Binance resumed withdrawals for several cryptocurrencies on Sunday after a hack stole more than $6 billion in assets. The FBI said North Korea was responsible and warned that the stolen funds were being converted and could be laundered through other services.
Key Facts
Binance began restoring withdrawals in phases after suspending them following the hack.
By 5 a.m. Eastern, withdrawals had resumed for Bitcoin, Ether, BNB, XRP, Base, Doge and Optimism.
Binance said it would restore more assets and networks after completing security checks.
The company said it would use its own funds to cover 90% of the losses by buying replacement tokens.
The FBI said North Korea was responsible for the theft, which it said occurred around October 29, 2026.
The FBI attributed the hack to TraderTraitor, a group it also blamed for a $1.5 billion theft from Bybit last year.
The FBI said the group was converting stolen assets into Ethereum and urged companies to block transactions linked to addresses used in laundering.
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The episode examines how conspiracy theories and communication technologies have shaped events over the past 600 years. It discusses the printing press and European witch-hunts, Nazi use of radio, social media’s use by dictators, and possible effects of artificial intelligence.
Key Facts
The episode traces conspiracy theories across roughly 600 years.
It says the printing press helped spread European witch-hunts and also helped usher in the Enlightenment.
It describes the Nazis using radio for mass persuasion.
It says social media has given dictators new tools of control.
The episode considers what artificial intelligence could bring next.
Writer and academic Aya Labanieh appears in the episode.
Mohamed Hassan, Marcos Bartolome, Marthe van der Wolf, and Sonia Bhagat produced the episode.
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A University of Innsbruck study found that dog owners who touched their dogs during a break after one stressful task showed weaker biological stress responses during a second task. The researchers did not find that touching the dogs improved immediate recovery after the first task.
Key Facts
The study included 64 dog owners, with an average age of 34; 51 participants were women and 13 were men.
Participants completed a timed general knowledge quiz and a mental arithmetic task while receiving negative feedback from a researcher.
In one test block, participants could stroke, pet, or hold their dogs; in another, they could see and talk to their dogs but could not touch them.
Participants who touched their dogs during a five-minute break showed weaker biological stress responses during the next task.
Brain recordings showed higher alpha-wave activity during the second task among participants who had touched their dogs.
Participants’ reported feelings of stress did not always match their biological responses.
The study appeared in the journal Biological Psychology.
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Cybersecurity experts warn that scammers can combine birthdays stolen in data breaches with names, addresses, phone numbers and other details to make fraud attempts more convincing. They advise leaving birthday fields blank on retail websites when possible, using a false date on low-risk sites if required, and sharing real birth dates only when an organization needs to verify identity or age.
Key Facts
A breach at online retailer Asos exposed customers’ dates of birth, according to the article.
Experts say a date of birth can help scammers impersonate people or make phishing messages seem more credible when combined with other personal information.
Scammers may combine breach data with leaked credentials, phone numbers, public social media information, employment details and relatives’ information.
A survey by scam investigator Alexandre François found that eight of 14 retailers asked for a date of birth during sign-up.
Experts recommend leaving nonessential personal fields blank and using a separate email address for online shopping.
The article says real birth dates are needed in some cases, including financial, government, identity and age checks.
If a retailer requires a birthday, François suggests using the same date across retailers so it is easier to remember.
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Binance says it has replaced 90% of the $6.3 billion in cryptocurrency stolen in a hack and will cover the rest. The FBI attributed the October 29, 2026, attack to TraderTraitor, a group it linked to North Korea, and said it had seen the stolen assets converted into Ethereum.
Key Facts
Binance said the remaining 10% of stolen tokens are less liquid and may take longer to replace.
Co-CEO Richard Teng said users would not bear the financial impact of the incident.
Binance suspended withdrawals after the hack and said it expected to resume them on Sunday.
The FBI said TraderTraitor was responsible for the theft and urged companies to block transactions linked to addresses used by the group.
The FBI said the stolen assets could be laundered through decentralized finance services and instant swaps.
Binance said it was using its Secure Asset Fund for Users, its Futures Insurance Fund, and corporate funds to replace the assets.
After news of the hack, Bitcoin fell nearly 5%, Ethereum nearly 6%, and BNB nearly 10%.
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The FBI attributed the theft of $6.3 billion in virtual assets from Binance to North Korea’s TraderTraitor group and said the stolen funds were being laundered, mainly through conversion to Ethereum. Binance said it had replaced 90 percent of the stolen amount with company funds and planned to restore the rest; it expected to reopen withdrawals on Sunday.
