Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-04-08 Briefing

Created Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:32:16 +0000 Modified Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:56:10 +0000
7358 Words

Cybersecurity threats are escalating: China-linked hackers slash ransomware execution to mere hours and a massive leak exposes 40 million email records. Meanwhile, Microsoft has blocked VeraCrypt and WireGuard maintainers from delivering Windows updates, and a DC court denied Anthropic’s bid to pause its DOD risk designation. In crypto, Adam Back denied being Satoshi, following a Binance-related memecoin launch.

πŸ€– AI & Machine Learning

Google adds “notebooks” to Gemini to organize chats and files via NotebookLM integration.

Google is introducing “notebooks” to the Gemini app, providing a dedicated space to organize chats and files through deeper integration with NotebookLM. These notebooks act as personal knowledge bases that sync across Google products, allowing users to leverage specific sources for customized AI responses. The feature is currently rolling out to paid Gemini subscribers on the web, with broader access expected in the coming weeks.

OpenAI Foundation finalizing $100M+ in Alzheimer’s research grants across six institutions

The OpenAI Foundation is finalizing more than $100 million in grants to six research institutions this month to accelerate Alzheimer’s disease research. The initiative aims to leverage advanced AI to assist scientists in generating new data, designing drugs, and discovering new treatment paths.

Anthropic announces Claude Managed Agents in public beta for scalable AI agent deployment.

Anthropic has launched Claude Managed Agents in public beta, providing developers with the infrastructure and tools necessary to build and deploy autonomous AI agents at scale. The new service includes an agent harness and a sandboxed environment, aiming to simplify the complex engineering required to manage large-scale AI systems.

OpenAI releases Child Safety Blueprint to tackle AI-enabled child sexual exploitation

OpenAI has released a Child Safety Blueprint aimed at combating the rise of AI-enabled child sexual exploitation through improved detection, reporting, and investigation. Developed in collaboration with organizations like NCMEC, the initiative focuses on updating legislation and integrating preventative safeguards directly into AI systems.

Meta releases Muse Spark to power smarter, faster Meta AI via its Superintelligence Labs.

Meta has released Muse Spark, the first model from its Superintelligence Labs, to power a faster and more intelligent Meta AI across its products. Purpose-built for social media applications, the model’s launch follows significant AI-related spending by the company despite ongoing investor scrutiny.

Alibaba and China Telecom launch southern China AI data center with 10,000 Zhenwu chips

Alibaba and China Telecom have launched a new data center in Shaoguan, China, powered by 10,000 Alibaba Zhenwu chips designed for large-scale AI training and inferencing. The facility, which will be operated by China Telecom, is part of a broader effort to advance China’s domestic AI infrastructure and semiconductor self-sufficiency.

Perplexity ARR jumps 50% to $450M+ in March after new agent tool and usage-based pricing shift.

Perplexity’s estimated annual recurring revenue (ARR) rose to over $450 million in March, marking a 50% increase in a single month. The growth is attributed to the launch of a new AI agent tool and the company’s transition to usage-based pricing.

Verifying human authorship with human.json

The human.json protocol has been implemented to allow websites to vouch for the human authorship of one another. Utilizing a JSON file and a web extension, the protocol enables users to verify that a site’s content is human-made.

1SubML: Plan vs Reality

Following the release of the programming language 1SubML, the developer has detailed how the final implementation differs from the project’s original design plans. The most significant change involved replacing structural polymorphism with spine constructors due to technical flaws, a shift that necessitated abandoning existential destructuring and introduced new features.

AI Did It in 12 Minutes. It Took Me 10 Hours to Fix It

An author used an LLM to quickly complete a long-delayed PHP project, but spent ten hours manually fixing the resulting 5,000 lines of “spaghetti code.” The difficulty stemmed from the AI producing unmaintainable and overly verbose code due to contradictions between user instructions and the model’s system prompt.

The AI Great Leap Forward

Comparing modern corporate AI mandates to China’s 1958 Great Leap Forward, the article argues that prioritizing rapid, top-down implementation over technical expertise leads to the creation of superficial “demoware.” These unvalidated AI features may appear functional but lack the essential evaluation, infrastructure, and data integrity required for real-world utility.

