Donald Trump’s AI policy has pivoted from a permissive approach to strict regulation, causing confusion. Meta has reversed its push for end-to-end encryption on Instagram, reverting DMs to plaintext. Meanwhile, the UK Home Office abandoned a £35M police database cloud migration after a project stall, the educational platform Canvas is down following a cyberattack, and AWS reports service impairments.
🤖 AI & Machine Learning
Trump jumps from ‘anything goes’ to ‘strict regulation’ AI policy
Donald Trump’s artificial intelligence policy has shifted from a permissive “anything goes” approach to one of strict regulation. This sudden transition in stance has prompted confusion among observers.
- Trump jumps from ‘anything goes’ to ‘strict regulation’ AI policy — theregister.com
A Local-First Agentic Knowledge Manager
Kept is a local-first knowledge manager that archives AI conversations from providers like ChatGPT and Claude as Obsidian-compatible Markdown files. It features a desktop app with full-text search and graph views, along with an MCP server that allows coding agents to access and manage your chat history.
- A Local-First Agentic Knowledge Manager — github.com
GPT-5.5 Price Increase: What It Costs
GPT-5.5 features a 2x price increase for input and output tokens compared to its predecessor, GPT-5.4. While reduced verbosity for prompts over 10K tokens partially mitigates the impact, actual user costs have nonetheless risen by 49% to 92%.
- GPT-5.5 Price Increase: What It Costs — openrouter.ai
US suspects Thai AI firm OBON of smuggling Nvidia-powered Super Micro servers to China
US authorities suspect Thailand-based OBON Corp. of facilitating the smuggling of billions of dollars worth of Super Micro servers containing advanced Nvidia chips to China. The alleged scheme involved using a network of third-party brokers to bypass US trade regulations, with Alibaba identified as one of the potential end users.
- US suspects Thai AI firm OBON of smuggling Nvidia-powered Super Micro servers to China — bloomberg.com
Toss FacePay attracts 4.8M users since September across 330K retail outlets
South Korean fintech app Toss reports that its FacePay service has attracted 4.8 million users across 330,000 retail outlets since September. The company aims to eliminate the use of physical credit cards in South Korea within the next three years.
Judge blocks DOGE’s $100M NEH grant cuts, citing ill-defined ChatGPT prompts
US District Judge Colleen McMahon has blocked the Department of Government Efficiency from implementing $100 million in cuts to National Endowment for the Humanities grants. The ruling found that using artificial intelligence to orchestrate the cuts was unconstitutional and that DOGE officials lacked the authority to direct the terminations.
Getting peak TOPS on a Ryzen AI 7 350 NPU
An author is exploring the NPU in a Ryzen AI 7 350-based Framework Laptop 13 to understand the hardware conditions necessary to achieve its advertised 50 TOPS performance. The investigation also serves as a way to study Xilinx AI Engine architectures, which are fundamentally similar to AMD’s NPUs.
- Getting peak TOPS on a Ryzen AI 7 350 NPU — destevez.net
🛡️ Security & Privacy
Meta U-turns on encryption push for Instagram as DMs go plaintext
Meta has reversed its push for end-to-end encryption on Instagram, reverting direct messages to a plaintext format. This move restores the company’s ability to have full visibility into user communications.
- Meta U-turns on encryption push for Instagram as DMs go plaintext — theregister.com
Hackers ate my homework: Educational SaaS Canvas down after cyberattack
The educational SaaS platform Canvas is experiencing downtime following a cyberattack. The hacking group ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for the incident.
- Hackers ate my homework: Educational SaaS Canvas down after cyberattack — theregister.com
Dutch authorities fine Yango taxi app for sharing sensitive user data with Russia
The Dutch Data Protection Authority has fined the ride-hailing service Yango €100 million for unlawfully transferring sensitive personal data of customers and drivers to Russia. A joint investigation by Dutch, Norwegian, and Finnish regulators revealed that the app shared information, including bank details and addresses, with companies located in Russia.
Hackers breach JDownloader website to serve malware-laced downloads
Attackers exploited an unpatched security bug on the JDownloader website to replace legitimate Windows and Linux installers with malware. The development team confirmed, however, that the main .jar file, macOS installers, and official repository packages remain secure and unaffected.
Stop MITM on the first SSH connection, on any VPS or cloud provider
A new script using cloud-init prevents Man-in-the-Middle attacks during the initial SSH connection to new virtual machines on any cloud provider. By injecting a temporary SSH host key, the method enables the secure retrieval of permanent host keys and ensures that any leaks of cloud-init userdata remain harmless.
- Stop MITM on the first SSH connection, on any VPS or cloud provider — joachimschipper.nl
hpke-ng: Faster, Smaller, Harder HPKE for Rust
Developers have released hpke-ng, a new Rust implementation of the HPKE protocol that offers improved performance and enhanced structural safety compared to the existing hpke-rs library. Using a type-state design, the new implementation addresses architectural inefficiencies and mitigates security risks such as nonce reuse.
