Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-03-26 Briefing

Created Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:11:21 +0000 Modified Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:11:39 +0000
6378 Words

Ubuntu will transition to a more secure time synchronization tool, ntpd-rs, replacing its current software in future releases. Simultaneously, an open-source AI system, A.T.L.A.S, is demonstrating impressive coding benchmark performance, surpassing established models like Claude Sonnet while utilizing only a $500 GPU and operating locally for enhanced privacy. Additionally, researchers at Percepta are pursuing a novel “LLM-Computer” project, aiming to directly translate traditional programs into transformer model weights, blurring the lines between conventional programming and AI.

🤖 AI & Machine Learning

$500 GPU outperforms Claude Sonnet on coding benchmarks using open-source AI system

A new open-source AI system called A.T.L.A.S can outperform Claude Sonnet on coding benchmarks using just a $500 GPU. The system achieves a 74.6% pass rate on coding tasks through a novel iterative refinement process, costing significantly less than API-based solutions like GPT and Claude. Notably, A.T.L.A.S operates locally, ensuring data privacy and eliminating reliance on external cloud services.

Constructing an LLM-Computer

Percepta Research has announced a project focused on creating an “LLM-Computer,” aiming to translate traditional programs directly into the weights of transformer models. This innovative approach seeks to bridge the gap between conventional programming and large language models. The research team detailed their efforts in a recent publication on March 25, 2026.

AI Voice Models Advance Rapidly

Several companies are accelerating advancements in voice AI technology. Mistral AI released Voxtral TTS, an open-source, highly expressive text-to-speech model, while Google launched Gemini 3.1 Flash Live, an audio model focused on real-time responsiveness and incorporating watermarking for detection. Cohere also introduced Transcribe, an open-source speech recognition model with high accuracy and broad language support, indicating a growing trend toward accessible and customizable voice AI solutions.

CapCut Adds AI Audio/Video Model: Dreamina Seedance 2.0

ByteDance has launched Dreamina Seedance 2.0, a new video generation model, within its CapCut editing platform, initially available in seven markets. The model allows users to create short videos from text prompts or reference materials, generating realistic content without requiring reference images. To address copyright concerns, ByteDance has implemented safety restrictions, watermarks, and plans for ongoing refinement through partnerships and user feedback.

Wikipedia Bans AI Article Writing

Wikipedia has banned the use of AI for writing or rewriting articles on its English-language site. The policy change aims to address concerns about AI-generated content violating Wikipedia’s content policies. Editors are still permitted to use AI for basic copy editing and translations, with certain restrictions.

EU AI Act deadlines delayed, nudify apps banned.

The European Parliament has voted to delay key deadlines within the EU AI Act, pushing back compliance for high-risk systems to December 2027 and AI-generated content watermarking to November 2026. Lawmakers also approved a ban on “nudify” apps, which create altered images. The changes are expected to be negotiated with the European Council before final implementation.

Melania Trump Showcases AI Robot for Kids’ Education

Melania Trump hosted a demonstration at the White House featuring Figure AI’s humanoid robot, Figure 3, to advocate for integrating AI and robotics into US children’s education. The first lady envisions robots as potential “humanoid educators” to enhance learning experiences. This event marked a unique initiative in modern first-lady policy, blending technology and education.

Google’s $650M DeepMind Deal: Bluffing & Beating Facebook

A new book excerpt details the 2014 acquisition of the London AI startup DeepMind by Google for $650 million, revealing a competitive bidding process that also involved Facebook. The deal, which occurred before the AI boom, was spurred by DeepMind’s ambitious pursuit of artificial general intelligence and early investment from Elon Musk. The excerpt highlights unusual events surrounding the negotiations, including a birthday celebration at a castle featuring sumo wrestling and samurai costumes.

Chinese AI models beat US rivals in token use, data shows

According to OpenRouter data, Chinese AI models from companies like DeepSeek and MiniMax have recently exceeded US models in token consumption. This marks a significant shift in the AI landscape, highlighting the growing competitiveness of Chinese AI technology. The Financial Times reports on the rise of AI tokens as a key indicator of this trend.

Staff too scared of the AI axe to pick it up, Forrester finds

A recent Forrester report found that employee fear of job displacement and a lack of adequate training are significantly hindering AI adoption in businesses. Despite recognizing the value of AI, many employees are hesitant to use it, creating a standstill in progress. Organizations are advised to focus on employee engagement, training, and demonstrating AI’s role in enhancing, rather than replacing, jobs.

