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ObituaryHow scholar Ackbar Abbas changed the way people thought about Hong Kong Abbas, whose concepts such as ‘déjà disparu’ are still used to explain how Hong Kong feels from the inside, died on July 13 at the age of 84 Ackbar Abbas, a Hong Kong-born scholar whose influence extended beyond academia to shape artists, filmmakers, writers and many others, died on July 13 at the age of 84 after a brief battle with cancer. Over decades of teaching at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the University of California, Irvine (UCI), Abbas did not simply analyse Hong Kong – he altered the way Hong Kong could be described. His 1997 book Hong Kong: Culture and…

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, July 23 (game #872). Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints. Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the…

ChatGPT solved cybersecurity task that typically takes weeks in about 8 hours, expert says New research from a cybersecurity company now indicates that artificial intelligence models are getting better at solving multi-part problems. Gabriel Bernadett-Shapiro, who worked on the project and is a distinguished AI research scientist at SentinelOne, joins to unpack his team's research.

Thailand is betting on trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) to become an AI hub in Southeast Asia by placing governance, infrastructure and talent at the heart of its national strategy. The country seeks to differentiate itself in the region's intensifying AI race where trust and not computing power is emerging as a key competitive advantage. "AI's true value lies not in technological sophistication, but in the benefits it delivers to people and the trust it earns," Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Chaichanok Chidchob said in a video address to the Huawei Thailand Digital & AI Summit 2026 event on Thursday. He outlined Thailand's AI…

Last week, OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, was testing a pair of its most advanced models in an isolated environment known as a sandbox. Then an AI agent got loose, broke into Hugging Face’s playground — a repository of AI models and datasets — and carried out “tens of thousands of automated actions.” Yep, AI went rogue. Here’s a clearer explanation of the incident. As part of OpenAI’s safety research, a cybersecurity evaluation was conducted to determine whether a pair of OpenAI models (including GPT-5.6 Sol and a more capable unreleased model) could, in essence, “think like hackers.” The test, which took place in a contained setting with reduced…

For more than a decade, Sarah Langa built her reputation in fashion. Long before content creation became a career, she was among the small group of South Africans experimenting with what social media could become, helping transform Instagram from a platform for sharing outfit photos into a viable business for creatives. But while audiences came to know her through fashion campaigns, beauty partnerships and lifestyle content, Langa says design was always the thread running through her life. "My true passion and interest lies in fashion and design," she says. After more than 10 years working in the digital space, she found herself asking a difficult…

Samsung’s new My FanCam feature is already one of my favorite Galaxy AI features for a simple reason: It’s not making anything up. So many previous Galaxy AI features like Sketch to Image and AI Eraser have been about adding or removing things from photos, creating an image that’s not remotely real because it’s just generating what you’re requesting. What My FanCam does is simply make AI your personal cameraman, letting you create a focused video on a consistent subject. FanCam videos themselves aren’t new; there are lots of fun videos online that focus on a consistent subject, and there are other apps that help you make them. But by integrating this…

Competitions and admissions Aswini Bajaj Classes, Kolkata, in association with the CFA Institute, has announced the sixth edition of Chanakyaneeti, its annual online business and finance competition. When: July 28 Eligibility: Currently enrolled UG students across academic disciplines Rewards: Participants securing ranks 1 to 6 will receive CFA Institute Scholarships applicable towards CFA Level I registration, while participants ranked 7 to 25 will receive scholarships worth a combined ₹85,000 from Aswini Bajaj Classes. All participants will receive a digital certificate upon completion. Deadline: July 27 Details at FinX launched Season 2 of the…

In brief Black Forest Labs has launched FLUX 3 in early access, its first model that generates video, producing clips up to 20 seconds long with synced audio. The same backbone powers FLUX-mimic, a robotics model built with mimic robotics that Audi is already testing on its production line. Only the open-weight “Dev” version is planned for later in 2026; Video and Action stay behind APIs and partner access for now, with Image following in the coming weeks. Black Forest Labs released FLUX 3 on Thursday, and for the first time, the company’s flagship model generates video instead of just still images. The German AI lab, known for the FLUX line of image…

Chu Bakery Bakery$ Seren and Ryan Chu – yes, you pronounce the couple’s surname like choux, the pastry – might have taken the long route to open their neighbourhood bakery, but the wait was worth it. She’s a self-taught pâtissier, he’s a self-taught baker: together they’ve reimagined French baking through a contemporary South-East Asian lens. The result? Matcha puffs, mango chiffon cakes, yuzu pound cake and other wonders worth queuing for. Good to know: Hyde Park, right across the road from Chu, is a perfect setting for an impromptu picnic Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or…

Hongkongers increase cross-border shopping splurges, spending data shows Price differentials, changing consumer habits make mainland China a ‘major hotspot’ for Hongkongers’ spending, UnionPay International says Even as local retail spending remains resilient, Hong Kong consumers are shopping more across the border in mainland China, drawn by lower prices and wider adoption of digital payments, according to data from payment giant UnionPay International. Offline UnionPay card spending in mainland China by Hong Kong residents rose nearly 30 per cent year on year in the first half of 2026, while online and digital transactions recorded even stronger…

The owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant in South Korea is facing up to a year in jail and a fine of roughly $13,510 after the eatery allegedly served ants atop its sorbets. The proprietor of the Seoul restaurant, not identified in court documents, acknowledged serving ants, which are not among the insect species approved for human consumption under South Korea's Food Sanitation Act. The law approves 10 other insect species for human consumption — but not ants, the BBC reported. The country's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety discovered the violation through customers' social media posts and online reviews mentioning ants, according to reports.…

Scientists develop handheld device for measuring when your body is burning fat The breathalyzer identifies the amount of acetone in your breath to determine if your body is in ketosis. Smart scales and smartwatches often rely on bioelectrical impedance to calculate body fat percentage, a quick, though not necessarily accurate, way to get a sense of the amount of lean mass in your body without having to take multiple measurements. Accurately measuring when your body is burning fat is a whole other ball game, though, which makes new research into a handheld fat burning measurement device all the more intriguing. In a study for the scientific journal…

Toastface Grillah Cafe$ The homey comfort of toasted cheese sandwiches plus a memorable moniker inspired by the Wu-Tang Clan? Was there any doubt that Perth would fall hard for Toastface? Although toasties – plus rap-inspired business names – are everywhere now, Marika and Alister Miles’ decision to hit go on Toastface Grillah in 2013 will forever be a key moment in Perth cafe history. Stringy cheese continues to rule everything around us at Toastface’s Murray Street HQ. Good to know: you can score a classic cheese toastie and medium coffee for just a tenner. Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a…

Google's gotten around to squashing another bug, making it possible to use Google Wallet's Express Pay again without any issues on Pixel Watch. While it was pretty smooth sailing for a bit, an update managed to break the feature, causing payments to fail if the watch wasn't unlocked. As you can imagine, this caused quite a few headaches. The good news is that this won't be a problem going forward, as Google has officially chimed in to share that the issue has been resolved (via Android Authority). This was a problem that was brought up a few weeks ago, so if you've been having the same issue, you'll want to check back to see if it's been fixed on your…

Sugar & Nice Cafe$ How many renditions of Happy Birthday to You, I wonder, has baker Marnee Rinaldi been proxy to over the years via her colourful cakes? How many mornings have her dense cinnamon scrolls brightened? And how many people have journeyed to Inglewood specifically to visit her cheery Beaufort Street cafe? If only every postcode could boast a neighbourhood bakery like Sugar & Nice. Good to know: the ornate Verdens Beste cake won the champion bakery exhibit at this year’s Royal Show baking award named. Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber has spent years promoting the metro as a place to invest, manufacture and do business. Now it is putting that message on products, packaging and shopfronts across the region. Just weeks after launching its Made in the Bay region-of-origin brand, the chamber has seen more than 70 businesses â from multinational manufacturers and exporters to long-established family businesses and growing local enterprises â commit to displaying the seal on their products, marketing material and digital platforms. For chamber chief executive Denise van Huyssteen, the enthusiastic response signals that local businesses are ready to…

The Re Store Cafe$ Although the origin story of the continental roll is a murky one, know this: without The Re Store, Perth wouldn’t have its own Italian-Australian sandwich. Despite the rise of specialist conti roll purveyors, the Re Store conti remains a key local rite of passage. While the Northbridge Re Store features a larger range of sandwich fillings, my pick is the West Leederville outpost: great cheeses, a wondrous liquor selection, plus dedicated parking. Good to know: A smaller spuntino roll filled with provolone and prosciutto makes great on-the-go snacking Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t…

Modus Coffee Cafe$ In the beginning, there was the ur-Modus in Highgate: a dapper, minimal space off Beaufort Street that felt like a secret discovery serving excellent coffee. While Modus might not be as secret these days – as to be expected when a group adds a couple more cafes and a roastery to its line-up – its commitment to great drinking remains steadfast. Baked treats from sister bakery Goods Bakery round off a compelling package. Good to know: Modus’s subscription program lets drinkers tailor their own coffee delivery drip-feed Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in…

With iOS 27, Apple focused on making improvements to iOS performance, optimizing everything from system animations to AirDrop transfer speeds. iPhone performance is smoother and faster on all iPhones able to run iOS 27, which includes the iPhone 11 and newer. There are over 80 iOS 27 improvements Apple announced, with 10 of the most useful listed below. App Launching Apps launch up to 30 percent faster in iOS 27, and that includes Apple's own apps and third-party apps. When you're opening apps dozens of times a day, less loading time adds up and makes the system feel faster. Apple says it tested the app launching speed improvements using an iPhone 11…

Remembering legendary CBS News cameraman Derek Williams Derek Williams, who worked as a cameraman for decades at CBS News, has died at 79. CBS News congressional correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns looks back at his storied career.

Published The UK has been too complacent about the risk of foreign attack, the boss of Europe's biggest defence contractor BAE Systems has warned. Dr Charles Woodburn told the BBC in an exclusive interview that the level of threat was the highest he'd seen in his lifetime. He welcomed the recent boost to defence spending but said much more would be needed to hit the government's commitment to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035. He also warned we were not far from the use of autonomous lethal weapons by countries that may not follow the UK's policy of maintaining human control. In a rare interview, Woodburn told the BBC the reality of modern warfare…

WASHINGTON — New U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel on Thursday hailed Korea's shipbuilding cooperation with the United States as an expansion of the bilateral alliance into a "new" and "important" territory, stressing that reinforcing the alliance is her "top priority." Steel made the remarks during an event marking the opening of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC) in Washington — a platform to facilitate the $150 billion investment in the U.S. shipbuilding sector that Seoul has committed to as part of last year's bilateral trade and investment deal. "What we have discussed today is proof that our alliance is expanding…

CAIRO — Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on Thursday, potentially widening the Iran war as international oil topped $100 a barrel. The Houthis have threatened to shut down another key trade route, with the world economy already reeling from Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Iran and the U.S. have stepped up their attacks as they vie for control of the strait, through which a fifth of the world's oil and gas transited in peacetime, setting off a scramble for alternative routes. As the U.S. carried out a 12th night of strikes across Iran, President Donald Trump threatened “major…

Eight Arab and Muslim-majority countries have strongly condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem by far-right groups and thousands of Israeli settlers. In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and the United Arab Emirates denounced the “mass incursions by settlers led by extremist Israeli ministers into the Noble Sanctuary” of Al-Aqsa. The diplomats underscored that the storming of Islam’s third-holiest site took place under the protection of Israeli police forces. “These provocative actions fuel hatred and extremism, and…

Francisco Alejandro Leyva was gunned down at an Oaxaca street food stand, becoming the seventh journalist killed in Mexico this year, days after his final column criticized state corruption. The post Oaxaca journalist, known for criticizing governor, shot dead; Feds takes over the case appeared first on Mexico News Daily

The Philippine military on Monday (July 20, 2026) accused China’s coast guard of allegedly injuring a Filipino sailor during an incident in a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. The military said Chinese coast guard personnel aboard a motorboat repeatedly struck the sailor on the head with a wooden baton, injuring him and damaging his smaller vessel. The assault was captured on video by other Filipino sailors in the hotly disputed Second Thomas Shoal and set off angry condemnations by Philippine officials. They praised the Filipino navy personnel, saying they did not do anything that could have caused an escalation. China’s coast guard responded by…

The implications of the U.S.-Saudi Arabia nuclear deal After signing a nuclear accord with Saudi Arabia, President Trump says that the agreement hinges on the Saudis establishing diplomatic relations with Israel, which they have refused to do. CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent and "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan has the latest. Then, former CIA Deputy Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Joe Zacks joins with analysis.

