Daily Strategic Briefing

Election workers fear threats and intimidation without feds' support in 2026

'Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst,' one tells The Reg Feature  Bill Gates, an Arizona election official and former Maricopa County supervisor, says that the death threats started shortly after the 2020 presidential election.…

Microsoft keeps adding stuff into Windows we don't want - here's what we actually need

These ten features would make users more productive OPINION  From desktop alerts begging you to sign up for Xbox Game Pass to a second-chance out-of-the-box experience that insists you need Microsoft 365, Windows has a hard time taking "no" for an answer. The operating system's corporate parent isn't a good listener either, festooning the OS with useless features no one asked for.…

Minority Report: Now with more spreadsheets and guesswork

Precogs replaced by profiling and postcode data... and 'AI'. What could wrong? Lots, say privacy campaigners The UK government has unveiled a scheme to use AI to "help police catch criminals before they strike."…

Codeberg beset by AI bots that now bypass Anubis tarpit

Nowhere to hide Codeberg, a Berlin-based code hosting community, is struggling to cope with a deluge of AI bots that can now bypass previously effective defenses.…

Oracle cuts cloud jobs with Seattle hit hard as AI spending soars

AI will take your salary in capex before it can take your job Oracle issued layoff notices for more than 300 people in Washington State and California this week, according to state Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filings in those states.…

AI-powered stuffed animals are coming for your kids

Summary:

Do A.I. chatbots packaged inside cute-looking plushies offer a viable alternative to screen time for kids? Maybe not.

Anthropic says some Claude models can now end ‘harmful or abusive’ conversations 

Summary:

Anthropic says new capabilities allow its latest AI models to protect themselves by ending abusive conversations.

Sam Altman, over bread rolls, explores life after GPT-5

Summary:

At a dinner with reporters in San Francisco, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman spilled details on the company’s ambitions beyond ChatGPT.

Sen. Hawley to probe Meta after report finds its AI chatbots flirt with kids

Summary:

“Is there anything – ANYTHING – Big Tech won’t do for a quick buck?” Hawley wrote in a post on X announcing the investigation.

ChatGPT’s mobile app has generated $2B to date, earns $2.91 per install

Summary:

On average, the app is generating close to $193 million per month, up from $25 million last year.

Pronto raises $11M in Series A funding from General Catalyst and Glade Brook Capital

Pronto plans to use funds to fuel its expansion into Mumbai and Bengaluru, onboard 10,000 professionals, and invest in quality assurance technology.

Aditya Birla Group's TMRW secures Rs 437 Cr from ServiceNow Ventures

TMRW's revenue grew 38% in the first quarter of FY26, even as its losses widened by 37% to Rs 63 crore.

ELIVAAS raises Rs 87 Cr in Series B round led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India

The company will utilise the capital to expand in India, prepare for global markets, and scale operations through technology.

AI startup Refold AI scores $6.5M funding led by Eniac Ventures, Tidal Ventures

The San Mateo- and Bangalore-based firm plans to use the fresh funds to expand its 20-member engineering team, deepen product integrations, and support its enterprise client base.

Arintra raises $21M in series A round led by Peak XV Partners

The company said the funding will be used to fuel product development, expand adoption across US health systems and physician groups, and scale its team. It also plans to open a new Bay Area headquarters to support its growth plans.

HUL, Dabur, Emami Boost D2C Push with Premium Launches, Acquisitions

FMCG majors like Hindustan Unilever, Dabur, and Emami are ramping up D2C efforts via acquisitions and premium launches. D2C growth, driven by social commerce, sees brands like Marico and Emami expanding portfolios in wellness, grooming, and personal care. Source: The Economic Times

SBI, Union Bank Hike Home Loan Spreads

SBI and Union Bank are increasing home loan spreads to protect margins. The move comes as policy rates decline, affecting reference rates for mortgages. Source: The Times of India

South West Pinnacle Highlights ₹3,320 Mn Order Book, 15% PAT CAGR

South West Pinnacle released FY25-26 investor presentation showing 28 lakh meters drilled, 18 projects ongoing. Company highlights INR 3,320 Mn order book, 3-year PAT CAGR of 15%, ROCE 12%, and Debt-Equity at 0.37. Source: ScoutQuest