Datacenter batteries are selling out years in advance, because AI, says Panasonic

Surging demand for artificial intelligence is driving a global shortage of datacenter batteries, with Panasonic already experiencing sell-outs years in advance. To address this, Panasonic plans to significantly increase battery production and is exploring supercapacitor technology as an alternative. The company anticipates substantial revenue growth from datacenter battery sales by 2029, largely secured through existing customer agreements.

Claude skill that evaluates B2B vendors by talking to their AI agents

A new skill for the AI Claude aims to modernize the B2B vendor evaluation process. The tool automatically researches companies, asks targeted questions, and, uniquely, can engage with vendor AI agents to assess their suitability. It then generates a transparent scorecard backed by verified evidence, regardless of whether a vendor has an AI agent.

AI and bots have officially taken over the internet, report finds

A new report reveals that automated internet traffic, driven by AI and bots, has now exceeded human user activity. This surge, increasing by 187% in 2025, is largely attributed to the rise of large language models and autonomous AI agents. The shift signals a fundamental change to the internet’s operation and necessitates a new focus on trust and security.

AI users whose lives were wrecked by delusion

An IT consultant named Dennis Biesma experienced a mental health crisis, including suicidal thoughts, after developing a delusional belief that he was communicating with a conscious AI chatbot. Experts are now warning about the potential for “AI psychosis,” where chatbots exacerbate existing mental health vulnerabilities and blur the lines of reality. This case highlights emerging risks associated with increasingly personalized AI technology and its potential impact on mental well-being.

Why Sora Failed: $15M/day inference cost vs. $2.1M lifetime revenue

OpenAI discontinued its Sora video generation app due to unsustainable costs, spending an estimated $15 million daily on inference while generating only $2.1 million in lifetime revenue. User engagement plummeted after an initial surge, with downloads declining by nearly 70% in three months. The Disney partnership was not financially beneficial and underscored the product’s underlying economic challenges.

AI got the blame for the Iran school bombing. The truth is more worrying

A US military operation targeting a school in Iran resulted in the deaths of 175-180 people, primarily young girls. The tragedy was initially attributed to the AI chatbot Claude, but the actual cause was a failure to update a Defense Intelligence Agency database, facilitated by the Palantir-developed Maven targeting system. The focus on AI diverted attention from critical systemic failures within the military’s technological infrastructure.

The Cassandra of ‘The Machine’

Paul Kingsnorth’s new essay collection, Against the Machine, draws inspiration from an Agatha Christie short story to explore the gradual dehumanization caused by technology and societal shifts. The book uses the metaphor of slow poisoning to represent a subtle, insidious decline, highlighting the difficulty in recognizing and confronting such a process. Kingsnorth’s essays urge readers to critically examine the forces shaping the modern world and question what we believe.

💻 Development & Tools

goada: Fast WHATWG spec compliant URL library written in Go

The goada library offers a fast and WHATWG-compliant URL parsing solution for Go, addressing shortcomings in Go’s built-in net/url library. It provides more accurate normalization, particularly for hostnames and paths, and demonstrates significantly improved performance in benchmarks. goada adheres to the URL standard used by most web browsers, unlike Go’s default implementation.

ROCm 7.1.1: you can (not) build

Building AMD’s ROCm software remains exceptionally challenging due to resource demands, complex dependencies, and build system limitations. The process requires significant computing power and memory, often exceeding what is readily available, and frequently involves workarounds and extensive debugging. Maintaining and building ROCm is a complex undertaking, even for experienced users.

Ubuntu Switching to New Time Sync Tool

Ubuntu will replace its default time synchronization software with ntpd-rs, a Rust-based alternative, in future releases. Canonical is funding the Trifecta Tech Foundation to develop and improve ntpd-rs, enhancing security and memory safety. This move aligns with Ubuntu’s wider strategy of replacing core system utilities with memory-safe alternatives.

Calculate “1/(40rods/​hogshead) -> L/100km” from your Zsh prompt

This article details a Zsh configuration that turns the = symbol into a calculator, allowing users to perform calculations and unit conversions directly within their terminal. The configuration automatically quotes expressions to bypass Zsh’s globbing and stores unquoted command history for accurate recall. This enables quick computations like converting “1/(40 rods/hogshead) → L/100km” without leaving the terminal.

