Good news! India, a rising superpower!
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
India Aims For 200-Ship Navy By 2035 To Counter China & Pakistan with Molly Gambhir
Image of the day
Credits to Palki Sharma, who said she was reading this memoir!
Notice whose forewords are on the book cover! What is the message?
Ciao bella!
Palki Sharma LIVE on IGR | India Global Review
Congratulations! Palki Sharma is back! Welcome!
Now Palki will have to prove that she is not only an excellent newscaster/presenter but also capable and intelligent news editor!
Unfortunately, Palki talked a bit too much! The video is over 40 minutes long!
As Director of NIAID, Anthony Fauci Admits in Jan 2020 Diary Entry That Coronavirus Likely a Lab Leak
If confirmed, then this is a bombshell! Unfortunately, Fauci was preemptively pardoned by the senile, demented and pathological liar 46th President and he is 85 years old!
Since 2020, I have here multiple times blogged that the lab leak is the most likely cause of the Covid-19 global pandemic!
Caveat: I had no time to read the article.
Morocco may name a 660-mile highway in the disputed Western Sahara after President Trump according to Bloomberg
Fame, legacy and glory are rising for President Trump! Just kidding!
"President Trump said Morocco is naming a 660-mile highway in the disputed Western Sahara after him, reflecting his official 2020 recognition of the kingdom’s sovereignty over the territory. ..."
"A video posted by Trump on Truth Social on Sunday showed sweeping desert landscapes and parts of the roughly $1 billion thoroughfare linking the cities of Dakhla and Tiznit, crossing an area Morocco considers part of its southern provinces."
Thank you to Highly Respected Mohammed VI, the King of Morocco — Such a Great Honor! (original social media posting by President Trump)
Will the US loose its measles elimination status since 2000?
Is this just another alarmism and hysteria article?
Of course, lefty, lazy naive or conflict of interest affected journalists do not ask following questions:
- How much is due to the massive illegal immigration during the term of the 46th President?
- How much is superstition or demagoguery about vaccination to be blamed?
"... The overview: 2,300+ cases have been confirmed so far this year, as of July 24—with nearly all of the confirmed cases in unvaccinated or undervaccinated people, per a July 22 analysis from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s International Vaccine Access Center.
That number already outpaces last year’s total measles cases—and jeopardizes the U.S.’s measles elimination status, to be determined later this year. ..."
Measles Elimination Status: What It Is and How the U.S. Could Lose It (older news release by the formerly known as the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
US Lyft and Chinese Baidu enter London's robotaxi battleground
Good news! Competition is good, more competition is better!
Where is Waymo? "Waymo robotaxis are currently testing on public roads in London, but they are not yet open for commercial public rides." (Google Search)
Do I still need to own my car?
"Chinese tech giant Baidu has started testing autonomous vehicles in London as part of its partnership with Lyft and Freenow, the German taxi and multi-mobility app that Lyft now owns. Baidu is the latest in a string of companies to test self-driving technology in the U.K. ahead of commercial robotaxi deployments. ..."
National Science Foundation funds nationwide network self-driving research laboratories at US universities
Good news! From self driving cars to self driving science labs!
The US National Science Foundation (NSF) has launched a new $380 million (£285 million) effort to establish a nationwide network of automated laboratories enabled by artificial intelligence (AI), and as part of this initiative North Carolina State University (NCSU) will lead a project that aims to build ‘self-driving’ chemistry labs.
Dubbed the self-driving platforms for experimental co-design in chemistry and materials science
NSF announces $400M investment in new national network of AI-programmable cloud laboratories in alignment with the U.S. government's Genesis Mission (original news release) "Awardees will test, scale and demonstrate new methods and tools that advance automated science and engineering for discovery and translation"
Socialist Spain for years a manufacturing 'Gateway' for Chinese Vehicles Flooding the European Union
A question of fair competition! Will a trade war between the EU and China develop?
Is China flooding the EU with consumer goods?
"The growing arrival and continued penetration of Chinese automakers in European Union markets is a now years-long phenomenon across the regional bloc. It is reportedly estimated Chinese brands represent a majority of the 27 new vehicle brands on sale in Spain and in other European countries, with Chinese vehicles accounting for nearly ten percent of all sales in Europe. ...
Although the E.U. imposed protective tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles (EVs) in recent years, Chinese carmakers are able to completely circumvent the tariffs by manufacturing its cars in European factories instead. ..."
How much has the reduction in air pollution over the past 50 years or so contributed to warmer climates in industrial countries?
