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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Commerce Department's efforts to curb China's and Russia's access to American-made advanced computer chips have been “inadequate” and will need more funding to stymie their ability to manufacture advanced weapons, according to a report published Wednesday by the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The Biden administration imposed export controls to limit the ability of China and Russia ability to access U.S.-made chips after Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago. The agency's Bureau of Industry and Security, according to the report, does not have the resources to enforce export controls and has been too reliant on U.S. chip makers voluntarily complying with the rules. But the push for bolstering Commerce's export control enforcement comes as the incoming Trump administration says it is looking to dramatically reduce the size and scope of federal government . President-elect Donald Trump has tapped entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” to dismantle parts of the federal government. The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. BIS’s budget, about $191 million, has remained essentially flat since 2010 when adjusted for inflation. “While BIS’ budget has been stagnant for a decade, the bureau works diligently around the clock to meet its mission and safeguard U.S. national security,” Commerce Department spokesperson Charlie Andrews said in a statement in response to the report. Andrews added that with “necessary resources from Congress” the agency would be "better equipped to address the challenges that come with our evolving national security environment.” In a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Wednesday, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, chair of the subcommittee, pointed to an audit of Texas Instruments that showed the Russian military continued to acquire components from Texas Instruments through front companies in Hong Kong to illustrate how the export controls are failing as an effective tool. The committee's findings, Blumenthal said, suggest that Texas Instruments “missed clear warning signs” that three companies in its distribution chain had been diverting products to Russia. Texas Instruments did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “While Congress must provide BIS more resources to undertake its critical mission, it is long past time for BIS to make full use of the enforcement powers Congress has conferred upon it and take aggressive steps to cut the flow of U.S. semiconductors into the Russian war machine,” Blumenthal wrote. It's not just Texas Instruments that's the issue. The subcommittee in September published a report that found aggregated exports from four major U.S. advanced chip manufacturers nearly doubled from 2021 to 2022 to Armenia and Georgia. Both of those countries are home to front companies known to assist Russia in acquiring advanced chips made in the U.S. despite export controls. China, meanwhile, has created “vast, barely disguised smuggling networks which enable it to continue to harness U.S. technology,” the subcommittee report asserts. Washington has been gradually expanding the number of companies affected by such export controls in China, as President Joe Biden’s administration has encouraged an expansion of investments in and manufacturing of chips in the U.S. But Chinese companies have found ways to evade export controls in part because of a lack of China subject matter experts and Chinese speakers assigned to Commerce's export control enforcement. The agency's current budget limits the number of international end-use checks, or physical verification overseas of distributors or companies receiving American-made chips that are the supposed end users of products. Currently, Commerce has only 11 export control officers spread around the globe to conduct such checks. The committee made several recommendations in its report, including Congress allocating more money for hiring additional personnel to enforce export controls, imposing larger fines on companies that violate controls and requiring periodic reviews of advanced chip companies’ export control plans by outside entities. ___ Boak reported from West Palm Beach, Florida.
The Inner Circle acknowledges, James Carlyle West as a Pinnacle Professional MemberNEWS BRIEF The Russian government has set a new precedent for itself by officially designating Recorded Future, the cyber threat intelligence (CTI) company, as "undesirable." It's a development that the company's CEO sees as a badge of honor. The term is the country's official parlance for sanctioning, and it means that Recorded Future won't be able to operate within Russia or interact with any Russian companies or individuals. It's a status that was first introduced in 2015 as a way to cut off Russian citizens from the influence of nongovernmental organizations (NGO), media organizations, and other members of civil society that call out human rights abuses and other concerns about Vladimir Putin's regime, which is widely characterized as repressive and authoritarian. Recorded Future is the first infosec organization and one of very few businesses to "earn" the designation, though the Russia Federation's Office of the Prosecutor General incorrectly labeled it as an NGO in its Dec. 18 announcement about the "undesirable" labeling. Among the company's supposed crimes against the state: being funded by American businesses; providing services for searching, processing, and analyzing data including on the Dark Web; "specializing in cyber threats"; and actively interacting with the CIA and other foreign intelligence forces. The Prosecutor General also called out the company, which incidentally is being acquired by Mastercard for $2.65 billion , for spreading "propaganda" and engaging in "offensive information campaigns" regarding its war with Ukraine, tracking Russian Army activities, and feeding intelligence to the Ukrainian authorities. For his part, Recorded Future CEO Christopher Ahlberg took the news better than in stride, posting on X , "Some things in life are rare compliments. This being one." Tara Seals has 20+ years of experience as a journalist, analyst and editor in the cybersecurity, communications and technology space. Prior to Dark Reading, Tara was Editor in Chief at Threatpost, and prior to that, the North American news lead for Infosecurity Magazine. She also spent 13 years working for Informa (formerly Virgo Publishing), as executive editor and editor-in-chief at publications focused on both the service provider and the enterprise arenas. A Texas native, she holds a B.A. from Columbia University, lives in Western Massachusetts with her family and is on a never-ending quest for good Mexican food in the Northeast.
