Australia's first domestically built rocket to attempt orbital launch [1]crashed just 14 seconds after liftoff , though the company still declared the mission a success for igniting all engines and leaving the launch pad. The Associated Press reports:

> The rocket Eris, launched by Gilmour Space Technologies, was the first Australian-designed and manufactured orbital launch vehicle to lift off from the country and was designed to carry small satellites to orbit. It launched Wednesday morning local time in a test flight from a spaceport near the small town of Bowen in the north of Queensland state. In videos published by Australian news outlets, the 23-meter (75-foot) rocket appeared to clear the launch tower and hovered in the air before falling out of sight. Plumes of smoke were seen rising above the site. No injuries were reported. The company hailed the launch as a success in a statement posted to Facebook. A spokesperson said all four hybrid-propelled engines ignited and the maiden flight included 23 seconds of engine burn time and 14 seconds of flight.

"Of course I would have liked more flight time but happy with this," wrote CEO Adam Gilmour [2]on LinkedIn . Gilmour said in February that it was "almost unheard of" for a private rocket company to successfully launch to orbit on its first attempt.

"This is an important first step towards the giant leap of a future commercial space industry right here in our region," added Mayor Ry Collins of the local Whitsunday Regional Council.



[1] https://apnews.com/article/rocket-crash-launch-australia-gilmour-space-5df36f956621db85c360157400b88c09

[2] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adam-gilmour-03313489_got-off-the-pad-i-am-happy-of-course-activity-7356091809900478464-3Tdo?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAABVVmQABBXehqjStIT5u9Cj19eedFbQhzoE

Smartphone maker Nothing's $799 Phone 3 has been "mired in controversy among the same customers who rallied behind the company's past products" since its July launch, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. Tech enthusiasts have "lambasted the company for the phone's peculiar industrial design and what they perceive to be an unreasonable price."

The Android device lacks the most performant Qualcomm processor chip found in premium Android phones and the camera performance "falls short of other handsets in this price bracket," the publication [1]wrote in a scathing review . The phone costs $200 more than its predecessor and matches pricing with Apple's iPhone 16, Samsung's Galaxy S25, and Google's Pixel 9.

Critics across Reddit and social media have attacked Nothing for removing the signature Glyph Lights from previous models. Comments on Nothing's YouTube channel have been "bruising," focusing on the phone's oddly positioned camera array. "At its current price, the handset is too expensive for what it offers," the review concludes.



[1] https://www.ndtvprofit.com/technology/nothings-phone-3-is-stymied-by-contentious-design-and-price

Earlier this month, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise [1]settled its antitrust case with the U.S. Justice Department, "paving the way for its acquisition of rival kit maker Juniper Networks" for $14 billion. According to Axios, the deal was heavily influenced by national security concerns and a desire to bolster American competition against China's Huawei. The outlet reports that the U.S. intelligence community "intervened to persuade the Justice Department that allowing the merger to proceed was [2]essential to helping U.S. business compete with China's Huawei Technologies , among other national-security issues." From the report:

> "In light of significant national security concerns, a settlement ... serves the interests of the United States by strengthening domestic capabilities and is critical to countering Huawei and China." The official said blocking the deal would have "hindered American companies and empowered" Chinese competitors. A Justice Department spokesman added that DOJ "works very closely with our partners in the IC [intelligence community] and always considers their views when deciding how best to proceed with a case."

>

> The merger was back in the news this week with [3]reports that two [4]senior enforcers in the DOJ's antitrust division were fired Monday [5]amid infighting over the [6]department's settlement greenlighting HPE's $14 billion acquisition of Juniper. Attorney General Pam Bondi had conversations with top intelligence officials that convinced her there was a strong national interest in not driving allies to Chinese technology, a senior administration official tells us.



