Negotiations between the government and striking railway workers have stalled. Key sticking points remain unresolved, leading to continued service disruptions across the country. Travelers are advised to check for updates before commencing journeys.

Union representatives rejected the latest government offer, citing insufficient improvements to pay and working conditions. Further talks are scheduled, but a breakthrough remains uncertain. The ongoing strike is causing significant economic disruption.

The dispute centers around worker compensation and job security amid ongoing modernization efforts within the railway system. Both sides express a willingness to find common ground, but significant differences in opinion persist. The strike is expected to continue indefinitely until a resolution is found.

Mixbox is a new color mixing method for digital painting that mimics real-world pigment interactions. It offers a practical library for paint-like color blending, producing saturated gradients and natural secondary colors.

Unlike traditional digital painting software, Mixbox treats colors as pigments using the Kubelka-Munk theory. It provides a simple RGB input/output interface and is available in various programming languages including C++, Python, and GLSL.

The technology promises improvements in digital art, enabling satisfying smudging, juicy brushstrokes, and rich gradients. It's currently used in applications like Rebelle and the Flip Fluids Blender add-on.

A talk on iOS spyware evolution from 2016's Pegasus discovery to 2024. It covers changes in exploits, infection methods, and detection techniques.

The presentation includes a case study on detecting and analyzing a recent NSO exploit, BlastPass. It also details challenges and limitations in spyware detection.

Finally, the talk offers suggestions for improving iOS spyware detection, addressing technical hurdles and proposing avenues for future research and collaboration with Apple.

OpenAI's board seeks massive funding to maintain its leading position in AI chatbot technology. Despite its current market dominance, the company faces a lack of technological barriers to entry, indicating potential vulnerability.

The situation mirrors Netscape's rise in the 1990s. While the AI revolution is genuine, OpenAI's dominance isn't guaranteed, similar to how Netscape's early success didn't secure long-term industry leadership. OpenAI's rapid shift from non-profit to for-profit further emphasizes this parallel.

The board's recent plea for more capital, shortly after a significant funding round, raises concerns about sustainability. The need for continuous, massive investment suggests a precarious financial position, potentially resembling a high-risk investment scheme.

A new tool, Curl-Impersonate, helps bypass online bot detection by mimicking a real browser's network behavior. It's gained popularity among developers, scoring 242 points on Hacker News.

Concerns are rising about the implications of such tools. Some believe they represent a diminishing of open internet access, as large corporations increasingly restrict access to only approved software and user identities.

However, others argue that strong anti-bot measures are necessary to combat malicious activities like API abuse, account takeovers, and denial-of-service attacks, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated and common.

The Cody Computer is a DIY 8-bit home computer project inspired by 1980s Commodore machines. It uses modern components like the 65C02 and Parallax Propeller microcontrollers, and features 3D-printed parts. Design files and software are open-source under the GPLv3 license.

The project uses KiCad for electronics design, OpenSCAD and Inkscape for mechanical design, and 64tass assembler for software. A custom Cody BASIC interpreter is included. A downloadable PDF, "The Cody Computer Book", provides detailed project information, with plans for future content on programming and electronics.

The computer boasts features like 160x200 NTSC video, a limited Commodore SID-like audio peripheral, and expansion ports. It includes a 3D-printed keyboard and supports assembly language and Cody BASIC programming. Several videos showcase its capabilities and software examples, such as games written in Cody BASIC.

A new framework, KAG, for building knowledge graphs using large language models (LLMs) is introduced. It's designed to help with creating these graphs, a task that often presents significant challenges for developers.

Discussion on Hacker News focuses on difficulties in constructing knowledge graphs from large datasets like CSV files and PDFs. Many users express skepticism about the ease of use and scalability of available tools.

Several alternative approaches and existing tools are mentioned, highlighting the ongoing evolution and complexity within knowledge graph development. The need for better benchmarking and standardization in this area is also raised.

Little Snitch is a network monitor and firewall for macOS, alerting users when apps attempt internet connections. Users decide whether to allow or deny access, preventing unauthorized data transmission.

The software offers two modes: Alert Mode, requiring user approval for each connection; and Silent Mode, automatically allowing connections initially and letting users review later. It's been a popular Mac privacy tool for over two decades.

Little Snitch features detailed network activity tracking, including data volume, location, and protocols. It allows users to manage connections through customizable rules and profiles, offering features like blocklists and integrated DNS encryption.

Belgium is implementing a ban on disposable e-cigarette sales starting January 1st. This EU-first decision is driven by health concerns, particularly the ease with which young people become addicted to nicotine, and environmental worries due to the non-biodegradable waste generated.

Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke highlights the addictive nature of nicotine in disposable vapes and their contribution to environmental pollution. He emphasizes that these products are deliberately designed to attract new users. Reusable e-cigarettes, he suggests, could be used for harm reduction instead.

The ban marks a significant step, with Belgium becoming the first EU member to take this action. Minister Vandenbroucke is advocating for similar stricter regulations across the European Union to address concerns over both health and environmental impacts of vaping.

Website x.com redirects users to a Twitter migration page. The redirect includes a token suggesting a process is underway involving account status and possibly data transfer.

The site's meta data references both x.com and Twitter, indicating a rebranding or transition is occurring. Various links point to Twitter services and assets.

Technical details like meta tags and scripts suggest a change in ownership or platform integration; users are actively redirected for the service transfer.