- hpke-ng: Faster, Smaller, Harder HPKE for Rust — symbolic.software
💻 Software & Development
Vi clone written in BASIC proves old habits :wq hard
A new Vi clone has been implemented using just a few hundred lines of Yabasic code. The project aims to provide enough functionality to help users maintain their modal editing muscle memory.
- Vi clone written in BASIC proves old habits :wq hard — theregister.com
GeoJSON
GeoJSON is a format used for encoding various geographic data structures, including geometry types such as Point, LineString, and Polygon. The current standard, RFC 7946, was published by the IETF in 2016 to replace the original 2008 specification.
- GeoJSON — geojson.org
ClojureScript Gets Async/Await
A new ClojureScript release introduces the ^:async function hint, which allows the compiler to emit JavaScript async functions. This enhancement improves interoperability with modern ECMAScript 2016 APIs and libraries by eliminating the need for additional dependencies.
- ClojureScript Gets Async/Await — clojurescript.org
Komai: a fine Matrix chat app you can get to love
etke.cc has introduced Komai, a native, desktop-first Matrix chat application designed to enhance user experience. Originally a fork of the nheko client, the project has evolved into an independent application that utilizes the modern matrix-rust-sdk.
building a web server in aarch64 assembly to give my life (a lack of) meaning
ymawky is a static HTTP web server written in aarch64 assembly for macOS that utilizes raw Darwin syscalls without libc wrappers or external libraries. The project serves as a low-level experiment designed to explore the fundamental mechanics of web servers by intentionally stripping away modern programming abstractions.
Just Fucking Use React
The article argues that JavaScript frameworks like React are essential for building modern, complex web applications that require sophisticated interactivity and state management. It contends that relying solely on vanilla JavaScript and HTML is insufficient for handling the scale and complexity of contemporary web development.
- Just Fucking Use React — justfuckingusereact.com
🌐 Networking & Infrastructure
UK abandons police database cloud move after £35M transformation stalls
The UK Home Office has abandoned a plan to move police databases to the cloud after a £35 million transformation project stalled. The decision follows the discovery that 80% of the existing code cannot be reused, which would have required an additional £26 million in funding.
- UK abandons police database cloud move after £35M transformation stalls — theregister.com
HPE drops first Juniper x Aruba collab – self-driving Wi-Fi
HPE has launched its first collaboration between Juniper and Aruba, introducing “self-driving Wi-Fi” technology. This new initiative utilizes AI to automate routine network administration tasks, aiming to reduce the manual workload for network administrators.
- HPE drops first Juniper x Aruba collab – self-driving Wi-Fi — theregister.com
An Introduction to Meshtastic
Meshtastic is an open-source, community-driven project that utilizes inexpensive LoRa radios to create a decentralized, encrypted, and long-range mesh network. The system enables off-grid text communication by rebroadcasting messages between devices, eliminating the need for cellular service or existing infrastructure.
- An Introduction to Meshtastic — meshtastic.org
Utah data center: Projected daily heat equivalent to 23 atomic bombs
A study by Utah State University professor Dr. Rob Davies warns that a proposed data center in Box Elder County, Utah, could release daily thermal energy equivalent to 23 atomic bombs. This extreme heat output may significantly raise local temperatures, potentially disrupting the desert ecosystem by increasing evaporation and wildfire risks.
Wii IP6 webserver
A developer has successfully transformed a Nintendo Wii into a web server running NetBSD 10.1. The setup utilizes a TP-Link USB Ethernet adapter to serve content exclusively over IPv6, demonstrating the potential for hosting small web applications on legacy hardware.
- Wii IP6 webserver — wii.sjmulder.nl
💼 Business & Policy
GameStop CEO’s eBay account reinstated following takeover PR stunt
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen’s eBay account has been reinstated following a brief ban. The suspension occurred after a PR stunt in which Cohen ostensibly attempted to raise funds to acquire the auction site.
- GameStop CEO’s eBay account reinstated following takeover PR stunt — theregister.com
Meta fights Ofcom over how many billions count as billions
Meta is challenging the UK communications regulator, Ofcom, regarding the formula used to calculate fines. The company argues that using its total global revenue to determine penalty amounts is disproportionate and should be discontinued.
- Meta fights Ofcom over how many billions count as billions — theregister.com
Lego throws its own Hail Mary
This news digest highlights significant shifts in AI regulation and security, including Trump’s move toward stricter policies and Meta’s reversal on Instagram encryption. It also reports on the cancellation of a UK police database cloud migration and various recent updates in the tech sector.
