Credit card skimming is a type of theft where criminals put special devices on card machines to steal your card information. This crime is increasing and can especially affect users of EBT cards. The report explains how to recognize these devices and keep your money safe.
Key Facts
Credit card skimming happens when thieves attach card readers to legitimate card machines.
These devices copy your card details when you swipe or insert your card.
Thieves use the stolen information to steal money or make unauthorized purchases.
Users of EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards are also targeted by skimming.
You can protect yourself by checking card machines for extra parts or damage.
Using contactless payments or mobile wallets can reduce the risk of skimming.
Stay alert to any unusual behavior of card machines before using them.
Reporting suspicious devices to store staff or authorities helps prevent skimming crimes.
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Japanese companies are slow to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) compared to the US and UK, despite facing labor shortages and productivity problems. This cautious approach comes from a strong culture of risk avoidance and a need for proof of AI’s reliability before wider use.
Key Facts
Only 8.4% of Japanese workers use AI at work, compared to 50% in the US and 32% in the UK.
Singapore leads Asia with 56% of workers using AI multiple times a week.
Japanese firms are conservative and have a low tolerance for AI errors, especially in customer-related roles.
US companies allow AI more freedom to assist workers and accept trial and error in its use.
Japanese companies mainly use AI for low-risk tasks like writing or gathering information, not for core decisions.
Japan’s healthcare sector remains slow in adopting AI and digital records, still relying heavily on paper.
The Japanese government passed the AI Promotion Act to encourage more AI use with light regulation.
Experts say Japanese firms are sensitive to mistakes, uncertainty, and risks to reputation, which slows AI adoption.
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Verifone, a company that provides many payment terminals in Australia, is introducing new technology that lets people pay by scanning their face or hand veins. This technology aims to make payments faster, but shops will need to upgrade their equipment and banks must approve its use.
Key Facts
Verifone owns about 300,000 payment terminals (Eftpos) across Australia.
The new payment method uses biometrics, like facial recognition or palm vein scanning.
Customers can pay without cards or phones by looking at a screen or showing their hand.
Shops must replace old payment terminals with Verifone’s new Victa devices to use this technology.
Biometric data is turned into secure codes and not stored as images by Verifone.
Customers can still use contactless card or phone payments as before.
The company has security steps to prevent fake biometric scans.
Contactless payments are currently used in over 90% of transactions in Australia.
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Google has introduced new Pixel phones, smartwatches, and tracking devices at its 2026 Made By Google event in New York. The new devices focus on using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve their features and performance.
Key Facts
Google held an event in New York to reveal new gadgets for 2026.
The new products include Pixel phones, smartwatches, and tracking tags.
Artificial intelligence plays a central role in these new devices.
The Pixel phones are the latest versions in Google's phone lineup.
The event is called Made By Google.
Matt Binder, a reporter, provided commentary on the new releases.
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Two designers created a new font called ShieldFont to protect websites from artificial intelligence (AI) scrapers that copy web content for training data. The font shows normal text to human readers, but behind the scenes it changes words to nonsense in the webpage code, which confuses AI scrapers and lowers the quality of their data.
Key Facts
ShieldFont uses special letter combinations called ligatures to swap whole words in the webpage’s code without changing what appears to users.
The font replaces words with others that are similar in part of speech but have unrelated meaning, for example swapping “horse” with “potato.”
About 24.5% of all words on a page are replaced, affecting nearly half of the important content words.
This substitution creates false or confusing information in the data that AI scrapers collect, which can lower the quality of AI training.
ShieldFont offers three different swapping options per word and allows publishers to customize changes paragraph by paragraph.
Tests show that over 90% of scraped pages processed with ShieldFont are rejected by AI scraper filters due to poor quality.
Even the pages that pass the filters contain a significant amount of “training-time garbage,” meaning nonsensical or incorrect English.
The font helps web publishers opt out of unauthorized AI training by disrupting the data collected by scrapers.
