Oracle’s Larry Ellison sees AI supervision keeping citizens on ‘best behavior’
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison recently predicted that AI-powered surveillance will become an integral part of daily life. During a Q&A session at Oracle’s Financial Analyst Meeting, Ellison said AI would play a major role in monitoring society through a vast network of interconnected cameras. This system would include security cameras, police body cams and vehicle dashcams.
“Citizens will be on their best behavior, because we’re constantly recording and reporting everything that’s going on,” Ellison said, envisioning a future where AI analyzes real-time data from this network to prevent crime and influence public behavior for a safer society.
Ellison’s proposal, however, raises privacy concerns. Critics argue that widespread surveillance could infringe on personal freedoms, creating a “surveillance state.” Proponents, on the other hand, suggest that such systems could help solve crimes faster and provide transparency in law enforcement, particularly in cases of excessive force.
“We’re going to have supervision. Every police officer’s going to be supervised at all times,” Ellison said, emphasizing AI’s potential to oversee law enforcement activities.
Ellison’s vision highlights a growing trend among tech companies to use AI for societal influence, which could reshape public life in the coming years.
Francine weakens to tropical storm after making landfall as Category 2 hurricane
After making landfall as a Category 2 hurricane in Louisiana, Francine is on the move. We have the latest track. And the mother of the 14-year-old suspect in last week’s deadly school shooting in Georgia apologizes in an open letter to the victims’ families. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.
Francine weakens to tropical storm after making landfall as Category 2 hurricane
Francine has weakened to a tropical storm, hours after it made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The storm is now trekking over Mississippi.
Power outages have left more than 350,000 Louisiana residents in the dark and flash flood warnings are still in effect in parts of the state, as the storm batters parts of Mississippi with 70mph winds.
In Louisiana’s Terrebonne Parish, the powerful storm brought down power lines, snapped trees, and caused flooding. Partial 911 outages were also reported in areas impacted by the storm. Wireless companies have said they’re working on the issue.
High winds and a potentially dangerous storm surge from a now weakened Francine are expected to also continue into Mississippi and Alabama Thursday, Sept. 12, with the potential for deadly tornadoes and flash flooding as well.
According to the National Weather Service, Francine is expected to continue to weaken over the next 24 hours, downgrading to a tropical cyclone by Friday, Sept. 13, as it moves across the south.
Mother of Georgia school shooting suspect apologizes to families in letter
One week after a school shooting in Georgia left two students and two teachers dead, the 14-year-old suspect’s mother has now come forward. She penned an open letter apologizing to victims’ families that was first obtained by CNN.
Marcee Gray is the mother of 14-year-old Colt Gray, who has been arrested and charged with murder in the Apalachee High School shooting. This week, we also learned she made a phone call to the school the morning of the shooting, just moments before the gunfire.
In her open letter, Marcee Gray said she is “sorry from the bottom of my heart” to the parents and families impacted. She also said if she could take the place of the two students who died she would “without a second thought.”
While offering her condolences, she also wrote that her son Colt is “not a monster. He is my oldest baby.” She asked the community for prayers while offering her own.
His mother’s letter comes after it was reported Colt sent her a text message the morning of the shooting, saying only three words: “I’m sorry, mom.”
Marcee Gray said she called the school to warn of “an extreme emergency” at 9:50 a.m. ET last Wednesday, Sept. 4, and asked school officials to go get her son. Thirty minutes later, police responded to reports of the school shooting.
Colt Gray’s father, Colin, has also been charged in connection with the deadly shooting. He faces two second-degree murder charges, four counts of involuntary manslaughter, and eight counts of child cruelty. The next court hearing for Colt and Colin Gray is set for Dec. 4.
Trump, Biden, Harris come together for 9/11 memorial event
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Donald Trump all marked 23 years since 9/11 together. Trump and Harris could be seen shaking hands ahead of the annual memorial ceremony at Ground Zero in New York on Wednesday, just hours after their first debate.
Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, was also in attendance.
