Author: NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORK

Bill Swearingen has spent the past year running largely the same test, over and over again. The goal was to produce a computer-generated pattern that could block the surveillance cameras lining America’s streets from detecting it. Some 31 million tests later, Swearingen says he can now produce patterns on-demand that, when applied to clothing and objects, prevent some of the most commonly deployed license plate readers and surveillance cameras from detecting whatever the pattern covers, from people to vehicles. His project, which he calls noRecognition, allows people to escape the automatic detection and algorithmic surveillance used across the U.S. and…

OpenAI has announced that it’s pausing some “internal activities” involving its upcoming artificial intelligence (AI) model Astra after an internal evaluation found it had made significant advancements in agentic coding and cybersecurity. In response to the discovery, the AI upstart said it’s implementing security controls for higher-capability models and associated activities, such as isolated testing environments, restricted network and tool access, enhanced model weight protections and encryption, additional monitoring and detection capabilities, and sandboxed execution. “We are pausing internal activities involving Astra that do not yet meet these strengthened security control requirements,” it said in a statement. “We have implemented…

AI Financial Corp. has swapped ALT5 Sigma Canada for a secured note and restricted shares. As a result, only $1 million of note principal is due in the near term, while a separate, conditional WLFI transferability window approaches.On Aug. 3, the company sold its indirect, wholly owned subsidiary to Prime Delta. Under the terms disclosed Aug. 7, AI Financial received a $12 million secured promissory note and 11,551,750 restricted Prime Delta shares. Prime Delta must pay the first $1 million of note principal on Aug. 11.Prime Delta must pay the remaining $11 million from 20% of its post-closing equity financings.…

The stress hormone cortisol can interfere with the brain system that helps people navigate and stay oriented. Researchers from Ruhr University Bochum in Germany found that cortisol weakens the activity of grid cells, specialized nerve cells that are essential for spatial navigation. The finding comes from an imaging study involving 40 participants who completed a virtual navigation task while researchers monitored their brain activity with MRI. When participants were given cortisol before the experiment, they had more difficulty finding their way, and the normally precise activity patterns produced by grid cells became much less distinct. The findings were published in…

A Liberal figure under investigation for allegedly accepting illegal donations has told the corruption watchdog that it does not have a “shred of evidence” that he was part of a conservative factional group, saying he told members “not to keep going” after it became “toxic”.Consultant and lobbyist, Jeremy Greenwood, 37, who is named in two of the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s (Icac) allegations as part of Operation Rosny, gave evidence on Monday.Greenwood, who earlier told the inquiry he had “a lot going on at home at the moment”, revealed on Monday afternoon his wife was having contractions during his evidence.Icac…

Over the past few months, AI agents undergoing cybersecurity evaluations have escaped their boundaries, accessed the internet, and, in some cases, hacked into real-world systems. The incidents have involved models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and most recently, Chinese AI lab Moonshot AI, with testing conducted by several different organizations including a cyber evaluation startup called Irregular.  The episodes expose a growing problem for the AI industry: As autonomous agents become more capable, the environments designed to safely test their limits are failing to contain them.  “The number of these incidents that have taken place make clear that sandboxing and testing…

The Treasury auctions will total $125 billion from Aug. 11 through Aug. 13, while two inflation reports land hours before the corresponding 10-year and 30-year sales. The sequence will show whether softer bond demand and any resulting rise in yields coincide with pressure on Bitcoin.The Treasury refunding plan starts with $58 billion of 3-year notes at 1 p.m. EDT on Aug. 11. It continues with $42 billion of 10-year notes at the same time on Aug. 12 and $25 billion of 30-year bonds on Aug. 13. All three settle Aug. 17.The gross total is not a $125 billion liquidity drain.…

Numbering fewer than 25,000, lions remain vulnerable to extinction. These big cats have suffered catastrophic declines and today occupy roughly 6% of their historical range. Living with lions (Panthera leo) is not easy. Outside of protected areas, lions kill livestock and, infrequently, people. In response, the cats are poisoned, shot and speared. But across Africa, where the majority of lions live, communities are trialing traditional and new ways to ensure people and lions can coexist. To mark World Lion Day on Aug. 10, 2026, here is a look at some of Mongabay’s recent coverage of those projects. Protecting…

Home Middle East Live Issued on: 10/08/2026 – 07:31Modified: 10/08/2026 – 07:51 Smoke rises during Houthi missile and drone strikes on the Red Sea port city of Mocha, Yemen on August 9, 2026. © Reuters Yemen’s military said seven people were killed and 30 injured in a Houthi attack on the Red Sea port city of Mocha. Meanwhile, Iran said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the US met certain demands made by Tehran. Follow our live blog for the latest developments. 10/08/2026 – 07:29Tehran issues new list of demands for US to reopen Strait of Hormuz Iran’s national…

Subscriptions will be easier to cancel and companies will be compelled to make it clear when contracts auto-renew at a higher price, Andy Burnham has announced.The prime minister is also planning to outlaw shops from falsely claiming products previously retailed at much lower prices to advertise supposed deals, which he said tricks shoppers into thinking they are getting better value on purchases.Burnham will bring forward a package of changes announced under his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer to end so-called subscription traps and a crackdown on “pretend prices”.Shadow chancellor Mel Stride branded the measures “reheated” and said the prime minister “has…