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A cyberattack exposed terabytes of sensitive login details from over 2,500 organizations by targeting LiteLLM, an open source tool used for AI software development. The breach happened during a 40-minute window in March when users downloaded compromised versions of LiteLLM from an official software repository.
Key Facts
The leaked data included cloud keys, tokens, passwords, and other credentials that could let attackers access company systems.
Companies affected include Microsoft, Amazon, Cisco, Samsung, Salesforce, Nvidia, and many others.
The attack was a supply-chain type, meaning the hacker gained access via trusted software used by many organizations.
The compromised LiteLLM versions accessed computer memory to steal data and sent it to the attackers.
A hacker group called TeamPCP, mostly teenagers, claimed responsibility for the breach.
Other affected software includes the vulnerability scanner Trivy, KICS, and the Telnyx Python SDK.
Approximately 434,000 software pipelines for building and deploying software (CI/CD pipelines) were exposed.
Many leaked credentials remain active and could allow attackers ongoing access to company systems.
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A new court case started in California against Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram. The company is accused of making its platforms addictive to young people, raising concerns about online safety for kids.
Key Facts
The trial is about how Meta designs its social media platforms.
The focus is on whether Meta makes its apps addictive for young users.
The case started in a federal court in California.
Jury selection for the trial began on Wednesday.
The trial is part of ongoing legal attention on kids’ safety online.
Meta owns popular social media apps like Facebook and Instagram.
The case highlights concerns about the impact of social media on youth.
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Physicists using the Beijing Spectrometer III (BES III) experiment have found new evidence supporting the existence of glueballs, which are particles made only of gluons. These findings match theoretical predictions and help explain how mass arises in particles like protons and neutrons.
Key Facts
Glueballs are predicted particles made entirely of gluons, the force carriers that hold quarks together.
The existence of glueballs is part of the theory called quantum chromodynamics, which explains the strong nuclear force.
BES III is an experiment in China that studies particles produced in electron-positron collisions, especially J/ψ particles.
The X(2370) particle, discovered by BES III in 2011, is a strong glueball candidate.
New BES III data with over 10 billion J/ψ events allowed physicists to measure X(2370)’s mass more precisely at 2.395 GeV/c², matching theoretical predictions.
Glueballs must have specific properties like zero spin, no electric charge, and odd parity to fit quantum chromodynamics.
Discovering glueballs helps scientists better understand the mass of matter beyond the Higgs boson’s role.
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Twitch now allows users to choose not to let Amazon use their channel content to train AI models. Until this change, Twitch automatically used user streams, videos, and chats to improve Amazon’s AI technologies without an opt-out option.
Key Facts
Twitch content has been used by Amazon to train AI models for over two years.
Users’ streams, videos on demand (VODs), clips, chat messages, and channel pictures and text could be used in AI training.
Twitch users were automatically included in this data use but can now opt out via their security settings.
If users allow training, their content can help improve AI tools like speech-to-text, which benefits Twitch and other Amazon services.
The change comes after some users expressed concerns about privacy, lack of compensation, and how AI might affect their work.
Twitch made the opt-out option available for the first time in 2024.
Amazon bought Twitch in 2014 and has integrated Twitch content into its AI development within privacy law limits.
Some users remain unsure about how their content is used because of past lack of clear communication.
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Many pro-Palestinian social media accounts on Meta platforms like Instagram have been restricted, with some experiencing suspensions or very low visibility. A report by 7amleh and Utrecht University calls this pattern "platformicide," describing it as a systematic reduction of Palestinian content and presence on these sites.
Key Facts
Jerusalem-based journalist Faten Elwan has over 300,000 Instagram followers but lately her posts get only a few hundred views.
Elwan’s account was suspended multiple times since late 2023, coinciding with events in Gaza.
She and others believe Meta uses "shadow banning," which lowers the visibility of their content without notifying them.
In May 2025, Elwan met Meta representatives but says her concerns were dismissed.
A report analyzed over 3,500 cases of digital rights violations related to Palestinian accounts from 2021 to 2025.
The report says the reduction of Palestinian content is not accidental but part of a systemic approach by Meta.