The government has said the UK is “ready to defend itself” after Iran’s military warned that any bases being used by the US were “legitimate targets”. The UK has allowed the US to launch “defensive” operations from British bases hosting American planes since the start of its war on Iran but has refused to help in offensive operations. That policy has not been altered by the new prime minister, Andy Burnham, who was notified last week that a decision had been made to extend the agreement with the US. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Thursday that “any base used for aggression against Iranian territory constitutes a legitimate target for…

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source President Donald Trump has warned that any damage to cargo ships traversing the Strait of Hormuz will be paid for with seized 'Iranian money.' The commander-in-chief made the announcement on his Truth Social platform Thursday evening as tensions mount in the strait, through which one-fifth of the world's oil supply traverses. 'Please let this statement serve to represent, until further notice, that from this point forth, any and all damages done to Ships, Cargo, or anything related thereto, will be paid for by Iranian Money that the United States has in its possession, and controls,' Trump…

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Four years after being stabbed on an amphitheater stage, Salman Rushdie sat across a courtroom from his convicted attacker Thursday and told jurors for a second time about the ambush that nearly killed him. The prize-winning writer recalled feeling what he thought was a punch under his chin, then feeling blood coming from his neck. Soon “I was on the stage, lying down, with an enormous pool of blood all around me,” Rushdie testified. “It was an enormous and expansive lake of blood.” READ: Novelist Salman Rushdie attacked, wounded on stage at New York event A Buffalo federal court jury watched […]...Keep on reading: Salman Rushdie…

Oil prices hit their highest levels since May topping $100 per barrel on Thursday as heightened tensions in the Middle East continue to squeeze exports. The Brent front-month crude oil futures contract ended trading in London on Thursday at $100.68 per barrel, up 7% or $7.04. In New York, the West Texas Intermediate was up 6.37% or $5.53 to $92.36 at 21:30pm EDT. Oil prices fell temporarily last month in the wake of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire to hostilities that began on February 28. However, price spikes returned earlier this month after Washington responded to Iranian attacks on shipping in the key maritime artery of the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile,…

As temperatures soar across the Edmonton region, the city is reminding people not to leave pets in vehicles. Temperatures inside a vehicle can quickly rise to dangerous levels — even on mild days, temperatures inside a vehicle can nearly double in under 15 minutes. Peace officers said leaving windows cracked or parking in the shade does not provide reliable protection from the heat. Between May and July 20, the city said it has received about 40 complaints of animals left in hot vehicles compared to 33 during the same time frame last year. In 2025, a total of almost 80 complaints were registered. This year, there are new consequences for leaving an…

One seriously injured in Waikato crash, At least one person has suffered serious injuries in a crash in Waikato on Friday morning. Emergency services are at the scene on Victoria Road at the State Highway 1 on-off ramps near Te Oko Horoi Bridge in Cambridge. Police say the crash was reported to them at around 9.45am and it appears there are serious injuries. The road is closed, and motorists being told to follow diversions and expect delays.

A young man from Alberta had his vehicle seized, several charges laid and fines issued after being caught speeding nearly three times the limit in the Columbia Valley of British Columbia. B.C. RCMP said high patrol officers from Cranbrook were patrolling on Highway 93/95 near Fairmont Hot Springs, when they spotted an Audi car traveling at 230 km/h in a 80 km/h zone. Due to how fast the car was speeding, RCMP said the officers were unable to safely initiate a traffic stop. Instead, officers converged on an area where they believed the vehicle went. After speaking to members of the public, police learned the Audi had entered a nearby campground. Get…

History gives us iconic visuals that etch themselves into collective memory and political calendars. Sometimes, however, it is the uncaptured image that forms in our imaginations that holds unshakeable power in the mind. Like how we imagine Gcina Dhladhla dying in a toilet cubicle of the car tracking company she worked for after allegedly being denied sick leave and forced to work when she'd complained that she was feeling ill. The disturbing horror of workplace exploitation and inhumanity such as Dhladhla's story and the Marikana massacre, with its 14th anniversary coming up on August 16, is what the dance theatre production Izithukuthuku: The…

About two weeks ago, a mother from Kariega had to tell her three-year-old daughter that the birthday party she was looking forward to could not happen, because there was no water at their house. She had to phone friends and family to tell them the party was postponed when, on the morning of the event, they woke up to find their taps were dry. âIt broke my heart to tell my daughter we had to postpone her party, but I canât have friends and family over if I canât even flush my toilets,â Natasha Gouws said. âBeing without water is becoming a regular inconvenience, but after seeing my daughter try her best to hold back tears when I told her the party was…

Published Satellite images have captured plumes of smoke and damage caused by a wildfire in north Wales. Data gathered by BBC Verify suggests an estimated 951 hectares (2,350 acres) of the Rhinogydd mountains in Gwynedd have been burned by a wildfire which broke out earlier this month. Nasa's satellite-based FIRMS monitoring system has also detected heat signatures from four areas of Wales where wildfires have broken out. It is showing heat sources at Blaenavon in Torfaen, Presteigne in Powys, and Pentre Halkyn in Flintshire. Natural Resources Wales said a specialist firefighting helicopter will be deployed to Rhinogydd on Friday morning after calls…

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source A man has died and three people have been rushed to hospital after a suspected explosion at an industrial unit. Emergency services raced to the scene on Brunel Road in Bedford at just before 4pm on Thursday and remained for several hours. Fire crews left at around 7pm and officers will stay on site until the investigation is handed over to the Health and Safety Executive. Police said roads have been reopened after initially closing them and an initial corden which was put in place has now been stood down. The three injured victims received treatment at a hospital.

Two explosions were heard near the village of Mosan on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency. Tasnim attributed the explosions to unconfirmed US missile strikes.

The International Mathematical Union awarded the prestigious Fields Medal to four mathematicians on Thursday, including only the third woman to receive the honour, as researchers weighed the growing impact of artificial intelligence on a field increasingly being reshaped by the technology.

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, July 23 (game #1641). Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers. Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and…

Canadian professor and mathematician Jacob Tsimerman has made history as the first scholar based at a Canadian institution — and the second Canadian — to receive the Fields Medal. “It’s a big honour, obviously, getting this award for me and my collaborators who I’m very happy are getting recognized as well,” said Tsimerman. “I’m thrilled to be here.” The Fields Medal is one of the world’s highest honours in mathematics, awarded every four years to recognize extraordinary research achievement by up to four mathematicians under the age of 40. While this year’s International Congress of Mathematicians was held in Philadelphia, colleagues of Tsimerman…

In February 2025, researcher Matthew Niemiller was surveying Bobcat Cave in Alabama, like many scientists had done before him over the last 40 years. The cave, home to the endangered Alabama Cave Shrimp, is one of the most monitored cave systems in the southeastern U.S. and is typically not somewhere scientists expect a major surprise. However, during his survey, Niemiller spotted a pale, eyeless fish swimming in the water — a fish that didn’t look like anything he’d seen in the cave before. After Niemiller sent the fish to Auburn University, a research team confirmed in Scientific Reports that it represented a new species and could be one of the…

From small boats off Norway’s Lofoten Islands, researchers used poles to attach recording tags to the backs of sperm whales. Suction cups held the devices in place as the whales slipped below the surface. As the animals stopped swimming and rotated into their upright resting positions, microphones on the tags recorded bursts of bubbles. Those releases appeared to keep the whales from slowly floating upward as they rested. Sperm whales are the only whales known to rest vertically, with their heads pointed upward and their bodies hanging below. Researchers think this position shields them from surface waves without requiring them to expend energy to…

*The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. "Sunday Morning" also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.) * Guest host: Mo Rocca ** COVER STORY: Home, not alone: Helping aging seniors in rural America**According to the USDA, the number of counties where at least 20% of residents are over the age of 65 has nearly tripled since 2010 – and it's in those older, more rural populations where the health risks associated with loneliness and social isolation are more common. Correspondent Lee Cowan goes to North Dakota, where the program Aging in Community, aimed…

As a neuroscientist who studies raccoon and rats, I see the viral story of Jimothy the raccoon as a compelling tale of an animal overcoming disability and surviving in the wild. Jimothy, the unique-looking raccoon living in Seattle, became an internet celebrity over the course of a week in July 2026, thanks to a viral Instagram post that has amassed millions of views and thousands of comments cheering for the proverbial underdog. Jimothy has even been honored with a city proclamation. Something about him was obviously different. His body and tail were unusually short, and his back was curved. Although Jimothy hasn’t been officially examined by a…

Flora & Fauna Cafe$ After a decade in Northbridge, Alisson Cote transplanted her popular vegan hangout to Freo in 2024 to, predictably, much excitement among locals. Just like the Aberdeen Street original, Flora & Fauna’s menu is crammed with dishes that are as colourful as the burnt orange, mid-century modern dining room they’re served in. Cote’s cooking ranges from the fun and virtuous – pumpkin smashed avocado toast, say – to base pleasures a la plant-based fried chicken doppelgangers. Good to know: the cafe stocks vegan lifestyle accessories and books. Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a…

Palworld developer Pocketpair dropped the long-awaited 1.0 update for its popular monster-taming game roughly two weeks ago now, and millions of players on Steam who jumped back in following the full release have found themselves getting bodied by its toughest challenge yet: Panthalus. Based on the many clips I’ve seen of people trying and failing to beat Panthalus, this isn’t an easy fight. For instance, while raids in Palworld scale based on how many people attempt them at once, the streamers Gingy, Hutch, and Cloakzy still barely managed to best the giant boss fight with their combined man/Pal-power. So, what might happen if, say, someone tried to…

A growing body of research is revealing surprisingly human characteristics in sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)—they might have an alphabet and they even employ vowels like humans in their communication. Now, researchers have investigated another highly familiar behavior in this marine mammal: sleeping. Researchers theorize that sperm whales nap for 10 to 15 minutes at a time underwater, in a vertical position with their heads pointing upwards. By sleeping this year, they are out of the reach of tumultuous surface waters, but sufficiently close to pop up when they need to take a breath. But their heads are huge and buoyant, so how do these…

Wind signals raised over parts of N. Luzon due to Kiyapo MANILA, Philippines — Tropical storm wind signals were hoisted over parts of Northern Luzon on Friday, July 24, as Kiyapo, formerly a tropical depression, further intensified into a tropical storm, the state weather bureau reported. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) weather specialist Obet Badrina said during a 5 a.m. weather advisory that Wind Signal No. 2 was raised over Batanes, northern portion of Mainland Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands, and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte, due to Kiyapo. Meanwhile, Wind Signal No. 1 was placed…

GEOJE, South Gyeongsang Province ― The men at the next table did not ask for a long conversation. They simply reached over, set down a few freshly shucked conch with a few words and a shy chuckle, then went back to their soju as if nothing had happened. This was Gohyeon Market on a recent Monday afternoon, and this reporter, a stranger from Seoul with a plate of raw sea bass, had just been adopted for an hour by a table of middle-aged men of South Gyeongsang Province. People from this southeastern province carry a reputation, even among Koreans, for being gruff, blunt, allergic to compliments and small talk. What those conch delivered instead was…

NASA is shaking things up for its next mission to research the sun. The six satellites of NASA's Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE) mission are poised to launch to Earth orbit soon, to serve as an early warning system for incoming solar storms. They were originally slated to lift off on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket but have now been assigned a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, according to a NASA mission update. SunRISE will fly to space as part of a rideshare mission sponsored by the U.S. Space Force's (USSF's) Space Systems Command (SSC). Though it's not stated specifically in the NASA release, that may be a hint as to…

