Google says schools that disable its AI products for K–12 student accounts will also block those students from using Google Search, because AI is integrated into Search. The company announced new school AI tools and controls, including Guided Learning, which aims to guide students through problems rather than provide answers directly.
Key Facts
Google said access to Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Google Search will be off for K–12 student accounts until school administrators enable them.
Google Vice-President for Education Chris Phillips told the New York Times that schools blocking AI would also block students’ access to Search.
Google plans to integrate Guided Learning, an AI study tool, into Google Search.
Google described Guided Learning as a tool that prompts students to think through problems instead of giving them answers directly.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently imposed a one-year moratorium on generative AI tools in city schools through eighth grade.
Mamdani and former Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan criticized Google’s policy as using its search dominance to push AI adoption in schools.
Google offers widely used school products including Gmail, Google Docs, Google Classroom, and Chromebooks.
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This Tech Life episode examines how independent journalists worldwide face fake copyright complaints on social media, particularly over reporting that criticizes powerful figures. It also covers the use of AI in U.S. railroad safety and technology that synchronizes a live orchestra with screenings of Lord of the Rings.
Key Facts
The episode was published on 3 November 2026 by the World Service.
The programme is presented by Shiona McCallum and produced by Imran Rahman-Jones.
It reports that independent journalists around the world face fake copyright strikes against their social media content.
The episode says journalists’ critical reporting on powerful figures is especially affected.
It examines the use of AI in safety on U.S. railroads.
It covers technology that helps a live orchestra stay in time with Lord of the Rings screenings.
The episode runs for 27 minutes.
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NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere around 3:30 a.m. EST on November 4, 2026, and most of the spacecraft is expected to burn up. The observatory can no longer steer or observe; NASA and the U.S. Space Force are monitoring its uncontrolled descent and estimate the risk of harm to anyone on Earth at about 1 in 2,100.
Key Facts
Swift launched in 2004 with a planned operating life of two years.
The 3,200-pound observatory has detected and tracked more than 2,000 gamma-ray bursts.
NASA says some spacecraft components may survive re-entry, with possible debris limited to a band between 20.6 degrees north and south latitude.
NASA tried to raise Swift’s orbit last year with help from a private space contractor, but the attempt failed after the spacecraft did not rendezvous.
Swift was estimated to be orbiting about 171 miles above Earth last month.
NASA commanded the observatory to end operations in preparation for re-entry.
In July, Swift observed a star being torn apart by a wandering supermassive black hole.
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Binance said suspected North Korean hackers used a fake job interview to try to compromise one of its software engineers, as part of preparations for a cryptocurrency theft the exchange valued at $6.3 billion. The company also reported a separate attempt involving altered software and said it had detected and prevented 57 suspected North Korea-linked cyber incidents so far in 2026.
Key Facts
A Binance software engineer was contacted in September on a job-hunting platform by someone posing as a project director at a fictitious company.
A fake human-resources representative held a live video interview and used a social media profile with personal photos and videos to appear legitimate.
In a later interview round, the supposed employer asked the engineer to download an infected code repository as an assignment.
In June, another engineer downloaded a tampered Homebrew installation while installing an AI coding tool; Binance detected it, replaced the device and changed credentials.
Binance said the June incident exposed the engineer and colleagues to the hacker.
Binance reported 57 suspected North Korea-linked cyber incidents detected and prevented so far in 2026, including attempts using fake interviews and compromised software.
Pindrop Security data cited in the article shows suspected North Korean job applicants increased from 1 in every 343 applications last year to 1 in every 47 this year across its customers.
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Binance said hackers used malware, fake job interviews and an internal AI tool in an attack that drained $6.34 billion from its crypto wallets. The company said $2.85 billion had been frozen or intercepted. The FBI blamed North Korea, which denied the accusation.
Key Facts
Binance said an engineer first downloaded malware inadvertently in June, exposing information about the wallet infrastructure team.
A fake recruiter contacted another engineer through a legitimate job-hunting platform and arranged sham interviews.
Binance said the second interview led the engineer to download malware.
The company said the attacker used a compromised computer and an internal AI tool on 20 October to access two developers’ systems.
On 29 October, the attacker used stolen credentials and a malicious script to launch the wallet attack.
Binance said $6.34 billion was drained and $2.85 billion was frozen or intercepted.
The FBI said North Korea was responsible; North Korean official Kim Yo-jong rejected the allegation.
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North Korea denied involvement in a $6.3 billion hack of cryptocurrency exchange Binance after the FBI attributed the cyberattack to the country. Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, called the accusation “a trite provocation” in a statement Tuesday.
