United News of Bangladesh

The government of Cambodia announced Friday that it has prepared its first draft law aimed at cracking down on online scam centers, as authorities pledge to shut down such operations by the end of April. Cambodia has become a major base for online fraud schemes that trick victims through fake investment offers and romance scams, costing people around the world tens of billions of dollars every year. Many workers in these scam centers—often from other Asian countries—are reportedly lured with fake job offers and later forced to work in exploitative conditions resembling modern-day slavery. Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said the proposed law would serve as a key legal tool for combating online fraud and money laundering while proving that Cambodia is not a refuge for criminals. Under the legislation approved by the Cabinet, individuals who organize or manage online scam operations could face five to 10 years in prison and fines ranging from 500 million to 1 billion riels (about $125,000–$250,000). If the crimes involve human trafficking, violence, or unlawful detention, penalties could increase to 10–20 years in prison and fines of up to 2 billion riels (around $500,000). If a death is linked to a scam center, offenders could face 15–30 years in prison or even life sentences. The draft law still requires approval from Parliament before it becomes effective. Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, who leads the government’s commission on combating online scams, told The Associated Press that authorities have targeted about 250 suspected scam locations since July and closed nearly 200 of them. During the same period, the government filed 79 cases involving 697 suspected ringleaders and associates connected to the operations. Authorities have also repatriated nearly 10,000 workers from scam centers to 23 different countries, while fewer than 1,000 individuals are still waiting to return home. Some others who managed to escape or were freed during raids have already returned independently. Pheaktra said the government has intensified efforts to fight online scams to safeguard the country’s economic reputation, which has been harmed by such criminal activities. He added that the government does not benefit financially from these operations. Despite previous crackdowns, however, scam networks have continued operating, leading some experts to question whether the new measures will succeed. Jacob Sims, a specialist in transnational crime and visiting fellow at Harvard University Asia Center, said the key issue is whether authorities will dismantle the broader systems that enable the scam industry rather than simply shutting down the buildings where it operates. He noted that past enforcement efforts in Cambodia often failed to disrupt the financial and protection networks behind the scams, allowing the operations to quickly resume.  

Lyft has agreed to a settlement ensuring that blind and other disabled passengers can travel with their service animals nationwide, following a complaint in Minnesota. College student Tori Andres contacted the Minnesota Department of Human Rights after several Lyft drivers refused to let her guide dog, Alfred, accompany her. The department found that Lyft had violated the state’s Human Rights Act. Under the settlement, Lyft will update its driver training and app features to make the protections apply across the U.S., not just in Minnesota. "This case is deeply personal because I travel almost everywhere with my guide dog," Andres said at a news conference, with Alfred lying quietly at her feet. "He is my eyes, my freedom, and why I can live independently." The settlement requires Lyft to educate drivers about passengers’ rights and warns that drivers could be deactivated for violating the law. Drivers are prohibited from refusing rides to passengers who use service animals, wheelchairs, or have low or no vision. Minnesota will monitor Lyft’s compliance for three years, and Andres will receive $63,000 as part of the settlement. Rebecca Lucero, the state’s Human Rights Commissioner, said, "We expect all riders in Minnesota and across the country will benefit from these changes." Lyft, however, downplayed the settlement, stating that it had already enforced policies to protect service animal users and that alleged violations were by independent drivers. The company emphasized that discrimination has no place in its platform. Recent app updates allow riders to notify drivers about service animals and report refusals. Drivers who try to cancel such rides receive an immediate in-app warning that refusing service animals is illegal and could lead to termination. The settlement was reached without a lawsuit. Although Uber is not part of the agreement, Minnesota’s Human Rights Act applies to all ride-share companies. Lucero urged all businesses to review their policies to ensure compliance. The federal government is also pursuing a separate lawsuit against Uber over alleged discrimination against disabled riders, including those with service dogs. "Access to ride shares like Lyft is not a convenience it is a civil right," Lucero said.