Key Facts
The FBI identified North Korea’s TraderTraitor group as responsible for the Binance theft.
The FBI said the stolen assets were being converted mainly into Ethereum and laundered in stages.
The FBI urged virtual asset service providers to block transactions tied to suspected digital addresses.
Binance said it had bought replacement tokens equal to 90 percent of the stolen amount.
Binance said less liquid tokens made up the remaining 10 percent and could take longer to replace.
Binance said the replacement funds came from its customer-protection reserve, its Futures Insurance Fund, and its corporate treasury.
Binance said it was on track to reopen customer withdrawals on Sunday and published a new proof-of-reserves snapshot.
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Neocloud firms that rent computing power to major AI companies face falling share prices and rising borrowing costs as investors question their debt and dependence on a few large customers. Their outlook is tied to continued AI spending by companies such as Microsoft, Google, Anthropic and OpenAI.
Key Facts
Neocloud firms operate large data centers and lease computing capacity to AI developers and other major technology companies.
These firms often borrow against long-term customer contracts and the AI chips they buy.
Analyst Cory Johnson said CoreWeave had accumulated $35.1 billion in debt.
CoreWeave shares fell about a quarter over the month, while shares in Nebius, IREN and Applied Digital fell by similar amounts or more.
Gartner analysts predict that 80% of neocloud firms will stop operating independently by 2030; Forrester analysts expect at least three may soon be acquired.
CoreWeave, IREN, Core Scientific and Applied Digital began in cryptocurrency mining before expanding into AI infrastructure.
Microsoft and Google recently forecast lower AI spending than Wall Street analysts expected, and shares in several neocloud firms fell.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called neocloud firms a small part of the overall AI ecosystem.
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The FBI said North Korea stole more than $6 billion in virtual assets from Binance in an attack that occurred on or about October 29. The bureau linked the theft to the TraderTraitor cyber campaign and urged crypto businesses to block transactions tied to listed addresses as investigators track the stolen funds.
Key Facts
The FBI attributed the theft to North Korea in a cyber alert released Saturday.
The bureau said the theft involved more than $6 billion in virtual assets.
The FBI said the hackers have mainly converted the stolen assets into Ethereum.
U.S. authorities expect the funds to move through decentralized finance platforms and instant-swap services as part of an attempted laundering effort.
The FBI said the investigation involved the U.S. Secret Service and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Binance said its initial investigation indicated that a software engineer’s laptop may have been compromised, allowing hackers to access its systems and approve withdrawals.
The FBI urged crypto companies, exchanges, decentralized finance services, blockchain analytics firms and node operators to block transactions tied to addresses it linked to the attackers.
TRM Labs said the attack took about 36 hours to prepare and involved code targeting two wallets.
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NASA’s Swift Observatory is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere around Friday after solar activity sped up its orbital decay. Most of the spacecraft should burn up, but some dense parts could reach the surface; officials expect any debris to most likely land in the ocean and have not identified a precise location.
Key Facts
Swift launched in 2004 to detect gamma-ray bursts, powerful explosions in space.
During its 22-year mission, Swift detected more than 2,000 gamma-ray bursts and about 1,400 exploding stars.
Swift also observed black holes, comets and asteroids, and provided early alerts to other observatories.
Solar activity heated and expanded the upper atmosphere, increasing drag on Swift and accelerating its descent.
A planned rescue using Katalyst Space’s Link spacecraft failed to reach Swift and raise its orbit.
Possible impact areas span parts of Africa, Australia, India, Southeast Asia, Central America and South America.
NASA shut down Swift’s systems after the spacecraft descended too low to maintain stable observations.
The U.S. Space Force is tracking Swift, and forecasts may become more precise in the final hours before re-entry.
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Attackers stole about $6.3 billion in client assets from Binance in what the article describes as the largest cryptocurrency heist in history. Analysts suspect hackers backed by North Korea were responsible, and the breach has renewed debate about regulation and the security of crypto platforms.
Key Facts
Binance is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, according to the article.
Attackers stole about $6.3 billion in client assets.
Analysts suspect the hackers had backing from the North Korean government.
Critics say stronger regulation could help restore investor trust.
The discussion examines whether cryptocurrency platforms can be made safer and whether attacks like this can be prevented.
The article features a Duke University lecturer and former Federal Reserve Bank examiner, an investigative journalist, and a Georgetown University law professor.
