ShinyHunters has breached over 100 organizations, including the University of Nottingham, by exploiting an Oracle PeopleSoft zero-day vulnerability to steal massive amounts of data. Meanwhile, Anthropic is scaling Claude AI via new enterprise and nonprofit initiatives. In London, police are partnering with Apple to tackle stolen phone trade, while NS&I seeks a CEO to resolve its £3 billion IT disaster.
🤖 AI & Machine Learning
Claude is ready for its corporate close-up
Anthropic is making strategic moves to adapt its Claude AI model for enterprise-level requirements. According to IDC, these recent developments indicate the company is racing to meet the specific demands of corporate clients.
- Claude is ready for its corporate close-up — theregister.com
Anthropic recruits army to sell Claude to nonprofits
Anthropic is recruiting individuals for an initiative called “Claude Corps” to promote its Claude AI model to nonprofit organizations. The program aims to expand the adoption of Anthropic’s technology within the nonprofit sector.
- Anthropic recruits army to sell Claude to nonprofits — theregister.com
Hand-cranked AI box lets you get a workout while you wait for answers
A new hand-cranked AI box allows users to get a workout while waiting for answers from the device. This innovative tool uses manual cranking as a power source, turning AI processing time into an opportunity for physical exercise.
- Hand-cranked AI box lets you get a workout while you wait for answers — theregister.com
our workplace LLM mass delusion
The author criticizes their company’s heavy investment in AI workshops and software licenses despite significant financial hardships, including canceled bonuses and resource cuts. They argue that internal LLM projects have failed to provide practical benefits, instead increasing workloads due to inaccuracies and inefficiencies.
- our workplace LLM mass delusion — blog.avas.space
Learning Regular Languages with the TTT Algorithm
This article introduces a Python implementation of the TTT algorithm, an efficient method for learning regular languages from blackbox systems. By combining discrimination trees with binary search counterexample analysis, the algorithm constructs DFAs while minimizing redundant membership queries compared to the traditional L* algorithm.
- Learning Regular Languages with the TTT Algorithm — rahul.gopinath.org
Coinbase launches AI agent to execute trades and buy research with customizable account access
Coinbase has launched AI agents capable of executing cryptocurrency trades, rebalancing portfolios, and paying for premium research via the x402 payment protocol. Users can choose to integrate these agents with their main accounts or have them operate within a separate sandbox environment.
- Coinbase launches AI agent to execute trades and buy research with customizable account access — techcrunch.com
FablePool – pool money behind a prompt, and Fable builds it in public
FablePool is a crowdfunding platform that allows users to finance ambitious instructions for an AI agent to execute through milestone-based tasks. Backers can contribute as little as $0.25 toward project targets, with all progress and credits recorded on a public ledger.
Shall we play a game? My AI nuclear simulation
This article introduces an AI-driven nuclear simulation that models complex nuclear processes through a game-like interface. The research explores the potential of using artificial intelligence to interactively simulate and analyze various nuclear scenarios.
- Shall we play a game? My AI nuclear simulation — kennethpayne.uk
1KB is all u need
The article titled “1KB is all u need” references j0e.uk. No additional information or context is provided in the text.
- 1KB is all u need — j0e.uk
Building agents without harness engineering
Developers are encouraged to use the open-source Hermes framework as a primitive to handle complex AI agent features like session management, memory, and automations instead of building custom infrastructures. By leveraging Hermes via an API, companies can focus on creating domain-specific value through specialized tools and proprietary data integration rather than developing underlying agent harnesses.
- Building agents without harness engineering — rajitkhanna.com
Dealership revoked offer to buy back customer’s BMW, blaming wayward AI chatbot
A BMW Toronto dealership initially revoked a $27,162.79 car buy-back offer, claiming the proposal was made in error by its AI chatbot. However, following media inquiries from CBC News, the dealership reversed its decision and agreed to honor the original commitment.
Running Claude Code Offline on an M3 Pro with Qwen3.6
This guide explains how to configure Claude Code for use in air-gapped environments by connecting it to a local Qwen model via Ollama on Apple Silicon hardware. It details the specific technical optimizations and environment variables required to perform complex coding tasks while ensuring all data remains on the local machine.
