Today’s news highlights include Deno Deploy shrinking its global presence amid declining activity, a major DDoS attack thwarted by Anubis, and a strategic partnership between Waymo and Toyota to advance autonomous vehicles. Additionally, satellite industry growth poses environmental risks, while regulatory and security issues dominate tech and policy updates.
▶️ Internet Infrastructure
Deno Deploy Shrinks Global Presence Amid Declining Product Activity
Deno Deploy’s global regions shrank from 35 to 6 between 2023 and 2025, raising questions about its “edge” hosting claims; other Deno products also show declining activity.
- Deno Deploy reduced from 35 regions in 2023–2024 to 12, then to 7 regions by December 2024, and finally to 6 regions in January 2025, with further reduction to 5 in February 2025
- Remaining regions as of February 2025: Singapore, North Virginia, California, London, Sao Paolo, and Frankfurt (replacing Netherlands)
- Deno’s other products, including Fresh framework and Deno KV, show signs of stagnation or abandonment; no releases or updates since late 2023 or 2024
Anubis Defends Website from Massive DDoS Attack Using Proof-of-Work Filters
Deploying Anubis protected the website from a large-scale DDoS attack by filtering malicious connections with proof-of-work challenges, significantly lowering server load and maintaining uptime.
- In April 2025, the author’s server experienced a DDoS attack involving approximately 35,000 residential IPs globally, targeting dynamic, database-heavy URLs.
- The attack caused server saturation, leading to refused connections, high resource utilization in Apache2, PHP-FPM, and MariaDB, and eventual website downtime.
- Deployment of Anubis, a connection filtering tool that uses user agent analysis and proof-of-work challenges, effectively mitigated the attack, reducing server load and preventing further downtime.
Waymo and Toyota Join Forces to Accelerate Autonomous Vehicle Innovation
Waymo and Toyota announced a strategic partnership to accelerate autonomous vehicle development, combining Waymo’s autonomous driving data and Toyota’s safety tech, aiming for safer, scalable mobility solutions.
- Waymo and Toyota reached a preliminary agreement to collaborate on autonomous driving technology development and deployment, with Woven by Toyota joining as a strategic enabler.
- The partnership aims to develop a new autonomous vehicle platform and explore leveraging Waymo’s autonomous tech with Toyota’s vehicle expertise for next-generation personally owned vehicles.
- Toyota’s R&D focuses on zero-traffic-accident vision via automated driving and safety tech like Toyota Safety Sense; Waymo operates over 250,000 trips weekly across multiple U.S. cities, with 81% fewer injury crashes than human benchmarks.
Satellite Industry Growth Risks Ozone and Climate Pollution
Rising satellite deployments by SpaceX and rivals threaten atmospheric ozone and climate via increased reentry pollutants like aluminum oxide and black carbon, with potential environmental impacts.
- In 2024, approximately 1,000 satellite reentries occurred, with projections of 25-50 reentries daily by 2035 due to satellite industry growth
- Elon Musk’s SpaceX operates over 7,000 satellites with plans for up to 42,000, requiring about 23 satellites launched and deorbited daily
- Industry expansion includes Amazon’s Project Kuiper with 27 satellites launched in April 2025, and over 12,000 satellites in orbit projected by 2030, increasing pollution risks
Pentagon Official Uses Unsecured Line to Run Signal and Bypass Security
Pete Hegseth reportedly uses a personal computer with an unsecured internet line to run Signal, bypassing official DoD secure communication systems, to communicate with White House and officials, risking security.
- US defense secretary Pete Hegseth uses a private computer connected to the public internet to access Signal messaging app, bypassing official secure communication channels.
- Hegseth’s office equipment includes a Crisis Management System (CMS) Cisco IP Phone with TS/SCI capability, an Integrated Services Telephone-2 (IST-2) for DRSN, and unclassified phones on the Pentagon’s internal network.
- He installed Signal on his personal computer, connected via an unsecured line to the public internet, to facilitate communication with White House and officials using Signal, circumventing Pentagon security protocols.
Nutanix Simplifies Enterprise AI with Unified Cloud Infrastructure
Nutanix advocates simplified, integrated AI infrastructure via its Cloud Platform, enabling scalable enterprise AI with unified storage, interoperability, and edge deployment capabilities.