[1] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/07/05/050238/hpe-acquires-juniper-networks-for-14b-after-settling-antitrust-case

[2] https://www.axios.com/2025/07/30/merger-hpe-juniper-networks-national-security

[3] https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/two-us-justice-dept-antitrust-officials-fired-over-merger-controversy-source-2025-07-29/

[4] https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/top-justice-department-antitrust-officials-fired-amid-internal-feud-0c98d57c?st=uC8AuZ&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

[5] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-29/top-doj-antitrust-officials-removed-over-hpe-juniper-settlement

[6] https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-requires-divestitures-and-licensing-commitments-hpes-acquisition-juniper

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica:

> In a rare move, Google has [1]confirmed it will sign the European Union's AI Code of Practice , a framework it initially opposed for being too harsh. However, Google isn't totally on board with Europe's efforts to rein in the AI explosion. The company's head of global affairs, Kent Walker, noted that the code could stifle innovation if it's not applied carefully, and that's something Google hopes to prevent. While Google was initially opposed to the Code of Practice, [2]Walker says the input it has provided to the European Commission has been well-received, and the result is a legal framework it believes can provide Europe with access to "secure, first-rate AI tools." The company claims that the expansion of such tools on the continent could boost the economy by 8 percent (about 1.8 trillion euros) annually by 2034.

>

> These supposed economic gains are being dangled like bait to entice business interests in the EU to align with Google on the Code of Practice. While the company is signing the agreement, it appears interested in influencing the way it is implemented. Walker says Google remains concerned that tightening copyright guidelines and forced disclosure of possible trade secrets could slow innovation. Having a seat at the table could make it easier to bend the needle of regulation than if it followed some of its competitors in eschewing voluntary compliance. [...] The AI Code of Practice aims to provide AI firms with a bit more certainty in the face of a shifting landscape. It was developed with the input of more than 1,000 citizen groups, academics, and industry experts. The EU Commission says companies that adopt the voluntary code will enjoy a lower bureaucratic burden, easing compliance with the block's AI Act, which came into force last year.

>

> Under the terms of the code, Google will have to publish summaries of its model training data and disclose additional model features to regulators. The code also includes guidance on how firms should manage safety and security in compliance with the AI Act. Likewise, it includes paths to align a company's model development with EU copyright law as it pertains to AI, a sore spot for Google and others. Companies like Meta that don't sign the code will not escape regulation. All AI companies operating in Europe will have to abide by the AI Act, which includes the most detailed regulatory framework for generative AI systems in the world. The law bans high-risk uses of AI like intentional deception or manipulation of users, social scoring systems, and real-time biometric scanning in public spaces. Companies that violate the rules in the AI Act could be hit with fines as high as 35 million euros ($40.1 million) or up to 7 percent of the offender's global revenue.



[1] https://arstechnica.com/google/2025/07/google-confirms-it-will-sign-the-eu-ai-code-of-practice/

[2] https://blog.google/around-the-globe/google-europe/eu-ai-code-practice/

India [1]launched the $1.5 billion NISAR radar imaging satellite on Wednesday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, marking the first joint mission between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation. The satellite uses dual radar frequencies -- NASA's L-band and ISRO's S-band -- to detect Earth surface changes as small as one centimeter from its 747-kilometer orbit.

NISAR will map the entire planet every 12 days using a 240-kilometer-wide radar swath, providing data for climate monitoring and disaster response that will be freely available to users worldwide.



[1] https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/india-launches-nasa-isro-satellite-track-climate-threats-space-2025-07-30/

Dropbox will [1]shut down its password manager service by October 28, giving users until then to extract their data before permanent deletion. The discontinuation occurs in phases: Dropbox Passwords becomes view-only on August 28, the mobile app stops working September 11, and complete shutdown follows October 28. The company cited focusing on core product features as the reason for dropping the service, which [2]launched in 2020 for paid users and expanded to all users in 2021.



[1] https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/30/dropbox_drops_dropbox_passwords/

[2] https://it.slashdot.org/story/20/06/04/200201/dropbox-is-working-on-its-own-password-manager

Google will soon cast an even wider net with its AI age estimation technology. From a report:

> After announcing plans to [1]find and restrict underage users on YouTube , the company now says it will [2]start detecting whether Google users based in the US are under 18.

>

> Age estimation is rolling out over the next few weeks and will only impact a "small set" of users to start, though Google plans on expanding it more widely. The company says it will use the information a user has searched for or the types of YouTube videos they watch to determine their age. Google first announced this initiative in February. If Google believes that a user is under 18, it will apply the same restrictions it places on users who proactively identify as underage.



