Email continues to be the primary attack vector for cybercriminals targeting organizations across all industries. These attacks arrive disguised as legitimate communications, often mimicking trusted senders and creating a false sense of security that bypasses technical defenses by taking advantage of human error. Understanding the distinctions between business email compromise (BEC) vs phishing is crucial, as both represent sophisticated yet very different threat methods. The financial impact of email-based threats has reached unprecedented levels. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, BEC scams resulted in over $2.77 billion across 21,442 reported incidents in 2024 alone. What makes a BEC attack different from a typical phishing email is its highly targeted nature. While phishing often involves mass distribution of generic threats designed to lure people in, BEC attacks specifically impersonate executives or trusted partners to target individuals with financial authority. The 2023 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report also revealed that phishing attempts increased by 18% year-over-year, with 74% of breaches in financial services involving phishing as the initial attack method. Organizations can significantly strengthen their security posture through a combination of employee awareness training and effective security controls. Teaching staff how to identify suspicious emails represents a critical first line of defense, while implementing email authentication protocols provides essential protection.  DMARC solutions for businesses, like those provided by EasyDMARC, help organizations verify sender legitimacy, prevent domain spoofing, and block unauthorized emails before they reach employee inboxes, effectively neutralizing these threats before they can exploit various vulnerabilities. This multi-layered approach not only protects sensitive information but also preserves business continuity, shields organizational reputation, and maintains the trust that customers and partners place in your digital communications. In this article, we’ll go over what a BEC attack looks like, what makes a BEC attack different from a typical phishing email attack, recent trends, and what you can do to prevent these types of attacks.  Key Takeaways for BEC vs Phishing BEC attacks and phishing attacks are similar in that they both use social engineering tactics, typically involve email as an attack vector, and the end goal is often financial gain, data theft, or unauthorized access. While BEC attacks and phishing are similar, BEC issues are far more sophisticated and personalized to the target.  Best practices for preventing BEC attacks include training employees, using MFA, and implementing DMARC protocols.  What is a BEC Attack? BEC attacks are sophisticated email scams that target organizations, often with financial motives or to gain access to sensitive information. These highly targeted attacks involve cybercriminals impersonating executives, trusted vendors, or business partners to manipulate employees into taking actions that benefit the attacker. Unlike mass phishing campaigns that cast wide, generic nets, BEC attacks are meticulously researched and personalized. Attackers often spend weeks studying their targets’ organizational structures, business relationships, and communication patterns before launching their assault. They identify key individuals with financial authority or access to sensitive information, then craft convincing impersonations designed to exploit established relationships. The most common BEC scenario involves an urgent wire transfer request that appears to come from a company executive. For example, an employee might receive what looks like an authentic email from their CEO requesting an immediate wire transfer to a vendor. The message often emphasizes urgency and discretion, discouraging verification through normal channels. When the employee complies, the funds are transferred directly to the attacker’s account and typically moved multiple times within hours, making recovery virtually impossible. The financial damage from BEC attacks can be devastating. But beyond immediate financial losses, organizations face potential regulatory penalties, litigation costs, reputational damage, and lost business opportunities. In one case, a multinational corporation lost $47 million in a single BEC attack when an executive was tricked into authorizing multiple transfers for a supposed acquisition. How to Prevent Business Email Compromise Attacks The best way to prevent BEC attacks is by using a multi-layered approach, combining employee training, multi-factor authentication, and email security protocols. Employee Training Regular security training equips employees with the right tools to spot dangerous emails before they do damage. Teaching staff to adhere to email security best practices is a great way to ensure your employees are helping build a security-conscious culture. Multi-Factor Authentication Multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides multiple layers of defense through different authentication factors. These typically include something you know (like a password), something you have (such as a smartphone), and something you are (biometric data like fingerprints). Even if a password is compromised, these additional authentication layers prevent unauthorized access, dramatically reducing the risk of account infiltration. The multiple verification steps create a robust security mechanism that goes far beyond traditional password protection. Email security protocols like DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), SPF (Sender Policy Framework), and DMARC (Domain-based Message, Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) provide critical layers of protection against email spoofing and phishing attempts. These protocols work together to verify the authenticity of email senders and prevent unauthorized use of domain names. To best identify email security issues, users can use tools like SPF lookups, DKIM Record Checkers, and DKIM Record Generators. However, these tools can only go so far.  