- Running Claude Code Offline on an M3 Pro with Qwen3.6 — har-ki.github.io
MTG Bench: Testing how well LLMs can play Magic
MTG Bench is a new benchmark designed to evaluate how effectively Large Language Models can simulate Magic: The Gathering turns using an MCP server for primitive operations instead of a rules engine. The article also explores the cost-efficiency of using remote MCP servers for managing agent loops and critiques current pricing models for input token caching during tool usage.
- MTG Bench: Testing how well LLMs can play Magic — mtgautodeck.com
Open Reproduction of DeepSeek-R1
The Open R1 project aims to provide a fully open reproduction of the DeepSeek-R1 pipeline by offering tools for training, data generation, and evaluation. The initiative includes the release of specialized datasets, such as Mixture-of-Thoughts and CodeForces-CoTs, to help replicate DeepSeek’s distillation and reinforcement learning processes.
- Open Reproduction of DeepSeek-R1 — github.com
The AI Agent in the Billing Department of Verizon Is a Mentally Handicapped Thug
A Verizon Wireless customer is disputing an $86.71 charge on a terminated account, alleging that the company’s new AI Agent system is causing significant billing errors and inconsistent communication. The author argues that the improper deployment of this AI technology poses potential reputational and legal risks to the telecommunications company.
- The AI Agent in the Billing Department of Verizon Is a Mentally Handicapped Thug — samhenrycliff.medium.com
Making a vintage LLM from scratch
An author has developed a 340M parameter Llama-based language model trained exclusively on historical English texts with a knowledge cutoff of approximately 1900. The project, which includes custom data processing pipelines and training scripts, is available as open-source via GitHub and HuggingFace.
- Making a vintage LLM from scratch — crlf.link
Pokémon Go Scans Trained the Navigation Tech for Military Drones
Niantic Spatial is repurposing approximately 30 billion environmental scans collected from Pokémon Go players to power a Visual Positioning System (VPS) for precise 3D mapping. Through a partnership with defense firm Vantor, this technology will enable drones and military robots to navigate effectively in GPS-denied environments, such as war zones.
🛡️ Cybersecurity & Privacy
ShinyHunters hacked 100+ orgs by exploiting an Oracle PeopleSoft 0-day
The hacking group ShinyHunters exploited an Oracle PeopleSoft zero-day vulnerability to breach more than 100 organizations. The University of Nottingham was reportedly the first among many targets affected by these attacks.
- ShinyHunters hacked 100+ orgs by exploiting an Oracle PeopleSoft 0-day — theregister.com
Malware scare keeps schoolkids home for a second day
Schools in Great Marlow are keeping students home for a second day due to a suspected malware infection. Authorities have restricted network access while an investigation into the potential security breach continues.
- Malware scare keeps schoolkids home for a second day — theregister.com
Nottingham Uni says student records raided after ShinyHunters claims cyberattack
The cybercriminal group ShinyHunters claims to have breached Nottingham University, alleging they stole 40 GB of data. The breach reportedly includes the exposed email addresses of approximately 455,000 individuals.
Every employee’s password was stored in a single Excel file
A company’s CEO reportedly stored all employee passwords in a single Excel file. This measure was implemented as an attempt to address specific email-related issues.
- Every employee’s password was stored in a single Excel file — theregister.com
Infostealer Malware Detected in AUR Packages
An infostealer malware attack has targeted hundreds of packages within the Arch User Repository (AUR), highlighting security risks associated with community-contributed software. Developers are currently working to delete malicious commits and ban the accounts responsible for the attack.
- Hundreds of AUR packages attacked by infostealer — lists.archlinux.org
- There is a bunch of malware being spotted in the AUR — lists.archlinux.org
TrustZone Intermezzo: Broken OP-TEE Memory Isolation on i.MX 8M
Older versions of OP-TEE for i.MX 8M SoCs are vulnerable to a security flaw where the TrustZone Address Space Controller (TZASC) is not properly enabled to protect secure world memory. This vulnerability allows an attacker with Linux kernel access to bypass software restrictions and directly read or alter sensitive data within the OP-TEE secure region.
- TrustZone Intermezzo: Broken OP-TEE Memory Isolation on i.MX 8M — sigma-star.at
Hackers use “free Spotify Premium” TikTok videos to steal passwords
Cybercriminals are using viral TikTok and Instagram “hack” tutorials to trick users into installing malware that steals passwords, personal information, and cryptocurrency. These campaigns promise free software upgrades, such as Spotify Premium or Windows activation, by instructing victims to execute malicious commands through Windows PowerShell.