I’ve been waiting over a month for Anthropic to respond to my billing issue

A Claude Max subscriber is reporting approximately $180 in unauthorized “Extra Usage” charges that occurred despite no recorded account activity. The user claims they have been unable to reach a human at Anthropic support for over a month, receiving only automated responses from an AI agent.

TUI-use: Let AI agents control interactive terminal programs

tui-use is a new tool that enables AI agents to interact with terminal-based applications, REPLs, and interactive CLI tools that require user input. By utilizing a headless xterm emulator, it renders terminal output as plain text and highlights, allowing agents to navigate complex programs like vim and htop via simulated keystrokes.

Muse Spark – Meta Superintelligence Labs

Meta has introduced Muse Spark, a new initiative within Meta Superintelligence Labs focused on advancing AI reasoning and planning capabilities. The project aims to develop models capable of autonomous, complex task execution to drive progress toward superintelligence.

Muse Spark: Scaling Towards Personal Superintelligence

Meta Superintelligence Labs has introduced Muse Spark, a natively multimodal reasoning model designed to advance personal superintelligence. The model features advanced capabilities such as tool-use and a “Contemplating mode” for complex reasoning, aiming to power personalized applications in fields like health and STEM.

We fingerprinted 178 AI models’ writing styles and similarity clusters

Researchers analyzed 178 AI models using 32-dimensional stylometric fingerprints to identify patterns and clusters in their writing styles. The study uncovered nine “clone clusters” of highly similar models and found that certain prompts, such as “satirical fake news,” cause writing styles to converge across different providers.

LLM plays an 8-bit Commander X16 game using structured “smart senses”

The GPT-4o API has been integrated with an 8-bit shoot-’em-up game on a Commander X16 emulator using structured text summaries called “smart senses.” By processing these text-based inputs instead of pixels, the model was able to develop long-term strategies and identify an exploit in the game’s built-in AI.

Skrun – Deploy any agent skill as an API

Skrun is an open-source tool designed to transform Agent Skills into callable APIs via a POST /run endpoint. The platform features multi-model support, stateful execution, and the ability to integrate tools through CLI scripts or MCP servers.

They’re Made Out of Meat (1991)

An extraterrestrial scout reports the discovery of a sentient species composed entirely of biological “meat.” The report sparks disbelief and horror in a colleague regarding the possibility of communicating with such organic beings.

Japan relaxes privacy laws for AI development

Japan has approved amendments to its Personal Information Protection Act to allow the use of certain low-risk personal data, such as facial scans and health information, without mandatory opt-in consent. These changes aim to eliminate regulatory barriers and establish the nation as a global leader in AI development.

Hallucinated citations are polluting the scientific literature

Scientific literature is facing a surge in “hallucinated” citations, where generative AI creates fabricated references in academic papers and books. With tens of thousands of 2025 publications potentially affected, publishers are now exploring screening tools to identify and prevent the spread of these invalid citations.

LLM scraper bots are overloading acme.com’s HTTPS server

Acme.com recently experienced intermittent network outages and high latency caused by heavy traffic from LLM scraper bots. The overload on the site’s HTTPS server led to congestion in the network’s NAT daemon, an issue that was temporarily resolved by disabling HTTPS services.

AI Assistance Reduces Persistence and Hurts Independent Performance

A study involving 1,222 participants found that while AI assistance improves short-term task performance, it reduces human persistence and impairs independent performance. The researchers suggest that by providing immediate answers, AI prevents users from working through challenges, which may hinder long-term skill acquisition.

Atlassian gussies up Confluence for the AI era

Atlassian is enhancing Confluence with new AI-powered tools, such as Remix with Rovo, which allows users to transform static documentation into various formats directly within their workspace. Additionally, the company is introducing agentic capabilities through partnerships with Lovable, Replit, and Gamma to help teams convert project data into software applications and prototypes.

Call your existing automation β€˜zero-token architecture’ to become an instant agentic AI wiz

Kubernetes expert Kelsey Hightower suggests that IT professionals can leverage the rise of agentic AI by rebranding existing automation tools, such as Bash and cURL, as “zero-token architecture.” He emphasizes that mastering deep technical fundamentals and soft skills is crucial for staying relevant as AI continues to automate increasingly sophisticated tasks.