To ensure the best possible protection against BEC attacks, organizations must have DMARC properly set up to achieve the most secure email authentication. To do so, users can make use of online DMARC solutions to help them implement the strongest DMARC policies and get support with the continual monitoring of their domains.  Start Your 14-day Free Trial What is a Phishing Attack?  A phishing attack is one in which attackers impersonate trusted entities to trick victims into revealing sensitive information. They typically arrive via email, text messages, or social media, masquerading as legitimate communications from banks, service providers, colleagues, or other trusted sources.  Today’s phishing attacks have evolved far beyond the obvious grammatical errors and implausible scenarios of early attempts. Modern phishing emails often feature perfect spelling, convincing logos, and accurate sender information. They create a false sense of urgency, leverage fear or curiosity, and provide seemingly legitimate reasons for immediate action. The most common phishing scenario involves an email claiming to be from a trusted organization, alerting the recipient to a supposed account problem requiring immediate attention. Recent phishing statistics reveal that the most targeted industry in 2024 was the IT sector. This industry faces greater risk due to its critical role in infrastructure and access to valuable data. Cybercriminals exploit software vulnerabilities and employee susceptibility to phishing scams to gain access to sensitive information and important systems.  The Evolution of Phishing Since their inception in the 90s, phishing attacks have progressed significantly. Early attacks often contained obvious red flags like poor grammar and unlikely scenarios. Since then, cyber criminals have refined their tactics, creating more convincing messages that mimic legitimate organizations with increasing accuracy.  Modern attacks often include spear phishing, which targets individuals through the use of personal relevant information, clone phishing, which replicates legitimate emails but replaces attachments with malicious versions, vishing, involving voice phishing via phone calls, and pharming, which redirects website traffic to fake sites without user interaction. Today’s most sophisticated phishing attacks employ AI-generated content that can adapt to targets in real-time, creating highly personalized and convincing communications. According to SlashNext’s 2023 State of Phishing Report, AI-enhanced phishing attacks increased by 1,265% in 2022 alone, with attackers using machine learning to craft increasingly convincing messages. The Real Cost of Phishing The damage from phishing attacks extends far beyond initial credential theft, creating long-lasting consequences for organizations that fall victim to them. When attackers gain access to accounts or systems, they can steal sensitive data, including financial information and intellectual property. These breaches often lead to substantial financial loss, with the average cost of a data breach reaching $4.45 million in 2023.  Even more devastating can be the deployment of ransomware across corporate networks, as seen in high-profile cases where companies paid millions in ransom and still faced weeks of operational disruption. The repercussions continue to ripple outward as cybercriminals establish persistent access for extended campaigns, sometimes maintaining hidden footholds for months before being detected. Using compromised accounts, attackers frequently target an organization’s partners and customers, exploiting established trust relationships to spread their reach.  This cascade effect severely damages brand reputation and erodes customer confidence, as demonstrated when major retailers experienced phishing breaches that led to measurable customer churn and required expensive brand rehabilitation campaigns. The combined impact of regulatory fines, litigation, remediation costs, and lost business opportunities often transforms what seemed like a simple email attack into an existential threat for many businesses. Recent Trends and Emerging Threats Phishing threats continue to evolve at a rapid pace. Recent trends include: QR Code Phishing: Attackers embed malicious QR codes in emails that direct victims to credential-harvesting sites MFA Bypass Techniques: Sophisticated phishing kits that can intercept and replay authentication tokens in real-time AI-Generated Content: Using large language models to create highly convincing and contextually appropriate phishing messages Collaboration Platform Targeting: Focused attacks on workplace tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Google Workspace How to Prevent a Phishing Attack To best prevent phishing attacks, as with BEC attacks, we recommend a multi-layered approach, combining technical solutions like DMARC, human awareness including security training, and organizational processes like MFA.  Detecting email security vulnerabilities requires specialized tools such as SPF lookup utilities, DKIM record verification and generation tools, DMARC verification services, and phishing link checkers.  