- Nutanix promotes AI infrastructure solutions, emphasizing simplified, integrated platforms for enterprise AI deployment
- Nutanix Cloud Platform underpins AI solutions like Nutanix GPT-in-a-Box 2.0 and Nutanix Enterprise AI with Kubernetes
- The platform offers unified storage (file, block, object), seamless mobility across datacenter, cloud, and edge, and manages AI model lifecycle
Commvault Advocates Minimum Viability Approach for Faster Cyber Recovery
Commvault promotes minimum viability planning for cyber recovery, prioritizing essential systems across three tiers, leveraging cloud, automation, and immutable backups to improve resilience and speed recovery.
- Commvault advocates for minimum viability approach in cyber recovery, emphasizing prioritization of essential systems post-attack.
- Focuses on three tiers: critical systems (identity, communication, sector-specific), important non-critical, and supporting systems.
- Recommends cloud readiness, automation, immutable backups, threat detection, and recovery orchestration to enhance resilience and reduce recovery time.
Meta’s 2025 Capital Spending to Reach $72 Billion Amid Tariffs and Supply Chain Challenges
Meta blames Trump tariffs and supply chain issues for raising AI infrastructure costs, with CapEx potentially reaching $72 billion in 2025, driven by expanded datacenter investments and component costs.
- Meta’s 2025 capital expenditures are projected between $64 billion and $72 billion, up from January’s estimate of $60-65 billion, a $7 billion increase
- The cost increase is attributed to Trump-era tariffs and global supply chain uncertainties, prompting Meta to diversify sourcing
- Meta is expanding AI infrastructure, including a 2.2 GW supercomputing cluster in Louisiana, expected to take five years to complete, supporting increased AI compute capacity
Raspberry Pi Lowers Prices for Compute Module 4 Variants
Raspberry Pi cut prices for the 4 GB and 8 GB Compute Module 4 variants to $45 and $85, respectively, to reflect DRAM cost trends, with no plans to discontinue lower-density SKUs.
- Raspberry Pi reduced prices for the 4 GB and 8 GB variants of its Compute Module 4 (CM4) from $95 to $85 and from $50 to $45, respectively
- Price adjustment reflects long-term DRAM pricing trends; the change applies to standard units, not colder-environment variants
- The 8 GB variant with 32 GB eMMC storage was introduced in 2020 and remains available; no SKUs are planned for discontinuation
Ireland Fines TikTok €530 Million Over GDPR Data Transfer Violations
Ireland’s DPC fined TikTok €530 million for GDPR violations over data transfers to China, citing failure to ensure EU-level data protection; TikTok plans to appeal and is building a €1 billion Finnish data center.
- Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fined TikTok €530 million ($600 million) for GDPR violations related to transferring European user data to China
- The inquiry concluded TikTok infringed GDPR transfer and transparency requirements, with a six-month compliance deadline and potential suspension of data transfers
- TikTok confirmed data stored on Chinese servers, contrary to prior evidence, and plans to appeal; it is investing €1 billion in a Finnish data center for European data security
UK Altnets Eye Mergers Amid Competition and Regulatory Challenges
UK altnet providers face consolidation due to intense competition from BT and Virgin Media O2, regulatory hurdles, and low fiber adoption, with 96% considering mergers to sustain growth.
- Neos Networks’ report (January 2025 survey of 100 UK altnet decision-makers) states nearly all altnets consider mergers or partnerships amid slowing fiber growth
- Smaller altnets attract significant investment but face challenges from incumbents’ FTTP expansion, regulatory issues, and customer lock-in
- 96% of altnets are contemplating mergers; average take-up rate is 15%, below the 35% viability threshold; main barriers include high interest rates, regulation, and funding access
▶️ Open Source
Anukari Beta Launches as GPU-Accelerated 3D Physics Synth for Windows and Mac
Anukari launches in Beta as a GPU-accelerated 3D physics synthesizer supporting Windows and Apple Silicon, with full MPE, modulation, and customizable visuals.
- Anukari is a 3D physics-based software synthesizer and effects processor in Beta, available for $70 (50% off from $140).