[1] https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/07/29/2237252/youtube-rolls-out-age-estimation-tech-to-identify-us-teens-apply-additional-protections

[2] https://www.theverge.com/news/716154/google-ai-age-estimation-under-18

An anonymous reader shares an analysis:

> In most major aviation markets, including the U.S. and Europe, competition is an oligopolistic affair, with several large airlines competing for market share. India's domestic sector, however, is [1]increasingly characterized by the ascent of a single airline .

>

> Low-cost carrier IndiGo has achieved an extraordinary concentration of the market, capturing approximately 64.4% of all passenger traffic as of May. More strikingly, the airline operates with a near-monopoly on 66% of its domestic routes, facing little to no direct competition in a significant portion of its network.

>

> This position is the culmination of a decade-long expansion that saw the exit of rivals like Jet Airways and GoAir. Today, its remaining competitors continue to struggle; SpiceJet's domestic market share has fallen to just 2% while it operates a reduced fleet of only 19 aircraft. Air India, despite its acquisition by the Tata Group in 2022, has been slow in its restructuring and continues to cede domestic ground, with the flag carrier remaining unprofitable.



[1] https://indiadispatch.com/p/indigo

Promising Phase 3 trial results from Apnimed suggest a [1]potential game-changing oral pill for sleep apnea could offer a simpler, more tolerable alternative for keeping airways open during sleep. The New York Times reports:

> For decades, the primary treatment for sleep apnea has been continuous positive airway pressure (or CPAP). Before bed, those with the condition put on a face mask that is connected to a CPAP machine, which keeps the airway open by forcing air into it. The machines are effective, but many find them so noisy, cumbersome or uncomfortable that they end up abandoning them. Now, a more appealing option may be on the way, according to a [2]news release from Apnimed, a pharmaceutical company focused on treating sleep apnea. On Wednesday, the company announced a second round of positive Phase 3 clinical trial results for a first-of-its-kind oral pill that can be taken just before bedtime to help keep a person's airway open.

>

> The full results have not yet been released, or published in a peer-reviewed journal. But the findings build on past, similarly positive conclusions from trials and studies. Sleep experts say that what they're seeing in reports so far makes them think the pill could be a game changer. Dr. Phyllis Zee, a sleep doctor and researcher at Northwestern Medicine who was not involved with the trial, said that if approved, the drug could transform the lives of many. That includes not only those who can't tolerate CPAP machines, but also those who can't -- or prefer not to -- use other interventions, such as other types of oral devices or weight loss medications. (Excess weight is a risk factor for sleep apnea.)



[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/well/apnimed-sleep-apnea-clinical-trial-ad109.html

[2] https://apnimed.com/article/ad109toplinephase3results/

Longtime Slashdot reader [1]schwit1 shares a report from Business Insider:

> Apple's new spam text filtering feature could end up being a multimillion-dollar headache for political campaigns. iOS 26 includes a new feature that allows users to filter text messages from unrecognized numbers into an "Unknown Senders" folder without sending a notification. Users can then go to that filter and hit "Mark as Known" or delete the message.

>

> In a memo seen by BI and first reported by Punchbowl News, the official campaign committee in charge of electing GOP senators [2]warned that the new feature [3]could lead to a steep drop in revenue . "That change has profound implications for our ability to fundraise, mobilize voters, and run digital campaigns," reads a July 24 memo from the National Republican Senatorial Committee, or NRSC. The memo estimated that the new feature could cost the group $25 million in lost revenue and lead to a $500 million loss for GOP campaigns as a whole, based on the estimate that 70% of small-dollar donations come from text messages and that iPhones make up 60% of mobile devices in the US.

Apple's 'rules' for this new spam text filtering feature "aren't unclear at all," notes Daring Fireball's John Gruber. "If a sender is not in your saved contacts and you've never sent or responded to a text message from them, they're considered 'unknown.' That's it."

"The feature isn't even really new -- you've been able to filter messages like this in Messages for years now, but what iOS 26 changes is that it now has a new more prominent -- better, IMO -- interface for switching between filter views." It's also worth noting that there's no filtering by message content, so all political parties will be affected by this feature. "[T]here's no reason to believe that Republican candidates and groups will be more affected by this than Democratic ones," writes Gruber.