- Lego throws its own Hail Mary — theregister.com
Dutch government moves ahead with national ID system despite US tech takeover fears
The District Court of The Hague has dismissed a lawsuit attempting to block the Dutch government’s contract renewal with Solvinity, the hosting provider for the DigiD national ID system. Although the renewal is proceeding, the acquisition of Solvinity by the American firm Kyndryl could still be blocked if the Investment Assessment Office deems the takeover a risk to national security.
Poland is now among the 20 largest economies. How it happened
Poland has emerged as the world’s 20th largest economy, with an annual output now exceeding $1 trillion. This significant transformation from its post-communist era was driven by integration into the European Union and steady economic growth since the country’s 2004 accession.
Nintendo Announces Switch 2 Price Increases
Nintendo is increasing retail prices for the Nintendo Switch 2, existing Switch systems, and Switch Online services globally due to rising material costs and profitability pressures. Starting September 1, the Switch 2’s US price will rise from $450 to $500, following a disappointing annual operating profit forecast that fell significantly below analyst estimates.
- Nintendo announces price increases for Nintendo Switch 2 — nintendo.co.jp
- Nintendo to raise Switch 2 US price to $500 and original Switch price in Japan on Sept 1 — bloomberg.com
US will start revoking passports for parents who owe child support
The U.S. State Department will begin revoking the passports of thousands of parents who owe significant amounts of unpaid child support. While the initial focus targets individuals owing $100,000 or more, the program is set to expand to include anyone with arrears exceeding $2,500.
Digging into Drama at the Document Foundation
The Document Foundation has revoked the membership of approximately 30 contributors affiliated with Collabora, claiming the move is necessary to preserve its nonprofit status. In response, Collabora plans to reduce its involvement with LibreOffice to focus on a new, independent office project, sparking debate over whether the action is a legitimate governance necessity or a power grab.
The IT Productivity Paradox
The article explores the “Solow Paradox,” which highlights the discrepancy between rising information technology investments and stagnant productivity growth. The authors argue that while IT does influence productivity, traditional economic measurement methods may need revision to accurately reflect its impact.
- The IT Productivity Paradox — cs.stanford.edu
Substack hits 5M+ global paid subs, 500K+ in UK; 50+ creators earn $1M+ annually
Substack’s paid subscriptions to UK-based creators have surpassed 500,000, making the United Kingdom the platform’s second-largest market. Globally, the platform has reached over five million paid subscriptions, with more than 50 creators now earning upwards of $1 million annually.
- Substack hits 5M+ global paid subs, 500K+ in UK; 50+ creators earn $1M+ annually — hollywoodreporter.com
Musk v. Altman docs: Microsoft hesitant to fund OpenAI in 2018, but feared losing them to Amazon
Court documents from the Musk v. Altman trial reveal that Microsoft executives were skeptical about funding OpenAI as early as 2018, doubting the lab’s potential for AGI breakthroughs. Despite these reservations, Microsoft ultimately moved forward with support to prevent the AI developer from forming a partnership with Amazon.
- Musk v. Altman docs: Microsoft hesitant to fund OpenAI in 2018, but feared losing them to Amazon — wired.com
Half of US adults under 50 get health info from influencers/podcasts (Pew Research Center)
About 40% of U.S. adults, including half of those under 50, report getting health and wellness information from podcasts and social media influencers. These creators are primarily active on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, with backgrounds ranging from healthcare professionals to coaches and entrepreneurs.
- Half of US adults under 50 get health info from influencers/podcasts (Pew Research Center) — pewresearch.org
What are you doing this weekend?
Readers are invited to share their upcoming weekend plans and seek feedback or assistance. The post also notes that it is perfectly acceptable to spend the weekend doing nothing at all.
🛠️ IT & Systems
BOFH: Nothing says ‘business continuity’ like a dry wooden broom
This news digest highlights significant shifts in technology and policy, including Trump’s changing approach to AI regulation and Meta’s decision to revert Instagram DMs to plaintext. It also covers cybersecurity risks in AI agent development, hardware supply chain challenges, and the abandonment of a major UK police database cloud migration.
- BOFH: Nothing says ‘business continuity’ like a dry wooden broom — theregister.com
Bus station display takes the Windows 10 road to nowhere
This news digest covers significant developments in technology and cybersecurity, including Meta’s decision to revert to plaintext DMs on Instagram and shifts in Trump’s AI policy. It also reports on the failure of a UK police database cloud migration and emerging trends in AI security and identity resilience.
- Bus station display takes the Windows 10 road to nowhere — theregister.com
Custom PC worked in the lab, failed on site – and so did the angry client
Cloudflare is laying off 1,100 employees to prioritize AI development, while AWS reports service impairments in the US-EAST-1 region due to power loss. Additionally, new AI-driven tools are emerging for Firefox bug management, ServiceNow configurations, and self-driving Wi-Fi networks.