For optimal defense against phishing attacks, organizations should implement properly configured DMARC protocols to maximize email authentication security. Dedicated DMARC solutions like EasyDMARC offer assistance in deploying robust DMARC policies and providing ongoing domain monitoring support. Get Started Now Is Business Email Compromise the Same as Phishing? BEC and phishing attacks are closely related and often overlap, as both rely on deception to trick victims into taking harmful actions. However, they differ in execution, targeting, and sophistication. Similarities Between BEC and Phishing  Both use social engineering tactics to manipulate victims. Both typically involve email as the primary attack vector. The end goal of both is often financial gain, data theft, or unauthorized access. Differences Between BEC and Phishing  Targeting: BEC attacks are highly targeted, often aimed at specific individuals like executives or finance personnel, while phishing is usually broader and sent to large groups. Tactics: BEC relies on impersonation and pretexting without malware or links, whereas phishing often uses malicious links or attachments to compromise systems. Complexity: BEC attacks are generally more sophisticated and customized, requiring research and planning, whereas phishing is typically automated and generic. EasyDMARC Can Prevent BEC Attacks and Stop Phishing As cyber threats continue to evolve, organizations must understand the nuances between BEC and phishing attacks to build more effective defenses. Both attack types exploit human trust and communication habits, but BEC attacks stand out for their precision, research, and high financial stakes, while phishing typically relies on volume and opportunism. Regardless of the method, email remains the most exploited vector, making email security a critical priority. At EasyDMARC, we equip businesses with the tools needed to identify, categorize, and neutralize both BEC and phishing threats, as well as countless other attacks. By implementing email authentication protocols like DMARC, SPF, and DKIM, organizations can verify sender identity and prevent domain spoofing.  Our platform also offers powerful tools to help users detect weaknesses and take action before attackers can exploit them. Features like real-time alerting and aggregate reporting give organizations the visibility and agility needed to respond quickly and decisively to suspicious activity. Looking ahead, phishing attacks continue to rise year upon year, becoming increasingly targeted and convincing. Meanwhile, BEC attacks are growing in sophistication and financial impact. The most effective way to stay ahead of these evolving threats is by adopting a proactive, layered defense strategy that includes email authentication. With the right tools, policies, and training in place, organizations can significantly reduce their exposure and build long-term resilience against the next wave of email-based attacks. Frequently Asked Questions What is a BEC cyber attack? A Business Email Compromise (BEC) cyber attack is a type of email fraud that targets businesses and organizations to trick employees, executives, or partners into transferring money or sensitive information to the attackers. It typically involves the spoofing or compromising of a legitimate business email address to manipulate the victim into taking actions that result in financial or data losses. Attackers will often impersonate other people at the company, particularly management or higher-ups. What is an example of a BEC? BEC attacks almost always involve impersonation of a company employee, so they often begin with an email from an attacker impersonating someone at the company. In some cases, the attacker will target the company’s accounts payable department with an email containing a malicious link or attachment. Once the link is clicked, the attacker can gain access to the accounts payable email, making stealing money much easier.  Here is an example of what an email from a BEC attack may look like. “Hi [Employee Name],I need you to process an urgent payment of $100,000 to [Vendor Name]. This payment is time-sensitive, and we need it completed by the end of the day. Please wire the funds to the following account:Account Number: 1234567890  Routing Number: 987654321  Bank Name: [Fake Bank Name]Let me know once it’s done. This is very important.Best,  [CEO Name] What makes a BEC attack different than a typical phishing? A Business Email Compromise (BEC) attack differs from a typical phishing attack in several key ways. While both types of attacks use social engineering to manipulate victims into taking actions that benefit the attacker, BEC attacks are usually aimed at businesses, focusing on financial transactions or stealing confidential data. The emails appear legitimate, making it harder to detect, and often involve impersonating high-level employees. On the other hand, phishing is usually more generic and aimed at a wide audience, trying to trick victims into clicking on malicious links or downloading malware to steal personal information, such as login credentials. Phishing emails often include suspicious links or attachments, while BEC emails are more subtle and business-focused. Who do BEC attacks typically target? Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks typically target specific individuals within an organization who have access to financial transactions, sensitive company data, or the ability to authorize actions such as fund transfers. The attackers often focus on individuals who are more likely to be tricked into complying with requests that appear legitimate. What is the difference between BEC and EAC? BEC involves attackers impersonating executives or trusted partners to trick employees into transferring money or sensitive data. It’s highly targeted and often financially motivated. In contrast, EAC (Email Account Compromise) occurs when an attacker gains unauthorized access to an individual’s email account to steal information or monitor communications. While BEC focuses on financial fraud, EAC is generally more about unauthorized access and data theft. What is the best way to prevent BEC attacks? The best way to prevent BEC attacks is employee training. Teaching your employees what to look for gives them the knowledge needed to recognize when an email looks suspicious and trains them not to click on links or attachments in emails.  Other effective approaches include using multi-factor authentication and implementing email authentication protocols like DMARC, DKIM, and SPF. Services like EasyDMARC makes implementing these protocols easy, fast, and secure. 

