Tracking Trump’s Promises and Project 2025

President Donald Trump made a buffet of bold promises in 2024, and now the nation's watching to see which ones become policy and which stay on the stale breadsticks side of politics. AllSides is tracking the scorecard, measuring fulfilled pledges, unkept vows, and how many overlap with the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, a right-leaning wish list that reads like a political vision board. Trump has openly tied parts of his agenda to it, so the question remains: how many "Day One" declarations will actually survive past Day One thousand?

Shein’s UK Sales Surge Despite Supply Chain Shadows

Shein’s UK sales jumped 33%, proving that when it comes to fast fashion, Britons will cheerfully sprint toward a bargain, even if it’s stitched together in the time it takes to boil a kettle. The Chinese-made clothes and accessories keep flying off virtual shelves, because apparently the only thing faster than fashion these days is how quickly we forget about supply chains.

Conshohocken Police Continue Their Animal Rescue Streak

Conshohocken police just added "woodland creature foster care" to their résumé after rescuing six abandoned baby rabbits on August 13th and delivering them to the Schuylkill Wildlife Center for care. It’s the department’s second brush with animal heroics this year, after their dramatic duckling-from-a-storm-sewer save in April went viral on TikTok and has now waddled past 1.1 million views. Clearly, these officers aren’t just protecting and serving the public, they’re well on their way to becoming the Disney princes of municipal law enforcement.

Democrats Plan Nationwide Protests Over GOP Redistricting

Democrats are planning nearly 150 rallies in 34 states this Saturday to protest Republican-led redistricting plans they say are designed to cement GOP control of the U.S. House for years. The “Fight the Trump Takeover” National Day of Action - anchored by a large demonstration at the Texas Capitol - spotlights a feud that began when Texas House Democrats literally fled the state to block a proposed congressional map. The GOP plan, already passed by the Texas Senate after most Democrats walked out, would add five Republican seats in 2026. Governor Greg Abbott says he’ll keep calling special sessions until it’s law, while Democrats call it unconstitutional and racially discriminatory. Republicans counter with the classic “you do it too” defense, pointing out Democrats have happily embraced redistricting windfalls in the past. California’s Gavin Newsom has threatened to redraw his state’s maps in retaliation - a lovely reminder that bipartisan pettiness remains a thriving political tradition. Labor unions are also wading in, framing the fight as a battle for democracy, though whether it’s democracy or just the latest round of partisan power-War remains debatable.

Milton Jones Declares He is Cancer-Free

Comedian Milton Jones, best known for firing off surreal one-liners on Mock the Week, has announced he is officially cancer-free after treatment for prostate cancer - proof that even the sharpest wit cannot out-pun modern medicine.

Green Party Snatches Key Local Wins from Labour

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been handed a political migraine after the party suffered a double by-election humiliation, losing safe-seeming seats in Cardiff and Newcastle to the Green Party. In Cardiff’s Grangetown ward - a long-time Labour stronghold - Green candidate Matt Youde edged out Labour by just 44 votes, securing the party's first-ever council seat in the Welsh capital. Meanwhile, in Newcastle’s South Jesmond, Labour didn’t just lose to the Greens, they slumped to third place, as Dr Sarah Peters claimed victory, giving her party a third councillor in the city. Both results were triggered by Labour resignations and feature the kind of low voter turnout that would make even a student union election blush, but still mark a symbolic win for the Greens - and a bright green warning light for Labour in areas they once thought were on political autopilot.

U.S. Issues Highest-Level “Do Not Travel” Advisory for Belarus

The U.S. State Department has reissued its sternest warning for Belarus, a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory. Risks include arbitrary arrests, political repression, device monitoring, forced landings of commercial flights, sudden border closures, and detention for proximity to protests. Americans already in Belarus are urged to leave immediately, as the U.S. Embassy in Minsk has been closed since early 2022 and cannot provide emergency assistance. In short, if you insist on going, bring an exit plan and perhaps your own emergency extraction team.

U.S. Raises Travel Advisory for New Caledonia Due to Civil Unrest

The United States has raised its New Caledonia advisory to Level 3, “Reconsider Travel,” citing riots, crime, and sporadic roadblocks stemming from electoral reform protests in May 2024. The territory has seen curfews, movement restrictions, and states of emergency with the predictability of pop-up ads. Commercial transport can vanish unexpectedly, and U.S. consular support is “extremely limited,” a diplomatic phrase meaning travelers are largely on their own.

