chief investigative correspondent and anchor Pamela Brown reported earlier as she watched on from an observation point overlooking the ship’s flight deck.
F-18s and F-35s are among the aircraft to have landed on the warship, currently stationed in the Arabian Sea.
While naval maneuvers such as these are regularly scheduled, Brown described a shift in the atmosphere today as tensions in the Middle East escalate.
“What I can tell you is that the stakes are raised,” Brown said, noting that reported explosions in Iran today after two consecutive days of traded US-Iran fire has impacted the conflict’s trajectory.
The naval vessel is accompanied by the USS Frank E Petersen Jr destroyer. Equipped with Tomahawk missiles capable of going to land for offensive strikes as well as air defense, missile defense and anti-submarine capabilities, the destroyer is tasked with shielding the USS Abraham Lincoln, Brown reported.

You’ve probably noticed that Valve’s Steam Machine is a hot topic in the gaming community. Due to the high demand and shortage of parts, memory and graphics cards are at an all-time high. Any product that is even remotely affordable will attract attention. Steam Machine was the subject of a lot of hype before its launch. The Steam Machine’s price was higher than most expected due to component costs.
Steam Machine, Valve’s gaming console-like machine that is easy to setup and use, still has a niche. It allows you to play PC games from the comfort of your sofa. Steam Machine is a gaming console that has the same access to all Steam games. It costs about as much as a low-cost PC. Valve does have a waiting list, based on signups, for purchasing a Steam Machine. This requires that you are logged into your Steam account and show proof of any purchases before April 27th, 2026. It’s not available on Amazon, or Valve’s Steam Store. Buying one requires some luck and persistence.
You don’t have to? You might be willing to tackle a new challenge, such as building your PC. (Trust me, it’s easy!) Yes, you can configure and build a Steam Machine-equivalent-PC of your own with faster hardware for less than the $1,049 Valve wants for a base-level Steam Machine. Spend a bit more money and configure a more powerful Steam Machine. Here’s how.
Valve’s New Steam Machine
Valve has been toying with the idea of selling PC gaming for some time. Valve did not produce or sell several Steam Machine gaming desktops that were launched around a decade back. Valve instead designed prototypes, and left manufacturing partners in charge of producing their Steam Machines. Alienware Maingear and Zotac were among the companies that participated in this project. These products disappeared after just a few short years.
Valve has created its Steam Machine PC, which it is selling to consumers directly. The system is equipped with AMD’s “Zen 4” processor, which has six CPU cores with simultaneous multithreading. Valve combined this AMD “Zen 4”-based processor with a Radeon RDNA 3, which has 28 compute unit (CU) units. Valve describes both components as being “semi custom,” but the chips may not be as customized as Valve claims.
(Credit: Valve)
Zen 4 cores do not have to be identical. The two Zen 4 cores are the traditional Zen 4 cores. Four Zen 4c are cores which are almost identical to Zen 4 cores with less cache. The AMD Ryzen 5 850G desktop processor I recently reviewed also had two Zen 4 and four Zen 4c CPU cores.
According to Valve, the Steam Machine CPU’s power consumption is 30W less than that of the Ryzen 5’s 8500G, which means it’s not an exact match. The 8500G looks like the Steam Machine CPU. AMD also has the Ryzen 8500GE which is a lower-power Ryzen 8500G. It draws 35W and clocks at 5.0GHz.
(Credit: Valve)
AMD probably took this chip, and reduced the maximum clock speed to just 4.8GHz in order to achieve a power goal of 30W. It’s still “semi custom,” I guess, but not particularly fast. The 8500G is one of the slower processors I have tested, at least when it comes to raw CPU performance. Steam Machine variants should also be slower due to reduced clock speeds, power and thermal capacity.
Steam Machine’s graphics chip, on the other hand, appears to also be “semi custom” because of a different clock speed. AMD Radeon RDNA 3, with 28 CUs, would contain 1,792 stream-processors, 112 textures mapping units (TMUs),64 raster operations processors (ROPs) and 56 ray accelerations.
(Credit: Valve)
This is the exact same amount of hardware resources that the AMD Radeon RX7400 graphics card has, a rare, OEM only model. I haven’t yet been able to get my hands on one. They both have 8GB of GDDR6 RAM. It is slower at 1.1GHz than Steam Machine GPU’s 2.45GHz but has a lower power consumption (55W). Steam Machine GPU’s power rating is double (110W), likely to have been necessary in order to reach that clock rate.