- Features include real-time 3D physics instrument creation, GPU-accelerated audio processing, and support for Windows (10+ 64-bit, Vulkan/CUDA/OpenCL, not ARM/AMD) and macOS (11+, Apple Silicon, not Intel).
- Supports full MPE, MIDI, DAW automation, modulation matrix with sample-accurate LFOs, and custom 3D visuals; operates as VST3, AU, AAX plugin, or standalone.
Koreader: Open-Source Ebook Reader Supporting Multiple Formats and Devices
Koreader is a multi-platform, open-source ebook reader supporting numerous formats and devices, with recent features including reMarkable Paper Pro support and UI enhancements, licensed under AGPL-3.0.
- Koreader is an open-source ebook reader supporting PDF, DjVu, EPUB, FB2, and more formats, compatible with Cervantes, Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, and Android devices.
- The project is licensed under AGPL-3.0, with over 20,900 stars and 1,400 forks on GitHub.
- The repository contains 11,152 commits, 889 issues, and 43 pull requests, with recent updates including support for reMarkable Paper Pro and QoL improvements.
CNCF and Synadia Resolve NATS Dispute with Trademark and Repository Transfer
CNCF and Synadia settled their dispute over NATS, with Synadia transferring control of trademarks, domain, and repositories to CNCF, while maintaining open governance and the ability to fork under a new name.
- CNCF and Synadia reached an agreement on May 2, 2025, allowing Synadia to control the NATS trademark, domain, and GitHub repositories
- The dispute originated from Synadia’s plan to switch NATS code from Apache 2.0 to Business Source License (BSL)
- CNCF will retain control of NATS infrastructure, including the NATS.io domain and repositories, under the Apache 2.0 license; Synadia will assign its trademark registrations to CNCF
Open-Source AI Hiring Models Show Gender Bias and Wage Gaps
Open source AI hiring models favor men over women, with bias stemming from training data and reinforcement learning; adjusting for parity shows persistent wage and callback disparities.
- Study finds open-source AI hiring models favor men over women, especially for high-paying roles, with female callback rates ranging from 1.4% (Ministral) to 87.3% (Gemma)
- Most models reproduce stereotypical gender associations due to training data biases and reinforcement learning from human feedback, with Llama-3-1 being the most balanced (41% female callback rate)
- Adjusting models for callback parity (~50%) reveals persistent wage gaps, with women recommended for lower-wage jobs; bias varies across models, and Llama 4’s bias reduction is unaddressed
Oregon State University’s Open Source Lab Faces $250K Shortfall Due to Federal Cuts
Oregon State University’s Open Source Lab faces a $250,000 shortfall amid US federal funding cuts, risking its 22-year support for over 288 FOSS projects and infrastructure services.
- Oregon State University’s Open Source Lab (OSL) is short of $250,000 due to federal funding cutbacks affecting US higher education
- OSL has supported over 288 FOSS projects, hosting notable milestones for Mozilla, Apache, Linux Foundation, Kernel.org, Drupal, Gentoo, Debian, Fedora, Inkscape, and others
- Established in 2003, OSL provided hosting for Mozilla Firefox 1.0, helped Gentoo and Drupal, and offered infrastructure for CI and hosting on x86, aarch64, ppc64le architectures
- The lab’s funding shortfall threatens its 22-year operation, impacting projects and collaborations, including support for Facebook’s use of OSL infrastructure in 2011
- OSU President Jayathi Murthy cited potential negative consequences for research due to federal funding reductions; the lab is currently seeking additional support from the community
Twenty Years of ODF Standardization Amid Microsoft Office Dominance
Twenty years after its standardization, ODF remains a symbol of open standards, but Microsoft Office’s proprietary Office Open XML formats dominate office document interoperability.
- 20 years since the Open Document Format (ODF) became an ISO standard on May 1, 2005
- ODF aimed to promote open, vendor-neutral file formats; adoption has been patchy despite standardization
- Microsoft introduced Office Open XML (OOXML) formats in 2006, based on XML, replacing older binary formats; both formats are supported in Office applications
▶️ Software Development
Efficiently Copying Large SQLite Databases with .dump and gzip Compression
Using SQLite’s .dump command and gzip compression, the author speeds up copying large databases by reducing transfer size and ensuring data consistency during transfer.
