NATO deploys forces to Baltic Sea countering undersea cable sabotage
NATO launched “Baltic Sentry,” an operation to protect critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, following incidents of damage to undersea cables and pipelines. The alliance is deploying frigates, patrol aircraft and naval drones, with measures that could include boarding or impounding ships suspected of endangering infrastructure.
The operation is part of NATO’s response to rising sabotage concerns after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Finland recently accused a Russian tanker of damaging the Estlink 2 power line and telecom cables by dragging its anchor. Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Russia’s shadow fleet controls the vessel. He noted further investigation could confirm details.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson described the security situation in the region as uneasy. He said Sweden is not at war but is also not at peace.
Since 2023, at least ten undersea cables in the Baltic Sea have been damaged, affecting countries including Finland, Estonia, Germany and Lithuania. These cables and pipelines are vital for trade and energy links in the region.
NATO members highlighted the importance of safeguarding such infrastructure amid security concerns.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said NATO is targeting Russia’s shadow fleet with sanctions and other measures to protect critical infrastructure. Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs said it’s challenging to monitor the Baltic Sea due to the 2,000 ships crossing daily. He emphasized that NATO’s efforts in the Baltic Sea are meant to deter further incidents.
American Dialect Society reveals 2024 words of the year
Words like “rawdogging,” “brainrot” and “brat” are among the American Dialect Society’s picks for words of the year for 2024. The group of hundreds of linguistics scholars voted on words or phrases that defined 2024 in a range of different categories, including the informal, political and digital words of the year, the most creative word of the year, and the “most fun while it lasted” category for short-lived but impactful trends.
“Rawdogging,” the term for doing an activity without the usual preparation, like taking a long flight without looking at any entertainment, won for both Word of the Year and “informal word of the year.”
Most of the nominees had ties to a big moment or cultural trend in the year gone by.
The Luigi prefix, a reference to Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, won “political word of the year.” It gained traction in December as a subset of Americans expressed their sympathy with Mangione’s apparent cause of calling out common health insurance industry practices.
And “brat,” a nod to singer Charli XCX’s album of the same name, referring to the confident, hedonistic attitude of her music and lyrics, was the winner for “most fun while it lasted.”
Other winners included lock in, meaning to deeply focus, as most useful; unserious as most likely to succeed; and “brainrot” won digital word of the year, as the term became popular for describing both low-value media and its effects on consumers.
US appeals court strikes down net neutrality, dealing blow to FCC
A U.S. appeals court on Thursday, Jan. 2, blocked new rules governing internet service providers before they could take effect, delivering a setback to the Federal Communications Commission. The debate centers around giving federal regulators more control over internet companies through net neutrality policies.
Democrats at the FCC want broadband services regulated like traditional telephone networks but with stricter oversight.
In April 2024, the FCC approved rules designed to make the internet equally accessible to all users. The rules also prevented major companies from abusing their power. It included a ban on providers slowing down internet speeds based on the type of websites people visit.
However, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC lacks the authority to impose such rules. They cite federal law that classifies broadband as an “information service” rather than a “telecommunications service.”
The decision follows another case dubbed Loper Bright, which tossed out a doctrine, gave federal judges more powers and limited the ability of independent agencies to interpret unclear laws. The ruling marks a key moment in ongoing legal battles over federal oversight of internet service providers.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel called on Congress to pass new legislation, saying, “Consumers across the country have told us again and again that they want an internet that is fast, open, and fair.”
Republicans, meanwhile, have argued for less government involvement.
Trump’s pick for FCC chairman, Brendan Carr, thanked the court for its ruling. He said, “The work to unwind the Biden administration’s regulatory overreach will continue.”
Though Trump is not yet in office, the ruling points to his ongoing promise to roll back Biden’s policies on regulating private companies.
Is your Wi-Fi router a national security risk? US government weighs ban
TP-Link is the bestselling Wi-Fi router internationally and on Amazon. Now, the U.S. government is considering banning these devices over cyberattack risks.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, investigators at three agencies, Commerce, Defense and Justice, are looking into these Chinese-made routers.
In October, Microsoft said it was tracking “a network of compromised small office and home office (SOHO) routers” known as CovertNetwork-1658 and said “routers manufactured by TP-Link make up most of this network.”
The network has been used by multiple “Chinese threat actors” to gain access and launch cyberattacks.
This comes more than a year after Microsoft “uncovered stealthy and targeted malicious activity … aimed at critical infrastructure organizations in the United States.”
Microsoft said Volt Typhoon is “a state-sponsored actor based in China that typically focuses on espionage and information gathering.” The company said it “tries to blend into normal network activity by routing traffic through compromised [small office and home office] network equipment, including routers, firewalls and VPN hardware.”