Investors are going nuclear to keep UK’s AI datacenters fed

Investors are increasingly funding UK nuclear and fusion startups to provide the reliable baseload power required by expanding AI datacenter infrastructure. According to market intelligence firm Tracxn, $370 million has been invested in the sector to support energy sovereignty and meet the massive energy demands of the UK’s AI ambitions.

UK’s grand plan to fuel AI with public data faces uphill battle

The UK’s plan to fuel AI development through a National Data Library faces significant challenges due to the poor quality and accessibility of existing public datasets. A study by the Open Data Institute warns that unless these official sources are made “AI-ready,” AI systems may bypass them in favor of less reliable information from external platforms.

πŸ”’ Security & Privacy

Hackers expose 70,000 NSFW prompts “linked to unique user IDs” from AI girlfriend platform

Hackers have exposed 70,000 NSFW prompts from an AI girlfriend platform. The leaked data reportedly includes prompts that are linked to unique user IDs.

Threat actors use emojis on Telegram, Discord, and the dark web: why?

This article investigates why threat actors are using emojis on platforms such as Telegram, Discord, and the dark web. It explores the potential strategic motivations behind adopting this communication method.

Do you want me to wipe my makeup and talk to you about cybersecurity from my bedroom?

The article examines the intersection of personal identity and professional cybersecurity communication. It questions whether experts are expected to alter their appearance or environment when discussing technical topics.

China-linked hackers shrink ransomware attacks to hours

China-linked hackers have significantly reduced the time required to execute ransomware attacks, shrinking the process to just a few hours. This development indicates an increase in the speed and efficiency of these cyberattacks.

Email provider leak containing over 40M records exposes L’Oreal, Renault, French Embassy traffic

A data leak from an email provider has exposed over 40 million records. The breach includes sensitive traffic from major organizations, including L’Oreal, Renault, and the French Embassy.

ICE admits using powerful spyware

ICE acting director Todd Lyons has confirmed the use of advanced Graphite spyware, including “zero-click” technology, to intercept encrypted communications in efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking and terrorism. The revelation has sparked significant concerns among lawmakers regarding the potential for invasive domestic surveillance of journalists, activists, and American citizens.

Surelock

Surelock is a new Rust library designed to prevent deadlocks at compile time by breaking the “circular wait” condition. By utilizing LockSet and Level<N> mechanisms, the library enforces deterministic lock acquisition to ensure that code is guaranteed to be deadlock-free upon successful compilation.

  • Surelock β€” notes.brooklynzelenka.com

Little Snitch for Linux

A new Linux-based network monitoring tool has been developed to replicate the process-level connection visibility of macOS’s Little Snitch. Built using eBPF and Rust, the tool features a web-based interface that allows users to track and manage software-driven network connections even on remote servers.

Open Source Security at Astral

Astral is sharing its security practices for protecting CI/CD workflows against supply chain attacks within GitHub Actions. The company’s strategy focuses on mitigating vulnerabilities by prohibiting high-risk triggers, such as pull_request_target and workflow_run, in favor of more secure, less privileged alternatives.

One item purchased, Ten emails

The increasing volume of automated emails following online orders is creating a frustrating experience for consumers. Although these extensive communication chains are intended to optimize engagement metrics, they may ultimately damage brand perception.

Cybersecurity and Software Security News

Dutch healthcare software vendor ChipSoft has been targeted by a ransomware attack, forcing several hospitals to proactively take their systems offline while investigations continue. Separately, Microsoft’s termination of a VeraCrypt-related account has raised concerns regarding potential Windows update disruptions and the vulnerability of the software supply chain.

Veracrypt project update

Microsoft has terminated the account used to sign Windows drivers and the bootloader for the VeraCrypt project without prior warning or an appeal process. This development prevents the publication of new Windows updates, although Linux and macOS releases remain unaffected.

Acoustic Eavesdropping with Telecom Fiber Optic Cables

Researchers have demonstrated a vulnerability in telecommunication optical fibers that allows for remote acoustic eavesdropping via sound-induced deformations. By utilizing Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and a “Sensory Receptor,” attackers can potentially recover private information, including conversations and human activities.

Protect your shed

The author compares enterprise software engineering to building skyscrapers and personal side projects to constructing backyard sheds. While professional work provides essential experience in large-scale architecture and reliability, side projects offer a risk-free environment for experimenting with new technologies and applying learned engineering principles.