- The author copies large SQLite databases by creating a text dump using
.dumpcommand, significantly reducing file size. - Text dump files are 14× smaller than original databases; gzip compression reduces size further to 240 MB from 3.4 GB.
- The process involves creating a gzip-compressed dump on the server, transferring via rsync, deleting the compressed file, uncompressing, and reconstructing the database with SQL statements.
Microsoft to Preload Word at Startup to Boost Performance on PCs with 8GB RAM
Microsoft will preload Word after boot using Startup Boost from mid-May, targeting PCs with 8GB RAM, to enhance load times by preloading resources before launch.
- Microsoft plans to preload Word shortly after system boot in mid-May, initially limited to Word, to improve perceived performance.
- The feature, called Startup Boost, remains in a paused state until the user launches Word or system conditions remove it; it will not run immediately at login.
- Startup Boost is available only on PCs with at least 8GB RAM and 5GB free disk space, and it is disabled during Energy Saver mode or if Word hasn’t been launched recently; users can disable it via group policy or in-app settings.
▶️ Management and Leadership
Understanding Accountability Sinks and Their Role in Systemic Failures
Martin Sustrik explores “accountability sinks,” systemic processes that replace personal responsibility, causing failures like Schiphol’s squirrel slaughter, LAX accidents, and Healthcare.gov’s launch issues.
- The article discusses “accountability sinks,” where formal processes replace human judgment, leading to systemic failures and diffusion of responsibility.
- Examples include the 1999 Schiphol Airport squirrel massacre, the 1991 LAX plane collision, and the 2013 Healthcare.gov launch, illustrating systemic decision-making failures.
- The concept is analyzed through historical and contemporary cases, emphasizing how bureaucratic and organizational structures obscure accountability and enable cover-ups.
Simplifying Container Management with Podman, systemd, and User Lingering
Using Podman, systemd, and user lingering, the author automates container updates and management, achieving similar benefits to Kubernetes with significantly lower CPU and memory usage.
- The author replaced Kubernetes with a combination of Podman, systemd, and user lingering for container management and auto-updates.
- Podman can generate systemd service files for containers, and with
io.containers.autoupdatetags, it can automatically check for and recreate containers with new images daily. - The setup involves enabling user services with
systemctl --user enableandloginctl enable-linger, reducing resource consumption and simplifying container automation compared to Kubernetes.
Bram Jetten’s Solo Rails SaaS Hits €1M ARR Using Minimal Team
Bram Jetten built a profitable SaaS business using only Rails, leveraging its conventions, simplifying architecture, and native mobile via Turbo Native, demonstrating Rails as a “One-Person Framework.”
- Bram Jetten built PlanGo as a solo Rails developer, reaching €1M ARR in early 2022 with minimal team support
- Technical foundation included a full rewrite in Rails 4 in 2014, simplifying architecture and reducing dependencies
- The application features 36,170 lines of Ruby, 13,495 lines of JavaScript, 40% test coverage, 6,332 daily active users, and handles 7,000 requests per minute on servers costing less than €1,500/month
Language Skills Outperform Math in Predicting Python Learning Success
Research demonstrates that language skills, not math skills, better predict how quickly and effectively individuals learn Python, emphasizing the importance of language aptitude in programming education.
- Study from University of Washington (published in Scientific Reports on May 12, 2020) shows language ability and problem solving predict Python learning speed and proficiency.
- 42 participants completed ten 45-minute lessons on Codecademy’s “Learn Python,” with pre- and post-tests measuring math skills, working memory, problem solving, and language aptitude.
- Language aptitude explained nearly 20% of variability in learning speed, while math skills accounted for only 2%, indicating language skills are more predictive of programming ability.
Google Play’s Arbitrary ‘Fewer Users’ Warning Hinders Small App Developers
Google Play’s “Fewer Users” warning, triggered without clear metrics, penalizes small, specialized, or infrequently used apps, harming developer growth and ecosystem diversity.
- The Google Play “Fewer Users” warning appears on app store pages, negatively impacting conversion rates despite high app quality.
