UK mobilizes thousands of specialized officers in preparation for more riots
British police are preparing for the possibility of more violence as far-right protesters reportedly plan to target dozens of locations across the United Kingdom. Authorities announced the mobilization of around 6,000 specially trained officers on Wednesday, Aug. 7, in response to the ongoing threats.
Riots have impacted cities and towns across the U.K. as anti-Muslim extremists have clashed with police and counterprotesters. The riots began after misinformation spread about the identity of a stabbing suspect charged with killing three young girls and injuring 10 other people.
The teen suspect, who was born and raised in Great Britain, was falsely reported to be a Muslim immigrant.
Online posts by far-right activists reportedly vowed immigration centers and law firms that help migrants would be targeted on Wednesday. The threats forced many businesses to close up shop for the day and board up buildings. One expert noted the threat to businesses is not only physical.
“So, the greatest risks that we’re seeing to businesses across the U.K., obviously, harm to individuals, the loss of life or serious bodily harm,” Noah Price, the director of G4S Academy International, said. “But I think businesses also need to be concerned about loss of business. Their businesses being closed down as a result of these protests.”
Rioters with anti-immigrant signs have attacked mosques and hotels that are housing migrants, with some violent counter attacks reported.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a second consecutive emergency meeting on Tuesday to coordinate the response to the crisis.
The government announced measures to protect mosques, and London’s mayor said that the police, city hall and community leaders are working to protect targeted buildings.
Meanwhile, London Police Chief Mark Rowley said officers were in key strategic locations to respond to any violence and vowed protection for businesses and people.
Courts have been open 24 hours in an effort to handle the ongoing riots. So far, more than 400 people have been arrested. This is the worst civil unrest in the U.K. in over a decade. Nearly 150 people have been charged with crimes related to the riots.
The government has pledged to prosecute and jail those responsible for the riots, and prosecutions are already underway for some riots. In one case, a man was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to punching a police officer in the face during a riot in Southport on July 30.
Kirby questioned on the president’s involvement in canceled 9/11 plea deal
Many questions remain after it was announced last week the U.S. had reached a plea agreement with the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks and his co-conspirators that would have them avoid the death penalty, and then that deal was quickly rescinded. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin released a memo Friday, Aug. 2, saying the decision should’ve been his to make.
Now, many Americans want to know how the original plea deal could have even been an option and what the president has to say about it.
“This was a decision made by the Secretary of Defense. It was an independent decision by him, certainly within his authorities, as in the chain of command at the Defense Department,” Kirby said.
A White House National Security Council had previously said President Biden did not play a role in taking the death penalty off the table for the three 9/11 suspects. He also rejected a proposal last year that would also have spared them the death penalty.
N. Korea hackers steal military secrets, hit Air Force bases, NASA, US says
In a coordinated effort, officials from the United States, Britain and South Korea issued a joint statement disclosing that North Korean hackers have been systematically infiltrating and stealing sensitive military secrets. According to the statement, North Korean-affiliated hackers have successfully breached several critical U.S. agencies.
Among the affected entities are Air Force bases in Texas and Georgia, NASA, the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI. The cyberattack on NASA alone granted adversaries access to approximately 17 gigabytes of classified data.
The hacking group, which the U.S. identified as having connections to the North Korean government, is believed to be engaged in a years-long operation targeting a broad spectrum of military and defense-related information. This includes designs for tanks, rockets, submarines, fighter jets and missiles. The data is suspected to be used to bolster North Korea’s military capabilities and nuclear programs, according to the statement.
In addition to pilfering sensitive military information, the hackers have also been exploiting ransomware tactics to generate illicit revenue.
Notable among their attacks was a ransomware incident targeting a hospital system in Kansas several years ago. The Justice Department linked the attack and other cyber activities to a known North Korean hacker named Rim Jong Hyok.
A warrant has been issued for Hyok’s arrest, but he is currently believed to be residing in North Korea, complicating efforts to apprehend him.
To counter this cyber threat, a dedicated task force is working to neutralize the hackers behind these attacks. The FBI has made notable progress in this effort, seizing an undisclosed number of online accounts associated with the hacking group. Additionally, the FBI has recovered over half a million dollars in virtual currency, which will be returned to victims impacted by the ransomware attacks.