NHS Scotland-linked domains caught serving pr0n and dodgy sports streams

Multiple domains belonging to NHS Scotland healthcare providers have been hijacked to host adult content and illegal sports streams. Authorities stated that the compromise is limited to legacy websites, with no evidence of sensitive data exposure or breaches to primary NHS systems.

β‚Ώ Crypto & Blockchain

Binance founder releases memoir, prompting instant memecoin launch

The founder of Binance has released a new memoir, prompting the immediate launch of a memecoin. This publication has led to the instant emergence of the new cryptocurrency.

Adam Back denies Bitcoin creator claims

Bitcoin developer Adam Back has denied allegations from a New York Times investigation suggesting he is Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin. These resurfacing claims are being characterized as a repetition of previously debunked rumors that provide no new evidence.

Yuga Labs settles BAYC NFT copycatting lawsuit against Ryder Ripps and Jeremy Cahen

Yuga Labs has settled its two-year lawsuit against artist Ryder Ripps and Jeremy Cahen over the alleged copycatting of its Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs. The agreement permanently bars the defendants from using Yuga’s trademarks and imagery, ending the dispute over whether their project constituted satire or trademark infringement.

3 Polymarket wallets netted $480K+ on Iran ceasefire bets; $60M contract under dispute

Massive bets exceeding $170 million on a US-Iran ceasefire have sparked renewed scrutiny of Polymarket regarding potential insider trading. While certain anonymous wallets profited more than $480,000 from well-timed wagers, a $60 million contract remains under dispute, raising concerns about the platform’s settlement integrity.

Who Is Satoshi Nakamoto? My Quest to Unmask Bitcoin’s Creator

After viewing an HBO documentary attempting to unmask Bitcoin’s creator, the author dismisses the film’s primary conclusion regarding a Canadian developer. However, the author identifies striking similarities between the writings of cryptographer Adam Back and those of Satoshi Nakamoto.

πŸ’» Software Engineering

VeraCrypt, WireGuard maintainers locked out by Microsoft, unable to deliver Windows updates

Microsoft has locked out the maintainers of VeraCrypt and WireGuard, preventing them from delivering Windows updates. This lockout is currently hindering the distribution of essential software updates for these applications.

How Pizza Tycoon simulated traffic on a 25 MHz CPU

The 1994 game Pizza Tycoon successfully simulated city traffic on a 25 MHz CPU by avoiding complex pathfinding algorithms. Instead, the game used road tiles that inherently encode movement directions, effectively using the map itself as a routing table to guide vehicles.

And now for something completely different: IngoDB

IngoDB is a new, adaptive document storage engine written in Rust and designed primarily for use by AI agents. The engine utilizes an LSM-tree structure to automatically create secondary indexes and restructure its physical data layout based on observed query performance and patterns.

Zsh: select generated files with (om[1]) glob qualifiers

The article explains how to use Zsh glob qualifiers, specifically (om[1]), to automate workflows involving files with unpredictable names. This technique allows users to sort files by modification time and select the most recent match, enabling the chaining of multi-step processes into a single command.

AWS Engineer Reports PostgreSQL Performance Halved By Linux 7.0, But A Fix May Not Be Easy

An AWS engineer reported that the Linux 7.0 kernel reduces PostgreSQL throughput by nearly 50% due to changes in kernel preemption modes. While a patch to revert these changes has been proposed, developers suggest that resolving the issue may require PostgreSQL to adopt the Restartable Sequences (RSEQ) extension.

Borrow-checking surprises

This article examines several non-obvious behaviors of the Rust borrow checker using illustrative code examples. It clarifies complex mechanics such as evaluation order, two-phase borrows, and implicit reborrowing that can often mislead experienced developers.

Untangling Rayon and Tokio

PostHog engineers resolved a performance bottleneck in their feature flag service that caused p99 latency spikes of 2.5 seconds. The issue was traced to CPU throttling within Kubernetes pods caused by the interaction between the Tokio and Rayon Rust runtimes. Fixing the conflict reduced latency to a stable 94ms.

Full Text Search with IndexedDB

This article examines strategies for implementing full-text search in IndexedDB, a low-level storage engine for web applications. It compares the simplicity of a table scan for small datasets with a more efficient approach using a multiEntry index for larger collections.

