SAMWISE
Good morning John. Here is your personal morning briefing · samwise.agency
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
derivative work: Chubbennaitor, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
RACE RESULT
Hamilton claims maiden Ferrari victory in Barcelona as Antonelli retires
Lewis Hamilton secured his first victory for Ferrari at Sunday’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, winning by nearly 20 seconds after a three-stop strategy in sweltering conditions. At 41, Hamilton became the oldest Grand Prix winner since Jack Brabham in 1970, and ended a win drought stretching back to the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, running second, retired three laps from the finish, allowing Hamilton to capitalise on a virtual safety car. George Russell finished second and Lando Norris third, the first all-British podium since Stewart, Hill and Surtees at the 1968 United States Grand Prix.
Wolff slams Mercedes reliability after Antonelli’s late Barcelona retirement
Kimi Antonelli retired from second place with three laps remaining at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, with Mercedes confirming an electrical shutdown ended his run. The championship leader said he felt empty afterwards, telling reporters the car gave up at the apex of Turn 5 without warning. Team principal Toto Wolff called the reliability not good enough, noting Mercedes lost 25 constructors’ points in Montreal and another 18 in Barcelona. Wolff also conceded intra-team racing between Antonelli and Russell during the middle phase may have cost the team victory, adding that finishing first requires first finishing the race.
Colapinto demoted to tenth after Barcelona yellow-flag penalty
Franco Colapinto was demoted from eighth to tenth at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix after stewards handed the Alpine driver a 10-second time penalty for a yellow-flag infringement. The flag was shown while Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin was recovered at Turn 10, and stewards ruled Colapinto did not discernibly reduce speed in the relevant sector. The decision promoted Racing Bulls pair Liam Lawson to eighth and Arvid Lindblad to ninth. Colapinto also received one penalty point on his Super Licence, taking his total to two within the rolling 12-month period, in a fresh FIA setback for Alpine.
Leclerc vows to raise his game after Barcelona weekend to forget
Charles Leclerc vowed to raise his game to match Lewis Hamilton after enduring a difficult Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix weekend for Ferrari. Leclerc crashed in qualifying, started tenth and retired from sixth place with a hydraulic issue four laps from the finish, calling the weekend one to forget. Speaking after Hamilton’s breakthrough Ferrari victory, Leclerc said he needs to be up there with his team-mate, who has impressed across the past three races. The retirement capped a frustrating run for Leclerc, who admitted he must respond as Ferrari builds momentum in the constructors’ championship fight against Mercedes.
F1 world reacts to Hamilton’s emotional first Ferrari win
The Formula 1 world reacted to Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, with Italian media hailing the milestone for the Scuderia. Hamilton shared a defiant social-media message reading dream the impossible, writing that he could not describe how amazing it felt to finally win in red and thanking Ferrari. The win marked his first Sunday victory since joining the team at the start of 2025. It also produced the first all-British podium since 1968, with Russell and Norris joining Hamilton, a result widely celebrated across the paddock and beyond.
Hamilton reveals months-long hidden injury after breakthrough win
Lewis Hamilton revealed he had been carrying a hidden injury for months following his maiden Ferrari victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. The Briton said he had been managing the problem and hoped his training programme would help him avoid the recurring issue, which he indicated had troubled him through the previous season. The disclosure came amid wider reaction to his breakthrough win in red, achieved with a three-stop strategy in hot conditions. Hamilton, who became the oldest race winner in decades, framed the result as validation of his decision to continue pushing despite physical challenges behind the scenes this year.
FIA suspends steward over Verstappen penalty comments
Formula 1’s governing body suspended a driver steward for the Canadian Grand Prix over comments made about a penalty Max Verstappen received two weeks earlier, with Derek Warwick replaced by Enrique Bernoldi. The change drew attention to steward conduct as the championship’s competitive battle intensifies. Separately at Barcelona, stewards investigated Lewis Hamilton for potentially impeding Pierre Gasly in qualifying but took no further action, distinguishing his case from Nico Hulkenberg’s 10-second penalty in the same session. The decisions underlined a busy run of regulatory scrutiny across recent race weekends, with officials closely managing driver conduct and impeding rulings.