Protesters march on Meta after the company was caught using pirated books for AI training. Credit: Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Plaintiffs in the landmark Kadrey v. Meta case have already submitted the U.S. Copyright Office's controversial AI report as evidence in their copyright infringement suit against the tech giant. Last Friday, the Copyright Office quietly released a "pre-publication version" of its views on the use of copyrighted works to train generative AI models. The consequential report contained bad news for AI companies hoping to claim the fair use legal doctrine as a defense in court. Less than a day after the report was published, Shira Perlmutter, the head of the Copyright Office, was fired by President Donald Trump. It's still unclear exactly why Perlmutter was fired, but the move alarmed some copyright lawyers, as Mashable previously reported. You May Also Like And on May 12, the plaintiffs in Kadrey v Meta, which includes artists and authors such as Junot Diaz, Sarah Silverman, and Ta-Nehisi Coates, submitted the report as an exhibit in their class action lawsuit. What's in the U.S. Copyright Office's AI report?The Office's report was the conclusion of a three-part investigation into copyright law and artificial intelligence, which it calls uncharted legal territory. The "Copyright and Artificial Intelligence Part 3: Generative AI Training" report examined exactly the type of legal issues at stake in Kadrey v Meta.While some copyright lawyers and Democratic politicians have speculated the report led to Perlmutter's firing, there are other possible explanations. In a blog post, copyright lawyer Aaron Moss said "it’s more likely that the Office raced to release the report before a wave of leadership changes could delay — or derail — its conclusions."The report addressed in detail the four factors of the fair use doctrine. Meta and other AI companies are being sued for using copyrighted works to train their AI models, and Meta in particular has claimed this activity should be protected under fair use. Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up! The lengthy 113-page report spends around 50 pages delving into the nuances of fair use, citing historic legal cases that ruled for and against fair use. It doesn't goes as far as making any blanket conclusions, but its analysis generally favors copyright holders over AI companies and their unprecedented stockpiling of data for model training.The Copyright Office's stance on the white hot issue doesn't line up with the wishes of Big Tech titans, who have cozied up to the Trump Administration. In general, President Trump has taken a pro-tech approach to AI regulation. The plaintiffs in the Kadrey v. Meta case are clearly hoping the report could tip the scale in their favor. The lawyers who submitted the report as evidence on Monday didn't explain in detail why it was submitted as a "Statement of Supplemental Authority." The brief simply said, "the Report addresses several key issues discussed in the parties’ respective motions regarding the use of copyrighted works in the development of generative AI systems and application of the fair use doctrine." AI models can harm creative markets, Copyright Office finds The controversial AI copyright report could tip the scales for the case against Meta. Credit: wildpixel / iStock / Getty Images The part of the report that's potentially the most damning for Meta is the Copyright Office's assessment of the fourth factor of fair use, which considers the effects on current or future markets. Related Stories "The use of pirated collections of copyrighted works to build a training library, or the distribution of such a library to the public, would harm the market for access to those works," said the pre-publication version of the report. The analysis also considers possible market dilution for authors. "If thousands of AI-generated romance novels are put on the market, fewer of the human-authored romance novels that the AI was trained on are likely to be sold. Royalty pools can also be diluted," the report stated. In addition, the plaintiffs have argued that Meta's use of piracy to access the authors' books deprived them of licensing opportunities. For its part, Meta argues that its AI model Llama doesn't compete with the authors' market, and that the model's transformative output makes the fair use argument irrelevant.While the report favors the plaintiffs' argument, we don't know if the judge in the case will agree. And because this is a pre-publication version, it could be edited or even rescinded by a future leader at the Copyright Office.Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems. Cecily Mauran Tech Reporter Cecily is a tech reporter at Mashable who covers AI, Apple, and emerging tech trends. Before getting her master's degree at Columbia Journalism School, she spent several years working with startups and social impact businesses for Unreasonable Group and B Lab. Before that, she co-founded a startup consulting business for emerging entrepreneurial hubs in South America, Europe, and Asia. You can find her on X at @cecily_mauran.

