The internet, freshly baked.

Hanna and Horovitz Cover Bieber's 'Let Me Love You' to Rally 30-Plus Acts Against ICE

Kathleen Hanna and Ad-Rock, the Beastie Boys' Adam Horovitz, have released a cover of DJ Snake and Justin Bieber's 'Let Me Love You' for the anti-ICE benefit compilation 'Contra-ICE Vol. 1: ICE OUT,' Pitchfork reported. The collection, out October 2 via SoundsGood on digital, CD, and vinyl, was organized by Build Art Make Change and features more than 30 music, spoken-word, and comedy icons, according to Rolling Stone. The lineup includes Tom Morello, Jello Biafra, Fred Armisen, Fishbone, Ozomatli, Money Mark, and David J, with proceeds going to the National Day Laborer Organizing Network and Unión del Barrio. As ALT AZ 93.3 put it, the married pair are: "taking their marriage to the studio" The outlet noted the Bikini Kill vocalist and the Beastie Boys member, who wed in 2006, released their take on the 2016 hit. The Hanna/Ad-Rock track also includes Money Mark, Fredo Ortiz, and Frank Figueroa, Pitchfork noted. Hanna said in a press release that it is: "rare to play music with favorite people while working with a grassroots organization" That collaborative spirit extends across the rest of the record, which mixes punk and rap veterans with spoken-word and comedy acts. Other outlets also flagged the release: Fuzz 96.1 and 98 Rock both carried the news, carmandragone.car.blog highlighted the involvement of Tom Morello, Jello Biafra, and Fred Armisen, and Far Out Magazine confirmed the October 2 release date.

7 sources · 19 Aug

Knights of Fiona Co-Op JRPG Comes To Quest And PC VR With An Optional Paid Story Pass

The co-op VR JRPG Knights of Fiona is set to launch "free-to-start" on Quest and PC VR, with the game's story and other features tucked behind an optional paid Story Pass, according to UploadVR. The model lets players jump into the experience without an upfront purchase, while the full narrative journey requires the add-on. "free-to-start" That phrasing signals a growing trend in VR game monetization, where the entry point is free but the complete content comes at a cost. Building on that, eicker.news reported that the game arrives in September, with the Story Pass priced at 18.99 USD for full story content. Early backers, meanwhile, get complete story access including six voiced chapters in both Japanese and English, per eicker.news. "full story content" The substantial price for a story pass suggests the campaign is a central pillar of the experience rather than a minor extra, and the bilingual voiced chapters add meaningful production value for backers. Together, the two reports paint a picture of a game that lowers the barrier to entry while keeping its core narrative as a premium layer, a model that will be worth watching when Knights of Fiona lands on Quest and PC VR this September.

2 sources · 19 Aug

Firefox 154's latest update brings AI controls to the forefront, plus new PDF and tab tools

Firefox 154 has started rolling out to users, with piunikaweb reporting the update landed on August 18. Tux Machines confirmed the open-source browser is now available for download, featuring a range of usability tweaks. Among the headline additions is a new management shortcut for AI features. piunikaweb reported the desktop update includes "a new 'Manage AI' button for easier AI control," while Tux Machines described the same feature as a "Manage AI" quick action. "a new 'Manage AI' button for easier AI control" The differing phrasing shows how the two outlets framed the same control, one emphasizing the button itself and the other its placement as a quick action. The change appears aimed at giving users a more direct handle on AI-related settings. Tux Machines also highlighted other changes in the release, including "support for clearing and updating cached favicons." "support for clearing and updating cached favicons" That favicon fix is a smaller maintenance tweak compared with the more visible improvements piunikaweb outlined, which include highlighting and selecting text within PDFs, smarter tab organization with tab groups, and fixes to Vertical Tabs. piunikaweb noted that the stable version had not yet arrived on their macOS laptop, which was still on v153.0.4, so they tested v154 on iOS, where a native ad blocker was introduced, and used the latest Firefox Beta to review the desktop changes.