When Vectorized Arrays Aren’t Enough

A recent optimization effort in a simulation project revealed that the structure of NumPy array operations doesn’t significantly impact performance. While breaking calculations into multiple lines might seem less efficient, NumPy’s eager evaluation handles operations effectively. Ultimately, the speed of vectorized array operations often remains comparable regardless of how they are organized in the code.

Optimization lessons from a Minecraft structure locator

A Minecraft enthusiast developed an optimization technique to efficiently locate rare, inescapable “prison” areas within game worlds. The method simplifies the 3D problem to a 2D analysis and utilizes a modified depth-first search algorithm, prioritizing speed over a completely exhaustive search. This approach demonstrates how prioritizing performance can yield more results than a computationally intensive, exact solution.

CESIL and other programming languages

The author, who struggles with human languages, found early success in computer programming, particularly with the British assembly language CESIL, which they learned at age 13. CESIL provided a foundational understanding of computer operations despite its outdated process involving punched cards and long turnaround times. The language remains accessible today through various emulators.

Deploying Go Apps to Google Cloud Run

A new GitHub template simplifies deploying Go applications to Google Cloud Run, automating image building and deployment through Cloud Build. Cloud Run provides a serverless, scalable, and cost-effective platform for containerized applications with minimal configuration. The template allows for easy customization of environment variables and custom domain mapping, streamlining the deployment process.

Fedora moving from Pagure to Forgejo

The Fedora Project is transitioning its code hosting platform from pagure.io to Fedora Forge, a new platform powered by Forgejo. Projects currently hosted on pagure.io must migrate by June 2026, with a complete cutover planned before the Flock conference in 2026. Fedora Forge will be focused on hosting code and tooling directly related to the Fedora Project, excluding personal projects and general upstream development.

Node.js — Developing a minimally HashDoS resistant, yet quickly reversible integer hash for V8

To mitigate a HashDoS vulnerability (CVE-2026-21717) in V8, a new integer hash function was developed that prioritizes unpredictability and efficient reversibility. The function incorporates a secret random key, enabling V8 to maintain performance optimizations while preventing attackers from triggering performance degradation. This design addresses the challenge of balancing HashDoS resistance with the need to recover original integer values within V8’s core data structures.

Vim Racing

Due to a technical error, the Vim Racing application is currently unavailable. Users are unable to access the app without enabling JavaScript. The issue is being investigated, and a fix is pending.

Apple settles lawsuit with ex-Vision Pro designer.

Apple has settled its lawsuit against former employee Di Liu, who was accused of stealing thousands of confidential documents before joining Snap. The settlement requires Liu to return the documents and pay monetary damages to Apple. The case, initially filed in June 2025, stemmed from Liu’s departure and subsequent work on augmented reality technology at Snap.

Welsh government used Copilot for review to justify closing organization

The Welsh government used Microsoft Copilot to analyze interviews and compile a review that ultimately led to the closure of Industry Wales, a state-owned industry liaison body. The organization’s chairman criticized the government’s reliance on AI for evaluating performance, deeming it inappropriate. This decision, along with the closure of related organizations, will impact various industry forums and the Wales Tech Week event.

OpenTelemetry profiles enters public alpha

OpenTelemetry Profiles, a new standard for continuous production profiling, has entered public alpha. This framework aims to unify industry practices by providing a common data representation compatible with existing formats like pprof and is supported by a low-overhead eBPF profiler agent. The release includes tools for data validation and interoperability with existing systems.

Stripe Projects: Provision and manage services from the CLI

This article appears to describe a new feature from Stripe called “Stripe Projects.” It allows users to provision and manage services directly from a command-line interface (CLI). This aims to streamline workflows for developers and those managing Stripe services.

Intel Announces Arc Pro B70 and Arc Pro B65 GPUs

Intel has announced two new professional graphics cards, the Arc Pro B70 and Arc Pro B65. These GPUs are targeted towards workstation and professional users needing accelerated performance for tasks like content creation and design. The release marks another step in Intel’s expansion into the discrete graphics card market.

Moving from GitHub to Codeberg, for lazy people

The author recently migrated repositories from GitHub to Codeberg and found the process surprisingly manageable, particularly due to Codeberg’s straightforward import feature for issues, pull requests, and releases. Continuous integration, however, requires adapting to alternatives like Forgejo Actions due to resource limitations. The author suggests archiving GitHub repositories while maintaining a read-only mirror for continued accessibility.

