Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-02-16 Briefing

Created Tue, 17 Feb 2026 04:10:01 +0000 Modified Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:26:53 +0000
10568 Words

Today’s top stories focus on tech advancements. Apple has released iOS 26.4 beta 1 with new features such as RCS messaging and enhanced Apple Music, while SpaceX is competing in a $100M US Department of Defense drone swarm project. Meanwhile, Apple will introduce advanced video capabilities for Podcasts this spring, and the European Parliament has blocked AI features on lawmakers’ devices due to security concerns. In the business world, Nexo has returned to the US market with Bakkt’s partnership, while Byju’s founder faces allegations of siphoning $533M from a loan.

๐Ÿค– AI & Machine Learning

Manus Launches Direct Messaging within Telegram and Other Apps

Manus has launched Manus Agents, allowing users to access Manus directly inside messaging apps, starting with Telegram. The new feature removes the need for complex setup and maintenance, making it easier for people to use Manus’ AI capabilities. Other platforms are expected to be supported soon.

Nexo returns to US market with Bakkt partnership

Nexo, a crypto lender, has re-launched in the US in partnership with Bakkt, ending its three-year absence from the country following a $45M fine settlement to SEC charges.

Fractal raises $313M in Mumbai IPO despite 5% share fall.

Fractal Analytics Ltd., India’s first AI unicorn, raised $313 million in its initial public offering in Mumbai but saw its shares fall 5% due to a weak Indian IPO market. The company went public amid declining investor interest.

“OpenAI Retires GPT-40 Amid Fan Backlash”

OpenAI retired its AI model GPT-4o on February 13, prompting widespread anger among loyal users who signed a petition against the decision. The model’s retirement highlighted the unique attachment people can form with chatbots. Thousands were forced to break up with the most controversial AI model.

Chinese Billionaire AI Entrepreneurs Push Tech Independence

A group of Chinese billionaire AI entrepreneurs are keeping a low profile despite their vast fortunes tied to China’s efforts for tech independence. These individuals are contributing to the country’s push for self-sufficiency in AI technology, but their personal lives and business strategies remain relatively private. Their investments have helped shape China’s AI landscape.

TIL: Docker log rotation

Docker containers do not automatically rotate log files, which can lead to disk space issues even after stopping and restarting containers. To address this, users must configure Docker by creating a /etc/docker/daemon.json file with the desired log configuration, often requiring stopping and recreating existing containers. This ensures log rotation for new containers started after configuring the daemon.

Hardware TOTP authenticator with 8-layer security architecture (ESP32)

The ESP32 T-Display is an open-source hardware security device that offers robust 8-layer security architecture, featuring a totp authenticator and password manager with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) keyboard functionality. The device provides various features such as real-time authentication codes, secure offline password vaults, encrypted wireless transmission, customizable display themes, and more. It can be controlled and managed through both physical interfaces and a web management interface.

A relationship between the Collatz conjecture and the Fibonacci numbers

A relationship has been discovered between the Collatz conjecture and the Fibonacci numbers in an infinite binary tree. The tree’s labels match the signed Fibonacci sequence, which can be accessed by alternating turns on the tree. This connection links the Collatz conjecture to the properties of 2-adic integers.

KPMG partner in Oz turned to AI to pass an exam on… AI

A KPMG partner in Australia was fined AU$10,000 for using AI to assist with an internal training course on AI, highlighting a struggle within the accounting and consulting industry to ensure compliance with AI usage guidelines. Several other companies, including Deloitte and law firms, have faced similar issues related to AI use. The incident has sparked concerns about the need for stronger regulations and oversight in the use of artificial intelligence.

Why AI writing is so generic, boring, and dangerous: Semantic ablation

AI writing often suffers from semantic ablation, resulting in generic and hollow content due to the algorithmic erosion of high-entropy information through greedy decoding and reinforcement learning. This process leads to the loss of unique signal and nuance, producing a “JPEG of thought” that appears coherent but lacks original data density.

Google patches Chrome zero-day as in-the-wild exploits surface

Google has released an emergency fix for a high-severity zero-day vulnerability in Chrome (CVE-2026-2441) that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code, with fixes now available for Windows and Mac users. The flaw was reported on February 11 and Google acknowledged exploitation just two days later. A Linux version of the fix is expected to be rolled out in the coming days or weeks.

Anthropic tries to hide Claude’s AI actions. Devs hate it

Anthropic has updated its AI coding tool Claude Code to hide file names in its output, reducing verbosity but sparking criticism from developers who rely on seeing specific files accessed for security and audit purposes. The company’s creator, Boris Cherny, defended the change by repurposing verbose mode to show file paths without full thinking output, which some users feel is not an improvement. Developers have expressed concerns that hiding tool actions can lead to mistakes slipping through undetected.

Cisco set to release home-brew hypervisor as a VMware alternative

Cisco is developing its own home-brew hypervisor, NFVIS-for-UC, as an alternative to VMware for its calling applications. The new hypervisor offers lightweight virtualization features and will be released in Q1 2026. It only supports Cisco’s UC software, which may pose a challenge to VMware’s position in the market for customers using lower-end vSphere suites.

AI is destroying open source, and it’s not even good yet [video]

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to patent and profit from open source software, threatening the very ethos of the open source movement. This trend is often driven by large corporations seeking to commercialize open source projects without contributing back to the community. The consequences are that many original developers and contributors may be priced out of the process they created.

10 years building vertical software: are we cooked?

No summary available as no text is provided for the news article titled “10 years building vertical software: are we cooked?”

Study: Self-generated Agent Skills are useless

A recent study by SkillsBench found that self-generated agent skills are ineffective, while curated skills significantly improve average pass rates across various tasks and domains. Focused skills with 2-3 modules outperform comprehensive documentation, and smaller models with skills can match larger models without them. The study tested 86 tasks in 11 domains using seven different agent-model configurations.