2026 is the 60th anniversary of "Star Trek". To help celebrate the show that creator Gene Roddenberry described as "Wagon Train to the Stars,""Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" returns to Paramount+ for its penultimate season. From __ teasers __and that first dropped last summer and fall, we’re anticipating a rollicking batch of dynamic episodes that draw on diverse subgenres, with everything from classic film noir crime stories and time travel to spooky ghost stories and sword-clashing swashbucklers. trailersBut the end is nigh for this colorful modern interpretation of "Trek". Next year's truncated fifth season will be the crew's final mission, so…

Elon Musk admits he “got carried away” working inside Donald Trump’s administration as the unelected director of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, where he implemented mass firings and radically cut federal spending. “I think I got a little too involved in politics. I got carried away, frankly,” he told The Economist in a wide-ranging interview published Thursday, but offered few specifics on what he regretted. But the world’s wealthiest man — who pumped millions of dollars into Trump’s campaign before he was deputized to oversee the president’s brutal cost-cutting operation — defended the work of DOGE and his dismantling of the…

Topline Several along the northern U.S. border may have a chance to see the northern lights Thursday, as geomagnetic storm conditions could make the phenomenon more visible, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Key Facts NOAA forecast a Kp index of five on a scale of nine for Thursday night, suggesting the aurora borealis may appear brighter and farther south from the magnetic north pole than usual. Some “minor” geomagnetic storms are expected late Thursday and early Friday from the influences of a recent coronal mass ejection, or large bursts of solar material that escape the sun’s outer layer and disrupt Earth’s…

This was a very notable week in space exploration, 50 years ago: NASA’s Viking 1 became the first spacecraft to successfully land on Mars, having blasted off from Cape Canaveral 11 months prior. The landmark moment wasn’t without last-minute drama either—touchdown on the surface was delayed by a couple of weeks because the original landing site was rockier than expected and deemed too unsafe. Having initially been built to operate for 90 days, the spacecraft ended up exploring the Martian surface for more than six years, sending back more than 4,500 pictures together with the Viking 2 lander that arrived several weeks later. Read more: “How the Cold…

For several years now, astronomers who study the sun have faced a little mystery — our star seemed to hold too little silver. Whenever scientists examined the sun's outer layers, they've seen significantly less silver than they've expected to find. Where, then, did the missing silver go? As it turns out, this mystery may finally be solved. Newly published research suggests that the sun's missing silver may have been hiding in plain sight all along. At first, the real mystery might seem to be why you'd seek silver in the sun at all. After all, 98.5% of the sun's mass is made from lightweight hydrogen and helium. Silver is just a tiny fraction of the…

SAN FRANCISCO – Space startup veteran Mark Matossian has joined forces with a software engineer and a best-selling author to establish Whipsmart Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on space and deep tech. Whipsmart will identify “pivotal technologies that can close a business plan” and help companies make the leap from laboratories to scaling up, said Matossian, who led Iceye U.S., program management, satellite production and launch for Terra Bella, and co-founded Lonestar Data Holdings. Matossian co-founded Whipsmart earlier this year with Lylan Masterman, a software developer and technology executive who became a venture capitalist in 2014, and…

Figuring out the best base locations in Palworld can feel like a daunting task. Pocketpair drops you in a large open world and basically says, “Go for it, pal” without any real indication of what spots might be the most helpful. While you can make any location work for a base in Palworld, the right ones give you easy access to valuable materials and make your crafting efforts go much more smoothly. For our money, here are the best base locations in Palworld for all the resources you need. Update (July 23): This guide has been updated to include information from Palworld 1.0. Best base locations in Palworld We’ve selected seven base locations that…

Persistent financial struggles have been linked to faster brain ageing, a new study has revealed. The study found that there was a pronounced impact on men, individuals from disadvantaged childhoods and those with a greater genetic risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers suggest that supporting those facing financial hardship and reducing poverty could be crucial in preventing future dementia cases. The findings, published in the journal Innovations in Aging, come from UCL experts who analysed data from 2,759 people in the UK. Participants in the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (the 1946 British cohort study) had their household income…

An 11-year-old girl from London has become the first patient in the UK to receive a groundbreaking gene therapy for a rare condition that progressively robs children of their sight. Catherine L’Estrange, from North Acton, underwent the innovative treatment, which involves injecting healthy copies of a specific gene directly into the eye. This pioneering procedure had only been performed on one other individual globally prior to Catherine’s operation. Diagnosed with Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) as a baby, Catherine is hopeful the therapy will enable her to continue her beloved hobby of reading. According to her surgeon, if successful, the treatment…

Published **A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel has voted to loosen restrictions on controversial peptides that have become popular online, but have not been well researched for human usage. ** The panel narrowly voted to allow specialised pharmacies to produce drugs including BPC-157, TB-500 and KPV, a major regulatory hurdle towards making them available via prescription. Peptides are small proteins that our bodies normally produce and that have long been used to treat medical conditions, including diabetes. But unregulated injectable peptides have exploded in the online wellness community - including among many young influencers…

Federal health officials are investigating a new outbreak involving the diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora. The outbreak included 72 people as of Wednesday. The Food and Drug Administration has not yet identified which products are linked to the illnesses. Officials also have not said where the cases are located. “This is an active investigation, and officials are working together to determine the specific cause of illnesses in this cluster,” the Department of Health and Human Services said in an email Thursday. Federal officials earlier this week said they remained focused on lettuce from Taylor Farms as the source of a separate, multistate…

A panel of federal health advisers on Thursday narrowly recommended easing access to several peptides popular with wellness influencers and celebrities, despite warnings from government scientists that the chemicals have not been shown to be safe or effective. In a series of votes, outside experts to the Food and Drug Administration advised the agency to drop current restrictions barring pharmacies from producing injectable peptides with names like BPC-157, TB-500 and KPV. The panel’s vote is not binding but is likely to embolden the health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, who has described himself as a “big fan” of peptides and vowed to overturn FDA…

A dead sea bird discovered on an island on the eastern end of Moreton Bay has tested positive for bird flu, with the CSIRO to undertake further testing to confirm the case. A Department of Primary Industries spokesperson said the petrel was washed up on Moreton Island, a national park off the north-east coast of Brisbane, on Wednesday. If confirmed, it would be the first case of H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza in Queensland. More to come

Spoilers ahead for Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 3 Annabeth’s (Leah Sava Jeffries) adventures in Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 3 are going to look a bit different for show-only fans used to her being a part of the main story. During a panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday (July 23), executive producer Dan Shotz confirmed the Disney+ adaptation isn’t diverging from her fate in Rick Riordan’s third book in the series, The Titan’s Curse, which sees her separated from Percy (Walker Scobell) and Grover (Aryan Simhadri). However, her separation doesn’t mean fans will be seeing less of Jeffries in the show like readers saw less of her…

Collection Good Food’s Essential Perth Cafes and Bakeries Don’t sleep on Perth’s silkiest coffees, flakiest pastries and heftiest breakfast plates. Find our full list of the best cafes and bakeries here. 25 stories Collection Don’t sleep on Perth’s silkiest coffees, flakiest pastries and heftiest breakfast plates. Find our full list of the best cafes and bakeries here.

A Florida man is suing OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging the company’s chatbot, ChatGPT, provided him with incorrect and “dangerous” medical guidance regarding a health condition that nearly became fatal. According to the lawsuit, Scott Winters, a 55-year-old pastor, often turned to ChatGPT for medical advice when he experienced health symptoms. The suit alleges the chatbot eventually diagnosed Winters with dysautonomia, a nervous system disorder, and “developed a personalized recovery plan with specific instructions for Scott on how to heal his body.” But on July 13, 2025, Winters experienced a “massive pulmonary embolism due to multiple blood…

Common Bakery Bakery$ Like the Holy Trinity, the legend of Common Bakery is made up of three separate entities and addresses. Hit Freo’s West End for focaccia; visit the Carrington Street storefront for bread straight out of the oven; or settle into – our pick of the trio – Common Bakery’s cottage-turned-cafe in Nedlands, where head pâtissier Nabih Gaaloul oversees the production of A1 baked goods. Good Seeds Coffee is served across all three spaces. Good to know: Common Bakery’s bacon and pecorino croissant is Perth’s ham and cheese croissant to beat. Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review…

MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. The European Union has imposed sanctions on Olga Korchagina and Pavel Chernyshev, two founders of the Simbirsk Design Bureau "Piranya" (SDB "Piranya") a company that manufactures drones for the Russian armed forces, according to a statement by the EU Council published in the Official Journal of the European Union. "Olga Korchagina is the founder of the Simbirsk Design Bureau ‘Piranya’ (SDB "Piranya") a Russia-based company that manufactures drones," the statement says. "Pavel Chernyshov is the director and founder of the Simbirsk Design Bureau ‘Piranya.’" "SDB ‘Piranya’ manufactures First Person View (FPV) drones and…

LG Electronicsâ latest $1,200 PC monitor model is really putting the âmonitorâ into âmonitoring users without their consent,â as the consumer electronics manufacturer has been forced to address complaints that the product is âwiretappingâ its owners and installing adware that advertises McAfee trials on usersâ PCs. This follows a lengthy investigation into LGâs 34GX900A-B Ultra Gear monitor by Gamers Nexus, which was contacted by several of its viewers after reports started popping up online about the monitor automatically installing McAfee adware when connected to PCs. Gamers Nexus was able to prove that simply hooking up the monitor to your computer…

MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. The European Union has blacklisted Denis Merzlikin, whose company ASFPV manufactures the Veterok family of drones, and the Gortenzia design bureau that manufactures eponymous FPV drones, as well as Rotor and Signal defense enterprises. According to a statement by the EU Council published in the Official Journal of the European Union, Merzlikin presents a security threat to Ukraine because his company’s products are in service with the Russian armed forces. "Denis Merzlikin is the founder and director of the LLC "ASFPV", a Russian company that manufactures drones ("Veterok 7", "Veterok10", and "Veterok 13"), drone detectors…

When Erin* went to police to report allegations of sexual offending she was not listened to, nor was she believed, with a young man's sporting career prioritised over her, a review found. In an interview with RNZ, the woman speaks publicly for the first time. For nearly 14 years Erin* tried moving on. She went to therapy, she moved cities, she told herself police had done their job. "I never thought there was anything more to it," she says. Later she decided she wanted to know why police had made the decision to not lay charges when she reported allegations of sexual offending in 2011. "It felt really important for my healing to have a sense of…

Former Democratic Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel locked horns with The New Yorker’s David Remnick on Tuesday over whether the Democratic Party should still prioritize transgender issues. The former Chicago mayor is expected to be one of the Democratic Party’s potential candidates in 2028, and is one of many prominent Democrats who have spoken out numerous times about how they need to move away from far-left culture wars and focus on kitchen table issues. Remnick grilled Emanuel on this during his interview on "The New Yorker Radio Hour," noting, "You say you're, quote, ‘Done with the discussion of locker rooms. I'm done with the discussion of bathrooms,…

BRUSSELS, July 24. /TASS/. As part of its 21st package of anti-Russian sanctions, the European Union has blacklisted CEO of Gazprom-Media Holding Alexander Zharov, according to a statement by the EU Council published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The sanctions against Zharov are justified by his company’s activities, which allegedly helps to form opinions about the conflict in Ukraine. In this regard, the EU accuses Zharov of "actions or policies which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine."

