Pidgin 3.0 Alpha 4, numbered 2.98.0, is a timed snapshot for developers and other testers rather than a release for everyday users. Much of the software remains unfinished, the interface needs polish, and bugs are expected; the developers discourage packagers from distributing it because support demands could overwhelm the team. Builds are available through Fastly and SourceForge, with Flathub Beta availability expected later. Local Flatpak or Meson development-environment builds are recommended over system-wide installation, which is difficult to undo.
The release adds visual refinements, including colored names in the contact list and account manager, default avatars, and restored preference searching. IRCv3 accounts can now store commands to run after connecting but before joining channels, useful for tasks such as setting user modes or identifying with NickServ; credentials are not safe to store there because settings are unencrypted. A new Soju plugin begins support for connecting through a Soju IRC bouncer, discovering its upstream networks, and representing them as managed IRCv3 accounts. Other development lays groundwork for conversation collections and spaces, alongside account-management and conversation-model improvements. Alpha releases are shifting to a monthly schedule: Alpha 5, version 2.99.0, is planned for November 26, 2026, while the eventual 3.0.0 release is intended for end users.
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The Epstein Files Transparency Act II would let state attorneys general, victims, and members of Congress sue the Justice Department for failing to release files as required by law. Representatives Thomas Massie, Ro Khanna, and Teresa Leger Fernández introduced the bill, with senators Jeff Merkley and Ben Ray Luján leading its Senate version. (massie.house.gov)
Two high-speed trains collided near Wenzhou, China, on July 23, 2011, after a railway signal failure. The crash killed 40 people and injured more than 192, and four cars fell from a bridge into the Ou River. (en.wikipedia.org)
A study of 1,584 data centers found that openings were associated with an average of 1,000 to 1,300 new jobs in their counties. Although each facility employs only a few dozen people directly, local job growth was modest overall. (theconversation.com)
Several universities in Jiangsu are gradually shifting permanent staff salaries to digital yuan wallets, following pilots in other Chinese cities. Staff can transfer funds instantly and without fees to bank accounts, while eligible wallet balances earn interest and receive deposit insurance protection. (chinascope.org)
California High-Speed Rail Authority chief Ian Choudri resigned after a state report found the agency misused nearly $600,000 for consultant travel. The project remains years behind schedule, with only 119 miles of its planned 500-mile route under construction and costs far above estimates. (nytimes.com)
California’s Prop 40 would impose a one-time 5 percent tax on billionaires’ assets to fund healthcare, food assistance, and education. The fight over the measure highlights how billionaire spending can challenge voters’ power and democracy. (thenation.com)
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