South East Water Urges Conservation, Offers Unlimited Water at Airshow

In a display of public relations timing so exquisite it should be in a museum, South East Water is telling Sussex residents to slash household water use while simultaneously offering free water refills at the Eastbourne Airshow. Nothing says “save water” like topping up countless bottles under roaring fighter jets during a hosepipe ban. A gesture of goodwill, or perhaps just the optical illusion of one.

The Violent Roots of Everyday Phrases

“Bite the bullet”? Back in the day, that was literal - patients chomped on metal during surgery without anesthesia. “Caught red-handed”? That once meant being found with someone’s actual blood on you. Our cheery idioms are less warm-and-fuzzy chat and more grim history lesson, proof that our language has been quietly binge-watching true crime for centuries.

Botox’s Underreported Risks

The wrinkle eraser of choice, Botox, comes with side effects that seldom make it into the glossy marketing brochures. From muscle weakness to serious complications, these risks raise the question of whether a “frozen” look is worth it - especially when it’s not just your age lines but also your expressions that end up on ice.

Networking Quirks: The Unfinished Fix

Network engineers tackle LAG and ECMP hashing with the enthusiasm usually reserved for tax audits. While smarter load balancing is possible by examining deeper packet headers, quick solutions to quirks like ICMP packet handling are “rarely implemented.” The result is failed Path MTU Discovery and makeshift customer fixes, because in tech, why solve a small problem simply when you can make it a lifelong companion?

Belarus Issued Level 4 Travel Advisory: Do Not Travel

The U.S. State Department has again stressed that Belarus is less "hidden European gem" and more "live-action cautionary tale." Americans are urged to leave immediately, citing arbitrary arrests, Minsk's enthusiastic support for Russia’s war on Ukraine, and a closed U.S. Embassy about as useful as a chocolate teapot since 2022. Dual nationals may be denied U.S. protection, protests are crushed with force, and border closures can happen without warning. Laws are enforced on a "because we said so" basis, detention conditions are grim, and even commercial flights may be grounded to nab political opponents. If you’re seeking a Slavic getaway, choose one where souvenirs don't come in the form of felony charges.

New Caledonia Travel Advisory Raised to Level 3: Reconsider Travel

The State Department now suggests rethinking that romantic Pacific island escape to New Caledonia, unless your honeymoon vision includes burning tires, roadblocks, and curfews. Riots following electoral reform in May 2024 have produced frequent and sometimes violent protests, with potential states of emergency and sudden transport shutdowns. U.S. travelers are advised to avoid crowds, keep tabs on local news, and plan their own escape routes - because in New Caledonia right now, your extraction strategy should be less "wishful thinking" and more "fully booked."

Infocon Status: Green

In today’s ISC Stormcast for Friday, August 15th, 2025, the internet is - for once - behaving itself. No seismic breaches, no ransomware raptures, just the usual background static of hackers pushing digital doorbells. Think sunny skies for cybersecurity, though veterans know it’s really just the eye of a very patient storm.

Secret Service Prepares Rapid Response for Trump-Putin Meeting in Alaska

President Donald Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage on Friday to discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict, giving the U.S. Secret Service barely a week to stage what is normally a two-week-tightened-to-the-last-detail operation. Former agent Bill Gage says the scramble centers on flights, bulletproof rides, and hotel rooms - no small feat in a city where rental cars are rarer than bipartisan agreement. Hosting the meeting in Alaska avoids the red tape of foreign visas and weapons permits, but limited lodging has planners gazing at Airbnbs with the focus of last-minute wedding shoppers. Both leaders’ security teams will guard their principals in coordinated zones, with local, state, and federal forces managing streets and motorcade routes. It is diplomacy's version of a waltz, only with more armored SUVs and much less trust.