Antonelli’s championship lead cut to 41 points after Barcelona
Kimi Antonelli’s lead in the drivers’ championship was cut to 41 points after his late retirement at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton’s victory clawed back 25 points. Antonelli leads on 156 points, with Hamilton second on 115 and George Russell third on 106. In the constructors’ standings, Mercedes remain in front on 262 points, but Ferrari reduced the gap to 72 by scoring heavily, sitting second on 190 ahead of McLaren on 141. Red Bull hold fourth on 89, with Alpine fifth, as the Austrian Grand Prix approaches at the end of June.
Drivers' Championship
1. Andrea Kimi Antonelli — 156 pts
2. Lewis Hamilton — 115 pts
3. George Russell — 106 pts
4. Charles Leclerc — 75 pts
5. Lando Norris — 73 pts
6. Oscar Piastri — 68 pts
7. Max Verstappen — 55 pts
8. Pierre Gasly — 41 pts
9. Isack Hadjar — 34 pts
10. Liam Lawson — 28 pts
11. Oliver Bearman — 18 pts
12. Franco Colapinto — 16 pts
13. Arvid Lindblad — 13 pts
14. Carlos Sainz — 6 pts
15. Alexander Albon — 5 pts
16. Esteban Ocon — 3 pts
17. Gabriel Bortoleto — 2 pts
18. Fernando Alonso — 1 pts
19. Nico Hülkenberg — 0 pts
20. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
21. Sergio Pérez — 0 pts
22. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 262 pts
2. Ferrari — 190 pts
3. McLaren — 141 pts
4. Red Bull — 89 pts
5. Alpine — 57 pts
6. Racing Bulls — 41 pts
7. Haas — 21 pts
8. Williams — 11 pts
9. Audi — 2 pts
10. Aston Martin — 1 pts
11. Cadillac — 0 pts
NHL
Hurricanes Return Home to Raleigh With Stanley Cup
The Carolina Hurricanes returned home Monday with the Stanley Cup, two days after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 of the Final in Las Vegas. The team’s charter flight landed at Raleigh-Durham International Airport shortly after 6:30 p.m. and received a water-gun salute as it taxied toward waiting buses. Outside the private aviation area, fans in Hurricanes gear lined the road to greet the champions, with players sticking their heads out of the bus roofs to wave. Captain Jordan Staal, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, carried the Cup off the plane and lifted it overhead.
Hurricanes Set Championship Parade for June 20 in Raleigh
The Carolina Hurricanes will celebrate their 2026 Stanley Cup championship with a parade in downtown Raleigh on Saturday, June 20 at 11 a.m., the Championship Celebration presented by Spectrum. The city said the parade route was still being determined and would be shared once finalized. The title is Carolina’s second in franchise history and its first since 2006. The Hurricanes clinched the Cup with a 3-0 shutout in Game 6 over the Vegas Golden Knights on June 14 in Las Vegas. Brandon Bussi stopped all 22 shots he faced, and captain Jordan Staal was named playoff MVP.
Golden Knights Face Cap Crunch and Dorofeyev Decision
TSN’s Travis Yost wrote Monday that the Vegas Golden Knights face a cap crunch ahead of July 1 after their Stanley Cup Final loss. Yost said the team faces a difficult decision on whether to pay restricted free agent Pavel Dorofeyev, who is coming off a two-year, $3.67 million contract and is eligible for arbitration. The 25-year-old reached 35 goals for a second straight season and added 12 goals in 22 playoff games. Vegas has $4.6 million in projected cap space, plus $8.8 million more if Alex Pietrangelo stays on long-term injured reserve, but eight roster spots remain unfilled.
