Author: NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORK

On September 8, Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) detailed several attacks that show how quickly AI is changing the economics of cybercrime. In one credential-harvesting campaign, a threat actor first compromised an organization’s cloud infrastructure, then built and deployed a multi-agent attack framework. The operation took less than six hours in total and resulted in thousands of third-party credentials being compromised. The AI even managed parts of the vulnerability-scanning pipeline, troubleshot problems as they arose and rotated IP addresses with minimal human intervention. One of the main benefits of AI for organizations is the productivity gains it can deliver. Unfortunately,…

In brief A group calling itself iamnotavillain has demanded 6,000 XMR, around $3 million, within 24 hours. It says it used blockchain analysis to find Revolut accounts with large crypto holdings. Revolut says it has received no direct contact or demand. A criminal group has put a 24-hour clock on Revolut, demanding $3 million in Monero or it will sell hundreds of customers’ identity documents and transaction records to other criminals, the Financial Times reported.The demand, posted Wednesday on a website the group set up for the purpose, asks for “6,000 XMR / $3,000,000” and warns that otherwise “all the…

Astronomers have confirmed the youngest known planet yet, a world less than 1 million years old that is still surrounded by the gas and dust from which it formed. The planet, called Elias 2-24 b, was identified using observations preserved in NASA-funded archives. It is still orbiting within its young star’s dusty disk, giving scientists a rare opportunity to study planet formation while it is still happening. “Our planet-formation models already struggled to explain the previous record holders for the youngest known planet — a four-way tie between two planets orbiting the star PDS 70 and two planets orbiting the…

Sri Lanka will keep the two most visited sections of Yala National Park closed from Sept. 14 to Oct. 15 as drought conditions and extreme heat intensify pressure on wildlife.Wildlife officers are supplying water to animals as natural water sources have largely dried up but concentrating thirsty wild animals around remaining water holes could spark new conservation risks.Poachers have previously poisoned water holes during droughts to kill deer and other animals for meat, with similar incidents reported in and around several protected areas across Sri Lanka.The crisis highlights how climate-driven water shortages expose wildlife to an array of fresh…

Switzerland-based offshore drilling contractor Transocean has secured an estimated 170-day assignment for its ten-year-old ultra-deepwater drillship off the coast of Equatorial Guinea, adding approximately $80 million to the offshore driller’s backlog. Deepwater Conqueror drillship; Source: Transocean Transocean has been awarded a two-well contract by an undisclosed operator for the Deepwater Conqueror drillship in Equatorial Guinea. This estimated 170-day campaign is expected to begin in 2027 in direct continuation of the rig’s current contract in the U.S. Gulf. The latest assignment will contribute approximately $80 million in backlog, excluding additional services and compensation for mobilization and demobilization. The 2016-built Deepwater Conqueror…

Reading Time: 4 minutes The median home price in northeast Wisconsin has more than doubled over the last decade while fair market rents in the region’s two largest cities have also climbed sharply. Local officials, housing advocates and economists say those cost increases — fueled by tight supply and high demand — have made it harder for young families to purchase their first home and for renters to make ends meet. Northeast Wisconsin is home to Green Bay and the Fox Valley. It’s a mix of medium-sized cities and rural communities. Wisconsin Realtors Association data shows median home prices in…

The lights go down, and for a moment I forget I’m watching a screen. It fills with a rooftop in Tel Aviv at night, black and grey. The camera pans down. Through windows, we see people watching screens of their own – couples holding each other close, following the news, eating food. They appear absorbed in their own worlds, and why wouldn’t they be?That’s the thing I can’t get past as a Palestinian journalist from Gaza, watching this apparent tranquillity: this must be it – this must be what safety actually looks like. Just an evening uninterrupted, with no military…

Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. | The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute. https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/assassination-martin-luther-king-jr. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.Assassins | Music Theatre International. 29 Dec. 2020, https://www.mtishows.com/assassins.Bullet Speech | Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. https://www.trlibrary.com/bullet-speech. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.By. “JOHN HINCKLEY REFUSED VOTE IN D.C.” Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sept. 1990, https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1990/09/19/john-hinckley-refused-vote-in-dc/.Byman, Daniel, and Riley McCabe. Left-Wing Terrorism and Political Violence in the United States: What the Data Tells Us. Sept. 2025. www.csis.org, https://www.csis.org/analysis/left-wing-terrorism-and-political-violence-united-states-what-data-tells-us.C, et al. “John Hinckley, Who Tried To Kill A President, Wins His Freedom.” NPR, 27 July 2016. America. NPR, https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/07/27/487595220/john-hinckley-who-tried-to-kill-a-president-wins-his-freedom.Cavendish, Demetria Kalodimos, Steve. “Sara Jane Moore,…

Democratic House leader Jeffries flags concerns as House passes Russia sanctions billHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the Russia sanctions bill had “so many loopholes” as Congress passed the sweeping bill to give Donald Trump the power to raise tariffs on top buyers of Russian energy.The Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 passed in a 262-159 vote on the last day before Congress goes on recess ahead of the midterm elections. Graham, who died earlier this year, co-authored and submitted the bill more than a year and a…

North-eastern Spain has been hit by torrential rain and flash floods, leaving one person dead and causing widespread disruption across the region.Spain’s national weather agency AEMET issued warnings for heavy rain across eastern regions on Wednesday, including a red alert for Barcelona’s coastline.Rescuers recovered the body of a man on Thursday in Olivella, around 40km (25 miles) west of Barcelona, after his car was swept away by a stream, authorities said.The deluge has disrupted travel across Catalonia and Valencia, with flights cancelled and roads submerged. Authorities have advised against unnecessary travel, while Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned of “very complicated…