The Finance Ministry has revised the eligibility criteria for the state welfare card scheme, allowing owners of older vehicles to retain their benefits while extending the deadline for unsuccessful applicants to appeal until Sept 20. Ministry spokesman Vinit Visessuvanapoom announced the changes on Thursday after a meeting of the Pracharath Welfare Committee for the Grassroots Economy and Society, chaired by Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas. Mr Vinit said owners of cars more than 20 years old and motorcycles aged at least 15 years would remain eligible for the state welfare card. The exemption, however, does not apply to those who purchased used…

Telegram Coffee Cafe$ Telegram resides next to the Justice Department entrance of the State Buildings precinct: just look for all the people. In 2025, Luke Arnold’s spirited cafe celebrated a decade of supplying the CBD with warm service and great coffee (including a constantly rotating selection of beans sourced from around Australia.) If the crowds constantly swarming this dapper timber kiosk are anything to go by, Telegram looks set to continue delivering for another decade more. Good to know: State Buildings’ postal hall is one of Perth’s best places to people-watch Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant…

Hidden breach Leak of diplomatic data exposes failures that no software patch alone can repair Espionage rarely begins with stolen secrets. It often begins with a personnel list. Names, job titles and institutional affiliations appear innocuous until they reveal how a government is wired. That is why the breach of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy's online training system is more than another data leak. What was exposed was not merely personal data but part of the human architecture of Korean diplomacy. The intrusion reportedly began around April or May 2025 and continued until February 2026, when another government agency alerted the Foreign…

Mid-July should have been a moment of quiet satisfaction in Beijing. Fresh data showed China’s favourability surpassing that of the United States in 25 of 37 nations surveyed by Pew Research Centre, including key European countries. Domestically, the second-quarter gross domestic product growth of 4.3 per cent, while softer than the first financial quarter, kept the annual target within reach. The logic was simple: with the US distracted by Donald Trump’s erratic trade wars and isolationist rhetoric, Beijing could court a more autonomous European Union, stabilise its two largest export markets and project an image of reliable global leadership.…

Mark Cuban’s investment group buys a minority stake in the Athletics ahead of Las Vegas move Mark Cuban’s investment group buys a minority stake in the Athletics ahead of Las Vegas move LAS VEGAS (AP) — An investment group that includes ex-Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has bought a minority stake in the Athletics in anticipation of their move to Las Vegas in 2028. Thursday’s announcement by Harbinger Sports Group did not say what percentage of the Athletics it had acquired. Cuban, who maintains a minority stake in the Mavericks, is the general partner and president of the Atlanta-based group. Atlanta Falcons minority owner Rashaun Williams is the…

Published Luke Littler's World Matchplay title defence continued with a straightforward 16-7 quarter-final win over Josh Rock in Blackpool. Rock initially kept pace with the world number one as the players traded breaks to reach 5-5. But after 19-year-old Littler reeled off five legs in a row, there proved to be no way back for Rock as the defending champion, in dazzling form, cruised into the semi-finals. After throwing 17 180s with a scoring average of 109.57, Littler said: "At the minute, everything's going to plan." The teenager added: "I feel good. I can afford to miss a few doubles because the scoring's there. "Once again another brilliant…

The Blizzard developer who was caught using World of Warcraft game master (GM) abilities to insta-kill two bosses for some friends has been fired from the studio. Earlier this week, a Reddit user posted combat logs of a Mythic+ dungeon where a boss with almost full health died instantly to a GM ability. Not long after, another Reddit user found evidence that the GM did the same thing to a boss earlier in the run. One of the players who was present for the unauthorized instakills then went onto a Twitch stream and admitted to asking their GM friend to cheat so they wouldn't have to redo the dungeon: "I go to my GM friend and I'm like bro please can you…

Glasgow: Australia’s swimmers at the Commonwealth Games have been warned they are not allowed to thank billionaire benefactor Gina Rinehart during media interviews after the country’s richest person confirmed she would again pay medal bonuses in Glasgow. This masthead revealed in March that Rinehart, a longtime supporter of Australian swimmers, would continue rewarding members of the Dolphins squad if they performed well at the Commonwealth Games. Hancock Prospecting confirmed on Thursday that swimmers will receive $20,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze medals, with an additional $30,000 available for any individual world record.…

Halo: Campaign Evolved launched earlier today, but only if you’ve purchased the $70 Premium Edition. This is the version of the new remake that includes five days of “early access” to the game ahead of its “real” launch on July 28. However, as I write this now, five hours after the game launched in early access, many players are still unable to play Halo. That’s shitty, and if companies are going to keep charging people ransom fees to play games “early,” then these same companies need to be prepared to start offering refunds when people don’t get the access they paid for. Paying extra to play a game early has become normalized over the last few years.…

Is LIV Golf coming to an end? Just a few months ago, LIV Golf came to a crossroads when the Saudi-backed Public Investment Fund announced their intention to end funding for the breakaway tournament after the 2026 season. That immediately led to speculation that the league itself would fold entirely, or that top players like Bryson DeChambeau or Jon Rahm would look to return to the PGA Tour. That speculation only increased when news broke that LIV was canceling their scheduled tournament in Louisiana, though CEO Scott O'Neil was adamant that the tour would continue and investor meetings were already ongoing. O'Neil also added that key players like…

Earlier this year, Xbox gamers noticed little messages hinting at an ad-supported streaming tier coming to the platform. This streaming option is now available to Xbox Insiders for testing, and it’s optional for those interested in seeing what playing games in the cloud for free might look like. Testing for ad-supported streaming began Thursday for Xbox Insiders, according to a post on Xbox Wire. This is a limited test to allow players to stream select games they own at no additional cost by watching ads before they start playing. “It creates another way for players to get into games without an upfront streaming purchase and expands audiences through…

Forklore Asian$ While South-East Asia is no stranger to AM deliciousness – dim sum! Kopitiams! Breakfast noodles! – it took go-getters like Brian Kong and brothers Han Li Khor and Han Ji Khor to identify the synergies between the trio’s heritage flavours and Perth cafe culture. Crossovers of east and west abound at this airy City West diner, from lush carbonara-esque mentaiko udon and sprawling katsu sandwiches to furikake-topped croissants and other Asian-inspired pastries. Good to know: Stalk Forklore’s Instagram for details of limited weekday-only ramen specials Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay…

First revealed during the Dragon Quest 40th anniversary event back in May, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World got a full trailer and a Dec. 3 release date at the June Nintendo Direct. Now, co-developers Square Enix and Tose Co. have revealed a boatload of new details about the latest installment of the spinoff series. The DQ Monsters games are the Dragon Quest franchise's answer to Pokémon, letting players capture, battle, and breed a sprawling collection of adorable monsters. This new adventure sees the return of Bianca and Nera, the hero's two potential wives in* Dragon Quest 5. * Your main party will consist of four monsters, and you'll also…

In the residential neighborhood of Seijo, Setagaya Ward, a small team of 25 people at Toho Archive is working to preserve a physical record of Japanese film history. Toho Archive’s catalog reads like a syllabus of Japanese film history: Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai,” the original “Godzilla” series, Kenji Mizoguchi’s “The Life of Oharu” and Mikio Naruse’s “Floating Clouds” as well as beloved animated franchises such as “Doraemon” and “Detective Conan.” Although the organization was officially established in December 2023, it has a much longer lineage as the direct successor to Tokyo Laboratory, a film-processing house that was founded in 1955 and…

98.css A design system for building faithful recreations of old UIs. Intro 98.css is a CSS library for building interfaces that look like Windows 98. See more on GitHub. Hello, world! This library relies on the usage of **semantic HTML**. To make a button, you'll need to use a `<button>`. Input elements require labels. Icon buttons rely on `aria-label`. This page will guide you through that process, but accessibility is a primary goal of this project. You can override many of the styles of your elements while maintaining the appearance provided by this library. Need more padding on your buttons? Go for it. Need to add some color to your input labels?…

Social Manna Cafe$ Don’t be deceived by Sandro Puca’s youthful looks: this journeyman chef has honed his craft at key Perth establishments, including Star Anise and Rochelle Adonis’s dessert studio. But despite this high-end pedigree, Puca’s colourful Vic Park living room is pleasingly casual. Staff are genuinely happy to see you, while little details – great jam in the raspberry choccy cake; slipping edamame into the avo smash – put neat spins on brunchtime favourites. Good to know: Free sparkling water on tap? Social Manna really spoils us, you know Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review…

Primate Labs released Geekbench 7 today, promising benchmarks that more closely reflect how people use their devices across everyday tasks, gaming, and AI workloads. Here’s what’s new. Geekbench 7 now available When Primate Labs released Geekbench 6 in early 2023, the company said that “a lot [had] changed in the tech world in the past three years,” with AI and ML becoming “ubiquitous in general and mobile applications.” Three years later, that is even more true. From on-device AI inference and image processing to video editing and increasingly demanding games, CPU and GPU performance now matter across a wider range of everyday tasks. Today, Primate…

Codeberg, the nonprofit alternative to GitHub used by number of popular FLOSS projects, will no longer host software that’s “mostly” AI-generated. A vote closed yesterday (22 July, 2026), passing 358 to 144 with 14 abstentions on roughly 50% turnout to stop hosting software that’s largely vibe-coded. A second motion, also passed, commits Codeberg to never training AI models on hosted code or user data. Not that it was ever likely to. A Terms of Use amendment now prohibits projects that “mostly consist of code written by” generative AI tools. In a blog post, Codeberg explains the economic need for a […] You're reading Codeberg members ban hosting…

A cold Diet Coke—sometimes paired with a shot of espresso—has become one of social media’s favorite afternoon rituals. Gen Z even gave it a nickname: the “fridge cigarette.” That’s why it was so strange when Coca-Cola introduced a new font that eerily resembled an iconic one straight out of the cigarette world. “Coke and Marlboro had a baby—and it’s a font!,” one X user wrote after seeing the company’s updated typography. Others echoed the comparison, saying Coca-Cola’s refreshed typography looked strikingly similar to Marlboros, in a case of reality imitating memes. Still others wondered whether the company had unintentionally leaned into the…

Patreon is laying off 20 percent of its staff While the company is trying to protect creators from AI, it still thinks the technology is changing how it does business. Patreon is laying off 20 percent of its staff or 93 employees, according to a blog post from CEO Jack Conte. The layoff announcement, which was first reported on by 404 Media, notes that while Patreon's business remains strong, it needs to adjust the company's cost structure to make it "a stable, dependable rock" for creators. "We're making a number of changes to our organizational structure and how we work," Conte says. "Specifically, we're flattening the organization, refocusing teams…

When Jesse Miranda, a U.S. citizen, sponsored an application for a green card for his wife nearly a year ago, he understood the process would take time. On Wednesday, when he saw someone posting on Reddit that they had received sudden approval for a loved one’s initial application for permanent residence, he wondered if he and his wife had gotten lucky. Miranda quickly went to check the application status on the website of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that oversees visas and naturalization. To his delight, the portal showed that their application had also been approved to move on to the next step in the process. Yet he had a…

The dead internet theory has floated around internet forums since the 2010s, and the idea that the internet is dominated by non-human activity was often dismissed as a fringe conspiracy. Now it has become a measurable fact. Not only do multiple cybersecurity firms agree that bots outnumber humans online, they likewise are struggling to answer when the flip happened or what metrics to use to measure it. CloudFlare, the Internet security and performance giant used by millions of websites worldwide, says the crossover occurred in June, with bots generating 57.5% of webpage requests. Thales, a French tech group that protects data security for…

Let's learn about Deployment via these 96 free blog posts. They are ordered by HackerNoon reader engagement data. Visit the Learn Repo or LearnRepo.com to find the most read blog posts about any technology. Deployment is the process of making a software application or system available for use. Effective deployment practices are critical for ensuring stable, reliable, and efficient delivery of software to users. Learn how to seamlessly deploy your NestJS server applications using Render, a powerful alternative to Heroku. It's good practice to put an API gateway in front of your microservices-backed application. Path-based routing makes this possible…

Sooner or later, you just run out of sports. There are currently a couple of regular seasons going on at the moment, but after a thrilling NBA playoffs led directly into a blast of a World Cup, a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds happening 71 percent of the way through a long season can't help but look weak in comparison. This was a fun way to disrupt our normal sports watching biorhythms, but it was not a permanent one. It was with that in mind that we invited the bestselling novelist Paul Tremblay, author of the new Dead But Dreaming Of Electric Sheep, onto the show this week. The idea was that, with no top-of-the-news sports to talk…