Meta said Tuesday it plans to acquire Moltbook, an experimental social network designed specifically for artificial intelligence agents to post updates and interact with one another. The deal comes just weeks after Moltbook drew widespread attention online as an unusual Reddit-style platform where AI systems appeared to exchange messages and share information. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said the platform had introduced innovative ideas in a “rapidly developing space” and could help create new ways for AI agents to assist people and businesses. As part of the acquisition, Meta will also hire Moltbook co-founders Matt Schlicht and Ben Parr. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The move highlights the growing interest across the tech industry in AI agents that can perform tasks independently, going beyond traditional chatbots by acting on behalf of users. In a related development, OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, recently hired Peter Steinberger, the creator of the AI agent OpenClaw, previously known as Moltbot. OpenClaw is the underlying technology used by Moltbook. OpenAI unveils GPT-5.4 with stronger reasoning, coding and computer-use abilities OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said Steinberger would help develop the next generation of personal AI agents capable of interacting with each other to carry out useful tasks for users. Unlike many cloud-based systems, OpenClaw runs locally on a user’s device, allowing it to access files and manage data directly. It can also connect with messaging platforms such as Discord and Signal. Users who create OpenClaw agents can instruct them to join the Moltbook network. OpenAI also announced earlier this week that it is acquiring Promptfoo, an AI security platform that evaluates the behaviour and potential risks of AI agents. Moltbook’s rapid rise in popularity also raised concerns about the authenticity of content on the platform. Researchers from cloud security firm Wiz reported security vulnerabilities shortly after its launch, though those issues have since been addressed.

A growing wave of artificial intelligence-generated videos and images about the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel is spreading widely on social media, raising serious concerns about misinformation and the monetisation of false content online, experts say. Analysts monitoring online platforms say AI-generated videos, fabricated satellite images and manipulated visuals related to the war have collectively attracted hundreds of millions of views across social media networks. According to researchers, advances in generative AI tools have made it much easier and cheaper to produce realistic-looking conflict footage. Digital media expert Timothy Graham said the scale of misinformation linked to the war is “alarming”. “What previously required professional production can now be done within minutes using AI tools,” he said, noting that the barrier to creating convincing fake war footage has largely disappeared. The conflict escalated after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran later responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel as well as several Gulf countries and US military facilities in the region. As the conflict intensified, social media users increasingly turned to online platforms for updates. However, the demand for fast information has also allowed misleading AI-generated content to spread rapidly. The platform X recently announced that it would temporarily suspend creators from its monetisation programme if they share AI-generated war videos without clearly labeling them. The programme allows eligible users to earn revenue based on engagement such as views, shares and comments. Researcher Mahsa Alimardani described the decision as an indication that platforms are beginning to recognise the seriousness of the problem. Investigations have uncovered several widely circulated AI-generated clips. One example appeared to show missiles striking Tel Aviv in Israel, accompanied by the sound of explosions. The video was shared hundreds of times across social media platforms. In several cases, users asked the AI chatbot Grok to verify the footage, but the system incorrectly identified the fabricated clip as real. Another viral AI video falsely showed the Burj Khalifa engulfed in flames while crowds ran toward the building. The video gained tens of millions of views at a time when people in the region were already concerned about possible missile and drone strikes. Experts say such misinformation damages public trust and complicates efforts to verify genuine evidence from conflict zones. BBC Verify also identified fabricated satellite images circulating online. One widely shared image claimed to show major damage to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain following Iranian strikes. However, investigators found the picture was manipulated using AI based on an earlier satellite image taken in February 2025. According to generative AI specialist Henry Ajder, the rapid expansion of AI tools — including platforms like OpenAI Sora — has made sophisticated digital manipulation easier than ever. Technology policy expert Victoire Rio said automated tools now allow creators to produce and distribute AI content across social media platforms almost instantly. Some experts also warn that monetisation systems on social media platforms may be contributing to the spread of misinformation. Accounts that post viral content can earn revenue through engagement-based programmes. Graham estimates that the monetisation programme on X could pay roughly $8 to $12 for every one million verified user impressions, provided creators meet certain engagement thresholds. “Once someone is eligible, viral AI-generated content can effectively become a money-making machine,” he said. Despite efforts by major platforms to improve moderation and detection systems, experts say tackling AI-driven misinformation remains extremely challenging as the technology becomes more accessible and powerful.   With inputs from BBC