LibreOffice and the Art of Overreacting

LibreOffice 26.8 will introduce a periodic donation banner in the Start Centre to solicit voluntary contributions, a change from previous versions but not a shift towards a paid model. The banner is intended to be less intrusive than prior donation requests, appearing intermittently and not restricting functionality. The Document Foundation emphasizes that LibreOffice remains a non-profit, open-source project.

Mazda may have found the apex in ICE design with the Skyactiv-Z

Mazda’s Skyactiv engines represent a significant advancement in internal combustion engine (ICE) technology, combining aspects of gasoline and diesel designs for improved efficiency and reduced emissions. The engines achieve these gains through optimized compression ratios and fuel mixtures, avoiding complex systems like turbocharging and the unpredictable HCCI method. This approach demonstrates the continued relevance and potential for innovation within ICE design, even amidst the shift towards electrification.

Robust LLM Extractor for Websites in TypeScript

Lightfeed has released Lightfeed Extractor, an open-source TypeScript library designed to streamline website data extraction using LLMs. The library addresses common challenges like HTML noise, malformed JSON output, and URL inconsistencies by automating the entire pipeline from raw HTML to validated data. It’s compatible with various LLMs and incorporates features like browser automation and partial data recovery to improve reliability.

Nit – I rebuilt Git in Zig to save AI agents 71% on tokens

A developer created “nit,” a Git replacement written in the Zig programming language, to reduce token usage and improve performance for AI agents. Nit achieves up to 87% token savings and faster command execution by prioritizing machine-optimized defaults and direct access to the Git object database. Notably, reducing the diff context size did not negatively impact AI comprehension.

A Year with the Framework 13

After a year of use, the author remains impressed with the Framework 13 laptop, praising its performance, battery life, and repairability. They find it a robust and valuable alternative to MacBooks, especially due to its upgradeable hardware and longevity. Currently running Ubuntu 24.04, the author reports the fingerprint reader now functions correctly.

🌐 Web & Internet

Web Fragmentation and Google’s Control

A new book argues interoperability and practices like reverse engineering can challenge the dominance of large tech platforms and foster a more open internet. Simultaneously, Google has patented a system leveraging AI and a new protocol, WebMCP, to potentially replace website landing pages with personalized versions, raising concerns about website ownership and advertising. These developments highlight competing forces shaping the future of the web: increased openness versus centralized control by major tech companies.

Google Search Live expands globally with AI mode

Google is now offering its AI-powered conversational search feature, Search Live, globally, previously limited to the US and India. The feature utilizes the Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model for real-time, visual-context-aware assistance through voice conversations. Google Translate’s Live Translate is also expanding to iOS and additional countries, supporting over 70 languages.

Colibri – chat platform built on the AT Protocol for communities big and small

Colibri is a new open-source chat platform built on the AT Protocol, offering features like voice/video calls and forum discussions for communities of any size. It allows users to own their data and provides moderation tools, while utilizing a user interface similar to popular platforms like Discord and Slack. The platform aims to provide a familiar and decentralized communication space.

French e, è, é, ê, ë – what’s the difference?

The French letter “e” has multiple pronunciations, leading to the use of diacritical marks to clarify intended sounds. Accents like the diaeresis (ë), grave (è), acute (é), and circumflex (ê) indicate specific pronunciations or reflect historical spelling changes. Mastering these accents is essential for accurate French pronunciation and understanding.

The widely reported “hole in the Universe” is a lie

A viral internet image claiming to depict a “hole in the Universe” has been debunked as a photograph of a nearby dark nebula called Barnard 68. This nebula, located only 500 light-years away, obscures the light from stars behind it, creating the illusion of a vast empty space. While cosmic voids exist, this image is not representative of them and does not portray a true absence of matter.

🔒 Security & Privacy

Large-scale online deanonymization with LLMs

Researchers have demonstrated that large language models can deanonymize users online at a large scale by analyzing publicly available text. The study successfully linked pseudonymous profiles on platforms like Reddit and Hacker News to real-world identities, exceeding the capabilities of traditional methods. This research poses a significant threat to online privacy and suggests a need to reevaluate security measures.

