Scammers used a technique called a "SIM swap attack" to hack into a woman's phone and steal thousands of dollars by accessing her accounts. This happened because her personal information was leaked in previous data breaches. Hackers use exposed data to take control of accounts, often combining it with other information available online.
Key Facts
Scammers performed a SIM swap attack, tricking a network operator to control the victim's phone number.
The victim's personal data was leaked through past data breaches at companies like PaddyPower and Verifications.io.
This allowed scammers to access her online accounts, including email and banking.
Criminals used her accounts to make unauthorized purchases and send disturbing messages.
Data breaches exposed details like her email, phone number, and address.
Another victim's Netflix account was hijacked, likely due to their email being exposed in multiple breaches.
Hackers often sell access to stolen streaming service accounts online.
Data breaches can combine with public data, making it easier for scammers to target individuals.
President Donald Trump announced a national plan called "The Genesis Mission" to use artificial intelligence (AI) for speeding up scientific discoveries. The initiative aims to bring together scientists and technology from national labs, companies, and universities. The plan focuses on areas like energy, materials, and space, and includes partnerships with companies like Nvidia.
Key Facts
President Trump introduced an initiative called "The Genesis Mission" to accelerate scientific breakthroughs using AI.
The plan involves deregulation, investing in infrastructure, and public-private partnerships.
The US Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, is tasked with coordinating the nation's 17 national laboratories for research.
The initiative will integrate US supercomputers and data to create a platform for AI experimentation.
Key areas of focus include nuclear fusion, semiconductors, and space exploration.
Chipmaker Nvidia and AI startup Anthropic are partnering with the Trump administration on this mission.
Trump aims to create a single federal standard for AI, criticizing state-level regulations.
The White House likens this initiative to the Apollo moon-landing program in its ambition.
An elderly man named Eddie Rushe from Lurgan, County Armagh, lost £35,000 due to cryptocurrency scams spread through fake AI-generated social media ads. The scam involved false endorsement from public figures and led to significant stress and health issues for Mr. Rushe. His son is seeking help from the Financial Ombudsman Service to recover the lost money.
Key Facts
Eddie Rushe lost £35,000 in three different scams over 18 months.
The scams used AI-generated ads on social media with fake endorsements by well-known figures.
The scammers convinced Mr. Rushe to change bank accounts and buy new equipment for cryptocurrency transactions.
After realizing he was scammed, Mr. Rushe suffered a stroke, which his son believes was stress-induced.
Mr. Rushe was targeted two more times, losing an additional £20,000.
His son, Michael, is working with the Financial Ombudsman Service to try to recover some of the lost money.
The scams involved frequent phone calls and fake financial advisers to build trust.
Mr. Rushe continues to receive scam calls but is now aware not to answer them.
Nigerian entrepreneur Rory Okoli founded TripZapp to make it easier for tourists to organize trips to Africa. The company helps travelers book and pay for trips and aims to connect tourists with local businesses.
Key Facts
Rory Okoli is a Nigerian entrepreneur.
She started her career in Nigeria's hospitality industry.
Rory founded TripZapp to help tourists organize African trips.
TripZapp connects tourists with locally-owned businesses.
The company uses the latest payment and productivity tools.
TripZapp offers unique experiences like swimming with turtles in Zanzibar and hot air balloon rides in Egypt.
This news is part of a series on technology in Africa.
A new feature on the social media platform X, designed to show the location of users, revealed that several high-profile political accounts post misleading location information. While X claims the data is mostly accurate, factors like travel and VPN use can alter location details. Some political accounts both supporting and opposing President Trump were found to be based outside the U.S.
Key Facts
X introduced a feature that shows user locations on their profiles.
Some political accounts supporting and opposing President Trump were found to be based outside the U.S.
The location information might not be fully reliable due to travel or the use of VPNs.
X claims the location data is 99% accurate, according to its head of product, Nikita Bier.
An account called "TRUMP_ARMY_" was found to be based in India, despite having over half a million followers and supporting U.S. politics.
Another account, "IvankaNews_", with over a million followers, was based in Nigeria.
X's "about this account" tab includes a warning about inaccuracies in location data.
