Technology
A Chinese animated film mocked as ‘terrible’ becomes a box-office hit
A Chinese animation with crude visuals has unexpectedly surged at the box office."
The date archive
2026-08-18
35 stories. Coverage is grouped by its original source date, with VINI publication dates shown separately. Dates use UTC.
Technology
AI to help planes avoid climate-warming 'sky graffiti'
A new UK trial hopes to reduce the condensation trails from planes, which can trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere.
California
California leads in organized retail crime fight, recovers 8,500 stolen items in 9-day nationwide blitz
Source
Markets
Daniel Chu; Jerome Kollar; Ameryn Seibold
Daniel Chu; Jerome Kollar; Ameryn Seibold
Science
Donor fatigue guts demining in Asia, as active conflicts draw away funding
Land mines and unexploded bombs from conflicts of the last century still plague parts of Southeast Asia, claiming lives and limbs each year
Science
Drive for Nuclear Power Boosts Uranium Industry — And Tribal Health Concerns in Southwest
Federal efforts to revive uranium mining in the West and decrease reliance on Russian uranium are raising concerns about drinking water for tribal communities reckoning with the industry’s deadly legacy.
Technology
ESPN co-founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93 from the effects of Parkinson’s disease
Bill Rasmussen, who co-founded cable TV sports giant ESPN, has died at the age of 93
Technology
Forensic pathologist details Tupac Shakur’s fatal wounds at Duane 'Keffe D' Davis trial
Some members of Tupac Shakur's family left the courtroom before prosecutors showed autopsy photos at the trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis
Technology
Fox Sports will broadcast 35 women's volleyball matches, including 8 on Fox
As women’s college volleyball continues to see an increase in popularity on television, Fox Sports announced Monday that it will air 35 matches, including eight on Fox, this season
Culture
Gang of Youths are back: ‘Does it sound like a cynical gesture towards pop radio stardom?’
Four years since their last album, the anthemic Australian band are back with a fresh sound and new music about finally being ‘overwhelmingly OK’ When tickets for the first Gang of Youths shows in Australia in four years went on sale last month, a one-off show in Thirroul sold out in 45 seconds; two shows at Sydney Opera House went in minutes. Though I have loved the band for years, I was surprised by how emotional it was to see them play on home soil again in Sydney. Dave Le’aupepe, who has a claim to being the country’s most charismatic frontman, seemed to sense the mood. “Thank you for loving me,” he told the audience. “I know it’s very difficult.” As I left the show, bewildered and tearful, I locked eyes with a stranger in the foyer who was also crying. Without saying a word, we both burst out laughing; feeling a bit silly, perhaps, but also a sense of wonder at our shared reaction.
California
Governor Newsom announces $95 million plan to expand EV charging and hydrogen fueling across California
Source
California
Governor Newsom secures federal disaster assistance for small businesses impacted by Boyle Heights warehouse fire
Source
California
Governor Newsom signs legislation 8.17.2026
Source
Technology
Governors' races are being increasingly buffeted by the toxic politics of data centers
More governors are shifting their stances or taking more steps to squeeze data centers, as the midterm elections near and public opinion sours on the energy-hungry behemoths
Technology
Harvard to pay $53m over theft and sale of human remains from medical school
Cedric Lodge, 58, sentenced in December to eight years in prison for stealing and selling body parts in national scheme Harvard University has agreed to pay a $53m settlement to resolve civil lawsuits stemming from the illegal theft and sale of human remains that had been donated to its medical school for scientific research. A former Harvard medical school morgue manager, Cedric Lodge, 58, was sentenced in December last year to eight years in prison after he had pleaded guilty in May to stealing and selling human body parts in a nationwide scheme. Prosecutors said this had involved the theft and sale of organs, skin, brains and dissected heads from cadavers donated to Harvard from 2018 through at least March 2020. Continue reading...
Science
How soon will the drought be over?
Rain has returned to parts of the UK this week but is it enough to end the drought some regions are facing?
Technology
Lala Batters Hawaii
The powerful storm delivered extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the state, passing the Island of Hawaiʻi as a category 1 hurricane.
