Tobias

A driver, Wang Mouxin, was detained in Shanxi Province, China, after a video of a road rage incident went viral. The incident occurred when Wang, driving a newly purchased Audi with a temporary license plate, forcibly overtook a Mercedes. He then allegedly threw a betel nut at the Mercedes, verbally abused the driver, and pounded on the car windows. Police detained Wang for disorderly conduct and also issued penalties for improper license plate display and illegal overtaking, including a fine, points deduction, and a warning.

WeChat has issued a security alert regarding a surge in account hijackings targeting Official Account users. Attackers are reportedly compromising corporate registration information, including legal representative details, to gain unauthorized account access. WeChat has suspended the “account recovery via legal representative information” feature for vulnerable accounts and is notifying users of potential compromises. Users are advised to monitor their corporate registrations and report suspicious activity to local authorities. WeChat is committed to enhancing risk management and collaborating with authorities to combat these threats.

Baidu is expected to launch its latest Ernie inference model by late August, reportedly surpassing OpenAI’s o3 in reasoning and computation. An updated Ernie foundational model is also planned. This occurs as OpenAI prepares to launch GPT-5, a unified, multi-modal system. Enhanced inference capabilities are becoming vital amid increasing competition in the AI landscape. Baidu, the first Chinese company with a ChatGPT-like chatbot, aims to compete with OpenAI and others by upgrading its models.

Zhipu.ai launched GLM-4.5, a powerful LLM with an integrated “reasoning-coding-agent” architecture and cost-effective pricing. It excels in code generation and agent capabilities. Dangbei AI, known for model aggregation, integrated GLM-4.5 into its “Super AI Toolbox,” which includes other leading LLMs. Dangbei AI offers users a seamless platform with features like dual-model comparison and custom knowledge base creation and builds applications such as an AI Travel Planner. The competition focuses on integrating technical resources and industry workflows.

Shanghai delivery drivers are protesting a mandatory shuttle system at the Renheng Park Century complex, which adds time and reduces earnings. Drivers must board a shuttle, deliver in order with security, while others wait. Some drivers refuse deliveries there. The property management justifies the policy, citing high rider flow compared to couriers, but Meituan is working to balance resident experience and rider rights in this luxury development.

A video of a car being struck by lightning at a service area in Guangxi, China went viral. The driver reported being unharmed and unaware of the strike. Experts explain that lightning is caused by the uneven distribution of electrical charges within storm clouds. Drivers are advised to stay inside vehicles during thunderstorms and avoid parking under trees or in flood-prone areas. When driving through flooded roads, ensure the water level is below half the tire height.

Tencent’s WeChat has again addressed the recurrent user demand for a “read receipt” feature. The company reiterated that it has never implemented this function and has no plans to do so. This decision is intentional, aiming to grant users autonomy over their responses and avoid potential social pressure and anxiety linked to immediate reply expectations after a message is marked as “read.” WeChat prioritizes user comfort over sender confirmation.

Alex Butler, a 15-year-old from Seattle, became a millionaire by creating the card game “Taco vs. Burrito” at age seven. Butler refined the game through family testing and crowdfunding before launching it on Amazon. The game’s viral success led to over 1.5 million copies sold and an acquisition by PlayMonster. Butler, motivated by profit, plans to buy a Lamborghini with his earnings.

President Trump announced a potential 100% tariff on imported chips, sparking concerns about price increases. He clarified that the tariff exemption would apply to companies manufacturing in the USA. Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Trump, showcasing Apple’s increased US investment pledge to $600 billion, including a smart glass factory in Kentucky. The investment also supports Apple’s US supply chain. Trump reiterated his “Made in the USA” focus, preferring domestic production over Apple’s investments in India.

Alibaba’s 88VIP membership program is expanding its perks without raising prices, adding over 10 new exclusive benefits. The upgrade combines features from previous programs, offering complimentary Hema X membership, prioritized Ele.me deliveries, Feizhu perks, movie ticket discounts, and Gaode ride-hailing vouchers. This builds upon previous enhancements and brings the total number of benefits to over 20, covering dining, entertainment, travel, and daily life. With over 50 million members, 88VIP is influential in Chinese consumer spending.