Treasury warns ‘anti-woke’ laws endanger national security
The U.S. Treasury Department is warning certain “anti-woke” state laws are a national security risk. The Treasury Department said state laws restricting banks from considering environmental, social and governance factors could negatively impact efforts to stop money laundering and terrorism financing.
According to The Associated Press, in a letter sent to lawmakers Thursday, July 18, the Treasury specifically pointed to a new Florida law signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in May. The law went into effect July 1, and it addresses climate change, dropping it down on Florida’s list of priorities.
The law also states it would be considered “unsafe and unsound practices” for businesses like banks to consider non-financial factors. In its letter, the Treasury Department said “such laws create uncertainty and may inhibit” national security efforts.
While Florida was singled out, it’s not the only state to make a move like this. Tennessee recently enacted a similar law and state legislatures in Georgia, Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana and South Dakota are currently considering measure along these same lines.
The Treasury’s letter was a response to a request earlier this month from Democratic Reps. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Brad Sherman of California, and Republican Missouri Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer.
After getting the letter, Rep. Gottheimer issued a statement saying, “To any states that are considering similar laws, I urge them to think twice before putting America’s national security at risk.”
What is CrowdStrike? How a software glitch disrupted a tech-dependent world
In what cybersecurity experts are calling “the largest IT outage in history,” a software update glitch at CrowdStrike, a prominent cybersecurity firm, triggered widespread chaos across the globe on Friday, July 19. The incident resulted in critical systems going offline at airports, banks, hospitals and businesses worldwide. The outage affected services like credit card payments, public transportation, TV broadcasts and even 911 emergency lines.
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz addressed the public on the “Today Show,” apologizing for the extensive impact caused by the incident.
“We’re deeply sorry for the impact that we’ve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone impacted by this including our company,” Kurtz said, emphasizing CrowdStrike’s commitment to assisting affected parties in restoring their services.
The disruption, attributed solely to a software update error rather than a cyberattack, underscores vulnerabilities inherent in digital infrastructure. While CrowdStrike resolved the glitch, the focus now shifts to restoring the downed systems and returning normalcy to a tech-dependent world.
Founded in Texas, CrowdStrike serves a dual role: providing cybersecurity software to over 29,000 customers, including more than 500 Fortune 1000 companies, and conducting investigations into major cyber incidents. The company gained prominence for its role in investigating the 2016 Russian hack of the Democratic National Committee, among other high-profile cases.
Reports: Secret Service ramped up Trump security weeks ago over Iranian plot
Secret Service security was reportedly already ramped up around former President Donald Trump weeks before the Saturday, July 13 assassination attempt, after U.S. intelligence officials say they found evidence of an Iranian plot to kill him. According to multiple reports, the agency increased resources and assets for Trump’s protection in June.
So far, intelligence officials have found no ties between the shooting and the Iranian plot.
Sources familiar with the matter say Iran has been making these types of threats since the former president Trump ordered the airstrike that killed Iranian military general Qasem Soleimani in January 2020.
Treasury to expand control over foreign land deals near US military bases
On Monday, July 8, the United States Treasury Department announced a major expansion of its power to give approval of whether or not foreigners can buy land near U.S. military sites. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the move is meant to “defend America’s national security.”
For years, U.S. national security officials warned of Chinese and other foreign-backed companies spying on American infrastructure and defense installations.
The proposed plan will add 56 military facilities across 30 states to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States review list. Its total oversight will grow to 227 military bases.
The Treasury Department’s announcement comes less than two months after the committee forced a Chinese-backed cryptocurrency company and its partners to sell land purchased within a mile from an U.S. Air Force Base in Wyoming. That base is home to part of the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Among the other bases added to the review list are the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, which is home to the only squadron of nuclear-capable B-2 Stealth Bombers, and Camp Grayling in Michigan, a U.S. National Guard base.
The designation could impact a more than $2.6 billion plan by a Chinese company to build electric vehicle battery parts within a mile of the installation. That project is estimated to create more than 2,000 jobs in Michigan.
The United States already issued major tariffs on electric vehicles, semiconductors, solar equipment and medical supplies from China over fears that China could use them for espionage.
The proposed rule would be the largest expansions of committee’s real estate jurisdiction since its inception in 2018. A public comment period is now underway and will last 30 days before officials make a final decision on the proposal.