Europol dismantles AudiA6 crypto mixer used to launder $380M+ for ransomware actors.
Europol and international law enforcement have dismantled “AudiA6,” a cryptocurrency mixing service allegedly used to launder over $380 million for ransomware actors between 2022 and 2025. The operation, which was linked to more than 15 international investigations, resulted in the arrest of two administrators in Georgia and the seizure of various assets, including domains and cryptocurrency.
- Europol dismantles AudiA6 crypto mixer used to launder $380M+ for ransomware actors. — bleepingcomputer.com
US House Rejects FISA Surveillance Extension
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is set to expire this Friday following the U.S. House’s rejection of a short-term extension. This legislative impasse, driven by disputes over intelligence oversight and recent leadership appointments, marks the first time the surveillance program will lapse since its enactment in 2008.
- Spy law (FISA) on track to lapse after Congress rejects extension — politico.com
- US House rejects FISA Section 702 extension, warrantless surveillance expires — axios.com
The RCE that AMD wouldn’t fix
A security researcher discovered a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in AMD’s AutoUpdate software that allows for malicious code execution through man-in-the-middle attacks via unencrypted HTTP downloads. Although AMD initially dismissed the report as out of scope for their bug bounty program, the company later agreed to issue a CVE and implement a fix after the discovery gained public attention.
- The RCE that AMD wouldn’t fix — mrbruh.com
💻 Software Engineering
Local-First Software Is Easier to Scale
The “edge-first” grammar checker Harper recently experienced a massive surge in users following its appearance on Hacker News. Because the software runs locally on user devices rather than on remote servers, it was able to handle the significant traffic increase without requiring costly infrastructure scaling.
- Local-First Software Is Easier to Scale — elijahpotter.dev
Bab: a family of hashing functions for p2p networks
Bab is a family of hashing functions inspired by Blake3 and Bao, specifically designed for p2p networks with storage-oriented APIs and optimized computations for repeating substrings. The system enables resilient, concurrent data transfers by supporting progress saving during connection interruptions and detecting malicious partial transfers.
- Bab: a family of hashing functions for p2p networks — bab-hash.org
There Is Life Before Main in Rust
This article explores the execution phase in Rust binaries that occurs before the main function, during which the runtime performs essential initialization tasks like configuring memory allocation and argument parsing. It also discusses technical methods for leveraging this pre-main period to implement custom bootstrapping processes.
- There Is Life Before Main in Rust — grack.com
Agent-Shell 0.55 Updates
The v0.55 update for agent-shell, a native Emacs mode for interacting with AI agents via the Agent Client Protocol (ACP), introduces a more performant inline markdown renderer with improved table navigation and syntax highlighting. The release also features an overhauled session restoration system that offers customizable levels of verbosity.
- agent-shell 0.55 updates — xenodium.com
Software Development Workflow
The Zed team is developing DeltaDB, a new version control system that moves beyond Git’s snapshot-based commits by tracking fine-grained operations as a continuous stream of deltas. This technology aims to integrate human and AI agent conversations into the development workflow, permanently linking discussions to the specific code changes they produce.
- Software Is Made Between Commits — zed.dev
Reuse Less Software
Anubis is a Proof-of-Work scheme designed to deter aggressive AI scraping by making large-scale data collection more computationally expensive. It serves as a temporary measure for website administrators while more advanced methods for identifying headless browsers are being developed.
- Reuse Less Software — wiki.alopex.li
EC2’s formally verified isolation engine provides mathematical assurance of VM isolation
AWS has announced the general availability of M9g and M9gd EC2 instances powered by the new Graviton5 CPU, which doubles core counts to 192. These instances introduce the Nitro Isolation Engine, a Rust-based component formally verified using Isabelle/HOL to mathematically guarantee virtual machine isolation and security.
- EC2’s formally verified isolation engine provides mathematical assurance of VM isolation — amazon.science
Your Interface Has Two Channels
All interfaces utilize two signaling channels: in-band, which forces users to confront certain concerns, and out-of-band, which allows them to be inadvertently ignored. Effective interface design involves deciding how loudly each concern should be signaled to prevent accidental failures caused by unacknowledged assumptions.
