Daily Strategic Briefing

Australian university used Wi-Fi location data to identify student protestors

PLUS: India bans ‘money’ games; SK Hynix cranks out 321-layer SSDs; Fastly re-thinking CDNs for Asia; and more! Asia In Brief  Australia’s University of Melbourne last year used Wi-Fi location data to identify student protestors.…

AWS, Cloudflare, Digital Ocean, and Google helped Feds investigate alleged Rapper Bot DDoS perp

PLUS: Comet AI browser fooled; Microsoft sets sail for quantum safety; Sailor sent down for espionage Infosec in brief  PLUS…

Tinker with LLMs in the privacy of your own home using Llama.cpp

Everything you need to know to build, run, serve, optimize and quantize models on your PC Hands on  Training large language models (LLMs) may require millions or even billion of dollars of infrastructure, but the fruits of that labor are often more accessible than you might think. Many recent releases, including Alibaba's Qwen 3 and OpenAI's gpt-oss, can run on even modest PC hardware.…

Bug bounties: The good, the bad, and the frankly ridiculous ways to do it

For incentives remember the three Fs – finance, fame, and fixing it feature  Thirty years ago, Netscape kicked off the first commercial bug bounty program. Since then, companies large and small have bought into the idea, with mixed results.…

Search-capable AI agents may cheat on benchmark tests

Data contamination can make models seem more capable than they really are Researchers with Scale AI have found that search-based AI models may cheat on benchmark tests by fetching the answers directly from online sources rather than deriving those answers through a "reasoning" process.…

Elon Musk says xAI has open sourced Grok 2.5

Summary:

Elon Musk’s xAI has made an older version of its AI model Grok — specifically, the model weights used to shape Grok 2.5 —  available on the open source platform Hugging Face.

OpenAI warns against SPVs and other ‘unauthorized’ investments

Summary:

OpenAI isn’t the only AI company looking to crack down on SPVs.

Amazon AGI Labs chief defends his reverse acquihire

Summary:

The former Adept CEO said he hopes to be “remembered more as “an AI research innovator” than a “a deal structure innovator.”

Meta partners with Midjourney on AI image and video models

Summary:

Meta’s chief AI officer said that the company is partnering with Midjourney to license its AI image and video model technology.

Coinbase CEO explains why he fired engineers who didn’t try AI immediately

Summary:

After getting licenses to cover every engineer, some at the cryptocurrency exchange warned Armstrong that adoption would be slow, predicting it would take months to get even half the engineers using AI. 

NBEC 2025 awards Rs 40 Cr in funding to biotech startups

Projects spanned multiple focus areas, including artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery, carbon capture technologies, biomaterial-based degradable batteries, and neonatal healthcare devices.

Goldiam raises Rs 202 Cr to scale lab-grown diamond retail play

The Mumbai-based exporter goes deeper into consumer jewellery, with plans for up to 90 ORIGEM stores, in one of India’s largest fundraises for lab-grown diamonds.

[Weekly funding roundup Aug 16-22] A single large deal keeps the VC momentum afloat

The $170 million deal of Weaver Services provided the boost to VC funding this week; otherwise, the number would have declined steeply.

The Wealth Company backs Amnex Infotechnologies with Rs 460 Cr investment

Amnex Infotechnologies has developed more than 18 proprietary platforms that combine IoT, GIS, AI/ML, blockchain, and analytics to support large-scale, mission-critical operations.

Nikhil Kamath backs Goldi Solar with Rs 137 Cr investment

Zerodha’s Nikhil Kamath bets Rs 137.5 crore on Goldi Solar to power India’s clean energy push with new solar cell capacity and expanded module production.

Nifty at 24,950, Sensex Up 230 Pts; IndiGo, IndusInd Bank in Spotlight

Nifty opens at 24,950; Sensex gains 230 points in early trade. IndiGo and IndusInd Bank are in focus during market opening. Source: ScoutQuest

Highway Infra Starts ₹84.8 Cr Toll Ops in UP

Highway Infrastructure Ltd begins toll operations at Kiratpur Fee Plaza, UP. Project awarded by NHAI; contract valued at Rs. 84.8 crore. Source: ScoutQuest

Karur Vysya Bank Sets Aug 26 for 1:5 Bonus Issue

Karur Vysya Bank sets Aug 26 as record date for 1:5 bonus issue. Bonus issue reduces share price proportionately, rewarding long-term shareholders. Source: The Economic Times

Godrej Properties Gains 6%, Market Cap Hits ₹618B

Godrej Properties' market cap rose ₹35b to ₹618b after a 6% stock gain. Public companies own 45% of Godrej Properties, making them key stakeholders. Source: Simply Wall Street

Mazagon Dock in Focus as ₹70K Cr Submarine Deal Clears

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders shares in focus as India clears Rs 70,000 crore submarine project with ThyssenKrupp. Negotiations for 6 submarines to begin soon; MDL shares closed 2.3% lower at Rs 2,700.65 on Friday. Source: The Economic Times

China Moves to Rein In Platform Pricing Manipulation

Country: China, Description: China has released draft regulations aimed at curbing unfair pricing practices on internet platforms, following widespread complaints from merchants and consumers. The proposed rules, announced by the National Development and Reform Commission on Saturday, seek to promote transparency and fairness in pricing for goods and services sold online. Platforms and merchants must “agree on and change prices through standardised means such as contracts and orders,” and are required to “adhere to clear pricing regulations, increase the transparency of pricing rules and promptly disclose fee changes to better accept public oversight.” The move responds to allegations that major platforms manipulate prices to boost sales and mislead consumers. The draft is open for public comment for one month.

