AI bot attacks increase 10-fold, report reveals

The number of cyber attacks on the internet carried out byartificial intelligencebots has increased more than 10-fold over the last year, new research has found.

The Independent US In 2024, bots made up a bigger proportion of global internet traffic than humans for the first time (iStock/ Getty Images)

DailyAI-enabled bot attacks rose from 2 million to 25 million in a single year, according to the 2026 Bad Bot Report fromcybersecurityresearchers at Thales.

“While this rise in AI-powered attacks is significant, the larger shift in 2025 was the normalisation of AI and automation within internet infrastructure itself,” the report noted.

“AI-driven attacks were observed across a wide range of industries and geographies, highlighting the global scale and reach of AI-enabled automation.”

Industries targeted by AI bots range from retail and business, to education and government.

Thesame report last yearfound that more than half of all internet traffic in 2024 was made up of bots, with this trend continuing in 2025.

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Bots now make up more than 53 per cent of all web traffic, up from 51 per cent from the previous year.

Around 40 per cent of web traffic is now made up of so-called bad bots, which can include anything from automated systems designed to steal data, to botnets that flood websites with traffic in order to crash them.

The US was the most targeted country for bot attacks in 2025, followed by Australia, the UK and France.

The rise of malicious AI bots brings new challenges to cyber security professionals, who are tasked with protecting the web against the ever-evolving threat.

“AI is transforming automation from something organisations try to block into something they must also manage,” said Tim Chang, a general manager of applications and security at Thales.

“The challenge is no longer identifying bots. It’s understanding what the bot, agent, or automation is doing. whether it aligns with business intent, and how it interacts with critical systems.”

AI bot attacks increase 10-fold, report reveals

The number of cyber attacks on the internet carried out byartificial intelligencebots has increased more than 10-fold over the last yea...
Which Eurovision 2026 tracks are leading on momentum and platform data

Every Eurovision season builds its own kind of momentum long before the final results are in. Songs begin to travel across streaming platforms, fan communities start to rally around early favorites, and some entries separate themselves through sheer scale, while others build more quietly through steady growth. By the time the contest reaches its final stretch, platform data can already reveal which tracks are breaking through and which ones are still trying to catch up.

Stacker Trucks are parked outside Stadthalle for the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria. - Joe Klamar // AFP via Getty Images

Which Eurovision 2026 tracks are leading on momentum and platform data

That does not mean data can fully explain Eurovision. Live performances, staging, jury preferences, national voting patterns, and the unpredictable chemistry of the night still matter. But platform performance can offer a useful early read on where attention is concentrating, which entries are accelerating at the right time, and which songs look strongest if the field is judged only on measurable traction.

With that in mind,Viberateexamined 35 Eurovision 2026 entries using recent streaming and platform data to identify which tracks are showing the strongest measurable traction. The goal is to identify which songs are gaining momentum, which ones already command the strongest audience demand, and which entries have built the broadest platform support. In this article, Viberate explores a simple question: If measurable streaming and platform signals were the main basis for judging the field, which songs would look strongest heading into Eurovision 2026?

Why data still matters before Eurovision night

In a contest built on live performance, staging, and national voting patterns, raw platform data can never tell the whole story. Still, it can say a lot about which songs are breaking through before viewers cast a single vote.

To see which Eurovision 2026 entries look strongest on measurable traction alone, 35 nominated tracks were ranked using a data-only model built from recent demand, momentum, and platform support signals. The analysis focused on three questions: Which songs are attracting the most audience demand right now? Which ones are gaining momentum at the right moment? And which entries are receiving the strongest platform support through playlist reach and related indicators?

That approach does not attempt to predict the actual winner. Eurovision has always been more complicated than a streaming race. Jury preferences, diaspora patterns, live vocals, staging, and the chemistry of the night can all change the outcome. But if the field is judged only on current data signals, a clearer hierarchy emerges.