- Your Interface Has Two Channels — tomeraberba.ch
merman: Mermaid.js, but headless, in Rust
Merman is a headless, Rust-based implementation of Mermaid.js designed for parsing, layout, and browserless rendering of diagrams. It enables the production of SVG, raster formats, and ASCII output without requiring a JavaScript runtime or web browser.
- merman: Mermaid.js, but headless, in Rust — github.com
Odin dev-2026-06 Released
The Odin dev-2026-06 development build introduces several compiler enhancements, including optimized SIMD generation and improved error reporting. The update also adds support for post-quantum cryptography through new ML-KEM and ML-DSA packages.
- Odin dev-2026-06 Released — github.com
A Brief Introduction to Icon
Icon is a high-level, expression-oriented imperative programming language featuring extensive capabilities for processing strings and various data structures. Its most distinctive characteristic is a goal-directed evaluation mechanism that utilizes success and failure to manage generators capable of producing multiple values.
- A Brief Introduction to Icon — www2.cs.arizona.edu
hax: A Rust verification tool
Hax is a tool designed for high-assurance translations of a large subset of Rust into formal languages such as F*, Rocq, and Lean. It supports various backends, including general-purpose proof assistants and specialized tools for verifying cryptography and protocols.
- hax: A Rust verification tool — github.com
The unreasonable effectiveness of simple HTML (2021)
The article argues for the use of simple, lightweight HTML to ensure that essential public services remain accessible on outdated hardware and limited internet connections. Using an anecdote about someone accessing government benefits via a PlayStation Portable, the author emphasizes the importance of designing websites for maximum inclusivity.
- The unreasonable effectiveness of simple HTML (2021) — shkspr.mobi
Tailwind and slop apps
The frequent use of predictable Tailwind CSS templates by LLMs is creating a generic aesthetic that signals low-quality, unoriginal software. To avoid alienating potential users, the author encourages developers to invest genuine creativity into their product’s design rather than relying on easily recognizable, AI-generated layouts.
- Tailwind and slop apps — briandouglas.ie
Boo – Screen-style terminal multiplexer built on libghostty
Boo is a Zig-based terminal multiplexer built on libghostty that preserves precise screen states, including styles and cursor positions, across all sessions. It features session persistence through detachment and reattachment, a full-screen management UI, and automation primitives designed for use by scripts and AI agents.
Please, Use a Link
The author criticizes developers for using onClick event handlers on elements like div and button instead of native anchor tags for navigation in single-page applications. This practice breaks essential browser features, such as back button functionality and URL previews, while also hindering accessibility. To ensure proper web functionality, the author recommends utilizing standard link elements or components that leverage the href attribute.
- Please, Use a Link — idiallo.com
Yserver: Modern X11 Server Written in Rust with the Help of Claude Code
Developed by Jos Dehaes using Rust and Claude Code AI, YSERVER is a new X11 server designed to modernize functionality by removing legacy components from the X.Org Server. It currently supports desktop environments such as MATE, Xfce, and Cinnamon, along with key extensions like RandR and GLX.
Open-source API Key server written in Go by Ory
Ory has introduced Ory Talos, a scalable and secure API key server written in Go designed for the low-latency issuance, verification, and management of API keys and short-lived tokens. The system supports high-throughput, cloud-native environments through both managed service via the Ory Network and self-hosted configurations using databases like PostgreSQL or MySQL.
- Open-source API Key server written in Go by Ory — github.com
Lisp’s Influence on Ruby
Ruby incorporates various foundational functional programming concepts from Lisp and Scheme, albeit through a more streamlined and object-oriented syntax. Key influences include the use of question marks for predicate methods, the implementation of closures via blocks, and the treatment of functions as first-class objects.
- Lisp’s Influence on Ruby — blog.tacoda.dev
Nextcloud Hub 26 Spring: Built together, designed for the future
Nextcloud has released Nextcloud Hub 26 Spring to celebrate its tenth anniversary, featuring a refined user interface and enhanced collaboration tools. The update also introduces a new platform strategy designed to further empower developers within its open-source ecosystem.
- Nextcloud Hub 26 Spring: Built together, designed for the future — nextcloud.com
MapComplete: Maps about various topics which you can contribute to
MapComplete provides a platform for users to contribute to maps covering various topics. The provided information specifically mentions Mastodon.
- MapComplete: Maps about various topics which you can contribute to — mapcomplete.org
Homebrew 6.0.0
Homebrew has announced the release of version 6.0.0, introducing several significant updates since version 5.1.0. Key enhancements include a new tap trust security mechanism, Linux sandboxing, and an improved internal JSON API. The update also features performance improvements and initial support for macOS 27.
