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WASHINGTON — A ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans, a top White House official said Friday. Biden administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies , as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, told reporters Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. The update from Neuberger is the latest development in a massive hacking operation that has alarmed national security officials, exposed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the private sector and laid bare China's hacking sophistication. The hackers compromised the networks of telecommunications companies to obtain customer call records and gain access to the private communications of “a limited number of individuals." Though the FBI has not publicly identified any of the victims, officials believe senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures are among those whose whose communications were accessed. Neuberger said officials did not yet have a precise sense how many Americans overall were affected by Salt Typhoon, in part because the Chinese were careful about their techniques, but a “large number" were in the Washington-Virginia area. Officials believe the goal of the hackers was to identify who owned the phones and, if they were “government targets of interest,” spy on their texts and phone calls, she said. The FBI said most of the people targeted by the hackers are "primarily involved in government or political activity.” Neuberger said the episode highlighted the need for required cybersecurity practices in the telecommunications industry, something the Federal Communications Commission is to take up at a meeting next month. “We know that voluntary cyber security practices are inadequate to protect against China, Russia and Iran hacking of our critical infrastructure,” she said. The Chinese government has denied responsibility for the hacking.Colorado State Senate leaders on Saturday said they will remove Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis from her committee assignments in response to renewed allegations that she mistreated employees in her office, which also prompted the state’s legislative aide union to call for her resignation. Senate leadership stripped Jaquez Lewis of her state-paid aides earlier this week after two staffers formally complained that they were instructed to do chores around her home and bartend at a party she hosted, according to reporting by the Colorado Sun. Incoming Senate President James Coleman and Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez said in a statement that Jaquez Lewis’ “alleged behavior is in direct conflict with our core Democratic values of protecting workers’ rights and uplifting our workforce.” Coleman and Rodriguez said they planned to remove the senator from her committees for the coming session, a rare step that essentially blocks her from a key piece of the legislative process. Jaquez Lewis currently serves on the Health and Human Services and the Housing and Local Government committees. In an open letter to Senate leaders earlier Saturday, the Political Workers Guild of Colorado had demanded that Jaquez Lewis resign or be removed. “Jaquez Lewis has consistently shown that she does not have the ability to manage an office, sit in a leadership role as chair, and show basic respect and decency to staff and her colleagues,” the union wrote. The senator was accused of trying to withhold pay from a staffer, which led to her removal as a committee leader and sponsor of a wage theft bill this year. Responding to the union’s letter, Jaquez Lewis said Saturday that she took it “very seriously” and would support members’ concerns being investigated in a setting that would allow her to present evidence in her defense. “I’m deeply sorry for my part of any miscommunication or any action on my part that has hurt anyone,” she said. “I am taking steps to proactively set up a nonpartisan HR management person that my staff can work with and go to for any issues. The path forward from here is to investigate what happened. I feel confident that this process will present my side of the story and all sides of the story.” Coleman and Rodriguez also wrote that they will “honor any formal request” for the Senate Committee on Ethics to investigate Jaquez Lewis. A complaint has been filed against her, according to Coleman, although it was sent to Coleman, who was recently elected Senate president but will not formally assume the office until the legislature reconvenes next month. A new complaint must be made to Coleman when he formally becomes president, Senate Democratic spokeswoman Nina Krizman told The Denver Post. The ethics committee is composed of sitting senators and is tasked with investigating complaints against fellow members. In a process used against another Democratic senator this year, the committee first determined that a violation had occurred then held a separate meeting to settle on a response. The process also may involve an evidentiary hearing, although senators facing an ethics complaint may waive that step. The committee can recommend a range of responses, including censure or for a legislator to be expelled from the Senate. That process requires a full vote of the chamber, and expulsion requires support from two-thirds of the 35-member Senate. Jaquez Lewis has not indicated to Senate leadership that she intends to resign, Krizman said. Since at least 2023, other Democratic lawmakers, including Fenberg, have admonished Jaquez Lewis for her alleged mistreatment of employees. Fenberg wrote in a September 2023 email to Jaquez Lewis that several staff members and legislators had “witnessed behavior they found concerning” and that this behavior was “something I hope you will prioritize improving upon.” He also said Senate staffers would not help her vet aides or place aides in her office in 2024. The Political Workers Guild of Colorado in its letter said these previous incidents and the latest allegations were proof of a “drastic” lack of accountability by Jaquez Lewis. The union also called for the creation of a formal system that would allow aides to express their grievances with legislators. “For too many years we have been reporting incidents that have been met with few repercussions for the legislator because of the lack of accountability mechanisms in the current system,” the letter reads. “If we believe in the fundamental right of the worker, we need this framework.” Jaquez Lewis was first elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2018. She secured a Senate seat in 2020 and was reelected for another four-year term this year. Denver Post staff writer Seth Klamann contributed to this report. Editor’s note: Due to a source error, this story has been updated to note that the initial complaint against Sen. Jaquez Lewis was sent to incoming Senate President James Coleman. Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot.