Key Facts
The reported hack targeted cryptocurrency exchange Binance.
The article says the hack involved $6.3 billion.
The FBI attributed the cyberattack to North Korea over the weekend.
North Korea denied involvement in the hack.
Kim Yo Jong issued North Korea’s denial in a statement Tuesday.
Kim Yo Jong is the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
She described the accusation as “a trite provocation.”
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The New York Times and other newspaper publishers sued Brave Software, alleging that its browser bypasses paywalls and that it supplies copyrighted news content to AI companies without permission. They seek a court order to stop the alleged conduct and financial damages; Brave had not responded to the article’s request for comment.
Key Facts
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The publishers allege that Brave copies news articles for its search index, its Ask Brave feature, and its search API.
The complaint says AI companies use material from Brave’s search index to train models and answer user questions.
The publishers allege that Brave’s browser can bypass paywalls and replace publishers’ ads with Brave ads.
The article reports that Brave’s optional paywall-blocker feature was enabled in the browser’s default settings during a test, and could be turned off.
The lawsuit accuses Brave of copyright infringement and violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which restricts circumvention of access controls.
The publishers seek an injunction, damages, and repayment of profits they say Brave made from the alleged conduct.
The New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, and Orlando Sentinel companies filed a similar lawsuit against Brave in the same court.
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Automakers are bringing physical buttons and switches back to car interiors after drivers found touch-screen menus harder to use while driving. Nissan says the new Rogue Hybrid pairs more direct controls and ample storage with design features such as seats inspired by puffer jackets and rear doors that open wide for easier access.
Key Facts
Nissan design manager Hiren Patel said switchless interiors were intended to reduce costs and make car interiors more like software experiences.
Drivers complained that using menus for tasks such as adjusting temperature could take their eyes off the road.
The new Rogue Hybrid has buttons and switches for most controls and built-in storage.
Nissan says the Rogue’s rear doors open to 90 degrees to make it easier to install a child seat or help an older passenger into the back.
Patel said customers want intuitive controls, wireless charging, easy-to-clean surfaces, storage, and easy access.
The Rogue’s seats take inspiration from puffer jackets.
The article contrasts the Rogue Hybrid’s more practical interior with the more minimalist Nissan Ariya.
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Google plans to opt schools out of its AI tools by default, with administrators able to enable them when the changes roll out in the coming months. But Google groups AI features and Search together, so schools that decline the AI tools will also lose access to Google Search.
Key Facts
The policy applies to schools that use Google’s education products.
Administrators must manually enable the tools for students under the planned default setting.
The affected products include Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Google Search.
Google says schools that do not enable AI will not have access to Search.
Schools that enable AI can choose between standard Gemini-based AI and Guided Learning, which Google describes as a tutoring tool.
Google says its generative AI products can make mistakes.
Schools could use alternatives such as DuckDuckGo, which allows users to disable AI features.
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Google says it disrupted the x.cpe botnet, which infected more than 1.3 million Android TV devices, many sold under the MECOOL brand. The malware used system-level access to install modules, disable Play Protect, and support activities including residential proxy traffic and ad fraud.
Key Facts
Google worked with Japan’s National Police Agency, Synthient, and Trend Micro to disrupt the botnet.
Google said a backdoor installed malware after affected devices were set up and connected to the internet.
The malware’s initial stub app could contact its operators and install modules but had no malicious capabilities on its own.
Google said Videostrong operators could run commands, capture screens, and probe devices on local networks.
Trend Micro counted 1,472,554 infected devices, while Google described the botnet as reaching more than 1.3 million devices.
Google said legal action shut down domains and servers used to operate and install the malware, cutting Videostrong off from about 10 million compromised devices.
Google ended its relationship with Videostrong and barred the company and its subsidiaries from using Google’s Android apps and services.
Google said it is changing its device certification process to address the loophole; affected devices may still have Play Protect disabled and malware modules installed.
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International Hospital of Colombia describes its use of robotic systems in joint replacement and its expansion to a multi-specialty surgical platform. The article says robots assist surgeons rather than operate on their own, and that safe programs also require trained teams, patient-selection rules, protocols and outcome monitoring.
Key Facts
HIC introduced Stryker’s Mako system in 2023 for total and partial knee replacement and total hip replacement.
Mako uses CT scans to create a 3D model of a patient’s anatomy and provides virtual boundaries to guide bone preparation.