After the Ground Zero ceremony, the candidates went their separate ways. Trump and Vance visited a New York City firehouse, and Biden and Harris went to the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Trump also visited the memorial later in the day.
Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, marked the somber anniversary at a 9/11 volunteer event in his home state.
Secret Service to increase security for Jan. 6 electoral vote counting
As Election Day nears, the Secret Service has announced there will be increased security during Congress’ counting and certification of electoral votes. The beefed-up security is a precaution after the riots at the U.S. Capitol in 2021.
The designation unlocks federal, state and local resources. The Secret Service will be leading the planning of the event.
The counting and certification of electoral votes will take place on Jan. 6, 2025.
67 million Americans watched Tuesday’s debate
More than 67 million Americans tuned in for the first debate between former President Trump and Vice President Harris Tuesday. That was more viewers than the 51 million who watched the debate between Trump and President Biden in June.
However, it’s still far fewer people compared to modern general election debates, like the one in 2016 between Hillary Clinton and Trump that drew in 84 million viewers.
Tuesday’s debate marked the first time Americans got to see Harris and Trump go head-to-head. It’s still up in the air if there will be a second debate between the two.
Campbell Soup Company changing its name after 155 years
Campbell’s soup has been a staple in American kitchens for more than a hundred years. Now, after 155 years in business, the company is changing its name — slightly.
Its dropping “soup” from their official title and re-branding as The Campbell’s Company. That’s because instead of just soup, the company owns other iconic American eats like Goldfish, Cape Cod, and Pepperidge Farm.
‘Stinky’ scheme to install unauthorized Wi-Fi on Navy warship
How far would you go for some good Wi-Fi? Sure, plenty of people probably took advantage of their neighbor’s network from time to time – but very few people in this world would go so far as to install an unauthorized Starlink satellite dish on the side of a U.S. Navy warship. Well, that’s exactly what some senior enlisted leaders aboard the USS Manchester did.
It happened in April 2023 while the ship prepared for deployment to the West Pacific. Senior enlisted leaders installed a Starlink satellite dish on the Manchester during what’s known as a blanket aloft period, which is when a sailor needs to hang above or over the side of a ship to install something or perform some kind of maintenance.
An image obtained by Navy Times showed the dish affixed to a wood pallet with nothing but white tie-down straps attaching it to the ship. It was installed on the ship’s 05 weatherdeck. It is not a very heavily trafficked area of the ship, and shows how much of an effort it was to hide the unauthorized equipment.
Image showing where Starlink dish was secretly installed on USS Manchester.
The Wi-Fi network – nicknamed “Stinky” – was the brainchild of then Senior Chief Grisel Marrero. According to her biography, she has a background in intelligence, and while she may have been the ringleader, the Navy investigation says the entire chief’s mess was in on the scheme before it was discovered.
The Navy said Marrero and the other chiefs split the $2,800 cost of the Starlink satellite dish. Then Marrero collected either a monthly fee of $62.50 from her cohorts, or a one-time fee of $375, so they could have internet access while the ship was at sea. Because who needs operational security when the chiefs have emails to check and movies to stream?
Marrero was confronted about the existence of the unauthorized Wi-Fi network several times during deployment.
At first, she denied any knowledge of it, then she tried saying it was only used in port and even doctored some records from Starlink to try and back up her story. Then in August of 2023, a civilian contractor was installing an authorized satellite and discovered the Starlink dish. An unnamed sailor texted Marrero about the dish’s discovery. The Navy says she texted back, “the gig is up.”
The unauthorized network posed significant security risks, as the Manchester was operating in the Western Pacific, and the tensions with China in the region aren’t exactly cooled.
Marrero was eventually found guilty at a court-martial earlier this year and was demoted for her role in the scheme, which ultimately involved more than 15 members of the ship’s chiefs mess. All those involved faced administrative punishment.
Former top aide to Gov. Hochul was undisclosed agent for China: Prosecutors
A former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has been arrested on charges of acting as an undisclosed agent for China. Linda Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, have both been arrested six weeks after FBI agents searched their multimillion-dollar home on Long Island.
