Shocking death of former professor reverberates at Cambridge — and well beyond; At least 47 dead after 7.7-magnitude quake strikes...
News and markets
- Global headlines: Shocking death of former professor reverberates at Cambridge — and well beyond (The death of Jason Arday, 41, came a little more than a week after he resigned from his post at the university amid accusations of plagiarism that ignited a culture-war firestorm); At least 47 dead after 7.7-magnitude quake strikes Indonesia (The earthquake took place around 5 a.m. and was centered off the coast of Flores Island in the quake-prone archipelago); and How to beat an earthquake: The Colombian city where no one died (A deadly temblor devastated Armenia in 1999, spurring a reconstruction that allowed the city to build back stronger. When disaster struck this time, it was prepared).
- Markets leaned lower, with 6 of 7 tracked indexes down; HANG SENG INDEX down 1.10% was the largest move.
- Benchmarks tracked: S&P 500, NASDAQ Composite, Euronext 100 Index, and Public Joint-Stock Company Moscow Exchange MICEX-RTS plus 3 more indexes.
Hacker News and Product Hunt
- Hacker News: Semaglutide linked to lower predicted dementia risk (alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com: Semaglutide linked to lower predicted dementia risk); Show HN: Mic Drop, a real-time multiplayer karaoke game (The free online version of Grab the Mic: get a word, buzz in, and sing a real song containing it — your friends vote. No app, no mic...); and Cultivating a state of mind where new ideas are born (2023) (Solitary work, creativity and larval ideas).
- Product Hunt features Zetik (A chief of staff in your pocket), Attyn (Bringing intelligence to your cursor), and GLM-5.3 (Coding leap from scaled post-training on the same base).
Global Headlines
Top stories across selected outlets, presented in a fast daily brief format.
Shocking death of former professor reverberates at Cambridge — and well beyond
The death of Jason Arday, 41, came a little more than a week after he resigned from his post at the university amid accusations of plagiarism that ignited a culture-war firestorm.
At least 47 dead after 7.7-magnitude quake strikes Indonesia
The earthquake took place around 5 a.m. and was centered off the coast of Flores Island in the quake-prone archipelago.
How to beat an earthquake: The Colombian city where no one died
A deadly temblor devastated Armenia in 1999, spurring a reconstruction that allowed the city to build back stronger. When disaster struck this time, it was prepared.
Frustration with Trump grows among U.S.’s Persian Gulf allies, officials say
Gulf leaders worry the president is unable to manage the diplomacy necessary to secure peace with Iran, according to Arab and Western officials.
U.S., Canada race for deal to avert Trump’s threat of 50 percent tariffs
The tariffs are the latest exchange in a dispute that has disrupted the once harmonious — and nearly tariff-free — relationship over the past year.
As petrol prices soar, electric bikes gain ground in Nigeria
Riders say the switch is helping them cut fuel and maintenance costs.
Hamas leader heads to Cairo for Gaza talks ahead of Kushner visit
Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya to meet Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad in Cairo amid ongoing Gaza tensions.
Israel kills 11 in attacks on Lebanon; Iran-Oman talks on Hormuz continue
Israel kills 11 in deadliest attacks on Lebanon since June truce as Iran and Oman continue talks on Hormuz.
Yemen’s government says Houthi strikes hit residential areas in Marib
Yemen's Ministry of Information denounces attacks on Marib as 'escalation' that threatens lives and increases suffering.
At least five reported dead amid flooding in US state of Indiana
Indiana's state governor says that US government has promised assistance after a week of heavy rainfall.
Are robotaxis finally here?
Fully self-driving cars for hire have been hailed as the technology of the future for years now. That future has finally arrived -- but only in some cities.
State Department spokesperson on Iran war and U.S. visa revocations
NPR's Rob Schmitz speaks with State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott about the with Iran and the hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals who have had their U.S. visa revoked.
The Midwest braces for more heavy flooding, as Indiana seeks federal aid
Indiana, Illinois and surrounding states are preparing for another stretch of flooding through this weekend.
Families of USS Lincoln crew say Trump should be 'ashamed' of conditions on board
President Trump said the USS Abraham Lincoln deployment is "not nearly long enough." A family member of a sailor on board that ship said those comments are shameful.
Trump administration wants to allow companies to hack foreign cybercriminals
The White House memorandum is thin on details, but it aims to give private businesses the ability to sabotage or spy on certain foreign actors.
Subnational ties forge lasting bonds
Jeffrey Sullivan, director of systemwide athletics for Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, has not taken off a bracelet since February. A Chinese student from a visiting delegation knotted and tied it around his wrist and told him that it would bring luck for the entire year. Sullivan has no intention of removing it.
Across boundaries, beyond trade
The city of Erenhot, located in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, is often called China's "Northern Gate", as it is the critical entry point where the China-Mongolia railway first touches Chinese soil from the neighboring country.
Colombia quake death toll rises to 188
BOGOTA -- The death toll from Monday's 7.4-magnitude earthquake in western Colombia has risen to 188, with 1,677 others injured, the Colombian Association of Capital Cities, or Asocapitales, said Tuesday.
Trade tensions strain EU-US ties
Editor's note: Amid shifting global geopolitics in recent decades, the trans-Atlantic bond is being reshaped. China Daily will present a special series to examine these shifts and their long-term implications.