Top 10 Eurovision 2026 entries by data signals

A table ranking the top 10 Eurovision 2026 entries by data signals. - Courtesy of Viberate

Per sempre sì leads the field

At the top of that hierarchy is “Per sempre sì.” The track leads the full field in overall score, driven by the strongest demand profile and the highest support score in the 35-song set. In practical terms, that means it is not simply posting one strong metric. It is performing at a high level across the areas the model values most: sustained audience pull and broad platform backing. Its recent momentum is solid rather than spectacular, but the base is strong enough that it still finishes clearly ahead of the rest of the field.

The main reason that matters is that big tracks can lead in different ways. Some are rising quickly from a smaller base. Others are already operating from a position of scale. “Per sempre sì” belongs to the second group. Its case is not that it is the fastest riser in the race. Its case is that it has already built the largest measurable footprint while maintaining enough current movement to stay in front.

The chasing pack behind the leader

Behind it, the chasing group is tighter and more interesting. “Liekinheitin,” “JALLA,” “Bangaranga,” “Før Vi Går Hjem,” and “Ferto” form the clearest second tier in the model. Those songs do not all get there the same way, which is one reason the analysis is more useful than a simple streams chart.

“Liekinheitin” looks like one of the most secure all-round contenders. It combines high demand, strong support, and enough momentum to avoid looking static. It does not dominate one category as decisively as the leader, but it does very little wrong. That makes it one of the least fragile profiles in the top tier.

“JALLA” also scores strongly, especially on scale. It has one of the strongest demand profiles in the set, and its support metrics remain good enough to keep it firmly among the leaders.

If one song makes the strongest case as the most balanced challenger, though, it is “Bangaranga.” That track stands out because it does not lean too heavily on one pillar. Its demand is strong, its momentum is among the best in the upper tier, and its support metrics are solid enough to keep it competitive. In a data-only ranking, balance matters. A track that is merely large can stall. A track that is merely rising can still be too small. “Bangaranga” looks more complete than that. It is one of the few entries near the top that looks strong in all three directions at once.

“Før Vi Går Hjem” and “Ferto” round out the strongest cluster. Both are credible high-end contenders in the model, but with slightly different profiles. “Før Vi Går Hjem” leans more on support and steady demand than on explosive recent acceleration. “Ferto” looks broad and stable, with fewer extreme strengths but no major weakness. Neither track feels inflated by one odd metric or one short-lived spike, which helps explain why both remain close to the top in multiple scoring scenarios.

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That stability matters because the model was rerun under alternative weighting systems, including versions that gave more weight to demand and momentum. The ordering shifted slightly, but the same core group stayed near the front. That is one of the strongest signs that the ranking is capturing something real rather than producing an arbitrary result.

Which songs are gaining momentum fastest

Just below the top cluster, a second analytical divide appears. Some songs look strong because they are already large. Others look dangerous because they are moving fast.

The clearest momentum names in the wider field include “Nova Zora - Eurovision 2026,” “Paloma Rumba,” “Ridnym - Eurovision Version,” “Just Go,” and “Nân.” These tracks show stronger acceleration patterns than many of the bigger entries above them. That makes them worth watching, but not all momentum profiles should be treated the same way. A track can climb quickly while still lacking enough total demand or support to challenge the leaders outright.

That is why “Nân” is the most interesting of the momentum-heavy group. It does not merely post a strong growth signal. It also carries enough total strength to break into the top 10 overall. In other words, it looks less like a curiosity and more like a plausible late mover.

By contrast, tracks like “Paloma Rumba” and “Ridnym - Eurovision Version” read more like surge stories than frontrunner stories. Their momentum helps them stand out, but their overall scale remains thinner than the songs at the top of the ranking. In a data-only model, that makes them more compelling as rising threats than as outright leaders.