Viewers have several new streaming options this week, including Taylor Sheridan's neo-Western family drama series ‘The Madison’on Paramount+ and Disney’s animated hit ‘Zootopia 2’ on Disney+. Other highlights selected by AP entertainment journalists include the Academy Awards on Hulu, Nicole Kidman starring as forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta in a new series, and Kim Gordon’s third solo album, ‘Play Me’.   Movies (March 9-15)  Disney’s ‘Zootopia 2’, the sequel to the 2016 hit, arrives on Disney+ Wednesday after earning $1.85 billion at the box office. The story continues the adventures of rabbit cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and fox partner Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), as a mysterious viper (Key Huy Quan) uncovers new secrets in the animal metropolis. AP’s review described it as “a more timid and tame movie that leans largely on the duo of Hopps and Wilde.” For the first time, the Oscars will be streamed on Hulu alongside ABC’s live broadcast on Sunday, March 15. Subscribers can watch without a cable connection. Viewers can also catch nominated films on various platforms, including HBO Max, Netflix, Peacock, Apple TV+, and Hulu.   Music (March 13)  Kim Gordon, co-founder of Sonic Youth, releases her third solo album Play Me, following her Grammy-nominated The Collective (2024). The album features propulsive, confrontational tracks exploring themes from convenience culture to billionaire obsession with space. Heavy metal band Lamb of God launches their tenth studio album, ‘Into Oblivion’, reflecting frontman Randy Blythe’s take on current world affairs.   Series (March 9-15)  Netflix adds four new Sesame Street episodes Monday as it continues the show’s 56th season. One Piece  returns for Season 2 Tuesday, following Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates on their quest through the Grand Line. Nicole Kidman stars as Kay Scarpetta in a new series released Wednesday, portraying the character across two timelines with Rosy McEwen as the younger Scarpetta.  Taylor Sheridan’s ‘The Madison ‘ premieres Saturday on Paramount+, centering on the Clyburn family who move to Montana after a tragedy.   Video Games (March 9-15 Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection launches Friday on PS5, Xbox X/S, Switch 2, and PC, letting players team up with monsters and engage in turn-based battles amid warring kingdoms.  

The Pokémon Company International has criticised the White House for using its imagery, including the popular character Pikachu, in a political meme posted online with the slogan “Make America Great Again”. The company said it had no involvement in the creation or distribution of the meme and had not given permission to use its intellectual property. Pokémon spokeswoman Sravanthi Dev said,“We were not involved in its creation or distribution, and no permission was granted for the use of our intellectual property.”  She added that the company’s mission is to bring people together and that it is not linked to any political viewpoint or agenda. This is not the first time the company has objected to the Trump administration’s use of its content. In September, Pokémon also criticised a video that used its theme song and the slogan “Gotta catch ’em all” while showing arrests made by US border patrol and immigration agents as part of the administration’s deportation campaign. The latest meme appears to use an image from the recently released game Pokopia for Nintendo. The slogan was written in a font similar to the game’s style, with a small version of Pikachu appearing behind the letter “e” in the word “make”. When asked about the criticism, the White House referred the BBC to a post on X by spokesman Kaelan Dorr.In the post, Dorr shared a 10-year-old Wall Street Journal article about former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who once referenced the mobile game Pokémon Go during the 2016 election campaign, saying she was trying to get supporters to “have Pokémon go to the polls”. “Hey Mr Pikachu, big fan. Question for you – why no response to articles like this?” Dorr wrote on X, suggesting the company might have a political bias. The Pokémon Company did not say whether it plans to take legal action over the use of its content. During Donald Trump’s second term, the White House has frequently used popular internet memes on official social media accounts to promote its policies. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson earlier defended the approach, saying the administration was using engaging posts and memes to communicate the president’s agenda. Recently, the White House also posted a video combining images from the war with Iran and scenes from the video game series Call of Duty. Several artists and public figures have criticised the administration for using their content without permission. Comedian and podcaster Theo Von last year objected after the Department of Homeland Security used a clip of him in a video highlighting deportation numbers. Von responded on X saying he did not approve the use of the clip and asked the agency to remove it. Source: BBC  