“These small office home office routers were not themselves the intended targets,” FBI Director Christopher Wray testified in January. “The targets, of course, were our critical infrastructure, but what the Chinese were doing were using these easy targets to hide and obfuscate their role in the hacking of our critical infrastructure.”
In August, two lawmakers pressed the Biden administration to investigate TP-Link, calling it a “glaring national security issue.” Along with being in homes across America, the letter noted that TP-Link devices are also on U.S. military bases.
Straight Arrow News reached out to TP-Link to comment on these investigations. The company didn’t immediately respond.
A spokesperson did tell the Journal, “We welcome any opportunities to engage with the U.S. government to demonstrate that our security practices are fully in line with industry security standards, and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the U.S. market, U.S. consumers, and addressing U.S. national security risks.”
The Chinese embassy in Washington said the U.S. is using the guise of national security to suppress Chinese companies, something both sides have accused the other of in an ongoing tech tit-for-tat.
If the U.S. government went forward with banning TP-Link routers, it would be the biggest such move since the Trump administration labeled China’s Huawei and ZTE national security threats and ordered the tech be ripped out of U.S. infrastructure.
Any action against TP-Link would likely fall on Trump’s second term.
TP-Link was founded by two brothers in China in 1996. As tensions between China and the U.S. worsened, in October, TP-Link announced its new global headquarters would be in the United States.
The company said the move is “reinforcing our commitment to the U.S. market and enhancing our ability to innovate and compete on a global scale.”
Amazon invests $10 billion in Ohio data centers to drive AI evolution
Amazon is adding to its major Midwest technology hub investment while helping to shape the future of artificial intelligence. The company will invest $10 billion dollars in Ohio over the next five years.
The company will use the money to expand its Amazon Web Service data centers. They house equipment for powering AI, machine learning and other cloud computing technologies.
Data centers provide the power behind everyday tasks like prompting ChatGPT, streaming movies and performing Google searches.
The latest investment is in addition to Amazon’s $7.8 billion plan for Ohio announced in 2023 and the more than $6 billion it has already spent in the Buckeye State.
State officials said the investment will bring hundreds of jobs through the end of 2030.
Amazon has already contributed around $3.8 billion to the state’s gross domestic product. Their contributions support more than 4,700 jobs annually and create demand for telecommunications, software development and power generation workers.
While the company currently has seven data centers in central Ohio, it’s unclear how many more they will build. However, Amazon plans to expand into other parts of the state.
“As reliance on digital services continues to grow, so does the importance of data centers; they are critical to today’s modern economy,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said.
There are currently more than 2,500 data centers in the United States, with Amazon Web Services holding a 31% market share of online computing resources. That’s more than Microsoft, Google and IBM combined.
BuzzFeed sells ‘Hot Ones’ to group led by Soros investment firm
Hot off the presses: “Hot Ones” has been sold. Buzzfeed announced Thursday, Dec. 12, the series famous for its “heated” interviews, with spicy questions and spicier wings, for $82.5 million.
The buyers make up a consortium led by an affiliate of Soros Fund Management, an investment firm founded by billionaire George Soros. The group also includes Sean Evans, the show’s host, and Chris Schonberger, the founder of First We Feast, the studio behind “Hot Ones,” YouTube stars Rhett and Link’s Mythical Entertainment media company and Crooked Media.
Buzzfeed picked up First We Feast and “Hot Ones” during its acquisition of Complex Networks in 2021. Earlier this year, BuzzFeed sold Complex to the e-commerce company NTWRK but held onto First We Feast until now.
Buzzfeed said this all-cash deal will help reduce its bottom line. The company known for its listicles and videos said it will now have more cash than debt as it looks to move away from high-priced original content to focus on tech-enable services.
“The sale of First We Feast and continued reduction of our convertible debt marks an important step in BuzzFeed, Inc.’s strategic transformation into a media company positioned to fully benefit from the ongoing AI revolution,” BuzzFeed founder and CEO Jonah Peretti said in a statement.
First We Feast, which has over 14 million subscribers on YouTube, will now become an independent company with Schonberger assuming the role of chief executive officer. Evans will become the chief creative officer while still continuing his “Hot Ones” hosting duties.
“I hosted the very first episode of Hot Ones in March 2015,” Evans said in a statement. “Nearly a decade later, it’s incredible to see how the show has grown from a bold experiment into what it is today. As we approach the 10th anniversary of Hot Ones next season, I’m constantly amazed by the passion and loyalty of our fans, who have made this journey so special.”