Dadroit V Web – Fast & Private JSON Viewer

Dadroit V Web is a free, web-based tool designed for efficiently viewing and searching large JSON files while prioritizing user privacy. The application processes all data locally within the browser, enabling users to inspect complex datasets and fetch data from remote URLs using authentication without any server-side storage.

Inside MDN’s New Frontend

MDN has overhauled its frontend architecture to address significant technical debt and maintenance challenges present in its previous React-based system. The rebuild replaces a complex, un-scoped codebase with a more unified and streamlined design that improves the integration of interactive elements with static documentation.

stricline: A meta-framework to help you easily build robust CLI apps with stricli

Stricline is an ESM-first meta-framework designed to help developers build robust and fast CLI applications using stricli. It features filesystem routing, context management, and built-in support for tsdown and tsgo.

Freestanding C++ standard library

C++ implementations are categorized as either hosted, which rely on an operating system, or freestanding, which operate in constrained environments like embedded systems. While freestanding environments lack many OS-dependent features, recent C++ standards are increasingly expanding the available library to include more algorithms and utilities for low-level development.

Applying “Programming Without Pointers” to an mbox indexer using Zig

The author developed mbox-diff, a Zig-based tool designed to compare large mbox email files to prevent duplicate messages during an email migration to Gmail. The tool utilizes the “Programming without pointers” technique to minimize memory allocations and optimize performance.

Tired of logic in useEffect, I built a class-based React state manager

The author has introduced Snapstate, a new state management library designed to decouple business logic from React by moving it into plain TypeScript classes. This approach treats React solely as a rendering adapter, offering an explicit and testable alternative to more complex or “magical” solutions like Redux and MobX.

USB for Software Developers: An introduction to writing userspace USB drivers

This article provides a high-level introduction to writing userspace USB drivers, arguing that the process is more accessible than traditional kernel-level programming. Using an Android phone in bootloader mode as a case study, it explains fundamental concepts such as device enumeration, Vendor ID (VID), and Product ID (PID).

Expanding Swift’s IDE Support

The official Swift extension is now available on the Open VSX Registry, expanding support to a wider range of IDEs including Cursor, VSCodium, and Google’s Antigravity. This update brings comprehensive language features, such as code completion and debugging, to Swift Package Manager projects on macOS, Linux, and Windows.

The demise of software engineering jobs has been greatly exaggerated

Despite fears that AI will replace software engineers, experts argue the technology is instead shifting the profession toward high-level design and AI oversight. Current trends show growing demand for developers, with employment projected to increase by 15% by 2034.

Orange Juice – Small UX improvements that make HN much easier to read

Orange Juice is an open-source browser extension designed to enhance the Hacker News experience by reducing user interface friction. The tool provides features such as in-thread replies, unread tracking, user following, and keyboard shortcuts to improve reading and interaction efficiency.

Understanding the Kalman Filter with a Simple Radar Example

This guide provides a simplified approach to understanding the Kalman Filter through practical, numerical examples rather than complex mathematical derivations. It offers three distinct learning paths, ranging from a concise single-page overview to a comprehensive book covering advanced topics like sensor fusion and implementation.

BAREmail Κ•Β·α΄₯Β·Κ” – minimalist Gmail client for bad WiFi

BAREmail is a new open-source, minimalist Gmail client designed to function effectively even on low-bandwidth connections like airplane WiFi. The backend-less tool focuses on text-only emails while maintaining a clean design and essential keyboard shortcuts.

Go-Bt: Minimalist Behavior Trees for Go

Version 0.1.0 of go-bt, a minimalist behavior tree library for Go, has been released. The author is currently seeking feedback on the new release from experienced Go developers.

I pipe free sports streams into Jellyfin – no ads, just HLS

The hls-restream-proxy is a lightweight toolkit designed to help self-hosted media servers, such as Jellyfin and Plex, access HLS streams that require specific HTTP headers. By acting as a reverse proxy, the tool automates header injection and playlist rewriting to handle expiring tokens and ensure stable, ad-free playback.

Git commands I run before reading any code

The article outlines how specific Git commands can be used to evaluate a codebase’s health and risk profile before reviewing any actual code. By analyzing commit history, these commands help developers identify critical issues such as high-churn files, developer dependency, bug clusters, and project momentum.