A very pertinent question!
Food for thought!
Unfortunately, the many severely biased and cognitively challenged Western media are not investigating this connection very much!
Similar: The last ice age, e.g. the Little Ice Age ended only around 1800-1850 CE/AD, the urban heat island effect.
Israeli company Elbit eyes converting maritime vessels into drone carriers
Amazing stuff! From aircraft to drone carrier!
"Israeli defense electronics company Elbit Systems Ltd. ... wants to make ships into drone carriers for its Hermes 650 Spark unmanned aerial vehicles.
Elbit Systems reports that it is exploring compact unmanned aircraft launched not from a billion-dollar aircraft carrier but from converted vessels designed to carry persistent intelligence far from shore. The company says that such a vessel would be suitable, "For countries that need to monitor vast maritime spaces without building or acquiring full aircraft carrier capabilities." For such countries Elbit adds, "The question becomes straightforward: how can a naval force extend its reach without turning itself into a superpower navy?"... "
Small Deck, Long Reach (original news release) "As maritime arenas become larger, busier, and harder to secure, Elbit Systems is exploring a different kind of long reach: compact unmanned aircraft launched not from a billion-dollar aircraft carrier but from converted vessels designed to carry persistent intelligence far from shore."
Ukraine struck several sanctioned cargo vessels in the Caspian Sea on July 25 that Russia reportedly uses to transport military cargo between Iran and Russia.
Good news! Hit these rogue states where it hurts!
It adds to the danger of a World War III.
"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian forces targeted multiple sanctioned cargo vessels, including the Russian-flagged Port Olya 2 and Begey.
Iranian officials and media claimed on July 26 that Ukrainian forces also struck an Iranian commercial vessel transporting military cargo between Iran and Russia and killed one crewmember. ...
Senior Iranian officials condemned the strikes and threatened an Iranian response. Russia and Iran have historically used the Caspian Sea to move both civilian and military goods.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck Bandar Anzali Port on the Caspian Sea in March 2026 to disrupt shipments of military equipment, including Shahed drones, artillery shells, and other ammunition, that Russia was reportedly transferring to Iran. Ukraine's strikes follow reports that Russia is providing support to Iran during the current conflict.
Zelenskyy stated on July 25 that Russia is providing Iran with satellite imagery of US bases in the Gulf to support Iranian attacks and battle damage assessments. ..."
The area burned in the Brazilian Amazon fell to 3.1 million hectares in 2025, the smallest area since at least 1985
Good news! Why do many Western media not report that, but instead of the large burning fires in Canada and Europe?
How much was lack or negligence of proper forest management to blame for the forest fires in Canada and Europe?
Why 1985? When satellite measurements became possible.
"... The amount of land burned in the world's largest rainforest last year covered the smallest area since MapBiomas records began in 1985. ..."
Israeli banks cutting ties with Palestinian Authority
An example of reality is stranger than fiction!
This reminds of one of Lenin's famous quotes: The capitalists will sell us the rope with which to hang them” (attribution is in question)
The PA has been known since at least the Munich Olympic Games massacre of 1972 to be involved in terrorism.
Birds of the same feather sing a different song depending on their natural environment
Amazing stuff!
"When it comes to song, some birds prefer to keep it simple. The tufted titmouse, for example, just repeats its two-note peter-peter whistle over and over again. Others, like the nightingale, are known for their impressively complex melodies. ...
Using data collected by the citizen science project Xeno-canto, researchers analyzed recordings of songs from more than 3000 passerine birds around the world. They identified eight distinct acoustic motifs, including various trills and whistles, harmonic stacks, and chaotic notes. Most songs were composed of two to eight motifs, with type and number varying across species.
The team also found that, around the world, a bird’s physical environment tended to shape its song.
Birds living in tropical rainforests tended to favor flat whistles and slow trills, which are better at penetrating dense vegetation.
In more temperate regions, where short breeding seasons lead to more intense sexual selection, birds attempt to impress potential mates with complex motifs.
The study provides “one of the most comprehensive analyses of passerine song evolution to date,” ... “In addition to advancing our understanding of avian communication, their approach could be used to study the evolution of complex acoustic systems across other biological groups.”"
From the editor's summary and abstract:
"Editor’s summary
Birds sing to attract mates and ward off rivals. The form of these songs can vary from single, repeated notes to complex melodies. Bacquelé et al. explored the relationships among song, environment, and latitude from birds across the world (see the Perspective by Briefer). They found that in regions where forests are thick, and thus sound transmission is slower, bird songs are simpler and more effective for transmission across vegetation-impeded landscapes. By contrast, in temperate regions, where sound is less impeded and sexual selection is especially strong due to seasonal limitations, birdsong is much more complex, likely being a better indicator of singer condition. ...