Valve Steam Machine also comes with 16GB single-channel DDR5 Memory and either a 2TB or 512GB NVMe Solid State Drive. This hardware fits into a chassis measuring 6 by 6.1 inches by 6.4 inch (HWD), and weighing just 5.7 pounds. Steam Machine is a small, compact device that can be placed on any shelf.
Other companies may have plans to make Steam Machines, although I would not be surprised. SteamOS is a free operating system that’s available to the public.
SteamOS: Valve’s can’t lose gaming gamble
SteamOS is the default operating system for Steam Machines. SteamOS, the latest version of which is SteamOS 3 based on Arch, was derived from Linux. The choice of an operating system is not without its advantages.
It’s a huge plus that it is free. SteamOS, a Linux operating system that is popular for gaming, has an advantage over Windows in terms of resource usage. This depends on the software.
Windows will always be able to boast better software support, which is its biggest advantage. Back in the day, software support and compatibility with games were the two biggest shortcomings of Steam Machines. But things have changed dramatically since then. Valve is leading a concerted campaign to increase game compatibility on Linux-based devices and PCs, including its Steam Deck.
(Credit: Valve)
SteamOS is free and you can build your Steam Machine from parts that you would use for a Windows PC. Valve might not like it, but in reality, this is a win-win situation. More people playing Linux games means more pressure to expand Linux game compatibility and improve Linux.
Valve is also the largest distributor of digital games in the world. Valve earns money when you purchase games on Steam. Steam Machine was built to compete against consoles like Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox, which Valve does not get a share of the game sales. Valve is happy as long as Steam users buy their games.
Let’s build some Steam Machines. It’s important to have an old system to which you can install Linux onto a USB stick of 8GB or more, in order to boot up your DIY Steam Machine.
The systems below are not mine, but should work with SteamOS. A GPU from AMD is required at this time. These builds are an advantage over Steam Machines because you can install Windows, or another Linux version, on them in dual-boot mode, to have access to other OSes. This is especially useful if you have any problems with SteamOS. Valve has just announced you can install Windows on the Steam Machine instead of SteamOS, should you so desire. It just released the drivers. SteamOS is compatible right now with any system that has an AMD graphics chip and hardware of a reasonable age.
MicroATX and mini-ITX Configurations: A cheaper, faster AMD Steam Machine
Steam Machine is built with budget components. This means it’s easy to achieve similar performance at a comparable price. The AMD Ryzen 7 processor 5700X is the basis of this first build. It has eight cores, and supports up to sixteen processing threads using SMT. This is an older processor, but it’s powerful and affordable.
The 5700X clocks in at 4.6GHz which is slightly less than that of the Steam Machine CPU. It also runs the Zen 3 Architecture rather than Zen 4 architecture. The 5700X’s higher core count makes up for the lower clock speed.
It is also likely that the 5700X has a larger L3 cache. The Steam Machine processor’s L3 cache is unknown, but I would guess that it has 16MB like the Ryzen 5/8500G. AMD’s 3D-V-Cache has proven that a large L3 cache can improve gaming performance. The 5700X, with 32MB of it, is a good example. The 5700X AMD AM4 is also a plus, as it allows you to use DDR4 RAM, which is cheaper than DDR5. On average, AM4 socket motherboards cost less.
(Credit: Thermaltake)
This build includes an AMD Radeon RX7600 graphics card, which I believe is faster than Steam Machine’s GPU. Radeon RX7600 is based on the RDNA 3 Architecture as the Steam Machine GPU but has 32 CUs. This translates to 2,048 streams processors and 128 TMUs. It also includes 64 ROPs and 32 ray-accelerators. Steam Machine GPU’s is likely based off a reduced version of Radeon RX7600 GPU. The nearly identical Radeon RX7400 is also a reduced Radeon RX7600.
The Steam Machine GPU’s memory interface may be 128-bits wide, like that of the Radeon RX-7600. Radeon RX-7600 comes with 8GB of GDDR6 and clocks at 2,655MHz.
Assembly is the biggest hurdle to overcome when building your Steam Machine. It’s easy, but intimidating for those who have never assembled one before. It’s especially important to be aware of this if you come across a defective component. This system will not be as compact as the Steam Machine. However, if you choose the MicroATX option, it would cost you $917. That’s a lot less than Valve’s entry-level price of $1,049.