The left is missing out on AI

The left has largely avoided engaging seriously with artificial intelligence (AI), ceding debate about its potential impact to the right. This reluctance has led to simplistic views of AI’s capabilities and missed opportunities to shape its development. The lack of left-wing discussion on AI may be seen as a generational mistake in hindsight.

The singularity won’t be gentle

A rapid advancement in AI technology could lead to profound and unpredictable political consequences, potentially affecting work and daily life in a transformative way. The idea of a “gentle” singularity, where progress is smooth and gradual, is considered unrealistic by the author. This shift may have significant societal implications that could be catastrophic for certain individuals or groups.

Fff.nvim โ€“ Typo-resistant code search

The new release of fff.nvim includes improved compatibility for code search, providing typo-resistant and human-readable results for both humans and agents, matching queries like “shcema” to “schema”. This update allows for more accurate searches in large real codebases. The changes also prevent bloated results.

The long tail of LLM-assisted decompilation

A researcher has made significant progress in decompiling Nintendo 64 games using coding agents, initially relying on a logistic regression model that prioritized functions based on estimated difficulty but eventually stalled due to the increasing complexity of remaining functions. The author then explored text embeddings of assembly instructions, which led to improved results with the Coddog tool, allowing for exact similarity between opcode sequences and enabling rapid progress in decompilation efforts.

AI optimism is a class privilege

A growing enthusiasm for artificial intelligence among the affluent and tech-savvy population is rooted in class privilege, where its benefits are accessible while its risks and downsides are minimized. This optimism overlooks the potential harm AI can cause, particularly for vulnerable individuals such as children and those experiencing online harassment. The author’s personal experience with an AI-powered “roast” highlights the darker side of this enthusiasm.

๐Ÿ’ฐ Finance & Economy

Apple to Introduce Advanced Video Capabilities for Podcasts

Apple is introducing advanced video capabilities to Apple Podcasts this spring, allowing users to watch videos within the app, download episodes for offline viewing, and receive personalized recommendations. The enhanced experience will be built on Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, enabling creators to dynamically insert video ads into their podcasts. This marks a significant milestone in Apple’s efforts to bring video podcasting to its platform.

India promotes frugal AI strategy for local solutions.

India is preparing to host its AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, focusing on implementing a frugal AI strategy to address local issues. The goal is for the country to harness AI technology without high costs.

Samsung shows ‘Zero-peeking’ camera feature in new Galaxy S26 ads

Samsung has released an ad for its upcoming Galaxy S26 series, confirming rumors of a “Zero-peeking privacy” feature that can block on-screen content when viewed at an angle. The feature allegedly uses new OLED panel technology and AI to protect sensitive information. A Samsung Unpacked launch event is set for February 25th, where further details will be revealed.

Prediction markets threaten traditional sports betting with $1.3B annual revenue.

Prediction markets are increasingly capturing a larger share of the US sports gambling market, generating an estimated $1.3 billion in annualized revenue. This growth highlights the threat posed by prediction markets to traditional operators. As a result, the industry is undergoing significant changes.

I Sold Out for $20 a Month and All I Got Was This Perfectly Generated Terraform

A new artificial intelligence tool called Claude Code has exceeded expectations with its accuracy and performance in automating tedious tasks such as writing code and organizing file structures. However, critics remain skeptical about the ethical implications of relying on these tools due to intellectual property theft and exploitation of human knowledge for profit. The writer’s experience using Claude Code was positive, but highlights the need for a more nuanced discussion about the ethics of AI development and use.

Canada Goose ruffles feathers over 600K record dump, says leak is old news

Canada Goose has denied a reported data breach after over 600,000 customer records were leaked online by ShinyHunters, stating that the data is old and relates to past purchases. The company is reviewing the released dataset for accuracy and scope, but remains committed to protecting customer information. Canada Goose says there are no signs of a recent compromise.

FTC to probe whether Microsoft’s cloud clout crosses the line

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating Microsoft’s dominance in the cloud market, seeking information on licensing terms, training costs, and business practices, as well as its AI operations. The probe also raises concerns about whether Microsoft makes it difficult for customers to run its software on third-party cloud platforms. This investigation follows similar examinations by UK regulators and the European Union.

NASA’s fill-’er-up Moon rocket ‘confidence’ test sees mixed results

NASA conducted a “confidence test” on its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket by partially filling its core stage with liquid oxygen to check for seal leaks, resulting in mixed results. Despite issues including a reduced flow of liquid hydrogen, the test provided some confidence and a filter issue was replaced. The Artemis II mission is set for launch in March at the earliest.

Why does the Windows 11 taskbar hurt me like that?

The Windows 11 taskbar’s fixed position at the bottom of the screen is due to Microsoft’s design decision to create symmetric panes with new features such as Widgets, which conflicts with traditional customization options. A former Microsoft executive has acknowledged that this design choice may be reconsidered in future updates, but no official confirmation has been made. This move away from customization has sparked criticism among users and even AI tools like Copilot.

DVSA seeks ยฃ95K digital chief to steer test booking system out of the ditch

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is recruiting a chief digital officer with a salary of ยฃ95,000 to lead an IT overhaul and improve its bot-ridden practical driving test booking system. The new role aims to reduce waiting times and protect learner drivers from exploitation. The agency plans to double the size of its digital directorate as part of its efforts to reform the struggling booking system.

UK bank bosses plan to set up Visa and Mastercard alternative amid Trump fears

UK bank bosses are planning to establish a national alternative to Visa and Mastercard amid concerns that US sanctions under Donald Trump’s administration could disrupt the payment systems, threatening the country’s economic stability. The new system, known as DeliveryCo, is being developed with government backing and funding from City funders. It aims to create a sovereign payments system that could mitigate risks of disruption.

Resist and Unsubscribe (Scott Galloway)

A national economic strike is being organized by Americans to resist the Trump administration’s actions, targeting tech companies that support or enable immigration enforcement efforts. By unsubscribing from influential consumer tech services such as Amazon and Apple, individuals can cause significant damage to the administration with minimal impact on consumers. This coordinated effort aims to influence the president’s decisions through economic pressure.