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COMMERCE, Texas (AP) — Scooter Williams Jr. had 19 points in East Texas A&M's 68-67 victory over Abilene Christian on Wednesday. Williams added six rebounds and three steals for the Lions (2-10). Khaliq Abdul-Mateen added 17 points while going 3 of 8 and 11 of 12 from the free-throw line while he also had five assists and three steals. The Lions snapped a seven-game slide. Quion Williams led the Wildcats (7-5) in scoring, finishing with 17 points and seven assists. Leonardo Bettiol added 16 points and seven rebounds for Abilene Christian. Hunter Jack Madden had 13 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Hackers have taken over the website of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), underscoring increased cyberattacks in the country. According to Check Point Software Technologies, a cyber security platform provider, Nigerian industries have seen a sharp rise in cyberattacks. In July, the country ranked 19th in the global rankings for attacks. It noted that government agencies face 1,791 weekly attacks. A visit to the NBS’s website reveals ‘Page Hacked’ on an otherwise blank page. Confirming the attack, the NBS tweeted on Thursday night, “This is to inform the public that the NBS Website has been hacked, and we are working to recover it. Please disregard any message or report posted until the website is fully restored.” Growing digitisation has exposed government agencies and other sectors to cyber attacks. Nigeria’s growing digital economy is facing escalating threats from hackers, prompting the Federal Government to issue at least 33 cyberattack advisories in the past year. “The rapid digitalisation of Africa’s key sectors has positioned the continent as a prime target for sophisticated cyber threats,” stated Lionel Dartnall, acting Country Manager for South Africa at Check Point Software Technologies. Kashifu Inuwa, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency, recently stated, “As we digitise, we know that there is a big threat to our cyber security. There are a lot of criminal activities happening in cyberspace, so as we build, we need to build with security in mind.” Attacks on government agencies usually become ransomware attacks, with hackers exchanging hacked data for money. In 2024, South Africa’s government entities saw a 90 percent surge in ransomware attacks, with 3,312 weekly attacks.
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Asteroid nearly hits Earth in Siberia, with a 2nd massive asteroid passing this weekFirst 12-team CFP set: Oregon seeded No. 1, SMU edges Alabama for final spotAmid rising national security concerns, U.S. authorities are exploring a potential ban on TP-Link Technology Co, a China-based company, from selling its internet routers in the American market. This development was reported by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday based on sources acquainted with the situation. In a letter disclosed by Reuters, two U.S. lawmakers in August urged a comprehensive investigation into TP-Link and its affiliates, citing fears of these Wi-Fi routers facilitating cyber attacks on U.S. soil. This has led to separate probes by the Commerce, Defense, and Justice departments, according to the report, targeting a sales embargo on TP-Link routers possibly as early as next year. The Commerce Department has already issued a subpoena to TP-Link, while the Defense Department has initiated an inquiry into Chinese-manufactured routers earlier this year, informed the report. Notably, Netgear, a rival company, saw its shares rise over 12% following these reports and increased scrutiny. (With inputs from agencies.)
Boise State football’s love affair with the Fiesta Bowl could gain a major new chapter as we usher out 2024. The College Football Playoff committee released its final rankings on Sunday morning, setting the bracket for the 12-team playoffs in stone. The Broncos will play at 5:30 p.m. Mountain time on New Year’s Eve in the quarterfinals. Boise State came in at No. 9 overall in the rankings, but because the Broncos were among the four highest-ranked conference champions, they earned a first-round bye, and even slotted in as the No. 3 seed by being higher in the CFP Top 25 than two Power 4 league winners: the Big 12’s Arizona State and the ACC’s Clemson. That sets Boise State up for a fourth Fiesta Bowl appearance in program history. The Broncos are 3-0 in that game, most recently winning in 2014, when they defeated Arizona 37-30. The most famous victory came 43-42 over Oklahoma on Jan. 1, 2007, and there also was the Jan. 4, 2010, win over TCU by a 17-10 score. Those wins both completed undefeated seasons, but this time around, Boise State actually will have a chance to compete for a national championship. There’s another difference, too: When those past Fiesta Bowls were announced, the team immediately knew its opponent. Because of its bye, Boise State must wait to see who wins a first-round matchup between No. 6 Penn State and No. 11 SMU to learn its foe in the Dec. 31 game in Glendale, Arizona. Boise State redshirt sophomore quarterback Maddux Madsen said he’d kind of prefer to play Penn State because of the school’s “rich tradition of football.” The Nittany Lions, who will host the game against SMU, opened as an 8.5-point favorite . Here’s what to know about the two schools and what they bring to the table. The obvious attraction on paper, no matter who wins, will be a rushing game showdown: Boise State superstar Ashton Jeanty and a strong offensive line vs. a top-ranked run defense. No. 6 Penn State Penn State finished the season 11-2. The