Abstract
Although bird songs are classic models for understanding the evolution of vocal communication, their global diversity has long made the development of a unifying framework challenging.
By analyzing the acoustic architecture of songs from more than 3000 passerine species worldwide, we show that this acoustic space can be structured around eight elemental motifs.
The differential use of these motifs is driven by a combination of species’ biological traits (social organization, morphology, and mating system) and the physics of sound propagation.
In tropical rainforests, environmental filtering for transmission efficiency favors structurally simple motifs, such as flat whistles.
Conversely, in temperate regions, where high population densities facilitate close-range communication and short breeding seasons intensify sexual selection, the balance shifts toward complex, information-rich motifs, such as ultrafast trills, despite their susceptibility to acoustic degradation.
Ultimately, the global geography of birdsong reflects a spatially varying equilibrium between physical environmental constraints and the biological drive for complex communication."
Birdsong diversity across the world (no public access) "Birdsong motifs are shaped by evolutionary history, biological traits, and environmental constraints"
The global biogeography of passerine songs (no public access)
Pervasive patterns in the songs of passerine birds resemble human music universals and are linked with production and cognitive mechanisms (a preprint study also covering passerine bird song published in 2024)
Restricted daily eating windows improve cognitive skills in older women
Good news! Not only in older women! I can tell from my own experience that occasional fasting or restricting eating during the day helps.
"Restricted eating windows could be linked to a reduced dementia risk, per a new pilot study presented at the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting, which found that cognitive skills were improved in older women who restricted their eating to an 8–9-hour window and avoided eating four hours before bed, compared with participants who spread their meals across ~12 hours. ..."
"Eating within a shorter daily window may help protect certain thinking skills as people age. In a small six-month trial, older women who limited eating to about 8 to 9 hours a day performed better on planning and problem-solving tests than those who ate over 12 hours. Both groups lost similar amounts of weight, hinting that when people eat could matter in addition to how much they eat."
From the abstract:
"Objectives:
Circadian rhythms coordinate physiological processes with environmental cues such as meal timing and the light-dark cycle.
Most Americans consume food over prolonged periods ( >12 h/d).
Time-restricted eating (TRE) shortens the eating window and influences circadian biology that can improve cognitive performance. However, weight loss itself also improves cognition, and studies examining TRE with caloric restriction (CR) remain limited. We examined the effects of TRE+CR versus CR on cognition in postmenopausal women.
Methods:
In this trial, women (BMI ≥25 kg/m2, 50-79 years old) were randomized to six months of TRE+CR (n=26) or CR (n=21). Groups were counseled to reduce calorie intake (-500 kcal/d), and TRE+CR self-selected a ≤ 9-hour eating window, while CR maintained their eating window.
Baseline National Adult Reading Test (NART) was used to estimate premorbid levels of intelligence. The Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire and Cambridge Neuropsychological Battery of Tests (CANTAB) were administered at weeks 0 and 24.
CANTAB tests included memory and learning (Paired Associate Learning; PAL), executive function (Stockings of Cambridge; SOC; and Multitasking Test) and reaction time (RTI).
Results:
The women (61±5 years, 72% white, 33±4 kg/m2) had an eating window of 12.3±0.9 h/d, which was reduced with TRE+CR (8.2±0.7 h/d), and maintained in the CR group (12.6±0.8 h/d) (p< 0.001).
Mean NART error score (13.8±5.5) was within an expected range. Global PSQI score was unchanged after 6 months and did not differ between groups. There were similar reductions in body weight (-7.5±4.6 vs -6.1±5.4 kg) after 6 months.
Spatial planning and problem-solving (SOC) improved over time with TRE (p< 0.05), but not CR and differed between groups (p< 0.05).
Total errors during the PAL test decreased over time with TRE (p< 0.01), but not CR although the changes between groups were not significant. The multitasking test and RTI were not changed by the intervention.
Reductions in the eating window predicted greater improvement in SOC (p< 0.01) and PAL (p< 0.05) after adjusting for relevant covariates.
Conclusions:
TRE improved memory, learning, and problem-solving tests, independent of weight loss. Additional mechanistic analyses are warranted to explain these findings."
Eating within 8 hours may help keep the aging brain sharp "Eating within a shorter daily window may give the aging brain a modest boost beyond weight loss alone."