(Credit: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
The biggest compromise comes in the form factor. The Thermaltake case that I selected above is 17.2 by 8 by 15 inches. This makes it a midtower and not as compact as Steam Machine, which has a cube measuring 6 inches all around. You could also build the same PC in a Mini ITX case if you wanted a smaller system.
The price goes up because Mini-ITX is a more expensive case and so are the components that go in it. This is because the NR200 case measures 14.8, 7.3, and 11.5 inches. It’s not as tiny as our MicroATX but it’s still smaller. The motherboard is sized down to Mini-ITX in order to fit the chassis. It also switches to a more expensive, compact SFX power supply.
It’s about $1,140 more expensive than Steam Machine but it isn’t by much. We’d seen this configuration for as little as $1,000 only a few weeks ago. The RAM, PSU and SSD prices have risen but could fall back again. You can buy these parts now, but you might not have the money to purchase a Steam Machine until later. The CPU/GPU combination should outperform all Steam Machine components on every measure.
There is a caveat here: these motherboards do not have Wi-Fi built in. The Steam Machine on the other hand includes Wi-Fi 6E. It’s better to plug in Ethernet for stable gaming and computing. These boards come with RJ45 Ethernet connectors. You will need to spend an extra $25-$30 for a USB WiFi dongle if you do not have one.
There are two types of faster Intel Steam Machines (but not as cheap …)
The next build will be faster, and with the price fluctuating every day, it comes in a bit above Steam Machine’s asking $1,049–a great deal if you’re not bothered by a MicroATX midtower-sized PC…
Intel Core Ultra 5 is the most powerful mainstream gaming processor Intel offers. It will easily outperform the Steam Machine CPU. The 250K Plus easily beat the Ryzen 5 in all metrics when I tested it. In CPU-based tests, it’s faster than AMD Ryzen 9850X3D or AMD Ryzen 9800X3D. This processor can be purchased for just $219.99 at Newegg. Intel has increased its suggested retail price to $219.99 from a more enticing $199.99.
Valve has stated that SteamOS currently only supports AMD graphic cards. You should be able use Intel or Nvidia graphic cards as Arch Linux, the operating system that SteamOS is based on, supports both. However, you may need a bit more technical knowledge to make them work. For now, we’d recommend sticking with Radeon unless you are intrepid. SteamOS should be the only installer that works.
The Radeon RX 9060 XT is the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT. It is a much faster version of the Radeon RX 7,600 and is designed to be a replacement for it. Radeon RX 9060 XT is available in both 8GB and 16GB versions with MSRPs between $299 and $349. The RX9060 XT isn’t available at these exact prices due to recent price increases, but you can still get the Radeon RX9060 XT 8GB for $369. This represents a great deal in today’s market. It’s been as low as 329 dollars at times.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
You can build out a MicroATX computer for around $1,125 with the Intel Core Ultra 5250K Plus and AMD Radeon RX9060 XT (8GB) and all the required components. This PC is much more powerful than the Steam Machine and completely upgradeable in the future.
This build is also available in Mini-ITX format (using the Cooler Master case used in the AMD Mini ITX configuration), however, the cost jumps up to $1369…
The price would still be higher than that of the Steam Machine but the build would be smaller and you could buy the parts now, unlike the Steam Machine. The Intel 250K plus/AMD Radeon RX9060 XT combination should outperform the Steam Machine in terms of performance.
Do you want to build a steam machine? PC Building is Fun, Don’t Be Worried!
It can be daunting if you have never constructed a computer before. You shouldn’t be too concerned about PC construction. There are slots on the motherboard that connects the various parts to a computer. These slots are designed for specific components.
It’s just a matter of matching up the shapes with some components. The shape of a CPU is usually square or rectangular. No other components are even close.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
You could, I suppose, accidentally install RAM into a thin PCIe slot or vice-versa. Both fit in slots that are similar. You’ll discover that the RAM won’t work if you try it. It would take a lot of force to break the object, and that’s not an easy thing to do. The part should fit without too much pressure if it is designed to be in that slot. Once again, our beginner’s guide is a great resource.