The surgeon remains in control of planning, decisions and execution during robotic procedures.
HIC says adopting Mako required staff training, workflow changes, operating-room education and new protocols.
By late August 2026, HIC reported performing 690 Mako-assisted hip and knee replacements.
HIC says its hip and knee joint replacement centers received international certification from Joint Commission International.
In 2026, HIC introduced SSI Mantra 3, a platform developed by SS Innovations for soft-tissue procedures.
The article says HIC began robotic surgery in orthopedics before expanding to other specialties and cardiovascular surgery.
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The article says OpenAI is calling its planned data centers “compute campuses,” arguing that the new term better describes their scale and role. It links the rebranding to public opposition over data centers’ resource use and utility costs, and reports efforts by political and media groups to promote the facilities.
Key Facts
An OpenAI spokesperson told Business Insider that “compute campuses” better describes the scale and role of the company’s AI infrastructure investments.
The article says public opposition to data centers has grown partly because people blame them for higher utility bills.
A Morning Consult study from 2017 found that about one-third of Americans did not know the Affordable Care Act and Obamacare referred to the same law.
Media Matters for America reported that pro-data-center claims by Fox News personalities and guests rose 420% after August 18.
The article says the National Republican Senatorial Committee sent a memo on August 18 warning that opposition to the data-center industry could hurt Republican candidates in the midterms.
The Intercept reported in June that Philadelphia police were scanning social media for posts opposing AI data centers, citing a supposed risk from domestic violent extremists.
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A large genetic study identified 48 previously unreported DNA regions associated with Alzheimer’s risk, based on data from about 2.8 million people. The findings point to possible roles for microglia and certain neurons, but they do not provide a clinical test or establish that a person will develop Alzheimer’s.
Key Facts
The study included about 183,620 people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Researchers identified 127 DNA regions associated with Alzheimer’s risk; 48 were new in this context.
The study pooled data from 30 research groups and was published in Nature.
Genetic signals pointed to microglia, immune cells in the brain, and to specific types of neurons.
Researchers also found evidence involving immune-cell activity and the processing of amyloid, a protein that can build up in the brain.
The study estimated that common genetic variants account for about 16 percent of population-level differences in Alzheimer’s risk, compared with a previous estimate of about 5 percent.
The researchers said genetic risk prediction remains a research tool, and genes are only one of several influences on Alzheimer’s risk.
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Argo Space, founded by three former SpaceX engineers, is developing spacecraft that use water as propellant, coolant, and radiation shielding. After a 2025 demonstration mission could not test its propulsion system because a solar array failed to deploy, the company plans two Chiron spacecraft missions in 2027 to demonstrate the system.
Key Facts
Robert, Ryan, and Kirby Carlisle founded Argo Space in late 2022 to build spacecraft and in-space transportation infrastructure.
Argo aims to use water as propellant, which the company hopes could eventually be sourced from the Moon or elsewhere in the Solar System.
The company says water can also cool spacecraft systems and shield them from radiation.
Argo’s Navigator demonstration spacecraft flew on a Falcon 9 rideshare in July, but one of its two solar arrays failed to deploy.
The spacecraft remained short of power, so Argo could not test its propulsion system during the Navigator mission.
Argo plans two missions with its roughly 200-kilogram Chiron spacecraft in 2027 for an undisclosed national security customer.
The planned Chiron flights will target low-Earth orbit and geostationary transfer orbit and aim to demonstrate propulsion and orbital maneuvering.
The first Chiron mission is scheduled to fly on an undisclosed commercial rocket, and the second on a government-furnished launch vehicle.
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Binance said hackers stole $6.3 billion in cryptocurrency after using a fake job interview to trick an engineer into installing malware. The exchange said the attackers then used compromised computers and an internal AI tool; U.S. agencies and cyber analysts have linked the attack to North Korea, which denies responsibility.
Key Facts
Binance described the incident as a sophisticated, multi-stage attack on its systems.
A Binance engineer was invited to fake job interviews through a legitimate job-hunting platform.
The engineer was told to download malware disguised as an interview assignment.
Binance said attackers used the compromised computer and an internal AI tool to access two other engineers' laptops.
Binance suspended customer withdrawals globally and restored them on Sunday.
The company said it had set aside more than 100% of the funds needed to cover the loss and had replenished 98% of the affected token assets as of Saturday.
The FBI and Secret Service assisted Binance in tracing the stolen cryptocurrency.
U.S. agencies and cyber analysts said the attack bore signs of North Korean involvement; North Korea denied responsibility.