Nittany Lions played three ranked teams this season, beating then-No. 19 Illinois in late September, and losing to Ohio State in November and to No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten championship game. The Nittany Lions lost 45-37 to the undefeated Ducks on Saturday afternoon. Boise State also played Oregon in the regular season, losing 37-34 on a last-second field goal. That means Penn State’s best win of the year came against Illinois, which finished No. 20 in the final CFP rankings. The Nittany Lions also had a come-from-behind 26-25 win over Minnesota, which finished 7-5 and tied for seventh place in the Big Ten. The Illini finished 9-3 and tied for fifth in the conference. Despite this, Penn State was actually No. 4 in the final CFP rankings before slotting into the 6 seed in the bracket, one spot ahead of one-loss Notre Dame, which beat four Top 25 teams; two spots ahead of Ohio State, which had the head-to-head win over the Nittany Lions and also beat Indiana, another playoff team; and three spots ahead of Tennessee, which beat Alabama and two other teams when they were in the Top 25. Penn State ranks 25th in the nation for scoring offense, averaging 33.6 points per game. That’s almost a touchdown behind Boise State, which averages 39.1 points per game to rank fourth in the nation. The Nittany Lions’ quarterback is junior Drew Allar, who is in his second season as the starter. He’s thrown for 2,894 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024, with seven interceptions. Allar’s favorite target is tight end Tyler Warren, who’s got 1,062 yards on 88 receptions — the next closest player is wide receiver Harrison Wallace III, who had 638 yards on just 39 catches. The real danger for Penn State comes from its two-headed rushing attack. The Nittany Lions have two running backs — Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen — who have rushed for over 800 yards this season. Of course, those totals pale in comparison to Boise State junior running back Ashton Jeanty, who has 2,497 yards to lead the nation. But Penn State has the nation’s No. 9 rushing defense, allowing just 103.6 rushing yards per game. And that defense held eight opponents to 13 or fewer points this season. No. 11 SMU SMU grabbed the final at-large playoff berth in somewhat of a surprise, after staging a second-half comeback before falling to three-loss Clemson 34-31 on a last-second field goal in the ACC championship game Saturday night. The Mustangs finished the year 11-2 and got in over the likes of fellow ACC member Miami (10-2) and perennial playoff team Alabama, which went 9-3 but had higher-quality wins on its resume — as well as much worse losses. The Mustangs were unbeaten in ACC play in the regular season, but they did not face Miami, Clemson or Syracuse — the other top teams in the standings. SMU’s only other loss was also by three points, 18-15 to BYU (10-2) in early September. The Mustangs’ best wins would be hammering then-unbeaten Pittsburgh (7-5) by a 48-25 score, and a 34-27 victory over then-No. 22 Louisville (8-4). They also beat a 9-3 Duke squad, but they don’t boast a win over a single team in the final CFP rankings. The Mustangs are led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Kevin Jennings. He surpassed the 3,000-yard mark on the season with his efforts Saturday night against Clemson (304 yards, three TDs) and has thrown 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Jennings is also shifty on his feet, rushing for 464 yards this season. The Broncos are used to that and have done well against some dual-threat quarterbacks, holding Washington State’s John Mateer to 28 rushing yards and keeping UNLV’s Hajj-Malik Williams in check in the Mountain West title game, until Williams had a big scramble late in the game to reach 56 rushing yards. The Mustangs are even better than Penn State at stopping the run. They rank fourth in the nation in rushing defense, holding opponents to 93.4 yards per game. But their passing defense is nothing to write home about, yielding 232.7 yards per game to rank 92nd in the nation. This story was originally published December 8, 2024, 4:26 PM. Boise State earns first-round playoff bye, slots into Fiesta Bowl. Here are seeds, matchups Ready to alter New Year’s Eve plans to go to Fiesta Bowl, Boise State fans? Act fast
Strictly fans stunned by shock elimination as they fume the ‘wrong’ person wentNew York Estate Planning Lawyer Yana Feldman Important FAQs on Planning for Incapacity 11-21-2024 11:10 PM CET | Politics, Law & Society Press release from: ABNewswire In a recent blog post, New York estate planning lawyer Yana Feldman ( https://yanafeldmanlaw.com/planning-for-incapacity-faqs/ ) from New York Legacy Lawyers by Yana Feldman & Associates PLLC delves into frequently asked questions about planning for incapacity. This critical aspect of estate planning addresses potential future situations where individuals may become unable to make their own decisions due to illness, accident, or age-related cognitive decline. By preparing for such scenarios, individuals can have greater control over who manages their affairs and make arrangements that align with their wishes. Yana Feldman, a New York estate planning lawyer with years of experience in incapacity planning, emphasizes the importance of this often-overlooked aspect of estate planning. In her article, Feldman highlights that while many people understand the importance of wills and trusts, far fewer consider the implications of becoming incapacitated and unable to make personal, financial, or medical decisions. She points out that careful planning in this