Science and Tech
Bangladesh crowned champion at UN AI hackathon
Bangladesh's team "zAI BD" has become champion at the global AI hackathon organised by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP). The grand final of the competition was held at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 15.
Hackers hit AI coding tool OpenCode, running up charges on users’ AI accounts
A cyberattack on an old system of OpenCode, a popular AI coding tool, has affected 1.4 percent of the platform's users. Some users allege that their API keys were stolen and used to gain unauthorised access to AI services from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, running up charges. A few users say their bills have exceeded $1,000.
Meta’s new terms likely allow AI to scrape website content
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, is introducing major changes to its commercial terms. Effective October 30, 2026, the revised terms authorise Meta to use automated software to access websites associated with businesses, collect their content and use it to develop, research, train and improve its products and services.
Bangladeshi researchers identifies new cicada species
Researchers from Bangladesh, China and India have identified Dundubia annandalei, a species of cicada, in Bangladesh for the first time, adding a new species to the country’s recorded cicada diversity.
Scientists in Austria and China create the world’s first nuclear clocks
Scientists have invented the world’s first nuclear clocks that they say could unlock the fundamentals of physics. The two devices are the newest atomic clocks, which measure time by monitoring light by using transitions occurring inside the atomic nucleus, involving protons and neutrons.
Cyberattack exposes names, emails and phone numbers of Pathao users
Pathao, one of Bangladesh's largest ride-hailing and delivery platforms, has said malicious actors obtained some users' personal information following a cybersecurity incident that disrupted services across its platform on 4 October.
TikTok’s two new features to expand direct shopping opportunity
TikTok has launched two new features to further expand the opportunity of direct shopping along with watching videos. Among the new facilities are an artificial intelligence or AI-based shopping assistant and the arrangement of buying products from inside the app while watching videos.
Government sector becomes top target for cyberattacks as AI accelerates threats
Government agencies and public services have become the biggest targets of cyberattackers worldwide, accounting for 27% of the cyber threats observed over the past year, up from 17% the previous year. At the same time, hackers are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate and expand their attacks.
Astronomers detect first radio emission from an exoplanet
Astronomers have detected what they say is the first radio emission directly traced to a planet beyond the solar system, revealing an exceptionally powerful magnetic field around the gas giant Beta Pictoris b.
OpenAI fires three researchers over misuse of sensitive information
OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, has dismissed three researchers for allegedly using sensitive information outside the company’s approved procedures, the San Francisco-based AI company said Thursday (October 1).