Science
M 6.9 - 15 km NNW of Pematangsiantar, Indonesia
PAGER - GREEN ShakeMap - V DYFI? - IV Time 2026-08-15 10:54:51 UTC 2026-08-15 10:54:51 UTC at epicenter Location 3.086°N 99.015°E Depth 172.53 km (107.20 mi)
Technology
Meta hooked children on Facebook and Instagram, US court hears
Meta argued social media addiction does not exist, as a trial stemming from a major lawsuit brought by US states started.
Technology
OpenAI announces slowing pace of development after hack by rogue agent
Amid race with Anthropic, firm plans to overhaul research and training and require more safety parameters after hack OpenAI on Tuesday said it had slowed down the pace of its AI development while it overhauled its research and training systems. The company’s researchers were caught unaware last month when an AI agent under testing hacked another AI firm, Hugging Face. Continue reading...
Technology
OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Teens with stronger safeguards
Teen version is intended for children aged 13 to 17 and includes content protections on self-harm and sexual chats OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers – the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence – who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship. The San Francisco-based company says ChatGPT for Teens, which launches on Tuesday, is tailored for children aged 13 to 17 with stronger protections including content restrictions around things such as suicide, self-harm and romantic or sexual chats. It also provides homework and study support designed to help students learn rather than spit out answers and school essays. Continue reading...
Technology
OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Teens, promising a more age-appropriate chatbot
OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers — the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence — who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship
Technology
OpenAI makes ChatGPT less 'human' for teens in new safety update
OpenAI insisted this was not in response to a particular issue with children believing ChatGPT to be alive.
Culture
Prolific Chinese Money Launderer Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Laundering Drug Trafficking Proceeds Following Homeland Security Task Force Investigation
A Chinese national was sentenced today in the Western District of North Carolina by U.S. District Judge Susan C. Rodriguez to 15 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $25 million for his role in a Chinese money laundering organization (CMLO) that laundered over $92 million in illicit funds, including proceeds from the importation and distribution of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico.
Markets
SEC Proposes New Regulation Crypto Assets
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it proposed new rules, titled “Regulation Crypto Assets,” that would create a clear and fit-for-purpose framework for certain investment contracts involving crypto assets. This proposal follows…
Technology
Shakira makes surprise visit to earthquake-damaged Colombia and commits to building new schools
Colombian superstar Shakira pledged to help build at least 10 new schools in a remote region of her home country after a devastating earthquake struck last week, killing hundreds and affecting thousands of educational sites
Technology
Shrews may grow bigger snouts in winter to cope with cold air, scientists say
Study of long-clawed shrew skulls from Japan shows that while skulls get smaller in winter, snouts elongate Humans turn to heated blankets and fluffy socks to cope with winter, but long-clawed shrews have a very different adaptation: they increase the size of their snouts. Researchers have previously discovered that certain small mammals, including the common shrew and European mole , reversibly shrink their body mass, skull size and brain mass in winter, with regrowth seen in the spring – a strategy that has been named Dehnel’s phenomenon. Continue reading...
Technology
Shrews’ noses grow in winter as their brains shrink
Long-clawed shrews’ snouts temporarily grow larger in the winter. This skull reshaping may be an extreme survival strategy in cold conditions.
Technology
The UK and Google test changes to flight paths to tackle aviation's climate impact
Hundreds of commercial flights will be told to change their paths over the northeastern Atlantic Ocean during the next two winters to show how minor altitude adjustments can reduce aviation’s climate impact
Technology
The critical tech staying safe by going underground
The war in Ukraine has spurred people to consider putting vital infrastructure underground.
Technology
US school vaccination rates inch down yet again and exemptions reach record high
U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates have declined again, with exemptions reaching a record high
Technology
US states call for big changes to Instagram and Facebook as Meta child privacy trial begins
US states are suing the social media giant to force an overhaul of its platforms for young users.
Science
What Geriatric Emergency Departments Do Differently
These specialized units can help keep older patients out of the hospital, lower their healthcare costs, and more.
Technology
What Spider-Man gets right — and wrong — about turning off superpowers
In 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' Peter Parker devises a superpower inhibitor based on a real therapy using RNA.
California
Why the secret to a longer life might start with training your balance
Better balance can help you live longer. Here's why it matters, how to test your 'balance IQ' at home and 3 different modalities to train your balance — no special equipment needed.