Tobias

Intel’s foundry ambitions face disruption as three key manufacturing executives are reportedly retiring: Kaizad Mistry, Ryan Russell, and Gary Patton. Mistry and Russell oversaw process technology development, while Patton focused on design platform solutions for foundry clients. These departures create a knowledge gap in Intel’s manufacturing roadmap, crucial for attracting external customers to Intel Foundry Services (IFS). Intel is also reportedly reviewing its technology development structure, potentially streamlining capacity planning and reducing engineering headcount.

Veteran Chinese actor Zhu Longguang passed away in Beijing on August 2, 2025, at the age of 86. Known for his roles in “Tunnel Warfare” and “My Own Swordsman,” Zhu is most recognized internationally for his iconic portrayal of the Buddha in the 1987 adaptation of “Journey to the West.” His death has prompted widespread mourning, with many fans recalling his definitive performance as the Buddha. Actor Liu Xiao Ling Tong, who played the Monkey King, also expressed his sorrow.

The growing energy storage industry faces logistical challenges handling massive, 60+ ton containers. Existing equipment struggles with weight and efficiency. XCMG addresses this with the XCS65K, the world’s first front-end loader specifically designed for energy storage. Boasting a 65-ton lifting capacity and five-level stacking capability, the XCS65K passed rigorous testing in April. It features precise micro-motion control, anti-rollover technology, and a 360° imaging system for safe and efficient operation, a vital solution in the burgeoning energy storage sector.

Japan is facing a surge in fraud, with scams totaling nearly ¥60 billion in the first half of 2025, a record high. Cases increased significantly, with fraudsters often impersonating police officers to deceive victims into transferring funds. Elderly citizens are particularly targeted. The National Police Agency is considering restricting ATM withdrawals for those aged 75 and older to combat this escalating crisis.

Near Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei, a gig economy trend involves residents, including children (“kid couriers”), offering outsourced delivery services to food delivery drivers. These individuals handle deliveries during peak hours, earning around 2 RMB per delivery. Summer has seen a surge in child participation, with elementary and middle school students supplementing rider capacity by handling tasks like elevator navigation and customer location. This system allows riders to offload deliveries and provides children with income and experience, creating a tiered micro-economy.

Xiaomi has launched its first upgraded Xiaomi Home service store in Beijing, focusing on enhancing the customer experience. To celebrate, from August 3rd to 31st, the store offers promotional deals on purchases, repairs, and warranties. Customers can receive discounts on repairs and extended warranties. This initiative is part of Xiaomi’s omnichannel strategy, combining online sales with an expanding physical retail presence to increase customer engagement and reduce distribution costs, aiming to make Xiaomi Home a hub for tech enthusiasts.

Guangxi, China, is relaunching a “trade-in” subsidy program on August 5th, 2025, to boost consumer spending. Subsidies are available for trading in old appliances, 3C digital products, electric bicycles, and home renovation items for new ones. The program focuses on in-store redemptions and offers subsidies up to 20% (max 2,000 yuan) for appliances, 15% (max 500 yuan) for 3C products, 600 yuan for e-bikes, and 1,000 yuan (max 15,000 yuan total) for home renovation, via UnionPay digital coupons on a first-come, first-served daily basis.

360 Group’s Nano AI platform has been rebranded as “Multi-Agent Swarm,” representing a shift to Level 4 autonomy. This evolution moves beyond solo-agent models, using collective intelligence to accelerate AI productivity. The platform addresses challenges in multi-agent collaboration with a new “Swarm Collaboration Framework,” enabling dynamic grouping and hierarchical organization of agents. Nano AI boasts over 50,000 reasoning agents customizable with natural language and offers multi-agent swarms for various applications, including “one-sentence film creation.”

A man in Zhejiang, China, was reportedly scammed into purchasing an $870,000 gym membership after being lured by a resale “benefit” scheme. He invested heavily in these “opportunities” but now claims he wasn’t thinking clearly. The gym owner is now unreachable, prompting the man to pursue legal action. The gym, Hangzhou Ranyan Fitness Management Co., Ltd., was established in 2022 with limited capital. Experts warn about the risks of prepaid fitness services and advise consumers to conduct due diligence and carefully review contracts before committing.

A mother and daughter were splashed with dirty, possibly sewage-contaminated water by a speeding car. The incident, which upset the daughter, led the mother to contact authorities, asserting that such behavior is unacceptable. Splashing pedestrians is a traffic violation and can cause dangerous situations for other drivers. The incident highlights a lack of civic responsibility and emphasizes the importance of safe driving practices in wet weather to ensure the well-being of all road users.