The reverse is also true. A few entries show the opposite pattern: large footprint, softer recent pace. “Michelle,” “Fire,” “My System,” and “REGARDE !” all fall somewhere in that category. None of them can be dismissed. In fact, “Michelle” is especially strong on pure demand. But their current movement does not look as convincing as their overall size. That distinction matters because it separates songs riding a strong present wave from songs holding on to a larger existing base.

Where the model is most likely to misread the field

One of the most useful parts of this analysis is identifying where the model itself is most likely to overrate or underrate songs. Tracks with especially strong support scores but weaker direct audience pull can look better in a composite than they would in a pure demand race. That appears to be more relevant for entries like “Fire,” “TANZSCHEIN,” and “Ya Ya Ya.” These are not weak songs in the data, but they lean more on platform support than on direct audience-demand leadership.

Another warning sign appears in one-platform skew. A track that looks strong on Spotify but much weaker on YouTube, or vice versa, may have a narrower base than its headline position suggests. That is one reason broad, cross-platform strength is more persuasive than one large isolated number.

What the results actually show

The final result is not a prediction of who will win Eurovision 2026 on stage. It is a ranking of which entries currently look strongest if platform demand, recent momentum, and support signals are treated as the contest’s only inputs.

On that basis, “Per sempre sì” is the clearest leader. “Liekinheitin,” “JALLA,” “Bangaranga,” “Før Vi Går Hjem,” and “Ferto” make up the strongest immediate chasing pack. And within that group, “Bangaranga” may be the most interesting analytical challenger, because its profile is the most balanced rather than the most lopsided.

Methodology

This analysis compared 35 nominated Eurovision 2026 tracks using recent platform data from Viberate exports. Each song was assessed in three areas: audience demand, recent momentum, and platform support. Demand was based on recent Spotify and YouTube activity, momentum was based on whether a track was picking up speed over the recent tracking window, and support was based on playlist reach and related Spotify indicators.

To keep the comparison fair, the ranking focused on recent 30-day performance rather than raw longer-term totals, since the nominated songs were not all released at the same time. That reduced the advantage older releases would otherwise have had. The final result is a data-based ranking of which entries currently look strongest on measurable traction.

This storywas produced byViberateand reviewed and distributed byStacker.

Which Eurovision 2026 tracks are leading on momentum and platform data

Every Eurovision season builds its own kind of momentum long before the final results are in. Songs begin to travel across streaming pl...
Brigitte Macron says time as French first lady laid bare the ‘wickedness and stupidity’ of the world

Brigitte Macron said her time as first lady of France hasmade her more cynical about the worldin a bleak reflection as her husband announced he would step back from politics after next year’s presidential election.

The Independent US

Ms Macron, 73, told French newspaperLa Tribune Dimanchethat the public-facing job at the top of French politics had left her “sometimes sadder than I have ever been”, having exposed her to the“darkness of the world, the stupidity, the wickedness”.

During Emmanuel Macron’s two-term tenure as president of France, Ms Macron has been subjected to vicious attacks and conspiracy theories from online critics, forcing her into a series of lengthy legal battles.

“Before, I had a normal life, children, a job, ups and downs, like everyone else. Here, these ten years have passed so quickly … They have been so intense,” she told the outlet.

First lady Brigitte Macron, right, has faced intense scrutiny during her husband's time leading France (AFP/Getty)

Reflecting on how her life had been changed by public life, the former teacher admitted: “Sometimes I find it hard to see the blue sky. I have moments of pessimism that I didn’t have before.”

Earlier this year, ten people were found guilty of cyber-bullying Ms Macron after spreading false claims about her gender and sexuality, as well as making “malicious remarks” about the 24-year age gap between her and her husband, 48.

The Macrons have pursued a high-profile defamation lawsuit against American right-wing influencer Candace Owens, who promoted claims that she was born a man online.

Tom Clare, their lead counsel in the case, said last year that the couple had found the claims “extremely upsetting”. He noted Ms Macron would have to “subject herself in a very public way” in order to “set the record straight”.