Unlocking the Medical Potential of Menstrual Blood. Really!
A disturbing article! When ideology results in absurdity!
Notice the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health does not mention women at all in this article as if transgender men have menstrual blood!
P.S. I believe, the medical analysis of menstrual blood has been done for a long time. Thus, this article is dated!
"An emerging field of study and innovation is stemming from a long-discarded biological resource: menstrual blood.
A growing number of researchers and biotech companies are exploring the potential of such blood samples as a tool for understanding fertility, diagnosing disease, and studying the body’s healing systems.
Recent developments include:
A system that collects and analyzes blood from used tampons, creating a “liquid biopsy” without invasive procedures.
A self-collection kit that uses a tampon to screen for HPV.
An FDA-approved pad used for hemoglobin A1c monitoring.
A menstrual cup used for endometriosis diagnosis.
Broader insights: Researchers are also studying whether menstruation may provide a “blueprint” for the body’s response to inflammation and tissue repair.
Reasons to Be Cheerful"
Tampons Are Becoming a Valuable Medical Tool "Menstrual blood is usually treated as waste. But it could be key to helping scientists understand how our bodies heal."
E-bikes, e-scooters are a burgeoning pediatric public health emergency
Given the fact how fast some of the Ebikes and escooters are this is no surprise!
Besides, they are often parked in public spaces to obstruct pedestrians!
E-bikes, e-scooters are a burgeoning pediatric public health emergency (behind paywall) "Accidents with severe, life-threatening injuries are on the rise"
Österreich ist Europameister bei der politischen Parteienförderung
Das die Bananenrepublik D diesen Titel nicht für sich beanspruchen kann ist ausserordentlich! Vorsicht Satire!
Leider hat der Artikel die öffentliche Förderungen und private Parteispenden nicht getrennt! Ein schwerer Fehler!
"Österreich leistet sich im europäischen Vergleich die mit Abstand teuerste Parteienförderung. Pro Wahlberechtigten fließen 52 Euro im Jahr über öffentliche Förderungen und Parteispenden an die Parteien. Das ist fast das Fünffache des europäischen Durchschnitts von knapp 11 Euro.
Selbst vergleichbar kleine Länder mit traditionell großzügiger Parteienfinanzierung wie Belgien, Schweden oder Norwegen liegen mit 14 bis 17 Euro deutlich darunter. Deutschland kommt auf rund 11 Euro, das Vereinigte Königreich auf lediglich 1,1 Euro pro Wahlberechtigten."
Major Corporations Resume Hiring as AI Limitations Become Apparent
Oh, I can believe that instantly, given how often inaccurate or outdated or unreliable information is provided by AI.
AI output often seems very convincing, but requires e.g. serious double checking.
AI needs a lot more training not only more curated data!
AP Report on 'LGBT' USAID Workers in Nepal Reveals True Agenda of the Shuttered Program
Incredible if confirmed!
Did the USAID program under the senile, demented and pathological liar 46th President in Nepal primarily become an employment program for LGBTQ?
"The Associated Press published a lengthy report on Thursday—and I can’t believe this is real—highlighting how shutting down USAID in Nepal led to “around 100 LGBTQ+” now-unemployed workers to turn to prostitution. ...
The shuttered USAID offices were apparently primarily dedicated to handing out free condoms, lubricant, and “HIV prevention medication.” ...
in the nation of Georgia. ... there was a rising amount of anti-Americanism in part because of the [presumably similar] efforts of USAID in his country. ..."
München spart mit Brunnen-Abschaltung nur 0,19 Prozent des Trinkwasserverbrauchs
Neues aus der Bananenrepublik D!
Sollten öffentliche Brunnen nicht eigentlich geschlossene Systeme sein praktisch ohne viel neues Wasser zu verbrauchen?
Federal Payroll Down $1.9 Billion, Civilian Headcount Down More than 50,000 in 2025
Good news! Bravo! It appears President Trump is shrinking the bloated federal government! Keep up the good work!
Unfortunately, the article omitted to show more history like e.g. the last 10 years or since the beginning of the 21st century.
"... We found that headcount, not including the U.S. Postal Service or Department of War, was reduced by a bit more than 50,000 from 2024 to 2025. That came with nearly $2 billion in savings on total salaries. ..."
Abdul Rahman Ballout plante schon einmal einen Anschlag und war bis Mai noch im Gefängnis
Kann es sein das wieder mal die Kuscheljustiz der Bananenrepublik D diesen schrecklichen Anschlag ermöglicht hat?