Prosecutors allege Sun used her influential position to advance Chinese interests, including blocking Taiwanese officials’ access to high-level New York state officials and shaping governmental messaging to align with Beijing’s priorities.
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace alleges Sun and her husband worked to advance the interests of the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party, directly threatening national security.
The indictment accuses Sun and her husband of laundering millions of dollars for China, using the proceeds to purchase luxury vehicles and multimillion-dollar properties.
Their lavish acquisitions include a $2.1 million condo in Honolulu, a 2024 Ferrari, and a $3.5 million home in a gated community on Long Island.
The couple faces multiple charges, including visa fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Hochul’s office terminated Sun’s employment in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct and immediately reported her actions to law enforcement.
Researchers identify likely site for Russia’s new nuclear missile
U.S. researchers say they believe they’ve identified the probable deployment site for Russia’s new nuclear missile called “Burevestnik,” 295 miles north of Moscow. The researchers pinpointed the likely deployment site using commercial satellite imagery from Planet Labs.
Analysts with the CNA research organization identified nine horizontal launch pads under construction, protected by high berms.
The findings raise significant concerns about escalating nuclear tensions and the missile’s potential impact on global security dynamics.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has touted the missile as “invincible” and claims the missile has nearly unlimited range and can evade U.S. defenses.
However, the missile’s development has been fraught with challenges and controversy. With a poor test record – the missile has seen only two partial successes out of at least 13 known tests since 2016, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative.
Critics, including former State Department official Thomas Countryman, have called the weapon a “flying Chernobyl,” suggesting it poses a greater threat to Russia than to its intended targets.
On Sunday, Sept. 1, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov announced plans to revise guidelines on nuclear weapon use, citing Western escalation in Ukraine as the catalyst.
NATO air base in Germany elevates security amid terrorist threat
A NATO air base in Geilenkirchen, Germany, elevated its security measures to “Charlie,” the second-highest alert level on Thursday, Aug. 22. The move came after intelligence indicated a potential terrorist threat.
There has also been a series of suspicious incidents at military facilities across Germany, raising concerns about possible sabotage.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned of a campaign of hostile activities orchestrated by Russia, including cyberattacks and intelligence gathering.
The air base, which is home to NATO’s Airborne Warning and Control System surveillance aircraft, instituted stringent security after getting credible intel suggesting a high likelihood of terrorist action.
All non-mission essential staff have been sent home, leaving the base operating with minimal personnel while maintaining planned operations.
Details about the nature of the potential threat have not been disclosed to the public.
‘Derelict in their duties’: Investigator quits over House probe of Afghanistan pullout
Nearly three years since the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan and the fallout that followed, a Republican senior investigator announced he’s resigning his position in protest over the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s investigation of the operation. The investigator, Jerry Dunleavy, is a former journalist and co-author of a book about the suicide bombing attack outside of the Kabul airport in August 2021 that killed 13 U.S. soldiers during the withdrawal.
In his resignation letter posted on X, Dunleavy accused the committee of failing to investigate President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Gens. Mark Milley and Kenneth McKenzie for their roles in the withdrawal.
NEW: I resigned in protest from Chairman McCaul’s House Foreign Affairs investigation into the Biden-Harris Admin’s disastrous & deadly Afghanistan withdrawal. Resignation letter below. Despite my repeated urging, McCaul failed to seek answers on & accountability for the debacle.… pic.twitter.com/lTBrKCXJkx
Dunleavy said Committee Chair Michael McCaul, R-Texas, “failed to seek answers on & accountability for the debacle.”
In the letter, he accused McCaul and his team of being “derelict in their duties,” and said they did not pursue key documents or ask tough questions.
Dunleavy claims he repeatedly pressed the committee to pursue interviews with key military figures, which he said did not happened.
“I have also laid out a host of documents that we should request from the Pentagon — a request similarly rejected or ignored by senior staff,” he wrote.
Dunleavy also said he pushed the committee to focus on Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ potential role, but to no avail.