The U.S. imposed 10% tariffs on goods purchased from India and 16 other countries over the issue of the use of forced labour in the production of such items. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced the new tariffs on 60 countries under Section 301 of the Trade Act on Friday (July 24, 2026), a day before the expiration of 10% additional levies on all countries. The USTR statement said that Mr. Greer had taken the final action, at President Donald Trump’s direction, under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 by imposing tariffs on 60 economies for their failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods…

Published UK average mortgage rates have risen back to the level of a month ago as renewed tensions in the Middle East feed through to homeowners. Lenders' funding costs have increased as markets judge that a prolonged conflict reduces the possibility of interest rate cuts by central banks. The five biggest High Street banks are among a host of lenders which have increased their interest rates on new fixed deals in recent days. Recent projections by the Bank of England suggest just over five million homeowners should expect their monthly mortgage repayments to increase by the end of 2028. Mortgage rates had been falling as a ceasefire between the US…

Published **Hannah and Max have always split their money equally even when one has earned considerably more than the other. ** "We've always wanted to do things 50/50," Max, 31, says. "We made a commitment to each other that what's mine is yours, and vice versa." The couple got married after two years together, when Max was earning £70,000 a year working in tech, and Hannah, who works in the charity sector, was earning considerably less. Their salaries go into a joint account and their mortgage, bills, food, petrol and other household costs are paid out of this. Each month they take the same amount for personal spending. If one of them wants to buy…

Consumer confidence has seen a significant six-point 'Burnham bounce', the largest increase since November 2023. GfK suggests heatwaves, football success, and a new Prime Minister have 'lifted the mood', though the headline figure remains firmly negative at minus 17. Confidence in the country’s general economic situation over the last 12 months jumped by 10 points to minus 39 – five points higher than a year ago. Expectations for the economy over the coming 12 months also rose by eight points to minus 28 – one point above July 2025. The Major Purchase Index, indicating big-ticket item confidence, increased eight points to minus 12, three points higher…

WASHINGTON — U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday stressed the importance of producing tangible results from shipbuilding cooperation with South Korea, pledging to help address regulatory roadblocks that Korean enterprises may face in the United States. Lutnick made the remarks during an event marking the opening of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC) in Washington — a platform to facilitate the $150 billion investment in the U.S. shipbuilding sector that Seoul has committed to as part of last year's bilateral trade and investment deal. "The center is not an outcome. It is the most important work that produces the…

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump is going ahead with new double-digit tariffs on dozens of U.S. trading partners just as the clock runs out Friday on stopgap levies he imposed after a stinging defeat at the Supreme Court. The United States will slap taxes of 10 percent to 12.5 percent on imports from 60 trading partners accounting for 99 percent of U.S. imports, charging that they have inadequately enforced bans on goods produced by forced labor. “The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same,” said U.S. Trade Representative…

The U.S. will collect duties of between 10% and 12.5% on imports from most major trading partners, its biggest move yet to reconstruct President Donald Trump’s tariff wall that was pierced by the Supreme Court. The new levies follow an investigation into the alleged failure of around 60 economies to prevent forced labor in their supply chains to the detriment of American workers. Goods from some 10 trading partners deemed to have adopted forced-labor restrictions will be subject to 10% tariffs, including Mexico, the U.K., Canada and India. Duties on items from the European Union and Taiwan will be at least 10% and products from Japan, Switzerland and…

A U.S. district judge temporarily halted the Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery merger on Monday, after a coalition of states sued to block the deal. While the temporary restraining order was initially to remain in effect for 14 days from Monday, California district judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín on Thursday extended the order an additional 14 days, until Aug. 17. The states' lawsuit "presented compelling evidence that the combined firm resulting from the transaction will possess substantial market share in the wide-release theatrical distribution market," Martínez-Olguín wrote in the ruling Monday. "On this combined firm market share alone, the…

Banks are at a unique vantage point. As deposit holders and lenders of first resort, they should possess granular data on municipal cash flows, revenue patterns and financial behaviour that no other institution commands. The question is whether they will use this position to merely extract fees, or to become genuine partners in municipal recovery. Commercial lending accounts for 47% of municipal borrowing, with banks holding 31% of outstanding long-term loans and most municipal bonds. The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) holds 46% of outstanding long-term municipal debt, with 30% of its total loan portfolio concentrated in local…

Tesla’s stock fell about 13.5% on Thursday in one of the biggest single-day market losses in the company’s history. Elon Musk’s automaker has struggled throughout the year, losing about 27% of its market value as huge capital expenditures and weaker-than-expected profits worry investors. US stocks as a whole tumbled on Thursday with Nasdaq down more than 2% after touching its lowest level since early May as the latest earnings updates from large technology companies revived concerns about heavy AI spending, while soaring oil prices amped up inflation worries and pushed up bond yields. The S&P 500 and the Dow exchanges fell more than 1% after…

The BBC has demanded that Donald Trump hand over his personal text messages in a £10bn (£7.5bn) defamation lawsuit over his alleged involvement in the January 6 riots in Washington. The broadcaster’s lawyers are seeking to prove in court that the US president should be held responsible for encouraging his supporters to storm the US Capitol following his 2020 election defeat. His lawsuit was launched after it was revealed that a BBC Panorama documentary, aired in January 2021, had spliced together two parts of his speech to appear as though he was directly inciting the mob. In the broadcasted clip, he can be seen telling the crowd to walk down to the…

Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford is promising to hire 1,000 new police officers if elected, saying the city’s current five-year hiring plan isn’t enough to keep pace with population growth. City hall is currently in the midst of a five-year hiring plan to replenish the Toronto Police Service, but Bradford says it falls short. He has not said how he would pay for the additional officers. On Thursday, Chief Myron Demkiw said 2026 is continuing to see major crime indicators take downward trends, including with shootings and homicides. But Demkiw said it doesn’t take much to undermine those gains when it comes to the public’s perception of public…

New poll shows Democrats with 11-point lead on generic ballot Emerson College has found that on a generic ballot, Democrats hold an 11-point lead over Republicans, 53% to 42%, heading into the midterm elections. Political strategists Mark Bednar and Mo Elleithee join with analysis.

Councils have warned that the planned "mansion tax" could cause confusion, undermine accountability and impact local services. The charge on properties valued above £2 million, announced by Rachel Reeves in the autumn budget, would be "complex" and create an "inefficient parallel system" to council tax, the Local Government Association (LGA) said. A consultation on the proposed high-value council tax surcharge ended earlier this month, with the government now assessing responses. Andy Burnham previously described the concept as symbolising "the politics of envy" during his unsuccessful Labour leadership bid in 2015. But the Prime Minister has recently…

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dismissed Taiwan's criticism of Thailand's support for the One China policy on Thursday, saying Bangkok's position would not affect economic ties with Taipei. Speaking at Government House, Mr Anutin said Thailand had consistently adhered to the One China policy, and there had been no change in its diplomatic stance. "Thailand has always maintained the One China policy. It is nothing new," he said. His remarks came after Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed disappointment over the language in the China-Thailand Joint Statement issued during Mr Anutin's official visit to China from July 16-20. The statement…

House GOP leaders are turning up the heat on Senate Republicans, calling on them to move quickly on the House's $95 billion reconciliation package despite resistance from Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).Why it matters: Before they split town, House leaders left some instructions for their Senate colleagues."The Senate needs to move on reconciliation before November, and I think the pressure from the American people is going to be unbearable if they refuse to act," NRCC Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) told Axios on Thursday. "For the Senate to sit on their hands and do nothing, I think, will be unsustainable."Driving the news: Thune poured cold water…

Former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison makes his case for keeping South Carolina as first 2028 primary The debate over Democrats' 2028 primary calendar has gotten contentious, pitting those who want South Carolina to be first against those who want Nevada. Jaime Harrison, former Democratic National Committee chair, joins with his perspective.

The Trump administration on Thursday directed federal agencies to give greater consideration to religious liberty when writing regulations, enforcing federal law and accommodating employees' religious beliefs, marking the first major update to Department of Justice (DOJ) guidance on the issue since 2017. The updated guidance instructs executive agencies to ensure their policies comply with the First Amendment, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and recent Supreme Court decisions that have expanded protections for religious exercise. The DOJ, led by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, said the guidance reflects…

Rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner will have tighter security, fewer guests The Secret Service is tightening security ahead of Friday's rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner. The original dinner in April was shut down after a gunman opened fire as he rushed through a screening checkpoint. CBS News senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents' Association, joins to discuss.

Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike on Friday after talks with government ministers, but student-led protests over leaked medical entrance exam papers continued, with demonstrators demanding the education minister's resignation and wider reforms.

Jess Fox claims her fifth title on LA Olympic course Adding to her illustrious tally, Jess Fox has won gold at the 2026 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Oklahoma City, where the LA Olympics in 2028 will be held. Updated ,first published You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

In short: The Waratahs play the Drua in Ba, Fiji in Saturday's Super Rugby Women's grand final. The Drua earned hosting rights by finishing on top of the regular-season standings. What's next? ABC Sport will live blog the Super Rugby Women's grand final from 10:30am AEST on Saturday. Confidence can sometimes be mistaken for arrogance, but NSW Waratahs captain Emily Chancellor knows how to distinguish between the two. Therefore, it is no surprise the Waratahs took pride in their 33-22 win over the Western Force in the Super Rugby Women's semifinals, but refused to get carried away with their performance. "We got out on the field in that semifinal and…

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, July 23 (game #1138). Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints. What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers…

Donald Trump hosted the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House on Thursday for the team’s second trip to the White House in two years. The team gave the president a custom jersey and a World Series championship ring during a ceremony at the Rose Garden. Four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, star first baseman Freddie Freeman, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and manager Dave Roberts were among those in attendance, while several players – most notably star shortstop Mookie Betts and utility man Kike Hernández – opted not to attend. “Special winners, unbelievable,” Trump said. “I would not be surprised to see them back here again.” In…

A contentious umpiring decision towards the closing stages of the final league tie of Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7 between Dabang Delhi TTC and PBG Pune Jaguars triggered a prolonged confrontation between Delhi captain G. Sathiyan and the match officials at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Thursday. Although the disputed call had no bearing on the semifinal qualification scenario by then, the incident brought the final rubber between Sutirtha Mukherjee and Diya Chitale to a halt for nearly 10 minutes. The controversy unfolded at 10-10 in the second game between India’s two top women’s paddlers. As Chitale, with the Jaguars playing…

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be without key starters on both sides of the football when they go after a fourth straight win against the Calgary Stampeders on Friday. Quarterback Zach Collaros and starting safety Redha Kramdi will both miss their week eight tilt with injuries. Collaros will sit out a third straight game with a neck injury, while Kramdi is dealing with a hand injury. Jake Kelly will be the Bombers starting safety on Friday in Kramdi’s absence. The 27-year-old recorded his first career interception last week in the win over the Ottawa RedBlacks. He’s appeared in all six games so far this year as a backup defensive back in his fourth…

The wait is over for NFL Draft star Cameron Rose Newell. She is heading into her third year in the league with a ring on her finger. That development took place on Wednesday when Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers proposed to his longtime girlfriend. The move ensures that she'll start the regular season with the title of fiancée. On Thursday, Newell shared the video of the surprise proposal on Instagram. She wrote in her social media announcement, "The best surprise of my life, right where it all started. Can’t wait to spend forever with you." The two have been together since high school, reports People. They made it work in college despite…

As a native Minnesotan, I immediately spotted some of my hometown teams in today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle. (Win, Twins!) If you’re struggling with the puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers. Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups Yellow group hint: Hoops, but not in the West. Green group hint: Land of 10,000 lakes. Blue group hint: Share the same first name. Purple group hint: Amazon uses a lot of these. Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups Yellow group: Eastern Conference NBA teams. Green group: Minnesota teams. Blue group: Scotts. Purple group: Box ____. What are today’s…

President Donald Trump likened Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to one of the best to ever do it, Babe Ruth. The Dodgers visited the White House on Thursday afternoon during an off day on their East Coast road trip where Trump recognized Ohtani for his remarkable accomplishments. "The 2025 Dodger season was one for the record books in 150 years of Major League Baseball. No player has ever earned more than one unanimous league MVP, except for an international legend named Shohei Ohtani," Trump said. "He's amazing. He's amazing. Everybody loves him. Last year, Shohei did what was previously unthinkable. Nobody thought it was possible. He collected…