2 sources · 19 Aug

Elden Ring Switch 2 gameplay showcase lands amid mixed performance verdicts

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is getting one last look before its Switch 2 debut. Nintendo and Bandai Namco have released a "Gameplay Showcase" trailer, and separate off-screen footage shows the game running in portable mode, according to RPG Site and news.instant-gaming.com. The all-in-one edition, which bundles the base game and its DLC, is set to arrive on August 28, reported news.instant-gaming.com. The showcase caps a rocky road to release. Notebookcheck reported that development of the Switch 2 version has been long and difficult, and Eurogamer noted that early playable builds, including one shown at Gamescom 2025, performed poorly. That led FromSoftware to delay the port in order to make targeted performance adjustments, according to Eurogamer. The new footage has produced mixed readings. Notebookcheck's analysis of the fresh videos found better performance overall, but docked mode offers only limited advantages and handheld mode can still dip below 30 FPS. Eurogamer, by contrast, said the new preview wipes away performance concerns. "We're continuing to get looks at Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2, and a 'Gameplay Showcase' trailer has now surfaced." Nintendo reported that looks at the game keep coming, with the showcase trailer now part of the rollout. "Nintendo and Bandai Namco share the first gameplay showcase video for Elden Ring Tarnished Edition." RPG Site described the new trailer as the first gameplay showcase video for the edition, while IGN Adria likewise circulated the official gameplay overview. With opinion split between lingering frame rate worries and a more upbeat preview read, the August 28 launch will settle the question.

7 sources · 19 Aug

August's Game Pass Farewells Include The Witcher 3 and Four More

Xbox Game Pass is saying goodbye to five titles when August ends, with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition headlining the departures. GameSpot reported that the list, visible on the "Leaving Soon" tab of the Xbox mobile app, also includes Another Crab's Treasure, I Am Your Beast, Neon Abyss, and One Lonely Outpost, all exiting the subscription service on August 31. ComicBook framed the Witcher 3 exit in loftier terms, calling it a once-in-a-generation loss for the service. Polygon noted that subscribers have until the end of August to play the acclaimed RPG before it leaves, and observed that Game Pass is losing more notable games than it adds this month. "What is widely considered one of the best video games in history will be departing from Xbox Game Pass at the end of August 2026." That reputation makes this month's turnover sting a bit more for subscribers who haven't finished their playthrough yet. GameSpot described the departing batch as "some cool, cute, and critically acclaimed games," and added a practical tip: players can still save 20% on any of these titles if they decide to buy them before they leave Game Pass. "As usual, you can save 20% on these games if you decide to buy them before they leave Game Pass." Gamer Social Club offered a more playful send-off, suggesting a coin toss in XBOX to keep playing The Witcher 3 as the five games prepare to make their exit. The departures come as Xbox simultaneously rolls out its second wave of August additions, per GameSpot, leaving players to weigh new arrivals against what they're about to lose.

4 sources · 19 Aug

GOG's Preservation Program Adds Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time With Modern PC Upgrades

GOG has added Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time to its Preservation Program, giving the 2003 classic a technical update for modern PCs. OC3D reported that GOG preserved the original PC version and made it fully functional on modern systems, while the announcement was also carried by savingcontent.com and worthplaying.com. According to GOG, the team behind the update built a lightweight wrapper to solve modern hardware compatibility problems. The update also brings widescreen and ultrawide support, customizable camera scaling, and new FOV and FPS options, as detailed by Prima Games. "We've rebuilt our initial experimental work into a lightweight wrapper that tackles modern hardware compatibility" That wrapper approach means the classic adventure runs on current PCs without being rebuilt from scratch, keeping the original experience intact. "Through this program, GOG has preserved the original PC version of the game and has made it fully functional on modern PCs." It is a restoration rather than a remaster, a distinction that matters to fans of the original release. CPStesters added that the game now has native widescreen and ultrawide support, fixes for multi-monitor setups, and an overlay that lets players adjust the new FOV. The Overclock3D forum, meanwhile, pointed its readers to the same announcement, keeping the news circulating across the community.

7 sources · 19 Aug

Time-travel series 'The Ministry of Time' sets its leads as BBC and A24 begin production

The BBC and A24 have found their leads for The Ministry of Time, with Aoife Hinds and Billy Howle set to star as filming begins in and around London, TVZoneUK reported. Whatfinger noted the six-part show is based on Kaliane Bradley's bestselling debut novel of the same name, which has been adapted by Alice Birch. Deadline reported that Hinds will play Sophy and Howle will play Commander Graham Gore in the fantasy series. UPI characterized the pair's relationship in the drama this way: "star-crossed lovers Sophy and Graham" That framing suggests the time-travel story will center as much on the bond between its leads as on the mechanics of the premise. Radio Times described the adaptation as "much-anticipated" and a time-travel drama. The Industry offered a glimpse of the show's setup, writing that it is set in a government agency that gathers: "expats" across history to test the viability of time travel Deadline reported that A24 is producing with Amediateka, Australia's Binge, Canada's Crave, and Germany's ZDF serving as co-producers, and that additional casting announcements are expected in due course. ATV Today confirmed the series will run for six episodes, while TVZoneUK noted that Aneil Karia is directing.