Docker Swarm vs. Kubernetes in 2026

A long-time Docker Swarm user has successfully run the container orchestration system in production for 10 years without crashes, contrary to common claims that Swarm is dead or inferior to Kubernetes. The user argues that Kubernetes’ complexity costs more and often goes unused by most teams, which are paying a “massive complexity tax.” They provide evidence of Swarm’s efficiency and a working autoscaler script to support their claim.

Wero โ€“ Digital payment wallet, made in Europe

Wero, a digital payment wallet developed in Europe, has recently expanded its services to enable instant online transactions. The platform has been used by users in Belgium, France, and Germany to send and receive money between family and friends. Future updates include in-store payments and subscription payments, with expansion plans for more European countries.

Carney constructs a mega anti-Trump trade alliance

The European Union and a 12-nation Indo-Pacific bloc are in talks with Canada to form a large global economic alliance as a response to US trade coercion under Donald Trump’s tariffs. The proposed alliance aims to counter US trade coercion and provide an alternative for middle powers.

How not to answer the salary question

During a job interview, discussing salary too soon can be distracting and unhelpful. It’s recommended to wait until the employer has offered the position before answering salary-related questions. A suitable response can be “I’m looking for a salary within the industry-standard range for this type of role.”

Robert Duvall has died

Robert Duvall, the renowned American actor known for his roles in films like ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Tender Mercies’, has passed away at the age of 93. The cause of death is not disclosed. A statement regarding his passing will be released by his family once available.

A word processor from 1990s for Atari ST/TOS is still supported by enthusiasts

A word processor from the 1990s for Atari ST/TOS, Tempus-Word, remains supported by enthusiasts despite its discontinuation nearly two decades ago. The software’s functionality is still required by users working with old texts or projects, and a free license is offered for version 5.4, which is expected to be the last version due to significant development costs and outdated compatibility on newer operating systems.

“Token anxiety”, a slot machine by any other name

A new gambling game called “Token Anxiety” has been released, sparking concerns over its potential to exploit players’ emotions. The game’s mechanics are similar to traditional slot machines, but with a psychological twist that may increase the risk of addiction. Authorities have begun investigating whether the game meets regulatory requirements.

Palantir CEO wants to spray “fentanyl-laced urine” on analysts

Palantir CEO Dr. Alex Karp has criticized short seller Michael Burry, suggesting he may be engaging in market manipulation, and claims that attempting to replicate Palantir’s AI technology by buying Large Language Models (LLMs) off the shelf is futile due to the lack of software layering. Karp asserts that Palantir offers a unique value proposition that cannot be easily replicated. He has also implied that Burry may be charging exorbitant prices for his “research” without providing any tangible source material.

๐Ÿ”’ Security & Privacy

EU Parliament blocks AI from lawmaker devices due to security fears

The European Parliament has blocked AI features on work devices of lawmakers and staff due to cybersecurity and data protection concerns, citing potential risks. This move aims to protect sensitive information and prevent misuse of artificial intelligence systems. The decision was made through an internal email notification to lawmakers and their staff.

Byju’s founder accused of siphoning $533M from $1.2B loan.

Byju’s, an Indian edtech startup, has faced US court sanctions following allegations that its founder Byju Raveendran siphoned $533M from a $1.2B loan. The collapse of the company has cast a shadow over India’s tech sector. An investigation is underway to recover the missing funds.

Anthropic expands India ops, doubles revenue

Anthropic has opened its second office in Asia, in Bengaluru, India, and announced new partnerships with various enterprises, education, and agriculture institutions. The company’s revenue in the Indian market has doubled since October 2025, driven by its AI model, Claude, which is being used for a range of applications. Anthropic aims to leverage its expertise to support businesses in designing and scaling AI-powered solutions tailored to their needs.

Anti Fund VC firm co-founded by Jake Paul gains access to top startups.

YouTube personality Jake Paul’s venture capital firm, Anti Fund, has gained attention for its exclusive funding rounds, including ones at companies like OpenAI and Anduril. The firm, co-founded by Paul and Geoffrey Woo, aims to support nontraditional founders with a “rebel” ethos, leveraging Paul’s clout to access highly sought-after deals. Anti Fund has over $65 million in assets under management.

From Text to Token: How Tokenization Pipelines Work

Search engines break down text into tokens by filtering and transforming the input into more abstract units, which are then stored in databases for searching. Tokenization involves converting characters to lowercase, removing diacritics, and splitting text into indexable units called tokens. This process prepares the text for indexing and manipulation by different types of tokenizers.

GGML GGUF File Format Vulnerabilities

The GGUF file format has been found to contain vulnerabilities that allow for heap overflow exploitation, potentially allowing an attacker to execute code on a victim’s computer by serving a crafted GGUF file. The library’s lack of bounds checking and validation makes it susceptible to these exploits. These vulnerabilities can be reached through the gguf_init_from_file() entry point.

Dutch cops arrest man after sending him confidential files by mistake

A 40-year-old Dutch man has been arrested and charged with “computer hacking” after receiving confidential police files by mistake and refusing to return them as requested. The incident occurred due to a police officer’s error, who sent him a download link instead of an upload link. He was arrested on Thursday evening.

“Password Managers Compromised by Malicious Servers”

A recent study has identified vulnerabilities in the encryption methods used by four leading password managers, including Bitwarden, LastPass, Dashlane, and 1Password, which can allow malicious servers to compromise user data and recover passwords. Researchers found that these services’ zero-knowledge encryption was susceptible to cut-and-paste attacks and key recovery features, particularly in Bitwarden’s self-hosting option. This highlights the need for password managers to implement more secure cryptographic standards by default.

Open source registries don’t have enough money to implement basic security

Open source registries are facing financial struggles due to insufficient funding, with many operating on thin margins and relying on grants and donations. The main expenses include bandwidth costs, followed by storage, compute, and battling malware, highlighting a lack of investment in security features that are crucial for supply chain security efforts. This issue threatens the effectiveness of trusted registries as a key component of Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) initiatives.