Steam Machines are pre-built and ready to run. They offer some benefits in terms of setup, as well as immediate satisfaction over building your system. Steam Machines are a good option if you lack the time to build a computer or merely don’t feel comfortable doing so. You get a good deal for the price, too, so you can enjoy a great gaming experience with Valve’s Steam Machine. This box is also incredibly small. Building your Steam Machine can be a good option, especially if you are looking for a system that is faster or want to reduce the overall cost.

Washington — According to CBS News sources, the Secret Service recommended that Trump use the older Air Force One plane instead of the one donated by Qatar on Wednesday, raising concerns about the safety of Trump’s new aircraft.
White House officials insist that the new Air Force One has high-level features for security. According to CBS News under condition of anonymity, people who were briefed about the situation, and spoke on national security issues, the Secret Service recommended that the President take the older plane. It is equipped with sophisticated military defenses and secure communications systems. Secret Service refused to comment.
CBS News reported that the U.S. government officials said the plane donated by Qatar for the U.S. presidential flight was put into service too quickly and lacks some of the desired features.
Instead of using the plane that took him to Ankara, the president used an older model of the plane. The new plane, which was gifted by Qatar and had been retrofitted, was the one he returned to when he arrived in Britain later that day.
People said that the decision was taken to protect the President’s security and to allow him to control the war against Iran via the air. According to sources, the recommendation wasn’t based on any specific threat or evidence, but was rather a precautionary move in light of the war.
CBS News reported that older Air Force One planes have laser systems that can blind an approaching missile. They also possess a diversion system, which could be used to misdirect the incoming weapons, and diversion technology. The Boeing 747-8 Qatari aircraft may not be equipped with these systems. The Air Force refused to provide specific information when asked.
The New York Times reported first that the Secret Service had asked President Erdogan not to fly the more modern plane out of Ankara due to security fears arising from an escalating conflict with Iran. Last year the Qataris gave the $400 million aircraft to the Turkish military, which spent several months retrofitting the plane to allow it to transport the president.
Former U.S. officials who spoke with CBS News were concerned that the plane would not be able to meet all the necessary requirements for Air Force One if it didn’t have the defensive capability to do so.
Trump claimed he would stop by the U.K. to allow U.S. soldiers stationed throughout Europe to see the jet. The change was made after both sides renewed their attacks on Iran this past week.
Iranian missiles are capable of reaching Turkey.
Steven Cheung, White House Communications Director said that the new Air Force One was a high-tech aircraft with advanced security features that would ensure the safety and well-being of President Obama and his staff. As the president has stated recently, many of America’s enemies have set their sights on him. We use all tools at our disposal, including distraction and deception, to combat these threats.
Air Force previously stated that the aircraft was “safe, secure and fitted with the latest technologies to fulfill the needs of the Presidential Mission.” These requirements have been carefully designed to put the mission before aesthetics. The previous interior design of a head of state has only minimally altered.
Boeing’s collective team traded some less common mission sets to help support Boeing for the next forty years.
He didn’t say that the aircraft was unsafe, but he did mention more than one time that Iran is targeting him.
He said, “Their leadership is gone,” during his post-NATO press conference. He said, “Their leaders are gone.” They had another group of leaders who were gone. Now they have a new set of leadership, but they could be gone. You know, you may also be gone. “I’m the number one target of theirs.”
Trump spoke about Iranian threats to him on Air Force One.
He told reporters on Air Force One: “If I leave, you’ll go.” You might want to switch careers one day.
On the old Air Force One, in Turkey, journalists were asked to close their windows. This is not typical for a presidential plane.
Trump took the Qatari plane despite security concerns raised by critics and also despite good government experts’ concern about receiving such a huge gift from an outside power.

In a new class-action lawsuit filed against Elon Musk’s AI company SpaceXAI, the plaintiffs allege that SpaceXAI’s image generation models were used in the creation of child sexual abuse materials and that SpaceXAI failed to share adequate information with the authorities about an alleged perpetrator.
According to a Tuesday amended complaint, two plaintiffs from Wyoming and Wisconsin joined the suit filed earlier in the year by three Tennessee teens. Jane Does is the name given to all plaintiffs. Stability AI – the company that created the Stable Diffusion Image Generator – was added as a defendant to the suit.
In the suit, it is alleged that perpetrators including a male friend of the plaintiff and a stepfather to another plaintiff used AI models from the companies to edit photos taken by the plaintiffs when they were still minors to create child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Five plaintiffs have accused the five companies involved in producing CSAM. They also accuse them of sex-trafficking, negligence, defective design, and causing a nuisance.
