Technology and public systems are under strain in very different ways today. In the crypto world, AFX says it has launched a purpose-built Layer 1 network for decentralized perpetuals trading, promising faster execution, zero gas fees and markets spanning everything from bitcoin to gold and crude. But in open-source software, Linux creator Linus Torvalds is warning that AI-assisted bug reports are overwhelming maintainers, turning security review into a battle against duplication and noise rather than a path to faster fixes. Meanwhile in southern China, a 5.2-magnitude earthquake in Guangxi has killed at least two people, displaced thousands and disrupted roads and rail as rescue crews clear debris and search damaged areas. And beyond breaking news, Australian journalist Cheng Lei is transforming her years in a Chinese prison into memoir and performance, using storytelling to reclaim a deeply personal ordeal in public.