“I have argued repeatedly that Vice President Kamala Harris should be held accountable for her role in the debacle in Afghanistan, especially now that she is the Democratic nominee for president of the United States and could soon be making national security decisions and directing foreign policy for our entire nation,” Dunleavy wrote.
Dunleavy’s resignation comes three years after the Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban regained control of the country.
The Taliban is planning to celebrate the seizure of power during Freedom Day as members have been installing flags around Afghanistan’s cities that say “Afghanistan got freed.”
Committee Chair Michael McCaul has not publicly responded to Dunleavy’s resignation.
TSA whistleblowers say agency targeted Tulsi Gabbard, legal action announced
Former Democratic U.S. Representative and current U.S. Army Reserve officer Tulsi Gabbard announced she is taking legal action against the Biden administration on Monday, Aug. 12, after she discovered she has been put on a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) terror watchlist. Gabbard said she learned of being on the TSA’s Quiet Skies watchlist — a TSA program for monitoring “elevated risks to aviation security”— from two TSA whistleblowers after an appearance on Fox News in July.
In the interview on Fox News with Laura Ingraham, Gabbard criticized U.S. intervention in Ukraine, calling it a “proxy war.” After, Gabbard said she began to be subject to more frequent and tedious searches at the airport.
The TSA whistleblowers reportedly acknowledged Gabbard is being trailed by agents but the reason for the enhanced security around her is still unclear.
“Of course, there’s no explanation given, which is why we are taking legal recourse,” Gabbard said.
However, Gabbard said she believes her criticism of the Biden administration may be the reason behind the inclusion on the Quiet Skies terror watchlist.
“Obviously, I’ve been very outspoken about the dangers of the Biden-Harris administration to our democracy and to our freedom and to our national security,” Gabbard said. “This is what happens as a result.”
Gabbard’s learning prompted outrage among Hawaii state lawmakers, which is the state Gabbard represented in Congress. Four state representatives sent a letter to the TSA demanding answers and calling the move “harassment.”
Reports said several agents and two explosive detection canine teams followed Gabbard and her husband in the airport in July.
“My own government, my president, my commander-in-chief is targeting me as a potential domestic terrorist. The closest word that comes to mind is a complete sense of betrayal,” Gabbard said.
The TSA is reportedly investigating the identity of the whistleblowers, who leaked “sensitive information” in Gabbard’s case.
The agency declined to comment on the alleged retaliatory probe but said that Quiet Skies “uses a risk-based approach to identify passengers and apply enhanced security measures on some domestic and outbound international flights.”
The agency did not confirm or deny Gabbard’s inclusion in the program.
The TSA Quiet Skies program is also reportedly being used to monitor people at the Jan. 6, 2021, protests in Washington, D.C.
Elon Musk interviews Donald Trump for 2 hours on X after delay
Elon Musk sats down with former President Donald Trump in an interview on X that lasted two hours. And the impact of an earthquake in Los Angeles is caught on live TV. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024.
Elon Musk interviews Donald Trump for 2 hours on X after delay
Former President Donald Trump sat down with tech billionaire Elon Musk for a conversation that was livestreamed on X Monday, Aug. 12. However, the broadcast began more than half an hour late due to a glitch, which Musk later attributed to “a cyber-attack.”
Despite the rocky start, the conversation went on for over two hours. Trump and Musk delved into topics ranging from immigration and inflation to the assassination attempt on Trump’s life, and some of Trump’s top priorities if he should win the November election.
One idea the former president threw out there was potentially dismantling the Department of Education.
“Well, think of education, we’re ranked at the bottom of every list, 40, 38,” Trump said. “In other words, horrible. And we spend more per pupil, more than anyone in the world. And one of my first acts — and this is where I need an Elon Musk, someone who has strength and smarts — I want to close the Department of Education and move education back to the states.”
The FBI is now investigating attempted hacks into both the Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns. The investigation includes attempted hacks targeting three Biden-Harris campaign staffers and Roger Stone, a former adviser to former President Trump.