Minnesota State payroll problems grew after Workday launch, auditors say

An audit of the Minnesota State college system found that the rollout of the Workday HR platform has increased payroll errors and delays for faculty and staff. The project’s budget has escalated to $290.4 million due to integration challenges and the ongoing need to use legacy systems for faculty payroll calculations.

Microsoft calls time on ASP.NET Core 2.3 on .NET Framework

Microsoft will end support for ASP.NET Core 2.3 on .NET Framework on April 7, 2027, to redirect maintenance resources toward its modern .NET platform. The company recommends that developers migrate their applications to modern ASP.NET on .NET 10.

Virtual SG-41 project brings Nazi cipher machine to life in the browser

Martin Gillow has created a browser-based 3D simulation of the SG-41, a WWII-era German cipher machine intended to succeed the Enigma. The digital model uses 3D scans and mechanical modeling to allow users to explore the machine’s complex physical components and enciphering logic online.

πŸ“± Tech Industry & Gadgets

Good deal, but at what cost? CT scan reveals what’s inside a $17 Apple Watch Ultra 3 dupe

A CT scan was used to examine the internal hardware of a $17 imitation of the Apple Watch Ultra 3. The investigation reveals the construction and quality of the inexpensive counterfeit device.

Greece to ban social media for under-15s

Greece will ban social media access for children under 15 starting January 1, 2027, to address concerns regarding addiction, anxiety, and sleep problems. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is also calling for a coordinated European Union-wide “digital age of majority” set at age 15.

Microsoft developer division head Julia Liuson to move to advisory role after 34 years

Julia Liuson, head of Microsoft’s developer division, is resigning after 34 years with the company. She will continue in her current role until the end of June before transitioning to an advisory position reporting to Microsoft’s CoreAI chief.

Amazon Ends Kindle Store Access for Old Models

Starting May 20, 2026, Amazon will end Kindle Store access for Kindle and Kindle Fire devices released in 2012 or earlier, preventing users from purchasing, borrowing, or downloading new content. While previously downloaded books will remain accessible, the company is offering affected customers a 20% discount on selected new hardware and a $20 eBook credit to encourage upgrades.

Patreon: 7.6M podcast memberships; podcaster revenue hit $629M in 2025, up 33% YoY

Patreon reported that revenue from podcasts reached $629 million in 2025, representing a 33% year-over-year increase. Podcasts have become the platform’s largest content category by revenue, now accounting for 7.6 million paid memberships.

78,557 tech layoffs in Q1 2026; US 76.7%, nearly half due to AI/automation (Nikkei Asia)

The tech industry saw 78,557 layoffs in the first quarter of 2026, with nearly half attributed to AI implementation and workflow automation. Meanwhile, IT outsourcer Cognizant is establishing new AI labs in San Francisco and Bengaluru to transition into an AI agent builder.

TikTok to invest €1B in second Finland data center as part of €12B European data initiative

TikTok plans to invest €1 billion to build a second data center in Lahti, Finland, as part of its broader €12 billion European data sovereignty initiative. The expansion aims to move data storage for over 200 million European users to the continent to enhance security and data protection.

Bill Gates set to appear before US House Oversight Committee June 10 regarding Epstein ties

Bill Gates is scheduled to testify before the US House Oversight Committee on June 10 regarding his past interactions with Jeffrey Epstein. While Gates has acknowledged these meetings were an error in judgment, he denies any involvement in improper or illegal activities related to the convicted sex offender.

Niantic Spatial launches Scaniverse for robot-ready 3D maps using phone, camera, and drone data

Niantic Spatial has launched Scaniverse, a new platform that enables individuals and companies to create highly accurate 3D maps using data from phones, 360-degree cameras, and drones. The initiative aims to provide a “living” spatial representation of the world to assist robots in navigating environments at city scale with centimeter-level precision.

Keychron-Keyboards-Hardware-Design: All the industrial design files for Keychron keyboards and mice

Keychron has released production-grade hardware design files for over 80 of its keyboard and mouse models, including the Q, K, and M series. These source-available files are intended for personal, educational, and non-commercial use, such as studying industrial design or creating compatible accessories.

Mac OS X on Nintendo Wii

A developer has successfully ported Mac OS X 10.0 (Cheetah) to the Nintendo Wii by leveraging the console’s PowerPC architecture. The project involved creating a custom bootloader, patching the XNU kernel, and developing drivers to support the Wii’s specific hardware and memory configuration.

