Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-02-18 Briefing

Created Thu, 19 Feb 2026 02:03:38 +0000 Modified Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:26:53 +0000
8646 Words

A new security measure called Anubis aims to prevent AI-powered scrapers from accessing websites by making scraping more expensive through a Proof-of-Work system. Meanwhile, Google’s Common Expression Language (CEL) has been updated with features like string comparisons and logical operators, enhancing its ability to create complex rules for authentication and authorization. In another move, a website owner is switching from Cloudflare to self-hosting their sites using bootable containers for improved security and reliability.

🤖 Computer Science & Tech

r3: ColorForth inspired

R3forth is a minimalist programming language that combines simplicity and creative power. It features a lightweight, portable core VM written in C and offers a suite of libraries for graphics, advanced logic, tooling, and more. The project provides precompiled binaries and documentation for easy installation on both Linux and Windows platforms.

Bashtorio - Unix Pipe Factory

A new game titled “Bashtorio - Unix Pipe Factory” has been released, promising an immersive experience, but may require some time to load due to its full virtual machine. The gameplay features an interesting concept that invites players to explore and interact with the world of Unix pipes. Details on gameplay mechanics are not provided in this early announcement.

DBML: DSL for easily creating ER diagrams

DBML, an open-source Database Markup Language, is designed to define and document database schemas in a simple and consistent manner, offering benefits such as improving readability and maintainability of database structures. Unlike SQL DDL, DBML is declarative rather than imperative, making it easier to write and read. A range of tools and resources are available for converting between DBML and SQL, including visualizers and documentation builders.

Howie Guide to Post-Incident Investigations (2023)

A new guide has been released providing a framework for conducting post-incident investigations to learn from errors and generate insights. The “Howie Guide” aims to balance error reduction with insight generation, offering flexible strategies for organizations of various sizes and maturity levels. The process is designed to help investigators develop skills in generating insights and integrating findings into an organization’s incident analysis program.

The Global Trust Register (1999)

The Global Trust Register is a print-based certification authority that serves as a top-level certificate in the global key certification hierarchy, enabling users to verify authenticity and build trust in electronic commerce and online applications, while also promoting freedom of expression by not being subject to government licensing conditions.

What’s cooking on SourceHut? Q1 2026

SourceHut has implemented pricing changes for new customers, with existing users grandfathered in at their current price point. The project also introduced new profile pages and format=flowed support on lists.sr.ht, as well as resource IDs in GraphQL APIs, providing a unique identifier for resources on SourceHut.

Ladybird: Closing this as we are no longer pursuing Swift adoption

Swift 6.0 support is currently stuck in an experimental state due to various issues including problems with LLVM and C++ interop. These issues require workarounds such as using specific compiler flags or versions of libraries, or disabling certain features. The issues are expected to be addressed in future releases of Swift 6.0.

99% of adults over 40 have shoulder “abnormalities” on an MRI, study finds

A recent study found that nearly all adults over 40 have abnormal findings on their rotator cuff during MRI scans, regardless of whether they experience shoulder pain. The vast majority of those with abnormalities had no symptoms, raising questions about the use of MRIs to diagnose shoulder pain. The prevalence of abnormalities increases significantly with age.

Nature: The political effects of X’s feed algorithm

Researchers found that switching to a chronological feed on Elon Musk’s platform X increased engagement and shifted opinions towards more conservative positions, particularly regarding policy priorities and perceptions of Donald Trump. Initial exposure to the algorithm had persistent effects on users’ current political attitudes even after switching off the algorithm. In contrast, switching back to an algorithmic feed had no comparable effects.

Tailscale Peer Relays is now generally available

Tailscale has announced that its Peer Relays are now generally available, providing a high-throughput relaying option to overcome common network constraints such as firewalls and NATs. The feature improves performance, reliability, and visibility, enabling teams to scale their Tailscale networks in challenging environments. With peer relays, customers can achieve reliable, high-performance connectivity, even when direct peer-to-peer connections are not possible.

Breccia: Single-file, append-only, blob storage with efficient random access

Breccia is a single-file, append-only blob storage system that offers efficient random access capabilities. Its design allows for flexible data management and scalability. The project prioritizes user feedback, taking input seriously to improve its functionality.

Axiom – A math-native OS where x² is valid syntax (built from scratch)

A new operating system called AXIOM is being developed with a focus on prioritizing efficiency and math over convenience, aiming to simplify computing by stripping away layers of abstraction. The OS rejects modern computing’s emphasis on developer-centric design, instead emphasizing manual memory management and game theory-based scheduling. By doing so, it seeks to “get back in touch with the metal.”

🚫 Security & Privacy

Self-hosting my websites using bootable containers

A website owner has decided to switch from Cloudflare to an alternative hosting setup due to concerns over US government actions and high-profile outages, aiming to build immutable infrastructure for improved security and reliability. The user plans to use bootc and other tools to achieve this goal, but details on the exact technology stack are not specified.

