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 60
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 54
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
Investigative/Global/Signal 50
‘Fiercely independent’ South Carolina votes on Lindsey Graham’s Senate successor - The Guardian
‘Fiercely independent’ South Carolina votes on Lindsey Graham’s Senate successor The Guardian Darline Graham faces battle for her brother's seat in South Carolina senate primary ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos South Carolina Republicans hold primary to pick…
04
Global Affairs/Europe/Signal 49
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".
05
Global Affairs/Europe/Signal 48
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…
06
Global Affairs/Europe/Signal 46
Hotel prices in Europe jump before total solar eclipse
Rooms in Icelandic capital Reykjavík cost double usual rate and 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…
07
Global Affairs/North America/Signal 46
Alabama holds second primary Tuesday, leading to confusion, concerns about low turnout
After Alabama redrew its congressional maps in May, voters in several districts saw their primaries pushed to August. Now, it's time to vote and there are concerns confusion will dampen voter turnout.
08
Global Affairs/North America/Signal 46
The school year begins in LA with one big change: limited screen time
As educators in the nation's second-largest district prepare for the new limits on classroom screen time, some teachers say it will be a difficult adjustment.
09
Business & Finance/North America/Signal 45
This super-white coating was inspired by a beetle’s scales
For decades, titanium dioxide has been used to make products bright white, from paint to powdered donuts. It’s effective, cheap, and hard to replace.
10
Business & Finance/North America/Signal 43
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.
11
Business & Finance/North America/Signal 41
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.
12
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.
13
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.
14
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.
15
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.
16
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.
17
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.
18
Design & Architecture/North America/Signal 40
Improvised Transport on Abandoned Infrastructure: Colombia's Ingenious Motorcycle-Railroad Adapters
Colombia started building railroads in the mid-19th century, and they boomed up until the mid-20th. But by the 1990s, as roads and cars proliferated, the national rail company was liquidated. Rural communities lost service.