Tootfinder

Sources: DeepSeek is in talks to raise outside capital for the first time, seeking at least $300M at a valuation of at least $10B (The Information)
https://www.theinformation.com/articles/chinas-deepseek-raising-money-first-time-10-b…

China’s DeepSeek is Raising Money for First Time, At $10 Billion-Plus Valuation
DeepSeek is in talks to raise outside capital for the first time, seeking to beef up its financial war chest so it can better compete in the costly battle to develop leading AI models, according to four people familiar with the matter. DeepSeek is owned by Chinese hedge fund High-Flyer Capital ...

Logged forests burn more severely than old growth, Tasmanian study finds #Tasmania

Logged forests burn more severely than old growth, Tasmanian study finds
Tasmania's logged forests burn significantly more severely in a bushfire than old growth, University of Tasmania scientists have found in a study that provides the strongest evidence yet on a question with real consequences for how the state manages its forests. The research team, led by Professor David Bowman from the University of Tasmania's Fire Center, seized on a natural experiment when the 2019 Riveaux Road fire swept through the Huon Valley.

Vurt, a mobile-first vertical streaming platform designed for indie filmmakers to upload their micro series or feature films, launches with 100 episodes (Lauren Forristal/TechCrunch)
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/17/vurt-mobile-first-v…

Meet Vurt, the mobile-first streaming platform for indie filmmakers embracing vertical video | TechCrunch
Micro-drama apps make billions in consumer spending, so VURT launched its streaming app to allow indie filmmakers to capitalize on the vertical video trend.

The government has largely won its first case bringing
🆘 "material-support-for-terrorism" charges against protesters
alleged to belong to “antifa,”
-- which Donald Trump designated as a domestic terror group in 2025
👉despite the fact that no such organized group exists
⚠️ and the president has no legal authority to designate organizations as domestic terror groups.
A federal jury in Fort Worth, Texas agreed on Friday
to convict eight people…

‘Serious threat to the First Amendment’ as Trump admin wins first antifa terror charge
“A case like this helps the government kind of see how far they can go in criminalizing constitutionally protected protest,” one legal advocate said.

"A fish a day: More than 300 freshwater species described in 2025"
#Fish #Animals
htt…

A fish a day: More than 300 freshwater species described in 2025
More than 300 freshwater fish species were described in 2025. The fish come from around the world and a variety of ecosystems.

Länder setzen Bahn bei Sanierung Berlin-Hamburg Frist
Die Verzögerung bei der Bahnsanierung Berlin-Hamburg bringt fünf Regierungschefs auf die Palme. Ein Brief an die Bahn-Chefin macht das Projekt zum Politikum.
http…

Wow, serious rite of passage: my younger son playing his first lp... On our turntable unused for a decade or two, with a just-replaced cartridge... These speakers are also getting their first airing despite me having had them for years (gifted by a mate as excess to requirements)...

Defensive rewilding could turn wetlands and forests into border barriers #nature

Defensive rewilding could turn wetlands and forests into border barriers
Restoring forests, wetlands and peatlands could help defend national borders as well as tackle climate change, according to new research from the University of East London (UEL). The study introduces the concept of "defensive rewilding"—the intentional, pre- or mid-conflict restoration of ecosystems to shape terrain in ways that can slow, redirect or impede military advances, while delivering environmental benefits.

Steve Bannon and 60 Trump allies sign a Humans First-led letter urging Trump to mandate government testing and approval of powerful AI models before release (Ashley Gold/Axios)
https://www.axios.com/2026/05/18/trump-ai-steve-bannon-humans-first-letter

Scoop: 60+ MAGA allies tell Trump to vet AI before release
The letter — signed by Steve Bannon — puts a vocal faction of the MAGA base at odds with the White House's hands-off approach to AI.

Sky News plans to launch its first paid digital subscription, Sky News Insider: Podcasts, on June 15 for £2.99 per month, bundling three podcasts with no ads (Charlotte Tobitt/Press Gazette)
https://pressgazette.co.uk/podcasts/sk…

Sky News to bundle perks from three podcasts in first online subscription
Sky News is bundling ad-free listening and bonus episodes for three podcasts with its first paid content launch.