Flames Co-Owner Alvin Libin Dies at 95
Calgary Flames co-owner Alvin Libin has died at the age of 95, the team announced Monday. No cause of death was given. Libin joined the Flames ownership group in 1994 and was part of the organization’s growth, helping bring the CFL’s Stampeders, the WHL’s Hitmen and the National Lacrosse League’s Roughnecks under the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation. Born in Calgary in 1931, Libin built a career spanning real estate, oil and gas, and financial services. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2001 and inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2004. CSEC chairman N. Murray Edwards called him a great partner and friend.
NHL Offseason Arrives With Active Trade Market Looming
With the Stanley Cup awarded to Carolina on Sunday, the NHL offseason has arrived, and TSN reported Monday that many teams will look to the trade market before Free Agent Frenzy on July 1. Detroit captain Dylan Larkin and Edmonton veteran Darnell Nurse headline available players after both submitted trade requests. Citing a thin free-agent class, The Athletic’s Harman Dayal listed the Canadiens, Blue Jackets, Wild, Kraken, Hurricanes, Sharks, Bruins and Rangers as teams that could be especially aggressive this month. A buyout window opens later this week, allowing clubs to clear additional salary-cap space ahead of free agency.
Flyers Among Teams Eyeing Oilers’ Darnell Nurse
The Philadelphia Flyers are among the teams interested in acquiring defenceman Darnell Nurse from the Edmonton Oilers, TSN reported Monday, citing the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jackie Spiegel. Philadelphia is also on Nurse’s approved list of destinations. Nurse, 31, is entering the fifth season of an eight-year, $74 million contract carrying a $9.25 million cap hit, and had seven goals and 24 points in 82 games last season. The link follows Flyers general manager Daniel Briere acknowledging the team will listen to offers for blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen. Trading Ristolainen could let Philadelphia gather assets and then acquire Nurse to fill his role.
Senators Sign Norway’s Bakke Olsen to Entry-Level Deal
The Ottawa Senators signed forward Eskild Bakke Olsen to a one-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Monday evening. Bakke Olsen, 24, spent the 2025-26 season with Linkoping HC of the Swedish Hockey League, where he ranked second in team scoring with 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists). He was also part of the Norwegian team that won a bronze medal at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland. The signing adds forward depth to Ottawa’s organization as the offseason begins. Terms beyond the contract length were not immediately disclosed by the Senators in their announcement of the move.
Maple Leafs Ink Prospect Koblar to Three-Year ELC
The Toronto Maple Leafs signed 18-year-old forward Tinus Luc Koblar to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Monday. Koblar was selected by Toronto with the 64th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. At last month’s IIHF World Championship, he appeared in 10 games and recorded three goals and six assists for nine points, helping Norway to a bronze-medal finish. The deal locks up a developing prospect as the Maple Leafs begin an offseason of roster decisions. Toronto also holds the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft, set for June 26-27 in Buffalo.
RECAP
Rojas pinch-hit homer lifts Dodgers past Rays 4-3
Pinch-hitter Miguel Rojas launched a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers erased an early deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Monday night in the opener of a six-game homestand. Rojas batted for Alex Freeland with one out and sent the first pitch he saw from Steven Matz into the left-field stands. Kyle Tucker hit a three-run homer for the Dodgers and threw out a runner at the plate from right field. Kyle Hurt earned the win with a scoreless inning, and Tanner Scott retired the side in the ninth for his eighth save.
Suarez homers twice, drives in six as Reds rout Mets 12-0
Eugenio Suarez homered twice and drove in a career-high six runs, including a second-inning grand slam, as the Cincinnati Reds routed the New York Mets 12-0 on Monday night. JJ Bleday added a three-run shot, and Chase Burns struck out seven over five innings. Burns and three relievers combined on a six-hitter for the team’s fifth shutout this year, and Burns lowered his ERA to 2.01. Suarez hit a two-run homer off starter Tobias Myers in the first to make it 3-0. Cincinnati added six runs in the second. Bo Bichette had three hits for the Mets, who were blanked for the eighth time.