7 sources · 19 Aug

NYFF's Final 2026 Section Digs Up Restored Classics From Six Decades of Film History

The 64th New York Film Festival has completed its programming with the unveiling of its Revivals section, the festival's final film section, according to The Film Stage. Next Best Picture reported that the lineup includes 12 features and two programs of rare shorts, all drawn from films that have been restored, preserved, or digitally remastered. Headlining the slate is Ken Russell's restored "The Devils," which IndieWire said will have its North American premiere after debuting at Cannes and screening at TIFF. IndieWire also noted that the section includes works from Barbara Hammer, Yuri Ilyenko, Alexander Kluge, and Luchino Visconti. The Film Stage described the section's mission as one that brings "both landmarks of cinema history and overlooked discoveries to new audiences." It is a framing that sets this final announcement apart from the festival's earlier Main Slate, Spotlight, and Current sections, which were more concerned with new films than with cinema's past. The Industry offered a more colorful take, opening its coverage with the line "Old films never die." Indeed, the outlet reported that the selections span six decades and eight countries, with 12 features and two short programs "pulled straight from the vaults." With restorations of material ranging from Powell and Pressburger to Hou Hsiao-hsien, the Revivals slate gives festivalgoers a chance to see both landmarks and rarities the way they were meant to be seen.

4 sources · 19 Aug

Pamela Voorhees' Backstory Comes With Blood Everywhere in Peacock's 'Crystal Lake' Prequel

Linda Cardellini is promising that the upcoming "Friday the 13th" prequel series "Crystal Lake" will live up to the franchise's bloody reputation. Variety reported that Cardellini plays Pamela Voorhees in the Peacock series, which premieres Oct. 15 and follows Voorhees' life before the events of the first film. The series also stars William Catlett as Levon Brooks, though character details remain undisclosed, according to Variety. Bleeding Cool reported that the show comes from showrunner Brad Caleb Kane in partnership with A24, adding a major horror pedigree to the prequel. Speaking with Variety at an HBO Max event, Cardellini explained how the longer television format shapes the project. Rather than just a quick burst of horror, the series can build its world while still delivering what fans expect. "a lot of story" That balance between narrative and scares is central to the show's approach, with Bleeding Cool highlighting Cardellini's point about the difference between making a horror film and a serialized television series. Mandatory reported that Cardellini's tease points to intense practical effects and an extended storytelling format ahead of the October premiere. The star's warning to fans is blunt about what is coming. "gory" with "blood everywhere" Variety also noted that Cardellini recalled a memorable moviegoing experience seeing "Freddy vs. Jason" at Universal City Walk, a fitting origin story for an actor now stepping into one of horror's most iconic roles.

3 sources · 19 Aug

Governments resist accountability: Bulgaria's stalled reforms and Poland's blocked data check

On August 16, Rumen Radev's Bulgarian government marked 100 days in office, but the milestone has brought little of the change promised before the election, according to OSW. The one-party cabinet of the conservative-social Progressive Bulgaria party has not signaled fundamental internal reforms or a swift reckoning with previous governments. On the international stage, Radev has pursued a more careful balancing act. OSW reported that the prime minister criticizes the mainstream of EU foreign policy while declining to block its decisions, a stance that preserves his image as a constructive partner. A separate accountability dispute is unfolding in Poland, where citizens have been told they cannot check whether their PESEL numbers are among the 19 million stolen from the MyDr database. Wyborcza reported that the police are opposed to such checks, meaning people will not be able to verify their exposure to the breach. Both cases highlight institutional resistance to transparency, albeit in different arenas. OSW described the Bulgarian government's posture as neither fully supporting nor opposing reform, while Wyborcza characterized the Polish police response as a flat refusal to let the public examine the damage.

2 sources · 19 Aug

Ankara police break up 38-day vigil as veterans' families removed from Güvenpark

Police intervened in Ankara's Güvenpark in the early morning, breaking up a 38-day sit-in by relatives of fallen private soldiers and veterans demanding equal personal rights, according to Haberler.com. The operation came at 04.45, Yeniçağ Gazetesi and gazeteoksijen reported, and those in the park were taken to the Bilkent Gazi Uyum Evi while Güvenpark was closed with barriers, karar.com added. The overnight raid was rough. Reporters at haber.sol.org.tr described police entering the park, forcibly clearing the area, waking sleeping protesters by shining flashlights in their eyes, and pushing them onto buses bound for the Gazi Rehabilitation Center. "Police teams woke the sleeping veterans by shining flashlights in their eyes." The detail underscores how the nearly six-week-long vigil ended abruptly before dawn, with little warning for those asleep in the park. The demonstrators had come from across Turkey to make their demand, karar.com reported. Their slogan, "eşit özlük hakları," or equal personal rights, was the central demand of the group that had occupied the park for more than a month, as İlke TV noted. After the evacuation, protesters were transferred to Bilkent Gazi Uyum Evi, gazeteoksijen reported, while police barriers sealed off the park, according to İlke TV. The action may not be over: haber.sol.org.tr reported that the group was expected to march to the Interior Ministry later that day. "It was learned that the veterans would march to the Ministry of Interior today." That plan, if carried through, would move the confrontation from the park to the government's doorstep. Şehit Aileleri ve Gaziler Derneği Genel Başkanı Erdem Çerçioğlu reacted after the intervention, Haberler.com reported, though details of his response were not given.

