Man who murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio dies

Bradley Murdoch, the Australian man convicted of murdering British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001, has died.

Video: Thai and Cambodian soldiers’ confrontation at Buddhist border temple

Ta Muen Thom is the latest scene of heightened tension as Thailand and Cambodia border dispute continues.

Many Texas communities are dangerously unprepared for floods. Lack of funding plays a big role

The devastating flash floods that swept through Texas Hill Country in July 2025 highlight a troubling reality: Despite years of warnings and recent improvements in flood planning, Texas communities remain dangerously vulnerable to flood damage.

The Second-Best Deus Ex Is Stupid Cheap (And DRM-Free), But Hurry

We may never get another Deus Ex game featuring Elias Toufexis’ lovely voice as Adam Jensen again, but right now you can snag Human Revolution, the debut of our sunglass-wearing badass cyborg, for less than five bucks and, since it’s on GOG, there’s no DRM , meaning you can

House Judiciary Democrats demand Epstein hearing, float subpoenas

House Judiciary Democrats are calling for a public hearing on the Jeffrey Epstein files, saying top officials in both the Justice Department and the FBI should account for their handling of information surrounding the deceased financier. The Justice Department last week

Calvin Johnson Announces New Selector Dub Narcotic EP When Boys Cry: Hear “Excuse Moi”

One of Calvin Johnson’s most entertaining guises is Selector Dub Narcotic, which allows the K Records and Beat Happening founder to exclaim outrageous lyrics over top of DIY dance beats. Johnson has a new EP under that alias coming in September. When Boys Cry features four

You Probably Won't Survive In Dune: Awakening If You Don't Pay Your Taxes

It often feels like the entire world around you is conspiring to bring about your demise. On Arrakis, that’s true. Between the sandworms and the other deadly players, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone or anything friendly. Even worse, your only haven—the base you build—isn’t

Vermont named best state for quality of life

Vermont was named the best state for quality of life by CNBC for the fifth year in a row, according to a Monday release from the news outlet. Maine, New Jersey, Minnesota, Connecticut, Hawaii, North Dakota, Massachusetts, Nebraska and Virginia also made the top 10 list for a

CEO Tony Stubblebine shares how Medium went from the brink of shutting...

CEO Tony Stubblebine shares how Medium went from the brink of shutting down to being profitable for almost a year now . “In 2022, Medium was losing $2.6M each month. We were also losing subscribers…” 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →

Our favorite 1v1 FPS just became our favorite 2v2 FPS, and you can still play it for the low price of free

And also our favorite 1v1v1v1 FPS.

Grok controversies raise questions about moderating, regulating AI content

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok has been plagued by controversy recently over its responses to users, raising questions about how tech companies seek to moderate content from AI and whether Washington should play a role in setting guidelines. Grok faced

Minnesota shooting suspect Vance Boelter indicted on six federal charges

A grand jury indicted the man accused of shooting two Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses on six federal charges Tuesday, moving the case forward as prosecutors signal the death penalty is on the table. Vance Boelter faces murder charges for allegedly assassinating

Massachusetts Democrat calls for Noem’s resignation following Texas flooding

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) on Tuesday called on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to resign over her response to the catastrophic flooding in Texas that caused a triple-digit death toll. In an interview on “CNN News Central,” Markey pointed to reporting

Band Name Checks Out

Cyberpunk 2077's delayed 2.3 update will be revealed tomorrow and could go live later this week

It sure sounds like more car stuff is coming.

Trump envoy demands Israel action on killing of American

The US ambassador to Israel on Tuesday demanded an aggressive investigation and consequences after settlers beat to death a Palestinian-American, in rare public pressure against the ally by President Donald Trump's administration. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, an outspoken

'Large' furry creatures found in Mexico rain forest in first-of-its-kind sighting

Along the banks of the Lacantún River, a hollow tree hid two creatures never before reported in Mexico.

Trump touts $92B in data center, energy investments

President Trump on Tuesday touted $92 billion in new private data center and energy investments as his administration seeks to boost the nation’s power supply amid a push to rapidly develop energy-hungry artificial intelligence (AI). Trump unveiled investments from 20 major

Federal judge reverses rule that would have removed medical debt from credit reports

A federal judge in Texas removed a Biden-era finalized ruled by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that would have removed medical debt from credit reports.

Bas Jan Ader Made Fate Into an Art

So much of what Ader explored was about surrendering to destiny, but also about heeding internal calls — to adventure, open horizons, and the sublime.

Hawley seeks to repeal Medicaid cuts he voted for

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) wants to repeal parts of the "big, beautiful" law he just voted for. Hawley on Tuesday introduced new legislation to roll back some of the Medicaid cuts that were included in the massive tax cut law, which passed the Senate two weeks ago and was signed

‘American Idol’ Music Supervisor and Husband Killed at Encino Home

The longtime music supervisor on “American Idol” and her husband were found dead Monday of gunshot wounds at their home in Encino. Robin Kaye, who worked on the show for 15 years, was married to Thomas Deluca. Both were 70 years old, according to public records. LAPD officers

Stocks making the biggest moves after hours: Global Payments, Hancock Whitney and more

These are the stocks posting the largest moves in extended trading.

Africans survived 10,000 years of climate changes by adapting food systems: Study offers lessons for modern times

Imagine living in a place where a single drought, hurricane, or mudslide could wipe out your food supply. Across Africa, many communities do exactly that—navigate climate shocks like floods, heat waves, and failed harvests.

Cyberpunk 2077's New Patch May Fix One Of The Game's Biggest Annoyances Five Years Later

CD Projekt Red is hosting a live stream tomorrow , July 16, to talk about the next update to Cyberpunk 2077 . While the main team is working on the upcoming sequel , Virtuos is co-developing further updates on the original RPG because the studio can’t quite seem to let it go

Roughly 1,500 tarantulas found stuffed in boxes meant for chocolate cake

German customs officials found the hairy, venomous spiders crammed into small plastic containers inside bright-red cake boxes.