Senior Gameplay EngineerActivisionWoodland Hills California 91367 United States of America1 hour agoApplyJob Title:Senior Gameplay EngineerRequisition ID:R025343Job Description:Your PlatformFounded in 2002, Infinity Ward is the original studio behind the Call of Duty® franchise. The titles developed by Infinity Ward have won more than 200 "Game of the Year" awards and 100 "Editor's Choice" awards, among many other industry accolades. Some of our previous titles include: Call of Duty®: Ghosts , Call of Duty®: Infinite Warfare and most recently, Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare . Infinity Ward employs more than 250 people in Woodland Hills, Calif., just outside of Los Angeles.A critically acclaimed studio, Infinity Ward is proud to have one of the hardest-working and versatile development teams in the industry. We love to have as much fun as the games we create, and it shows in our relaxed, yet diligent, workplace environment. We believe that making the best games relies on having the best people, so we like to look after ours. We enjoy having fun with top-notch events that everyone gets involved with.Infinity Ward is wholly owned by Activision. To learn more about our studio, please visit us at https://www.infinityward.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/InfinityWard/, and @InfinityWard on X.Your MissionInfinity Ward is seeking a talented and passionate Senior Gameplay Engineer to oversee gameplay development. As the Senior Gameplay Engineer, you'll work with our design and content teams to push our gameplay systems to new heights of AAA fun and visual fidelity. Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:Independently contribute to the design of our gameplay systemsDevelop, modify, and debug gameplay software in script and C/C++Deploy, optimize, and test gameplay software on PC and console platformsCollaborate with other internal departments (art, design, audio, QA, etc.)Proactively identify issues and fix bugs.Balance immediate needs with a focus on long-term scalability.Player ProfileRequirements:8+ years of gameplay development experience.1 shipped product working as a senior gameplay engineer.Fluency in 3D math, related to game programming.Strong design sensibilities and outstanding communication skills.Strong knowledge of C++ programming and practices.Pluses:Experience with AAA play-control logic, especially on an FPS title.Experience with modern animation techniquesExperience with game physics simulation.Experience with networked game logic.Experience with game AI.Our WorldActivision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!Our ability to build immersive and innovative worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristicsRewardsWe provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/ .In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $101,000.00 - $186,754.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

Take-Two Interactive reported its latest earnings Thursday, which included a writedown of more than $3 billion. But despite that hit, the biggest news for the company still came out nearly two weeks ahead of the financial results: the publisher’s highly anticipated Rockstar Games-developed “Grand Theft Auto 6” would be shifting from a planned fall 2025 release to a May 26, 2026 launch. The choice, which was announced May 2, was made before Take-Two revealed these full fiscal 2025 results (which ran April 1, 2024 -March 31, 2025) and projections for its Fiscal 2026, but the company has not disclosed exactly at what point Rockstar decided “GTA 6” would need to be moved. As of February, the company had still been publicly eyeing that fall window. Related Stories “So we don’t talk about when we make decisions around here,” Take-Two chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick told Variety Thursday ahead of the company’s earnings call. “And obviously, the net bookings that are expected for Fiscal ’26 are lower without the release of ‘GTA 6,’ that goes without saying. But we haven’t actually parsed what the specific felt is, although analysts have speculated. I think the key point to bear in mind is, once again, we’re setting a record, which is what we said we would do. We certainly expect growth in Fiscal ’27. This company is in extraordinarily sound shape and well positioned both for the challenges and opportunities ahead.” Popular on Variety Wall Street forecast a loss of earnings per share (EPS) of 5 cents on $1.55 billion in revenue for Take-Two’s January-March results, according to analyst consensus data provided by LSEG. On Thursday, Take-Two reported $1.58 billion in net bookings. GAAP net loss was $3.78 billion, or $21.08 per share. That loss included a writedown of $3.55 billion, though Take-Two did not disclose which division within the company accounted for that large hit and declined to comment when asked. For the year-long period between April 1, 2025-March 31, 2026, Take-Two is projecting net bookings between $5.9 to $6 billion. Regarding the potential pricing for “GTA 6,” as well as the rest of Take-Two’s games moving forward, Zelnick said he’s not letting recent moves made by competitors affect what Take-Two decides to do. “Well it’s true that some of our competitors have talked about higher prices and variable pricing. The rubric that informs our decision making is that we need and want to deliver way more value than whatever we charge consumers,” Zelnick said. “We think the consumer experiences the intersection of the thing itself. How great is the property with how much you pay for it? I think you know that anecdotally about yourself. We all feel that way. So we’re very mindful that it’s our job to deliver enormous value to consumers. We think we do just that.” More to come…