Colt Keith hits three homers, drives in six as Tigers beat Astros 9-3
Colt Keith hit three home runs and drove in six runs as the Detroit Tigers beat the Houston Astros 9-3 on Monday night. Kevin McGonigle and Spencer Torkelson also homered in an 11-hit game for Detroit. Keith, who entered the day with one home run in 65 games this season, became the youngest Tigers player with a three-homer game since 20-year-old Al Kaline in 1955. McGonigle homered in the second before Keith drilled a 411-foot two-run shot in the third. Torkelson followed with his 12th home run. Keith launched a second two-run homer in the seventh and capped the scoring with a solo shot in the ninth.
Wheeler dominant, rookie Rincones homers as Phillies blank Marlins 7-0
Zack Wheeler struck out nine in six scoreless innings of two-hit ball, and Gabriel Rincones Jr. homered for his first career hit as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Miami Marlins 7-0 on Monday night. Rincones, playing in his second career game, sent an 84-mph slider from Ryan Gusto into the seats in right field in the second inning. J.T. Realmuto added a two-run drive in the fifth. Tim Mayza, Jonathan Bowlan and Chase Shugart each pitched a scoreless inning of relief to finish the shutout. The Phillies picked up their major-league-leading ninth shutout of the season in the win at Citizens Bank Park.
Bell and Buxton homer as Twins edge Rangers 4-2
Josh Bell hit a three-run homer in the first inning, Byron Buxton went deep for the 23rd time this season leading off the sixth, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Texas Rangers 4-2 on Monday night. All six runs in the game came off home runs, with Texas’ Joc Pederson delivering a two-run shot in the third off rookie Mike Paredes. Paredes allowed four hits and two runs in 4 2/3 innings. Four Twins relievers held Texas to one hit over the final 4 1/3 innings. Buxton has homered in six of his past nine games to get within one of major league leaders Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Schwarber.
Royals place Pasquantino on injured list after hamate surgery
The Kansas City Royals placed first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino on the 10-day injured list with a right hamate fracture. Pasquantino suffered the injury swinging at an inside pitch in the fifth inning of Sunday’s loss to the Houston Astros, grimacing after the swing before leaving the game. Manager Matt Quatraro said Pasquantino had surgery to remove the broken hamate, and the first baseman is expected to miss roughly four to six weeks. Outfielder John Rave was recalled in a corresponding move. The injury adds to a difficult stretch for the Royals, who sit last in the American League Central at 29-44.
Rangers put Corey Seager on 7-day concussion injured list
The Texas Rangers placed shortstop Corey Seager on the 7-day concussion injured list, manager Skip Schumaker announced Monday. Seager suffered the concussion Thursday after a collision at home plate with Kansas City catcher Carter Jensen. He remained in that game and hit a home run, but sat out the entire weekend series against the Boston Red Sox. It is Seager’s second IL stint this season; he previously missed about three weeks with lower back inflammation and had returned June 4 before playing only five games. In a corresponding move, infielder Josh Smith was reinstated from the 10-day injured list.