[1] https://slashdot.org/~schwit1

[2] https://punchbowl.news/nrsc-letter/

[3] https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-ios-26-impact-political-fundraising-senate-republicans-2025-7

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica:

> An artificial intelligence data center that [1]would use more electricity than every home in Wyoming combined before expanding to as much as five times that size will be built soon near Cheyenne, according to the city's mayor. "It's a game changer. It's huge," Mayor Patrick Collins said Monday. With cool weather -- good for keeping computer temperatures down -- and an abundance of inexpensive electricity from a top energy-producing state, Wyoming's capital has become a hub of computing power. The city has been home to Microsoft data centers since 2012. An $800 million data center announced last year by Facebook parent company Meta Platforms is nearing completion, Collins said.

>

> The latest data center, a joint effort between regional energy infrastructure company Tallgrass and AI data center developer Crusoe, would begin at 1.8 gigawatts of electricity and be scalable to 10 gigawatts, according to a joint company statement. A gigawatt can power as many as 1 million homes. But that's more homes than Wyoming has people. The [2]least populated state , Wyoming, has about 590,000 people. And it's a major exporter of energy. A top producer of coal, oil and gas, Wyoming ranks behind only Texas, New Mexico and Pennsylvania as a top net energy-producing state, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

>

> Accounting for fossil fuels, Wyoming produces about [3]12 times more energy than it consumes. The state exports almost three-fifths of the electricity it produces, according to the EIA. But this proposed data center is so big, it would have its own dedicated energy from gas generation and renewable sources, according to Collins and company officials. [...] While data centers are energy-hungry, experts say companies can help reduce their effect on the climate by powering them with renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. Even so, electricity customers might see their bills increase as utilities plan for massive data projects on the grid. The data center would be built several miles (kilometers) south of Cheyenne off U.S. 85 near the Colorado state line. State and local regulators would need to sign off on the project, but Collins was optimistic construction could begin soon. "I believe their plans are to go sooner rather than later," Collins said.



[1] https://apnews.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-data-center-electricity-wyoming-cheyenne-44da7974e2d942acd8bf003ebe2e855a

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_population

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_Wyoming

YouTube is [1]rolling out age-estimation technology in the U.S . to identify teen users in order to provide a more age-appropriate experience. TechCrunch reports:

> When YouTube identifies a user as a teen, it introduces new protections and experiences, which include disabling personalized advertising, safeguards that limit repetitive viewing of certain types of content, and enabling digital well-being tools such as screen time and bedtime reminders, among others. These protections already exist on YouTube, but have only been applied to those who verified themselves as teens, not those who may have withheld their real age. [...]

>

> If the new system incorrectly identifies a user as under 18 when they are not, YouTube says the user will be given the option to verify their age with a credit card, government ID, or selfie. Only users who have been directly verified through this method or whose age has been inferred to be over 18 will be able to view the age-restricted content on the platform. The machine learning-powered technology will begin to roll out over the next few weeks to a small set of U.S. users and will then be monitored before rolling out more widely, the company says. [...]

>

> YouTube isn't sharing specifics about the signals it's using to infer a user's age, but notes that it will look at some data like the YouTube activity and the longevity of a user's account to make a determination if the user is under 18. The new system will apply only to signed-in users, as signed-out users already cannot access age-restricted content, and will be available across platforms, including web, mobile, and connected TV.



[1] https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/29/youtube-rolls-out-age-estimatation-tech-to-identify-u-s-teens-and-apply-additional-protections/

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has [1]activated the National Guard to assist the City of Saint Paul after a cyberattack crippled the city's digital services on Friday. "The city is currently working with local, state, and federal partners to investigate the attack and restore full functionality, and says that emergency services have been unaffected," reports BleepingComputer. "However, online payments are currently unavailable, and some services in libraries and recreation centers are temporarily unavailable." From the report:

> The attack has persisted through the weekend, causing widespread disruptions across the city after affecting St. Paul's digital services and critical systems. "St. Paul officials have been working around the clock since discovering the cyberattack, closely coordinating with Minnesota Information Technology Services and an external cybersecurity vendor. Unfortunately, the scale and complexity of this incident exceeded both internal and commercial response capabilities," reads an [2]emergency executive order (PDF) signed on Tuesday.