- The warning is triggered arbitrarily; apps with ~1,000 downloads and 50% retention still receive it, with no clear thresholds or official guidance.
- The warning disproportionately affects specialized, infrequently used, or new apps, penalizing small developers and innovative ideas.
- Developers report frustration over lack of transparency, inability to remove the warning, and potential incentivization of spammy engagement tactics.
- Community feedback highlights concerns about Google’s approach discouraging new app development and ecosystem diversity.
Anthropic Launches Claude Integrations for Enhanced Connectivity and Research
Anthropic introduced “Integrations” for Claude, enabling connection to remote MCP servers and third-party apps, expanding research to 45 minutes with source citations, and making web search globally available.
- Anthropic announced “Integrations” on May 1, 2025, enabling Claude to connect with remote MCP servers and third-party apps
- Supports 10 services initially, including Jira, Confluence, Zapier, Cloudflare, Intercom, Asana, Square, Sentry, PayPal, and Linear, with more planned
- Enhances Claude’s research capabilities with deeper investigations up to 45 minutes, sourcing from web, Google Workspace, and connected applications, with citation support
Duolingo Replaces 100 Workers with AI Amid Growing Jobs Crisis
The AI jobs crisis has already begun, with companies like Duolingo replacing up to 100 workers with AI, reflecting broader automation-driven layoffs and structural changes in employment.
- Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn announced the company is “going to be AI-first” on April 29, 2025, replacing contractors with AI systems.
- Up to 100 workers, mainly writers and translators, were laid off in 2023 and October 2024, replaced by AI tools incapable of fully autonomous content creation.
- The AI jobs crisis manifests through layoffs, declining income for artists and freelancers, and reduced hiring in white-collar sectors, driven by corporate cost-cutting and automation strategies.
Disco Corp’s Free-Market System Raises Concerns Over CEO Control and Autocracy
Disco Corp has operated a unique internal free-market system called Will since 2011, where employees trade tasks with no bosses, with currency controlled by CEO Sekiya, raising questions about autocratic influence.
- Disco Corp, a $20.8bn manufacturer, has operated since 2011 on a radical free-market internal system called Will, with no bosses or orders.
- Employees earn Will by performing tasks, barter in auctions, and are fined Will for actions; bonuses depend on Will balances, influencing about 40% of pay.
- CEO Kazuma Sekiya controls Will issuance, can create currency for special projects, and has significant autocratic power, raising concerns about potential manipulation and autocracy.
Trump Ends Tariff Exemption, Hits Chinese E-Commerce with Higher Taxes
Trump’s removal of the $800 tariff exemption on Chinese goods will impose up to 145% tariffs, disrupt low-cost online retailers’ advertising, and reduce Chinese e-commerce companies’ U.S. market presence.
- President Trump eliminated the import exemption allowing goods under $800 from China and Hong Kong to enter the U.S. tariff-free, imposing tariffs up to 145% on Chinese goods.
- Companies like Temu and Shein have begun adding import charges, with Temu shifting to local U.S. warehouses for fulfillment.
- The tariffs are expected to significantly reduce advertising spending by Chinese e-commerce companies, leading to a decline in their online ad presence on platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snap, and YouTube; Temu’s U.S. ad spending dropped 31% over two weeks, and Shein’s by 19%.
House Democrats Seek Musk’s Financial Disclosures Over Conflicts and Security Risks
House Democrats demand Musk’s financial disclosures and background checks to assess conflicts of interest and national security risks amid investigations into his government roles and foreign ties.
- House Oversight Committee sent letters to White House Counsel and agencies requesting Elon Musk’s financial disclosures and background checks, citing legal requirements.
- Democrats aim to investigate potential conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and security risks related to Musk’s roles in government and his ties to foreign entities.
- The investigation follows Musk’s recent stepping back from a Trump-backed government position, with concerns over his influence, foreign ties, and undisclosed financial interests.
China Enforces Minors Mode for Age-Appropriate Content Online
China launched ‘Minors mode’ on April 29, 2025, limiting under-18 users to wholesome socialist content, with device and content providers complying rapidly to enforce age-appropriate online experiences.