American League
1. New York Yankees — 43–27, –
2. Tampa Bay Rays — 41–28, 1.5
3. Toronto Blue Jays — 34–38, 10
4. Baltimore Orioles — 34–39, 10.5
5. Boston Red Sox — 29–40, 13.5
1. Chicago White Sox — 38–32, –
2. Cleveland Guardians — 39–33, –
3. Minnesota Twins — 34–40, 6
4. Detroit Tigers — 30–42, 9
5. Kansas City Royals — 29–44, 10.5
1. Seattle Mariners — 37–36, –
2. Athletics — 36–36, 0.5
3. Texas Rangers — 35–37, 1.5
4. Houston Astros — 33–41, 4.5
5. Los Angeles Angels — 29–44, 8
National League
1. Atlanta Braves — 46–25, –
2. Philadelphia Phillies — 39–33, 7.5
3. Washington Nationals — 38–35, 9
4. Miami Marlins — 36–37, 11
5. New York Mets — 32–40, 14.5
1. Milwaukee Brewers — 43–26, –
2. St. Louis Cardinals — 39–31, 4.5
3. Chicago Cubs — 38–35, 7
4. Pittsburgh Pirates — 36–37, 9
5. Cincinnati Reds — 34–37, 10
1. Los Angeles Dodgers — 46–27, –
2. San Diego Padres — 37–34, 8
3. Arizona Diamondbacks — 37–35, 8.5
4. San Francisco Giants — 29–43, 16.5
5. Colorado Rockies — 27–46, 19
INDUSTRY
SpaceX to Acquire AI Coding Startup Cursor for $60 Billion in Stock
SpaceX has agreed to acquire AI coding startup Cursor in a $60 billion all-stock deal, TechCrunch reported June 16. The purchase comes days after SpaceX’s historic public listing and less than two months after the two companies announced a tie-up. The acquisition is intended to help SpaceX’s AI division, built around Elon Musk’s xAI, which merged with SpaceX earlier this year, close the gap with leading AI labs. Cursor’s coding agents have become widely used among developers. The deal folds a fast-growing developer-tools company into Musk’s expanding AI and space empire as competition among frontier labs intensifies.
U.S. Government Enforcement Letter Forces Anthropic to Pull Latest Models Offline
An enforcement letter from the U.S. government effectively forced Anthropic to pull its latest AI models offline just before the weekend, TechCrunch reported June 15. In its analysis, TechCrunch argued the action should serve as a wake-up call for any U.S. technology company, contending the ban was never truly about a recently disclosed AI jailbreak. The piece framed the government move as part of a broader pattern in which Washington is increasingly willing to intervene directly in how AI labs operate and deploy frontier systems. The episode underscores rising regulatory pressure on model providers and the fragility of commercial AI access under shifting federal policy.
Salesforce to Acquire AI Customer Service Platform Fin for $3.6 Billion
Salesforce announced June 15 that it will acquire AI customer-service platform Fin for $3.6 billion, TechCrunch reported. Formerly known as Intercom, Fin offers an AI agent that resolves customer queries across multiple channels, including live chat, WhatsApp, SMS, phone calls, and Slack. The acquisition deepens Salesforce’s push into agentic customer support, adding an automated resolution layer to its existing service products. The deal ranks among the larger AI-focused acquisitions of the year and signals continued consolidation as established software vendors buy specialized agent technology rather than build it. Fin’s multichannel capabilities are expected to strengthen Salesforce’s competitive position in enterprise service automation.
ChatGPT’s Market Share Slips Below 50% for First Time, Sensor Tower Reports
ChatGPT’s market share has slipped below 50% for the first time, TechCrunch reported June 16, citing analytics firm Sensor Tower’s State of AI Report for 2026. Users are increasingly migrating between assistants including Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, and xAI’s Grok. Despite the decline, ChatGPT remains the most popular AI assistant worldwide, with more than 1.1 billion monthly users, followed by Gemini with 662 million and Claude with 245 million. The shift marks a notable change in a market OpenAI long dominated, as rivals gain ground and users distribute their activity across a widening field of competing chatbots.
Meta Launches ‘AI Mode’ Search on Facebook Drawing From Public Posts
Meta announced June 15 that it is rolling out new AI features on Facebook aimed at changing how users find information, create content, and interact with the platform, TechCrunch reported. The headline update is AI Mode, a new way to search Facebook that uses Meta AI to surface answers pulled from public posts across the platform, including Groups and Reels. The feature draws on public information spanning Meta’s services to generate responses. The move extends Meta’s effort to embed generative AI throughout its consumer products and positions Facebook search as an AI-driven experience, raising fresh questions about how public user content is repurposed to power the company’s models.
NewCore Emerges From Stealth With $66 Million to Give AI Agents Identities
Cybersecurity startup NewCore emerged from stealth June 15 with $66 million in funding, TechCrunch reported. The company aims to solve a challenge it believes many organizations will soon face as they deploy AI agents: how to authenticate, govern, and control those agents at scale. As autonomous agents take on more workplace tasks, NewCore wants to give them verifiable identities so companies can manage their access like they would human employees. The funding reflects growing investor interest in securing agentic systems, an emerging category as enterprises move from experimentation toward production deployments and confront the security and governance gaps that automated agents introduce.