>

> "As a result, St. Paul has requested cyber protection support from the Minnesota National Guard to help address this incident and make sure that vital municipal services continue without interruption." "The decision to deploy cyber protection support from the Minnesota National Guard comes at the city's request, after the cyberattack's impact exceeded St. Paul's incident response capacity. This will ensure the continuity of vital services for Saint Paul residents, as well as their security and safety while ongoing disruptions are being mitigated. "We are committed to working alongside the City of Saint Paul to restore cybersecurity as quickly as possible," Governor Walz [3]said on Tuesday. "The Minnesota National Guard's cyber forces will collaborate with city, state, and federal officials to resolve the situation and mitigate lasting impacts."



[1] https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/minnesota-activates-national-guard-after-st-paul-cyberattack/

[2] https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MNGOV/2025/07/29/file_attachments/3337257/Executive%20Order%2025-08.pdf

[3] https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/#/detail/appId/1/id/699945

ZDNet's Steven Vaughan-Nichols shares his list of " [1]what's new and improved" in the latest Linux 6.16 kernel . An anonymous reader shares an excerpt from the report:

> First, the Rust language is continuing to become more well-integrated into the kernel. At the top of my list is that the kernel now boasts Rust bindings for the driver core and PCI device subsystem. This approach will make it easier to add new Rust-based hardware drivers to Linux. Additionally, new Rust abstractions have been integrated into the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM), particularly for ioctl handling, file/GEM memory management, and driver/device infrastructure for major GPU vendors, such as AMD, Nvidia, and Intel. These changes should reduce vulnerabilities and optimize graphics performance. This will make gamers and AI/ML developers happier.

>

> Linux 6.16 also [2]brings general improvements to Rust crate support. Crate is Rust's packaging format. This will make it easier to build, maintain, and integrate Rust kernel modules into the kernel. For those of you who still love C, don't worry. The vast majority of kernel code remains in C, and Rust is unlikely to replace C soon. In a decade, we may be telling another story. Beyond Rust, this latest release also comes with several major file system improvements. For starters, the XFS filesystem now supports large atomic writes. This capability means that large multi-block write operations are 'atomic,' meaning all blocks are updated or none. This enhances data integrity and prevents data write errors. This move is significant for companies that use XFS for databases and large-scale storage.

>

> Perhaps the most popular Linux file system, Ext4, is also getting many improvements. These boosts include faster commit paths, large folio support, and atomic multi-fsblock writes for bigalloc filesystems. What these improvements mean, if you're not a file-system nerd, is that we should see speedups of up to 37% for sequential I/O workloads. If your Linux laptop doubles as a music player, another nice new feature is that you can now stream your audio over USB even while the rest of your system is asleep. That capability's been available in Android for a while, but now it's part of mainline Linux.

>

> If security is a top priority for you, the 6.16 kernel now supports Intel Trusted Execution Technology (TXT) and Intel Trusted Domain Extensions (TDX). This addition, along with Linux's improved support for AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization and Secure Memory Encryption (SEV-SNP), enables you to encrypt your software's memory in what's known as confidential computing. This feature improves cloud security by encrypting a user's virtual machine memory, meaning someone who cracks a cloud can't access your data.

Linux 6.16 also delivers several chip-related upgrades. It introduces support for Intel's Advanced Performance Extensions (APX), doubling x86 general-purpose registers from 16 to 32 and boosting performance on next-gen CPUs like Lunar Lake and Granite Rapids Xeon. Additionally, the new CONFIG_X86_NATIVE_CPU option allows users to build processor-optimized kernels for greater efficiency.

Support for Nvidia's AI-focused Blackwell GPUs has also been improved, and updates to TCP/IP with DMABUF help offload networking tasks to GPUs and accelerators. While these changes may go unnoticed by everyday users, high-performance systems will see gains and OpenVPN users may finally experience speeds that challenge WireGuard.