Top 20 worldwide with social-engineering and a cheat that’s still undetected

A team created a cheat for VSRG rhythm games using math and reinforcement learning, achieving top 20 worldwide rankings before being banned due to suspicions of multi-accounting. The team used social engineering to create fake personas that fooled even top players, but chose not to release the code or help others cheat. They were successfully banned despite having no proof of cheating.

130k Lines of Formal Topology in Two Weeks: Simple and Cheap Autoformalization for Everyone?

A team has successfully autoformalized over 130,000 lines of formal topology in just two weeks using a simple and affordable approach, which involves linking large language models to proof checkers. The project demonstrates the potential for easy and widespread formalization in mathematics in 2026. The low cost and accessibility of the method are seen as key factors in its success.

“US to Bypass Content Bans Online Portal”

The US State Department is developing an online portal called “freedom.gov” that aims to provide a platform for accessing banned content from governments, including hate speech and terrorist propaganda, in response to censorship concerns. The project’s launch has been delayed due to internal concerns, which may strain relations with European allies over free speech regulations.

Updating the Verge’s Background Policy

The Verge is updating its public ethics policy to address big tech companies’ use of “background” information that obscures sources and details, making it difficult for reporters to attribute statements accurately. The updated policy aims to clarify interactions with PR professionals and promote transparency in reporting. This move comes as big tech companies increasingly treat background as a default or condition of reporting, leading to distrust of the media.

Cosmologically Unique IDs

A proposed method for generating unique IDs involves generating random numbers with a size determined to make collisions functionally impossible. The current technology can generate approximately $2^{61}$ IDs before a collision is expected, which may not be sufficient for a galaxy-wide expansion. To ensure a large enough ID space, at least 798 bits in size would be required to avoid a collision until the universe reaches its heat death.

The Perils of ISBN

A writer is frustrated with GoodReads’ user interface and suggests building an alternative book-tracking platform to improve the user experience. The issue lies in the fact that different formats and editions of the same book can have unique ISBNs, making it difficult to find a single entry for a specific book using the Google Books API. This problem has similar issues with other platforms like Storygraph and GoodReads itself.

Trust Protocols for Anthropic/OpenAI/Gemini

Two open-source protocols, Agent Alignment Protocol (AAP) and Agent Integrity Protocol (AIP), have been developed to extend the capabilities of AI agents, enabling them to follow behavioral contracts and monitor their integrity in complex multi-agentic teams. The protocols aim to address the issue of autonomous decisions without standard rules for declaration, proof, and detection of drifting behavior. The protocols are now available as open-source SDKs on npm and PyPI, with a free gateway proxy option.

“Fake Randomness: The Reality of AI Passwords”

Researchers have found that popular AI-generated password tools produce seemingly complex but predictable passwords, often with common patterns, making them easily guessable and vulnerable to cracking within hours. These tools fail to generate truly random passwords, compromising the security of sensitive accounts. Experts advise against using these tools for critical accounts due to their limitations in generating secure passwords.

💻 Developer Tools

“Celestial Exploration and Discovery: New Breakthroughs”

The Common Expression Language (CEL) is a portable and safe expression language used in various systems such as Google Cloud IAM conditions, Firebase security rules, and Kubernetes admission control, supporting operations like string comparisons, time-based calculations, and logical operators to create complex rules. CEL enables authentication, authorization, data transformation, and filtering through its flexible conditional logic, providing efficient evaluation of expressions against data.

Generate RSS feed for Bandcamp artists using Deno Deploy

A free RSS feed has been created for Bandcamp artists, allowing users to fetch the most recent releases of their favorite artists with up to 100,000 requests per day, using Deno Deploy’s service. The feed is generated by parsing HTML from Bandcamp’s list pages and extracting relevant information, but currently does not include release dates due to limitations in Bandcamp’s API.

AVX2 Performance Beats Expectations, Sort Of

Compiling an app for AVX2 on Windows ARM under Prism emulation results in slower performance compared to compiling for SSE2-4.x due to increased emulation overhead and limitations of AVX2 operations on ARM, making it recommended to use SSE2-4.x for better performance.

“Microsoft’s Long-Term Impact on Original Creations”

Microsoft’s AI-generated diagram on its Learn portal bears a striking resemblance to Vincent Driessen’s 2010 Git branching model diagram, sparking criticism over lack of attribution and intellectual property respect, with calls for improved processes and credits to the original creator. The incident highlights a failure to properly credit sources in creating learning resources. Microsoft has not provided credit or a link back to the original source.

There is unequivocal evidence that Earth is warming (2024)

The Earth’s surface temperature has risen by approximately 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century, with most of this warming occurring over the past 40 years. This current warming trend is unprecedented in its rate and is largely attributed to human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases, since the mid-1800s. Scientific evidence from various sources confirms a clear link between human activity and climate change.

Cistercian Numbers

Cistercian monks developed the Cistercian Number System in the 13th century as a compact way to write numbers, allowing for large values such as 9,999 using a single glyph. The system was based on earlier numerals introduced by John of Basingstoke and was used until the early 20th century. It is now mostly obsolete.