The case dates back years to baseless allegations included in an article in 2021 and later promoted in a viral YouTube video.

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Ms Owens picked up the thread in 2024, announcing that she was “waging her entire professional reputation” on the theory that Ms Macron was born Jean-Michel Trogneux, the name of her older brother, before transitioning.

In a 22-count complaint filed last July, the Macrons accused Ms Owens of a “campaign of global humiliation, turning their lives into fodder for profit-driven lies”. The ongoing case seeks unspecified damages.

Candace Owens (pictured, file) promoted claims Ms Macron was born a man (YouTube/Candace Owens)

Over the last ten years, Ms Macron has used her platform to support people with disabilities, protect vulnerable children and campaign against school bullying.

She has also attracted controversy, including over a video thatappeared to show her slapping her husband during an official visit to Vietnamlast year.

Cameras caught the momentMs Macronpushed her husband in the face as their plane arrived in Hanoi for the start of their southeast Asian tour.

The French leader, who was standing in the doorway of the plane, looked momentarily stunned after the then-unidentified hand hit him in the face.

Playing down headline scrutiny, Mr Macroninsisted he was “bickering, or rather joking, with my wife”.

Three months later, Ms Macron had to defend herself after she was filmed using a sexist slur to describe feminist protesters who had disrupted a theatre performance in Paris.

She said she had been trying to reassure French actor Ary Abittanwhen she called the activists “dirty b*****s”.Ms Macron admitted her language had been “very direct” and “clumsy”.

Brigitte Macron says time as French first lady laid bare the ‘wickedness and stupidity’ of the world

Brigitte Macron said her time as first lady of France hasmade her more cynical about the worldin a bleak reflection as her husband anno...
Suárez fires 8 dominant innings as Red Sox blank Blue Jays 5-0 for first 3-game winning streak

TORONTO (AP) — Ranger Suárez and Greg Weissert combined on a two-hitter, Carlos Narváez hit a solo home run and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0 on Monday night, their third straight win and second in a row under interim manager Chad Tracy.

Associated Press Boston Red Sox pitcher Ranger Suarez works against the Toronto Blue Jays during first-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 27, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) Boston Red Sox's Willson Contreras, right, scores on a single by teammate Marcelo Mayer as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman, left, looks on during fourth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 27, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease misses the ground ball hit by Boston Red Sox's Roman Anthony as he tumbles off the mound, allowing a run to score, during fifth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 27, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement, right, forces out Boston Red Sox's Caleb Durbin (5) and throws back to first base but fails to make a double play during fifth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 27, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) Boston Red Sox pitcher Ranger Suarez works against the Toronto Blue Jays during first-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 27, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Red Sox Blue Jays Baseball

It’s the first time this season the Red Sox have won three straight. Bostonfired manager Alex Cora and five coachesSaturday after starting 10-17.

A pair of Red Sox fans sat in the front row behind the visitors' bullpen with a sign paying tribute to Cora and coach Jason Varitek, who was reassigned within the organization. It read “Thanks AC-Tek. Forever our captain.”

Suárez (2-2) struck out 10 and walked one, matching a season high by going eight innings. He outpitched Dylan Cease and held the Blue Jays without a hit until Jesús Sánchez doubled down the left-field line to begin the sixth. Suárez struck out the next two batters, then retired leadoff hitter Myles Straw on a flyball.

The left-hander set down the final nine batters he faced before Weissert finished, pitching around a two-out double in the ninth by pinch-hitter Daulton Varsho.

Narváez extended Boston’s season-high streak of games with at least one home run to five by hitting a two-out drive off rookie Chase Lee in the eighth. The homer was Narváez’s second.

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The Red Sox have homered seven times in the past five games after hitting five home runs in their previous 17 games.

Cease (1-1) allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out five.

Blue Jays left fielder Davis Schneider had the highlight defensive play, adiving catch on Jarren Duran’s sinking linerto end the sixth.