Wurde der Terrorist zu früh aus dem Knast entlasse n? Es scheint so!
"... Ballout war der Polizei bekannt – als Straftäter und als Islamist. „Zu dem Beschuldigten liegen neben allgemeinpolizeilichen auch umfangreiche staatsschutzpolizeiliche Erkenntnisse im Bereich religiöse Ideologie/ Islamismus vor“, heißt es in einer internen Polizeimitteilung, die NIUS vorliegt. Auch öffentlich sagte ein Polizeisprecher, dass Ballout der islamistischen Szene Berlins zugeordnet wird. Laut Bild soll Ballout Anhänger der Terror-Gruppe „Islamischer Staat“ sein. ...
Der 21-Jährige saß bis Mai noch im Gefängnis, musste einen Jugendarrest absitzen. Ballout war unter anderem wegen schwerer Körperverletzung und räuberischer Erpressung polizeibekannt. ..."
The new art of herding robots or how to manage a swarm of robots (e.g. against drone incursions)
Food for thought!
"The urgency of this work comes from rapidly evolving real-world conditions. Drone incursions are increasing in both frequency and affordability ... “It still requires a centralized and expensive response from the Air Force just to take down a $200 drone.”
Swarm robotics offers an alternative. By deploying many low-cost systems, the team aims to shift the economics of defense. “To take out a $200 drone, we want to do it in less than $2,000,” Nowzari explained. ...
The team’s goal is to enable military planners to assemble, adapt, and deploy swarm-control and coordination systems using modular,building-block components, reducing complexity while improving mission effectiveness.
They are building a Smart Swarm system with three components:
a Swarm Decision Guidance Assistant,
Swarm Operations Assistant, and
Adversarial Risk Assistant.
a Swarm Decision Guidance Assistant,
Swarm Operations Assistant, and
Adversarial Risk Assistant.
Together, these tools help operators interpret data, assign tasks, and respond to changing conditions without being overwhelmed. ...
To explore these questions, the project incorporates an unexpected element: a video game. ... the simulator translates swarm behavior into an interactive, accessible format. In the game, called Astroswarm, players design simple algorithms to control fleets of spaceships defending a target, mirroring real-world swarm coordination. ..."
Monday, July 27, 2026
Pentagon just reported 140 new Iran war casualties totalling now more than 600 and at least 540
Bad news!
"The Pentagon updated its official war casualty database over the weekend, adding more than 140 wounded service members. The Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) also introduced a new casualty category labeled “Overseas Operations” for personnel killed and wounded “starting July 7”.
According to the updated database, the official toll for the earlier phase of the US-Iran war, known as Operation Epic Fury, now stands at 14 service members killed and more than 400 wounded in action.
These figures have been a point of contention after the Pentagon previously reduced the totals from 18 deaths and 482 wounded that had been recorded just days earlier. ..."
Credits: Defense News
My Life as a Linux Kernel Developer and Maintainer with Mark Brown
I have been a Linux user for many years. If I had time, then I might watch this webinar.
Destruction of male chicken eggs pain free before hatching is about to spread worldwide
Good news! Don't feel so guilty anymore when eating chicken meat, soup or eggs! 😊
"In-ovo sexing is a hatchery technology that determines the sex of a chicken embryo inside an egg using optical, fluid-biomarker, or MRI methods between days 8 and 13 of incubation." (Google Search)
"Today, throughout much of the chicken egg industry, newly hatched male chicks—economically useless because they neither lay eggs nor grow efficiently for meat—are gassed or thrown into industrial grinders.
That horror may come to an end thanks to in-ovo sexing, a relatively new technique that allows hatcheries to cheaply identify and destroy male chicken embryos before they are capable of feeling pain.
According to a recent report from Innovate Animal Ag, an animal agriculture think tank, 40 percent of Europe’s commercial laying flock had been sexed in ovo as of June 2026, up from 34 percent in 2025. ..."
"Summary ...
- 40% of the EU’s commercial egg layer flock was sexed with in-ovo technology–a 6-point penetration increase from April 1, 2025.
- Since 2021, over 281 million male embryos have been removed before hatching globally.
- In Europe, in-ovo sexing technology has reached a production rate of 100 million female chicks per year, climbing from 500k chicks per month in 2021 to well over 8 million female chicks per month by the publication of this report, a CAGR of over 75%.
- In-ovo sexing is beginning its market-based rollout in the US with over 4% of the country’s commercial layer flock having publicly announced a transition to use the technology as existing flocks are retired.