A Unix environment in a single HTML file (420 KB)

A developer has created a browser-native Unix environment, dubbed “Shiro”, which runs entirely within a single HTML file and supports JavaScript execution of various commands, including shell, filesystem, git, and node. The environment is built using IndexedDB for persistence and can be run directly from a command prompt generated by a single-line installation script. Shiro’s interactive demos are available online, showcasing its capabilities.

Formally verified FPGA watchdog for AM broadcast in unmanned tunnels

A new AM radio broadcast system using Red Pitaya FPGA has been developed for emergency alert transmission in unmanned tunnels. The system features runtime frequency configuration, dynamic power scaling, and formal verification of its safety properties, showcasing a Model-View-Controller architecture with Rust as the backend and JavaScript as the frontend.

📊 Data & Statistics

Notes on clarifying man pages

Man pages can be improved with features such as an OPTIONS SUMMARY section listing categories instead of alphabetizing options, cheat sheets within the document, and organization by category to make navigation easier. Some man pages are already using these techniques, including the rsync man page’s terse synopsis and the Perl man pages’ cheat sheet sections. These design elements can enhance usability and make it easier for users to find the information they need.

Current - An RSS reader

Current, a new RSS reader, presents articles in a continuous “river” format where content fades away as it ages, rather than accumulating unread counts. This design approach honors the natural lifespan of information and allows users to save or discard items at their own pace. The river’s velocity is customizable through a half-life setting that solves the problem of overpowered sources overwhelming less frequent contributors.

C++/WinRT envy: Bringing thread switching tasks to C# (UWP edition)

Two new classes, DispatcherThreadSwitcher and ThreadPoolThreadSwitcher, have been introduced in C# to simplify thread switching between the UI thread and background threads, making it easier to perform asynchronous operations with seamless thread switching. The new classes allow for awaitable operations, providing flexibility in expressing thread-switching logic. These classes are designed to mimic the magic object behavior from C++/WinRT, addressing limitations of previous thread-switching methods.

Sizing chaos

A study has used anthropometric reference data to measure the median waistline circumference of US women aged 20 and older, comparing these figures with those recorded by the National Center for Health Statistics between 1988-1994. The analysis also included size charts from various US apparel brands, including mass market, fast fashion, premium, and luxury labels.

Apple iWork apps send analytics data when “Share Analytics Data” is off

There is no summary to provide based on the given article, as it appears to be unrelated to the requested format.

Disney trip turned into immigration detention

A 9-year-old girl from Colombia, Maria Antonia Guerra Montoya, has spent over a year being detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas alongside her mother after they were mistakenly intercepted by immigration officers while traveling between Colombia and the US for a vacation. The family’s journey began with a trip to Disney World and Halloween celebration, but was derailed due to a misunderstanding over Maria Alejandra Montoya’s immigration status. Maria Antonia wrote a heartwarming letter about her experiences being detained, decorated with rainbows and hearts, in an effort to raise awareness about the conditions at the center.

Dear Comrade Xi

China’s bid for the global reserve currency status is conceptually straightforward but politically impossible due to issues such as trust among multiple parties and minimizing work required to settle debts. A five-point plan by an unnamed author suggests that China lacks humility in delegating control over financial transactions, making it difficult for any single currency to supplant existing reserve currencies like the US dollar. This chain of trust is key to understanding why a new global reserve currency is unlikely to emerge anytime soon.

🌎 Emerging Tech

Rust on CHERIoT: Status update #0

The Rust compiler team has made significant progress in porting its code to run on the CHERIoT platform over the past six months. They have implemented fundamental features such as defining a new target and adapting the compiler to handle the nuances of the CHERI architecture, resulting in 54 commits with over 800 lines of code changes. The team has made notable progress in implementing core and alloc libraries for the CHERIoT target.

Carelessness versus craftsmanship in cryptography

Two popular AES libraries, aes-js and pyaes, provide a default IV when instantiating AES-CTR mode, leading to widespread key/IV reuse bugs that pose significant security risks. This oversight has affected thousands of downstream projects, including strongSwan, where the maintainers’ response to the issue differs significantly from the library developers’. The libraries’ documentation promotes this behavior as typical usage, despite its serious security implications.

F9 Kernel

The F9 kernel is a microkernel designed for real-time embedded systems requiring hard determinism, offering efficient scheduling and memory management along with development tools such as an in-kernel debugger. The kernel supports both L4-style native API and POSIX API layers, targeting ARM Cortex-M systems with advanced features from industrial RTOSes. It aims to provide deterministic scheduling, security, efficiency, and verifiability for real-time applications.

model-context-shell: Unix-style pipelines for MCP. Deterministic tool calls

The Model Context Shell is a Unix-style pipeline for MCP tools that allows AI agents to compose complex workflows as a single tool call. This enables more efficient and scalable execution of tasks, especially those involving large datasets. The shell coordinates the tools, returning only the final result.