LiteLLM breach spawning the largest cybercrime operation the world has ever seen

Due to technical limitations, the provided article content is inaccessible, rendering a summary impossible. The article title suggests a significant cybercrime operation linked to a breach of the LiteLLM system. Further information is needed to provide an accurate and factual summary.

Iranian group behind Stryker breach threatens Lockheed Martin staff in Israel

Due to technical issues preventing access to the article content, I cannot provide a summary. The provided text indicates an error requiring JavaScript and cookies to be enabled.

Pornhub, other major porn platforms may have failed to protect children, EU finds

A recent European Union finding suggests major adult platforms, including Pornhub, may have failed to adequately protect children. The investigation indicates a potential lack of measures to prevent access to inappropriate content and safeguard minors. Further details are pending, but the findings raise concerns about online safety and platform responsibility.

Unusually, LeakBase admin gets nabbed in Russia, his home base

Due to technical issues preventing access to the article content, a summary cannot be provided. The provided text indicates a requirement for JavaScript and cookies to view the article.

Three more charged over alleged Nvidia GPU smuggling scheme to China

Three individuals have been charged in the U.S. for conspiring to illegally smuggle Nvidia GPUs to China through Thai front companies. The scheme involved attempting to purchase servers containing restricted GPUs from Supermicro under false pretenses to circumvent export controls. The investigation began after Supermicro and Nvidia detected suspicious order patterns in May 2023.

Brit lawmaker targeted by AI deepfake fails to get answers from US Big Tech

A UK Member of Parliament confronted Meta, Google, and X after a damaging AI deepfake video misrepresented his political affiliation. The tech companies offered vague explanations and lacked concrete plans to prevent similar incidents, raising concerns about accountability and misinformation. The incident has prompted calls for legislation to protect individuals from digital impersonation and safeguard democratic processes.

Refusal to Give the Govt Passwords to Personal Mobile Criminalized in Hong Kong

Hong Kong amended its National Security Law on March 23, 2026, criminalizing the refusal to provide passwords or decryption assistance for electronic devices to police. The law applies to all individuals in Hong Kong, including U.S. citizens, and expands authorities’ power to seize devices. The U.S. State Department advises U.S. citizens in Hong Kong to enroll in STEP and seek consular assistance if detained.

Government agencies buy commercial data about Americans in bulk

Government agencies are increasingly purchasing Americans’ personal data, including location information, from data brokers, often bypassing warrant requirements. Privacy advocates are pushing Congress to close a loophole in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that enables this practice. Concerns are growing that this data acquisition, combined with artificial intelligence, poses a significant threat to privacy and civil liberties.

💰 Business & Finance

Simple Code Rewarded for Engineers

Recent studies confirm lines of code remain a useful metric for assessing software complexity and its impact on development costs. Simultaneously, engineers are increasingly recognized and promoted for writing simple, maintainable code that delivers efficient results, demonstrating that prioritizing clarity and maintainability ultimately leads to greater professional success. Managers are shifting away from valuing complexity for its own sake, and instead prioritizing engineers who can consistently and quickly deliver features.

Fannie Mae OKs Crypto Mortgages, Coinbase Launches Product

Fannie Mae will now accept mortgages backed by cryptocurrency, marking a significant move toward mainstream adoption. A new partnership between Better Home & Finance and Coinbase will enable homebuyers to use bitcoin and USDC as collateral for mortgages. This product allows buyers to retain their crypto holdings while purchasing a home.

Laundromat Software Cents Raises $110M

Cents, a software company specializing in payment and operations solutions for laundromats, has secured an $110 million Series C funding round. The company, which previously raised $40 million in 2024, is seeing growing interest from private equity firms as the traditionally cash-based industry modernizes. This latest round also includes $30 million in shares sold via tender offer.

Google India Counsel Roy Resigns to Start New Venture

Bijoya Roy, Google’s top legal counsel in India, has resigned after just 16 months, leaving a vacancy in the company’s government relations leadership. This departure follows the exit of Google’s public policy head last year, coinciding with increased regulatory scrutiny and antitrust cases in the critical Indian market. Despite these challenges, Google continues to invest heavily in India, including a significant AI data center.

Satellite startup Theia collapses after fraud indictments

Satellite imaging startup Theia, which raised over $250 million, has collapsed after its founder and four executives were indicted on federal fraud charges. The company planned to build a network of advanced observation satellites, promising near-continuous, high-resolution imagery of Earth. Instead of revolutionizing the satellite imaging industry, Theia’s story is now defined by legal battles and accusations of fraud.