Trump embraces AI

Plus: Johnson tells Bondi to explain statements {beacon} PRESIDENT TRUMP and Congress are moving this week to address the burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency industries, as Washington sets its sights on a next generation of technologies with the potential

MLB All-Star Game 2025 Livestream: How to Watch the National League vs. American League Online Free

As we head into the halfway point of the 2025 MLB season, teams like the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers are at the top of the league with impressive play, strong pitching and out-of-the-park hitting. But now, it’s the time of the season for a little bit of rest,

A New Book Cultivates a Rich Survey of 300 Magnificent Gardens

Across 40 countries, 'The Contemporary Garden' showcases one of humanity's perennial fascinations. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article A New Book

Ukranians Praise “Agent Melania” for Trump’s Sudden Russia Pivot

Ukrainians have begun to credit First Lady Melania Trump for her husband’s 180 on support for Russia and President Vladimir Putin in their all out war on Ukraine. “My conversations with [Putin] are always very pleasant. I say, isn’t that a very lovely conversation? And then the

Haley on Epstein files: 'You can never go wrong with being transparent'

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley on Tuesday pushed for the Trump administration to release files about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “and let the chips fall where they may." “This is why people don’t trust government. You can never go wrong with being transparent.

Stripper Collective’s Life Drawing Merges Sex Work and Art

The East London group sees their life drawing sessions “as a natural progression from the age-old practice of hiring professional harlots and hussies as models for art.”

All hired hero locations in Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 3

Hired heroes are characters in Fortnite that will fight alongside you — as long as you pay them. As part of the Supernova Academy story quest line, you need to damage opponents with a hired hero. You will need to pay them a decent amount of gold bars to hire them, but if you

How AI can help protect bees from dangerous parasites

Tiny but mighty, honey bees play a crucial role in our ecosystems, pollinating various plants and crops. They also support the economy. These small producers contribute billions of dollars to Canada's agriculture industry, making Canada a major honey producer.

U.K. secretly resettled Afghans after data breach

Some personal information of Afghans evacuated after the Taliban returned to power was exposed and published on Facebook prompting the government to offer resettlement.

This Swarovski Sale Features 40% Discounts on Their Most Popular Crystal Jewelry — Including Their ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Collection

Some of Swarovski’s most luxe jewelry, such as their pavé bracelets and special-edition pendants, are up to 40% off with this limited-time deal. The Austria-founded jewelry brand, known for their high-quality crystal creations and beloved by the Hollywood set, rarely goes on

Johnson breaks with Trump, calls for DOJ to release Epstein files

Mamdani seeks support from wary Democrats in Washington

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is taking steps to connect with Washington's political class amid signs of division within the Democratic Party over his insurgent mayoral bid. Mamdani, who won the Democratic nomination for mayor in an upset against former New

Travis Scott Says Kanye West Gave Permission to Use Demo in Motion to Dismiss ‘Telekinesis’ Suit

Scott, SZA, and Future are accused of using elements of a song co-written by gospel artist Victory Boyd without permission

Mapping corn DNA reveals how genes shape plant traits and pest resistance

A team that includes Rutgers University-New Brunswick scientists has unlocked some of the secrets of corn DNA, revealing how specific sections of genetic material control vital traits such as plant architecture and pest resistance.

Are there upsides to 'overboarding?'

How many board seats is too many for one director? That's the question on many investors' minds, as they confront the possibility of "overboarding"—directors being spread too thin to do their work effectively. BlackRock, for example, voted to oust one of Twitter's board members

Mike Waltz grilled over Signal leak at UN ambassador hearing

President Trump's former national security adviser was pressed on the inclusion of a journalist on a sensitive group chat discussing war plans.

Stephen A. Smith on starting political career by becoming president: 'Why not?'

Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith on Monday said he would consider jumpstarting his career as a politician by campaigning for the presidency. “You want to start as president of the United States?" Stephen Colbert asked on “The Late Show.” “Why not?" Smith responded. Smith

Study reveals hidden enzyme redundancy in staph bacteria's survival pathways

In the ongoing battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, MSU researchers have made a discovery that could reshape how we target deadly pathogens like staph infections.

10 Exhibitions to See in Chicago This Summer

From Huguette Caland’s bodily abstractions to the city’s history of queer art and activism, these shows leave us refreshed, with a renewed belief in the possibility of change.

Trump claims tariff deal with Indonesia

Trump says the US will lower its tariffs threatened on goods from Indonesia to 19% from a planned 32%.

Jamie Dimon touts Fed independence as Trump ponders replacing Jerome Powell

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon went to bat Tuesday for the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, as the White House pondered ousting him over disagreements about the path of short-term interest rates. Multiple media outlets reported that Dimon, who has reined in

Pavlov's dogs were conditioned to go to their treat; why do some animals learn to interact with the bell instead?

High school students learn that Pavlov's dogs were conditioned to associate the sound of a bell with getting food. The association was so strong that the dogs would begin to salivate when they heard the bell, before there was even a whiff of food. When they were finally

Whose turn is it? The question is at the heart of language, and chimpanzees ask it too

When we think about what sets humans apart from other animals, language often comes to mind. Language is more than words—it also relies on the ability to build shared understanding through conversation.

Destiny 2 Hits Fans With A Nostalgia Bomb As Soon As They Start The Newest Expansion

There is a twinkling sound every time you turn on the original Destiny that lives on in the hearts of anyone who spent hundreds of hours playing it. Over a decade later, Destiny 2's newest expansion transported players back to those fond early days by re-using the old menu