UN chief calls on US, Iran to return to talks
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a return to dialogue amid heightened maritime tensions in the Middle East in recent days as the United States and Iran continued to offer conflicting accounts of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tear gas, water cannons used against Qaumi Insaf morcha protesters, Punjab Bandh call on August 21
Chandigarh police used tear gas and water cannons against Qaumi Insaf Morcha protesters demanding the release of Sikh prisoners.
BJP claims Sonia 'objected' to full version of Vande Mataram at event, Congress denies charge
BJP accuses Sonia Gandhi of objecting to Vande Mataram's full rendition; Congress denies the charge, citing a request for seating.
How will caste be recorded in second phase of Census 2027? | Explained
The 2027 Indian Census introduces new questions, including caste enumeration, amid concerns over data quality and privacy.
Jharkhand job exam protesters take out 'Tiranga Yatra' in Ranchi; Devendra Mahta ‘not allowed’ to leave hospital
Devendra Mahto alleges police assault after being blocked from joining the Tiranga Yatra during protests over recruitment exam reforms.
PM Modi pitches AI skilling and free online coaching to youth, warns against ‘dimagi Naxals’
PM Modi emphasizes AI skilling and free coaching for youth while warning against ideological threats in his Independence Day 2026 address.
Qatar denies detaining Iranian pilots, says it found remains of one
Reuters: Qatar denies detaining Iranian pilots, says it found remains of one.
UK's Burnham urges reflection on death of academic Arday
Reuters: UK's Burnham urges reflection on death of academic Arday.
Palestinians in Qusra say they have faced militant settler attacks for months
Reuters: Palestinians in Qusra say they have faced militant settler attacks for months.
Trump's 2024 grocery photo op now haunts Republicans in the midterms
Reuters: Trump's 2024 grocery photo op now haunts Republicans in the midterms.
Zimbabwean boat accident death toll rises to 68 as more bodies recovered
Reuters: Zimbabwean boat accident death toll rises to 68 as more bodies recovered.
Market Snapshot
Latest completed sessions across the selected benchmark indexes.
| Index | Region | Session Date | Value | Change | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S&P 500 | US | 2026-08-16 | 7785.76 | -13.23 (-0.17%) | Down |
NASDAQ Composite | US | 2026-08-16 | 26729.16 | -73.86 (-0.28%) | Down |
Euronext 100 Index | Europe | 2026-08-16 | 1969.87 | -5.07 (-0.26%) | Down |
Public Joint-Stock Company Moscow Exchange MICEX-RTS | Europe | 2026-08-16 | 85.20 | -0.11 (-0.13%) | Down |
HANG SENG INDEX | Asia | 2026-08-16 | 25116.85 | -279.66 (-1.10%) | Down |
Nikkei 225 | Asia | 2026-08-16 | 68713.80 | 405.20 (0.59%) | Up |
S&P BSE SENSEX | India | 2026-08-16 | 78009.25 | -70.71 (-0.09%) | Down |
Hacker News
Ten notable links from the last day in the Hacker News ecosystem.
Semaglutide linked to lower predicted dementia risk
alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com: Semaglutide linked to lower predicted dementia risk.
Show HN: Mic Drop, a real-time multiplayer karaoke game
The free online version of Grab the Mic: get a word, buzz in, and sing a real song containing it — your friends vote. No app, no mic needed, 2–8 players.
Cultivating a state of mind where new ideas are born (2023)
Solitary work, creativity and larval ideas
AI in drug discovery – what it is, where we stand and the path forward
science.org: AI in drug discovery – what it is, where we stand and the path forward.
Tea5767-Radio-Tuner
ESP32-based FM radio with TEA5767 tuner, KY-040 rotary encoder, PAM8403 amplifier, and 0.96" OLED display. Custom PCB design. - turtushig22-blip/tea5767-radio-tuner
At-home test for infected ticks could improve Lyme Disease diagnosis
LymeAlert will hit the market in August. The latest tool against the tick-borne illness could become a medicine cabinet staple
Super El Niño Keeps Growing as New Forecasts Reach Record Territory Ahead Winter
Super El Niño continues to strengthen as new forecasts push toward record levels, with Fall and Winter 2026/2027 impacts emerging across the United States, Canada, and Europe
Abdominal fat predicts heart disease risk better than BMI
The size of a person’s midsection is a better indicator of cardiovascular disease risk when compared to their body mass index (BMI) alone, according to a study published in JACC , the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology. BMI has traditionally been used to determine overweight or obesity, common risk factors for heart disease, but this study shows that not accounting for waist circumference (WC) or waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) can lead to misclassification of cardiovascular disease risk.
Tracking down a Zsh history data loss bug
For many years, I sometimes discovered that commands I was sure I had run were no longer present in my Z shell history file (~/.zsh_history). In this article, I will show you how I tracked down the bug. Spoiler: ultimately, patching Zsh to make it crash loudly and analyzing the crash’s core dump was the winning strategy!
Auto-research with codex: How I achieved a 232x Faster Kernel
Table of Contents Intro Contest in short Problem intro Why this problem is auto-research-able Learning Enough to Ask Better Questions (Optional) Math f...
Product Hunt
Featured products from the latest public Product Hunt listings.
Source Notes
Generation details, data coverage, and any partial-source warnings for this edition.