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Artists and creative workers in Anthony Albanese’s Grayndler electorate are opposing a possible change to Australian copyright law that could let AI companies use online work unless creators opt out. The government says it is considering reforms and expects to release draft laws by the end of 2026, with parliamentary consideration planned for 2027.
Key Facts
Grayndler has more than 3,000 cultural and creative businesses, and 10% of its workers are employed in creative fields, compared with 4.2% nationally.
The proposed AI reforms are part of a broader package covering data centres, energy and the economy.
Anthropic has suggested an opt-out model that would allow content scraping unless rights holders object.
Some AI companies say licensing under current copyright law would be too difficult for training their models.
Albanese has said creatives should receive the strongest possible protection and described unpaid use of their work as theft.
Artist and Greens councillor Pete Strong opposes the proposal and says creators’ work could be taken and used without permission.
Designer and artist Lu Campbell-Smith says requiring creators to opt out is unacceptable, though she has found AI useful in her own work.
Draft laws are expected by the end of 2026, and parliament is expected to consider them in 2027.
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The article argues that West Virginia should not become a dumping ground for AI development. The writer describes a forest scene and says they worry AI could harm places they see as embodying humanity.
Key Facts
The article focuses on West Virginia and AI development.
The title rejects treating West Virginia as an AI dumping ground.
The writer describes a forest with ferns, juncos and cherry trees.
The writer says they worry AI is destroying places where humanity’s essence exists.
The excerpt does not identify any AI project, company or specific environmental impact.
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Binance says it has replaced about 90% of the $6.3 billion in cryptocurrency stolen in a hack and will cover users’ losses. The company is working to restore withdrawals, while the investigation into the attack continues and blockchain analytics firms point to a North Korean group as a possible culprit.
Key Facts
Binance says it has set aside more than $6.34 billion in company funds to cover the stolen assets.
The company said bitcoin, ethereum, Tether and seven other widely traded crypto assets are covered.
Binance said it hoped to resume user withdrawals on Sunday, 1 November, pending confirmation of the details.
The exchange said it had frozen about $3 billion in stolen assets with help from law enforcement and other partners.
Binance’s initial investigation indicated that an engineer’s laptop was compromised; a later update cited additional points of breach.
Co-chief executive Richard Teng said more than one person carried out the hack and used methods to hide their tracks.
Two blockchain analytics firms say intelligence points to North Korea’s Lazarus Group, also known as TraderTraitor, as a likely culprit; the investigation is ongoing.
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Binance said hackers stole more than $6 billion from its cryptocurrency wallets, a theft that blockchain firms described as the largest on record. Binance said it had set aside more than $6.34 billion to cover losses and was working with partners to freeze assets and recover funds. Blockchain firms suspect a North Korean hacking group, while U.S. officials are investigating.
Key Facts
Binance said more than $6 billion in assets were stolen.
The exchange said it reserved more than $6.34 billion in company funds to cover the stolen assets and promised to cover users’ losses.
Binance and blockchain partners froze roughly $3 billion in affected assets.
TRM said an attacker moved about $6.36 billion from Binance wallets across 10 blockchains, mostly within about 20 minutes.
TRM and Chainalysis said the attack was likely carried out by TraderTraitor, a hacking group they link to North Korea.
Binance said its initial investigation pointed to a compromised laptop and later found additional points of breach.
President Donald Trump said U.S. officials were investigating the hack and responded to a question about North Korea by saying, “We’re looking at that.”
TRM and other experts described the theft as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record; the article cites the $1.5 billion Bybit hack as a previous major theft.
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Some singles use chatbots to help with dating, including reviewing messages and profiles, planning dates and practising conversations. A Match Group survey of 3,000 British singles found that 39% had used AI in their dating lives, with higher rates among Gen Z and millennials; about a third said they would end a date if they learned AI had written a prospective partner’s messages.
Key Facts
The Match Group survey found that 66% of Gen Z respondents and 53% of millennials had used AI in dating.
Common uses included getting advice about someone, planning dates, practising conversations, writing profiles or messages, and checking whether profiles or photos seemed genuine.
Most singles surveyed disapproved of using AI to alter a dating photo.
One New Zealand single used ChatGPT as a dating mentor to help her feel more secure and avoid rushing into relationships.
A 51-year-old Melbourne man said AI helped him assess matches and led him to meet his current partner.
The article reports that 7% of surveyed singles preferred discussing dates with a chatbot, compared with 29% who preferred a group chat and 20% who preferred their parents.
A London man said he uploaded dating conversations to ChatGPT to ask for views on red flags and the nature of a connection.