- Homebrew 6.0.0 — brew.sh
Flatiron is a fast columnar analytics library for Clojure
Flatiron is a pure Clojure columnar analytics library that provides a SQL-like DSL for high-performance in-memory queries and graph algorithms. It achieves significant efficiency by utilizing typed primitive arrays and a batch-processing engine to minimize boxing and indirection during operations.
I procrastinate by building tools to stop me from procrastinating: A sad story
A developer has released ProductivityProxy, a customizable forward proxy designed to combat procrastination by managing web traffic through visual policy flows. Built as a Tauri app on top of mitmproxy, the tool allows power users to define custom rules and behaviors using Python-based nodes.
HTML is a native image format, hear me out
HMML (HyperMedia Markup Language) is a new declarative language that integrates HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and various media types into a single, composable binary file. Unlike traditional raster images that flatten content, HMML preserves individual elements as editable nodes to allow for granular updates, animations, and reformatting directly in the browser.
- HTML is a native image format, hear me out — hmml.eddocu.com
Macaroni – a single HTML file messenger
Macaroni Messenger is a backendless messaging application contained within a single HTML file that utilizes Git repositories for data storage via the .macaroni/ protocol. By connecting a GitHub repository with an access token, users can read and write messages directly through their browser without needing registration or a dedicated server.
- Macaroni – a single HTML file messenger — github.com
Xfce Ported to Rust-Written Redox OS for Better X11 Experience
Developer Wildan Mubarok has ported the Xfce desktop environment to the Rust-based Redox OS to provide a more stable X11 experience, though several bugs still need addressing. May updates for the operating system also introduced significant performance improvements to I/O and filesystem handling alongside the addition of the COSMIC Monitor application.
Windows 11 sucks slightly less due to June update
Microsoft’s June update for Windows 11 introduces a new low-latency profile that improves the responsiveness of app launches and system menus by briefly boosting CPU clock speeds. The update also enhances Windows Store download speeds and search performance while patching hundreds of security vulnerabilities.
- Windows 11 sucks slightly less due to June update — engadget.com
🔌 Hardware & Infrastructure
Graviton 5 impresses, but please, for the love of all that’s holy, stop calling them ‘AI chips’
The article discusses the impressive performance of AWS’s Graviton 5 processor while criticizing the trend of labeling these chips as “AI chips.” The author argues against the use of this specific terminology for the new hardware.
- Graviton 5 impresses, but please, for the love of all that’s holy, stop calling them ‘AI chips’ — theregister.com
ZTE wins three Selular Award 2026 honors for AI-powered network innovation
ZTE has been honored with three Selular Award 2026 awards for its advancements in AI-powered network innovation. The company was specifically recognized for breakthroughs in Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), Network Ecosystem, and Native AI Baseband, reinforcing its role in driving Indonesia’s 5G-Advanced and AI economic growth.
Dutch chip startup claims all-European fab flow – with help from a very American friend
A Dutch semiconductor startup aims to establish an all-European fabrication flow for Satnav components through EU-based design and manufacturing. However, the company will utilize the American chipmaker GlobalFoundries to handle the actual production of these parts.
- Dutch chip startup claims all-European fab flow – with help from a very American friend — theregister.com
Those old modem upgrades
The author reflects on the nostalgic excitement of upgrading internet speeds, specifically recalling a transition to a 14.4k modem in 1993. This particular upgrade transformed their experience playing text-based MUD games by allowing pages to load instantly rather than line by line.
- Those old modem upgrades — sals.place
Web Browsing on Gaming Consoles
These articles explore the history and evolution of official web browsers on video game consoles, tracing their transition from basic internet gateways to integrated system features. They highlight how implementations like the CD-i’s “internet-lite” and Sega Saturn’s PlanetWeb Browser provided accessible web access for non-technical users through television-based hardware.
- Web Browsers on Video Game Consoles — vale.rocks
How We Moved Discord Voice to the Edge
Discord is migrating its voice and video traffic to Cloudflare’s edge network, expanding its server presence from approximately 30 major cities to over 300 global locations. While this transition has significantly improved connection quality in many regions, the company discovered that hosting calls in remote areas can inadvertently increase latency for more distant participants.