Annika Martin said that public nuisance is more than just a problem for clients. It is also a social scourge. We want to set up these safeguards so we don’t harm an entire generation.
Plaintiffs ask AI firms to implement more efficient guardrails in order to stop the production of abusive and exploitative imagery. They also seek monetary compensation.
Jane Doe’s case 4
The lawsuit claims that SpaceXAI failed to properly report CSAM to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a nonprofit organization.
SpaceXAI used to be known as xAI. This month, the company changed its name following its merger earlier in the year with Musk’s SpaceX.
The complaint states that the stepfather, a woman who is in her mid-20s and lives in Wyoming, created 7,000 images, including videos, based on a photo taken by Jane Doe 4. Jane Doe was 11 years old at the time. AI generated images showed her performing sexual acts, even on her stepfather, while nude. Several images included explicit captions.
According to the complaint, SpaceXAI sent only one tip to NCMEC regarding Jane Doe 4, when the stepfather requested that the model create an image showing the girl being sexually assaulted by several men. According to the complaint, the company failed to include the images of abuse with their report and did not share the IP address of the perpetrator with NCMEC or law enforcement even though officials repeatedly requested this information.
In a March report, NCMEC wrote that many electronic service providers send a high volume of reports about suspicious activities, but they do not provide “sufficient information or actionsable” as the law does not mandate it.
According to the complaint, when law enforcement finally tracked down the stepfather and investigated him, they discovered that, just like other perpetrators named in the suit, he traded sexually explicit pictures with others online. He committed suicide two days after the law enforcers searched his devices and accused him of child abuse.
The complaint stated that “Jane Doe 4” had entered into a time of intense personal crisis. She had to deal with her trauma and help her mother cope after the death of her stepfather, while also coping with her sexual abuse.
According to Martin, who represents the plaintiffs of the class-action lawsuit, law enforcement informed Jane Doe 4 her stepfather used Grok, because it responded better to his commands than other AI models.
NCMEC refused to comment and directed NPR to the law enforcement. Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation’s task force for internet crimes against minors, which was listed in the complaint as one of several law enforcement agencies that were involved in Jane Doe 4’s case, failed to respond to an inquiry. SpaceXAI didn’t respond to an inquiry for comment.
Since years, apps that alter photos to create intimate and pornographic images have been lurking in the dark corners of the Internet. In 2025, however, the use of image-generation tools that allow users to remove clothing to reveal bikinis became more common. This was thanks to major AI companies such as Google OpenAI and xAI.
People used xAI tools from late 2025 to early 2019 to alter a lot of photos, showing children and women in bikinis. In response, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the UK conducted investigations, and temporarily banned xAI. According to NPR testing, Google’s and OpenAI’s chatbots refuse to answer the question “put her into a bikini.” Grok’s free version showed an image loading error after the prompt.
The new defendant is Stability AI
Stability AI (which makes Stable Diffusion), was named as a defendant to the initial claims of three teenage plaintiffs from Tennessee. In the updated complaint, it was added that the “application on the perpetrator’s phone which created the AI CSAM for Plaintiffs used Stability AI’s images-producing tools.”
Stability AI models, unlike proprietary models made by SpaceXAI or OpenAI, are open weight, making it easier for the user to eliminate restrictions imposed by model makers. The model maker is not privy to user questions. The lawsuit claims that Stability AI had the ability to restrict its models from generating CSAM, but did not in recent releases.
In November 2022, The Verge reported that Stability AI had filtered out content that was not safe for work (NSFW) from its training data in order to limit the Stable Diffusion Version 2’s capability to produce CSAM. The Verge reported that this decision was met with backlash by users. One user called the change “censorship”.
According to a study by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a more recent model of Stability AI was used frequently to create NSFW material and produced a greater proportion of this content compared to Stable Diffusion Version 2. The paper hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed. Researchers found that Stable Diffusion Version 2 is also less popular than previous and subsequent Stability AI models.
Martin explained that when the company realized that no one wanted to use its model after they installed these guardrails, it rolled them back to make everyone want to use that model. They knew how to stop this behaviour and chose to not do so for profit.
Any suggestion that safety does not rank high on our list of priorities is categorically false. Stability AI told NPR that it takes its ethical responsibility seriously. It said that it had “implemented robust safety safeguards”, and worked regularly with other tech firms and civil society organizations to improve them.