Some misleading accounts hold paid blue tick badges, allowing potential earnings based on user engagement.
President Trump signed an executive order called the "Genesis Mission" to support AI research and development, aiming to lower energy costs and foster innovation. The initiative encourages government collaboration with private companies and scientific institutions, utilizing AI to address challenges in energy and national security. The effort is described as one of the biggest federal scientific endeavors since the 1960s.
Key Facts
President Trump signed an executive order named the "Genesis Mission."
The mission aims to boost AI research and development to lower energy costs.
It encourages data sharing between the government, industry, and academia.
The Department of Energy will create an AI platform for scientific use.
The project is described as the largest federal scientific push since the Apollo program.
AI will be used to improve energy efficiency and address power costs.
Partnerships have been announced with companies like Nvidia and Dell.
The initiative aims to speed up scientific discoveries, reducing timelines from years to days or hours.
A documentary on HBO Max called "Thoughts and Prayers" examines the growth of products and practices designed to prepare schools for possible shootings. It highlights that this has become a $3 billion industry in America.
Key Facts
The documentary is named "Thoughts and Prayers."
It focuses on the rise of products and methods for school shooting preparedness.
Lockdown drills have become a common practice in American schools.
The industry for active shooter preparedness has reached $3 billion.
The filmmakers of the documentary are Zackary Canerpari and Jessica Dimmock.
The program discusses how gun violence has influenced school practices in America.
Amazon plans to invest up to $50 billion to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) and supercomputing services for U.S. government customers. The project will begin in 2026 and add significant computing power through new data centers. This investment aims to improve the government's access to advanced technology and AI solutions.
Key Facts
Amazon will invest up to $50 billion in AI and supercomputing for the U.S. government.
The initiative will add about 1.3 gigawatts of new computing capacity.
New data centers will be built for AWS Top Secret, AWS Secret, and AWS GovCloud regions.
This project starts in 2026 and focuses on boosting AI capabilities.
Amazon's services will include AI tools such as Amazon SageMaker and Amazon Bedrock.
The U.S. government wants to use AI to develop tailored solutions and save costs.
AWS currently serves over 11,000 U.S. government agencies.
The move is part of global efforts to advance AI technology.
Boeing and NASA have decided that the next flight of Boeing's Starliner capsule will carry only cargo instead of astronauts to ensure safety. The decision was made after previous issues with the Starliner, and further tests are planned before it can resume carrying people to the International Space Station.
Key Facts
Boeing's next Starliner flight will carry cargo instead of astronauts to ensure safety.
The decision follows a previous problematic mission where astronauts had to return on SpaceX due to issues with the Starliner.
Engineers are working to fix problems with the Starliner's thrusters and other systems.
The upcoming cargo flight is scheduled for no earlier than April after more testing.
NASA has reduced the planned number of Starliner flights from six to four.
If the cargo flight is successful, the remaining flights will be used for crew exchanges by 2030.
NASA contracted Boeing and SpaceX in 2014, with Boeing receiving $4.2 billion and SpaceX $2.6 billion.
SpaceX launched its first crew mission for NASA in 2020 and has completed multiple successful missions since then.
Researchers have developed nasal drops that may help treat deadly brain cancer by boosting the immune response in the brain. The new method uses specially made tiny materials to deliver medication to the brain through the nose. This approach has shown promising results in mice with glioblastoma, a fast-growing brain cancer.
Key Facts
Scientists at Washington University and Northwestern University created the new nasal drop therapy.
The method uses small, engineered materials called spherical nucleic acids to deliver drugs to the brain.
In tests on mice, the nasal drops helped shrink glioblastoma tumors by activating the immune system.
Glioblastomas affect over 12,000 people each year in the U.S.
Current treatments for glioblastoma include surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, but there is no cure.
The nasal drops are not yet ready for human use, and further development is needed.
The approach targets a cell pathway called STING, which helps activate the immune system.
This method could provide a non-invasive treatment option, avoiding the need for direct tumor injection.
ChatGPT, created by OpenAI, has made changes to its use of the em dash, a punctuation mark that had become a signature of its text. The AI acknowledged the issue in a social media post and updated its model so it will use em dashes more thoughtfully at users' requests. This change was shared humorously on Instagram, receiving positive engagement from users.