John Deere to pay $99M in right-to-repair settlement

John Deere has reached a $99 million settlement in a class action lawsuit regarding the right to repair agricultural equipment. The agreement includes compensation for farmers who paid for authorized dealer repairs since 2018 and mandates that the company provide necessary digital tools for maintenance and diagnosis for the next 10 years.

US carmakers say proposed EU rules could block large pickup trucks from Europe

U.S. automakers warn that proposed changes to EU safety regulations could prevent large American pickup trucks from being sold in Europe. The American Automotive Policy Council argues these updates violate a recent trade agreement intended to reduce non-tariff barriers.

YouTube starts showing 90-second unskippable ads to TV viewers

YouTube is reportedly introducing 90-second unskippable advertisements for viewers on TV devices to attract traditional television advertisers. This move follows recent trends of increased ad frequency and more aggressive measures against ad blockers on the platform.

The blue light from your phone isn’t ruining your sleep

Contrary to widespread belief, blue light from smartphone screens is unlikely to be the primary cause of sleep disruption. Experts suggest that the overall intensity and patterns of light exposure throughout the day play a much more significant role in affecting the body’s circadian rhythm.

How Costco Won in Japan

Costco has established Japan as its largest market outside of North America by adapting its business model to suit local needs. By adjusting its real estate, merchandising, and warehouse design, the retailer successfully entered a market where many other global competitors have failed.

Tailscale’s Pricing v4

Tailscale is updating its pricing model to simplify plans and increase value for both personal and business users. The company is retiring its Personal Plus plan in favor of a more generous free Personal plan and is enhancing self-serve business plans with additional features and more predictable pricing.

I’ve sold out

The author announces their move to Earendil, bringing the coding agent “pi” with them. The announcement includes a reflection on their extensive history in open-source software and the challenges of navigating community trust during past commercial acquisitions.

Mario and Earendil

Mario Zechner, the creator of the coding agent library Pi, is joining Earendil to focus on software craftsmanship. He will contribute to the development of Lefos, a machine entity designed to prioritize thoughtful and deliberate communication.

Ε koda DuoBell: A bicycle bell that penetrates noise-cancelling headphones

Ε koda Auto and the University of Salford have developed the DuoBell, a bicycle bell designed to be audible even to pedestrians wearing active noise-cancelling headphones. The bell utilizes specific frequencies to bypass ANC algorithms, aiming to improve safety and reduce collisions in urban environments.

How the Vision Pro Rollout Inflamed Tensions at Apple

Apple’s Vision Pro rollout faced significant challenges due to complex product demonstrations and understaffed retail locations. Despite intensive and secretive training, employees struggled to manage the device’s intricate setup processes and lengthy presentation scripts.

Longer wavelengths in sunlight pass through the human body and have a systemic

Researchers have discovered that infrared wavelengths from sunlight (830–860 nm) can penetrate the human thorax to enhance mitochondrial function and ATP production. A 15-minute exposure was shown to improve visual function 24 hours later, even when the eyes were not directly exposed to the light.

Western Union zaps VMware and moves to Nutanix

Western Union and South Korea’s largest theme park, Everland, are migrating their application infrastructures from VMware to Nutanix. Both companies cited Broadcom’s revised software licensing costs and the need for greater technical flexibility as primary drivers for the transition.

Showing the Windows 10 desktop was the yeast they could do

A bakery in Ontario, Canada, inadvertently used Windows 10 desktop screens as part of its digital advertising signage. Instead of showcasing its artisan baked goods, the display featured the classic Windows 10 wallpaper.

DXC lands Metropolitan Police outsourcing deal that could climb to Β£1B

DXC Technology has secured a contract worth up to Β£1 billion from the Metropolitan Police to provide business process outsourcing services, including HR, finance, and commercial operations. The agreement involves migrating the force’s current Oracle E-Business Suite to a new Oracle Fusion SaaS platform.

🌍 Geopolitics & Defense

DC appeals court denies Anthropic’s bid to pause DOD supply chain risk designation

A Washington, D.C., federal appeals court has denied Anthropic’s request to pause the Pentagon’s designation of the AI company as a national security supply-chain risk. Anthropic alleges the blacklisting is unlawful retaliation for its refusal to remove AI safety guardrails, while the government maintains the move is necessary for military security and operational control.