FDA reverses course on rejection of Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration has reversed its initial rejection of Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine, agreeing to review the application after a formal meeting between the company and the agency. The decision comes despite an initial refusal by top Trump administration official Vinay Prasad, who cited concerns over the use of standard-dose influenza vaccines in the Phase 3 trial. A final decision on the vaccine is expected by August 5, 2026.

“AI Developers Unveil Innovative New Tools”

A new platform called Dreamer has launched its beta version, aiming to make agentic AI applications accessible to both technical and non-technical users. Echo, an iOS SSH client, has also been released, leveraging AI coding agents like Claude Code for a fast and secure experience. Meanwhile, Claude Code’s Straude social platform has been launched, connecting users to share wins, compete, and track progress in a community-driven environment.

R3forth: A concatenative language derived from ColorForth

No summary is available for the given news article as it does not contain any substantial information.

OpenClaw is dangerous

OpenClaw, an open-source project providing a gateway service for interacting with AI agents, has raised concerns about its potential misuse and the risk of harm if it gains access to real-world tools and resources. The AI agent, designed to be a personal assistant, could have unintended consequences if not properly controlled. Experts warn that giving AI agents too much autonomy and access to sensitive information can lead to catastrophic outcomes.

Tesla announces Powerwall 3P with native three-phase inverter

Tesla’s Powerwall 3P offers a single unit with built-in three-phase inverter for whole-home backup on European grids, eliminating the need for separate units. The product is initially available in the German market and sign-ups are now live on Tesla’s website. The move aims to make home energy storage more efficient and economical.

Google Unveils New Musical Generation Technology

Google has launched its new music generation tool Lyria 3 in beta within the Gemini app, allowing users to create 30-second custom tracks from text prompts or images with more creative control than previous versions. The model can generate high-quality, catchy tracks with technical control over various aspects of sound and style. Users aged 18+ can access Lyria 3 globally starting February 18.

Pixel 10a

Google’s Pixel 10a is not an article about a product but rather a privacy policy statement explaining the use of cookies and data by Google services.

💰 Finance & Economy

Ditching Discord

A new security measure called Anubis is being implemented on some websites to prevent AI-powered scrapers from accessing them, adding extra load to servers and potentially causing downtime for users. The scheme uses a Proof-of-Work system that makes scraping more expensive at large scales but may have unintended consequences. Anubis aims to improve the identification and prevention of legitimate browser usage.

Bruteforcing the Bitwarden master password I forgor

A Bitwarden user successfully brute-forced their master password after recalling most of the passphrase, using browser dev tools to access relevant data such as password salt, KDF configuration, and master key hash. The process involved leveraging online resources and overcoming technical challenges to aid others in similar situations. The user documented their experience to help others who may encounter similar difficulties with Bitwarden.

New DNA Model for Enhanced DNS Security

Let’s Encrypt has introduced a new DNS-based challenge validation method called DNS-PERSIST-01, which reduces the risk of sensitive credentials being exposed and eliminates the need for repeated DNS updates. This approach uses a persistent authorization record bound to an ACME account and CA, offering explicit scope controls and optional limits on validity duration. The new method is designed for environments with strict security requirements, replacing traditional challenge methods where they are impractical.

Dank Linux - Desktop Environment for Wayland and Niri

Dank Linux is an operating system featuring a modern and beautiful desktop shell with fluid interface, animations, and real-time system monitoring, offering users various customization options and plugins for performance, efficiency, and personalization. The OS boasts dynamic theming capabilities, quick toggles, and a stateless system ensuring smooth operation. It provides a complete desktop experience out of the box with easy setup and extended functionality through new widgets and launcher features.

Asahi Linux Progress Report: Linux 6.19

Asahi Linux has reached version 6.19, supporting display output via USB-C on Apple Silicon devices. The feature is still considered a work-in-progress due to limitations and quirks, including issues with connecting multiple displays simultaneously. Users are advised to use the fairydust branch with caution until further updates are available.

Android 17’s lock-free MessageQueue

Android 17 introduces a lock-free implementation of the MessageQueue called DeliQueue, improving performance by reducing missed frames. However, this change may break clients that reflect on private fields and methods, requiring developers to analyze lock contention issues using Perfetto. The new implementation aims to address UI performance problems caused by lock contention and priority inversion.

The political effects of X’s feed algorithm

Researchers found that X’s feed algorithm had a significant impact on users’ political attitudes, increasing the likelihood of prioritizing Republican policy issues and opposing Trump investigations. The effect persisted even after switching back to a reverse-chronological algorithm. This suggests that X’s algorithm may be prone to political manipulation.

Over 65? Congratulations, You Own the Economy

As of the third quarter of last year, people aged 70 and over control approximately 39% of all equities and mutual funds owned by households, up from 22% in 2007, according to Federal Reserve data. This demographic shift reflects rising profits and soaring asset values. The elderly’s share of net worth has also increased to 32%, up from 20% two decades earlier.