6 sources · 19 Aug

Burnham's first interests filing shows donor haul worth hundreds of thousands

Andy Burnham's first financial interests filing as prime minister reveals hundreds of thousands of pounds in donations from supporters before he took office. The Guardian reported that the new MPs' register of interests shows donations of almost £350,000, while BBC News and theukpulse.co.uk put the figure at £345,000. The Standard, Irish News, ireland-live.ie, and Express and Star each reported £325,000. According to The Guardian, major contributors included Burnham's former adviser Sacha Lord and billionaires David Sainsbury and Gary Lubner. The same register records hospitality and trips worth more than £12,000, much of it tied to Greater Manchester from his time as mayor. The Guardian highlighted the scale of the declared benefits: "hospitality and trips worth more than £12,000" That total also included £1,500 of Glastonbury tickets and £500 of tickets to Ladies Day at Aintree, The Guardian reported. Other outlets summarized the support more broadly. The Standard, along with Irish News, ireland-live.ie, and Express and Star, said donors gave hundreds of thousands of pounds of support in the months leading up to Burnham's leadership win: "Donors gave hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of support" BBC News framed the disclosure as a first for the new prime minister: "The prime minister lists his financial interests for the first time since returning to Parliament." The varying figures reflect different tallies of what was registered, but each outlet agreed the sums were substantial. The disclosure offers the first public accounting of how Burnham's leadership campaign and transition were funded, as theukpulse.co.uk noted in its own report of £345,000 in donations.

7 sources · 19 Aug

States open $200bn Facebook and Instagram harm trial in Oakland, echoing the tobacco settlements

The federal trial that will test whether Meta misled the public about the harms of Facebook and Instagram opened in Oakland, California, with 29 US states seeking $200bn in damages, The Guardian reported. The states are claiming the platforms were "addictive by design," a charge that carries echoes of the litigation that brought the US tobacco industry to heel decades ago. MarketWatch framed the moment as Meta's "Big Tobacco" moment, suggesting even a loss in the landmark youth-safety trial would do little to hurt Mark Zuckerberg's empire. "In 1994, more than 40 US states came together to sue one of the most powerful industries on Earth: big tobacco." That earlier wave of suits ended not with a verdict but a negotiated settlement, as The Guardian reported, one in which tobacco companies agreed to pay more than any industry ever while states dropped a large portion of their claims. Whether Meta's case follows a similar arc remains to be seen. "Even a loss in the landmark youth-safety trial would do little to hurt Mark Zuckerberg's empire." The outlet's coverage framed the proceedings as an opportunity for investors to profit, arguing the legal exposure is manageable relative to Meta's broader business. Hacker News and The Economist both reported that the trial centers on allegations Meta hid that its products were harmful, and both drew parallels to a forthcoming film sequel to The Social Network titled "The Social Reckoning," which dramatizes whistle-blower allegations from the early 2020s. The two outlets also noted that, despite the legal drama, "investors are not panicking," a market calm that stands in contrast to the existential stakes the states are pressing in court.

4 sources · 19 Aug

D&AD report warns the price of AI-powered creative speed is the industry's future talent

D&AD's 2026 AI & Creativity Report, titled "The Cost of the Shortcut," warns that the creative industry's rush to adopt artificial intelligence could trade speed and efficiency for originality, talent development and long-term creative capability. According to bestmediainfo.com, the report, published on August 18 and sponsored by Shutterstock Studios, drew on responses from 197 creative leaders including founders, creative directors, executive creative directors, strategists, producers and lecturers. The report examines six areas where AI adoption is raising structural questions around creative output, pricing and junior talent, bestmediainfo.com reported. Creative Bloq reported that D&AD specifically cautions companies replacing creative staff with AI could face significant hidden costs, since cutting entry-level positions guts the pipeline that produces the industry's future creatives. "eliminating entry-level creative positions undermines the pipeline of human judgment and creative talent" That training ground, Creative Bloq reported, is exactly where creative judgment is built, and losing it means the industry's long-term capability erodes even as short-term costs look attractive. Creative Bloq also reported that the report cites recent AI branding failures, including Coca-Cola's Christmas advert, McDonald's withdrawn advert and the Starbucks controversy in South Korea, as evidence that human judgment remains vital. Those cases suggest the apparent savings from AI-driven production can disappear quickly when a brand misstep forces a costly retreat. "gains in speed and efficiency could come at the cost of originality, talent development and long-term creative capability" For D&AD, that is the central trade-off: the shortcut that feels efficient today may be the very thing that hollows out the creative industry tomorrow.