[1] https://www.zdnet.com/article/linux-6-16-brings-faster-file-systems-improved-confidential-memory-support-and-more-rust-support/

[2] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/CAHk-=wh0kuQE+tWMEPJqCR48F4Tip2EeYQU-mi+2Fx_Oa1Ehbw@mail.gmail.com/T/#u

Jack Dorsey's new app Bitchat is [1]now available on the iOS App Store. The decentralized, peer-to-peer messaging app uses Bluetooth mesh networks for encrypted, ephemeral chats [2]without requiring accounts, servers, or internet access . Dorsey said he built it over a weekend and cautioned that it "has [3]not received external security review and may contain vulnerabilities..." TechCrunch reports:

> The app's UX is very minimal. There is no log-in system, and you're immediately brought to an instant messaging box, where you can see what nearby users are saying (if anyone is actually around you and using the app) and set your display name, which can be changed at any time. [...] Dorsey has not directly addressed the fake Bitchat apps on the Google Play store, but he did repost [4]another user's X post that said that Bitchat is not yet on Google Play, and to "beware of fakes."



[1] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bitchat-mesh/id6748219622

[2] https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/29/jack-dorseys-bluetooth-messaging-app-bitchat-now-on-app-store/

[3] https://it.slashdot.org/story/25/07/10/0117206/jack-dorsey-says-his-secure-new-bitchat-app-has-not-been-tested-for-security

[4] https://x.com/callebtc/status/1949950406995374379

Cisco has [1]donated its AGNTCY initiative to the Linux Foundation , aiming to create an open-standard "Internet of Agents" to allow AI agents from different vendors to collaborate seamlessly. The project is backed by tech giants like Google Cloud, Dell, Oracle and Red Hat. "Without such an interoperable standard, companies have been rushing to build specialized AI agents," writes ZDNet's Steven Vaughan-Nichols. "These work in isolated silos that cannot work and play well with each other. This, in turn, makes them less useful for customers than they could be." From the report:

> AGNTCY was first open-sourced by Cisco in March 2025 and has since attracted support from over 75 companies. By moving it under the Linux Foundation's neutral governance, the hope is that everyone else will jump on the AGNTCY bandwagon, thus making it an industry-wide standard. The Linux Foundation has a long history of providing common ground for what otherwise might be contentious technology battles. The project provides a complete framework to solve the core challenges of multi-agent collaboration:

>

> - Agent Discovery: An [2]Open Agent Schema Framework (OASF) acts like a "DNS for agents," allowing them to find and understand the capabilities of others.

> - Agent Identity: A system for cryptographically verifiable identities ensures agents can prove who they are and perform authorized actions securely across different vendors and organizations.

> - Agent Messaging: A protocol named [3]Secure Low-latency Interactive Messaging (SLIM) is designed for the complex, multi-modal communication patterns of agents, with built-in support for human-in-the-loop interaction and quantum-safe security.

> - Agent Observability: A specialized monitoring framework provides visibility into complex, multi-agent workflows, which is crucial for debugging probabilistic AI systems.

>

> You may well ask, aren't there other emerging AI agency standards? You're right. There are. These include the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol, which was also [4]recently contributed to the Linux Foundation , and Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP). AGNTCY will help agents using these protocols discover each other and communicate securely. In more detail, it looks like this: AGNTCY enables interoperability and collaboration in three primary ways:

>

> - Discovery: Agents using the A2A protocol and servers using MCP can be listed and found through AGNTCY's directories. This enables different agents to discover each other and understand their functions.

> - Messaging: A2A and MCP communications can be transported over SLIM, AGNTCY's messaging protocol designed for secure and efficient agent interaction.

> - Observability: The interactions between these different agents and protocols can be monitored using AGNTCY's observability software development kits (SDKs), which increase transparency and help with debugging complex workflows

You can view AGNTCY's code and documentary [5]on GitHub .



[1] https://www.zdnet.com/article/want-ai-agents-to-work-together-the-linux-foundation-has-a-plan/

[2] https://github.com/agntcy/oasf

[3] https://github.com/agntcy/slim

[4] https://linux.slashdot.org/story/25/07/08/2122224/linux-foundation-adopts-a2a-protocol-to-help-solve-one-of-ais-most-pressing-challenges

[5] https://github.com/agntcy

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica:

> The rise of large language models like ChatGPT has led to widespread concern that "everyone is cheating their way through college," as a recent [1]New York magazine article memorably put it. Now, OpenAI is rolling out a new " [2]Study Mode " that it claims is less about providing answers or doing the work for students and [3]more about helping them "build [a] deep understanding" of complex topics .