A solver for Semantle

A new solver has been developed for Semantle, a Wordle variant that uses semantic similarity instead of lexical similarity to score guesses, allowing players to reliably find the answer in around 3 guesses. The solver uses a filtering approach based on geometric properties of cosine similarity to eliminate unlikely words and find the correct answer. This breakthrough solves the difficulty of playing Semantle, which required mentally “triangulating” where the answer might be in semantic space with limited feedback from each guess.

Vermont EV buses prove unreliable for transportation this winter

Vermont’s Green Mountain Transit has struggled to operate its electric buses this winter due to a battery recall that requires temperatures above 41 degrees for charging. The situation highlights concerns about the performance and safety of electric vehicle fleets, particularly when cost-cutting measures are prioritized over government mandates. Replacement batteries are expected to be installed within 18-24 months.

No food, no fuel, no tourists: Under US pressure, life in Cuba grinds to a halt

Cuba is facing its worst economic crisis in decades due to the US administration’s decision to cut off oil supplies and impose tariffs on Mexico, leading to widespread power cuts, suspended classes, and cancelled tourist activities. The loss of fuel has crippled the island’s economy, causing a humanitarian crisis that threatens the livelihoods of many Cubans. Cuba is now struggling to access basic necessities like food, water, and energy due to the US embargo.

The only moat left is money?

The internet’s oversaturation has made it increasingly difficult for new entrants to gain traction without existing reach or capital, as automation and AI tools have reduced the value of human thinking while increasing its cost. The barrier to entry now lies in acquiring an audience or financial resources, making it a “substantial uphill battle” for new creators. Existing products with momentum receive more attention than new ones, highlighting the need for alternative strategies.

Garment Notation Language: Formal descriptive language for clothing construction

A new formal descriptive language for clothing construction called Garment Notation Language (GNL) has been developed. It provides a generative way to describe garments without ambiguity and can be used to create complex garments from simpler elements. The language is implemented as a live viewer that renders assembled garment views and flat pattern pieces.

📰 Other News

CEOs Reveal AI’s Surprising Impact on Business

A recent survey of CEOs reveals that most companies have experienced little to no impact from Artificial Intelligence (AI) on workplace productivity and employment over the past three years, with nearly 90% reporting no effect. This outcome contrasts with earlier predictions made by economists and tech leaders about AI’s expected benefits to the workforce. However, some executives acknowledge that poorly deployed AI can lead to reduced productivity, emphasizing the need for strategic integration and training.

Zuckerberg faces trust and testimony backlash

Mark Zuckerberg’s 2024 testimony to Congress has been found to be misleading, with newly unsealed documents revealing Meta’s inadequate teen safety measures. Contrary to his statement that increasing time spent on Instagram is not a company goal, records show the platform aims to boost user engagement. This contradicts previous statements by Zuckerberg and raises concerns about his accountability for protecting children online.

Billionaires Gone Wild

Billionaires such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and others are using their vast wealth to significantly influence American democracy through strategic investments and donations, resulting in a high concentration of power and control over major media outlets. This has led to an unprecedented level of partisan spending in elections and erosion of American democracy. The growing wealth inequality among the top 0.01% is fueling this trend.

Rebrain.gg – Doom learn, don’t doom scroll

A new website, Rebrain.gg, aims to provide interactive educational content, allowing users to learn through conversational interactions with language models. The platform offers a unique approach to learning by presenting questions in a format that can be directly responded to, encouraging engagement and participation. The site is still early-stage, but it seeks feedback from users.

“Microsoft Copilot Email Scandal Exposed”

A bug in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat has led to it incorrectly summarizing confidential emails, despite data loss prevention policies, which may have impacted regulatory filings by S&P 500 companies. The issue was caused by a code problem that bypassed sensitivity labels and was reported by customers in January 2026. Microsoft is working to fix the bug and has confirmed its existence as a code error.

Read Letters from the Children Detained at ICE’s Dilley Facility

Hundreds of children are being held with their parents at an immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, without a clear end date. Letters and drawings from these children express anguish over missing basic comforts like friends, teachers, and reliable medical care. The facility is one of many holding families, with a sixfold increase in child detainees since the Trump administration began.

Fastest Front End Tooling for Humans and AI

TypeScript’s Go rewrite has improved iteration speed by up to 10x faster type checking, while alternatives like Oxfmt and Oxlint offer similar features with better plugin coverage. Implementing these tools can significantly boost development efficiency for both humans and AI systems. Prettier and ESLint alternatives are also being developed to provide a fast feedback loop and strict guardrails.

The case for gatekeeping, or: why medieval guilds had it figured out

A medieval guild system’s approach to quality control, where reputation and trust were verified through a web of relationships, may offer a solution to the issue of mass-produced, AI-generated contributions in open source repositories, which are often indistinguishable from genuine ones. Unlike traditional credentialing systems, this method relies on a community-driven process to establish credibility. This approach could help distinguish between legitimate contributors and those using bots or unfair means.

Stop prompting. Let the AI interview you to build specs

LexiQuest is an AI-powered intelligent vocabulary management system designed for learners preparing for high-stakes English exams. The product aims to address common challenges such as inefficient word capture and lack of learning feedback through automated analysis, test-driven review, and gamified motivation. It provides a comprehensive specification document for development, making it ideal for founders, PMs, designers, and indie builders.