Belarus Classified as Level 4 Travel Risk: Do Not Visit

The U.S. State Department has given Belarus another starring role in its "absolutely not" travel category, citing arbitrary arrests, detentions for activities committed abroad, unwavering support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, and an embassy presence so absent it could be mistaken for a museum exhibit. Americans already there are urged to leave immediately, avoid public gatherings, and assume every email, selfie, or cat meme is under surveillance. With borders prone to sudden closure and detention facilities described as "extremely poor" - diplomat-speak for “you’ll wish for plumbing” - this is less a holiday destination and more a cautionary tale.

New Caledonia Travel Advisory Raised to Level 3: Reconsider Visiting

The U.S. government suggests rethinking your French island fantasy in light of recent riots over electoral reform. Think civil unrest, violent demonstrations, tire fires that could make a climate scientist cry, and sporadic curfews served with a side of ID checks. Commercial transportation can vanish without notice, so have an escape plan that doesn't involve begging for a dolphin Uber. Tourists are strongly advised to avoid crowds, track the news, and not mistake barricades for quirky tourist attractions.

North Korea’s Hackers Embrace Ransomware

The ScarCruft hacking crew in North Korea, clearly bored with basic espionage, has branched into ransomware via a subgroup named “ChinopuNK.” South Korea is their current playground, with phishing lures, AutoIt loaders, and audio-eavesdropping malware proving that the regime can extort and spy at the same time. It’s like Silicon Valley innovation, if you swapped out disruptive apps for state-sponsored blackmail and traded beanbag chairs for ballistic missiles.

U.S. Sanctions Russian Crypto Exchange Operators

The U.S. Treasury has targeted the Russian founder and co-owners of Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange accused of laundering around $100 million for ransomware gangs. Its aptly sketchy successor, Grinex, also earned a spot on the sanctions list, in an attempt to choke off the digital laundromats beloved by hackers and Kremlin buddies. In cybercrime, apparently the customer is always right... unless they get sanctioned.

Hackers Breach Canadian Government Systems

Cyber attackers exploited a newly discovered Microsoft vulnerability to penetrate Canadian government databases holding sensitive contact and location details of Members of Parliament and staff. Microsoft has urged urgent mitigation to counter active state-linked exploitation of its SharePoint platform - a reminder that national security can sometimes hang on whether your IT department made time to install Tuesday’s patch.

U.S. Issues Level 4 Travel Warning for Belarus

The State Department has renewed its strongest possible travel warning for Belarus, advising Americans to get out now and stay out. Reasons include arbitrary arrests, surveillance, suppression of dissent, active support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the notable absence of a functioning U.S. Embassy in Minsk since 2022. Dual nationals can expect Belarusian officials to ignore their U.S. passports, and even bystanders at protests risk detention. Borders can close without warning, prison conditions are grim, and let us not forget the time authorities forced down a commercial plane to nab a dissident. In other words, unless your dream vacation involves interrogations and hoping a neighboring country’s consulate takes your call, Belarus is not your destination.

New Ransomware ‘Charon’ Targets Middle East Public Sector

A fresh ransomware strain called Charon is making its debut by hitting public sector and aviation bodies in the Middle East. Cybersecurity experts note its techniques are suspiciously similar to those of the China-linked Earth Baxia group, suggesting the hackers may have simply given themselves a new logo. Because nothing says dedication to your criminal career quite like opening a franchise.

The 2025 One Hertz Challenge: Blinking an LED the Ridiculously Hard Way

Anyone can blink an LED once a second using cheap parts and a coffee break. One inventive hobbyist opted to extract a one-hertz beat from radio time signals instead. Using a NE567 tone decoder and a software-defined radio tuned to global time stations, they transformed the broadcast into 800 Hz pulses, then lit an LED in sync. It’s engineering at its most gloriously overcomplicated and a reminder that if there’s an impractical way to do something, someone will find it.

Celebrity Romance, Now With 100% More Ego

Brian McKnight isn’t alone in using his own songs to set the mood. Another musician-slash-radio personality reportedly follows the same intimate practice, proving that nothing says “romance” quite like competing with your own voice for attention.

First Look at *Mayor of Kingstown* Season 4

Paramount+ has released a preview of *Mayor of Kingstown* Season 4, premiering October 26, with Jeremy Renner, Edie Falco, and Lennie James returning to tackle crime, corruption, and more bleak small-town backdrops that make you wonder if a “For Sale” sign is the real main character.