Australia Speeds Up Housing Approvals to Ease Supply Crunch

Country: Australia, Description: Australia’s government has unveiled a set of urgent measures to accelerate home construction amid a deepening national housing crisis, Bloomberg News said. As of August 23, it will fast-track assessments for over 26,000 new homes and freeze further changes to construction laws to ramp up approvals. Artificial intelligence will be deployed to streamline implementation. The government also aims to unlock over AUD 8 billion in housing investment by easing restrictions on pension fund participation. Supply constraints have worsened due to a post-COVID lull in development pipelines and surging construction costs, which have driven many builders out of business. The reforms are designed to counter these pressures and boost housing availability nationwide.

Stocks in China Hit 3-year High

Country: China, Description: CSI 300 increased to 4470.00 Index Points, the highest since July 2022. Over the past 4 weeks, Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 Index gained 8.05%, and in the last 12 months, it increased 34.42%.

Japan 10-Year Yield Holds Up on Ueda Remarks

Country: Japan, Description: Japan’s 10-year government bond yield held around 1.62% on Monday, hovering near its highest level since 2008 after hawkish comments from Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda. Speaking at the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole conference on Saturday, Ueda said wages in Japan are expected to rise further amid a tightening labor market, signaling confidence that conditions for another interest rate hike are coming together. The BOJ has paused its rate hike cycle largely due to concerns over the impact of US tariffs on Japan’s export-dependent economy. However, at its July meeting, the central bank kept rates unchanged while raising its inflation forecasts and delivering a more upbeat assessment of the economy, reinforcing expectations that another rate hike could come later this year.

Indonesia Pushes EU to Lift Biodiesel Duties After WTO Ruling

Country: Commodity, Description: Indonesia’s trade ministry on Monday urged the European Union to scrap countervailing duties on biodiesel imports after the World Trade Organization ruled in its favor on several key points in a dispute. The EU, Indonesia’s third-largest destination for palm oil and a major biodiesel market, has levied duties of 8% to 18% since 2019, claiming Indonesian producers benefit from subsidies such as grants, tax breaks, and cheap raw materials. Indonesia filed a complaint in 2023, arguing the measures breached WTO rules. “We urge the EU to immediately revoke these countervailing import duties that are not WTO-compliant,” Trade Minister Budi Santoso said, adding that the ruling proves Indonesia “consistently complies with international trade rules.” The ministry noted the WTO found Indonesia’s export duty and levy on palm oil were not subsidies and that the EU failed to prove biodiesel imports threatened European producers with material harm.

South Korea's 'MASGA' caps help seal $450B trade deal

Summary: Ten red baseball caps reading "Make America Shipbuilding Great Again" were rushed from Seoul to Washington during crucial negotiations., Description: South Korean representatives presented a carefully crafted diplomatic gift during crucial trade negotiations with the United States last month: ten red baseball caps emblazoned with "Make America Shipbuilding Great Again" (MASGA), transported urgently from Seoul to Washington aboard a Korean Air flight. The caps, featuring both American and Korean flags, helped seal a major trade agreement that...

Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei rejects direct talks with US

Summary: Khamenei's defiant stance comes days before nuclear talks with European powers who threaten sanctions if no progress by month's end., Description: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei firmly rejected direct negotiations with the United States on Sunday, declaring the relationship "unsolvable" and vowing Iran will never bow to Washington's demands for obedience. His defiant remarks came just days before scheduled nuclear talks with European powers and amid mounting international pressure over Tehran's atomic program. Speaking at a...

Ukrainian drone strike hits Kursk nuclear plant on Independence Day

Summary: The attack on Kursk Nuclear Power Plant forced a 50% capacity reduction as Ukraine marked Independence Day with extensive strikes., Description: Ukrainian drone attacks sparked a fire at Russia's Kursk Nuclear Power Plant early Sunday, damaging critical infrastructure and forcing a 50% reduction in operating capacity at one reactor as Ukraine celebrated its 34th Independence Day with one of the war's most extensive cross-border strike campaigns. The overnight assault on the facility, located just 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border,...

European, Asian postal services halt US shipments

Summary: Major carriers suspend deliveries ahead of Friday's tariff changes eliminating the $800 duty-free exemption on international packages., Description: Postal services across Europe and Asia are suspending shipments to the United States this week, creating widespread disruption in international mail as carriers scramble to prepare for new tariff regulations taking effect Friday. Major carriers including DHL, Royal Mail, and national postal services from Germany, France, Italy, and more than a dozen other countries have halted most package...

SpaceX launches ISS resupply, preps Starship test flight

Summary: Dragon delivered over 5,000 pounds of experiments to the space station while Starship Flight 10 awaits evening launch from Texas., Description: SpaceX successfully launched its 33rd commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station early Sunday morning, delivering over 5,000 pounds of scientific experiments and supplies to the orbiting laboratory. Later today, the company plans to attempt the tenth test flight of its massive Starship rocket from Texas, marking a critical day for SpaceX's ambitious space exploration...

Trump’s Intel stake sparks warnings of tough times ahead

Summary: Mohamed El-Erian cited government's Intel stake and political pressure on Federal Reserve independence as threats to economic foundation., Description: Prominent economist Mohamed El-Erian warned Sunday that the United States faces "challenging few months" ahead as the Trump administration's unprecedented takeover of a stake in Intel and mounting political pressure on the Federal Reserve threaten the country's economic foundation. Speaking on CBS's "Face the Nation," El-Erian, chief economic advisor at Allianz, said the economy must navigate...