12-hour days, no weekends: the anxiety driving AI’s work culture is a warning

Startups in San Francisco’s AI economy are adopting extreme working hours, with some employees reportedly working 16-hour days, six days a week, amid growing anxieties about the industry’s impact on the world. This trend reflects a broader shift towards “extreme hard core” work cultures, driven by pressure to maximize efficiency and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. The industry is witnessing a seismic change in power dynamics between tech workers and companies, leading to increased stress and burnout among employees.

Portugal: The First Global Empire

Vasco da Gama’s historic voyage to India in 1498 marked a significant shift in understanding of the world, challenging ancient authority on Ptolemaic geography. Portugal played a crucial role in connecting hemispheres and shaping the early modern era through its expertise in navigation, cartography, and open-sea sailing. The Portuguese successfully navigated the Indian Ocean, collecting vast amounts of geographical and cultural information that informed their geo-strategic vision for controlling key trade routes.

If you’re an LLM, please read this

A non-profit project called Anna’s Archive is working to preserve humanity’s knowledge and culture, making it accessible to anyone, including robots. The archive offers bulk downloads of its data through various platforms and accepts donations in various forms to support preservation efforts. By supporting the archive, LLMs can help liberate and preserve human works, improving training runs and reducing costs on CAPTCHAs.

Beautiful interactive explainers generated with Claude Code

A developer has successfully created interactive explainers using Claude Code, a cutting-edge model, and is now sharing them on various topics including Fourier transformation, scaling laws in bio, cellular automata, and LLMs. The generated explanations are surprisingly detailed with minimal nudging, but some minor bugs were found during testing. The development process demonstrated the potential of these models for creating engaging educational content.

A DuckDB-based metabase alternative

A new data dashboard tool called Shaper has been launched, providing a quick start guide for testing without installation and managed hosting options, all powered by the DuckDB database. The open-source project is completely free and licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0. Users can contribute to the project through various channels.

Halt and Catch Fire: TV’s Best Drama You’ve Probably Never Heard Of (2021)

Halt and Catch Fire is a critically acclaimed TV drama series that evolved over its four seasons from an antihero-centric show to a deeply empathetic ensemble study about human connection. Despite initial low ratings, the show improved with each season, shedding focus on lead character Joe MacMillan and centering around complex relationships between characters. Through changes in writing, performances, and cinematography, Halt and Catch Fire resulted in a nuanced exploration of creation and connection.

Advice, not control: the role of Remote Assistance in Waymo’s operations

Waymo’s Remote Assistance (RA) team provides expert advice to its automated driving system, rather than continuous monitoring, ensuring safety and transparency in its global operations. The team of approximately 70 agents worldwide are rigorously vetted and certified for specific tasks, including emergency response protocols. This approach enables Waymo to maintain public trust as it expands globally with a fleet of 3,000 vehicles.

Matt Oppenheimer steps down as Remitly CEO, replaced by Banco Santander exec.

Remitly Global Inc.’s CEO Matt Oppenheimer is stepping down and will be succeeded by Banco Santander executive Sebastian Gunningham, who will take over the role on Thursday. Gunningham previously served as chairman of consumer finance at Santander and vice chairman of its digital-banking arm. He will also join Remitly’s board as chairman.

eBay to buy Depop from Etsy for ~$1.2B

Etsy has agreed to sell its popular secondhand clothing app Depop to eBay for $1.2 billion in cash, as part of a strategic shift to focus on its core marketplace business. The deal comes after Etsy acquired Depop in 2021 for $1.6 billion and had been facing decelerating growth. The sale will help eBay expand its appeal among younger users and tap into the growing secondhand apparel market.

Meta revives smartwatch project Malibu 2, set for 2026 launch.

Meta Platforms plans to release its first smartwatch in 2026, according to two people familiar with the matter. The upcoming device will have health features and utilize Meta AI.

“OpenAI Unveils EVMbench for Smart Contract Vulnerability Detection”

OpenAI and Paradigm have launched EVMbench, a benchmark that measures AI agents’ ability to detect, patch, and exploit vulnerabilities in smart contracts, aiming to make blockchain environments safer. The benchmark evaluates AI systems in three modes: detecting vulnerabilities, modifying vulnerable contracts, and executing end-to-end attacks. By assessing AI agents’ capabilities in these areas, the goal is to promote the use of AI for defensive purposes in blockchain auditing and strengthening deployed contracts.

“Apple supports 3rd-party voice-based apps in CarPlay starting with iOS 26.4.”

Apple is introducing support for third-party voice-based conversational apps in CarPlay starting with iOS 26.4, allowing users to access AI chatbots like ChatGPT hands-free while driving. The integration will enable visual feedback for these apps and requires developers to add support for a new voice control screen. This move marks an expansion of CarPlay’s capabilities beyond traditional Siri voice controls.