2 sources · 19 Aug

Disney sues FCC, framing broadcast license fight as a free-press showdown

The Walt Disney Company has taken the Federal Communications Commission to court, alleging that a challenge to ABC's broadcast licenses amounts to retaliation over Jimmy Kimmel's satire. The suit, filed Tuesday, accuses the agency of violating ABC's First Amendment rights, the Lowell Sun reported. Disney's own coverage described the lawsuit as a major shift in a dispute that has been building for months. "There's been a simmering battle going on for months between The Walt Disney Company and the federal government." The company's report also noted that the FCC made an unusual demand against ABC back in April. Both WDIV and Newsday reported that the suit warns the stakes reach far beyond one network. "every media outlet in the nation is at risk due to the Trump administration's retaliation over Jimmy Kimmel's satire." That framing puts Disney's complaint squarely in First Amendment territory rather than a simple licensing dispute. The lawsuit arrives as FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has defended the agency's actions, saying broadcasters have a duty to "operate in the public interest" according to KTAR's report on the chairman's recent remarks. The Orange County Register and The Press Democrat both reported that ABC cast the agency's move as "a brazen attempt to chill its constitutionally protected free speech." With the case now in federal court, the question of how far the government can go in policing broadcast content will play out in public.

7 sources · 19 Aug

Nexo Australia enters regulated crypto credit market with 0.9% borrowing rates

Nexo Australia has extended its lending business to local customers, launching crypto-backed credit lines with rates from 0.9% after becoming an authorised credit representative, according to crypto.news. The move places the offering inside a formal regulatory framework. coinomedia.com reported that the service operates under Australia's National Consumer Credit Protection Act, allowing eligible users to borrow against their digital assets. "The offering operates under Australia's National Consumer Credit Protection Act, allowing eligible users to access credit secured by their cryptocurrency holdings within a regulated framework." That is a meaningful step for Australian borrowers who want to tap their crypto without selling it, and the sub-1% starting rate positions Nexo well against traditional personal loan products. Nexo Australia has also joined the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, which coinomedia.com said reinforces its commitment to consumer protection standards. "Nexo Australia is also a member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), reinforcing its commitment to Australian consumer protection standards." The authority gives customers an external avenue for dispute resolution, a crucial feature for a relatively new lending category. coinomedia.com added that the company has introduced new investment and loyalty products alongside the credit lines, while crypto.news highlighted that the launch follows Nexo's formal appointment as an authorised credit representative, a signal that the platform is betting on regulatory alignment rather than operating in a gray zone.

2 sources · 19 Aug

Harmony's Aug. 11 Rollback Deletes Legitimate Transactions to Purge Trillions of Forged ONE

Harmony is rolling back its blockchain to two Aug. 11 checkpoints, a recovery plan that discards more than 109,000 regular transactions along with the malicious state created by a forged mint, cryptonews.net reported in its latest incident update. Bitcoin.com and news.bitcoin.com reported that the rollback reverts Shard 0 to block height 92,730,034 and Shard 1 to block height 94,978,278, undoing the unauthorized inflation. The move follows a major breach on Aug. 12 in which an attacker exploited smart contract verification vulnerabilities to mint 2.385 trillion ONE tokens, bitcoin.com and news.bitcoin.com reported. Meanwhile, cryptonews.net noted that Harmony has shifted from merely considering a rollback to publishing exact checkpoints. "Harmony has moved from considering a rollback to publishing the exact checkpoints it plans to use." That precision matters, since the fix touches far more than the forged tokens. BitRss reported that Harmony will replace the transaction history on two of its shards with a reviewed backup database, a solution the company says an outside security firm independently verified. Cointelegraph reported that Harmony rejected selectively restoring transactions because it could create an inconsistent chain state, and noted that Ravencoin is facing a separate rollback dispute after its own exploit. "selectively restoring transactions could create inconsistent chain state" The choice to wipe legitimate post-checkpoint activity as well as the malicious state, spendnode.io reported, reopens the debate over what finality means on a chain that can be reversed.

7 sources · 19 Aug