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BlackX, a UEFI bootkit, reportedly infected Windows systems even after organizations installed Microsoft’s available updates. It exploits a flaw in older Windows boot managers to bypass Secure Boot and run malicious code early in startup; the article describes Microsoft’s gradual effort to block those vulnerable boot managers.
Key Facts
BlackLotus was the first publicly documented in-the-wild UEFI bootkit reported to bypass Secure Boot on fully updated Windows 11 systems.
BlackLotus and BlackX exploit the Windows boot manager flaw known as Baton Drop, tracked as CVE-2022-21894.
Microsoft patched the underlying vulnerability in 2022, but the patch did not revoke trust in the certificate used to sign older vulnerable boot managers.
Microsoft began additional mitigations in 2023, including adding the Windows UEFI CA 2023 certificate to Secure Boot’s trusted-certificate database.
In 2024, Microsoft introduced a way to add the older Windows Production PCA 2011 certificate to Secure Boot’s forbidden-signatures database.
The article says organizations infected by BlackX had installed the patches and updates described in the report.
UEFI bootkits can run before many operating-system defenses start and may persist after Windows is reinstalled if the infected boot partition remains intact.
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OpenAI has hired former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll as a senior counselor for national security modernization. The company said he will advise it on using AI to support national and cybersecurity.
Key Facts
OpenAI announced Driscoll’s appointment on Monday.
Driscoll will serve as a senior counselor for national security modernization.
OpenAI said Driscoll will advise the company on national and cybersecurity uses of AI.
Driscoll stepped down from his previous role in early September.
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Meta temporarily suspended the No Kings Coalition’s Instagram account during an early-voting push after its automated systems mistook activity involving a Claude AI tool for bot behavior. The coalition says Meta has not offered assurances against similar disruptions before the midterm elections; Ars reported no evidence that the Trump administration requested the suspension or that Meta deliberately targeted the account.
Key Facts
Meta’s systems suspended the No Kings Instagram account and blocked administrators from accessing it for four hours.
Meta’s Andy Stone said the account’s use of a Claude AI tool made it appear to be a bot.
Meta’s automated review detected the error within an hour, but other hurdles prolonged the account lockout.
State and federal lawmakers and a coalition of 14 attorneys general asked Meta to explain its actions.
No Kings rejected Meta’s offer of a meeting with a technical expert and asked to meet with senior leaders.
At an October 30 meeting, Meta said it had no plans to change policies that could lead to mistaken enforcement, according to No Kings’ account.
The coalition asked Meta to disclose publicly any communications with the Trump administration about its account or the early-voting event.
Meta also mistakenly removed the Facebook account of the Republican-controlled Missouri Senate the day before the meeting.
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Binance is trying to restore customer confidence after a reported $6.3 billion hack that investigators believe may be linked to North Korean hackers. The exchange says it will cover users’ losses and froze about half of the targeted funds, while customers withdrew a net $3.6 billion after the breach.
Key Facts
The article describes the $6.3 billion theft as the largest online theft to date.
More than $2.5 billion was taken in a single transaction, according to the article.
A Binance engineer’s laptop was infiltrated, and the exchange reported additional points of breach.
Binance said it would cover the losses and that customer funds were safe.
The exchange said it froze about half of the funds targeted in the hack.
Binance processed $4.6 billion in withdrawals and $1 billion in deposits, for a net outflow of about $3.6 billion.
The article says crypto users generally lack formal government deposit protection in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao warned that scammers were circulating fake compensation offers related to the incident.
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Cyber-attacks disrupted refrigeration systems at retailers in several European countries, and some UK meat processors also reported affected cooling units. The UK National Cyber Security Centre said the national impact was minimal and is helping companies find and fix weaknesses; investigators have not confirmed who carried out the attacks.
Key Facts
Retailers in Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden reported refrigeration problems on Monday.
Some European supermarket refrigeration systems reportedly reached temperatures as high as 50C.
The NCSC said no UK grocery chain had been directly affected and described the national impact as minimal.
The British Association of Independent Meat Suppliers said some of its members had affected cold units, but the units were empty and no produce was lost.
One UK meat company reported cold units reaching up to 100C, while two others said their units began to defrost.
Researchers recorded 256 attempted attacks from 91 sources against online decoy Danfoss fridge controls between 20 and 30 October.
Researchers said the decoy-control attacks showed similarities to operations previously linked to Russia, but the attackers remained unidentified.
The NCSC said the attacks used long-standing vulnerabilities and were not enabled by artificial intelligence.
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