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES NEW RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH THE GUTHRIE CLINICKendrick Lamar Just Released a New Album Inspired by One of the Last Great American Muscle Cars
Caprock Group LLC Sells 21,037 Shares of Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE:VIPS)Councillor Caroline Dwane Stanley, the wife of former Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley, has resigned from the party with immediate effect. Ms Dwane Stanley was the party's only councillor on Laois County Council. Her husband, Independent TD Brian Stanley, who previously chaired the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee, left Sinn Féin in October following a bitter dispute. In a statement on her Facebook page on Friday night, Ms Dwane Stanley said she had given “careful consideration and reflection over the recent past” in regard to her decision to resign her membership of Sinn Féin. “Given how the party leadership dealt with the controversy that arose in July and related matters since then including outright attacks on both me personally and my family by some local party members, I have come to the conclusion that Laois Sinn Féin is not a safe place to be. “I had hoped that the party at leadership level would have made the effort to engage with me directly and give some support and assistance to me to try and deal with these matters.” However, no contact has been made by Sinn Féin leadership over the past five months, she added. The Laois councillor said that while the party has always prided itself on the values of equality and in particular supports for women in politics, "in my case this has proven to be a fallacy". “With this in mind I have decided that the time is right for me to draw a line on 2024 and resign, look to the future and embrace what I hope will be a better political future in the time ahead." She said she will continue in her role as an independent republican councillor "providing vigorous and effective representation for the Portlaoise/Abbeyleix Municipal District". In October, Brian Stanley resigned from Sinn Féin, launching a scathing attack on the process. In July, a complaint was lodged with Sinn Féin from a "longstanding member" about the Laois-Offaly TD. He claimed that in recent months "a certain clique within the party have gone to extreme lengths” to damage his reputation and character. At the time, he said: "Given what has transpired and the work of my legal team, what is very clear is this process lacked objectivity, was seriously flawed and was devoid of impartiality. “This ‘inquiry’ has been shown to have lacked any shred of credibility, not least due to a significant abuse of process. In many ways it resembled a type of kangaroo court. Legal examination of this matter will continue."SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro has been a target for investigations since his early days in office, and the swarm of cases since his failed reelection bid in 2022 has left him in ever-deeper legal jeopardy. In the latest indictment Thursday, he was accused of attempting a coup to keep himself in the presidency. In another case, the electoral court ruled the far-right leader ineligible to run for office until 2030. There are dozens of other probes that could produce criminal charges at low-level courts, where he could appeal any eventual conviction. But the country's Supreme Court will have the final say regarding more than five in-depth investigations, including into the alleged coup attempt, which could land the former president behind bars or under house arrest. Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing in all of the cases, and his allies have alleged they are political persecution, while recognizing the severity of the legal risks on multiple fronts. Here's a look at the biggest threats and where they stand: Federal police on Thursday indicted Bolsonaro and 36 others for allegedly attempting a coup to keep him in office after his defeat in the 2022 elections. The indictment is sealed, but among other things authorities had been investigating whether he incited the Jan. 8, 2022 riot in which his followers ransacked the Supreme Court and presidential palace in the capital of Brasilia. STATUS: Police sent their findings to Brazil’s Supreme Court, which must decide whether to refer them to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet. He will either formally charge Bolsonaro and put him on trial, or toss the investigation. Brazil’s highest electoral court in June ruled that Bolsonaro used government communication channels in a meeting with diplomats to promote his reelection bid and sow distrust about the vote. The case focused on a meeting the prior year, during which Bolsonaro used government staffers, the state television channel and the presidential palace in Brasilia to tell foreign ambassadors that the country’s electronic voting system was rigged. The ruling rendered him ineligible for office until 2030, although he has insisted that he will run in the 2026 race. The court also found that Bolsonaro abused his power during Brazil’s Independence Day festivities, a month before the election. The ruling didn’t add years to Bolsonaro’s ineligibility, but made any appeal less likely to succeed. A third case is also pending at the court. STATUS: Bolsonaro’s appeal of the initial ruling was denied. Bolsonaro has been indicted for directing an official to tamper with a public health database to make it appear as though he and his 12-year-old daughter had received the COVID-19 vaccine in order to bypass U.S. entry requirements. During the pandemic, he railed against the vaccine , characterized the choice to receive a shot as a matter of personal freedom and has repeatedly said he never did so. The Federal Police accused Bolsonaro of criminal association and inserting false data into public records, which carry maximum penalties