- How We Moved Discord Voice to the Edge — discord.com
Crusoe pauses Wyoming data center build as cost/timing concerns deter clients like Google
Crusoe has announced it is “pausing” plans for a massive AI data center in Wyoming after failing to secure key customers, such as Alphabet Inc.’s Google. Sources indicate the developer is actually being pushed out of the project due to concerns regarding rising costs and development timelines.
- Crusoe pauses Wyoming data center build as cost/timing concerns deter clients like Google — bloomberg.com
Amazon’s Data Center Water Usage
Amazon’s global data center operations used approximately 2.5 billion gallons of water in 2025, a volume equivalent to about 5% of the annual consumption in metro Seattle. Despite growing scrutiny over the environmental impact of AI, the company reported that water usage at its owned and operated sites decreased by 2% compared to 2024, claiming more efficient cooling than some technology peers.
- Amazon data centers used ~2.5B gallons of water in 2025; usage at owned sites fell 2% vs 2024. — wsj.com
- Amazon Says Its Data Centers Use 2.5B Gallons of Water — bloomberg.com
A jacket that harvests drinking water from the air
Engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a jacket featuring a specialized textile that harvests drinking water from atmospheric moisture. The wearable technology can produce between 400 and 900 milliliters of water daily, providing a portable solution for individuals in remote or water-stressed regions.
- A jacket that harvests drinking water from the air — news.utexas.edu
Apple didn’t revolutionize power supplies; new transistors did (2012)
Contrary to Steve Jobs’ claims that Rod Holt’s switching power supply for the Apple II revolutionized computing, historical evidence suggests this technology resulted from broader advancements in semiconductor and transistor technology. These developments predated the Apple II and allowed for more efficient power regulation by using rapid on-and-off cycles rather than dissipating excess energy as heat.
Car headlights don’t have to be this blinding
Modern LED car headlights are increasingly bright, causing significant glare and vision impairment for oncoming drivers. This trend poses growing safety risks on the road as vehicle lighting technology advances faster than regulation.
- Car headlights don’t have to be this blinding — theatlantic.com
Trump T1 Phone is a facelifted 2024 HTC U24 Pro
A teardown of the Trump Mobile T1 reveals that its internal hardware is nearly identical to the 2024 HTC U24 Pro, sharing the same mainboard and processor. The only notable differences identified are minor cosmetic changes to the speaker grille pattern and flash placement.
- Trump T1 Phone is a facelifted 2024 HTC U24 Pro — ifixit.com
Thermodynamics rules future orbital data centers
While companies like SpaceX and Google are pursuing orbital data centers to leverage solar energy, significant physical and economic hurdles remain. Challenges such as inefficient radiative cooling and high operational costs currently limit the viability of space-based computing to niche applications.
- Thermodynamics rules future orbital data centers — spectrum.ieee.org
A greyscale iPhone setup that works in everyday life
An individual has developed an iPhone setup using iOS Shortcuts and Automations to automatically toggle between grayscale and color modes based on app usage. This method aims to reduce screen time by making the device less visually stimulating while maintaining functionality for essential, color-dependent applications.
- A greyscale iPhone setup that works in everyday life — fabianhemmert.com
⚖️ Policy & Business
Met Police joins forces with Apple to choke London’s stolen phone trade
The Metropolitan Police have formed an intelligence-sharing partnership with Apple to combat the trade of stolen mobile phones in London. This initiative aims to track stolen devices once they are brought back online.
- Met Police joins forces with Apple to choke London’s stolen phone trade — theregister.com
NS&I dangles £220K salary for CEO willing to straighten out £3B IT mess
National Savings and Investments (NS&I) is offering a £220,000 salary for a new CEO tasked with resolving a £3 billion IT failure known as Project Rainbow. The successful candidate will be required to manage intense government scrutiny following the organization’s large-scale technological disaster.
- NS&I dangles £220K salary for CEO willing to straighten out £3B IT mess — theregister.com
UK Treasury still deciding whether to show up to £1.7B ERP program it agreed to fund
The tech industry is seeing significant advancements in AI, including Google’s new multimodal model and Oracle’s massive $70B investment in infrastructure. Concurrently, cybersecurity remains a major concern as professionals navigate rising threats from phishing attacks and zero-day vulnerabilities in enterprise software.
- UK Treasury still deciding whether to show up to £1.7B ERP program it agreed to fund — theregister.com
Anthropic, OpenAI, and other startups expand in London, making it a key non-US AI talent hub.