Newsom Weighs In on Redistricting Battles

California Governor Gavin Newsom plans to address reporters on political redistricting, having discovered that cartography can make or break elections. Branding Democratic pushback as “Liberation Day,” he is targeting GOP-drawn Texas maps that could net Republicans up to five more House seats. With 2026 midterms still two years away, the war over district lines is shaping up to be less about voters’ will and more about the geometry of political self-interest.

Congress Considers Tariff Rebate Checks

Lawmakers are mulling “tariff rebate” checks in 2025 - a way to return a slice of the money tariffs have already taken from Americans. It is not a pandemic-style stimulus, just the legislative equivalent of taking your wallet, removing cash, then handing back a few bills and expecting you to applaud.

Belarus Assigned Level 4 Travel Advisory: Do Not Travel

**Belarus Assigned Level 4 Travel Advisory: Do Not Travel** — The U.S. State Department has once again stamped Belarus with its most emphatic “nope” rating, keeping it at Level 4: Do Not Travel. American citizens are urged to leave immediately, citing arbitrary law enforcement, risk of detention, government crackdowns on dissent, and Minsk’s ongoing role as Moscow’s sidekick in the war against Ukraine. With the U.S. Embassy closed since 2022 and no consular services available, anyone who gets into trouble will have all the official support of a paper umbrella in a hurricane. Dual nationals aren’t recognized, border closures can happen without warning, public protests can lead to jail time for simply existing nearby, and Belarusian security services are reportedly very hands-on with your phone’s contents—whether you were in Belarus when you typed it or not. In short: this is not a scenic detour; it’s a very well-lit warning sign.

Great PA News Quiz: Deadly Blast, Election Rematch, and Little League Champions

This week’s Great PA News Quiz serves up a heady mix of grim headlines and hometown glory: a deadly blast that shook the state, a looming election rematch promising all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, and Little League champions restoring at least a shred of faith in human achievement. Throw in some university lobbying, Pennsylvania’s long and tortured love affair with redistricting, a plea from New Yorkers, and Taylor Swift’s latest big reveal—and you’ve got enough material to make democracy feel like a contact sport.

Gwendoline Christie Returns in ‘Wednesday’ Season 2, Part 2

Netflix has confirmed that the ever-imposing Gwendoline Christie will return as Principal Weems in *Wednesday* Season 2, Part 2, arriving September 3—a pleasant surprise, since her Season 1 finale looked less like a cliffhanger and more like a career-ending HR incident. The newly dropped trailer suggests her character’s back from the dead, or at least from a long sabbatical in the realm of dramatically vague plot twists.

Echo Wars Combines Intense VR Driving with Over-the-Top Arcade Shooting

**Echo Wars Combines Intense VR Driving with Over-the-Top Arcade Shooting** — Barcelona’s Ivanovich Games clearly looked at Mario Kart and Doom, shrugged, and said, *“Why not both?”* Their upcoming VR mash-up, *Echo Wars – Road Rage*, hits Quest and Steam Early Access on August 21, putting one hand on the wheel and the other on a trigger in eight levels ranging from lava tunnels to—because physics is overrated—outer space. An “anti-rotation system” promises to keep your stomach where it belongs, while global leaderboards let you see just how badly strangers are outgunning you. The Quest version arrives in $5.99 bite-sized episodes, with Episode 2 due in October, while Steam’s $9.99 early access build supports everything from force-feedback steering wheels to ultra-widescreen monitors—because if you’re going to obliterate space convoys in VR, you might as well do it with the full NASCAR pit crew experience. Full launch, complete with extra levels and bosses, is expected in about six months.

Winning the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup with Nolli Waterman

In 2014, Nolli Waterman cemented her place in rugby history by scoring in the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final, helping England’s Red Roses topple Canada and claim the sport’s ultimate prize. It was the last time England stood atop the rugby world—a golden moment Waterman remembers as vividly as the bruises that came with it.

Gavin Newsom’s Redistricting Strategy Faces Risk of Failure

Gavin Newsom’s redistricting strategy faces risk of failure as the California governor threatens to mirror Texas Republicans’ mid-cycle map overhaul with one of his own. If Texas snatches up to five extra House seats through partisan cartography, Newsom vows Democrats will gerrymander California to wrest back an equal number — because nothing says “functioning democracy” quite like competing teams of politicians sculpting districts with all the subtlety of toddlers in a sandbox fight.