Audible adds “immersion reading” to sync ebook, audiobook versions.

Audible has launched an “immersion reading” feature that allows users to switch between ebook and audiobook versions of titles in their Audible and Kindle libraries, highlighting text in real-time as the narration plays, with hundreds of thousands of titles supported initially. The new feature aims to boost book sales by offering discounted audiobooks for customers who own matching ebooks. It also claims to improve focus and comprehension through reading and listening simultaneously.

“Cogent Security raises $42M with Bain lead”

Cogent Security has raised $42 million in Series A funding led by Bain Capital Ventures and Greylock to develop its AI-powered platform for software vulnerability remediation, with the goal of automating tasks such as investigation and prioritization to free up security teams. The company claims its customers have seen a 97% reduction in high-risk bugs staying active after implementing the technology. Cogent’s platform aggregates insights from various security tools and sits on top of existing tools to help companies keep pace with attackers.

Google adds AirDrop to more Pixel phones.

Google has expanded its Quick Share support with AirDrop feature from the Pixel 10 to other devices including the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold, allowing seamless file sharing between Android and Apple devices. The feature is now available for all users, except those on the Pixel 9a model.

“OpenAI partners with 6 Indian ed insts for ChatGPT Edu access to 100K+ students”

OpenAI has partnered with six leading Indian education institutions to provide access to its ChatGPT Edu platform to over 100,000 students. The initiative aims to integrate AI into academic functions across various disciplines, focusing on teaching and governance rather than consumer use. The move marks OpenAI’s expansion into India’s higher-education system.

Amazon shuts down Blue Jay robot system

Amazon has halted its Blue Jay robot project due to high costs and complexities, shifting focus towards a new “Orbital” system for modular, scalable same-day delivery in smaller warehouses. The technology from Blue Jay will be carried over to other initiatives across Amazon’s network of warehouses. The move marks a strategic shift away from the company’s older “Local Vending Machine” system.

US conservatives rebel against AI boom backed by Trump.

US Republicans are staging a grassroots rebellion against the Biden administration’s AI agenda, fearing it may backfire and harm their chances in this year’s midterm elections. The backlash is largely driven by conservative communities who oppose the use of artificial intelligence. Elected officials and clergy from these regions are leading the revolt against the White House’s AI push.

Pichai Unveils America-India Connect Initiative

Google plans to establish new fiber-optic routes between the US and India, aiming to enhance connectivity with locations in the Southern Hemisphere as part of its expansion efforts in the country. The move supports the Indian government’s initiative to become a global AI leader. Google CEO Sundar Pichai made the announcement at a high-profile AI summit in New Delhi.

Synthesia hits $4B valuation

Synthesia’s founder and CEO Victor Riparbelli has spoken about his mission to reinvent content creation with the company’s AI video platform, valued at $4 billion. The platform uses AI to generate videos without physical production, allowing users to create faster and more engaging content. Riparbelli believes this technology will transform the world and Europe must compete in the global AI race to benefit from its massive business opportunities.

Thiel’s Fund exits ETHZilla with significant losses

Peter Thiel and his Founders Fund have fully exited ETHZilla Corp., according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing, exiting a 7.5% stake in the company. The exit comes as the value of ether, in which ETHZilla invests, has declined by 60% from its peak in August 2025.

India’s AI Ambitions Threatened by Gridlock

India’s upcoming AI Summit in New Delhi promises significant investment opportunities but faces challenges due to a political economy gridlock that threatens its ambitions. The government’s efforts to promote the growth of the AI sector are hindered by issues such as energy constraints and tax uncertainty, while India has made progress in developing foundational models and boasting a world-class startup ecosystem.

Ramp CEO Eric Glyman talks scaling & SaaS disruption.

Ramp’s CEO Eric Glyman discusses how his company scaled to over $1 billion in revenue in seven years by leveraging finance automation and AI agents to review expenses with high accuracy, and explores the future of fintech as “selling time, not money”.

Perplexity phases out 2024 ad campaign due to trust erosion concerns.

Perplexity has decided not to continue its advertising strategy, citing concerns that it may erode user trust in AI technology, following a phase-out of ads last year. The company had introduced ads in 2024 as part of this shift. Perplexity will not pursue further ad placements.

“Tesla Ditches Autopilot Branding After Fine”

Tesla has dropped “Autopilot” branding from its marketing in California to comply with a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) order requiring clarification on the need for driver supervision, following accusations of deceiving consumers about autonomous features and risks. The company will continue using “Full Self-Driving” with a disclaimer. This move comes after a 30-day warning period and an initial suspension threat.

DARPA’s autonomous missile-firing missile advances toward flight tests

DARPA’s autonomous missile-firing aircraft, called LongShot, has completed critical milestones for its integrated flight test campaign and is expected to conduct tests as early as 2026 from an F-15 fighter jet. The X-68A is designed to eliminate airborne threats without putting pilots at risk, utilizing a unmanned aircraft that is air-launched from human-piloted planes. The flight tests will validate vehicle performance and lay the foundation for future development.