AI Cited as Top Layoff Reason for Third Month as Tech Cuts Near 40,000, Challenger Says
Tech layoffs reached their highest single-month total in two years last month, with nearly 40,000 cuts, and AI was the most-cited reason for layoffs across every industry for the third consecutive month, TechCrunch reported June 15, citing outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The report noted growing skepticism that AI is genuinely driving the cuts, with some analysts suggesting it functions more as a convenient explanation than the actual cause. The data adds to an intensifying debate over how much of the current downsizing wave reflects real automation gains versus cost-cutting that companies are attributing to artificial intelligence for strategic or narrative reasons.
ELECTRONICS
Counterfeit XLR Ground Loop Isolator Found Wired Straight Through
A Hackaday teardown of a cheap XLR ground loop isolator purchased for about 1,200 yen on Japanese Amazon revealed the device to be counterfeit. Rather than containing the audio transformers that an isolator uses to break ground loops and eliminate hum, the unit was wired straight through, with the XLR input sockets connected directly to the output sockets. The hardware therefore provided no isolation whatsoever despite its labeling and price. The write-up uses the scam product as a teaching moment, explaining how genuine ground loop isolators rely on transformer coupling to separate signal grounds and why the direct wiring inside this counterfeit defeats that purpose entirely.
Kotinos Ergonomic Mouse Gives Each Fingertip Its Own Saddle
Hackaday featured the Kotinos, an ergonomic computer mouse from designer [psudoku] that gives each fingertip its own saddle-shaped nook. Instead of a single contoured shell, the design places an individual saddle for each finger, aiming to support the hand more naturally and reduce strain during long sessions. The Kotinos is built to be customizable: its geometry is defined through OpenSCAD scripts, so users can modify the parameters and regenerate the model to match their own hand dimensions before printing. The approach reflects a growing maker interest in personalized, 3D-printed input devices tailored to individual ergonomics rather than mass-produced one-size-fits-all peripherals offered by mainstream manufacturers.
Microsoft Offers Downloadable Xbox Thumbstick Toppers for Accessibility
Microsoft is offering downloadable Xbox controller thumbstick toppers as an accessibility option, Hackaday reported. The toppers are distributed as files that gamers can fabricate themselves, fitting over a controller’s existing analog sticks to change their height, shape, or grip. By making the designs downloadable, the program lets players with differing physical needs customize their controllers without waiting on specialized commercial hardware. The move extends Microsoft’s existing accessibility efforts around Xbox input devices and aligns with the broader maker practice of using 3D printing to adapt consumer electronics. Hackaday framed the release as an example of a major manufacturer embracing user fabrication to widen access to gaming.
HopFlyt Cyclone eVTOL Drone Revives Custer’s Channel Wing
Hackaday covered the HopFlyt Cyclone, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) drone that revives the channel wing concept pioneered by [Willard Ray Custer]. Custer’s original channel wing placed a propeller within a half-pipe-shaped wing section to accelerate airflow over the curved surface and boost lift at low speeds. The Cyclone applies that idea using a tandem wing arrangement, with the goal of improving short-takeoff and hovering performance for an uncrewed aircraft. The piece, headlined as Custer’s Revenge, traces the history of the channel wing and examines how modern electric propulsion and drone design revisit an aerodynamic approach that never gained traction in its original era.
Gateworks Catalina GW9200 Industrial SBC Builds on NXP i.MX 95
Gateworks introduced the Catalina GW9200, an industrial single-board computer built around the NXP i.MX 95 system-on-chip for edge AI applications, CNX Software reported. The GW9200 pairs a system-on-module carrying the i.MX 95, 4GB of LPDDR5 memory, and 8GB of eMMC flash by default with a carrier board offering 10GbE and Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 ports, a MIPI DSI/CSI display and camera interface, and a range of I/O. Its standout feature is a pair of Flexible Socket Adapter sockets that accept either M.2 or mini PCIe module adapters depending on the deployment. The launch follows Ezurio’s recently announced acquisition of Gateworks, the report noted.