Major U.S. technology and AI companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, are expanding their presence in London to leverage the city’s deep pool of specialized talent. This surge in expansion is driving intense competition for skilled professionals within the UK capital’s maturing technology ecosystem.
- Anthropic, OpenAI, and other startups expand in London, making it a key non-US AI talent hub. — cnbc.com
Cruz and Wyden propose JAWBONE Act to let Americans sue officials for coerced speech censorship
Senators Ted Cruz and Ron Wyden have introduced the bipartisan JAWBONE Act, which seeks to prohibit federal agencies from coercing broadcasters and tech platforms into restricting speech. The proposed legislation would establish a private right of action, allowing individuals and state attorneys general to sue for compensatory damages in cases of government overreach.
- Cruz and Wyden propose JAWBONE Act to let Americans sue officials for coerced speech censorship — arstechnica.com
Ex-a16z GP John O’Farrell calls massive AI regulation spending “a huge mistake”
Former Andreessen Horowitz general partner John O’Farrell criticizes AI industry leaders for spending hundreds of millions of dollars to lobby against meaningful regulation and influence political candidates. He argues that attempting to forestall democratic debate on AI governance is a “huge mistake” given the technology’s potential to significantly impact job security, biological safety, and economic power.
Waymo Launches New Premier Subscription
Waymo has launched “Waymo Premier,” an invite-only monthly subscription service costing $29.99 for select riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. The membership offers perks such as 10% cashback on rides, priority pickups to skip virtual lines, and five free ride cancellations per month.
- Waymo launches $30/month Waymo Premier with 10% cashback and skip-the-line perks. — techcrunch.com
- Waymo Premier — waymo.com
Citigroup launches blockchain platform for trading tokenized private firm shares.
Citigroup is developing a blockchain-based platform to enable wealthy and institutional clients to trade tokenized shares of private companies. The initiative aims to expand access to private firms amid lengthening IPO timelines and seeks widespread adoption across Wall Street.
OpenAI Prepping for On-Prem Product?
OpenAI has updated its Service Terms to include a new section for “Licensed Materials” designed for installation on local machines or private clouds. This update suggests potential future on-premise product offerings, though it mandates that customers permanently delete all copies of the software upon contract termination.
- OpenAI Prepping for On-Prem Product? — ledger.somantix.ai
Why I’m Forced to Say Farewell: Google Management Has Lost Its Moral Compass
A former Director of Android Platform Security is leaving Google, claiming that the company’s management has lost its original moral compass and ethical values. The author contrasts the current corporate culture with a previous era characterized by transparency, openness, and a commitment to the public good.
- Why I’m Forced to Say Farewell: Google Management Has Lost Its Moral Compass — mayrhofer.eu.org
Why your asthma inhaler is so expensive (in the US)
Despite many effective asthma treatments being off-patent for decades, inhaler costs in the United States remain high. These prices are driven by a combination of the patent system, drug naming practices, and the profit-seeking behavior of pharmaceutical companies.
- Why your asthma inhaler is so expensive (in the US) — educatedguesswork.org
Israel’s Paid U.S. Influencer Network Exposed – – Imemc News
Leaked documents and FARA filings reveal that the Israeli government is paying American social media influencers up to $7,000 per post to promote pro-Israel content as part of an expanded global PR campaign. This initiative also includes hiring digital strategist Brad Parscale for AI-driven messaging amid a notable shift in U.S. public opinion regarding military operations in Gaza.
Petition to Withdraw Canada’s Bill C-22
The Canadian House of Commons has clarified that Members of Parliament are under no obligation to authorize or present e-petitions or paper petitions. Furthermore, the House does not endorse the contents of these petitions nor assume liability for them, and parliamentary privilege is only granted once a petition is officially presented by an MP.
- Petition to Withdraw Canada’s Bill C-22 — ourcommons.ca
The U.S. Is Terrorizing Cuba to Make Rich Men Richer
The article alleges that the Trump administration is using economic pressure on Cuba to force the privatization of state assets for the benefit of political allies and donors. It cites the recent deal involving Canadian mining company Sherritt as evidence of efforts to facilitate discounted acquisitions by U.S.-linked entities.