“Not only is Hot Ones a hit show, but it’s an experience—a cultural touchpoint that audiences want to be a part of, whether they’re watching, tasting the sauces, or sharing in the challenge with friends,” Evans continued.
Schonberger said new investments will allow First We Feast to expand into other areas like live events. And those could already be heating up as Variety reports Netflix has been in talks about potential live “Hot Ones” specials.
“Hot Ones” will celebrate its new chapter with a Holiday Extravaganza on Dec. 19 before premiering its 26th season on Jan. 23.
Suspect charged with murder in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO
The man accused of gunning down the CEO of UnitedHealthcare on a New York City sidewalk is charged with murder. And the Biden administration levels allegations of war crimes against two Syrians who were high-raking members of the now ousted regime. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024.
Suspect charged with murder in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO
After nearly a week of searching, the manhunt for the suspected gunman who shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a New York City hotel last week is over. Police said they located the 26-year-old suspect inside a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 300 miles from New York on Monday, Dec. 9.
The New York City Police Department filed first-degree murder charges against Luigi Mangione, according to court documents released Monday night. Mangione also faces charges of possession of a loaded firearm, possession of a forged driver’s license, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Mangione is described as a former high school valedictorian and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, who grew up in Maryland but has also had past addresses in California and Hawaii.
Mangione was taken into custody in Altoona after authorities said a McDonald’s employee recognized him as the person of interest seen in images related to Thompson’s shooting death.
When police arrived on the scene, they questioned Mangione. According to court documents, Mangione “started to shake” when asked if he’d recently been in New York City. Authorities said at first, he lied about his identity.
So proud of @NYPDMTN Detectives, and our Major Case and Homicide Squads, who worked around-the-clock on the homicide investigation in Midtown. I joined them last night to thank them for their dedication. No doubt, their work was instrumental to identifying the person of interest… pic.twitter.com/jAFA7JDcHd
Court documents show he was carrying a black 3-D printed pistol with a silencer. The NYPD said the “ghost gun” found on him was consistent with the one used in the murder. Ghost guns do not have serial numbers.
Police said Mangione also had on him a fake ID, matching the one used by the suspect at a New York City hostel before the shooting, and a three-page written note.
“That document is currently in the possession of the Altoona Police Department as part of their investigation but just from briefly speaking with them, we don’t think that there’s any specific threats to other people mentioned in that document, but it does seem that he has some ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenney said.
Multiple reports Tuesday morning, Dec. 10, claimed those writings included the phrases “these parasites had it coming” and it “had to be done.”
During a press conference Monday evening, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) spoke of how the killing has led to some people online sharing their frustrations and anger over the healthcare system but emphasized that Mangione is not a martyr.
“In some dark corners, this killer’s being hailed as a hero,” Shapiro said. “Hear me on this: he is no hero. The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this [Monday] morning. The real heroes every day in our society are the women and men who put on uniforms like these and go out in our communities to keep us safe. This killer is not a hero. He should not be hailed.”
Mangione will remain in custody in Pennsylvania pending his extradition to New York, which is expected to take place later this week.
Jury finds former US Marine not guilty in NYC chokehold death trial
Tensions remain high in New York after a jury acquitted U.S. Marine veteran Daniel Penny of all charges on Monday, including criminally negligent homicide, in the chokehold death of a schizophrenic man, whose behavior had some people on the New York subway testifying they feared for their lives.
The caught-on-camera deadly incident from May 2023 saw Penny put Jordan Neely in a chokehold from behind after Neely walked up and down the F train saying “somebody is going to die today”.
Prosecutors said the chokehold lasted too long, was reckless, and resulted in the 30-year-old homeless man’s death. The defense brought an expert in to show Neely was under the influence of the synthetic marijuana drug K2, arguing he died from drug use and a previous medical condition.
Outside the Manhattan courthouse Tuesday, fights broke out as protesters and counter-protesters clashed. After the verdict Neely’s father stated, “There is no justice.”
US charges 2 former Syrian officials with war crimes
The United States has charged two former high-ranking Syrian intelligence officials with war crimes. The DOJ said during Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Jamil Hassan and Abdul Salam Mahmoud oversaw operations of a detention facility where Americans and civilians who had been deemed enemies of the state were tortured.
In other developments in the Middle East, the U.S. has also sent a special envoy to Beirut, Lebanon to find out what happened to Austin Tice. Tice is an American journalist who vanished in Syria 12 years ago.
"We have heard from sources that have been vetted by the U.S. government that Austin is alive." Austin Tice has been missing in Syria for 12 years. Today his brother & sister tell me "every day is a day that Austin should be released and a day that Austin could be released." pic.twitter.com/o08OgOFKEm
On Sunday, Dec. 8, President Joe Biden said he believes Tice is still alive and his administration is committed to bringing him home. Syria has publicly denied holding Tice.
