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Astronomers have been trying to determine the cosmic origins of the heaviest elements, like gold, for decades. Now, new research based on a signal uncovered in archival space mission data may point to a potential clue: magnetars, or highly magnetized neutron stars, CNN reported.

Scientists believe lighter elements such as hydrogen and helium, and even a small amount of lithium, likely existed early on after the big bang created the universe 13.8 billion years ago.

Then, exploding stars released heavier elements like iron, which became incorporated in newborn stars and planets. But the distribution of gold, which is heavier than iron, throughout the universe has posed a mystery to astrophysicists.

“It’s a pretty fundamental question in terms of the origin of complex matter in the universe,” said Anirudh Patel, lead author of the study published Tuesday in The Astrophysical Journal Letters and a doctoral student of physics at Columbia University in New York City, in a statement. “It’s a fun puzzle that hasn’t actually been solved.”

TikTok was fined €530m ($600m) by Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) for failing to adequately safeguard EU users' personal data, Reuters reported.

The regulator said that the platform, controlled by China's ByteDance, failed to verify that data accessed remotely by Chinese employees followed EU privacy laws. TikTok was also ordered to halt data transfers to China unless it completes full compliance within six months,

The DPC criticized TikTok for not addressing potential access by Chinese authorities under national laws that conflict with EU regulations. Although TikTok claimed it used EU-approved safeguards and has introduced new data protection measures, the DPC said recent disclosures revealed some EU data was stored in China earlier this year, according to Reuters.

This is TikTok’s second major fine by the DPC, following a €345m penalty in 2023 over the mishandling of children’s personal data.

The US military has established a second National Defense Area along the Mexican border, this time in Texas, which stretches 100 kilometers east from El Paso. This comes after the establishment of a comparable zone in New Mexico last month, Al Jazeera reported.

These zones allow military forces to briefly hold migrants or trespassers before turning them over to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or other law enforcement organizations. The measure broadens the military's role in border policing without invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act, which restricts domestic military deployments.

In New Mexico, 82 migrants have been charged for entering the authorized zone, but none have been arrested by troops. Approximately 11,900 US troops are now stationed along the border, as stated by Al Jazeera.

The expansion comes amid President Donald Trump's broader immigration crackdown, with deportations rising and illegal border crossings falling to a historic low in March, according to government data.

Meta has warned that it may shut down Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria in response to ongoing legislative scrutiny and unpaid fines issued by local authorities.

Last year, three Nigerian oversight agencies fined the US-based social media giant totalling more than $290m (£218m) for violating a number of laws and regulations. In court filings, the company stated that ongoing operations in the country could result in enforcement risks, according to BBC.

A federal high court in Abuja recently dismissed Meta's challenge to the sanctions, giving the company till the end of June to comply.

WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, was not mentioned. A shutdown might disrupt communication for millions of people and harm small businesses that rely on these sites, BBC reported.

Meta has not disclosed its further plans.