Author: NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORK

After the hopeful good vibes in Liverpool, here comes a reminder of what is coming this winter: a mighty new year shock in energy bills, hitting the poorest hardest, that the government looks unprepared for.From the quarterly price cap level of £1,723 that will apply from Thursday for an average dual-fuel household, take your pick from a range of forecasts for the first three months of 2027. The energy consultancy Cornwall Insight says £1,999. The big supplier EDF thinks £2,076. Split the difference and we’re talking about an 18% quarter-on-quarter rise in the unit rate at the worst time of…

Matan Grinberg, co-founder and CEO of the AI coding startup Factory, said in a post on X on Wednesday that he fired VC Chris Degnan from role as a board advisor. Grinberg alleges that Degnan shared confidential information with Factory’s biggest competitor, Cognition. Two hours later, Degnan announced on both X and LinkedIn that he has joined Cognition as its chief revenue officer. Degnan was Snowflake’s first sales hire and later spent 11 years as the data company’s chief revenue officer. He has spent the last five months as a partner with RPT Partners, a Newport Beach, California-based investor in…

The Russian state actor Star Blizzard has been using a new malware installation tactic dubbed “RedFlick” to deploy its signature CosmicPulse backdoor. Although the tactic is not a new cybersecurity technique, it is a new delivery approach for the threat actor, allowing it to further automate attacks and reduce victim interaction. Microsoft researchers say that Star Blizzard expanded its phishing operations and streamlined malware delivery in 2026. Star Blizzard, active since 2017, is known for exploring new payload delivery avenues like ClickFix or WhatsApp, and for continually developing and deploying new malware families. New RedFlick technique RedFlick attacks begin with…

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has opened applications for crypto firms to become authorized, bringing the sector under full regulation for the first time. In a Wednesday announcement, the watchdog said companies can apply so that the crypto industry has “clarity and legitimacy.” The UK is in the process of drafting a sweeping new crypto bill. The FCA finalized its regulatory framework for cryptoassets in June, and the regime is due to take effect in October 2027.   “The UK’s new crypto regime will give consumers greater protections and firms a clear framework to operate in. Firms can now apply for…

Mulberry has been eaten as food and used in traditional medicine for centuries. Now, researchers are examining whether compounds in the plant can alter the gut microbiota and, in turn, affect metabolism. A review involving scientists from Wroclaw Medical University suggests that the results may depend heavily on the mulberry species, which part of the plant is used, and how it is processed. “The gut microbiota not only contributes to the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract but may also influence metabolism throughout the body. Mulberry is particularly interesting in this respect because it contains numerous bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and…

In August, conservation organizations released another 650 southern mountain yellow-legged frogs into the San Gabriel Mountains, another step forward in reintroduction efforts for this highly endangered species in Southern California in the U.S.Once abundant across its range, the species has seen dramatic declines from invasive fish species, climate change impacts, and the deadly chytrid fungus that is wiping out amphibians worldwide.The August releases involved the Aquarium of the Pacific, Los Angeles Zoo and the U.S. Geological Society. Other institutions and agencies also released captive-bred frogs and tadpoles in 2026, at other sites.With researchers actively exploring ways to manage or…

Reading that Andy Burnham wants to push electoral reform forward and move the UK towards proportional representation (Report, 29 September), I found myself shouting at the screen.I come from Italy, where I have seen proportional systems at work. They drive a wedge between MPs and their constituents. They reward tribalism (yes, even more than here). They leave large parts of the electorate hostage to the whims of tiny parties, and force parties into ragtag coalitions that produce unstable, ineffective governments. And for all that, people do not seem to feel any better represented.Having lived in the UK since 2014 and watched…

Since the fighting erupted, banking services in Tigray have been suspended by the government. Access to the internet has also been cut – though it is not clear who ordered the closure.A separate source in Alamata told the BBC there was a worsening humanitarian crisis in the area, as the town swelled with people fleeing fighting.”All the residents of the surrounding areas entered the town of Alamata by walking on foot for as long as an hour, hoping the town would be safe.”Unfortunately, everything is blocked – no banking service, no money transfer, no power, no internet, no phone. Hence…

For U.S. passport applicants, the days of tracking down photo booths and waiting in endless lines at the post office are almost over.Starting next year, Americans seeking their first passports will be able to apply entirely online, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Tuesday. He was speaking at an event introducing America.gov, a new A.I.-powered website intended to answer Americans’ questions about the federal government.“You’re not going any longer to some drugstore to get your picture taken behind a white screen,” Mr. Rubio said, according to a transcript of his comments provided by the State Department. Applicants will be…

The U.S. government is reportedly alerting millions of current and former U.S. military service members and staff that their personal information was stolen during a months-long breach of the Pentagon’s personnel records, the latest in a spate of thefts involving federal workers’ data in recent months. A data breach notification from the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) shared on Reddit says that several unauthorized users exploited a security vulnerability in an unspecified file-sharing system over several months between October 2025 and mid-July 2026. The breach exposed personally identifiable information, including Social Security numbers, alongside a person’s name, date of birth,…