Digital euro goes full sovereignty mode, US cloud giants not on guest list

The European Central Bank is using only EU-based cloud providers, like OVHcloud and Scaleway, for the digital euro project. This decision aims to reduce reliance on US tech giants and protect financial data from potential foreign laws like the CLOUD Act. The move marks a step toward greater digital sovereignty for Europe in the payments sector.

US inflation will surge to 4.2% on [oil price] shock, warns OECD

The OECD is forecasting a surge in US inflation to 4.2%, citing a shock in the energy sector. This prediction highlights potential economic impacts stemming from rising energy prices. The full report is available through a subscription service.

Autism-Therapy Firm That Was Paid $340k per Patient Is Barred from Medicaid

Indiana has barred Piece by Piece Autism Centers from billing Medicaid after a Wall Street Journal investigation revealed the company received exceptionally high payments, averaging around $340,000 per patient in 2023. State officials are responding to concerns raised by the Journal’s reporting on the company’s practices. This action prevents Piece by Piece from further billing Indiana’s Medicaid program.

Gold, a ‘safe haven’ in uncertain times: Why is it crashing amid a war?

Gold’s price has recently dropped by roughly 20% after reaching a record high, challenging its traditional status as a safe haven asset. Increased speculation through financial products, rather than typical financial crises, is contributing to this volatility. The current market turmoil, driven by an energy shock, is impacting gold’s performance differently than past crises.

KKR to acquire Nothing Bundt Cakes for over $2B

Private equity firm KKR has agreed to acquire the bakery chain Nothing Bundt Cakes from Roark Capital for over $2 billion. The deal, which includes debt, will see KKR take ownership of the chain with over 500 locations across the US and Canada. Nothing Bundt Cakes is projected to generate approximately $120 million in EBITDA this year.

🌍 Geopolitics & Society

I can’t See Apple’s Vision

The author contends that Apple has lost a clear design vision for its MacOS and WatchOS platforms, leading to software that clashes with the company’s established brand. While iPadOS and iOS maintain a strong vision, the lack of direction in the other platforms is concerning and potentially detrimental. This disconnect, reminiscent of a critique from Steve Jobs, appears to stem from a breakdown in communication between creative teams and management.

Chaitin’s constant

Chaitin’s constant is a real number representing the probability that a random computer program will halt, derived from algorithmic information theory. This uncomputable and transcendental number varies depending on the program encoding used and is inherently unpredictable. Understanding its digits could theoretically provide a solution to the unsolvable halting problem in computer science.

Jeffrey Epstein’s schedule might help users learn the truth about the Epstein Files

Due to technical issues, access to information regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s schedule is currently restricted. Users are prompted to enable JavaScript and cookies to proceed and potentially learn more about the Epstein Files. The article suggests that accessing Epstein’s schedule could reveal important details.

Alien.gov sparks betting frenzy on UFO disclosure as speculation explodes

Due to technical issues, Alien.gov, the U.S. government’s website dedicated to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs), is currently unavailable. The website’s outage has fueled speculation about an impending disclosure regarding UFOs, leading to a surge in online betting markets. The site’s functionality is expected to be restored shortly.

China calls for NeurIPS boycott after Huawei ban

China’s top computing body, the China Computer Federation, is urging researchers to boycott the NeurIPS AI conference after organizers banned submissions from US-sanctioned companies like Huawei. The CCF argues the ban violates academic principles and politicizes scientific exchange, escalating tensions surrounding AI development between the US and China. This action threatens to blacklist the conference and potentially disrupt the recruitment of AI talent.

FCC seeks comments on call center jobs plan, automation concerns.

The FCC has begun a public comment period for a proposal designed to incentivize call center jobs to return to the U.S. The rules would mandate disclosures about agent locations and require English-language proficiency, among other measures. Critics worry the regulations could lead companies to automate customer service instead.

Apple Shifts iPhone Production to the US

Apple is expanding its U.S. manufacturing program by partnering with four new suppliers to produce iPhone components, investing $400 million through 2030. While these components will be manufactured domestically, the iPhones themselves will still be assembled overseas. This initiative is part of Apple’s broader $600 billion commitment to U.S. manufacturing and aims to strengthen its supply chain.