>

> Study Mode isn't a new ChatGPT model but a series of "custom system instructions" written for the LLM "in collaboration with teachers, scientists, and pedagogy experts to reflect a core set of behaviors that support deeper learning," OpenAI said. Instead of the usual summary of a subject that stock ChatGPT might give -- which one OpenAI employee likened to "a mini textbook chapter" -- Study Mode slowly rolls out new information in a "scaffolded" structure. The mode is designed to ask "guiding questions" in the Socratic style and to pause for periodic "knowledge checks" and personalized feedback to make sure the user understands before moving on. It's unknown how many students will use this guided learning tool instead of just asking ChatGPT to generate answers from the start.

>

> In an early hands-off demo attended by Ars Technica, Study Mode responded to a request to "teach me about game theory" by first asking about the user's overall familiarity with the subject and what they'll be using the information for. ChatGPT introduced a short overview of some core game theory concepts, then paused to ask a question before providing a relevant real-world example. In another example involving a classic "train traveling at speed" math problem, Study Mode resisted multiple simulated attempts by the frustrated "student" to simply ask for the answer and instead tried to gently redirect the conversation to how the available information could be used to generate that answer. An OpenAI representative told Ars that Study Mode will eventually provide direct solutions if asked repeatedly, but the default behavior is more tuned to a Socratic tutoring style.

OpenAI said it drew inspiration for Study Mode from "power users" and collaborated with pedagogy experts and college students to help refine its responses. As for whether the mode can be trusted, OpenAI told Ars that "the risk of hallucination is lower with Study Mode because the model processes information in smaller chunks, calibrating along the way."

The current Study Mode prompt does, however, result in some "inconsistent behavior and mistakes across conversations," the company warned.



[1] https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/openai-chatgpt-ai-cheating-education-college-students-school.html

[2] https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-study-mode/

[3] https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/07/chatgpts-new-study-mode-is-designed-to-help-you-learn-not-just-give-answers/

[1]skam240 writes:

> President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday [2]proposed revoking a scientific finding that has long been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.

>

> The proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule would rescind a 2009 declaration that determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare.

>

> The "endangerment finding" is the legal underpinning of a host of climate regulations under the Clean Air Act for motor vehicles, power plants and other pollution sources that are heating the planet.



[1] https://slashdot.org/~skam240

[2] https://apnews.com/article/trump-climate-epa-endangerment-zeldin-5cba0871c880e23d044ef40a398c57b2

Opera will file a complaint against Microsoft to Brazilian antitrust authority CADE on Tuesday, alleging the tech giant [1]gives its Edge browser an unfair advantage over competitors . Opera claims Microsoft pre-installs Edge as the default browser across Windows devices and prevents rivals from competing on product merits.

The company's general counsel Aaron McParlan said Microsoft locks browsers like Opera out of preinstallation opportunities and frustrates users' ability to download alternative browsers. Opera, which says it is Brazil's third-most popular PC browser, wants CADE to investigate Microsoft and demand concessions to ensure fair competition.



[1] https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/microsoft-be-hit-with-opera-complaint-brazilian-antitrust-regulator-2025-07-29/

Google has admitted its earthquake early warning system [1]failed to accurately alert people during Turkey's deadly quake of 2023. From a report:

> Ten million people within 98 miles of the epicentre could have been sent Google's highest level alert -- giving up to 35 seconds of warning to find safety. Instead, only 469 "Take Action" warnings were sent out for the first 7.8 magnitude quake.

>

> Google told the BBC half a million people were sent a lower level warning, which is designed for "light shaking", and does not alert users in the same prominent way. The tech giant previously told the BBC the system had "performed well" after an investigation in 2023. The alerts system is available in just under 100 countries -- and is described by Google as a "global safety net" often operating in countries with no other warning system. Google's system, named Android Earthquake Alerts (AEA), is run by the Silicon Valley firm - not individual countries.



[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c77v2kx304go