Fender

Major internet disruptions are being reported in Russia after a long-range Ukrainian drone strike targeted a Yandex data centre in the Vladimir region. Ukrainian sources say the attack hit key infrastructure, and users in Russia have experienced outages. The strike underlines Kyiv's growing ability to hit critical facilities deep inside Russian territory.

A Chinese guitar startup is being talked about as a rising challenger to Fender and Gibson, the two dominant American electric guitar makers. The claim is that the company is producing instruments good enough and cheap enough to threaten the incumbents' market share. Details about the company's name, products, or sales remain unclear.

IBM is highlighting how artificial intelligence can now uncover serious software vulnerabilities at a speed never seen before, raising the question of whether security teams can keep pace. The concern is that the same tools accelerating discovery could be exploited by attackers, outstripping defenders' ability to patch systems in time.

An appeals court has upheld the state's sex offender registry laws, according to a report by the Park Hills Daily Journal. The ruling means the state can continue enforcing its current registration requirements for convicted offenders. No details were given on which specific provisions were challenged or which state is involved, and reactions from officials or advocacy groups have not yet been reported.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to a five-year, $139 million contract extension with their top young defender, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. The 22-year-old had initially sought a deal close to the maximum. The move locks in a core piece of the young Thunder roster as the team builds on its recent success.

Amnesty International has raised the situation of human rights defenders in Ethiopia with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, referring the matter to the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa. Details of the specific concerns or individuals involved were not disclosed, but the referral signals continued international scrutiny of the environment for activists in Ethiopia.

Human rights defenders have called on the authorities of Azerbaijan to lift restrictions on wearing the hijab. The appeal, reported by Caucasian Knot, urges Baku to end limits on the Islamic headscarf, an issue that has long been contentious between religious communities and the secular state. Activists argue the restrictions violate freedom of religion and personal choice.

Andriy Khokhonyk, defender for Kharkiv Sokoly, thanked fans and club management after the team's poor start, saying the game was effectively decided in the first five minutes. He stressed the squad's desire to recover and rebuild form. Dmytro Nahornyi echoed the assessment, underscoring the team's determination to bounce back from the disappointing result.

Larry Bird dismissed suggestions that a particular defender was troubling him during the NBA Finals, saying: "I don't really care who guards me." The comment pushes back on narrative building around a defensive matchup, reinforcing Bird's reputation for confidence and toughness under playoff pressure. It has circulated among basketball fans revisiting his playing days and his famously fearless approach to opponents.

Human rights groups gathered at an NGO Forum session to address the growing threats facing human rights defenders across Africa, from restrictive NGO laws to transnational repression. Organised by the International Service for Human Rights, the discussion focused on how governments are shrinking civic space and targeting activists even beyond their borders, and on measures needed to protect defenders at risk.