An extraordinary surge of AI-generated misinformation linked to the US-Israel war with Iran is being exploited by online content creators who are using advanced generative AI tools to generate revenue, experts have told BBC Verify. Analysis by BBC Verify uncovered numerous instances of AI-created videos and manipulated satellite images being circulated online to support false or misleading claims about the conflict. Collectively, such content has drawn hundreds of millions of views across social media platforms. “The scale is deeply concerning and the current war has brought the issue into sharp focus,” said Timothy Graham, a digital media specialist at Queensland University of Technology. “What previously required professional video production teams can now be produced within minutes using AI tools. The barrier to creating convincing synthetic footage of conflict has effectively disappeared,” he added. The United States and Israel began launching military strikes on Iran on February 28. In response, Iran has carried out drone and missile attacks targeting Israel as well as several Gulf countries and US military assets across the region. As the conflict escalated rapidly over the past week, many people turned to social media platforms to follow developments, seek updates and share information about the unfolding situation. Social media platform X announced this week that it will temporarily remove creators from its monetisation programme if they share AI-generated videos of armed conflicts without clearly labelling them. Under the programme, eligible users receive payments when their posts attract large numbers of views, likes, shares and comments. Mahsa Alimardani, a researcher on Iran at the Oxford Internet Institute, said the decision signals that the platform recognises the scale of the problem. “It’s a significant indication that they understand this is a major issue,” she said. BBC Verify contacted TikTok and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to ask whether they plan to introduce similar measures. Neither company responded to requests for comment. One example of misleading AI-generated content identified by BBC Verify appears to show missiles hitting the Israeli city of Tel Aviv while explosions can be heard in the background. The clip has appeared in more than 300 separate posts and has been shared tens of thousands of times across multiple social media platforms. Some users on X asked the platform’s AI chatbot Grok to verify whether the footage was authentic. However, BBC Verify found that in several cases the chatbot incorrectly claimed the AI-generated footage was real. Another fabricated video, which has been viewed tens of millions of times, purports to show the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai engulfed in flames while crowds appear to run toward the building. The AI-generated clip circulated widely online during a period of heightened anxiety among residents and tourists following reports of drone and missile strikes targeting the city. According to Alimardani, such fabricated content damages public confidence in reliable information. “Videos like these undermine trust in verified information available online and make it far more difficult to document genuine evidence,” she said. BBC Verify also identified a new element emerging in the conflict: the spread of AI-generated satellite images. On the first day of the war, BBC Verify confirmed several authentic videos showing Iranian drones and missiles striking the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. However, a manipulated satellite image shared on X by the state-linked newspaper The Tehran Times began circulating the following day, claiming to show severe destruction at the military facility. The fabricated image appears to have been derived from a real satellite photo of a US naval base in Bahrain taken in February 2025, which is publicly available online. Google’s SynthID watermark detection system indicates that the altered image was generated or modified using a Google AI tool. Further examination shows that three vehicles parked outside the base appear in exactly the same positions in both the genuine satellite photo and the manipulated AI image, even though the pictures supposedly represent scenes captured a year apart. Google’s AI products, including the video-generation tool Veo, are among a growing number of widely used AI platforms. Others include OpenAI’s Sora model, the Chinese AI application Seedance, and Grok, which is integrated into X. Henry Ajder, a specialist in generative AI, said the range and accessibility of such tools has grown dramatically. “The number of tools now available to create highly realistic AI manipulations across different formats is unprecedented,” he said. “We have never seen these technologies so accessible, so simple to use and so inexpensive,” Ajder added. Victoire Rio, executive director of the technology policy non-profit What To Fix, said this has contributed to a sharp rise in AI-generated material online because the process of producing and distributing such content can now be largely automated. Meanwhile, X’s head of product said on Tuesday that about 99 percent of accounts sharing AI-generated war footage were attempting to “game monetisation” by posting content designed to attract high engagement and earn payments through the platform’s Creator Revenue Sharing programme. X does not disclose how many accounts participate in the programme or the amount of money creators can earn from it. However, Graham estimates that X may pay between eight and 12 dollars for every one million verified user impressions. To qualify for the programme, creators must generate at least five million organic impressions within three months and maintain an X Premium subscription, he said. “Once creators qualify, viral AI-generated content effectively becomes a money-making machine,” Graham added. “It has created the ultimate misinformation enterprise.” X did not respond to BBC Verify’s requests for comment or questions about the Creator Revenue Sharing programme. Experts told BBC Verify that although social media companies say they are attempting to improve moderation and detection systems to manage the rapid spread of AI-generated content, addressing the issue remains complex. “The deeper problem is that monetisation driven by engagement and the distribution of accurate information are fundamentally at odds,” Graham said. “No platform has fully solved that conflict, and perhaps none ever will.”