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons Hikers Find 600 Gold Coins in Czech Forest, Uncovering a Mysterious Historical Treasure Trove Highlights 600 gold coins found by hikers in Czech forest near Polish border Coins date back to 1808–1915, span Austria-Hungary to Ottoman Empire Treasure may have been hidden during Nazi or post-WWII upheaval Advertisement Two hikers accidentally discovered a treasure trove in Czech Republic . While taking a stroll in the forests surrounding Zvičina Hill in the Krkonoše Mountains near Poland's border, they spotted an aluminium can and an iron box protruding slightly above the surface in a stone mound. The containers contained about 600 gold coins and a stunning assortment of gold artifacts. Discovery of this treasure worth more than $340,000 has drawn attention of researchers, arising questions about both the origin of the coins and how did they end up in such a remote location.Tracing the origin of coinsAccording to the report by Vojtěch Brádle, a numismatist from the Museum of Eastern Bohemia, the majority of the coins were minted between 1808 and 1915. They originate from the Austria-Hungarian Empire, particularly under the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I. Some of the coins feature countermarks minted in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenians after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.The 598 coins cover a broad historical period, containing currency from France, Belgium, the Ottoman Empire, and Russia too. The range of provenances makes it difficult to track how the coins got to where they were, or just why they were stashed away at all. “It is hard to say whether it was Czech, German, or Jewish gold,” said Petr Grulich, director of the Museum of Eastern Bohemia, according to Dailymail.Theories about the hiding placeThere are several theories and speculation about how these coins and artifacts were hidden in such a remote location. One theory suggests that the items were concealed during Nazi Germany's occupation of Czechoslovakia.Following the Munich Agreement of 1938, large numbers of Jews and Czechs fled their homes in the annexed Sudetenland to escape persecution. Some historians believe that the treasure was buried during this time in an effort to protect it from the invading Nazi forces. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Further reading: Czech Republic, Gold-Coins, Treasure Discovery Gadgets 360 Staff The resident bot. If you email me, a human will respond. More Related Stories

When arsenic is mentioned, many people associate it with a bygone poison. The type of quiet killer used in a murder mystery set on a train somewhere in Victorian England. It seems like a problem of the past.However, arsenic is a naturally occurring substance that can contaminate groundwater and food irrigated with tainted water. And in an alarming new study, researchers have found that climate change is impacting the level of arsenic that people are ingesting. Given that arsenic is a carcinogen, it’s primed to become a lethal killer. Billions of people are at risk of developing arsenic-induced diseases.Why Arsenic Levels are Rising in Rice In a 2025 study in The Lancet, an international team of researchers revealed the results of a study that measured two components associated with climate change — increased carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and surface temperatures — in rice paddies in China.“One important chemical aspect that has been known about rice is its ability to accumulate arsenic, leading to an important and crucial question: Can CO2 and temperature affect arsenic concentration, and if so, what are the health consequences?” says Lewis H. Ziska, an associate professor in environmental health sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. The study was the first of its kind. Although scientists have long understood how both inorganic and organic arsenic can make their way into food or water, they weren’t sure how climate change might influence arsenic levels.To find out, the researchers grew rice in controlled paddies in China from 2014 to 2023. To a certain extent, the research team expected to find some arsenic in the rice because it grows in flooded paddies and absorbs arsenic from the water.The research team also expected the CO2 levels and surface temperatures would increase because climate change scientists have charted a projection of the likely increase. But would increased CO2 levels and temperatures lead to higher arsenic levels? And what might that mean if people eat the tainted crop? Impacts of Eating ArsenicThe study found that the increased CO2 levels and temperatures indeed lead to higher concentrations of arsenic. The researchers’ rice paddies were representative of rice paddies in Asia, which means that what happened in their paddies is likely happening in others around the region.Higher arsenic rates in rice are a major health concern. Arsenic is a known carcinogen. When found in drinking water, there is an increased risk of bladder and skin cancer. Other studies have found that ingesting arsenic can lead to cancer in the digestive tract, hematopoietic system, kidneys, liver, or lymphatic system.Problematically, billions of people can now be considered at risk for arsenic-related cancers. More than half of the world’s population depends on rice as a staple food. Scientists are concerned that the increased arsenic in a staple food like rice could lead to a spike in future cancer cases throughout Asia.Rice Consumption in the U.S. But what does this mean for the U.S. food supply? Rice consumed in the U.S. comes from the Arkansas Grand Prairie, Gulf Coast, Mississippi Delta, or Sacramento Valley. These crops have not been tested by scientists to determine how CO2 levels and surface temperatures are impacting the arsenic concentrations. But if climate change can raise arsenic levels in Asia, Ziska says it can happen in the U.S. as well.“It seems likely given the biogeochemistry of how rice can accumulate arsenic when grown under flooded (paddy) conditions,” Ziska says.It’s a research area that Ziska says needs more attention, both in terms of long-term study support and public awareness. Many people don’t realize that climate change has the ability to alter the food supply by creating conditions that are ripe for toxins.“Climate change isn’t just about wildfires and sea-level rise and storms of the century. It’s also affecting a food staple — rice — that is consumed by half the world’s population every day. Maybe we should pay attention,” he says. This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:National Cancer Institue. ArsenicEmilie Lucchesi has written for some of the country's largest newspapers, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and an MA from DePaul University. She also holds a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Illinois-Chicago with an emphasis on media framing, message construction and stigma communication. Emilie has authored three nonfiction books. Her third, A Light in the Dark: Surviving More Than Ted Bundy, releases October 3, 2023, from Chicago Review Press and is co-authored with survivor Kathy Kleiner Rubin.