- In Switzerland, where in-ovo sexing technology kicked off in 2025, in-ovo sexing penetration climbed rapidly and now sits at around 85 to 100% of the country’s layer flock. In Norway, in-ovo sexing has hit a 52% market penetration.
- The global penetration of in-ovo sexing is forecasted to continue its sharp growth in the next few years, led by expansion in the US, continued strength in Europe as a consequence of Italy’s ban on male chick culling, growth in markets where the technology has recently entered such as Australia and Brazil, and potential penetration into greenfield markets like Canada and China.
..."
European and US regulators have approved a retinal implant and camera equipped glasses to improve irreversible blindness
Good news!
When can I get my eagle eyes and fine print reader? 😊
As an aside, in German prima means great!
"... retinal implant, which combines a tiny chip inserted beneath the retina with camera-equipped glasses to restore functional vision"
"“Science Corporation, a startup developing novel brain-computer interfaces (BCI), won approval from Europe’s medical device regulator to begin selling a device that restores vision lost from age-related macular degeneration.
The company said the device, called PRIMA, also received a designation from the US Food and Drug Administration that is the first step toward an expedited regulatory review, which could see the device used to treat two rare kinds of blindness.”"
From the abstract:
"Background
Geographic atrophy (GA) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness and affects over 5 million people globally. Currently, no therapies exist to restore vision to the affected persons. The PRIMA system combines a subretinal photovoltaic implant and near-infrared light-projecting glasses to restore sight to areas of central retinal atrophy.
Methods
In an open-label, baseline-controlled, multicenter, prospective, single-arm clinical study, the vision of participants with GA and a visual acuity of logMAR ≥1.2 was assessed with and without PRIMA glasses at six and twelve months.
The primary endpoints were the proportion of participants with improvement in visual acuity (VA) of logMAR 0.2 or more and the number and severity of study-related serious adverse events at 12 months.
Results
Thirty-two of thirty-eight enrolled participants reached the 12-month endpoint. Of the six who did not, three died, one withdrew, and two were unavailable for testing. Twenty-six (81.3%; 95% CI: 63.56–92.79%) had an improved prosthetic VA of at least logMAR 0.2 versus baseline (p<0.001) and
in 19 participants, there were 26 serious adverse events. Twenty-one of these events (81%) occurred within the first two months, of which 20 (95%) were resolved within two months of implantation. There was no significant change in peripheral natural VA compared to baseline.
Conclusions
In this study of a limited number of participants, the PRIMA system restored central vision with significant improvements of VA in participants with GA due to AMD. ..."
The glasses
Figure 1. Rendering of the PRIMA system components.
The share of the world’s population that was undernourished fell to 7.8% in 2025, down from 8.1% in 2024 and 8.6% in 2022.
Good news! However, about half of the total hungry population of the world lives in Africa amid a rapid population growth on that continent.
"According to estimates from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, the share of the world’s population that was undernourished fell to 7.8 percent in 2025, down from 8.1 percent in 2024 and 8.6 percent in 2022.
The decline marks the third consecutive year that global hunger has fallen, a welcome recovery after progress against hunger stalled during the 2010s amid conflict and economic stagnation, particularly in Africa, and then partially reversed during the COVID-19 pandemic as incomes fell and food prices rose. In Asia and Latin America, the rate of undernourishment has now fallen to historic lows."
"... This means that around 645 million people were affected by hunger in 2025, representing a reduction of nearly 14 million compared to 2024 and 43 million compared to 2022.
Despite global progress, recovery remains uneven across regions.
Asia, together with Latin America and the Caribbean, has recorded steady improvements in recent years.
In contrast, Africa is now home to approximately 309 million hungry people, compared with 292 million in Asia.
Although Africa’s previously rising trend is beginning to stabilize, with the share of its population facing hunger decreasing from 20.3 percent in 2024 to 20.0 percent in 2025, the continent now has the highest number of hungry people in absolute terms amid a rapidly growing population. ..."
UN report: Global hunger levels ease for third consecutive year as regional disparities persist (original news release) "The 2026 edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) also examines the cost of healthy diets"
OpenAI Launches Health Platform to the public at large in the US
Good news! Self medication and self treatment most likely preceded the emergence of the medical profession in human history!
Physicians/medical doctors are sometimes referred to in German language as "Halbgötter in Weiß" (demigods in white clothing)! Iconoclasm by AI?
Democratize healthcare! Pronto! 😊
Unfortunately, it appears that the first release is too much focused on Apple Health only. Hopefully, this will quickly be corrected by OpenAI.
