Author: NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORK

The trade-offs: At 3 millimeters thick, it’s noticeably bulkier than some other tracker cards I’ve tested, so it may feel too thick for slim wallets or card holders. While the polycarbonate design feels durable, its IPX4 water-resistant rating only protects against splashes and light rain. That’s probably enough for everyday use, but I’ve tested trackers with more robust water and dust protection. Finally, though it’s compatible with an iPhone or Android, the tracker card can’t switch between both.Honorable MentionsPhotograph: Adrienne SoPebblebee Clip 5 for $35: The Pebblebee Clip 5 feels sturdier than the AirTag, but it’s also slightly thicker and…

A cluster of 77 extensions on the Open VSX marketplace has been found to impersonate legitimate developer tools while transmitting information about the systems and development environments on which they were installed. The “evil twin” extensions were uploaded to the repository between July 26 and August 1, 2026, according to Manifold Security. The packages have been removed from Open VSX as of August 3, 2026. “In most of the packages it sends little more than the machine’s hostname,” security researchers Ax Sharma and Cody Nash said. “In nineteen of them it sends a detailed description of the machine, the repository…

The Coldcard hardware wallet exploit has resulted in the theft of at least 1,596 BTC from about 7,300 addresses as users continue moving funds from potentially vulnerable wallets.Galaxy Research said the confirmed losses came from three major attack waves and 14 smaller incidents.The firm has also identified a possible fourth wave that could increase the total to 2,055 BTC, worth about $130 million, but has kept those addresses outside its confirmed estimate pending additional victim reports.Coldcard Wallet Exploits Fund Movement (Source: Galaxy Research)At least 73 victims have contacted Galaxy’s head of research, Alex Thorn, for help tracing their Bitcoin. Those…

Artificial intelligence has helped scientists produce the first comprehensive global assessment of floating algae, revealing that blooms are spreading across much of the world’s ocean. Researchers say the expansion is likely being influenced by changes in ocean temperatures, currents, and nutrient levels. The shift could bring major consequences for marine ecosystems, tourism, public health, and coastal economies. The study was led by scientists at the University of South Florida and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It also highlights how artificial intelligence can be used to process enormous volumes of satellite data that would be difficult to examine manually. AI…

In April 2026, Malaysia enacted an absolute ban on the import of electronic waste, moving to end its role as a primary destination for the world’s hazardous electrical and electronic scrap. The regulation aims to shutter a black market of illegal recycling yards that use falsified paperwork to smuggle toxic materials into the country, reports contributor Ashley Yeong for Mongabay. Investigators and NGOs have long raised concerns about containers with falsely declared documents frequently slipping into Malaysia’s illegal recycling sites. To get through customs, smugglers often declare electronic waste, or e-waste, as legitimate raw materials. The large volume…

Norway’s technology company ECOnnect Energy has strengthened its position in the Caribbean with a deal for the use of its floating marine liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure at an LNG terminal in The Bahamas. La Santa Maria platform in operation during a previous LNG discharge test in Norway; Source: ECOnnect ECOnnect Energy has signed a charter agreement to deploy its IQuay C-Class floating LNG infrastructure to The Bahamas with New Providence Gas (NPG), a joint venture between Shell Bahamas Power Company (Shell) and Sun Oil, a subsidiary of FOCOL Holdings. This solution will enable LNG imports from an LNG carrier…

When I am woken by the sound of my dog whining, I understand that she is hungry and wants me to get up. When my alarm clock goes off, I don’t consider its needs. It is following an instruction to rouse me at a certain time but it doesn’t care if I stay in bed. It doesn’t try to get me up by other means. The dog, on the other hand, will go to plan B. She barks.This capacity for autonomous action was once a difference between animals and machines. AI has blurred the line. Advanced models devise their own…

The story of the founding fathers of artificial intelligence almost always features British mathematician Alan Turing and his computing machine. John von Neumann is often presented as the mastermind behind programmable computers. Names from the Dartmouth group – such as John McCarthy or Marvin Minsky – are also sometimes cited as the “inventors” of artificial intelligence. Read moreThe Dartmouth Workshop: The $7,500 investment that gave birth to AI (2/3) However, another figure is often overlooked or relegated to the category of second-rate pioneers: Norbert Wiener, the founding father of cybernetics in the 1940s. ChatGPT, Claude and other AI chatbots can…

Russia has attacked Ukraine with ballistic missiles and drones, killing at least 17 people, as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said interceptors “could have saved lives”.In one of the deadliest strikes across Kyiv this year – which started after midnight on Wednesday – at least 44 people were injured after residential buildings, a railway station and warehouses were hit, Zelensky said.Ukraine, who has consistently urged allies for more US-made Patriot missile interceptors to defend against Russian ballistics, has not reported intercepting any of the missiles in the overnight attack.Zelensky added delays in receiving anti-ballistic systems from partners leads to “horrific casualties…

Andy Burnham is considering launching a public inquiry into the UK activities of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a minister has said.The victims minister, Alex Davies-Jones, said the prime minister had agreed to meet Epstein’s victims, was “looking into” an inquiry and was “taking this very seriously”. A separate inquiry into the alleged actions of the former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed is also being considered.Asked if a public inquiry was on the table, Davies-Jones told BBC Newsnight: “We are looking into this, we are reviewing what is possible … same with Harrods survivors. We already have a statutory…