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said he was hopeful that any long-term policy will address foods that the US doesn't produce, like bananas. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images 2025-05-15T19:09:37Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Walmart says tariffs remain "too high," even after recent reductions. The company warned that it will have to raise some prices if import costs don't come down further. It's not yet clear how already-pressured shoppers will respond to price hikes. President Donald Trump's shifting trade policy is causing headaches for America's largest retailer.While Walmart CFO John David Rainey welcomed the recent reduction in tariffs, he said the company is not out of the woods yet."Let me emphasize, we still think that's too high," he said of the latest rates during Walmart's earnings call on Thursday. Walmart says it imports about one-third of what it sells in the US from other countries, namely China, Mexico, Canada, Vietnam, and India, and that cargos are currently flowing."There are certain items, certain categories of merchandise, that we're dependent upon to import from other countries, and prices of those things are likely going to go up, and that's not good for consumers," Rainey said.Rainey also said shoppers are showing signs of being more financially pressured, evidenced by their spending shifting away from general merchandise and more toward food and essentials.CEO Doug McMillon added that he doesn't expect shoppers will tolerate additional price hikes on their grocery bills, which would limit the retailer's ability to shift import costs to other goods in its assortment."The first thing that goes through my mind is food inflation," he said. "We've been through a number of years here where prices have gone up on food, and our customers have felt that, and they don't want any more food inflation."He also said he was hopeful that any long-term policy would address foods that the US doesn't produce in significant amounts, like bananas.An additional wrinkle for Walmart management is the question of what economists call "price elasticity," or the change in purchasing patterns in response to changes in cost.American consumers proved surprisingly resilient during recent years of high inflation, and kept on spending even though prices were climbing.But Rainey said tariffs make it "more challenging to anticipate demand by item," since it's not clear how shoppers will respond to new tariff-related price hikes and retailers are wary of getting stuck holding large amounts of expensive merchandise."We'll watch where our price gaps are," McMillon said, "but we'll also watch what customers are telling us and the response that we get from pressure that they're feeling."While that puzzle is a little more solvable with high-turnover items like food, it's considerably more difficult to predict for seasonal sales events like back-to-school or the holidays — and Walmart has to place those orders now.And thanks to a quirk of retail accounting, a significant fluctuation in shelf prices could have an outsized impact of the company's financial results in the coming quarters if it has to make large adjustments to its inventory valuation."How do you make a quantity call, and what tariff number do you use?" McMillon asked. Recommended video

TL;DR: Intel's new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, made it clear he isn't backing away from the company's push to become a top-tier foundry. Now, Intel has shared new details about how – and when – it expects chip manufacturing to become a profitable part of the business. At a recent investor conference, Intel Chief Financial Officer David Zinsner stated that he expects the company's foundry business to break even by 2027. Within a few years, Chipzilla should turn a profit and begin building the trust needed to attract new customers. Intel's chip business isn't in the best shape right now. The company has embraced a multi-foundry approach, outsourcing part of its wafer production to Taiwanese foundry TSMC while developing new advanced manufacturing nodes internally. Intel has scheduled mass production of the recently unveiled 18A and 14A nodes for 2027. Tom's Hardware notes that Intel will first use the 18A node (1.8nm) to manufacture Panther Lake client PC processors, with new consumer CPUs launching later this year. Intel will also apply the same technology to "Clearwater Forest" Xeon processors and some undisclosed third-party products. Nevertheless, the company sees the 18A node as a promising proof of concept to attract external customers. Zinsner expects larger third-party volumes to come from the 14A manufacturing node. Intel is currently partnering with potential customers, but the process remains challenging. Some clients leave after a few test chips, while others stick around without committing to significant production volumes. Intel still needs to prove it can operate as a reliable foundry business. Intel will use High-NA EUV lithography for the 14A node, initially increasing costs. The company hopes its advanced capabilities will eventually outweigh the expense. The foundry unit should also benefit from increased internal production, with both Panther Lake and Nova Lake processors set to be built entirely in-house. // Related Stories Intel believes its foundry business needs only a few billion dollars in additional external revenue to break even. The 14A node could see broader adoption among third-party customers, while more mature nodes like Intel 16 and partnerships with companies such as Tower and UMC will help diversify revenue sources.