This approach includes broad policy enforcement, changing rules, algorithm suppression, and slow restoration of content.
The report calls this "platformicide," meaning intentional erasure of Palestinian online presence.
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An astronomy professor explained how eclipses happen and why Earth has some of the best eclipses in the solar system. The discussion focused on a total solar eclipse occurring on Wednesday.
Key Facts
Janna Levin is a professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College.
She spoke about the science behind eclipses on CBS News.
The explanation covered how the moon moves between the Earth and the sun to cause a solar eclipse.
Earth experiences a total solar eclipse when the moon completely blocks the sun’s light.
The professor said Earth has some of the best eclipses compared to other planets.
The featured eclipse was scheduled to happen on Wednesday.
The interview was available on the CBS News app and website.
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A federal court in California started a trial against Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram. The case involves accusations that Meta made its platforms addictive for young users. Lawyers from many states have joined together in this lawsuit.
Key Facts
The trial is happening in a federal court in Oakland, California.
Meta is accused of designing its social media platforms to be addictive for children and teenagers.
Jury selection for the trial began on Wednesday morning.
The case combines several lawsuits brought by different state attorneys general.
The focus is on how Meta’s platforms affect youth safety online.
Meta owns popular social media services like Facebook and Instagram.
The trial aims to determine if Meta’s practices harm young users.
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A new study found that a radiation-shielding vest tested on female manikins during NASA’s Artemis I mission can greatly reduce astronauts’ exposure to dangerous solar radiation. The vest, designed to protect vital organs, could help keep astronauts safe during strong solar storms as NASA plans to send people back to the moon.
Key Facts
NASA tested the radiation vest on two female manikins, Helga and Zohar, during the Artemis I mission in 2022.
Zohar wore the 57-pound AstroRad vest, while Helga did not wear the vest but had radiation sensors.
The vest is designed to protect sensitive organs like lungs, stomach, bone marrow, breasts, and ovaries.
It was developed by StemRad, a U.S.-Israeli startup, in partnership with Lockheed Martin.
The vest could reduce radiation exposure by about 60% during a severe solar storm like the 1972 event and about 40% during a 1989-level storm.
Radiation protection is crucial for future moon missions and long-term lunar bases due to solar storms.
The Artemis I mission carried no crew but helped test safety equipment for upcoming moon flights.
The vest was previously tested on the International Space Station for comfort and function.
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Verizon experienced a widespread outage across the United States, affecting mobile phone users and some internet services. The company has not yet explained the cause or given a time for when the service will be fixed.
Key Facts
Over 2,400 outage reports were logged by Downdetector as of early afternoon.
Most problems involved mobile phones, but some users also lost 5G Home Internet and mobile internet.
Outages were reported in major cities like Albuquerque, Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.
Verizon has not posted a cause or estimated time for repair yet.
Mobile network outages happen when many cell sites have problems at once, affecting calls, data, and messages.
Verizon suggests users connect to Wi-Fi and enable Wi-Fi Calling during outages.
Customers without service for more than 24 hours may request a bill credit within 180 days.
Verizon asks customers to check the network status page and follow tips like restarting their device if they still have problems.
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Brazil's data protection authority ordered Discord to stop its livestreaming feature after a teenage girl died following pressure from others on a Discord server. The authority said Discord cannot monitor livestreams in real time, which makes it hard to detect harmful content immediately. Discord has three days to comply and may face fines if it does not improve protections for minors.
Key Facts
Brazil’s ANPD ordered Discord to suspend its livestreaming feature after a 13-year-old girl was pressured to take her own life during a Discord broadcast.
Discord's "Go Live" feature allows users to join voice or video live streams within groups.
Investigation began on August 7, after the girl’s death linked to a private Discord server.
Discord shut down the private server involved and is cooperating with law enforcement.
The ANPD said Discord lacks real-time access to livestreams, limiting its ability to automatically detect violations.
Five teenagers were arrested connected to the girl’s death.
Discord has three days to comply with the suspension and can appeal within 10 business days.