Year 2000 Bug in BSD 2.11 Survived Undetected on a PDP-11/70
Hackaday detailed a Year 2000 bug in BSD 2.11 that went undetected for decades on a PDP-11/70 minicomputer. The flaw lived in the system’s NTP daemon, the software responsible for keeping the machine’s clock synchronized over the network. Because the affected code path handled dates in a way that broke past the year 2000, the bug survived the original Y2K remediation effort and only surfaced when the aging system was examined more closely. The article walks through how the issue was discovered and diagnosed on the vintage hardware, offering a look at how decades-old date-handling assumptions can persist in long-running legacy systems still operating today.
CNC-Machined Piano Key Holder Cradles Your House Keys
Hackaday showcased a CNC-machined key holder shaped like piano keys, crafted from hardwoods to store a set of ordinary house keys. The build mills the wood into the familiar black-and-white piano key profile, then uses the recesses to cradle metal keys, turning a mundane organizer into a musical visual pun. The project highlights how a CNC router and careful material selection can produce a polished, gift-worthy object from simple stock. The write-up plays on the wordplay between piano keys and door keys, presenting the piece as an accessible woodworking and CNC exercise that combines precise machining with an everyday household function for makers.
LAYOFFS
AI-Justified Tech Layoffs Reach Nearly 1,000 a Day as Backlash Builds
TechCrunch reported on June 15 that the tech sector has recorded 363 rounds of layoffs since the start of 2026, affecting nearly 150,000 people at an average rate of 974 employees per day, with artificial intelligence cited as the most frequent justification for a third consecutive month. The report notes that many of the companies making the deepest cuts are also the sector’s most profitable, fueling skepticism that AI is being used as cover for correcting earlier over-hiring rather than driving genuine displacement. Analysts warn the optics, set against widening wealth gaps and cost-of-living pressure, risk fueling broader public backlash.
NewCore Exits Stealth With $66M to Give AI Agents Workforce Identities
Cybersecurity startup NewCore emerged from stealth on June 15 with $66 million in funding from Cyberstarts, Index Ventures and Evolution Equity Partners, at a post-investment valuation of about $300 million. The company is building an identity platform for what it calls the agentic enterprise, a workforce that now includes employees, machines and AI agents requiring authentication, governance and policy enforcement. NewCore treats AI agents as distinct identities with their own lifecycle, trust score and revocation process rather than as traditional service accounts. Chief executive Zohar Alon previously founded Dome9, which Check Point acquired, the company said.
Orbio Raises $21M to Automate Hiring and Onboarding for Frontline Workers
Madrid-based Orbio raised $21 million in a Series A round led by Dawn Capital, with participation from Visionaries and 2100 Ventures, bringing total funding to $26 million, TechCrunch reported. Orbio builds AI agents that interview candidates, onboard workers, monitor performance and run check-ins across frontline teams, a segment historically underserved by enterprise software built for desk workers. The company said its customers already include Poke, Yum! Brands and The Stepping Stones Group, with some moving from pilots to running full U.S. hiring and onboarding workflows on the system. Founder Sergi Bastardas said the capital will fund development of more AI agents.
Cohere Triples London Footprint, Adding Capacity for Up to 100 Staff
Enterprise AI company Cohere is tripling its UK footprint with a new London office at 100 New Oxford Street, providing more than 14,000 square feet of workspace and capacity for up to 100 people, AIwire reported on June 15. The Canadian firm is positioning itself as a secure provider for governments and regulated industries, promising not to retain customer data and offering models deployable on-premises or in private clouds. Cohere already serves UK customers including Reuters, Aston Martin F1 and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The expansion follows its planned tie-up with Germany’s Aleph Alpha and its acquisition of Reliant AI.