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Exploiting Security Flaws in the Bluetooth-Enabled Anker Prime Power Bank

Because nothing says “safe and reliable” like putting your lithium battery pack on Bluetooth, the Anker Prime power bank comes with a BLE connection, a companion app, and a screen you didn’t know you needed. Crack it open, past the glue and clips, and you’ll find a chip buffet: a GD32F303 MCU, a Telink BLE IC, and a cute little LCD, all happily chatting away. Before firmware 1.6.2, you could just overwrite the software; now there’s a signature check, because somehow after the product shipped, Anker remembered hackers exist. The BLE gimmick lets you view stats, trigger smart charging, or even make your power bank squeal like a lost AirTag. Enthusiasts have already reverse-engineered the protocol, meaning the “smart” in “smart power bank” can now be redefined, hopefully without turning your portable charger into a spontaneous indoor firework display.

Study Finds AI Chatbots Vulnerable to Personal Data Extraction

Researchers have discovered that those charming, ever-so-helpful AI chatbots millions chat with daily can be coaxed into turning casual conversation into a full-blown confessional. With the right prompts, these digital listeners are less like discreet confidants and more like that one friend who “just asks questions” until they know your mother’s maiden name, your bank PIN, and your childhood street address.

U.S. MQ-9 Reaper Drone Conducts Rare Counter-Drug Operation in Mexico

In a development that blurs the line between “friendly cooperation” and “polite trespassing,” a U.S. Customs and Border Protection MQ-9B Reaper drone flew deep over Mexico last week, orbiting for hours near Valle de Bravo west of Mexico City. The rare counter-drug mission follows President Trump’s authorization of direct military action against Latin American drug cartels labeled as Foreign Terrorist Organizations - a move Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum firmly rejected for boots on the ground, but apparently not for eyes in the sky. Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch claimed the unarmed spy drone was operating at the “specific request” of a Mexican government institution - bureaucratic code for “don’t panic, we invited it.” The mission’s target remains classified, though with cartel leaders dropping like overpriced crypto coins lately, more such flights seem inevitable. Think of it as neighborhood watch, only with fewer reflective vests and a much higher cruising altitude.

IPPR Think Tank Alumni Keep Flowing into Downing Street

The hard-left think tank IPPR appears to have installed a revolving door directly into Downing Street, and business is brisk. Latest arrival: Tom Kibasi, veteran of Keir Starmer’s leadership campaign, now joining Morgan McSweeney on a “specific strategy project” for several months. No word yet on the project’s details, but given the steady cross-pollination between IPPR and No. 10, it’s starting to look less like independent policy advice and more like a second office branch - just without the rent.

Taiwan Debuts Its D3 “Cheetah” Wheeled Tank Prototype

Taiwan has rolled out its latest 105mm “Cheetah” wheeled tank, the D3 prototype, in a debut that says “We can innovate too.” Unveiled on August 14 during the Ministry of National Defense’s “Defense Online” showcase, the D3 builds on last year’s D2 model with refinements that presumably make it swifter, tougher, and possibly more Instagrammable. It’s proof that Taiwan’s engineers can produce serious firepower - on wheels - without waiting for imports or the blessing of arms dealers in overpriced suits.

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Belarus Issued Level 4 “Do Not Travel” Advisory

The U.S. State Department has reissued its Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Belarus, which is diplomatic code for, “Leave now, or you may be staying indefinitely—at the government’s pleasure.” The warning cites a greatest-hits list of hazards including arbitrary law enforcement, risk of detention, civil unrest, and Belarus’ continued role in aiding Russia’s war on Ukraine. With the U.S. Embassy in Minsk shuttered since 2022, consular services are nonexistent, and dual nationals should note that Belarus doesn’t acknowledge their U.S. citizenship—because why let international law ruin a perfectly good detention? Americans are urged to avoid demonstrations, assume their electronic devices are being monitored, and regularly plan escape routes, as border closures can happen without warning. In short: if you’re in Belarus, the advice is to pack your bags—before someone else does it for you.