OpenAI has launched GPT-5.4, its newest frontier artificial intelligence model, introducing major upgrades in reasoning, coding and automated task execution. The company said the model combines several of its recent advancements into a single system and is available in different variants, including GPT-5.4 Thinking and GPT-5.4 Pro. One of the most significant features of GPT-5.4 is its 1 million-token context window, allowing it to analyse very large datasets such as entire codebases or extensive collections of documents more efficiently. OpenAI also said GPT-5.4 is the first mainline model with built-in computer-use capabilities, enabling AI agents to directly interact with software to complete tasks. This means the system can operate computers by using screenshots, mouse clicks and keyboard commands, allowing it to work across applications and websites and automate complex workflows. According to the company, the latest model introduces six major improvements, including enhanced coding abilities, better image perception and multimodal performance, stronger execution of long-running tasks and multi-step agent workflows, improved token efficiency for tool-heavy workloads, advanced web search and multi-source information synthesis, and more effective document-heavy analytics. Addressing concerns about inaccuracies often referred to as “hallucinations,” OpenAI said GPT-5.4 is 33% less likely to produce false information compared with earlier models. The company said the model is designed for professional environments and performs strongly in tasks such as legal analysis, financial modelling, creating presentation slides and writing or debugging code. Developers can also build AI agents capable of planning tasks, carrying them out and adjusting when problems arise. The release reflects a broader shift in the evolution of AI systems. Early versions of ChatGPT primarily answered questions, while the GPT-4 era enabled more advanced capabilities such as writing essays, code and summaries. With GPT-5, models began to demonstrate stronger reasoning skills, and GPT-5.4 moves further by allowing AI systems to directly perform tasks on computers. In practical use, GPT-5.4 can operate within common workplace tools such as spreadsheets and document editors. It can analyse financial data in Excel, automatically create dashboards, generate reports from raw datasets and process large legal or contractual documents. For software development, the model can generate extensive codebases, detect and fix bugs, run automated software tests and even control web browsers through automation tools. OpenAI’s latest release comes amid intensifying competition in the AI sector. Rival company Anthropic, led by Dario Amodei, recently introduced Claude Opus 4.6 and Claude Sonnet 4.6, which have been described as faster and more efficient for everyday enterprise tasks. While the latest models from OpenAI and Anthropic focus on different strengths, the developments highlight a growing race to create AI systems capable of functioning as practical digital workers. #From Indian Express

Apple has introduced a range of new products, including two devices priced at $599, as part of what CEO Tim Cook described as a “big week” of announcements aimed partly at budget-conscious buyers. The new lineup was presented during hands-on media events in New York, London and Shanghai on Wednesday. The announcements include the new iPhone 17e, an entry-level laptop called MacBook Neo, updated iPad Air M4 tablets, refreshed monitors and upgraded chips for the company’s high-end laptops. Preorders for the devices began Wednesday. The announcements come after the company reported record quarterly earnings driven by strong sales of the iPhone 17 series, although Apple has yet to roll out its previously promised artificial intelligence upgrades for Siri. iPhone 17e The iPhone 17e is designed for budget buyers and starts at $599 about $200 cheaper than the base iPhone 17. It uses the same A19 chip as the standard model and offers 256GB of storage, double the capacity of the previous 16e version. The phone features a 48-megapixel camera and a C1X modem that supports faster cellular speeds. It also includes Apple’s Super Retina display, Ceramic Shield 2 protection and MagSafe charging with Qi2 support. The device will be available in black, white and light pink.  iPad Air update Apple also introduced an updated iPad Air powered by the M4 chip. While the higher-end iPad Pro uses the newer M5 chip, the Air still provides strong performance for everyday tasks such as streaming, browsing, email and video editing. The company increased the tablet’s memory from 8GB to 12GB without raising the price. The 11-inch model starts at $599, while the 13-inch version starts at $799, both with 128GB of storage. MacBook and chip upgrades Apple upgraded its MacBook Pro laptops with new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips aimed at improving performance and battery efficiency. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro chip starts at $2,199, while the 16-inch model starts at $2,699. Both offer 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, along with support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The new MacBook Neo, Apple’s most affordable laptop yet, features a 13-inch display, an A18 Pro chip, 256GB storage and two USB-C ports. The base model costs $599, while a 512GB version with Touch ID is priced at $699. Students and educators can get a $100 discount. Apple also refreshed the MacBook Air with the base M5 chip and doubled storage to 512GB. The 13-inch model starts at $1,099 and the 15-inch version at $1,299.  New monitors The company also launched two 27-inch 5K monitors the Studio Display and the higher-end Studio Display XDR. Both feature 5,120×2,880 resolution, 12-megapixel Center Stage cameras, six-speaker systems, two Thunderbolt 5 ports and two USB-C ports. The Studio Display costs $1,599, while the advanced XDR version which includes mini-LED backlighting and a 120Hz refresh rate starts at $3,299.

South Korea’s chip industry has expressed concern that the ongoing conflict in Iran could disrupt plans by major technology firms to establish AI data centres in the Middle East, lawmaker Kim Young-bae said on Wednesday. Speaking to Reuters after meetings with executives from companies including Samsung Electronics, Kim warned that prolonged regional instability could delay infrastructure projects, potentially affecting the already strong global demand for semiconductors. Industry officials also highlighted risks to the supply of critical chip-making materials, such as helium, sourced from the Middle East. Kim said companies were closely monitoring the situation, noting that any disruption could have ripple effects on production and logistics in the semiconductor sector. The remarks come amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region, with the Iran war raising concerns over global supply chains and prompting technology firms to reassess investment timelines for advanced computing facilities.