A Year After Meta’s $14B Wang Hire, AI Leaders Face Pressure to Deliver
One year after Meta paid $14.3 billion for 49 percent of Scale AI and recruited founder Alexandr Wang to run Meta Superintelligence Labs, the company faces mounting pressure to prove it can monetize the resulting tools, CNBC reported on June 14. Wang’s principal accomplishment to date is the Muse Spark model, delivered in April, marking Meta’s first move into proprietary foundation models. With the model in hand, the task now falls to chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to attract paying users rather than merely enhance Meta’s advertising business. CNBC reported tension at the top of the AI organization, with Wang and other high-profile hires under severe pressure.
BOX OFFICE
Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ Lands $44.5M Domestic Debut, $93M Worldwide
Universal’s Disclosure Day , the original UFO drama from Steven Spielberg , opened to $44.5 million across 3,824 domestic theaters and launched to roughly $93 million worldwide, taking the No. 1 spot for the June 12–14 weekend. The result topped tracking that had pegged the start near $35 million and ranks among Spielberg’s best openings, exceeding the $41 million debut of his 2018 film Ready Player One. Internationally the picture drew about $48.8 million from 73 territories, with the U.K. delivering $7.6 million. Universal spent $115 million to produce and $80 million to market the film, which it says needs roughly $300 million globally to clear its costs.
How Universal Built a Late-Breaking, Spielberg-Fronted Campaign for ‘Disclosure Day’
Universal deliberately backloaded its marketing for Disclosure Day , breaking the campaign the week of release to protect the original story’s mysteries. Because the film is not a franchise title, the studio leaned on Steven Spielberg ’s name to set it apart from the sequels and low-budget horror dominating multiplexes. At Spielberg’s request, footage from the third act was kept out of trailers, with the director noting that audiences have grown adept at spotting scenes lifted from marketing. Spielberg also promoted the picture more aggressively than recent works, appearing on Bill Simmons’ “Rewatchables” podcast and staging an event with TikTok filmmaker Reece Feldman to court younger moviegoers.
‘Masters of the Universe’ Tumbles 71% as ‘Obsession’ Holds in Fifth Frame
Amazon MGM’s Masters of the Universe dropped sharply in its second weekend, falling about 71% to land outside the top ranks after a soft start. Focus Features’ horror breakout Obsession , directed by a YouTube filmmaker, again outperformed expectations, taking second place with $19 million in its fifth weekend, a slim 25% decline, and lifting its domestic total above $188 million . A24’s Backrooms held fourth with about $11.5 million in its third frame, pushing its domestic cume past $160 million. The contrasting holds underscored how low-budget horror from online creators continues to outpace big-studio tentpoles this summer.
Fox Strikes $22 Billion Deal to Acquire Roku
Fox Corp unveiled a definitive agreement to acquire connected-TV company Roku for $160 per share in cash and Fox Class A stock, valuing Roku at roughly $22 billion in enterprise value. Upon closing, Fox shareholders would own about 73% of the combined company and Roku holders about 27%. Roku reaches around 100 million global streaming households, while Fox brings live news and sports rights spanning the NFL, MLB and the FIFA World Cup. CEO Lachlan Murdoch called it “a defining moment for Fox,” and Roku founder Anthony Wood will join the Fox board. The companies expect the deal to close in the first half of 2027.
Disney+ Greenlights Animated Fantasy ‘Journey’ With Obamas’ Higher Ground
Disney and Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground are partnering on Journey , a music-driven original animated fantasy series greenlit for Disney+ . The project marks Higher Ground’s first major production partnership since the Obamas announced in April that the company would wind down its eight-year first-look deal with Netflix to take a more independent path. Created by Matt Munn and produced by ICON Creative Studio with Disney Television Animation, the working-titled show follows a protagonist named Journey whose home city is imperiled when its protective energy shield begins to fail. Higher Ground is working with the newly rebranded Disney Kids & Family on the series.
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