Attorney General Merrick Garland held in contempt of Congress
The head of the Department of Justice, Attorney General Merrick Garland, held in contempt of Congress. And “life-threatening” flooding in south Florida as more torrential rain is expected Thursday. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, June 13, 2024.
Attorney General Merrick Garland held in contempt of Congress
In an effort led by Republicans, the U.S. House voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress Wednesday, June 12. Lawmakers also voted to refer the top Department of Justice official for criminal charges.
It comes after Garland refused to turn over audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former special counsel Robert Hur as part of the probe over his handling of classified documents.
The 216-207 vote fell along party lines, with only one Republican, Rep. David Joyce of Ohio, voting against it.
The vote marks a major escalation in a months-long dispute over the recordings — which started after President Biden asserted executive privilege over the files. The DOJ has stood by the decision not to release the recordings, saying they’ve already provided transcripts.
DOJ officials wrote in an affidavit the transcripts accurately match the audio “except for minor instances” — like leaving out filler words or when words were repeated when spoken.
House Republicans argue the recordings are crucial to their impeachment inquiry into the president, which has stalled.
“He is refusing to comply with a lawful subpoena,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said of AG Garland. “And that’s a problem under Article I. We have to defend the Constitution. We have to defend the authority of Congress. We can’t allow the Department of Justice, an executive branch agency, to hide information from Congress. We have important oversight responsibilities, and that is what is being pursued here.”
Attorney General Garland responded to the decision to hold him in contempt late Wednesday night saying, “It is deeply disappointing that this House of Representatives has turned a serious congressional authority into a partisan weapon. Today’s vote disregards the constitutional separation of powers, the Justice Department’s need to protect its investigations and the substantial amount of information we have provided to the committees.”
U.S. and Ukraine set to sign 10-year security pact at G7 summit
President Joe Biden is in Italy Thursday, June 13, for the G7 summit, where he is expected to sign a 10-year bilateral security pact with Ukraine. This agreement is said to better strengthen the long-term security relationship between the two nations, with commitments to continue training Ukrainian armed forces, enhance weapons production cooperation and increase intelligence sharing.
The G7 leaders are also set to endorse a plan to provide Ukraine with $50 billion in loans, using frozen Russian assets to fund the initiative.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan mentioned that while the major aspects of the plan have been agreed upon, some details will still need to be finalized.
Additionally, on Wednesday, June 12, the U.S. expanded its sanctions against Moscow to include Chinese companies that supply semiconductors. This move aims to pressure Beijing over its support for Russia and address issues of industrial overcapacity.
The summit will also address other critical global issues, including the Middle East, migration and artificial intelligence.
ACLU sues Biden administration over new asylum rule
The Biden administration is facing its first lawsuit over President Joe Biden’s recent order temporarily shutting down the U.S.’ southern border. The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a coalition of immigrant advocacy groups, is the first big challenge to the executive order put in place just over a week ago.
The restrictions bar migrants from seeking asylum when border encounters rise above 2,500 per day.
In its first week implemented, the number of migrants crossing has fallen by 25%, according to Department of Homeland Security officials. However, the number of migrants coming over is still more than the number allowed — about 3,000 per day.
The executive action was meant to make illegal border crossers ineligible for asylum, but officials say thousands of migrants a day are still being released into the U.S. because of “limited options.”
The lawsuit did not seek an emergency injunction to block the new rule, so it will stay in place while the challenge plays out in court.
Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady Wednesday, June 12, potentially delaying any rate cuts until December. Fed Chair Jerome Powell, speaking after a two-day policy meeting, said the U.S. economy’s growth and unemployment rates are performing better than long-term sustainable levels, prompting the decision to maintain the current rate.
During a press conference, Powell said inflation has been decreasing without severely impacting the economy and he anticipates this trend could continue. The Fed plans a gradual return of inflation to its 2% target.
“We know that reducing policy restraint too soon or too much could result in a reversal of the progress that we’ve seen on inflation,” Powell said. “At the same time, reducing policy restraint too late or too little could unduly weaken economic activity and employment. In considering any adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook and the balance of risks.”
Powell said while some details of future rate cuts are still being finalized, the timing of these cuts will depend on a range of economic data, including labor market health and growth projections.
