Xing

Virginia Democrats have asked the US Supreme Court to override a state court decision that rejected their congressional redistricting plan. The dispute centres on who has final authority over the state's electoral maps, with Democrats arguing the state ruling should be reviewed by the nation's highest court. The case adds to ongoing national battles over redistricting ahead of future elections.

India's boxing campaign at the 2026 Asian Games is drawing attention, with guides laying out the full schedule, scores, results and medal winners for the Indian squad. The Asian Games, to be hosted in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, are a key stop on the road toward Olympic qualification, and fans are tracking how Indian boxers fare across weight categories as bouts progress and medals are decided.

Reports are circulating that a new mobile network provider could be about to enter the German market, with the name 'Simsalasim' appearing in connection with the venture. Details remain scarce, and telecom outlet Teltarif has raised the question of whether a new operator is really on the way. German consumers are watching for confirmation, as the market is dominated by a few large carriers and a new entrant could mean cheaper tariffs.

A new essay on the Cryptography Engineering blog asks whether sandboxing is enough to contain rogue AI agents. The piece examines whether current isolation techniques, long relied on to confine untrusted code, can genuinely restrain autonomous systems that pursue goals and act on their own. The argument is drawing attention from security and cryptography practitioners debating how much trust can safely be placed in agent isolation.

An economist is arguing that billionaires should be taxed out of existence, citing a poll figure of 94% in favour. The argument holds that the main purpose of such taxes would be to reduce billionaires' political power, which he says threatens democracy, rather than to fund government spending. He contends the federal government, as a sovereign currency issuer, does not need revenue from the wealthy. The remarks are drawing strong engagement in economic and political circles.

Indian audio brand Mivi is showing off its first smartphone, the Mivi One 5G, in an early hands-on look. The phone is said to feature a 120Hz display, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor and a 6000mAh battery, priced around 11,999 rupees. The device is drawing attention as a potential value-for-money option in India's crowded budget 5G segment.

Xing co-founder Lars Hinrichs has launched a new mobile phone service in Germany costing 10 euros a month, offering unlimited data volume in 100 countries, made possible with the help of artificial intelligence. The offering, branded simsalasim, is drawing attention as a budget challenger to established German telecom providers, with observers curious about how the low-price international model will work in practice.

A new hands-on first look at Xiaomi's upcoming 18 Fold foldable phone has drawn major attention from mobile fans. The unboxing showcases the device's design and hardware, while the reviewer concludes that Apple's iPhone lineup faces little immediate threat from the foldable. The clip is among the most engaged-with tech videos right now, reflecting strong anticipation for Xiaomi's next flagship fold.

The Memphis Tigers golf team is traveling to Lexington, Kentucky to compete in the Cullan Brown Invitational, a college golf tournament. The event is named in memory of Cullan Brown, a Kentucky golfer who died in 2020, and draws collegiate teams from around the region.

Former Premier League defender James Collins, 43, is set to make his boxing debut with Misfits Boxing, stepping in to replace Tom Skinner in a fight against Big Stacks. The ex-West Ham and Aston Villa centre-back's crossover move into influencer-style boxing is drawing attention from football and fight fans alike.

NPR's Up First news roundup is highlighting three developing stories: rising Black unemployment in the United States, a proposal to tax California's billionaires, and a set of new cases before the US Supreme Court. The items together point to renewed attention on the economy, wealth inequality, and the courts as major storylines in American politics this week.

A widely tagged message promoting international music on FM radio for dancing, dinner and relaxation is circulating, accompanied by a long list of country names from Pakistan and Palestine to Panama and Papua New Guinea. The post carries no further news content, and no specific artist, station or event is identified.

An email sent by a Lexington brewery owner is prompting questions about whether Kentucky's campaign finance laws were followed, according to reporting from Kentucky outlets including the Kentucky Lantern and Hoptown Chronicle. The reports have drawn attention to how state rules apply to communications between business owners and political campaigns, but details of the email's contents and any potential violation have not been made fully clear.

Scientific American asks whether 'poop maxxing' and 'fiber maxxing' — social media trends promoting high fiber intake for better digestion — are actually healthy. The article turns to nutrition experts to separate sound advice from exaggerated claims, noting that while adequate fiber supports gut health, extreme pursuit of the trend may not be necessary or beneficial for everyone.

A syndicated 'Everyday Economics' column argues that rising oil prices are effectively taxing the US economy, raising costs for consumers and businesses, and that the Federal Reserve should therefore be patient rather than rush further interest rate moves. The piece is being carried by multiple regional news outlets across the United States.

McDonald's has been hit with a class action lawsuit alleging the company used AI-powered menu pricing to fix or manipulate prices. The case raises questions about how fast-food chains use algorithmic pricing tools and whether they may harm consumers. Reuters reported the filing, and the allegations have drawn attention to the growing scrutiny of artificial intelligence in retail pricing.

The University of North Alabama men's golf team is traveling to Lexington to compete in the Cullan Brown Collegiate tournament. The event, named in memory of the late college golfer Cullan Brown, draws collegiate programs to Kentucky. Details on the field, pairings and results are expected once play begins.

An unboxing of the iPhone 18 Pro in a burgundy colorway is drawing attention among mobile fans. The device, likely still in early or rumored form given Apple's usual release cadence, is shown in the new finish, fueling speculation about Apple's upcoming design and color options for the Pro line.

Bob Dylan's 1965 song 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' is being shared widely, with listeners highlighting lyrics like 'Johnny's in the basement mixing up the medicine, I'm on the pavement thinking about the government.' The track, one of Dylan's best-known works, is being framed as a commentary on government and corruption that resonates with current concerns about human rights and power.

A Celebrity Traitors contestant has spoken out about their elimination from the show, admitting there is one thing they would do differently to avoid what they described as a "humiliating" exit. The star opened up about their strategy and regrets after being banished, offering a candid reflection on their time in the castle.

South Africa and Australia are set to face off in a Test series that revives memories of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, nicknamed 'Sandpapergate', when Australia players were caught altering the ball with sandpaper in Cape Town. The rematch between the two cricketing rivals carries added intrigue because of that shared history, and commentators note the episode still colours the fixture nearly eight years on.

A RealClearDefense commentary asks whether Congress is penalizing the US Army for attempting to reform its own budget. The piece frames a debate over whether the Army's efforts to fix how it manages and structures its spending are being met with congressional punishment rather than support. Details of the specific reform measures and the reported penalties are not provided beyond the headline's framing of the question.

A new paper on arXiv proposes a way to fix the credit assignment problem in GRPO, a reinforcement learning method used for training language models, without evaluating every step of a response. GRPO currently assigns the same reward to all tokens in a completion, making it hard to identify which parts of an output earned the reward. The proposed approach aims to improve this at lower computational cost.

Tampa Bay Rays pitchers Peralta and Seymour delivered standout performances as the Rays once again got the better of the New York Yankees. Tampa Bay's unconventional pitching plans continued to puzzle New York's lineup, extending a pattern in which the Rays' staff keeps flummoxing the Yankees in their AL East matchups.