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The American military has mounted an operation to disrupt the world's largest bot network amid fears a ransomware attack could throw the upcoming presidential election into chaos.   In recent weeks, US Cyber Command launched their attack on the network - known as Trickbot - by entering its systems and 'cutting off and confusing operators'.  Trickbot is believed to be operated by a gang of Russian-speaking cybercriminals working out of Eastern Europe.  They have seized control of at least one million computers through phishing. After gaining access to those computers they are able to infect them with other malware, including ransomware.  The American military has mounted an operation to disrupt the world's largest bot network amid fears a ransomware attack could throw the upcoming presidential election into chaos According to a report published Friday in The Washington Post, 'the Department of Homeland Security Officials fear that a ransomware attack on state or loca

Five people have died after a tourist plane and a microlight aircraft collided mid-air in western France on Saturday afternoon.  The small microlight aircraft was carrying two people and collided with a DA40 tourist plane, which was carrying three people onboard. The collision occurred at around  4:30pm local time (15:30 BST) in Loches, Indre-et-Loire department, local government official Nadia Seghier said. Five people have died after a small microlight aircraft was carrying two people and collided with a DA40 tourist plane, which had three people onboard The tourist plane had reportedly taken off from Poitiers, situated around 100km from Loches The microlight, or ULM plane, 'landed on the fence around a house' (scene pictured) but nobody else on the ground was injured The collision took place at around 4:30pm local time on Saturday in Loches , in the Indre-et-Loire department of western France  The secretary general added that the microlight, or ULM plane, 'landed on the

Online giants such as Facebook and Google are facing increasing pressure to reveal the secret computer programmes which give them a commercial advantage in the race for advertising revenues. Dr Andrea Coscelli, head of the Competition and Markets Authority , is recruiting teams of high-powered mathematicians and psychologists to crack the mysterious algorithms they deploy to drive internet traffic. It comes as pressure is growing at Westminster for the companies to pay a fair rate to news outlets when they use their material – possibly through a new ‘tech levy’ – and in particular to struggling local media companies which have been hit hardest by Covid-19. Plans for a code of conduct for tech companies to ensure content producers are properly rewarded were first suggested last year in a report for the Treasury by Jason Furman, President Obama’s former chief economist. Online giants such as Facebook (pictured: file photo) and Google are facing increasing pressure to reveal the secret co

There are still 11 weeks until Christmas but concerned shoppers voiced their fears yesterday over Ocado delivery slots already being snapped up. Many took to social media to complain about being unable to place their orders for the days leading up to December 25. One prospective buyer, Michelle Coulter, said: 'You texted me 15 minutes ago to say I could book a Christmas slot Ocado and they are already all gone? Seriously?!' Ocado shoppers have taken to social media to complain after they are unable to place their orders for the days leading up to December 25 Another, Melanie Hoskin, said: 'I'm changing online suppliers after ten years. 'Sadly Ocado have really dropped since M&S joined – far too many missing items, price increases and too many tech difficulties. Never once had an issue getting a Christmas slot in previous years. Now there's none for six days before Christmas.' Not everyone was unhappy, though.  One customer with a successful booking, Step

Temperatures across the UK are set to plummet this weekend as parts of Scotland could see snow. Forecasters have warned of particularly chilly temperatures overnight as Saturday is expected to be particularly chilly with some sunshine, showers and perhaps thunder. Meanwhile, the higher parts of Scotland will see some sleet and snow. Alex Deakin, of the Met Office, said: 'Don't expect much warmth this weekend but it should be a drier weekend compared to last week. People enjoy a windy punting trip down the River Cam, Cambridge on Saturday as the UK is braced for a drop in temperatures While Saturday is expected to see scattered showers, Sunday should be drier with sunny spells as the wind dies down A brisk north-westerly wind is making Saturday's temperatures cooler as they could drop to freezing especially in rural areas 'Not completely dry as there will still be quite a few showers around for most of us on Saturday but there will be some sunshine, particularly on Sunda

Employers are hiring private investigators to snoop on staff while they work from home, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Accountancy and law firms are among those using private eyes to carry out surveillance work to check if employees are lying when they claim they can't come in due to Covid-19. One Manchester-based private investigator told The Mail on Sunday: 'That was a type of work you never really got prior to lockdown. Now we see a lot of enquiries. It is quite prevalent. 'We get employers using us for surveillance to confirm that people are actually working and not going out of the house.' Employeers are hiring private investigators to check if employees are lying when they claim they can't come in due to Covid-19 (stock photo) Bosses are also paying to check if employees who should be quarantining after returning from holiday are obeying the rules. 'Some companies feel they have a duty of care to check that they really are self-isolating if they are suppos