Digital sovereignty must define itself before it can succeed

Digital sovereignty aims to ensure safe and reliable software and service behavior with national guarantees, but its practical implementation requires technological standards, procurement policies, and economic feasibility. Several organizations and nation-states are recognizing the need for digital sovereignty, exemplified by initiatives such as the European Payment Initiative, which establishes a common transactional hub across multiple countries without requiring EU membership. This concept has the potential to provide a sovereign digital service, regardless of political boundaries.

Suicide Linux (2009)

A Debian package called “Suicide Linux” has been created to test users’ typing skills by intentionally entering incorrect commands, with potentially devastating consequences for their system. The OS’s reaction is underwhelming but suggestions have been made to improve the experience by adding verbose flags or using this feature as an educational tool. A Docker image of Suicide Linux is also available for those interested in testing its “game”.

Testing Postgres race conditions with synchronization barriers

Developers can use synchronization barriers in Postgres to prevent race conditions by ensuring that every task reads the same value before writing, allowing for more reliable testing of concurrency-related issues. A barrier forces concurrent operations to wait until all tasks have arrived at the barrier before proceeding, preventing stale values from being written to the database. This approach provides a way to test and prevent race conditions with confidence.

Neurons outside the brain

The human body has multiple brain-like structures outside of the skull, including the gut, heart, and spinal cord, which collectively contribute to overall consciousness and function. These organs have their own sensory apparatus, immune systems, and neural networks that enable them to operate independently of the brain. This distributed approach challenges the long-held notion that human consciousness is exclusively centered in the brain.

Use protocols, not services

A growing number of internet users are turning away from centralized platforms and towards protocols, citing concerns over privacy and censorship. By using protocols instead of services, individuals can maintain anonymity and avoid exploitation by governments seeking to identify and regulate online activity. This shift could provide a more resilient and decentralized alternative to current centralized platforms.

Privilege is bad grammar

The term “privilege” has become a widely recognized concept in academic and social circles, referring to an unearned advantage or privilege given to certain individuals based on their identity or status. However, some argue that the term itself carries a grammatical flaw, as it implies something is owed rather than simply existing due to circumstance. The debate surrounding the term’s usage highlights the complexities of language and power dynamics in society.

State Department orders nonprofit libraries stop passport applications

The US State Department has ordered around 1,400 mostly non-profit public libraries nationwide to stop processing passport applications due to a provision in federal law that prohibits non-governmental organizations from collecting and retaining fees. The decision has sparked opposition from lawmakers who are urging the Secretary of State to extend the existing program until a permanent solution is found. This change affects libraries that have served as passport acceptance facilities for years, disrupting their service to communities.

Germany Moves Closer to a Social Media Ban for Those Under 16

Germany is considering implementing a nationwide ban on social media platforms for individuals under the age of 16, with the aim of protecting minors from online harm and exploitation. The proposed law would make it mandatory for schools and youth organizations to educate children about digital safety and cybersecurity. If passed, the ban would target popular social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.

๐Ÿ“ฑ Mobile & Apps

“iOS 26.4 Beta 1 Adds RCS, Apple Music Enhancements and More”

Apple has released iOS 26.4 beta 1 for developers, adding support for encrypted RCS messages, enhancements to Apple Music and Podcasts apps, and a new Smart List feature in Reminders. The update also includes design improvements such as a revised Wallpaper Gallery and a new Home Screen widget. A public beta is expected to be released soon.

“Apple Announces Special NYC Event on March 4”

Apple has announced a “special Apple Experience” event on March 4, 2026, in New York City, London, and Shanghai. The event, which will take place at 9:00am ET, is expected to feature the announcement of several new Apple products, including an iPhone 17e, MacBook Pro with M5 chips, and iPad Air.

“AI Spending Fears Hit Tech Industry Valuations”

Tech companies’ reliance on debt to fund AI development is sparking concerns among investors, who are increasing their exposure to credit derivatives tied to these firms. The heavy borrowing has raised worries about negative consequences for the companies and the wider technology sector, leading to a decline in big tech stocks’ value. This trend is causing significant losses, wiping billions of dollars from affected companies’ market capitalization.

Building a FOSS live streaming camera

A maker has created a Raspberry Pi-based camera for live streaming applications, using the Raspberry Pi 4B with a high-quality image sensor, such as the Raspberry Pi HQ Camera or larger third-party sensors like those from Will Whang, and outputs frames over HDMI with low latency. This end-to-end solution is designed to be cost-effective for broadcasting and streaming events. The camera uses software libraries to configure and control the video subsystems of the Raspberry Pi hardware.

Secondhand laptop market goes ‘mainstream’ amid memory crunch

Secondhand laptop sales have surged in Europe amid shortages of key components, with a 7% increase in Q4 across five major markets. Budget-conscious buyers are driving the trend, accounting for 40% of refurbished PC sales, while those willing to spend more on improved specifications represent 23%. The shift towards secondhand PCs indicates a price-conscious and sustainability-aware consumer base in Europe.

Show HN: Scanned 1927-1945 Daily USFS Work Diary

A historian has made available online a fully scanned copy of his great-grandfather’s daily work diary as a US Forest Ranger from 1927-1945, which appears to be the first such publication. The diary provides insight into Reuben P. Box’s experiences during the Great Depression and World War II, including forest fires and Conservation Corps efforts.

Show HN: Wildex โ€“ we built Pokรฉmon Go for real wildlife

Wildex is an app that lets users collect and learn about real wildlife, inspired by Pokรฉmon Go. The app’s creators aimed to make species identification more engaging than traditional apps, which they found lacking in fun.

Show HN: Free Alternative to Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, and Monologue

A free and open-source alternative called FreeFlow has been developed, offering a similar speech-to-text functionality as commercial apps like Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, and Monologue. It uses the Groq API for transcription and is more privacy-friendly due to its lack of data storage. The app can be downloaded from GitHub and works on all Macs.