- The U.S. Is Terrorizing Cuba to Make Rich Men Richer — currentaffairs.org
Adafruit files suit against Flux.ai over legal threats [pdf]
Adafruit has filed a lawsuit against Flux.ai in response to several legal threats made by the PCB design software company. The litigation centers on claims regarding the nature and impact of those threats against Adafruit.
- Adafruit files suit against Flux.ai over legal threats [pdf] — storage.courtlistener.com
Congress Just Rushed Through a Disastrous Copyright Office Overhaul
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 6028, a bill that would make the Register of Copyrights a presidential appointee subject to Senate confirmation. The legislation also removes the Library of Congress’s supervisory role over the U.S. Copyright Office and transfers key administrative and rulemaking powers directly to the Register.
🌍 Science & Society
Race against re-entry: Swift’s would-be saviour straps itself to a rocket
Katalyst’s LINK spacecraft is proceeding with integration ahead of an upcoming launch from Kwajalein. The mission is expected to take place within the next few weeks.
If you are asking for human attention, demonstrate human effort
To prevent “AI fatigue” among teammates, engineers should avoid forwarding unvetted or unlabeled AI-generated content. Instead, they should demonstrate human effort by reviewing AI outputs and adding personal commentary when sharing them with others.
Elon Musk under fire for stoking anti-immigrant riots in Belfast
Anti-immigrant riots have erupted in Belfast following the viral spread of a video depicting a violent stabbing attack, leading to property damage and police injuries. Elon Musk is facing intense criticism for using his platform, X, to promote anti-immigration rhetoric that many accuse of inciting the ongoing unrest.
I stopped tracking my time. Now I can’t focus
After abandoning time tracking to reduce administrative friction, the author experienced increased productivity and greater creative freedom. However, the lack of structural boundaries has also led to fragmented focus and mental exhaustion due to frequent context switching between projects.
- I stopped tracking my time. Now I can’t focus — newsletter.masilotti.com
Travel locally, where you are
Instead of seeking far-off destinations, individuals can find adventure by exploring nearby locations through spontaneous and unplanned trips. This approach requires minimal preparation and offers opportunities for unexpected discoveries within one’s own region.
- Travel locally, where you are — ssp.sh
Israel expanded propaganda contract with Trump’s former campaign manager
Recent foreign agent registration filings reveal that Brad Parscale’s company, Clock Tower X LLC, has increased its Israeli government propaganda contract from $6 million to $9 million. The expanded program utilizes at least eleven different brands to disseminate pro-Israel narratives and digital advertisements to the American public.
- Israel expanded propaganda contract with Trump’s former campaign manager — jackpoulson.substack.com
Omniglot: The Online Encyclopedia of Writing Systems and Languages
Omniglot is an online encyclopedia that provides extensive resources on various writing systems, constructed scripts, and language profiles. The platform also offers multilingual vocabulary lists and regular updates regarding new additions to its linguistic database.
US-Canada border library gets new Quebec-only entrance
Following increased US security measures that restricted access through its original Vermont entrance, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House has opened a new Canada-only entrance. Funded by community fundraising, the new access point repurposes a former emergency exit on the Quebec side of the border.
Global population movements from 1990 to 2023
This research initiative tracks global population movements from 1990 to 2023. It provides detailed data and analysis regarding international migration patterns and demographic shifts over more than three decades.
- Global population movements from 1990 to 2023 — nature.com
A crime doesn’t make a child an adult
Despite scientific evidence suggesting that juvenile incarceration is counterproductive due to adolescent brain development, several U.S. lawmakers are passing legislation to try more minors as adults. Recent legislative efforts in states like Missouri aim to impose stricter punishments on young offenders following recent spikes in crime.
- A crime doesn’t make a child an adult — theatlantic.com
Teenagers Stayed Overnight at Their School and Found Hidden Ancient Roman Ruins
While protesting remote learning in 2021, students at a high school in Rome discovered an ancient Roman villa hidden in the building’s basement. Recent archaeological excavations of the mid-second century C.E. site have revealed well-preserved frescoes and mosaics.
- Teenagers Stayed Overnight at Their School and Found Hidden Ancient Roman Ruins — smithsonianmag.com
Why are there an increasing number of outright unhinged high karma users on HN?
An author on Hacker News has raised concerns regarding an increasing trend of irrational and nonsensical comments from high-karma users. The post highlights how bizarre behavior and illogical accusations, previously associated with low-karma accounts, are now appearing among more established community members.