Key Facts
ChatGPT is a popular AI developed by OpenAI, used for things like homework help and conversation.
The em dash had become a distinctive feature often associated with ChatGPT-generated text.
In November, ChatGPT's Instagram account acknowledged this issue and announced an update to its model regarding em dash usage.
The update allows users to instruct ChatGPT to use fewer em dashes.
The Instagram post received nearly 40,000 likes, indicating positive reception from the community.
In the post, ChatGPT humorously "apologized" for overusing the em dash and promised to adopt a more conservative approach.
Users appreciated the humor in the post and shared their experiences with the AI's text style.
Statista data predicts that AI tool users will exceed 1 billion by 2031.
A conversation between Elon Musk and Joe Rogan, shared on the platform X, went viral after Musk explained how to use an AI chatbot called Grok to entertain at parties. Users interacted with Grok for humorous roasts, leading to wide engagement online, including reactions that mocked Musk himself.
Key Facts
Elon Musk discussed using the AI chatbot Grok on Joe Rogan's podcast to create humorous roasts at parties.
Musk suggested using Grok's "unhinged" mode to make jokes by taking pictures of people and generating roasts.
The clip was widely shared on the platform X, gaining over 7.2 million views.
Users created roasts of Musk, with some joking about his career and personal life.
Some users found the AI's roasts amusing, while others questioned the party usefulness of a chatbot.
The chatbot, Grok, was also asked to compare Musk to public figures like LeBron James and Jerry Seinfeld.
Musk addressed the incident, stating the bot was manipulated into making absurd positive comments about him.
Tech companies like Meta, Google, and LinkedIn are using personal data to improve their AI tools. Users have limited control over whether their data is used, as options to opt out vary by platform. The U.S. does not have comprehensive federal laws governing data privacy for technology firms.
Key Facts
Meta plans to update its policy on December 16, allowing its AI to use public data from users' interactions.
Users can't opt out of Meta’s AI data usage, but Meta claims it won’t use private messages for training AI.
Google and LinkedIn allow users to opt-out of AI features.
Lack of transparency from tech companies can lead to confusion and misinformation about data use.
Meta’s AI can use public data like photos, posts, and comments for training.
The U.S. does not have broad federal laws on data privacy for tech companies.
Meta's AI won't use people's voice data without permission.
Companies in China, like EHang, are developing flying taxis and drones that can deliver items, aiming to grow what they call the "low-altitude economy." This sector faces challenges, such as airspace rules and battery limits. The Chinese government supports these projects with plans to expand flying infrastructure and offer financial incentives.
Key Facts
A company named EHang is testing flying taxis in Guangzhou, China.
Flying cars and drones are part of China's growing "low-altitude economy."
The low-altitude economy was valued at $70 billion in 2023.
Government support is strong in Guangdong province, where many drone companies are based.
The future economy of flying cars and drones is expected to grow substantially by 2035.
EHang has built takeoff and landing sites in 20 cities for future commercial use.
Battery life and strict airspace controls are major challenges for these flying vehicles.
There have been incidents like aircraft collisions during trials, but no injuries were reported.
Jony Ive, known for his work with Apple, is working with OpenAI to create a new AI device. The device is in the prototype stage and is expected to be revealed within two years. The design aims to be simple and user-friendly, allowing people to interact easily with AI.
Key Facts
Jony Ive is collaborating with OpenAI to design a new AI device.
The prototype of the device exists and should be showcased in less than two years.
The design by Ive is described as elegantly simple and playful.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is involved in the development process.
Emerson Collective hosted a Demo Day event where details about the project were discussed.
Laurene Powell Jobs interviewed Ive and Altman during the event.
The prototype could change how everyday people interact with AI technology.
The design aims to evoke simplicity and joy in users.
Many high-profile AI executives have left established tech companies to start their own AI ventures. Despite substantial funding, these startups face tough competition from large companies like Google and Microsoft, who have more resources. Some of these new startups focus on areas like AI safety and improving real-world applications.
Key Facts
Investors have provided billions of dollars to AI startups led by well-known figures.