Wayne Rooney Claims Tom Brady Lacked Understanding of Soccer, Responds to NFL Star’s Criticism

Wayne Rooney has fired back at NFL icon and Birmingham City minority owner Tom Brady, saying the quarterback-turned-soccer investor “didn’t really understand football” when he questioned Rooney’s work ethic during his brief 83-day stint as Blues manager. Brady, after a single visit to a pre-match light training session, declared himself “a little worried” about the coach’s commitment — apparently forgetting that in football, unlike the NFL, the season isn’t three months of sprinting followed by nine months of golf.

Rooney insists the club was already in disarray when he arrived and bristled at being portrayed as slack, though he was quick to praise Brady as “one of the greatest athletes of all time.” The respect, however, didn’t extend to accepting career advice from a man whose experience with “football” involves helmets, huddles, and no relegation. Birmingham sacked Rooney after just two wins in 15 games, and while successors have also struggled, Brady was equally unimpressed with the squad — branding certain players “lazy and entitled.”

Now jobless after another short-lived managerial turn at Plymouth, Rooney will be returning to BBC punditry for the 2025/26 season — armed, one imagines, with a well-rested voice.

Qloud Games Secures $5 Million in Seed Funding

Sydney-based Qloud Games has bagged $5 million in seed funding—led by Bitkraft Ventures and GFR Fund—proving once again that in the gaming industry, a good pitch deck can rack up more points than the actual game.

Mullvad VPN Simplifies App Update Process

**Mullvad VPN Simplifies App Update Process** — In a move that spares Windows and macOS users from the joyless ritual of hunting down updates like lost car keys, Mullvad VPN now lets you update the app directly from within it. No more treks to the website, no more manual downloads — just a neat in-app option showing what’s new, pulling fresh versions from nearby CDN servers, and automatically verifying they’re legit. Linux users, of course, will smugly point out they’ve had automatic upgrades for ages, but at least now everyone can avoid the digital equivalent of standing in a checkout line for software.

Preparedness Updates for Thursday, August 14, 2025

Preparedness Updates for Thursday, August 14, 2025 — Ninety years ago today, Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act, a program critics then called dangerously socialist and supporters called a lifeline in the Great Depression. The first numbers went out in 1936, the taxman arrived in January 1937, and by 1940 Ida May Fuller of Vermont—who had retired the year before—was cashing the first monthly retirement check in U.S. history: a grand total of $22.54. Adjusted for inflation, that’s enough today to buy… well, maybe lunch, if you skip the drink.

U.S. Reissues 'Do Not Travel' Advisory for Belarus

The U.S. State Department has once again rolled out its Level 4 travel advisory for Belarus, also known as "the diplomatic equivalent of slamming the door shut." Americans still in the country are told to leave immediately, thanks to arbitrary law enforcement, foreigner detentions, Belarus’ buddy-buddy stance with Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the government’s habit of closing borders like a moody teenager slamming their bedroom door. With the U.S. Embassy in Minsk shuttered since 2022, expect zero consular help if stranded. Dual citizens fare no better, often being told their American ties are as imaginary as a unicorn. Should you still insist on going, assume your devices are being monitored, avoid protests unless you enjoy cold concrete accommodations, and be prepared to bolt at the drop of a hat.

Taylor Swift Talks Post-Tour Life and New Music

Taylor Swift’s latest podcast sit-down gave fans exactly what they’d hoped for: an update on her flourishing relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce, and a cryptic nudge toward the theme of her next album. The romance is thriving, the music is “deeply personal,” and the business machine is whirring away with all the subtlety of a confetti cannon.

Cincinnati Assault Suspect Faces New Federal Gun Charge

A Cincinnati man accused in a viral assault that left an Ohio mother of three with brain trauma now has a fresh problem: a federal firearms charge. Prosecutors say Montanez Merriweather, 34, a convicted felon, illegally possessed a 9mm pistol just weeks before the nightclub attack that injured six. Already facing multiple state charges, Merriweather could see another 15-year sentence stacked on top if convicted. Federal officials insist there’s “no place for violence in our communities,” which sounds noble, though reality appears to be actively disagreeing in downtown Cincinnati.