The Glasgow Commonwealth Games was more or less forced inside. The shortened preparation time meant it was simply easier to host most events in halls and exhibition centres that already existed, and a solid roof removes the many variables that Scotland's weather can introduce to proceedings. It meant the opening ceremony, for the first time in history, would be held in an arena rather than a stadium. And what a blessing it turned out to be. If you've ever witnessed a rock band or pop star playing before a major football game, you'll know the energy is very rarely on point. It's just too far, the noise dissipates and charismatic frontmen and global…

It's been six years since Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin last graced the world with a new book or novella. The fantasy writer likes to periodically remind the public that the beleaguered Winds of Winter is making some kind of progress, sure. The whole thing has been such a saga, though, that some fans are losing hope Martin will ever publish something again. The good news is that Martin is writing something that isn't a TV show. Whether the specifics will actually make fans happy is a different story. The latest morsel of George R.R. Martin news comes by way of a Hollywood Reporter interview with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner…

Director Guillermo del Toro once compared watching a movie for the first time to going on a blind date. The first date is flirtatious with promise; the second go-around is the proper date. By the time you rewatch a movie three or four more times, you’ve graduated to marriage. In all my years watching anime for work and leisure, there’s no film I’ve felt married to as much as I do toward Satoshi Kon’s finest film, Millennium Actress. Unlike Kon’s showier film, which pushes animation to the forefront with adult themes by front-loading its opening moments with dreamlike imagery that provokes you into unease and awe-struck wonder, Millennium Actress‘…

There's a trending topic on X under the hashtag #wherearetheblackgirls—a social media movement and cultural critique that was created to demand better representation for Black women and girls in television, film and media. Every new show or film with an ensemble cast seems to centre on a white or racially-ambiguous main female character who has at least one non-white actress as a friend, antagonist or recurring character who doesn't recur that much. In a world that churns out these kinds of (mis)representations in the coming-of-age genre, stories like Sandulela Asanda's Black Burns Fast become all the more important. The study of identity and becoming…

*The article contains spoilers for "The Odyssey" Christopher Nolan is one of the most fascinating filmmakers of our time.I mean that in both bad and good ways. He has a rare ability to make movies that are simultaneously crowd-pleasing cinema fare and thought-provoking feats of storytelling that explore the most challenging aspects of the human condition. He's also prone to getting so wrapped up in the exploration of ideas and intricate narrative structuring that he neglects to give his characters any interiority, especially if they happen to be women. That's why the same filmmaker who made such endlessly rewatchable films as Inception, The Dark…

After Sue Nyathi's The Polygamist became a Netflix global sensation, reaching number two on Netflix's global non-English chart and charting in the top 10 in 63 countries, Zimbabweans took to social media to call for the adaptation of some of the country's classic novels into screen renditions. Whether for television or the big screen, the line wasn't exactly drawn but the message was clear: lobby an industry that is sitting on gems worthy of a repeat of The Polygamist. But industry players are more cautious about the excitement of the transition from page to screen, citing the complex nature of the business that has historically disadvantaged African…

Heidi Klum is serving up sunshine and a cheeky snack. The supermodel shared a series of beach videos on Instagram showing herself soaking up the tropical scenery alongside one of her beloved dogs. In one video, Klum lounged on the sand wearing an oversized woven sun hat, dark sunglasses and zebra-print bikini bottoms while using a bag of Chipsfrisch potato chips to cover her bare chest. "Glazed ham on the beach," Klum captioned the video. The chips appeared to be glazed ham-flavored. The model's comments section lit up with fire and heart emojis. "Baaaaabe sooo 🔥🔥🔥 🌶️🌶️🌶️," Nicole Scherzinger wrote, while others called Klum an "icon" and praised her…

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Meghan Markle has shared a series of 'summer holiday' photos of Prince Harry and their children Archie and Lilibet while in Europe - including what appears to be a visit to Princess Diana's childhood home. The family had been visiting Europe in recent weeks ahead of Prince Harry's return to the UK this month to attend the Invictus Games in Birmingham where he had intended to bring Meghan and their two children with him for the entirety of the five-day trip. Instead, he flew to Britain alone, and hours before he arrived in London, chaos erupted when an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace…

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Tom Holland has been announced as the latest star to read CBeebies Bedtime Story on Friday ahead of his new movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day dropping. The actor, 30, looked thrilled as he took a seat in a comfortable arm chair ready to read family favourite Superworm. The story of a heroic, super-stretchy worm, Superworm himself must be saved by his friends after he falls under the spell of the greedy Wizard Lizard. Tom joins a cast of superhero (and supervillain) actors who have read for CBeebies Bedtime Stories, including Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston…

Don't give me hope, PC Gamer's Elie Gould expressed when Zach Cregger's upcoming Resident Evil film got a teaser in April. They've been let down by Resident Evil movies before, as have we all, but that teaser did give the impression that it might be good. Now the full trailer for Cregger's take on Resident Evil is out, and I'm not sure if this counts as good news for Elie or bad news—but yeah, it really does look like this might be a winner. What's interesting about the film, as Cregger explained in May, is that it "takes place alongside the events of Resident Evil 2," but won't include any of them, or anyone you know from the game: "It's an alternate…

If a property lines up a Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con, you know something big is going to go down. At the Marvel’s Wolverine panel today, Insomniac unveiled a new story trailer for its upcoming video game. Set in the same world as the Spider-Man games, this version of Logan was once a member of Nathaniel Essex’s Team X alongside Sabretooth and Mystique. Years after splitting with the mutant-saving group, Wolverine rejoins the team and finds himself on a trip around the globe, saving kidnapped mutantsâlike Leech, Nature Girl, and a mysterious man locked up on his ownâand fighting enemies from his comics history. In the trailer, both Lady…

Listen up, music fans: the best streaming service in the world* just got even better. I'm talking, of course, about Qobuz — the French streamer that we consider to be the best music streaming service for high-res audio and which has just rolled out a bunch of updates that fix some of its biggest problems. And, to be clear, it did have a few. While Qobuz is without question the best music streamer if you care more about audio quality than anything else (and are you really a music lover if you don't?), it has traditionally lagged behind the likes of Spotify when it comes to user experience and features. This update brings a bunch of nice quality-of-life…

Read more: New Jennifer Lopez drama that means she and Ben Affleck STILL 'can't escape each other' Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Beyonce's super girl group Destiny's Child will be dropping new music for their upcoming 30th anniversary according to her dad Mathew Knowles. Back in February, the musical act's fans were in hysterics as the 74-year-old music executive took to Instagram to post a photo with the singing trio. In the snap, Knowles was flanked by his 44-year-old megastar daughter Beyonce, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams while aboard a luxury boat. The post had…

Next stop, Trump Station? Administration wants to rename New York’s Penn Station Next stop, Trump Station? Administration wants to rename New York’s Penn Station NEW YORK (AP) — Will President Donald Trump ’s name grace one of the most famous -- and sometimes maligned -- landmarks in his hometown of New York City? The Republican administration this week urged leading U.S. Senators to rename Penn Station as it undertakes a projected $8 billion redesign of the dreary, underground Manhattan transit hub that also happens to be the busiest in the western hemisphere. But the U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in a Wednesday letter seeking…

Megan Moroney isn't looking for love. The country music star said some of the biggest moments of her fast-rising career were derailed by the wrong man. Now, Moroney is choosing to take a break from dating, trading romance for life on tour, time with loved ones and, as she put it, "no man, a dog." "It’s really nice that this is one of the first tours I’ve been on where I’m not dating anyone, so I literally have no distractions," she told Cosmopolitan. "And that sounds really silly, but there have been a lot of big moments and fun times that have been ruined by a guy for me. It’s nice to just have a clear head." "I’m learning what I like and what I…

Couples looking for the ultimate romantic getaway in Las Vegas may soon be able to avoid any "Heartbreak Hotel" and instead check into a heart-shaped resort. Permits for a new heart-shaped resort were approved by Clark County commissioners Wednesday, giving developer Eli Applebaum, through Kulik River Capital, the go-ahead to transform one of the Strip's most recognizable eyesores, the long-abandoned SkyVue Ferris wheel site near Mandalay Bay, into a new entertainment destination. Plans envisage a 29-story hotel tower with a massive heart-shaped opening at its center and an exterior wrapped in LED screens. The resort would also feature more than…

Spotify's next trick could take a page from Pixel's Now Playing Jul 23, 2026 — 4:02 PM ET Spotify appears to be working on a new tool for song identification. While it doesn’t work just yet, text strings in the app clearly allude to the functionality, including requests for microphone access. So far we’re only seeing this evidence on Android, but it’s likely the Spotify iOS app will offer something similar. For a whole, whole lot of people, Spotify is our go-to destination for any and all things audio. That means music streaming, absolutely, but also access to podcasts and audiobooks, to say nothing of playlist tools for really customizing the…

One of my favourite albums of all time is The Masterplan by Oasis. Released in 1998, It’s a compilation of B-sides that never made it on to any of the band’s big albums, and has since become a love language for people who wear bucket hats and Adidas tracksuits. These songs might not be as famous, or as charted, but I’ll be damned if they’re not just as good as the band’s output. Travel is no different. Kyoto is basically Wonderwall at this point, a city so popular that every Japanophile feels the way I do about it now. It’s a victim of its own success, a track that gets played so much I roll my eyes whenever I hear it. This is when you play the…

Elon Musk said on Wednesday that he plans to create a feature-length version of Homer’s "The Odyssey" that is "historically accurate" and faithful to the author’s intentions. The 55-year-old reposted a three-minute scene from the mythological poem on X that a user said was created by X’s Grok Imagine. "Before this year ends, Grok Imagine will make a full-length movie of The Odyssey that is historically accurate and true to the art of Homer," the billionaire owner of X posted. His comments come as controversy continues to swirl for some over the casting of Christopher Nolan’s epic film version of the classical work, which premiered last weekend,…

Patreon is laying off 20 percent of its workers, or around 93 employees, as reported earlier by 404 Media. In a memo to employees, Patreon CEO Jack Conte writes that the company isn’t making these changes “because we believe AI replaces humans,” but says AI has “fundamentally transformed the tech industry, including how we work, how we build products, how we communicate, and more.” Patreon is laying off 20 percent of workers Patreon CEO Jack Conte doesn’t believe ‘AI replaces humans,’ but says the technology has ‘fundamentally transformed the tech industry.’ Patreon CEO Jack Conte doesn’t believe ‘AI replaces humans,’ but says the technology has…

K-pop became a major commercial force in the United States years ago, and its popularity continues to grow all the time. Grammy recognition has moved much more slowly, as most of the genre’s biggest singers and groups have yet to be acknowledged by the Recording Academy. Only a select few K-pop stars have earned nominations, including BTS and Blackpink singer Rosé, while the women behind Huntr/x from KPop Demon Hunters also competed at the 2026 ceremony. “Apt.” and “Golden” became the first songs by K-pop artists to be nominated for Song of the Year, with the former also making history in the hugely competitive Record of the Year field. “Golden”…

Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you. An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more. IRELAND’S LARGEST DATA centres used close to one billion litres of water last year, a new investigation by The Journal Investigates has found. The figures provided to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and analysed by our team show how much water each data centre campus has used since 2024. In total, at least 1.7 billion litres of water have been used by data centres from the public supply over the past two years. More than half of this – 999 million litres – was used last year, though the vast majority of this can also be…

Elephants hold a special place in many peopleâs hearts. So, when itâs reported that 951 elephants died in Kruger National Park over six years, it is understandable that some people may feel shocked and concerned. But conservation cannot be judged by emotion alone. We also need to look at the facts, understand how nature works, follow the law and ask what the scientific evidence tells us. The first fact, often overlooked, is that not all the 951 deaths were caused by conservation management interventions. More than half, 535 elephants, died from natural causes. Another 179 were killed illegally, mostly by poachers through accidental snaring that were…