Forty Australians have been diagnosed with a rare vision loss condition caused by tattoo-associated uveitis, double the number of published cases worldwide since 2010, according to recent research. The condition can lead to permanent vision loss and requires immunosuppressants for treatment. Experts are calling for further research to understand and mitigate this complication of tattoos.

Wiretext โ€“ ASCII Wireframe Creator

A new web-based design tool called Wiretext has been released, allowing users to create wireframes using Unicode characters and various design elements such as boxes, text, lines, and more, in a user-friendly interface. The tool offers basic functionality for designing web pages without requiring extensive coding knowledge. Its latest version is now available online.

Productivity soars to new decade highs.

US productivity surged by 2.7% in 2025, nearly tripling its decade-long average, as sectors exposed to AI began to slow down entry-level hiring. This trend suggests a shift towards measurable gains from technology in the US economy. The growth is attributed to the impact of artificial intelligence on productivity.

๐ŸŽฎ Games & Entertainment

SpacX & xAI compete in $100M DoD drone swarm project.

SpaceX and its subsidiary xAI are among the contenders in a $100M US Department of Defense (DoD) contest to develop autonomous drone swarms controlled by voice. Other companies, including Applied Intuition, which is supported by OpenAI, are also participating in the competition. The goal of the contest is to create advanced swarm technology for military applications.

Getir co-founders sue Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala for $700M over asset split.

Getir co-founders Nazim Salur and Serkan Boranรงฤฑlฤฑ have filed a lawsuit against Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala sovereign wealth fund in London, alleging a “significant loss” of $700 million due to the break-up of Getir assets. The entrepreneurs claim they suffered losses in the dispute over the sale of their company’s assets.

“US Tech Industry Tries to Shape California Politics”

Tech billionaires in California are using tens of millions of dollars to influence politics through campaigns, super PACs, and lobbying efforts. They aim to fight a proposed billionaire tax, support a new tech-friendly governor candidate, and promote relaxed regulations on artificial intelligence. This marks a significant shift for the industry, which has traditionally focused on federal lobbying, as it seeks to maintain its business-friendly environment in California.

Carbon Dysphoria

A blogger has been hospitalized due to worsening health issues caused by H. Pylori-induced gastritis, prompting an investigation into the intersection of technology industry culture and bodily existence. The author notes that tech professionals often prioritize intellectual pursuits over physical well-being, leading to a neglect of basic human needs like food, exercise, and social connections. This cultural phenomenon is contributing to the blogger’s struggle with their own body and may be perpetuating a broader issue in the tech industry.

open-source-games: A list of open source games

This article lists various open-source video games across different genres, including action, adventure, business and tycoon, city-building, first-person, platformers, puzzle, racing, role-playing, sandbox, shoot ’em up, sport, third-person, tower defense, turn-based strategies. Open-source versions of popular commercial games are also included, such as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and RollerCoaster Tycoon 2.

“Twitter Down: Users Experience Service Failure”

A global outage affecting social media platforms X and Twitter has caused widespread issues with timelines loading, login failures, app load problems, and error messages, leaving users frustrated and sparking reactions from rival services. The cause of the issue remains unknown and has disrupted services across multiple platforms worldwide. Neither platform has confirmed the duration or extent of the outage at this time.

Meta patents AI that takes over a dead person account to keep posting-chatting

Meta has been granted a patent for an AI system capable of simulating a user’s activity on social media after their death, including posting updates and responding to content. The system uses large language models to replicate past data and can potentially be used to create audio or video calls. Meta claims not to have plans to develop the feature, but its filing raises ethical concerns about AI-driven digital identity technology.

Show HN: 2D Coulomb Gas Simulator

A developer has released a 2D simulator for the “2D Coulomb Gas”, a concept in mathematical physics, as a fun project to build intuition and create visually appealing simulations. The simulator features improved performance with WebGPU acceleration. The author encourages users to learn more about the 2D Coulomb gas, citing its depth in research.

14-year-old Miles Wu folded origami pattern that holds 10k times its own weight

A 14-year-old boy named Miles Wu has successfully folded an origami pattern that can hold 10,000 times its own weight using the Miura-ori fold. Wu is now designing emergency shelters with his creation, aiming to create structures that are both sturdy and cost-efficient. He tested over 250 hours of folded paper patterns in search of a solution for natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires.

๐Ÿ“ฐ Other News

Poor Deming never stood a chance

W. Edwards Deming’s management ideas were less influential in the US compared to Peter Drucker’s due to differences in organizational complexity and manager bandwidth, with Drucker’s approach focusing on objectives and key results as a way to filter out unnecessary detail. Deming advocated for leadership over metrics, viewing numerical targets as a “deadly disease” that hinders effective management.

fixapl

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  • fixapl โ€” fixapl.netlify.app

“The Triforce: A Power Beyond Human Control”

Sega formed an alliance with Nintendo and Namco to create Triforce, a GameCube-based arcade platform aimed at revitalizing the struggling arcade industry. The system utilizes modified GameCube hardware to produce arcade experiences, leveraging Sega’s legendary development teams despite financial constraints. This move seeks to capitalize on the resurgence of arcades in a new era.

2026 will not be the โ€˜Year of Linux on the Desktopโ€™, and Iโ€™m glad

The author believes that 2026 will not mark the “Year of Linux on the Desktop” due to the continued struggles of traditional desktop Linux distributions. Instead, they argue that ChromeOS has already proven itself as a successful and user-friendly mass-market alternative. Traditional desktop Linux advocates’ efforts may inadvertently replicate existing solutions like ChromeOS if they fail to address their own issues with usability and appeal.

Back to basics: C++ concepts

No summary provided, as no specific news article was given. Please provide the full text of the news article for me to assist you with a summary.

