Author: NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORK

Compare Our PicksOthers We TestedPhotograph: Molly HigginsRiccar Gem Handheld Vacuum With Tools for $70: This model is very similar to the Simplicity corded model above, and although it’s portable and handheld, this big boy needs to be plugged in for power. I like how basic it is: It just has a top switch for on/off, and a button on top to release the dust canister, which is at the front of this model rather than behind. Once disengaged, you just need to pull up the semi-spherical fabric mesh filter and dump out debris. Unfortunately, lots of fur and dust get…

Ravie LakshmananJul 27, 2026Cyber Attack / Threat Intelligence Cybersecurity researchers have flagged fresh malicious cyber activity by a threat actor with ties to East Asia targeting government entities in the Middle East. The intrusions have resulted in the deployment of previously unreported malware families dubbed TELESHIM, MIXEDKEY, and BINDCLOAK, according to Zscaler ThreatLabz. The cybersecurity firm said it detected the campaign earlier this month. “The campaign used a multi-stage attack chain to establish and maintain access on infected systems, with TELESHIM abusing the Telegram API for command-and-control (C2) communication to blend in with legitimate internet traffic,” Sudeep Singh, senior manager…

European authorities added 15 crypto companies including a BNY Mellon unit to the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework register in the third update of regulated providers since the July 1 transitional deadline.With the European Securities and Markets Authority’s (ESMA) update on Friday, its interim MiCA register shows 309 licensed crypto-asset service providers (CASPs).The latest entries include four banking institutions, including BNY SA/NV, the Belgian subsidiary of US banking giant BNY Mellon, and three German banks, alongside digital asset platforms such as BitPay, Coinify and Bleap.The update comes as regulators continue building out the MiCA framework, which introduced the European Union’s…

Despite its age, continuous upgrades have kept the Lovell telescope at the cutting edge of astronomical research. It is the third largest steerable radio telescope in the world, and its science was supercharged when it was connected to six other telescopes across central England, to create the e-MERLIN network. Joined together these UK telescopes can zoom into objects in deep space and see them in incredible detail – with similar resolution to the Hubble space telescope.The e-Merlin network is being used for research into:How planets and their parent stars form.How galaxies evolve, and the role played by supermassive black holes.The…

A Thai member of parliament has called for the formation of a new committee to scrutinize the development of new data centers.Experts have warned that Thailand needs to find a balance between economic development and the water and energy resources required to fuel data centers.Despite these concerns, international tech companies are spending billions of dollars on data centers in Thailand, sparking fears over water scarcity and energy infrastructure.See All Key Ideas BANGKOK — An opposition member of Thailand’s parliament has called for the creation of a parliamentary committee on the regulation of data centers. The call comes amid…

Pity Russian savers. In June, the Russian Finance Ministry announced its support for draft legislation to transfer nearly $40 billion in private pension savings into government coffers. Later that month, Russian Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov encouraged President Vladimir Putin to make the most of the almost $1.8 trillion that Russian firms and individuals hold in bank accounts to support state finances. According to Zyuganov’s calculations, “that is three state budgets … sitting there and enriching bankers.” Pondering whether the Russian economy will collapse is in fashion these days—but that may be the wrong question to ask. The better question…

As Donald Trump’s former defense lawyer Todd Blanche appears poised for confirmation as attorney general, numerous Jeffrey Epstein survivors have sounded the alarm that a US justice department helmed by him would derail their pursuit of justice.In a letter urging Republican senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn to reject his nomination, these survivors said that Blanche’s handling of the Epstein case as acting attorney general was characterized by misstep after misstep.Blanche, who reportedly led the disclosure of documents as required by the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act, allowed the disclosure of survivors’ names, photos and identifying information – but omitted…

Just before the Fourth of July, Abdul El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants and a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, looked out at a few hundred people at a rally at a community college in Detroit and talked about the country’s momentous birthday.“We’re on the cusp of our 250th anniversary,” he said.“Boo,” someone scoffed from the front of the crowd, and Dr. El-Sayed stopped to make clear his disapproval.“We don’t boo,” he said.“I know the accident of history that allowed me to be born in this country,” he said. “I know what America can do for somebody. I…

For decades, the federal government has funneled big-ticket grants to local communities to help them take on ambitious construction projects to expand public transit. The grants, sometimes in the billions of dollars, have funded new railroad tracks, train stations and roads rebuilt for modern bus service. Today, they’re funding extensions of the Second Avenue Subway in New York and the Red Line in Chicago, as well as the Gateway Tunnel under the Hudson River and bus infrastructure in Indianapolis and San Antonio.But since President Trump returned to office, the Federal Transit Administration has not signed a single new agreement under…

The European answer to TBPN is here and ready to go live five days a week, starting June 27.  Luke Knight and Ronan Chambers first launched the London-based European Technology Network (ETN) last October, breaking down tech trends and news during a two-day-a-week live stream. Right now, the show is live-streamed on X and YouTube and has garnered more than 5 million views. On Monday, the network announced a $1.6 million seed round from top players in the media ecosystem, including Powerhouse Capital, Axel Springer SE (which owns Business Insider and Politico), the popular media publication LadBible, and angel investors…