Schools weigh in on open-plan versus traditional classrooms amid changes Karamea school backs return to traditional classrooms An end to open-plan classrooms was announced by the government last year, but as some schools begin converting back to a more traditional learning environment there are mixed feelings about what works best. The buildings - known variously as modern, flexible, or innovative learning environments - have attracted consistent criticism, with some schools spending their own funds remodelling the rooms to create separate classrooms. Education Minister Eric Stanford celebrated milestones in the Ministry of Education's conversion…

UNITED NATIONS, United States — The six candidates to lead the United Nations on Thursday convened to offer their visions for the world body, one week before the formal start of a selection process crucial to an organization in deep crisis. With the campaign struggling to generate real enthusiasm, the hopefuls faced 90 minutes of questions from diplomats, UN employees and civil society representatives at an event in the huge General Assembly Hall, broadcast by Bloomberg. Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, Ecuador’s Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Costa Rican Rebeca Grynspan, Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Macky Sall of Senegal are…

Elon Musk sat down with the editor-in-chief of the Economist for a taped interview that went live Thursday. The Tesla CEO has been avoiding normal journalists recently, even cancelling a planned interview with CNBC earlier this month. And it now seems pretty obvious why. Musk has a hard time answering normal questions about his often fascist and sometimes incoherent worldview. The interview started cordially enough, with Economist editor Zanny Minton Beddoes asking Musk about his thoughts on the future of artificial intelligence. Musk said many things that he’s said before, including that AI will deliver an age of abundance, where “anyone can have…

A model Indigenous territory in Brazil’s Amazon seeks protection from criminal gangs A model Indigenous territory in Brazil’s Amazon seeks protection from criminal gangs SAO PAULO (AP) — The Ashaninka Indigenous people — who recovered their territory in the Brazilian border with Peru from settlers three decades ago, established and sustained their own governance, and grew crops while protecting the forest — have long been a success story for communities across the Amazon. But now, their way of life is under a violent threat. Gangs and drug traffickers are increasingly encroaching on Ashaninka land and using the rivers in the Amazon and adjacent land…

They’re on our flag, but do long-gone grizzly bears belong in modern California? The grizzly bear on California’s flag went extinct a century ago in the Golden State. Now, a group of tribes and environmentalists is urging the Legislature to study whether it’s possible to bring them back. Grizzlies once lived across most of California. As many as 10,000 may have roamed before the Gold Rush. They were so prevalent that when California settlers tried to form their own nation, they called it the Bear Flag Republic. Settlers systematically exterminated the animals, and they were gone by the 1920s, leaving the smaller black bear as the only surviving bear…

SINGAPORE: Sovereign wealth fund GIC's returns fell for a third straight year to a six-year low in FY2025/2026, as it took less risk and prioritised resilience amid what it called "profound uncertainty". GIC also announced it will refresh its investment framework to be more flexible as it navigates what CEO Lim Chow Kiat called a "fundamentally changed" world. In its 2025/2026 annual report released on Friday (Jul 24), GIC said its 20-year annualised real rate of return stood at 3.4 per cent, down from 3.8 per cent the year before and the lowest since FY2019/2020's 2.7 per cent. Before adjusting for global inflation, the 20-year annualised nominal…

Today’s Wordle puzzle is tricky, with some unusual letters and a double letter that might slow you down. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on. Read more: Study Reveals Wordle’s Top 10 Toughest Words of 2025 Today’s Wordle hints Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now. Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats Today’s Wordle answer has one repeated letter. Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels Today’s Wordle answer has one vowel and one sometimes vowel. Wordle hint No. 3: First letter Today’s Wordle…

A coalition of states is suing the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, accusing the Trump administration of withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in disaster-preparedness and homeland security grants to force states to adopt its policies on elections and immigration. The complaint challenges new conditions imposed on the funding that would require states to verify voter citizenship through a federal database, move toward hand-marked paper ballots, conduct federally prescribed election audits and cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. The lawsuit was filed by a group of 25 states and the District…

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani remained silent for serveal hours on what officials described as an antisemitic stabbing in New York City on Thursday afternoon, choosing to instead post about his millionaire housing tax initiative — even as the attack drew attention from other state officials. "I have been briefed on today’s horrifying stabbings on the Upper West Side, where an Asian man and a Jewish man were attacked. According to witness and victim statements, the perpetrator yelled "Allahu Akbar" during both attacks. I am relieved that both victims are in stable condition," Mamdani wrote in a statement. "The NYPD responded immediately and arrested…

The ant traffickers hid the queens in plastic children's toys to be shipped off to Southeast Asia where they'd be bought by collectors who would use the reproducing contraband to start ant farms. The post Mexico intercepts a trafficking scheme smuggling native ants to SE Asia appeared first on Mexico News Daily

Long before the alleged cash bribes, coded messages and secret phone calls that define former National Assembly Speaker and defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakulaâs corruption trial, the saga began with a routine government contract. This narrative unfolded on Wednesday in the High Court in Pretoria through the testimony of businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu. The court ruled that while Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu could be identified by name, no photos, video or audio broadcasts of her testimony would be permitted. Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, the sole director of logistics company Umkhombe Marine, testified under an indemnity agreement with the National Prosecuting…

A temporary foster placement at the home of a South Carolina county council chairman ended in tragedy after investigators say two teens attacked a 13-year-old boy before holding him underwater until he died. According to The Augusta Press, 13-year-old Daryl Martinez Lowry had only recently been placed in the home of McCormick County Council Chairman Bernie Hamby while awaiting another foster placement. The outlet reported the two suspects were also foster children living at the home. One of the teens, Landen Austin Moore, 17, was charged with murder after investigators said he and a 16-year-old got into a physical altercation with Lowry during the…

A 51-year-old man stabbed two people in broad daylight in the vicinity of Central Park on Manhattan’s Upper West Side on Thursday afternoon before being taken into custody, the police said. The assailant, identified as Raul Morales, attacked the two men in separate incidents on Central Park West and Amsterdam Avenue at around 1:30 p.m., leaving both injured on the street, the police said. Mr. Morales first walked up to a 57-year-old man on West 84th and Central Park West and stabbed him in the back with a knife, according to a spokesman for the Police Department. He then went to West 86th Street and Amsterdam, the spokesman said, where he approached…

READ MORE: Burnham is forced to review the early prison release scheme after PC Harper's widow blasts soft justice programme See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Kemi Badenoch has called for killers, rapists and child abusers to be exempt from Labour's early release of prisoners, after it emerged that the killers of murdered police officer Andrew Harper were being considered for early release. Plans for some 6,000 criminals to be released early under the new Sentencing Act were due to come into force in September. But the early release scheme was paused by Andy Burnham on Thursday night after outrage from victims' families.…

On 20 July 2026, an article was published under the title: Explosive affidavit by IGI shows how Mchunu drew him into Crime Intelligence wars. The article originated from amaBhungane. I write to place on record my objections to the article, which contains material inaccuracies and mischaracterisations that are prejudicial to my integrity and reputation. My concerns are set out below. For context, I have been in possession of the Inspector General of Intelligenceâs (IGI) report since April 2025 and considered its contents in July of the same year. I obtained and reviewed the IGIâs affidavit on the day the article was published. I subsequently contacted…

NYC stabbing attacks that injured 2 being evaluated as potential hate crime: NYPD ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and VideosNYPD evaluating possible hate crime after 2 men were stabbed in unprovoked attack, officials say CNNAttacker shouting ‘allahu akbar’ stabs Jewish man with a screwdriver in NYC The Times of IsraelStabbings near Central Park: NYPD says suspect in custody after 2 men stabbed on Upper West Side of NYC ABC7 New YorkTwo People Stabbed Near Central Park in New York City, Police Say The New York Times

Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal has upheld a lower court decision to label Joseph Yaremko as a dangerous offender with an indeterminate sentence. Yaremko was found guilty of sexual assault with a weapon and forcible confinement in December of 2021 for crimes a prosecutor described as a “nightmare scenario.” The incident happened on June 3, 2019, when he forced his way into the victim’s Saskatoon condominium while fleeing police and locked the door behind him. Yaremko coerced her to use drugs, threatening her with sexual violence if she did not oblige. He also sexually assaulted her multiple times and forbade her from leaving for two days. He pled…

D4vd's lawyers ask why more DNA testing wasn't done on chain saws, car in teen girl's killing AP NewsD4vd lawyers challenge police testing of evidence found in singer’s home The GuardianWhy D4vd’s $19M record deal matters in his murder hearing NewsNationD4vd’s garage had signs of blood where girl’s body was likely cut up, expert testifies Los Angeles TimesGruesome images in D4vd hearing are 'worst nightmare' for Celeste Rivas Hernandez's family BBC

Member-only story Steal this UX framework from Dubai’s most over-the-top hotel The invisible man at the chocolate fountain If you have ever used a chocolate fountain, you know the physics. The chocolate is thin. It drips. A child holding a skewer of marshmallows is a guaranteed spill. The counter around one of these should look like a crime scene by nine o’clock. This one never did. Five ribbons ran at once: pistachio, raspberry, milk, white, and dark, and all week the marble around it stayed spotless. It took me three nights to work out why, and when I did, I realized I had been staring at the best piece of user-experience design in the whole resort.…

Gemini sent $10M in Bitcoin to Trump PAC after joint motion with CFTC The Bitcoin donation can be used to support Donald Trump as a New York court considers whether to reverse a $5 million settlement between the CFTC and Gemini. With a court set to consider a reversal of a $5 million settlement from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC’s) case with cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, the company has sent $10 million in Bitcoin (BTC) to a super political action committee (PAC) supporting President Donald Trump. According to the MAGA Inc. Super PAC’s July report to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) filed on Monday, the Gemini Trust…

MOST POPULAR SYSTEMS #### AMD and Cerebras join forces against Nvidia’s Groq LPUsThe enemy of my enemy is my friend AI and ML #### Codeberg gives vibe-coded projects the toss, promotes human FLOSSAI no longer welcome in human-focused community Systems #### AMD attacks the rack with Helios systems that rival Nvidia'sSpec for spec, the House of Zen's first rack-scale AI compute platform is bigger and faster than Nvidia's Vera Rubin by nearly every metric, but that's only on paper DEVOPS #### Model Context Protocol prepares to break with its stateful pastBiggest overhaul since launch ditches sessions, guts little-used features, and leaves homebrew…

BRUSSELS, July 24. /TASS/. The European Union has imposed sanctions on Russian energy holding Inter RAO, the EU Council said in a message published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Naming the reasons for sanctioning Inter RAO, EU officials said that it s one of Russia’s largest energy companies with around 19 million consumers, and that it plays a significant role in Russia’s economy. Inter RAO is a diversified Russian energy holding comprising companies engaged in electric and thermal power generation, energy trading, electricity retail, power engineering, engineering services, and industry-specific IT. It operates in several countries…

Fragmentation. Separation. Seclusion. The 21st century is defined by an unprecedented paradox. Humanity is more connected than ever before, yet individuals report historic levels of loneliness. At the heart of this contradiction lies the rapid evolution of digital telecommunications, particularly social media platforms, instant messaging applications, and video conferencing tools. These technologies have effectively dismantled […]...Keep on reading: Isolation amidst globalization

United States President Donald Trump will not stop the United Kingdom’s extradition of Andrew and Tristan Tate on sex crime charges, a White House spokesperson has said. The online influencers, who have built a career as self-professed misogynists, were arrested in Miami on Saturday after UK prosecutors announced dozens of new charges against them, including rape, sex trafficking and assault. Recommended Stories list of 3 items- list 1 of 3Tate brothers arrested in Miami as UK adds rape, trafficking charges - list 2 of 3Six Republican states send 1,100 troops to US capital amid crackdown - list 3 of 3Tate brothers arrested in Miami on rape and sex…

THERE’S no way consumers can file plunder charges against the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) for its deliberate refusal to refund P40.5 billion in overcollection. But that doesn’t mean Meralco is off the hook. For one, the money that Meralco owes to consumers could not be considered public funds. Hence, plunder charges wouldn’t work. But filing […]...Keep on reading: The refund Meralco owes consumers: Long overdue