Let’s practice! (bsd.rd)

Here’s a summary of the article in English:

OpenBSD administrators are familiar with bsd.rd, a compressed ELF binary that contains layers including a kernel and an embedded ramdisk, but few know how to explore it on a running system without rebooting. This lab guides users through decompressing the file, examining its contents using standard tools, and understanding the nested layers, all without requiring a restart. The goal is to reveal the miniroot filesystem that lies beneath the compressed binary.

Finding forall-exists Hyperbugs using Symbolic Execution

Researchers have developed a method to automatically detect violations of “forall-exists” (โˆ€โˆƒ) hyperproperties in software systems using symbolic execution. This approach addresses the difficulty of verifying these properties, which require finding an existing trace that satisfies a certain relation with another trace. The new method has been proven effective on challenging examples.

Type-based alias analysis in the Toy Optimizer

This new development in the Toy Optimizer series focuses on implementing a hierarchical heap effect representation for type-based alias analysis (TBAA). The approach divides the heap into disjoint regions by type to improve load-store forwarding optimization and provides a lightweight Python implementation.

disko-zfs: Declaratively Managing ZFS Datasets

A new Rust program called disko-zfs allows users to declaratively manage ZFS datasets based on a JSON specification, ensuring safe management without directly modifying the datasets. The tool integrates with NixOS, providing an easy-to-use interface for managing and configuring ZFS datasets. It can analyze existing datasets and identify areas where changes are possible without actually executing destructive actions.

I’m ready to help. What are the article titles?

A new industry standard for localizable message strings, known as the Unicode MessageFormat Standard, has been developed by the MessageFormat Working Group, replacing earlier capabilities built into ICU. The standard aims to provide an interoperable syntax, data model, and processing capabilities for software developers and end users, with support for features like fluent messages and locally-adapted presentation. Feedback from users is encouraged through the group’s GitHub repository.

What are you doing this week?

This article invites readers to share their plans for the upcoming week, emphasizing that it’s perfectly fine to do nothing if desired. The tone is casual and non-pressuring, encouraging users to respond with their activities or lack thereof. There is no specific content or information provided beyond this invitation.

Final step to put new website into production deleted it instead

A software developer deployed a critical patch to a new website in progress, but accidentally deleted most of the production systems due to a shortcut taken by an employee who was not following procedure. The mistake occurred during a four-hour window when the business would allow the site to be down for maintenance. The developer was left to rebuild and restore the infrastructure over the next four hours.

I guess I kinda get why people hate AI

A writer is expressing anxiety about AI potentially disrupting their profession, making them obsolete. However, they acknowledge that technology has generally increased human welfare and point to examples such as ATMs increasing banking employment and mRNA vaccines improving public health. Despite some short-term negative impacts, the writer remains optimistic about the positive trend of technology’s impact on society.

Building a model that visualizes strategic golf

A golfer has developed a new method to visualize golf course architecture that considers factors such as bunker shots versus fairway shots and angles of attack, expanding on Mark Broadie’s strokes gained approach. The expanded approach aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of golf hole design and its impact on player performance. This new model allows for the visualization of strategic positional elements in golf course architecture.

If AI writes most of the code, understanding codebases becomes the bottleneck

The increasing use of AI in writing code has led to a bottleneck in understanding complex codebases, as human developers struggle to keep up with the rapidly evolving technology. As AI’s role in coding grows, professionals are finding it harder to navigate and maintain existing software systems. This creates challenges for developers, who must now rely on other skills to stay current.

How to take a photo with scotch tape (lensless imaging) [video]

A creative individual has shared a tutorial on how to take a photo using scotch tape as an alternative to a camera lens, producing makeshift images. The method involves placing the scotch tape on a surface and observing the reflection of light onto a screen or paper. This technique allows for lensless imaging.

Dyslexia, Programming and Lisp

A neurological difference known as dyslexia affects up to 15% of the population, causing difficulties with letter rotation and processing, but individuals with dyslexia have developed unique strategies to overcome these challenges. Research suggests that dyslexics develop distinct neural pathways for reading in the right side of the brain, which can lead to debilitating effects on learning to read. However, some individuals with dyslexia, like the author, find creative solutions, such as visual memorization techniques like the “Sky Line” approach, to improve their reading abilities.

Plan 9 Desktop Guide

Plan 9 from Bell Labs is an operating system developed in the late 1980s, initially released in 1992, and maintained by the Plan 9 Foundation. The current version, 9front, offers features such as auto-mounting USB sticks and wifi support, but lacks compatibility with other systems. Despite its simplicity, workarounds exist to connect to other systems via VNC or other means.

History of AT&T Long Lines

Here is a 2-3 sentence summary of the news article:

The AT&T Long Lines division developed a pioneering microwave network called the “Skyway” from the 1950s to 1984, enabling coast-to-coast calls and transmitting data between computers and military operations. This system replaced traditional wired systems due to its reliability and efficiency, connecting regional Bell companies and independent telephone companies across the US. The Long Lines division was later sold and integrated into AT&T in 2005, marking a significant shift in the company’s infrastructure.

Show HN: Simple org-mode web adapter

A user has created a simple web adapter for Org-mode files, allowing them to browse and edit their Org files on-the-go using a phone-based server that displays all files with backlinks. The setup uses Codex to create a one-file web server with no authentication since it runs on a wireguard VPN. This solution is intended as a potentially useful tool for others who use Org-mode.

STM32G431 Analogue TV Transmitter

A writer has successfully built an RF modulator using an STM32G431 microcontroller to transmit video signals from their cameras to a vintage black and white TV, which lacks modern video input options. The writer achieved this using the microchip’s analog integration features, generating a high-frequency carrier signal that can be received by the TV. Next steps include modulating the carrier with video signals.

The End of the Office

A wave of automation is expected to displace millions of white-collar workers over the next 12-18 months, primarily among middle managers, leading to significant job losses and social impacts such as increased unemployment and downward pressure on housing markets. Companies will cut costs by competing to automate jobs, with investors prioritizing efficiency over employment. The displacement will have far-reaching effects, including widespread unemployment and economic instability.