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Binance is trying to recover $6.3 billion in cryptocurrency reportedly stolen from its users. Analysts have pointed to North Korea as a possible source of the attack, which would exceed the previous record crypto theft.
Key Facts
Hackers reportedly stole $6.3 billion from Binance users.
Binance executives are working to recover the stolen funds.
Analysts have pointed to North Korea as being behind the attack.
The theft is described as the largest in cryptocurrency history.
The previous record was a $1.5 billion theft from crypto exchange Bybit in February 2025.
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Binance says blockchain partners have frozen at least $3 billion of the $6.3 billion stolen in a crypto heist that investigators link to North Korean hackers. Researchers say the attackers used rapid, automated transactions and methods to erase evidence, reflecting the growing scale and speed of North Korea’s cyber operations.
Key Facts
Binance said the attackers may have gained access by compromising an engineer’s laptop and other points of breach.
Several blockchain investigation firms linked the attack to TraderTraitor, a group associated with North Korea’s Lazarus Group.
Binance co-CEO Richard Teng said the hackers used a mechanism that destroyed their tools and traces.
Chainalysis reported that the attackers moved the stolen funds in as little as 20 minutes.
TRM Labs researchers found that preparations for the attack began about 36 hours before it started.
TraderTraitor was also linked to last year’s $1.5 billion theft from the ByBit crypto exchange.
North Korean hackers stole $81 million in a 2016 attack on Bangladesh’s central bank after attempting to take nearly $1 billion.
Pindrop Security CEO Vijay Balasubramaniyan said North Korean job applicants made up one in 47 applications across his customer base this year, compared with one in 343 last year.
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Recent earnings from major cloud and technology companies showed both strong demand for AI services and risks to established businesses and profits. Tech stocks came under pressure, while companies continued to invest heavily in AI infrastructure.
Key Facts
The Nasdaq briefly fell 10% from its previous peak, entering correction territory, and lost $1.2 trillion in value during October.
Google reported rising search queries, but AI-powered search results have lower margins and may reduce revenue from its core search advertising business.
Google Cloud is narrowing the revenue gap with Microsoft Azure, with demand for Google’s TPU chips contributing to growth.
Microsoft and Amazon reported strong cloud growth, though investors wanted faster growth from Amazon.
Amazon’s net income fell partly because it did not repeat a prior-year pretax gain from its investment in Anthropic.
Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI slightly increased its net income.
Some technology companies have turned free cash flow negative as they spend on AI infrastructure.
Cisco executive Jeetu Patel identified a major cyber event that weakens demand for AI as a potential risk.
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The United States, Russia and China plan to deploy nuclear reactors on the moon to power lunar bases and mining, including efforts to extract water ice near the south pole. NASA aims to develop its reactor by 2030, while Russia and China target a joint project around 2036. The plans raise concerns about the risk of a radioactive accident during transport or operation.
Key Facts
NASA says its Lunar Reactor 1 would produce 20 kilowatts of electricity and operate for five years without maintenance.
Russia is developing the Selena reactor, which is expected to produce 10 kilowatts and run for a decade without maintenance.
The Russian reactor is intended to power a Chinese-led moon base around 2036.
The planned reactors would support lunar bases and mining of water ice in permanently shadowed craters near the moon’s south pole.
Water extracted from lunar ice could support life and potentially be used to make rocket fuel.
The countries say their reactors would remain switched off until they reach the moon.
The Soviet Union launched more than 30 nuclear fission reactors into Earth orbit from the late 1960s through the 1980s to power spy satellites.
The United States has not successfully launched a nuclear reactor into space; a 1965 experiment stopped operating after an electrical component failed.
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Blockchain analytics firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis say North Korea’s Lazarus Group, also known as TraderTraitor, is the likely culprit in a reported $6.3 billion Binance hack. Binance says its investigation found additional points of breach and that it has secured about 80% of the stolen assets; the rest remains unaccounted for.
Key Facts
TRM Labs identified Lazarus Group as the likely attacker with high confidence, and Chainalysis also linked the group to the incident.
The attack reportedly involved a Binance hot wallet, which is connected to the internet.
TRM Labs said the attacker likely accessed Binance’s hot-wallet signing system.
Binance initially said an engineer’s laptop may have been compromised, then reported finding additional points of breach.
A Binance spokesperson said the company had secured about 80% of the stolen assets.
The FBI previously blamed North Korea for the theft of $1.5 billion from the Bybit exchange.
The FBI has accused North Korea of cybercrime and virtual-asset theft; Pyongyang has denied accusations that its government relies on cybercrime.
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