🐤 An underdog story

Markets: That long-awaited labor report dropped on Friday with a thud. There were fewer jobs added last month than analysts expected, which triggered more anxiety among investors regarding the state of the larger economy.

There’s still some hope that interest rate cuts could soon provide a much-needed jolt, but that hasn’t prevented a Wall Street slide over the past several days that led all three major indexes to a losing week.

Fired up: A continuing heat wave across much of the United States is doing a lot more than just making millions of Americans uncomfortable. Experts say the hot, dry summer contributes to an increased risk of wildfires across a wide swath of the Western U.S. The Phoenix office of the National Weather Service warned that “most of the general population will be under the risk of heat-related illnesses if the proper heat precautions are not taken.” The city has shattered its previous record with 100+ days of temperatures reaching triple digits.

At a standstill: Among the latest major disruptions caused by an apparent cyberattack was an incident that reportedly targeted Transport for London, which controls that city’s public transit system. In addition to the London Underground subway system, the agency also oversees bus and tram service throughout the U.K. capital. So far, there aren’t many details about the attack, which reportedly occurred on Monday. But authorities insist that transit is “operating as usual” even though a number of systems — like ticketing and online schedules — are offline.

In the cards: We’ve all heard about pristine baseball cards, like the sought-after 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, selling for seven figures or more. But basketball memorabilia collectors are also willing to pay a pretty penny for a desirable card. The latest evidence of this came when a 1961-62 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain rookie card sold to a collector for a whopping $1.7 million. That’s the most ever paid for a vintage basketball card and roughly doubles the previous record — a 1980-81 Topps Larry Bird/Magic Johnson rookie, sold in August 2021.

Face the music: A North Carolina man has been charged with fraud over an alleged scheme to use artificial intelligence to create a massive library of fake songs, which he then uploaded to streaming services and programmed tons of bots to play over and over. As a result, prosecutors say 52-year-old Michael Smith was able to rake in more than $10 million in royalties. It might sound like a lucrative use of AI, but the FBI says it’s a serious crime. He’s accused of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to launder money.

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If your favorite team is in a drought, at least you can take some comfort in knowing it could always be worse … unless you root for the San Marino soccer team, that is. This squad secured the unfortunate distinction of having the most abysmal record of any team in the world. But there was a very rare bright spot for those fans who have been waiting so long for a win.

Brigata Mai 1 Gioia

That’s the name a group of hardcore San Marino supporters have adopted, which roughly translates to “Never Any Joy Brigade.” And it’s not hard to see why. Their team hasn’t won a game in two decades, and the caliber of competitors in the EUFA means the deck is perpetually stacked against this tiny nation of just 33,000 citizens.

Nevertheless, the stars aligned on Thursday, allowing San Marino to come out on top against Liechtenstein (notably the same team it beat way back in 2004) with a final score of 1-0.

Even though this was the first win in 20 years, it wasn’t the only recent reason for San Marino fans to celebrate. During qualifications for Euro 2024, the team went up against Denmark, Kazakhstan, and Finland — each daunting rivals in their own right — and managed to score goals against all three.

A reversal of fortune?

Of course, there’s no evidence that San Marino is on its way to becoming a world-class soccer club. But there are a few factors at play that could at least mean the Brigata Mai 1 Gioia won’t have to wait another 20 years to celebrate a win.

A new coach, Roberto Cevoli, and a new league consisting of other low-ranked teams might at least mean that San Marino will soon shake its title of “world’s worst team.”

It’s been seven years since Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington’s death. Now, the rock band is ready to entertain audiences again, albeit with a very different voice leading the way.

From Zero World Tour

There’s a new album coming, called “From Zero,” and the first single, “The Emptiness Machine,” was recently released. Taking the place of Bennington’s slightly raspy, slightly nasally vocals is Emily Armstrong. Another change is the addition of a new drummer, Colin Brittain — but almost all of the coverage thus far revolves around the selection of Bennington’s successor.

Armstrong started her own L.A.-based band Dead Sara nearly two decades ago. And she credits the 2000 Linkin Park album Hybrid Theory with helping her discover her desire to become a singer.

“As a singer, I want to be able to scream,” she explained. “That album was everything. I’ve listened to it a trillion times. I would skate to it. I would mosh to it.”

Along with existing members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix, and Joe Hahn, the band is set to head out on the From Zero World Tour to showcase its new lineup.

Fan reactions are mixed

Any singer would have pretty big shoes to fill when it comes to replacing an artist like Bennington, but some Linkin Park fans think Armstrong will breathe new life into the band.

While a number of social media responses concluded that the raw quality of her vocals complemented the band’s signature sound, others weren’t convinced … including one who compared her to “a screaming child” and another who lamented that Linkin Park is now little more than “a cover band.”

But Shinoda, who was initially drawn to Armstrong’s vocal range, said: “Now that we’re ready to do some shows, it’s been better than I imagined.”

In many houses, convenient electrical outlets are in short supply — particularly in the kitchen where a variety of common appliances need to be plugged in at once. But the recent rollout of the so-called Ki standard by the multinational Wireless Power Consortium means the stage is set for cordless devices of all sorts. And one company has already introduced its first entries into this fledgling tech sector.

How it works

Basically, the Ki wireless power transfer standard harnesses the potential of induction technology, which is already in use in the form of electromagnetic induction to heat cooktops in stoves manufactured by a variety of companies.

But now, the WPC says a similar source of wireless power can be delivered through induction plates, which compatible appliances are placed on to receive electricity directly.

Midea, one of the WPC member companies that helped develop this new standard, is leading the way with its lineup of Ki-powered appliances.

The so-called Celestial Flex Series is expected to consist of a:

• Blender
• Steamer
• Kettle

More to come

The company is already hinting at future additions to its range of wireless appliances, including the Midea One Oven, which has the appearance of a traditional oven and the capacity to cook an entire turkey but can also act as a microwave, steamer, and air fryer.

Not only will these devices cut down on the maze of cords that leave kitchens cluttered, but Midea says it will also make preparing meals easier since one device can handle a number of separate tasks.

It sounds good on paper, but the proof is in the pudding. And so far, Midea is keeping some important details under wraps.

There’s no indication about when the Celestial Flex Series will be available for purchase or how much each of the appliances will cost.