- China activated ‘Minors mode’ on April 29, 2025, restricting under-18s to age-appropriate, socialist content online
- The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) mandated device manufacturers and content providers to implement minors mode within six months
- Smartphones from Xiaomi, Honor, and vivo come with minors mode preloaded; Huawei, OPPO, and ZTE will deliver via OS updates; content providers pledged to serve suitable content and develop minors-specific material
White House proposes 24% NASA budget cut, ending Artemis hardware and Mars sample return
The White House proposed a 24% NASA budget cut to $18.8 billion, canceling Artemis hardware, Lunar Gateway, and Mars sample return, emphasizing commercial partnerships and deep science reductions.
- The White House proposed a 24% cut to NASA’s budget, reducing it from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion, the deepest single-year cut in recent history.
- Proposed funding changes include retiring the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion capsule after Artemis III, canceling the Lunar Gateway, and delaying the Mars Sample Return mission.
- The budget allocates an additional $647 million for human lunar and Mars exploration but cuts $2.3 billion from science divisions, halting climate-focused projects and delaying Mars sample return; ISS support is reduced by $508 million, with a planned deorbit in 2030.
- The restructuring emphasizes reliance on commercial space sectors like SpaceX, with NASA focusing on areas “better suited to private sector research.”
- The budget aims to support Moon and Mars missions while significantly reducing in-house hardware and science programs, with a focus on commercial partnerships and minimal scientific inquiry.
Harrods Faces Third UK Retail Cyberattack Amid Rising Ransomware Threats
Harrods, the third UK retailer targeted in recent cyberattacks, reports unauthorized access attempts; authorities warn of coordinated ransomware campaigns, with no confirmed attribution.
- Harrods is the third major UK retailer to confirm a cyberattack attempt within two weeks, with incident details undisclosed.
- The retailer indicated that unauthorized access attempts were made; systems were temporarily restricted, including internet access.
- UK authorities, including the NCSC, are assisting all affected retailers amid ongoing threats linked to ransomware campaigns, with no confirmed attribution.
Grounding Fixes Bread Factory’s Serial Communication Glitches
A technician diagnosed a bread factory’s intermittent serial communication issues as hardware interference caused by AC voltage leakage, resolved by grounding the computers together.
- Charlie, a field service engineer, initially diagnosed a serial communication glitch at a bread factory as a software issue.
- Hardware testing revealed all ports, cables, and DC voltages were normal; AC voltage leakage was detected by measuring body AC voltage with a multimeter.
- The AC leakage, approximately five volts, caused interference on the shielded serial cable, leading to intermittent glitches.
- The solution involved grounding the two computers together with a grounding strap, which eliminated the AC leakage and stopped the glitches.
- The incident demonstrated that the problem was hardware-related, despite initial assumptions of software fault.
Microsoft Offers 20% Discount on Windows 365 Amid Windows 10 End of Support
Microsoft’s 20% discount on Windows 365 ends October 31, 2025, coinciding with Windows 10 support termination, promoting cloud-based subscription security updates over ESU costs.
- Microsoft offers a 20% discount on Windows 365 for new customers until October 31, 2025
- Windows 10 support ends October 14, 2025; Extended Security Updates (ESU) cost $61 per device first year, doubling annually
- Subscribing to Windows 365 (costing approximately $43/month in the US) provides automatic security updates for Cloud PCs, serving as an alternative to ESU
▶️ Technology
Inception Labs Launches Mercury: A Speedy Diffusion LLM for Fast High-Quality Text and Code
Inception Labs’ Mercury diffusion LLMs deliver up to 10x faster, high-quality text and code generation at over 1000 tokens/sec, enabling more efficient AI applications and reasoning capabilities.
- Inception Labs introduced Mercury, the first commercial-scale diffusion large language model (dLLM), capable of generating high-quality text at over 1000 tokens/sec on NVIDIA H100s.
- Mercury models are up to 10x faster than current generation autoregressive LLMs, utilizing a coarse-to-fine diffusion process that enables parallel token updates and error correction.
- Mercury Coder, a diffusion-based code generation model, achieves state-of-the-art performance on benchmarks like HumanEval (88.0%) and MultiPL-E (80.4%), surpassing speed-optimized autoregressive models and reaching over 1000 tokens/sec, a 5x increase over traditional models.