The heartbroken fiancee of a footballer killed by drunk thugs in a pub row has revealed she has given birth to his baby - eight months after his tragic death. Kelly Bossons, 27, found out she was pregnant with her 'miracle daughter' three weeks after partner Jordan Sinnott's shock killing. The footballer, who played for Northern Premier League side Matlock Town FC, was fatally punched to the floor in an attack sparked by the victim agreeing one of his attackers was 'fat and ginger'.  The 25-year-old midfielder died in hospital after suffering a fractured skull and brain damage in the assault in the centre of Retford, Nottinghamshire, on January 25. But after months of heartache over the loss of her fiancee, last month, Kelly, took to Facebook to share the good news - the birth of her baby daughter. Kelly said she had decided to name the 'beautiful baby girl' Maisie Jordan Sinnott - in honour of her father who she said 'will always be watching over us'

A young woman whose hair got caught in the filtration system of a flotation tank has opened up about her terrifying experience to warn others of the dangers.  The 23-year-old, who wished to remain anonymous, visited Infinity Float Centre, in Botany, Auckland, on September 1.      After an hour in the relaxation pod, a dark sound-proof tank filled with salt-infused water, the woman felt her hair being pulled from her head.  'My first instinct was to freak out and sort of try and get loose,' she told the NZ Herald.  A woman, 23, has opened up about her terrifying experience after her hair got caught in a flotation tank's filtration system 'I'm using my whole body strength and then I just flip over in the water... and I was swallowing water.' Panicking, the woman managed to kick the pod's lid open and scream for help, with the manager then rushing in to cut her hair free near the top of her skull.     The woman said she feared she might drown during the ordeal,

With miles of sandy beaches battered by Atlantic breakers, the rugged coastline of North Cornwall is a jewel in the crown of the British seaside. Today, its picturesque fishing villages and bustling towns are famous for surfing, posh food and crowds of even posher visitors. But locals and tourists alike have found a disturbing new tide washing up on the pristine beaches in recent weeks – hundreds, if not thousands, of disposable face masks, plastic gloves and other detritus, all generated by Covid-19. Marine biologist Emily Stevenson, 23, who runs the Beach Guardian charity, shows some of the plastic masks picked up on Cornwall’s coastline. With attempts to ban single-use plastics seemingly on hold amid the coronavirus crisis, Britain is drowning in an ocean of dirty and discarded personal protective equipment. No one knows this better than marine biologist Emily Stevenson, 23, who has been cleaning beaches with her family for more than a decade.  With her father Rob, she organises cl

A baby girl suffered catastrophic brain damage after a hospital allowed a midwife who had been 'banned for incompetence' to help deliver her. Barts Health Trust in London is facing a multi-million-pound compensation payout after admitting legal responsibility for a series of shocking blunders that left the youngster with cerebral palsy. Unbelievably, Sophie Addo, the midwife responsible for the birth, should not even have been present, having been 'excluded from working in all areas of the hospital' just days earlier after failing a retraining course on how to properly understand heart rate monitor readings. The 58-year-old, who is understood to have been part of a team involved in an earlier incident at Newham University Hospital in East London which left a newborn baby with serious brain damage, said last night she had not been informed about the ban at the time. Remarkably, staff at the hospital's birth unit were not told either.  Sophie Addo , the midwife respon

Australians won't be able to travel to the Unites States or Europe until 2022, Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham has warned.   It comes as a number of European countries experienced a huge spike in coronavirus cases, dashing hopes of a travel bubble with Australia.  Last week Germany, France and Spain recorded their highest daily number of COVID-19 cases since widespread testing started.   Meanwhile, the United States is recording an average of 47,000 new infections a day - up 12 per cent from two weeks ago - with spikes in states across the country.  It comes after the Federal Budget last Tuesday revealed travel would 'remain low' until 2021 - presumably only for essential journeys, rather than overseas holidays. The government is predicting Australia's population won't be vaccinated until the end of 2021 - which means overseas travel will 'remain low' until then and social distancing measures will be kept in place.   But offering a glimmer of hope, Mr Birm

The Prince of Wales watched Fijian soldiers perform traditional dances and songs to mark the 50th anniversary of the former crown colony becoming an independent country. Five Fijians of The Black Watch, third Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland visited Prince Charles, at Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire on Saturday. Dressed in traditional skirts and shirts, they performed the 'Lakalaka', a celebration of life which usually marks formal occasions, said Clarence House. Charles was presented with a whale tooth known as a Tabua, a sacred Fijian cultural relic, by Sergeant Lawaci. The Prince of Wales watched Fijian soldiers perform traditional dances and songs at Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, to mark the 50th anniversary of the former crown colony becoming an independent country Five fijians of The Black Watch, third Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland dressed in traditional skirts and shirts to perform the 'Lakalaka'