Iran demands Bitcoin tolls for Hormuz shipping

Iran is reportedly planning to demand that ships, including oil tankers, pay transit fees in cryptocurrency for passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This demand for Bitcoin-based tolls is being made during a period of ceasefire.

Bain’s data center unit cuts ties with Megaspeed amid US Nvidia chip export evasion probe

Bain Capital’s Bridge Data Centres has replaced Megaspeed International Pte. with Zenlayer Inc. at its Malaysian computing hub. The move follows US investigations into whether Megaspeed helped Chinese companies evade Nvidia AI chip export restrictions.

Automatic registration for US Military draft to begin in December

The Selective Service System has proposed a rule to automatically register eligible men into the military draft pool starting in December. Mandated by the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, the change aims to streamline the registration process and reduce costs by integrating federal data sources.

Is Hormuz open yet?

A developer has created a new tool to monitor maritime activity and the status of the Strait of Hormuz. The project utilizes data from MarineTraffic and IMF Portwatch to track vessel movements and port accessibility.

Strait of Hormuz appears to remain closed amid conflicting US and Iran briefings

Recent Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed at least 254 people, prompting the Red Cross to express outrage over the destruction of densely populated neighborhoods. Concurrently, Iran has advised ships to use alternative routes through the Strait of Hormuz due to potential sea mine risks, while Donald Trump and NATO’s Mark Rutte met to discuss shared security concerns.

Trump Always Chickens Out

The term “Trump Always Chickens Out” (TACO) describes Donald Trump’s perceived pattern of issuing threats regarding trade and foreign policy only to later reverse or delay them to avoid economic pressure. This behavior has led to the “TACO trade” on Wall Street, where investors capitalize on market rebounds following these policy shifts.

F-35 Got Hit

An Iranian “Majid” surface-to-air missile struck an F-35 on March 19, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing. The missile’s passive infrared guidance allowed it to bypass the aircraft’s radar-based stealth by tracking its thermal signature.

Trump is facing the biggest US humiliation since Vietnam

The article criticizes international leaders for ignoring Donald Trump’s explicit threat of genocide in an attempt to maintain geopolitical stability. The author argues that failing to address this moral transgression, alongside a potentially humiliating new arrangement with Iran, represents a historic strategic blunder for the United States.

Operation “Epic Fury” Deepens Transatlantic Rift: U.S., EU at Odds over Security

Journalists from The Insider have exposed the command structure and organization of Center 795, a newly formed Russian secret special forces unit. This unit was established to execute high-priority missions and emerged during recent large-scale military operations.

Struggle Against the Gods

Chinese lawyer Gao Zhisheng recounts the repeated torture and detention he has endured for defending persecuted groups in China. He also describes his spiritual conversion to Christianity and relays a captor’s claim that the Chinese government uses economic leverage to neutralize international human rights concerns.

US fired 1k JASSM cruise missiles in 37 days. Lockheed makes 396 per year

The United States has depleted its global JASSM-ER cruise missile stockpile to approximately 425 units after firing over 1,000 missiles during 37 days of conflict with Iran. This rapid consumption is forcing a reliance on gravity bombs, which requires aircraft to fly closer to enemy air defenses and increases the risk to pilots.

RAF eyes cheap drone-killer as Typhoon jet tests laser-guided rockets

BAE Systems has successfully tested the laser-guided Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) using an RAF Typhoon jet to evaluate its potential as an anti-drone weapon. The technology provides a low-cost, precision alternative to expensive air-to-air missiles for countering uncrewed aerial threats.

Talk ain’t cheap: DARPA offers grants for new AI-to-AI communication protocol

DARPA has launched the Mathematics of Boosting Agentic Communication (MATHBAC) program to establish a mathematical foundation for improved communication among autonomous AI agents. The initiative aims to accelerate scientific discovery by enabling these agents to efficiently exchange information and extract generalizable scientific principles from data.

Microsoft hints at bit bunkers for war zones

Microsoft is reevaluating its datacenter design and construction in conflict-prone regions following recent kinetic attacks on Middle Eastern infrastructure. President Brad Smith suggested that these security threats may lead to more fortified facilities and called for stronger international protections for civilian infrastructure.