"OpenAI rolled out ChatGPT Health, a service that allows users to securely connect their medical records and wellness apps to the artificial intelligence chatbot.
The new feature comes in response to nearly 300 million people who already turn to ChatGPT with health-related questions each week. But users are cautioned to consider the likelihood of inaccuracy as well as the issue of sharing sensitive, potentially deeply personal information with a chatbot. ..."
Launching Health in ChatGPT (original news release) "Rolling out to U.S. users, you can securely connect your health information to help you better understand and navigate your health."
Commerzbank und Unicredit: Der Niedergang oder die Misere der deutschen Großbanken
Neues aus der Bananenrepublik D!
Mailand schlägt Frankfurt am Main als europäisches bzw. globales Finanzzentrum!
Hinweis: Ich bin mit den Einzelheiten dieser Bankübernahme nicht vertraut.
Gibt es die politische Partei FDP noch in Deutschland?
Die deutsche Nachrichtenmedien scheinen die FDP (Die Liberalen, Freie Demokraten) seit einiger Zeit weitgehend totzuschweigen. AfD und Brandmauer dominieren die tägliche Berichterstattung.
Oder liefert die FDP keine Schlagzeilen mehr, da im Koma und ohne Bundestagsmandate?
Wird sich die FDP von dem viel zu lange andauernden Disaster mit dem Volldeppen Christian Lindner je erholen bevor es zu spät ist?
Die FDP schon im 20igsten Jahrhundert schon oft totgesagt, aber der Untergang fand nie statt. Wird es jetzt anders sein?
"Die FDP hat in Deutschland derzeit rund 40 Mandatsträger in den Landesparlamenten sowie 5 Abgeordnete im Europäischen Parlament, während die Gesamtzahl inklusive der zehntausenden Kommunalmandate in Städten und Gemeinden von der FDP nicht zentral in einer festen, tagesaktuellen Gesamtzahl erfasst wird." (Google Search)
P.S. Ich selbst war viele Jahre Mitglied der Partei bis etwa 1995.
Christian Lindner
Vehicular Jihad in Germany, and Germans Vow to Combat ‘Islamophobia’
This could be a almost a headline of the day!
The sometimes split personality of the German mind after 1945! Just kidding!
Yes, too many Germans are tree huggers and wrong headed, unrealistic do gooders!
Caution: This is a satire!
Caveat: I did not read the article. It appears to be too politicized and tendentious. Also, I am familiar with some of the the author's other works.
'Unprecedented' Self-Directed CyberAttack on Hugging Face by OpenAI's Rogue Model Was Repelled by Chinese Defensive AI
I had intended to publish this blog post earlier! I procrastinated! Mea culpa!
I have just blogged here about this complex and very sophisticated cyber attack.
OpenAI used the ExploitGym to cyber attack Hugging Face
What an irony! 😊 There is even a research paper published in May as a preprint on arXiv about ExploitGym with the title containing "Turn Security Vulnerabilities into Real Attacks"!
As they say reality is stranger than fiction! 😊
"... OpenAI pitted its models against a benchmark called ExploitGym, released in May, which challenges LLMs to find ways to exploit real-world vulnerabilities found in commonly used software. ...
On July 9, according to reporting by Reuters, OpenAI’s models started trying to break through the proxy. They found an unknown bug in the proxy’s software and used it to access the internet. From there, they broke into Hugging Face’s computer systems on July 11, apparently looking for data sets and solutions that would help them complete their task. Hugging Face announced the hack on July 16. ..."
UN: Palestinian Authority must end torture, arbitrary detention of Palestinians in West Bank
Good news! Why have Western news media largely ignored these news?
Why are the Arab citizens of the West Bank unwilling or unable for more than 50 years or more to get rid of the terrorist and corrupt PA!
"The Palestinian Authority must end its continued use of arbitrary detention, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment against Palestinians, particularly journalists, dissidents, and political activists, under the pretext of “security reasons,” the UN Human Rights Office demanded last week. ..."
"... Palestinian authorities continue to arbitrarily or unlawfully deprive dozens of Palestinians of liberty — many are reportedly detained under a law that was declared unconstitutional by the Palestinian Supreme Constitutional Court. UN Human Rights – OPT has also gathered information on several male prisoners, including children, who continued to be detained by Palestinian security forces despite courts having ordered their release.