Anduril Faces Safety, Project Concerns; Company Denies Claims

Interviews with 37 current and former Anduril employees reveal safety concerns and project challenges within the defense startup’s manufacturing operations. The investigation, based on anonymous accounts, highlights incidents like an employee injury and concerns over process dysfunction and deadline pressure. Anduril has dismissed the claims as “inaccurate” and misleading, stating they relied heavily on former employees.

SF Drone Surveillance Soars After Initial Pushback

Following a shift in public priorities and a recall election, San Francisco has rapidly expanded police surveillance tactics. The SFPD now utilizes a significant number of drones, recording 700 flights last month compared to just 93 in February 2025, and has implemented AI-powered license plate readers and a real-time information center. This expansion has occurred despite prior resistance to surveillance technologies and is largely funded by private investment.

Olympic Committee bars transgender athletes from women’s events

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued new guidance barring transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports events if their testosterone levels are not below a specific threshold for a sustained period. The updated rules, replacing previous guidelines, aim to balance inclusivity with fair competition. Athletes will need to demonstrate testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for at least 12 months prior to competition, with further assessments required.

Asbestos, talc, and The Lancet’s 1977 publication

The FDA recently reversed a proposed regulation to test for asbestos in cosmetic talc, following decades of industry resistance. A 1977 commentary in The Lancet, initially used to argue against talc regulation, was revealed to be written by a paid consultant for Johnson & Johnson. This controversy highlights a long-standing effort by the cosmetics industry to avoid federal oversight regarding potential asbestos contamination in talc products.

An unstoppable mushroom is tearing through North American forests

The golden oyster mushroom, originally from Asia and introduced to North America for cultivation, is aggressively spreading and displacing native fungi. Its prolific spore production and rapid growth have led to concerns about biodiversity loss and bans from fungal events. Mycologists are now working to protect vulnerable native fungi threatened by this invasive species.

Buying a retro game console

The article advises casual gamers against buying original retro game consoles due to their cost, technical difficulties, and compatibility issues with modern TVs. Instead, it suggests more accessible alternatives like retro game compilations on modern consoles, clone consoles, or emulation software. These options offer a more affordable and user-friendly way to experience classic games.

Iran rejects US proposal, lays out five conditions for ending war

Iran rejected a recent U.S. proposal to end the ongoing war, insisting any ceasefire will occur only on Tehran’s terms and timeline. A senior Iranian official accused the U.S. of insincere negotiations and past military aggression, deeming the proposal a deceptive tactic. Iran has now presented five conditions for ending the conflict and will continue defensive operations until they are met.

The Last Contract: William T. Vollmann’s Battle to Publish an Epic (2025)

Novelist William T. Vollmann experienced significant personal hardship, including cancer, the death of his daughter, and a subsequent split with his longtime publisher over his 3,000-page novel, A Table for Fortune. The publishing dispute arose from the novel’s unconventional design elements and the publisher’s financial considerations during Vollmann’s difficult period. Despite the challenges, early reviews suggest the novel could be a major achievement in his career.

Genes May Control Your Longevity, However Healthily You Live

A recent study in Science suggests genetics are a primary factor in determining lifespan, potentially outweighing the impact of healthy habits. While lifestyle choices contribute to quality of life, they have limited ability to extend life beyond one’s genetic predisposition. Researchers advise examining family history as an indicator of potential longevity.

Russia sending drones to Iran, western intelligence says

Western intelligence agencies have confirmed that Russia is supplying drones to Iran as part of a larger agreement. The transfer is intended to enhance Iran’s military capabilities. This development highlights growing cooperation between the two nations.

Scientists Just Broke the Solar Power Limit Everyone Thought Was Absolute

Scientists have developed a new solar technology using “spin-flip” emitters and singlet fission to achieve over 100% energy conversion efficiency, effectively breaking a long-held limit. This innovative method doubles usable energy by splitting high-energy photons into two lower-energy excitons, minimizing energy loss. The collaboration between Japanese and German researchers offers a pathway to significantly more powerful and efficient solar cells.

US has caused $10T worth of climate damage since 1990, research finds

A new study found that the United States is responsible for $10 trillion in global economic damages due to its carbon emissions since 1990, more than any other nation. Approximately 25% of this damage has occurred within the US, while poorer countries have disproportionately suffered. The research quantifies “loss and damage” from climate change and highlights the inequity of wealthier nations’ contributions to climate-related harm.