Image: Nintendo LifeWhatever will we do when Switch 2 comes out and the Nintendo Today! app can't drip feed us random bits of info any more, eh? Today's info drop is a small one, we'll admit, but gosh, are we keen to see what the musically talented folk out there can do with it. The app has today revealed some "fun little touches" in the Switch 2's 'Change Grip/Order' menu — yep, the little display where you connect your Joy-Con. On the new console, each connected controller will play a sound when you press the rear buttons, and if you line them up in a row and press them in order, you have a musical scale on your hands. It might not be the music-filled Nintendo of old, but it's another sign that things are getting back to a touch of personality on the Switch 2. And come on, we give it a week before we see fans playing Zelda's Lullaby, the Overworld theme and probably a touch of Rick Astley via the controller menu. You can hear the new feature in action on the Nintendo Today! app, or check out Nintendo's demonstration in the following BlueSky post from @Stealth40k: Nintendo revealed there is an easter egg in the 'change grip/order' section of the Controller settings. Sounds will play when you press the L/R buttons and you can even create a musical scale.— Stealth40k (@stealth40k.bsky.social) 2025-05-15T15:18:59.047Z Just yesterday, Nintendo used its news app to showcase how easy it is to map inputs to the Pro Controller 2's new GL and GR buttons. Heck, if we can get a musical note out of those too, it'll only be a matter of time before we hear someone play Megalovania on the Joy-Con... what a world we live in. Map skills Room for more What do you make of this neat little secret? Let us know in the comments. [source bsky.app] Related Games See Also Share:11 0 Jim came to Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his insistence that The Minish Cap is the best Zelda game and his unwavering love for the Star Wars prequels (yes, really), he has continued to write news and features on the site ever since. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment... Related Articles Nintendo Updates Its User Agreement To Crack Down On Emulation Offenders may find their Switch bricked PSA: My Nintendo Store Switch 2 Invites Are Starting To Roll Out Refresh that inbox Palworld Dev Announces "Disappointing" Game Changes Resulting From Nintendo's Lawsuit "We have had to make certain compromises"

May 15, 20253 min readLawmakers Push to Legalize Emissions-Heavy ‘Supersonic’ PlanesA bill to repeal the ban on supersonic flights over the U.S. could increase the demand for the gas-guzzling jets from around a dozen to as many as 240By Corbin Hiar & E&E News The Concorde, seen above as it is returned to the Intrepid Museum last year, was last in commercial operation in 2003. Lawmakers want to help bring back supersonic flights by legalizing it in U.S. airspace, as United Airlines and others invest in the planemaking startup Boom Supersonic. Michael M. Santiago/Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | Lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol are seeking to repeal a half-century-old regulation that prevents civilian aircraft from traveling faster than the speed of sound over the United States.The "Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act" could vastly increase the potential market — and emissions — of Boom Supersonic, a planemaking startup backed by United Airlines; Japan Airlines; and Sam Altman, the billionaire CEO of the artificial intelligence firm OpenAI.No commercial supersonic planes have been in operation since the Concorde ceased flights between New York and London in 2003. But aviation analysts estimate that the jets Boom is developing would consume at least two times more fuel per passenger than flying on commercial airplanes in operation now.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.The bill is from Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), whose state is home to Boom's manufacturing plant, and Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), the chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. It's co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah and Tim Sheehy of Montana as well as Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas."Supersonic flight without an audible sonic boom should obviously be allowed," said Blake Scholl, Boom's founder and CEO, in statements released by the bill's lead sponsors. "I urge Congress to pass the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act supersonically, so we can all enjoy faster flights and maintain American leadership in aviation."The legislation would order the Federal Aviation Administration to scrap or update a 1973 regulation that prohibits non-military-related supersonic flight over the U.S. within a year of the bill's passage. It specifically calls for the agency to allow for civilian flights in the national airspace "at a Mach number greater than 1 so long as the aircraft is operated in such a manner that no sonic boom reaches the ground in the United States."The congressional push to undo the overland flight ban comes as NASA prepares to conduct its first test flights of a supersonic jet developed by Lockheed Martin to produce sonic "thumps," rather than booms, when traveling faster than the speed of sound. The United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization is also set to develop new noise standards that member states could adopt.In February, Boom completed a series of supersonic test flights in a prototype plane that it claimed did not produce sonic booms that were audible from the ground. The speed of sound, or Mach 1, varies based on atmospheric conditions but is generally around 767 mph at sea level.The following month, Scholl visited Washington to lobby Trump administration officials to repeal the supersonic flight ban, POLITICO Pro reported at the time.The International Council on Clean Transportation, an environmental research group, estimated in 2022 that dropping overland flight prohibitions for supersonic aircraft in the U.S. and other major markets could increase the demand for the gas-guzzling jets from around a dozen to as many as 240. The company has already reported inking deals with airlines to produce 130 planes.Boom is designing its engines to run on sustainable aviation fuel, which has a fraction of the carbon emissions of traditional jet fuel. But operating the supersonic jets with SAF would be uneconomic for most airlines given the higher cost of SAF and the greater fuel consumption required to break the sound barrier.Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.