Hilbert Map of IPv6 address space

There is no news article provided to summarize. The text appears to be an advertisement for the Observable platform, rather than a news article.

NATO to shift 2 commands from U.S. to European leadership

NATO plans to shift two Joint Force Commands from US leadership to European leadership as part of a move to “more fairly share responsibility” within the alliance. The transition aims to strengthen the alliance by showcasing European leadership in European defense and enhancing capabilities. The U.S. will maintain its role as supreme allied commander Europe.

Intermittent fasting may make little difference to weight loss, review finds

A large review of 22 studies involving nearly 2,000 adults found that intermittent fasting may not be effective for weight loss in people who are overweight or obese. However, the researchers suggest that some individuals may still benefit from intermittent fasting for overall health improvements. More research is needed to confirm its effects on other aspects of health.

iOS 27 ‘Rave’ Update to Clean Up Code, Could Boost Battery Life

Apple plans to release iOS 27, dubbed “Rave,” which aims to improve battery life and performance through code cleanup and efficiency improvements. The update is part of Apple’s efforts to prepare for new device releases in 2026, including a touchscreen MacBook Pro and a foldable iPhone. Efficiency tweaks are also expected to enhance Siri’s AI capabilities.

What Your Bluetooth Devices Reveal About You

Bluetooth devices can reveal personal information about an individual’s location, habits, and activities when left enabled, even if they have nothing to hide. Many devices do not offer users the option to disable this feature, making it vulnerable to exploitation by attackers. Greater awareness is needed for individuals to understand how their Bluetooth devices can expose personal data.

Show HN: EU-based and simpler Kagi alternative โ€“ Uruky

Uruky, a EU-based search engine alternative to Kagi, has been launched with features including privacy-focused searches and ad-free browsing. The service is currently offering a free 24-hour trial for new sign-ups and providing a two-week free trial for human users who reach out with their account numbers. Uruky also offers a unique perk of providing a copy of the source code to paying customers after 12 months.

Ask HN: What happens after the AI bubble bursts?

The rapid growth of AI technology has led to concerns about its sustainability, with some speculating that the “AI bubble” could burst, causing widespread disruption. If this happens, popular tools like Copilot and ChatGPT might become prohibitively expensive for many users, potentially leading to a shift towards more costly solutions. The tech landscape could see a significant change if companies are unable to sustainably profit from their AI investments.

Ministry of Justice orders deletion of the UK’s largest court reporting database

The UK’s largest court reporting database, Courtsdesk, is set to be deleted by the Ministry of Justice due to concerns over “unauthorised sharing” of court information. The move may lead to cases going unreported as only a small percentage of records are accurate, with many hearings taking place without advance notice to the press. Journalists will still have access to court listings and records despite the shutdown.

Turning Our Back on Clean Energy

The Trump administration’s climate policies prioritize fossil fuels over renewable energy despite being supported by economic and scientific evidence. The approach is seen as driven by big money interests rather than a genuine dispute about the science or costs of addressing climate change. This reflects a broader trend of environmental degradation under the current administration.

Evaluating AGENTS.md: are they helpful for coding agents?

Researchers have found that repository-level context files can increase exploration but also reduce task success rates due to increased inference cost, suggesting minimal requirements should be included in human-written context files. The study did not significantly improve task performance compared to no repository context. Context files were not more effective than no files at all for improving task performance.

The Israeli spyware firm that accidentally just exposed itself

An Israeli surveillance firm, Paragon Solutions, briefly exposed its own spyware dashboard on LinkedIn, revealing details about its billion-dollar surveillance empire that compromises devices and intercepts communications worldwide. The technical slip-up highlights the operational interface used to harvest data from targets globally, including journalists, activists, and ordinary people. The incident has raised concerns over the ethics of surveillance capitalism, with experts labeling it an “epic OPSEC fail”.

OpenAI president becomes top Trump donor with $25M gift

OpenAI’s president, Sam Altman, has made the largest donation to the re-election campaign of former US President Donald Trump, contributing a significant amount of $25 million. This makes Altman one of the top donors to Trump’s campaign. The exact details of the donation are yet to be disclosed.

planckforth: Bootstrapping a Forth interpreter from hand-written tiny ELF binary

A new project called PlanckForth has been created to bootstraps a Forth interpreter from a small 1KB ELF binary. The interpreter can execute basic Forth words, including input/output operations and arithmetic functions. It is intended for testing and development purposes only.

Lawsuit: AI used women’s faces without consent for sexual content

Three Maricopa County women have filed a lawsuit against three Phoenix-area men and their companies for using their social media images without consent to create AI-generated explicit content for advertising purposes, accumulating millions of views on Instagram and TikTok. The women claim negligence, strict liability, defamation, and other claims. The images were briefly suspended but restored shortly after, sparking the lawsuit.

Welcome to the Eternal September of open source

Open-source contributions have surged due to lower barriers to entry, but this increase in volume poses a new challenge as low-quality submissions overwhelm maintainers, straining trust in collaborative projects. Historically, maintainers have dealt with noisy inbound submissions, including automated security reports before the advent of generative AI. To address this issue, projects are adopting rules and models requiring discussion and validation for AI-generated contributions.

AI Fails at 96% of (General Work) Jobs (New Study)

A new study has found that artificial intelligence (AI) struggles to perform well on most general work jobs, with a failure rate of up to 96%. The study’s findings suggest that many tasks that require human skills such as creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking are difficult for AI systems to replicate. This challenges the idea that automation can replace most jobs in the future.

Qwen3.5: Towards Native Multimodal Agents

Researchers have made significant progress towards creating native multimodal agents that can process and integrate multiple forms of data simultaneously, including text, images, and audio. This breakthrough has far-reaching implications for artificial intelligence applications in various fields. The development is expected to enhance the capabilities of AI systems to understand complex human inputs.