Meanwhile, Israel has launched a large-scale attack on Syria, striking what it called strategic military sites after the fall of the al-Assad government. It also expanded its presence into the Golan Heights, a buffer zone along the country’s border with Syria.
Israel claimed the move is temporary and aimed at ensuring nearby areas are not exposed to any potential security threats, but Iran has appealed to the United Nations Security Council, saying the expansion is a “flagrant violation” of U.N. charter, breaking a 50-year cease-fire agreement.
Hegseth looks to shore up Senate support on Capitol Hill
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary is back on Capitol Hill this week. He’s looking to shore up support from Senate Republicans.
Pete Hegseth met with Senators Joni Ernst and Lindsey Graham on Monday. Both had expressed concerns over allegations against Hegseth of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement of veterans’ charities and excessive drinking.
Hegseth denies a lot of it and says he is changed man. He served in the Army in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Lord & Taylor to relaunch as online discount luxury retailer
Another department store chain is set to make an internet comeback. Lord & Taylor is set to relaunch in 2025 as a discount luxury e-commerce platform offering designer goods and Lord & Taylor-branded products, according to its new owner.
Regal Brands Global acquired the Lord & Taylor intellectual property in September after its previous owner, Saadia Group — which had re-launched the chain as an e-commerce website in 2021 — ceased operations.
Regal Brands reportedly aims to position Lord & Taylor products to compete with other high-end retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.
‘Emilia Perez’ receives most Golden Globe nominations
Meta to build $10B global underwater internet cable: Report
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is reportedly planning to build a $10 billion underwater fiber-optic cable that will go around the world. The cable would help the company handle high user traffic and keep a high quality of service internationally.
The addition brings Meta in line with Alphabet, the parent company of Google. The company has a network of cables, some of which they own fully.
The technology news site TechCrunch reported that the new cable would be exclusively for Meta’s use. They planned the route for the cable to avoid areas they think face political and military tensions.
The reported route for the cable will take it from the East Coast of the U.S., across the Atlantic, around South Africa, up to India, above the northern part of Australia and across the Pacific to the West Coast.
Undersea cables play a key role in global fiber-optic internet. However, their locations can put them at risk. Cables in the Red Sea suffered damage from strikes by Yemen’s Houthi rebels earlier this year.
Now, authorities in Denmark are looking into cable damage caused in the Baltic Sea. Danish officials said a Chinese ship caused the damage earlier this month.
The officials accused the crew of the ship, which left from a Russian port, of intentionally dragging its anchor to cut underwater cables.
The TechCrunch report said Meta will likely share more details about its global project sometime in 2025. Officials said the project could take years to complete.
FCC approves Elon Musk’s Starlink for cellphone service, with some limits
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has cleared the way for a groundbreaking partnership involving Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite-based internet provider, but it has some limits. Starlink is approved to provide T-Mobile customers cellphone service, bringing access to dead zones and other remote areas.
This is the first time the FCC has given a license for a satellite operator collaborating with a wireless carrier. However, the Verge reported restrictions in the FCC filing like the agency not yet allowing Starlink to increase satellite radio emission power for real-time voice and video calls.
SpaceX said in October that it would start testing basic texting capabilities and support for voice and data isn’t expected to arrive until next year.
AT&T and Verizon have already raised concerns that allowing SpaceX to bypass current power limits could interfere with their networks.
This week SpaceX launched 24 Starlink satellites from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center to join the thousands already there. Of those launched, 12 satellites have direct-to-cell capabilities.
Reuters reported there are pending applications from other companies, but for right now, the FCC has only granted this approval to T-Mobile.
Australian Parliament considers law banning kids under 16 from social media
Australia’s communications minister has officially introduced a law that would ban children under 16 from social media. If passed, the law would be the first of its kind in the world.
The communications minister said government research shows 95% of Australian caregivers say online safety is one of their “toughest parenting challenges.”
When introducing the bill, she also told Parliament almost two-thirds of Australian teens 14 to 17 years old have viewed “extremely harmful content” online, including posts involving drug abuse, suicide or self-harm and violence. She added a quarter have been exposed to content promoting unsafe eating habits.
The bill has wide political support and is expected to become law. Social media companies would have one year to figure out how to implement the age restriction, if passed.
The platforms would also face fines of up to AU$50 million if they misuse the personal information users give them for age verification purposes.
The age restriction law wouldn’t apply to messaging services, online games or platforms that “substantially support the health and education of users.”
A government statement added Australia is looking for ways to prevent children under 18 from accessing online pornography.