Some detainees in Palestinian detention facilities have reported torture and other forms of ill-treatment, including painful stress positions, severe beatings and whippings, and prolonged solitary confinement. Detainees who reported torture and ill-treatment frequently referred to experiencing suspension in a position known in Arabic as “shabeh”, where their hands are shackled behind their backs, and they are suspended from the ceiling by their wrists for days at a time. ..."
US Surgeon General warns about Kids’ Screen Time
How much is alarmism and hysteria?
Were not similar warnings issued when video games became popular in the late 1973, early 1980s? You bet!
"Early and excessive screen time can trigger severe neurocognitive delays in young children, harming attention, memory, and language skills, Interim Surgeon General Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos warned on Sunday. ...
To fight back, her office released a framework called “the 5 Ds”: discuss rules as a family, model good habits, divert kids to hands-on activities, disconnect during meals and car rides, and delay device access. ...
"...
No. 1: [Family] Discuss
No. 2: Do ([parents be a] model the behavior)
No. 3: Divert [children to other activities etc.]
No. 4. Disconnect [like screen free periods]
No. 5: Delay [access to screens]
..."
Too much screen time may trigger lasting brain delays, top health official warns "Interim surgeon general warns early and excessive screen time can trigger neurocognitive delays in young children"
Iran tries to inflict a high number of US casualties by targeting sleeping quarters and recreation facilities at US regional bases
I think, this sums up quite well the strategy pursued by Iran!
"... Iran is trying to inflict a steady number of US casualties by targeting sleeping quarters and recreation facilities at US regional bases in order to impose US domestic pressure that would force the US government to halt its airstrike campaign on Iran.
The Artesh [Iran army] claimed that its forces conducted drone attacks targeting US forces gathered at Sheikh Isa Base in Bahrain, Muwaffaq Salti Airbase in Jordan, at al Udeid base in Qatar, and Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, since CTP-ISW's last data cutoff at 2:00 PM ET on July 23.
The IRGC also claimed that its forces targeted the quarters of US forces at Camp Buehring in Kuwait on July 24.
Iranian regime media separately published on July 24 satellite imagery depicting damage from an Iranian ballistic missile hitting buildings reportedly housing US military forces at the Ali al Salem base in Kuwait. ... These claims follow an Iranian missile attack on the Muwaffaq al Salti Airbase on July 17 that struck troop quarters on base and killed 3 US soldiers and injured several others. ..."
China's cleaning robots mop up 70% of global share through innovation
Impressive! China is catching up fast!
China's CXMT jumps 471% on IPO, tops Intel's market cap
Impressive! China is catching up fast!
"Chinese memory chip maker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) soared 471.6% on its market debut on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR Market on July 27, 2026. The state-backed DRAM producer raised at least 57.9 billion yuan ($8.6 billion) in Asia's largest initial public offering of the year.
Market Impact and Valuation
Opening price: Began trading at 49.50 yuan per share, up from its IPO price of 8.66 yuan.
Instantly became the most valuable company listed in mainland China, surpassing firms like Intel ($464 billion) and Cisco ($450 billion)." (Google Search)
Former Israel PM Naftali Bennett: Qatar to be designated an enemy state under future government
Maybe Iran is not the only state sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East!
"Israel's next government will declare Qatar an "enemy state," former prime minister and head of Together Naftali Bennett said at Israel's National Security Conference (INSS) on Monday. ...
According to Bennett, Qatar is a leading financier of Islamist terrorism, ...
Bennett also said Qatar had established “a global influence machine aimed at eliminating Israel," adding that it operates and funds Al Jazeera, which has been banned in Israel over inciting hatred against the state. ..."
Naftali Bennett
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Fervo Energy, a geothermal energy company, has drilled its deepest and most complex well yet in Utah
Food for thought!
If geothermal energy were to be implemented at large scale and worldwide, then the environmental and geological consequences could be enormous. Call me skeptical as far as geothermal energy is concerned.
Make no mistake to confuse geothermal energy with so-called renewable energy (wind and solar power)!
"Fervo Energy, a geothermal energy company, has drilled its deepest and most complex well yet, reaching a measured depth of nearly 19,500 feet in just 21 days. The new well, Sawtooth 7, will contribute to a 400-megawatt geothermal power project in Utah scheduled to begin delivering electricity in 2028."
Fervo Energy Learning Curve Continues on 3rd Generation Well Design, Boosting Drilling Rates by 143% Since Its First Cape Station Well (original news release) "Sawtooth 7 sets a new drilling pace record, reaching 19,448 feet measured depth with a 7,500-foot lateral in 21 days"
Web page of company. Carbon free??? Really!
Company provided table
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)