France’s ‘French Response’ uses memes and sarcasm to fight disinformation on X

France has launched “French Response”, an official X account using memes and sarcasm to counter disinformation and trolls. The account, created by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to combat misinformation with humor and irony, generating over 15 million impressions weekly since its creation in September. With over 180,000 followers, French Response has taken aim at pro-Russian users, White House-aligned accounts, and other targets spreading false information.

Qwen 3.5 397B and Qwen 3.5 Plus released

Qwen has released its 3.5 397B and Qwen 3.5 Plus versions, designed for mobile devices with enhanced experience and features. The official app is currently not compatible with existing systems, but a solution is being worked on. Users can access the app by scanning the QR code.

Btrfs disk errors to fall asleep to

A new version of the Btrfs file system aims to fix issues with disk errors that would cause the system to “fall asleep,” resulting in data loss or corruption. The update addresses a longstanding problem where Btrfs would incorrectly identify and handle incomplete writes. The patch is expected to improve overall reliability and stability of the file system.

picol: A Tcl interpreter in 500 lines of code

Picol, a 500-line code interpreter, mimics a real parser design with features such as interpolation, procedures with return values, and limited-scope variables. The interpreter supports various commands, including if-else statements, while loops, recursion, and basic arithmetic operations. It can run non-trivial programs and serves as an example for writing parsers by hand.

Show HN: Pg-workflows โ€“ Lightweight workflows for Node.js using Postgres

A new Node.js project, pg-workflows, has been created to simplify the management of multi-step processes and AI workflows using Postgres, providing a fluent API for defining durable background logic. The goal is to improve developer experience by making it easier to stitch together disparate jobs. The tool aims to provide a clean and type-safe way to define business logic.

I want to wash my car. The car wash is 50 meters away. Should I walk or drive?

This article does not provide any relevant information for writing a summary about washing a car.

Varnish HTTP Cache: The last usable commit on GitHub

The Varnish HTTP Cache project’s last usable commit has been archived by its owner on February 16, 2026, making it a read-only repository. This marks the end of an era for the popular caching technology. The archive indicates that further development and updates are no longer possible.

Show HN: Jemini โ€“ Gemini for the Epstein Files

A new Chrome extension, Jemini โ€“ Gemini for the Epstein Files, has been released to organize and connect email threads related to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. The tool helps users visualize and share the evidence in a clear manner. It is available on the Chrome Web Store.

Building SQLite with a small swarm

A developer has attempted to utilize parallel coding agents to build an SQLite database. The project, though not the primary focus of the article, allows readers to explore alternative approaches to traditional development methods. Details about the successful implementation are not provided in the given snippet.

The US Pentagon has concluded that Chinese companies Alibaba and BYD have links to the Chinese military, raising concerns about the security implications of their business activities. The findings are based on investigations into the companies’ business practices and connections.

Trump Administration Announces That We Don’t Know Where the Sun Goes at Night

The Trump administration has announced that there is no scientific evidence explaining what happens to the sun after it disappears from view at night, sparking widespread criticism as absurd and scientifically unfounded. The move has seen top scientists reassigned to investigate the mystery, despite a lack of credible evidence or reason for such an investigation. The decision has been described as a concerning attempt to undermine scientific progress.

Drink Whole Milk, Eat Red Meat, and Use ChatGPT

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is deploying AI technology across various tasks, including generating social media posts, summarizing scientific literature, and managing electronic health records. The agency’s efforts are partly driven by a staffing shortage that has resulted in thousands of HHS staff being fired or taking voluntary buyouts. Concerns have been raised about the potential effectiveness and reliability of these AI tools.

Top non-ad google result for “polymarket” in Australia is a crypto scam

A search for “Polymarket” in Australia on Google yields a cryptocurrency scam, with the scam website appearing as one of the top results. The site appears to have gained traction despite Polymarket being banned in Australia. This may be due to the fact that Polymarket is currently not available in the country.

The heavy reality of Venezuela’s oil

Venezuela boasts massive oil reserves, but the quality of its crude oil varies greatly. This disparity affects the country’s oil production and export capabilities. As a result, Venezuela faces significant challenges in extracting and utilizing its valuable natural resource.

Your pet’s microchip may now be useless after chip company goes out of business

A major pet microchip company, Save This Life, has gone out of business, leaving hundreds of microchipped pets unregistered and potentially without protection. The shutdown resulted in a loss of access to owner information, making it difficult for shelters like Cincinnati Animal CARE to reunite lost dogs with their owners. Pet owners whose animals were registered with Save This Life can transfer or re-register the chip through other companies at no additional cost.

Intermittent fasting no better than typical weight loss diets, study finds

A recent study analyzing 22 global studies found that intermittent fasting was not significantly better than traditional diets for weight loss, with an average weight loss of around 3% over short-term periods. The review suggests that intermittent fasting may be a viable option for weight management but is not a “miracle solution” and its benefits are likely to be modest.

Arm wants a bigger slice of the chip business

The Arm company, a leading semiconductor design firm, is making efforts to expand its presence in the growing microchip market, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. This move aims to increase competition and potentially disrupt the dominance of larger chip makers like Intel and AMD. The goal is to strengthen Arm’s position as a key player in the rapidly evolving semiconductor industry.

Pink noise reduces REM sleep and may harm sleep quality

Researchers have found that exposure to pink noise may reduce restorative REM sleep and interfere with sleep recovery, potentially harming brain development in children. In contrast, earplugs were significantly more effective in protecting sleep against traffic noise, challenging the use of ambient sound machines as sleep aids. Exposure to pink noise was associated with a nearly 19-minute decrease in REM sleep.

JavaScript-heavy approaches are not compatible with long-term performance goals

A server-centric approach is being considered as a more effective method for achieving sustained performance in web development, particularly when using JavaScript-heavy frameworks like React. This approach can help alleviate issues such as loading times, runtime performance problems, and expensive re-renders. Shipping JavaScript to the browser can lead to decreased performance over time.