area allows people to designate trusted individuals to act on their behalf in the event of incapacity. Feldman notes, "Incapacity planning empowers individuals to make sure their wishes are carried out by the right person when they can no longer make those decisions themselves." The blog clarifies common questions about incapacity planning tools and processes, including powers of attorney and healthcare proxies. According to New York estate planning lawyer Yana Feldman, a power of attorney allows a designated person, called an agent, to make financial and legal decisions for another individual. Without this arrangement, families may face significant challenges, including challenging legal hurdles, in order to access bank accounts, manage bills, or address pressing financial needs. Feldman stresses that while powers of attorney offer substantial protection, they are only as effective as the agent chosen to fulfill the role. For many, choosing a person they deeply trust is one of the most crucial aspects of this planning process. Feldman shares that "a properly drafted power of attorney can be one of the most important legal documents in a person's estate plan, providing seamless management of financial matters when a person is unable to do so." Healthcare proxies are another vital element of incapacity planning discussed in the blog. A healthcare proxy authorizes a trusted person to make medical decisions on behalf of someone who is no longer capable of communicating their own wishes. Feldman explains that this form of preparation allows individuals to outline their healthcare preferences in advance and ensures that their medical treatment aligns with these preferences. Without a healthcare proxy, family members may find themselves in difficult positions, forced to make critical decisions without a clear understanding of the individual's wishes. Feldman addresses this point in her article, saying, "With a healthcare proxy, individuals can have peace of mind knowing that someone they trust will make healthcare choices on their behalf, according to their preferences." Feldman's article also touches on living wills as part of incapacity planning. She explains that a living will serve as a written declaration of an individual's healthcare preferences, particularly in regard to life-sustaining treatments. By creating a living will, individuals can express their desires about treatments such as resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, and other interventions. A living will relieve families of the burden of making these emotional decisions during difficult times and ensure that the person's own choices guide their medical care. Addressing financial and healthcare planning together provides a comprehensive approach to incapacity planning, according to the blog. Feldman advocates that while no one likes to consider the possibility of incapacitation, taking proactive steps to plan can greatly reduce the emotional and financial strain on loved ones. She emphasizes that a thorough incapacity plan is a gift to family members, relieving them of potential conflicts and confusion by clearly outlining the person's wishes. Incapacity planning is often overlooked, but as Yana Feldman illustrates in her blog, it is an essential part of estate planning. By establishing powers of attorney, healthcare proxies, and living wills, individuals are able to put safeguards in place that will protect them and their families. Feldman's article encourages individuals to consider these elements in their estate plans and highlights the value of working with a knowledgeable estate planning professional to ensure that every aspect is properly addressed. Yana Feldman and her team at New York Legacy Lawyers by Yana Feldman & Associates PLLC remain committed to helping clients navigate the challenges of estate planning and incapacity. Their guidance in this area allows clients to create well-rounded plans that incorporate both the present and future, ensuring that they are prepared for all eventualities. Incapacity planning can provide peace of mind for individuals and clarity for their families. Creating an incapacity plan is a proactive approach to addressing future uncertainties, and working with an estate planning professional can streamline the process. With the resources shared by Feldman, individuals have a clearer understanding of how to make informed choices about their financial and healthcare needs. About New York Legacy Lawyers by Yana Feldman & Associates PLLC: New York Legacy Lawyers by Yana Feldman & Associates PLLC provides clients in New York with a range of estate planning services, including wills, trusts, and incapacity planning. With a focus on delivering compassionate and informed guidance, the firm assists clients in creating thorough plans to address both immediate and future needs. Yana Feldman and her team are dedicated to helping clients safeguard their assets and protect their families through personalized estate planning solutions. Embeds: Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QC-yvrD1LY GMB: https://www.google.com/maps?cid=16408561942605909937 Email and website Email: yana@yanafeldmanlaw.com Website: https://yanafeldmanlaw.com/ Media Contact Company Name: New York Legacy Lawyers by Yana Feldman & Associates PLLC Contact Person: Yana Feldman Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=new-york-estate-planning-lawyer-yana-feldman-important-faqs-on-planning-for-incapacity ] Phone: (718) 713-8080 Address:132 32nd St #301 City: Brooklyn State: New York 11232 Country: United States Website: https://yanafeldmanlaw.com/ This release was published on openPR.