As the Fed’s latest interest rate announcement was made, Straight Arrow News’ own Simone Del Rosario and former Kansas City Fed President Thomas Hoenig had live analysis of the future of monetary policy. You can watch that here.
‘Life-threatening’ flooding in south Florida
For the third day in a row, heavy rain is threatening more destructive flooding in south Florida Thursday, June 13. It comes after storms turned streets into rivers and water rushed into homes, Wednesday, June 12.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, R, declared an emergency for five counties after dangerous flooding immobilized the operations of critical infrastructure, including major interstates, roadways, schools, and the Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports.
On Tuesday night, June 11, a record-breaking eight inches of rain hit Florida’s west coast in just three hours.
Flood watches are in effect through Friday night, June 14, across south Florida, which is the state’s most populous area, as more rounds of heavy rainfall are expected.
Meteorologists say many parts of the state are likely to see double-digit rainfall totals by the time the storms fully pass.
Russian warships conduct drills 100 miles off coast of Florida
Three Russian warships and a nuclear-powered submarine conducted drills Tuesday, June 11, in the Atlantic Ocean while en route to Cuba. The Russian defense ministry said the drills involved simulated attacks on distant mock targets.
The Russian fleet arrived in Cuba Wednesday, June 12, just 100 miles from Florida’s Key West. It’s set to move to Venezuela on Monday, June 17.
These exercises mark the first joint Russian naval and air maneuvers in the Caribbean since 2019.
Despite the proximity, Cuba has assured these visits are routine among allies and the vessels carry no nuclear weapons, posing no threat to the region.
The White House views these drills as Russia’s response to U.S. support for Ukraine but does not see them as a threat to U.S. national security.
US creating new fleet of ‘Doomsday Planes’ that can survive a nuclear attack
For 54 years Boeing provided a critical national security service for the United States Air Force, supplying a fleet of aircraft dubbed “Doomsday Planes.” Now, Boeing is out, and a new company is taking the reins to create the fleet of aircraft that will fly into the next generation, providing protection for U.S. national leaders and a military command post. Reports emerged of the change on Monday, June 3.
The Sierra Nevada Corporation landed a $13 billion contract with the Air Force and the enormous responsibility of replacing an aging fleet of E-4B “Nightwatch” aircraft from the 1980s, designed to act as a flying command post in case of nuclear attack on the U.S.
Inside the aircraft, the E-4B is divided into several areas, including a command room, briefing room, communications room and a rest area. The high-tech aircraft are designed to withstand the aftereffects of a nuclear blast, and they’re capable of flying for up to 72 hours straight with the help of midair refuels.
These new aircraft will keep all the crucial features of the current fleet and fix gaps in technology. However, the Air Force is mum on what capabilities the current fleet and future fleet will have due to national security concerns.
US identifies stealth Chinese cyber threat ‘prepositioning’ in critical infrastructure
The U.S. military’s new Cyber Command chief and head of the National Security Agency has sounded the alarm about a stealthy Chinese cyber threat to critical American infrastructure. Unlike typical cyber intrusions that steal data or military secrets, this threat sits dormant within civilian systems, primed for disruptive attacks.
Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, who spoke with The Wall Street Journal at a security conference in Singapore, detailed the activities of a Chinese hacking network known as Volt Typhoon. The group is suspected of positioning itself within key infrastructure networks to launch future attacks.
“China has penetrated systems and then use the capabilities inside those systems to live off the land using the technical capabilities of the systems they’ve compromised to reside there or not for the purpose of intelligence collection, but to assure access in things like critical infrastructure or within Guam, areas that we know have relevance from a military perspective, but also for pre-positioning for other activities,” Haugh said.
In January, U.S. officials identified and dismantled a network of routers across the U.S. and Guam that were vulnerable due to a lack of system updates. Since 2021, Volt Typhoon has accessed critical U.S. infrastructure in communications, utilities, transportation and government sectors. Microsoft highlighted this threat last year, noting its potential to disrupt essential services like water supplies, power grids and transportation systems.
Haugh emphasized the need to protect American networks and ensure U.S. military operational security, especially in regions like the Indo-Pacific, susceptible to Chinese cyber actions. Officials are particularly concerned that during conflicts, China could exploit its covert access to launch cyberattacks harming civilians.