Up next

Blue Jays RHP Trey Yesavage is expected to be activated off the injured list to make his season debut Tuesday. LHP Payton Tolle (0-0, 1.50 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Red Sox.

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Suárez fires 8 dominant innings as Red Sox blank Blue Jays 5-0 for first 3-game winning streak

TORONTO (AP) — Ranger Suárez and Greg Weissert combined on a two-hitter, Carlos Narváez hit a solo home run and the Boston Red Sox beat...
Epstein documents reveal purpose of strange striped building on his Caribbean island

The Epstein files have shed light on the purposeof a mysterious blue and white striped building on the pedophile financier’s Caribbean island of Little Saint James.

The Independent US

Correspondence showed Epstein referredto the building as a “mosque” on multiple occasions, though the plans for the structure were changed multiple times, having at one point been designated as a “music room,” a chapel and a pavilion.

“It should look old… it will be for the inside walls, like a mosque, I would love to see examples,”Epstein wrote in correspondence to a contactin Uzbekistan, discussing types of tiles to decorate the building, which is topped with a golden dome.

It is unclear if the building was ever actually used for its purpose as a place of Islamic worship. Epstein himself identified as a secular Jew.

However, the documents reveal a years-long obsession with Arabic and Muslim art and culture, evidenced in his interactions with powerful figures including Emirati Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem and Mohamed Bin Salman, who would later become Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.

The Epstein files have revealed the purpose of a mysterious blue and white striped building on the pedophile financier’s Caribbean island of Little Saint James (US Department of Justice)

Photos released as part of the files show Epstein with Sulayem – who was forced to resign from his position as head of Dubai-based cargo logistics company DP World due to his association with the financier – inspecting a large, elaborate tapestry on the floor of his New York townhouse in 2014.

In 2003, Epstein claimed toVanity Fairthat he owned “the largest Persian rug you’ll ever see in a private home – so big, it must have come from a mosque.”

While serving jail time in Florida in 2009, Epstein had hired architects to draw up plans for a large “hammam” Turkish bathhouse and spa, complete with baths, massage parlors and a private terrace.

However, the documents reveal a years-long obsession with Arabic and Muslim art and culture, evidenced in his interactions with powerful figures including Emirati Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem (pictured) (House Oversight Committee)

These plans were abandoned in favor of a “music room” the documents show, though the designs were still Middle Eastern in style. In 2011 he asked his Uzbek contact about acquiring the tiles for his “mosque” – detailing specific details such as correct lettering to retain authenticity.

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Epstein exercised his substantial wealth and influence to acquire extravagant pieces for the building. In 2017, the documents show, he met with Aziza Al Ahmadi, an aide to a consultant for the Royal Court of Saudi Arabia.

At that time negotiations were being made for the shipment of a special tent to be shipped to Epstein’s island, as well as more items “for the mosque.”

“We are receiving 3 pieces from the Kaaba,” Epstein’s assistant told a customs broker, apparently referring to the stone cube building that stands at the center of the Islamic holy site of Mecca.

While serving jail time in Florida in 2009, Epstein had hired architects to draw up plans for a large ‘hammam’ Turkish bathhouse and spa, complete with baths, massage parlors and a private terrace (Department of Justice)

One of the items had been “used inside the Kaaba,” according to the document and another was the Kiswa – the outer covering of the structure, which has enormous religious significance.

The covering is replaced every year, created by hundreds of individuals in a royal workshop, using about 1,500 pounds of silk and 250 pounds of gold and silver thread. Each one reportedly costs around $5 million.

After it has been used the Kiswa is divided up and distributed to various organizations or benefactors.

“The black piece was touched by minimum 10 million Muslims of different denominations, Sunni, Shia and others,” Al Ahmadi told Epstein in an email, highlighting the significance of the item.

“They walk around the Kaaba seven rounds then every one tries as much as they can to touch it and they kept their prayers, wishes, tears and hopes on this piece. Hoping after that all their prayers to be accepted.”

Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 after being arrested on sex trafficking charges.

Epstein documents reveal purpose of strange striped building on his Caribbean island

The Epstein files have shed light on the purposeof a mysterious blue and white striped building on the pedophile financier’s Caribbean ...
Nina Dobrev's Plunging Zuhair Murad Gown Comes With Dangerously High Slit

Nina Dobrevmade a striking appearance at The King’s Trust 5th Annual Gala, delivering a red carpet moment that felt both refined and undeniably bold. The actress, known for her polished yet modern approach to eveningwear, once again proved she understands the balance between classic glamour and contemporary edge. Without revealing too much at first glance, her look carried a quiet intensity, one that unfolded gradually the longer viewers looked.

Nina Dobrev attends King’s Trust Gala in plunging Zuhair Murad gown with ridiculously high slit

For the evening, Nina Dobrev chose a deep emerald gown fromZuhair Murad’s Fall/Winter 2025Couture collection — a designer synonymous with intricate craftsmanship and high-quality silhouettes. The piece immediately stood out for its rich, jewel-toned hue, which contrasted beautifully against the red carpet backdrop, making her presence impossible to miss.

As the full look came into focus, the gown revealed its dramatic construction. A plunging sweetheart neckline framed the upper silhouette, adding a touch of sensuality while still maintaining elegance. The bodice featured delicate ruching that enhanced the shape. It also cinched at the waist before flowing into a voluminous skirt. The real statement, however, came from the dangerously high slit, which moved sharply through the fabric. This introduced movement and a bold edge to an otherwise classic silhouette.

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The gown’s fluid drape and subtle shine gave it a luxurious finish, allowing it to catch the light with every step. Dobrev kept the styling minimal and intentional, letting the dress take center stage. She paired the look with strappy silver grey heels and delicate diamond drop earrings, adding just enough sparkle without overwhelming the outfit.

Her beauty look followed the same approach. She wore her hair sleek, straight, and parted down the middle, creating a clean frame for her face. Soft, neutral makeup with defined eyes and a subtle glow completed the look. With this appearance, Dobrev delivered a masterclass in modern red carpet dressing.

Originally reported by Viha Shah ontheFashionSpot.

The postNina Dobrev’s Plunging Zuhair Murad Gown Comes With Dangerously High Slitappeared first onReality Tea.

Nina Dobrev’s Plunging Zuhair Murad Gown Comes With Dangerously High Slit

Nina Dobrevmade a striking appearance at The King’s Trust 5th Annual Gala, delivering a red carpet moment that felt both refined and undeni...
demi lovato

At her sold-out Madison Square Garden show,Demi Lovatoturned the heat up in a dramatic high-slit skirt that gave a peek at the blue thong she was wearing underneath. On April 26, the “Heart Attack”hitmakertook to Instagram to share a carousel of photos and videos, recapping her performances at the arena.

Demi Lovato turns heads in new dancing video

Take a look at Demi Lovato stunning in a dancingvideo:

Demi Lovato’s outfit centered on a vibrant teal corset featuring traditional boning and a sculpted, plunging neckline. Its sharp, structured design contrasted with the more fluid and textural elements of her ensemble. She paired it with a sheer lace micro miniskirt with slits on both sides.

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The sheer fabric left her blue thong on full display under the skirt. Further, she layered her corset with a white faux-fur shrug that added volume and a touch of old-Hollywood drama. She completed her look with knee-high black leather boots and dark retro-style sunglasses.

Originally reported by Ankita Shaw onMandatory.

The postDemi Lovato Turns Heads With Thong Peek in Dramatic High-Slit Lookappeared first onReality Tea.

Demi Lovato Turns Heads With Thong Peek in Dramatic High-Slit Look

At her sold-out Madison Square Garden show,Demi Lovatoturned the heat up in a dramatic high-slit skirt that gave a peek at the blue thong s...

 

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