Stone told The Washington Post his email had been compromised, but it’s not clear if attempts to hack the Biden campaign were successful. A Harris campaign official said it does not appear to have been hacked.
On Friday, Aug. 9, Microsoft issued a report showing Iranian operatives had been trying to interfere with the 2024 election. Trump’s campaign confirmed over the weekend it appears to have been impacted by those efforts after news outlets were sent hundreds of confidential pages.
White House confirms Biden will speak at DNC
The White House has confirmed President Joe Biden is set to speak at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago. Multiple media outlets are reporting other speakers will include former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The convention starts Monday, Aug. 19, and will go through Thursday, Aug. 22.
We're a week out from the start of the 2024 @DemConvention and content creators are getting excited to cover the convention from their own unique lens. @6figga_dilla talked to @saramachi at convention HQ last week about this historic moment for the city and the country. pic.twitter.com/oTxj8ro0Jy
Sources told ABC News the current plan is for Biden and Hillary Clinton to speak Monday night, then former President Obama on Tuesday, Aug. 20. On Wednesday, Aug. 21, it’ll be vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and former President Bill Clinton. Finally, Harris is set to address the DNC on Thursday, Aug. 22.
That is a tentative schedule and could still change.
U.S. preps for potential Iranian-backed attack on Israel this week
Security Adviser John Kirby said the U.S. is prepared for “significant” attacks by Iran or its proxies in the Middle East as soon as this week. Kirby said the U.S. has bolstered its forces in the region.
Secretary of Defense Austin has ordered the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighters, to accelerate its transit to the Central Command area of responsibility, adding to the capabilities already provided by the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT Carrier Strike…
It’s a rare move to publicly announce such military moves; a tactic some say is meant to de-escalate tensions in the region and deter Iran from possibly attacking.
Concerns of an attack come after Iran and Hamas accused Israel of carrying out the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran in July.
U.S. troops suffer minor injuries in Syrian drone attack
Defense officials said several U.S. service members suffered minor injuries in a drone attack in Syria on Friday, Aug. 9. The drone targeted a landing zone which hosts U.S. and partner forces in the global coalition to defeat ISIS
U.S. Central Command said it’s still evaluating the damage, but initial assessments show there was minor damage to one set of facilities.
This attack was the second within a week to injure U.S. personnel who are part of the coalition to defeat ISIS.
This latest California quake came almost a week after a magnitude 5.2 quake struck Bakersfield.
Team USA’s Jordan Chiles to lose bronze medal after appeal denied
The latest turn in the Olympic medal controversy involving gymnast Jordan Chiles did not go Team USA’s way. On Monday, Aug. 12, the USA Gymnastics Organization sent Olympic officials what it called time-stamped video evidence that showed Chiles’ coach requested a review of her score within the allotted one minute, meaning Chiles should be able to keep the bronze medal that was awarded to her following a score change.
However, USA Gymnastics released a statement later Monday saying the Court of Arbitration for Sport would not reconsider its ruling to strip Chiles of the medal.
But the twists to this saga may not be over just yet though.
USA Gymnastics said it will continue to “pursue every possible avenue and appeal process” including the Swiss Federal Tribunal to “ensure the just scoring, placement and medal award for Jordan.”
Bodycam video released of police response to Trump assassination attempt
It’s been nearly a month since the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Since then, questions have been swirling leading to multiple investigations and hearings on Capitol Hill and a change in leadership at the Secret Service.
Butler Township Police Department
Now we’re getting new information directly through the lens of Butler police bodycam showing officers responding to the reports of a threat on top of the unsecured building where the shooter positioned himself.
Newly released body camera video shows the moments leading up to the shooting, but it’s the audio in the immediate aftermath that is providing further confirmation of a major security lapse.
The incident left one rallygoer dead and Trump shot in the ear in a near-fatal hit.
The public search for accountability has led to agencies across local, state, and federal levels to finger-point and shift the blame. There are still several ongoing investigations into how it happened in the first place and how to prevent it from happening again.