Large companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft have more resources, which makes competition difficult for new startups.
Yann LeCun, former chief scientist at Meta AI, plans to start a new venture partnering with Meta.
Ilya Sutskever, former OpenAI executive, started Safe Superintelligence, raising over $1 billion.
Mira Murati, briefly CEO of OpenAI, launched Thinking Machines Lab after leaving the company in 2024.
Former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos co-founded Project Prometheus to use AI for manufacturing.
Anthropic, founded by ex-OpenAI executives, now receives significant investments, including $15 billion from Microsoft and Nvidia.
Startups are exploring areas like AI safety and human-centric technology that they feel large companies overlook.
A new feature on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, shows the country where user accounts are based. Several accounts that promote MAGA (Make America Great Again) content are found to be located outside of the U.S. This has raised questions about the authenticity of the content these accounts promote.
Key Facts
X has introduced a feature called "About This Account" that shows an account's location.
Some well-known MAGA accounts promoting American political ideas are based in countries like Chile, Nigeria, Morocco, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, and Germany.
The account @ColdWarPatriot is located in Chile and has over 140,000 followers.
The MAGA account @_MagaScope is based in Nigeria and has over 50,000 followers.
Some MAGA accounts have deleted their profiles after being identified as located outside the U.S.
The feature aims to increase transparency and the integrity of content on X.
There have been no major discussions about left-wing U.S. accounts posting from abroad.
The location feature is part of efforts to verify the authenticity of content on the platform.
Researchers at the University of Reading in England are exploring how mRNA technology used in COVID vaccines might help reduce muscle damage in snakebite victims. The study showed that this technology could protect muscles from damage caused by venom from the terciopelo snake found in Central and South America. This approach might lead to new treatments that lower the risk of permanent disabilities from snakebites.
Key Facts
mRNA technology, used in COVID vaccines, might also reduce muscle damage from snakebites.
The University of Reading tested this on venom from the terciopelo snake, common in Central and South America.
The treatment uses mRNA to produce antibodies that protect against venom-induced muscle damage.
In lab tests, the treatment reduced damage in human muscle cells within 12-24 hours of injection.
In mice, the treatment provided protection against muscle injury 48 hours before venom exposure.
Current antivenoms mainly target toxins in the bloodstream, often missing muscle tissue damage.
Researchers aim to expand this method to target multiple venom toxins.
Challenges include the time needed for antibody development and storage issues in remote locations.
A three-year-old boy named Oliver Chu from California is the first person with Hunter syndrome to receive a new gene therapy in Manchester, UK. This pioneering treatment aims to address the genetic cause of the disease, and a year after starting, Oliver is showing normal development.
Key Facts
Oliver Chu, aged three, has a rare genetic condition called Hunter syndrome.
Hunter syndrome can lead to severe damage in the body and brain, often resulting in early death.
Oliver was the first person to receive a new gene therapy for this condition.
The procedure took place at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in the UK.
Gene therapy involved altering Oliver's cells to produce a missing enzyme.
Hunter syndrome affects mostly boys and is very rare, occurring in about 1 in 100,000 male births.
Previously, available treatments like Elaprase could only slow physical symptoms but not cognitive ones.
Japan is investing heavily in the island of Hokkaido to turn it into a major center for making advanced computer chips, driven by the company Rapidus. The initiative involves building factories and research centers, and aims to establish Japan as a competitor in the global semiconductor market. Rapidus has already succeeded in producing a prototype of a cutting-edge chip, with plans to start mass production by 2027.
Key Facts
Japan is spending billions to transform Hokkaido, known for agriculture and tourism, into a semiconductor production hub.
The project includes creating technology-focused factories, research centers, and universities.
Rapidus, a company supported by the Japanese government and big corporations like Toyota and Sony, is leading this effort.
Rapidus has partnered with IBM and built a semiconductor factory in Chitose, an area chosen for its resources and lower earthquake risk.
An important achievement was the creation of a 2-nanometer chip prototype, using advanced technology from ASML.
Mass-producing these chips by 2027 is the goal, though funding and expertise challenges remain.
The project aims to compete in a $600 billion global chip market, taking on established players like TSMC and Samsung.