The suspension stays until Discord shows it has protective measures, like age checks, to safeguard minors.
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JCB, a UK company that builds heavy machines, set a new speed record with their hydrogen-powered car called the Hydromax. It reached over 400 mph using two powerful hydrogen-burning engines and was driven by Andy Green, a pilot known for past land speed records.
Key Facts
The JCB Hydromax reached a speed of 400.623 mph (644.74 km/h) on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
It uses two hydrogen combustion engines, each producing about 800 horsepower.
Unlike typical hydrogen fuel cells, these engines burn hydrogen like gasoline in an internal combustion engine.
JCB developed this technology starting in 2020 because hydrogen fuel cells were too costly and fragile for their machines.
The engines are turbocharged and run at low revolutions per minute (rpm) like diesel engines.
Andy Green, who previously broke the sound barrier with Thrust SSC, drove the Hydromax.
The car uses advanced cooling methods, including ice tanks, to lower the temperature of the turbocharged air.
This record is specific to hydrogen-powered vehicles and is different from general land speed records like the 1997 Thrust SSC record.
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A federal trial began in California to decide if Meta's platforms harm young people’s mental health and illegally collect data on children under 13 without parents’ permission. The trial involves four states and is part of many lawsuits against social media companies over youth safety and privacy concerns.
Key Facts
Jury selection started in Oakland, California, for a federal trial against Meta.
The lawsuit alleges Meta collects children’s data without parental consent, breaking federal law.
The trial includes claims from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey.
Meta faces a multidistrict lawsuit filed in 2023, with other states suing separately in state courts.
Meta is accused of making its platforms addictive and misleading the public about mental health risks to young users.
Recently, a New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay $567 million for harming youth on its platforms.
States want big fines and changes to how Meta runs its platforms to better protect children.
Meta says it has added many safety features and is appealing the New Mexico court decision.
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Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope discovered a new type of space object called a "black hole star" that shines much brighter than normal stars. This object, from early in the universe, shines with energy likely powered by a black hole surrounded by gas, not by nuclear fusion like regular stars. Separately, the telescope also found dust and water around a star near the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
Key Facts
The new object is called a "black hole star" and produces 100 billion times more energy than typical stars.
It is about the size of our solar system and dates from 660 million years after the Big Bang.
The discovery was made by a U.S.-led team using the James Webb Space Telescope.
Scientists found the object appears red due to hydrogen gas, not dust as initially thought.
The object is powered by a black hole with a gas cocoon, making it look like a star.
The object was named MoM-BH*-1, indicating it may be the first of many such objects.
The James Webb Telescope also detected dust and water around star IRS 3 near the Milky Way’s central black hole.
These findings show that stars can create materials important for future star formation even in extreme environments.
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Meta, the company that owns Instagram, is facing a large lawsuit accusing it of making social media platforms that harm children by causing addiction and violating their privacy. The trial is starting with jury selection today.
Key Facts
Meta owns Instagram and other social media platforms.
The lawsuit claims Meta designed its platforms to be addictive for children.
It also alleges that Meta violated children's privacy.
Jury selection for the trial begins today.
The case focuses on the impact of social media on children’s mental health and privacy.
Legal experts, like Jessica Levinson, are covering the trial developments.
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New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that about 55% of workers use artificial intelligence (AI) at work, and many say it helps them finish tasks faster. AI is commonly used for tasks like writing, researching, and administrative work, saving workers anywhere from less than an hour to four hours on assignments.
Key Facts
Around 55% of workers report using AI on the job.
About one-third of AI users say it saves them 1 to 2 hours per task.
Common uses of AI include searching for information (37%), writing text (32%), and generating ideas (32%).
Other uses include translating or summarizing information (31%) and administrative tasks (27%).
Some workers save up to 4 hours on tasks using AI.
Learning to use AI tools can initially slow productivity before improving it, following a "J-curve" pattern.
Researchers note AI requires changes in work processes, which can cause short-term challenges.
AI use in manufacturing initially reduced productivity before leading to long-term gains.
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