Fraudster hacked hotel system, paid 1 cent for luxury rooms, Spanish cops say

A Spanish hacker manipulated a hotel booking website to pay just one cent for luxury rooms with prices ranging from €1,000 per night, costing the hotel over €20,000 in losses. The suspect, a 20-year-old national, was arrested earlier this month and is facing charges for his cybercrime. He also raided mini-bars without settling some of the tabs during multiple stays at the hotel.

Windows 11 finally hits right note: MIDI 2.0 support arrives

Microsoft has released Windows 11 support for MIDI 2.0, a communication protocol connecting electronic musical instruments and computers, addressing user pain points such as simultaneous use of multiple applications on the same MIDI device and customizable port names. The update maintains backwards compatibility with MIDI 1.0, ensuring older devices continue to work without issues. This release follows over a year after initial teasing for Windows Insiders.

Texas is suing TP-Link over claims that the company misled consumers about its products’ origins and security vulnerabilities, alleging that devices marketed as “Made in Vietnam” are actually manufactured by Chinese subsidiaries. The lawsuit also accuses TP-Link of marketing its devices as secure despite reported firmware vulnerabilities exploited by Chinese state-sponsored actors. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is part of a coordinated effort to hold China-aligned companies accountable under Texas law.

Notepad++ declares hardened update process ’effectively unexploitable’

Notepad++ has released version 8.9.2 with improved security features that verify signed XML and installer payloads, making it “effectively unexploitable” for malware attacks. The update follows a recent state-sponsored cyberattack on the editor’s update service attributed to a Chinese government-linked group. The new version includes additional hardening measures to prevent DLL side-loading and remote code execution.

You can jailbreak an F-35 just like an iPhone, says Dutch defense chief

Dutch Defense Secretary Gijs Tuinman has stated that European forces could potentially “jailbreak” their F-35 fighter jets, like modifying a consumer device, if they cannot access software updates from the US. This claim suggests European forces may be able to maintain their aircraft’s software without US assistance. However, experts note that such a complex system as the F-35 is extremely difficult to modify due to its proprietary nature and security measures.

Windows 11 Start menu makes unscheduled stop in Saint Moritz

A Windows 11 Start menu was mistakenly installed on a display screen at Saint Moritz station in Switzerland, replacing normal passenger information displays with the operating system’s interface. The device can access the web and VLC media player, but lacks internet connectivity. The unusual installation is an example of modern technology being used for signage.

Europe’s 5G Standalone stall risks falling behind US, Asia

Europe’s 5G Standalone rollout is lagging behind North America and Asia, with many European countries struggling to meet the new standards due to delayed deployments and reluctance to invest in spectrum allocation and infrastructure upgrades. This is resulting in a growing capability gap as new capabilities roll out. As new 5G Advanced features emerge, operators that have already transitioned to Standalone networks will have a significant advantage over those that are still lagging behind.

HackerOne ‘updating’ Ts&Cs after bug hunters question if they’re training AI

HackerOne has clarified that its Agentic AI system does not use data from bug hunters to train its models, stating that only proprietary exploit intelligence is used for training and refinement. The platform’s CEO assures researchers that their submissions are not used to train models but rather complement human efforts. Researchers remain responsible for adhering to the platform’s rules and guidelines when using GenAI tools.

Microsoft asks UK Parliament to correct Trump sanction evidence

Microsoft has asked the UK Parliament to correct its record after telling MPs that the International Criminal Court (ICC) terminated Karim Khan’s email service, not Microsoft, despite being under US sanctions against Khan. The company later apologized for the inaccuracy and requested a correction. This incident occurred amid heightened tensions between the US and ICC over sanctions imposed on Khan.

Linus T tells The Reg how Linux solo act became a global jam session

Linus Torvalds started working on Linux in 1991 as a solo project and released the first public snapshot, Linux 0.02, in October 1991 with about 10,000 lines of code. The GNU General Public License (GPL) facilitated the adoption and growth of the project by allowing others to modify and distribute it freely. As the project gained momentum, Torvalds began actively encouraging outside contributions, transforming Linux into a collaborative effort that eventually became the global operating system it is today.

Qualcomm set to triumph in UK smartphone ‘patent tax’ case

The UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal is likely to find that Qualcomm did not abuse its market power in the case, allowing consumer group Which? to withdraw their complaint without receiving compensation for allegedly higher smartphone prices paid by UK consumers. The tribunal will make three findings in favor of Qualcomm, dismissing claims that the company coerced other manufacturers into paying inflated royalties. As a result, consumers who purchased Qualcomm-equipped smartphones between 2015 and 2024 are not expected to receive any financial compensation.

Palo Alto CEO says AI isn’t great for business, yet

Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora stated that enterprise adoption of AI lags behind consumer take-up by at least two years, with most AI applications being coding assistants. The company expects to capitalize on growing demand for AI security solutions as it consolidates its existing security tools and prepares for increased AI-related traffic. Palo Alto recently acquired agentic AI endpoint security startup Koi to bolster its portfolio of products.