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Trump’s effort to revamp the landmark stretched well past the goal of having it ready by the Fourth of JulyThe newly drained Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool’s bottom surface has noticeably faded since it was lined with a protective coating in a color Donald Trump called “American flag blue” this spring.An Associated Press reporter and photographer viewed the fenced-off reflecting pool on Wednesday from the top of the Washington Monument. The new liner appears grayer than when the pool was repainted and refilled with water in early June. Debris that had been visible earlier this week after the pool was drained is now largely gone, after work crews removed it. Continue reading...

• India’s second Digital Threat Report for the BFSI sector reveals that six out of seven emerging cyber threats predicted last year have already become fully operational. • Attackers are leveraging artificial intelligence, stolen identities, and manipulated payment workflows to create fraudulent activities that closely mimic legitimate transactions. • This trend highlights a critical escalation in the sophistication of cyberattacks targeting banks and financial institutions, making detection significantly more difficult.

• President Trump has appointed Matthew Wielicki, a known climate skeptic and PragerU contributor, to lead the U.S. government’s flagship climate report. • Wielicki has a history of publicly criticizing established climate science, raising concerns about the objectivity of the government's environmental assessments. • This move follows previous efforts by the Trump administration to gut the Global Change Research program, prompting the American Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Union to step in.

Plans to build a NZ$3.5bn datacentre in Makarewa in the country’s south has drawn concern about electricity and water use, and potential noise pollutionPeople living near the site of New Zealand’s first planned AI datacentre are calling for more transparency about the project, especially about how the centre’s huge electricity and water use and potential noise pollution could affect them.Singapore-based company Datagrid has secured approval to build a NZ$3.5bn (US$2bn) AI datacentre on a 49-hectare site in Makarewa, just north of New Zealand’s southern-most city, Invercargill. Construction is due to begin this year, with the centre becoming operational by 2028. Continue reading...

• Big Tech giants including Amazon, Meta, Alphabet, and Oracle issued a combined $159 billion in debt during the first five months of the year to fund expansive AI projects. • According to Bank of America, Big Tech's share of the total US corporate bond market reached a record high of over 8% by the end of May. • This surge in borrowing is driven by the massive capital requirements of AI infrastructure, with SemiAnalysis estimating the AI debt market could swell to $7 trillion by 2029.

John Edwards resigned in June after independent investigation following claims of sexual harassment and bullyingThe UK information commissioner who resigned over sexual harassment and bullying claims is understood to be taking legal action against a woman who flagged his conduct.The science and technology secretary, Liz Kendall, said she was “appalled” by the fact that John Edwards was preparing to serve legal papers on one of the “incredibly brave” women at the ICO who raised concerns about his behaviour. Edwards resigned from his post as the UK’s data regulator in June after an independent investigation. Continue reading...

• The United States currently maintains its position as the global economic leader, though its long-term stability is being questioned. • Deutsche Bank has identified the country's escalating debt burden as the primary risk threatening its economic foundation. • This warning highlights a critical vulnerability in the U.S. financial system that could undermine its global dominance.

Hundreds of masked members of the white supremacist organization marched and chanted in the US capitalHundreds of masked men carrying banners, including the Confederate flag, marched through Washington DC on the Fourth of July, the 250th anniversary of the US’s inception.The group appeared to be led by Thomas Rousseau, founder of the neo-fascist, white supremacist organization Patriot Front. Members of the group wore white masks and gathered in front of DC’s Union Station. They later marched towards Capitol Hill, WTOP reported. Continue reading...