A massive hacking operation that was infecting computers around the world and stealing at least $10 million in the US alone has been foiled by a joint operation between the US and British police along with assistance from hackers and cybersecurity firms. US prosecutors announced on Tuesday that they had achieved a victory in the ‘war on malware’ that saw them take control of a network of machines used to distribute the virus known as Bugat, Cridex or Dridex. Enslaved computers The malware … [Read more...]
New Fossil Teeth Puts Humans in Asia Earlier than Thought
October 15, 2021 By
A new set of fossil finds from China appear to have completely shaken up the story of humankind’s travel around the world from Africa. The scientists working in Daoxian in south China have found human teeth that date back to at least 80,000 years ago, which is some 20,000 years earlier than the widely accepted ‘Out of Africa’ theory about the migration of our species. Evidence Originally, evidence including genetics and archaeology, showed that human beings moved from Africa some 60,000 years … [Read more...]
Tensions Increase in Turkey after Suicide Bombings
October 13, 2021 By
Following the growing tensions in Turkey after the deadly explosions on Saturday, the bomb squad were sent to deal with a suspicious package near the main train station in the capital Ankara. Police carried out a controlled explosion on the package which turned out to contain food but showed the level of concern affecting the country. At least 97 people were killed on Saturday at a peace rally near the train station and so far no suspects have been arrested, leaving the population on … [Read more...]
Talks on Syria Air Safety to Take Place Between US and Russia
October 10, 2021 By
Russia has agreed to resume talks with the US regarding the subject of air safety over Syria during the bombing campaigns that are taking place, according to the Pentagon. The talks are likely to take place ‘as soon as the weekend’ according to press secretary Peter Cook. There have been growing concerns that there could be an accidental clash between forces of the two countries as both conduct their separate bombing campaigns over the country. NATO allies have also been alarmed by the … [Read more...]
FBI Helps Moldova Stop Nuclear Smuggling Plot
October 8, 2021 By
The FBI have helped the authorities in Moldova to stop three different potential nuclear and radioactive smuggling plots in the last five years, the Moldovan interior minister said on Wednesday. The cases were sting operations within the former Soviet republic and no-one from jihadi groups were involved, according to a US law enforcement officer involved in the investigations. But officials were concerned that the smugglers would then sell the materials to extremist groups such as … [Read more...]
New Safe Harbour Ruling May Threaten Facebook Data Transfers
October 6, 2021 By
An agreement that allowed tech giants to send personal data from the EU to the US has been ruled invalid by the European Courts of Justice. Known as the Safe Harbour agreement, the courts said that it did not eliminate the need for local privacy watchdogs to ensure that US firms were taking adequate data protection measures. The ruling means that Ireland’s regulator now has to decide if Facebook’s EU to US transfers need to be suspended. The pact has been in place for fifteen years and a … [Read more...]
Oregon Gunman Held 13 Legal Weapons Say Federal Agents
October 3, 2021 By
Federal agents investigating the man who killed nine people in an Oregon college this week said they found 13 weapons in his home. All of the weapons that he owned and used in the shooting had been purchased legally. Chris Harper Mercer carried six guns into the Umpqua Community College in Roseburg while he himself was wearing a flak jacket. He opened fire on those he found and was killed by police after a gun battle. Seven further weapons were discovered when his home was … [Read more...]
New Study Shows Good Bacteria Can Help Prevent Asthma
October 1, 2021 By
When it comes to the health of our stomach and intestine, we often hear of the benefit of the so called ‘good bacteria’ that can help everything function well. Now a study from Canada has shown that these good bacteria could also help prevent children developing asthma. The report in the Science Translational Medicine journal showed that the team had analysed billions of bugs that naturally live within the human body and that children were at a higher risk of asthma if four bacteria were … [Read more...]
NASA Confirms Streaks on Mars Caused by Liquid Water
September 29, 2021 By
Following the big build up over the last few days about a big announcement, NASA has confirmed that it now believes that dark streaks seen on Mars are caused by periodic flows of liquid water. Data from the NASA satellite shows these features on slopes are also associated with salt deposits. These salts could alter the freezing and vaporisation points of water in the thin Martian atmosphere and allowing the water to stay in a fluid state long enough to move. The findings of the report have … [Read more...]
VW Car Sales Banned in Switzerland Following Emissions Scandal
September 26, 2021 By
Switzerland has placed a temporary ban on the sale of Volkswagen (VW) diesel cars in the country which may have the device installed capable of tricking emissions tests. The country added that the move could affect 180,000 cars that are yet to be sold or registered in the Euro5 emissions category. The move follows VW, the largest car manufacturer in the world, admitting that it had cheated on emission tests in the US. Chief executive Martin Winterkorn resigned on Wednesday and the troubled … [Read more...]
