ISBNdb offers AI developers up to one million physical book titles, including non-digitized, rare, and out-of-print material, for destructive scanning, echoing a 2025 court ruling that supported replacing purchased books with digital scans under fair use, provided the original was discarded, thus maintaining the library's copy count unchanged.
Danielle Boyer invents SkoBot, a customizable robot teaching Indigenous languages like Anishinaabemowin to Native American children, combating language loss exacerbated by historical suppression in U.S. Indian boarding schools.
A police officer was shot in the leg while responding to a disturbance in Yengarie, west of Maryborough, Fraser Coast. The officer is in stable condition, an emergency declaration has been made, and electricity has been cut to the suburb.
The Trump administration proposes weakening federal oversight of construction projects affecting historic sites by revising Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Critics, including preservation groups and former officials, warn this move would endanger cultural heritage across the U.S. and remove public and tribal consultation.
Congress is advancing proposals in the farm bill to expand land preservation tax incentives, creating a new program for landowners to keep forests intact. This comes as the IRS continues to scrutinize syndicated conservation easements used for inflated tax deductions, while legitimate individual easements remain valuable.
An independent public inquiry into the Australia-UK-US Aukus pact highlights substantial concerns regarding its $368bn cost, the suitability of nuclear submarines, and the lack of parliamentary debate, urging greater transparency and scrutiny of the nation's largest defense expenditure.
Bhutan faces a significant youth exodus despite its Gross National Happiness philosophy. To counter this, the nation is developing Gelephu Mindfulness City, a high-tech urban experiment designed to integrate economic opportunity with cultural and environmental values, aiming to retain its young population.
Australia will conduct a national test of its new AusAlert emergency system on Monday, emitting a siren from most phones. The federal government proceeds despite state concerns over landline reach and warnings from domestic violence campaigners for "safe phone" users to power off devices to avoid exposure.
Bhutan is developing Gelephu Mindfulness City, a high-tech urban project, to combat youth migration. The city aims to integrate economic opportunity with the nation's Gross National Happiness philosophy, offering modern aspirations while preserving cultural and environmental values, with significant strategic cooperation from India.
A parliamentary panel in New Delhi is examining the implementation of the mandatory 4% job reservation for differently-abled persons in central government jobs. It has requested detailed data from ministries on employee strength, reserved posts, actual representation, and backlog vacancies to assess compliance with the RPwD Act, 2016, amid concerns over non-compliance and administrative bottlenecks.
Queensland's Liberal National government buried a report by domestic violence victim-survivors that criticized police handling of cases and advocated for civilian review mechanisms, despite promises to prioritize victims in justice policies.
The NSW government has launched an Aboriginal family preservation program with a $350m investment to reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in out-of-home care. Co-designed with First Nations families and ACCOs, the program offers culturally safe support and is already showing success at Abcare in Coffs Harbour.
Labor's Amanda Rishworth dismissed Israeli embassy concerns over the party's proposed Israel-Palestine platform. Barnaby Joyce's interview was interrupted by his dog while discussing Pauline Hanson's trip funding. Pat Conroy defended Australia's $4.2 million hotel reservation for a Fiji climate meeting, stating costs will be recovered.
A 2,600-year-old Assyrian stele celebrating King Ashurbanipal's projects has been found in Nineveh, Iraq, amidst restoration efforts following ISIS's destruction of historical sites.
The Supreme Court has agreed to intervene in a case concerning the alleged encroachment of three historic water bodies in Darbhanga, Bihar. A civil society group, Talab Bachao Abhiyan, petitioned against a government beautification project by BUIDCO, accusing it of filling parts of Ganga Sagar, Digghi, and Harahi ponds for commercial structures, violating previous judicial orders and damaging the ecosystem.
MacKenzie Scott's quote "I won't wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty" emphasizes immediate, thoughtful philanthropy over delayed action. Her approach prioritizes trust in organizations to use funds effectively, challenging the notion of wealth preservation.
Indian Railways and IRCTC have updated reservation rules, reducing the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) from 120 to 60 days. Aadhaar verification is now mandatory for priority access, and booking opens at 8 AM daily.
Samsung's next Galaxy Unpacked event is set for July 22 in London, themed "A New Shape Unfolds." The event will likely unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and a new Z Fold 8 Ultra, alongside potential new smart glasses. India pre-reservations are open.
Ravichandran Ashwin slammed selectors for dropping Sanju Samson from the T20I squad for the Zimbabwe tour, calling it 'just unfair'. He warned that frequent team changes create player insecurity and harm India's T20 setup.
The Trump administration's renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is mired in controversy, with the final cost exceeding estimates and the work itself facing legal challenges. Algae blooms, peeling paint, and dead ducks have raised questions, while the White House blames vandalism. Critics point to rushed work and no-bid contracts.
The Trump administration's renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is embroiled in legal battles. Despite initial estimates under $2 million, the final cost exceeded seven times that amount. Problems like algae and peeling paint emerged quickly, leading to accusations of vandalism by the White House, while critics point to a rushed renovation and questionable contracts.
A massive T. rex fossil, nicknamed 'Gus', discovered on a South Dakota cattle ranch, will be auctioned by Sotheby's on July 14, 2026. With an estimated sale price of $20-30 million, it is among the largest and most complete T. rex skeletons ever found, sparking debate about private ownership of scientific discoveries.
India has partnered with Indonesia for the conservation of the Prambanan Temple complex, marking a new chapter in its cultural diplomacy. This initiative is part of India's broader efforts since 2014 to preserve shared civilizational heritage across Asia, including projects in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal, Bangladesh, Lao PDR, and Bahrain.
Kakao has significantly expanded the location recommendation and reservation features of its AI service 'Kananana in KakaoTalk'. The service now covers travel, entertainment, and daily convenience facilities beyond just restaurants, enabling users to receive recommendations, explore, share, and book locations all within KakaoTalk.
