Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death for murder, torture, crimes against humanity: the hour's strongest signal
3 independent sources lead this hourly briefing, ranked by freshness, corroboration, diversity, and momentum.
Archived hourly edition · scores reflect information available at publication
01
Global Affairs/Middle East/Signal 61
Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death for murder, torture, crimes against humanity
Former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was convicted of premeditated murder of multiple people, including children, torture, arbitrary detention, and crimes against humanity.
02
Global Affairs/Europe/Signal 58
Turkey MPs back law on reintegrating Kurdish PKK militants
Turkish lawmakers on Monday (August 10) voted through a bill offering limited amnesty for Kurdish PKK militants, a key step in the peace process that seeks to end decades of deadly violence.
03
Global Affairs/Europe/Signal 53
Trump signs order to limit childhood vaccines and split MMR shots
The American Academy of Pediatrics calls the recommendation on measles, mumps and rubella shots "dangerous".
04
Global Affairs/Europe/Signal 52
Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia for war crimes
Verdict relates to atrocities committed during the country’s 14-year civil war in which about 500,000 people died A Syrian court has sentenced the country’s former president Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher to death in absentia for crimes against humanity and war crimes…
05
Global Affairs/Europe/Signal 51
Hotel prices in Europe jump before total solar eclipse
Rooms in Icelandic capital Reykjavík cost double usual rate, with Spain also enjoying strong bookings Europe’s total solar eclipse: the best place to see it Hotel prices have surged in key European cities, as hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to see the first total eclipse…
06
Business & Finance/North America/Signal 47
Celebrating the 90th birthday of the Wienermobile, the original marketing stunt
It’s noon on a Monday, and the Wienermobile has just pulled up outside of my Chicago apartment. Soon I’m sitting in a red-and-yellow upholstered seat with a giant plastic hot dog in front of me.
07
Business & Finance/North America/Signal 45
The design world is already obsessed with this recommendation app. Now, you will be too
These days, a good old-fashioned, firsthand recommendation is hard to come by. They’re crowded out by algorithms, AI chat boxes, and sponsored content at every turn. Rec League aims to change that.
08
Global Affairs/Europe/Signal 44
Turkey approves pardon-like bill for thousands of PKK militants
Turkey’s parliament on Monday (August 10) approved legislation that would introduce a conditional pardon for thousands of Kurdish militants in a bid to advance the government’s peace initiative with their insurgent group.
09
Business & Finance/North America/Signal 43
To save $30 million, LAX built its new concourse outside the airport
A new concourse on the edge of Los Angeles International Airport's international terminal may have just cracked the code for building in highly complex airport environments .
10
Global Affairs/Middle East/Signal 42
Colombia recognises Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights
Colombia recognises Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights Colombia's far-right president Abelardo de la Espriella recognised Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights on Monday.
11
Design & Architecture/North America/Signal 40
Unitree's Impressive Off-Road Dog-Bot/Pack Mule
It might seem silly to develop a dog robot that can breakdance, as Chinese robotics brand Unitree has done. However, they've put all that agility to practical use.
12
Design & Architecture/North America/Signal 40
Sonic's Focus on the UX of Pencil Cases
Here Japanese stationery manufacturer Sonic rethinks the humble pencil case, which is typically a form-follows-function rectangle.
13
Design & Architecture/North America/Signal 40
Chinese Autonomous Buses are Spreading Around the World
S. was the dominant industrial power. We enjoyed conveniences and luxuries not readily available in other parts of the world, from air conditioning to appliances to cutting-edge vehicles.
14
Design & Architecture/North America/Signal 40
Meet Fusion Forward Competition Juror Michelle Lee, Partner at IDEO San Francisco
As a Partner and Executive Managing Director at IDEO San Francisco , Michelle Lee leads multidisciplinary teams of researchers, designers, and engineers across sectors ranging from healthcare and workplace culture to responsible digital design and the circular economy.
15
Design & Architecture/North America/Signal 40
Roof Racks That Automatically Lift and Lower the Load For You
These powered arms eliminate the single biggest hassle of a roof rack: The loading and unloading. They're made by multiple Chinese manufacturers you've never heard of, like Sionto and Kayjay.
16
Design & Architecture/North America/Signal 40
Combining Computational Design with Wicker
Wicker story is the name of an initiative by architect Priyanka Narula and her firm, Hyderabad-based Prelab Design Studio. "The project was a response to a prolonged quest to define the future of design in the Indian context," Narula writes.
17
Design & Architecture/North America/Signal 40
Second White's Sleek Folding Electric Scooter
This strange-looking suitcase… …is actually a piece of portable mobility. "It is a lightweight 3-stage folding electric kickboard that can be easily carried with one hand," writes South Korean design firm Second White.
18
Science & Climate/Global/Signal 40
Fighting pathogens by watching how they read their own DNA: Q&A with structural biologist
Every living cell, from the simplest bacterium to a human neuron, relies on the same basic machinery to read, interpret, and use its DNA. This molecular machinery is so fundamental that life as we know it cannot exist without it.