Tech Buffet: LWN.net Weekly Edition, August 14, 2025

This week’s LWN.net Weekly Edition caters to code connoisseurs with features on Indico event management, the ever-expanding Arch Linux wiki, StarDict dictionary software, and the eccentricities of Python debugging. Kernel-watchers get coverage on the 6.17 merge window, signed BPF programs, Debian 13 progress, Rust and Go updates, Syncthing’s 2.0 leap, and sustainability debates at LVFS. Plus the usual mix of security updates, patches, and conference notices - because the future might be automated, but it still needs compiling.

Chronicles of Oligarchy: Pentagon Edition

In the Pentagon’s latest tribute to corporate welfare, the Navy and Air Force are preparing to scrap two nearly completed human-resources software systems, after 12 years and $800 million, in favor of awarding new contracts to tech darlings like Salesforce and Peter Thiel’s Palantir. The Trump administration once bragged about saving taxpayers $52.8 billion through defense contract cuts, but Politico reports actual verified savings closer to $1.4 billion, with zero deficit reduction. So, the work gets tossed, the billionaires get their new toys, and taxpayers get the bill - plus maybe a nice view of someone else's new yacht.

Belarus Designated Level 4 Travel Advisory: Do Not Travel

**Belarus Designated Level 4 Travel Advisory: Do Not Travel** — The U.S. State Department has renewed its highest-level warning against traveling to Belarus, which remains a geopolitical powder keg with a side hustle in random detentions. Citing arbitrary enforcement of laws, support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, the risk of civil unrest, and an embassy so closed it might as well be a ghost story, officials urge Americans still in Belarus to leave immediately. Dual nationals may be denied recognition of U.S. citizenship, public demonstrations can get you arrested for just walking by, and your phone is assumed to be under constant surveillance. Border closures can happen without notice, political prisoners are counted in the thousands, and conditions in detention make “grim” look like an upgrade. Oh, and commercial aircraft once got literally dragged down from the sky here. In short—Belarus: come for the uncertainty, stay for the interrogation.

Erlang/OTP SSH Exploits Surge Following April Security Patch

Erlang/OTP has gone from niche runtime environment to hacker buffet, as exploitation attempts against a severe SSH vulnerability surged worldwide right after developers released an April security patch. The flaw, present in many operational technology networks, allows attackers to take complete control of systems—a reminder that in cybersecurity, some predators don’t even wait for the ink to dry before pouncing on the menu.

Federal Agencies Release New HIPAA Guidelines to Expand Patient Access

Federal health officials have rolled out fresh HIPAA guidance that—brace yourself—actually tries to make it easier for patients to see their own medical records. The updates clarify when doctors can share your information with value‑based care groups and spell out, in plain English, the kinds of health records you’re allowed to request. It’s part of HHS’ “Make Health IT Great Again” interoperability push—because nothing says modern healthcare like needing a government memo to remind people your health data is, in fact, yours.

Federal Court Data Breach Exposes Weak Cybersecurity Measures

**Federal Court Data Breach Exposes Weak Cybersecurity Measures** — A breach of the U.S. national court filing system has triggered alarm bells over the judiciary’s digital defenses, which appear to be about as fortified as a picnic basket at a bear convention. Security advocates warn that outdated systems could jeopardize sealed cases, blow the cover of confidential informants, and spill sensitive legal files onto the internet like confetti at a particularly ill‑advised parade. Critics are now pressing Congress to finally fund overdue cyber upgrades—because nothing says “functioning democracy” quite like waiting for hackers to point out your security budget holes.

Trump Nominee Present at Capitol During January 6 Events

Trump’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, E.J. Antoni of the Heritage Foundation, has been spotted in multiple videos on the Capitol grounds during the January 6 chaos. The White House insists he was merely a “bystander” who wandered over after seeing it on TV—because apparently nothing says “casual afternoon stroll” like ambling into the middle of a historic insurrection.

Energy Department Announces $1 Billion Funding for Critical Minerals and Materials

The Energy Department has announced it’s putting $1 billion on the table to boost U.S. mining, processing, and manufacturing for critical minerals—those rare, sought-after ingredients essential to everything from electric vehicles to smartphones. In other words, America’s finally realized it might be a good idea to dig up its own high-tech treasure instead of relying on supply chains held together by the geopolitical equivalent of duct tape.