KPIT Acquires Caresoft for $51M, Deal May Hit $157M

KPIT Technologies acquired 100% equity in Caresoft Global for $51M initial payment. Total consideration for the deal may reach $157M, boosting global capabilities. Source: ScoutQuest

Interarch Q1 Revenue Up 25.5%, Order Book at ₹1,695 Cr

Interarch Building Solutions reported Q1FY26 revenue of ₹381 crore, up 25.5% YoY, with EBITDA at ₹32 crore (8.3% margin). Order book stands at ₹1,695 crore, including key orders from Tata Motors, Ather Energy, and Amara Raja; export opportunities also growing. Source: BSE

Crypto currencies

Country: Crypto, Description: Ether was among the decliners, falling -2.34% on the day.

Agricultural Commodities Updates: Coffee Soars by 5.23%

Country: Commodity, Description: Top commodity gainers are Coffee (5.23%), Palm Oil (2.54%) and Corn (2.47%). Biggest losers are Orange Juice (-1.56%) and Sugar (-0.73%).

Metals Commodities Updates: Platinum Falls by 1.19%

Country: Commodity, Description: Top commodity losers are Platinum (-1.19%), Silicon (-0.99%), Iron Ore CNY (-0.64%) and Gold (-0%).

Energy Commodities Updates: Natural Gas EU Dutch TTF Drops by 4.35%

Country: Commodity, Description: Top commodity losers are Natural Gas EU Dutch TTF (-4.35%), Natural Gas UK GBP (-3.69%), Germany Natural Gas THE (-3.41%), Crude Oil WTI (-1.28%) and Brent Crude Oil (-1.02%). Gains are led by Natural gas (2.83%) and Ethanol (1.16%).

FX Updates: Polish Zloty Appreciates by 0.60%

Country: Currency, Description: Top currency gainers are Polish Zloty (0.60%), Euro (0.44%), Japanese Yen (0.36%) and British Pound (0.12%). Biggest losers are Dollar Index (-0.40%) and Turkish Lira (-0.25%).

US suspends visas for Gazans after far-right activist outcry

Summary: The State Department halted a humanitarian program that brought 148 Gazans, including 63 injured children, to America for medical treatment., Description: The U.S. State Department suspended all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza on Saturday following a social media outcry from far-right activist Laura Loomer, who criticized the medical evacuation of wounded Palestinian children to American hospitals. The suspension affects a humanitarian program that has brought 148 Gazans to the U.S. for medical treatment, including 63 injured...

Bolivia's leftist era may end as economic crisis fuels shift

Summary: Conservative candidates lead polls ahead of Sunday's election as 25% inflation and widespread shortages drive voters from the ruling party., Description: Bolivia holds its most consequential presidential election in decades on August 17, with nearly 8 million eligible voters choosing between candidates amid a crippling economic crisis that threatens to end 20 years of leftist rule. For the first time since 2005, conservative candidates are poised to triumph as Bolivians abandon the ruling Movement for Socialism (MAS) party over widespread...

Hurricane Erin explosively strengthens to Category 4

Summary: The storm reached 145 mph winds in just 24 hours, marking the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season., Description: Hurricane Erin explosively strengthened into a dangerous Category 4 hurricane Saturday morning, with maximum sustained winds reaching 145 mph as it churned northeast of the Caribbean islands. The storm underwent remarkable rapid intensification overnight, escalating from tropical storm status to major hurricane strength in just over 24 hours, marking the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic...

Trump offers NATO-style security guarantees to Ukraine

Summary: The proposal emerged after Trump's summit with Putin, offering collective defense without full NATO membership or U.S. ground troops., Description: President Trump has offered Ukraine NATO-style security guarantees outside the formal alliance structure, marking a notable shift following his August 15 summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The proposal emerged during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders on Saturday morning, with Trump expressing openness to a "non-NATO Article 5"...

Scientists capture first videos of human embryo implantation

Summary: Spanish researchers filmed embryos aggressively burrowing into synthetic uterine tissue, revealing insights that could improve IVF success rates., Description: Spanish researchers have captured the first real-time videos and 3D images of human embryos forcefully implanting into synthetic uterine tissue, revealing never-before-seen details of a process critical to pregnancy success. The work, published Friday in Science Advances, offers new insights that could help improve IVF outcomes.