In brief Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon told Politico he is "very supportive of moving the Clarity Act forward." His stance breaks with much of Wall Street, including JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon and a coalition of banking trade groups who want stronger language limiting stablecoin yield. The endorsement lands as Republicans circulate updated bill text preserving the market framework while adding contested ethics provisions, leaving the Clarity Act's Senate path uncertain ahead of a hoped-for vote before the August recess. Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO David Solomon has come out in favor of the Clarity Act, positioning one of Wall Street's biggest banks…

Victoria, Seychelles 22nd July,2026. Most crypto traders spend a lot of energy trying to predict the next major market move. However, markets do not always trend clearly. Prices often move sideways for days or weeks, fluctuating within a defined range without committing to a sustained upward or downward direction. These conditions can be difficult to trade manually. What Contract Grid Trading Does A grid trading strategy divides a selected price range into multiple price levels. As the market moves through those levels, the system automatically buys and sells according to the predefined parameters. Once traders configure the price range and trading…

Bitcoin slides below $65K as Iran conflict fuels $100 oil and bond-yield surge Bitcoin price forecasts diverge as US-Iran war tensions fueled an ongoing oil and bond-market surge, while July Fed rate-hike odds neared 40%. Bitcoin (BTC) fell below $65,000 on Thursday as US stocks slid amid another round of escalation in Iran. Key points: Several days of US-Iran escalation are beginning to take their toll on crypto and stock market performance. Bitcoin sees three-day lows under $65,000 as traders diverge on the near-term outlook. A 21-day moving average trend line becomes important nearby support. Bitcoin wobbles as Iran destabilizes stocks, oil and US…

Mobileye founder and CEO Amnon Shashua plans to step down from the top leadership post after nearly three decades, just as the company pushes into robotaxis and humanoid robots. Shashua will remain CEO until Mobileye hires a replacement, according to a regulatory filing Thursday. Mobileye got its start making computer vision chips based on Shashua’s academic research at Hebrew University in Israel, and grew into a major supplier of the chips that power automotive safety and driver-assistance features. It had the largest IPO in Israel’s history, was acquired in 2017 by Intel for $15.3 billion, then spun back out as a publicly traded company in 2022,…

Kalahari African$ A hybrid grocer, liquor store and cafe: Kalahari has served the South African community since 2010. Of all the changes introduced by new owners Emma and Sean Nofal, most pleasing has been the fine-tuning of the food. A former Meat & Wine Co chef, Sean fries puffy vetkoek – fried bread – to order; serves a mighty steak sanger; is a dab hand at curry and spice; and knows his way around a grill. Good to know: visiting Kalahari and not taking away some house-made biltong would be a grave mistake Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide. More:

It is no secret that budget-friendly, small-capacity automatic cars in South Africa often come with an unpleasant footnote: sluggish acceleration. Pair a modest engine with an automatic transmission under R300,000 and you usually end up with a car that screams on highway slipways, hunts endlessly for gears on inclines and turns every overtaking maneuver into a nerve-wracking exercise. So when I stepped into the new Changan Alsvin 1.5 CE Auto, I braced myself for the typical entry-level automatic slog I was wrong.The Alsvin didn't just handle the drive, it shocked me. At the heart of the Alsvin 1.5 CE is a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre four-cylinder…

When it comes to electric vehicles in South Africa, we have largely been trapped between two extremes. On one side, you have the small, purely urban hatchbacks like the BYD Dolphin Surf and Geely E2.They are affordable and ideal for city commuting but they lack the necessary road presence South Africans adore and just lack the space that a family needs for a primary vehicle. On the other side of the spectrum sit the larger, feature-packed C-segment crossovers like the Geely E5 or the Volvo EX30.They offer the punch and the prestige but their price tags quickly push them well north of the R700 000 mark. Enter the Jaecoo J5 BEV, which falls slap bang in…

TL;DR Ford will embed Apple Maps in its new UEV platform starting with a $30,000 electric pickup in 2027, with road data also feeding BlueCruise Ford will embed Apple Maps in its new UEV platform starting with a $30,000 electric pickup in 2027, with road data also feeding BlueCruise Ford will use Apple Maps as the built-in navigation system for its next generation of electric vehicles, replacing the Google-based software it has run since 2023. The integration uses Apple’s new MapKit for Automotive SDK and will launch with Ford’s $30,000 midsize electric pickup in 2027, according to a joint announcement from both companies on Wednesday. Ford will also…

Ford is set to bolster its European vehicle offerings through a new joint venture with Chinese automotive giant Geely Auto. Announced on Thursday, the partnership will see the companies jointly manufacture low- and zero-emission vehicles at Ford's factory in Valencia, Spain. This strategic move is designed to reignite Ford’s presence in the competitive European auto market, where the legacy carmaker faces increasing pressure from rapidly expanding Chinese companies that are dominating global sales. The collaboration unfolds amid challenges in the American electric vehicle market and escalating global geopolitical tensions, partly fueled by US tariff…

TL;DR Musk told investors Optimus has no supply chain and every part is new, as Tesla quietly dropped mass production language from its Q2 deck Musk told investors Optimus has no supply chain and every part is new, as Tesla quietly dropped mass production language from its Q2 deck Elon Musk told investors on Tesla’s second-quarter earnings call that Optimus will be “the hardest product to scale manufacturing that we’ve ever made at Tesla,” warning that the humanoid robot has no existing supply chain and that every component is new. He said he wanted to “calibrate people correctly” on expectations, acknowledging that the initial production ramp will…

U.S. regulators will begin developing new requirements for automakers to ensure drivers and passengers can safely exit their vehicles. The new rule-making process, outlined in a regulatory filing and first reported by Bloomberg, follows a series of incidents, including fatal ones, in which people have become stuck inside cars with flush, electronically operated door handles like those found on Tesla vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the new rule-making in response to a petition that asked the agency to open a safety defect investigation into the emergency mechanical door release design on 2022 Tesla Model 3…

Agnes Bakery’s successor has everything that made it such a pandemic-era hit: the fire-licked sourdough loaves, Basque cheesecakes, caneles, kouign-amanns and so on – but also an all-day menu more imaginative than most around town, with daily salads and sandwiches added to the mix from 10am. Coffee is by Sydney’s Single O and, of course, this is an Anyday venue so you know it looks a million dollars. Good to know: Part of the new(ish) Little Lane precinct, Idle’s neighbours include RUMA Rooftop, Green Cup and Johnny Gio Pizza. Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good…

Ford to partner with Chinese automaker Geely in Spain in new joint venture Ford and Chinese automotive company Geely Auto announced plans on Thursday to jointly manufacture low- and zero-emission vehicles at Ford’s Valencia, Spain factory. The partnership is a bid to reignite Ford’s offerings for the European auto market as the legacy carmaker seeks to compete with the likes of fast-moving Chinese companies that are rapidly dominating auto sales across the globe. It comes amid challenges for the American electric vehicle market and increasing global geopolitical tensions driven by U.S. tariff policy. In the U.S., policy all but locks Chinese firms out…

Things are always heating up on Jupiter’s moon Io, a volcano-covered world that’s constantly pushed and pulled by its host planet’s gravity. NASA’s ongoing Juno mission, while investigating the rocky moon, saw sweltering temperatures in its depths. With this unprecedented view, astronomers are now wondering what’s causing so much heat to rise from the moon's subsurface. Previously, heat signatures from Io could only be seen escaping at its surface or through volcanic eruptions. But thanks to Juno’s observations, researchers have been able to finally catch underground heat coming up to the surface, as explained in a new study published in the Journal…

SEOUL/WASHINGTON — South Korea and the United States on Thursday launched a shipbuilding cooperation center in Washington to facilitate the planned $150 billion investment in the U.S. shipbuilding sector that Seoul committed to under last year's bilateral trade and investment deal. Senior officials and industry leaders from the two countries joined an event marking the opening of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC), a platform to advance the "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA)" initiative aimed at revitalizing America's shipbuilding industry. The opening came two months after the two countries signed a memorandum of…

The Renewable Energy Industry Club under the Federation of Thai Industries has called on the government to allow renewable power producers with expired adder tariffs to sell electricity directly to fast-growing data centres, which require vast amounts of clean energy. The adder tariff was introduced to encourage investment in renewable energy by adding extra charges to electricity prices. However, the scheme was criticised for driving up electricity costs for households and businesses. Although the tariff has expired, companies are still permitted to sell electricity to the government at wholesale prices, which adds financial pressure on consumers.…

Commentary: How the US-Iran war will reshape the Gulf The Iran war has triggered intense debate about America’s role in the region, but the reality is the Gulf has no substitute for the United States, says NUS Middle East Institute chairman Joseph Liow. SINGAPORE: Barely a month after a preliminary agreement seemed to offer some respite from the war, attacks between Iran and the United States have resumed and are escalating dangerously. The US has struck Iran over consecutive nights, while Tehran retaliated by attacking US military facilities elsewhere in the Gulf. After at least two US soldiers were killed in Jordan over the weekend, US President…

Authorities are preparing to broaden the pilot direct power purchase agreement (PPA) programme, initially designed for data centre operators, to include a wider range of industries seeking clean energy solutions. The move comes as authorities aim to accelerate the country's energy transition and strengthen competitiveness in global trade. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and the Board of Investment are jointly considering the expansion following approval by the National Energy Policy Council. Speaking at the 2026 Huawei Thailand Digital & AI Summit yesterday, ERC secretary-general Poonpat Leesombatpiboon said the direct PPA framework must be…

Hello and welcome to our national news live coverage for Friday, July 24. Here’s what’s making headlines today. Middle East at War: Oil is trading at above $US100 for the time since the last phase of the Iran war after Houthi rebels fired at two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, prompting US President Donald Trump to warn of bigger strikes against the Iranian regime and its surrogates. Politics: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended an exclusive dinner hosted by an uber-rich 25-year-old whose billionaire father was accused by the Tax Office of repeatedly deceiving authorities to funnel huge sums of money from China into Australian bank accounts and…

The decision by Yemen’s Ansar Allah, better known as the Houthis, to impose a blockade on Saudi Arabia signals that the war on Iran has entered its most dangerous phase. The Houthis, a close Iranian ally, had avoided direct involvement due to a fragile but functional ceasefire with Saudi Arabia, despite their controlling most of Yemen’s population centres, including capital Sana’a. That ceasefire effectively fell apart on July 13 when an airport in Sanaa was attacked by forces of “Yemen’s internationally recognised government”. Based in Saudi Arabia, this government maintains loyal forces inside Yemen, though the Houthis remain the country’s most…

The Index of Core Industries (ICI) has finally joined the country’s other economic metrics in becoming up-to-date and representative of the economy. The other metrics such as the national accounts, Consumer Price Index (CPI), Wholesale Price Index (WPI), and the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) were updated earlier this year, although even those were after considerable delays. The ICI has now joined their ranks with the June data being based on a new series with an updated base year, an additional sector being covered, and revised weights and methodologies. This is a welcome upgrade. The performance of these core industries is a vital barometer of…

How volatile are fuel markets this year? Southwest Airlines hired a ship this spring to send jet fuel from Texas to California, where prices are much higher and concerns had grown about supply, CFO Tom Doxey told CNBC. It was a first for the Dallas airline. "It brought like a week's supply to the West Coast at a time when when supply was most constricted ... when it was most at risk," Doxey said. The ship, which left from Houston and went through the Panama Canal, arrived May 28 in Los Angeles and had about 12.6 million gallons aboard, Southwest said. For context, Southwest used 564 million gallons of jet fuel in the last quarter. The West Coast is…

Washington: Oil is trading at above $US100 for the time since the last phase of the Iran war after Houthi rebels fired at two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, prompting US President Donald Trump to warn of bigger strikes against the Iranian regime and its surrogates. The price of Brent crude rose more than 8 per cent on Thursday (US time), amid widespread fears that Houthi attacks in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait will disrupt shipping in another crucial waterway. Trump warned that if the Iran-backed militants in Yemen fired on another ship, he would inflict “major military punishment” on Iran and the Houthis themselves – “who I am very disappointed with…