of 4 and 12 years in prison, respectively. It was his first indictment since leaving office. STATUS: Brazil's Supreme Court sent the indictment to the prosecutor-general, who is weighing whether to use it to press charges. Local media reported that he was seeking to consult American authorities about whether Bolsonaro used the forged document to enter the country, and that having done so could result in U.S. legal action. Federal Police have probed whether Bolsonaro directed officials to smuggle luxury jewelry worth millions into Brazil from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, then acted to prevent them from being incorporated into the presidential collection and instead retain ownership for himself. Investigators summoned Bolsonaro for questioning in April and August of 2023. He has returned the jewelry in question. STATUS: The Federal Police indicted Bolsonaro for money laundering and criminal association, according to a source with knowledge of the accusations. A second source confirmed the indictment, although not for which specific crimes. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly. Brazil’s Federal Police is investigating Bolsonaro for inciting crimes against public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, which include encouraging people not to wear masks and causing alarm about non-existent danger of vaccines accelerating development of AIDS . A Senate inquiry commission also spent months investigating his pandemic-era actions and decisions, and recommended nine criminal charges. Brazil’s former prosecutor-general Augusto Aras, widely seen as a Bolsonaro ally, decided not to file any charges based on the lawmakers' findings. They have urged his Aras' successor to reopen the case. STATUS: The investigation is ongoing. Brazil's Supreme Court in 2020 ordered an investigation into a network allegedly spreading defamatory fake news and threats against Supreme Court justices . The probe has yielded the imprisonment of lawmakers from the former president's circle and raids of his supporters' homes. In 2021, Bolsonaro was included as a target. As an offshoot of that probe, the Federal Police is also investigating whether a group operating inside Bolsonaro’s presidential palace produced social media content aimed at undermining the rule of law. The group, allegedly comprised of aides and Bolsonaro’s politician son, has been widely referred to as a digital militia and “the hate cabinet.” STATUS: Both investigations are ongoing. Biller reported from Rio de Janeiro
Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. Week 16 game between Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers flexed to Thursday night spot The Los Angeles Chargers have played their way into another prime time appearance. Justin Herbert and company have had their Dec. 22 game against the Denver Broncos flexed to Thursday night, Dec. 19. Friday’s announcement makes this the first time a game has been flexed to the Thursday night spot. The league amended its policy last season where Thursday night games in Weeks 13 through 17 could be flexed with at least 28 days notice prior to the game. The matchup of AFC West division rivals bumps the game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals to Sunday afternoon. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Red Bull brings wrong rear wing to Las Vegas in mistake that could stall Verstappen's title chances LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen is suddenly in jeopardy of being denied a fourth consecutive Formula 1 title Saturday night. Red Bull apparently brought the wrong rear wing to Las Vegas and GPS data showed its two cars to be significantly slower on the straights than both McLaren and Mercedes, which led both practice sessions. Red Bull says it doesn’t have a replacement rear wing in Las Vegas to fix the issue and little chance of getting two flown in from England ahead of the race. Caitlin Clark to join Cincinnati bid for 16th National Women's Soccer League team WNBA star Caitlin Clark has joined Cincinnati’s bid for an expansion National Women’s Soccer League team. Major League Soccer franchise FC Cincinnati is heading the group vying to bring a women’s pro team to the city. The club issued a statement confirming Clark had joined the bid group. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has said the league plans to announce the league’s 16th team by the end of the year. The league's 15th team will begin play in 2026 in Boston. Alyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join Guardians CLEVELAND (AP) — Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in an MLB game, is leaving the San Francisco Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians. Nakken made history in 2022 when she took over as first-base coach following an ejection. A former college softball star at Sacramento State, Nakken joined the Giants in 2014 and was promoted to a spot on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in 2020, becoming the majors’ first full-time female coach. Nakken has been hired as an assistant director within player development for the Guardians, who won the AL Central last season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt. Nakken, 34, will work with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. Aaron Judge won't be bothered if Juan Soto gets bigger contract from Yankees than his $360M deal NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge won’t be bothered if Juan Soto gets a bigger deal from the New York Yankees than the captain’s $360 million, nine-year contract. Speaking a day after he was a unanimous winner of his second MVP, Judge says “It ain’t my money” and adds "that’s never been something on my mind about who gets paid the most.” Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks in his first season with the Yankees, then became a free agent at age 26. In a 'Final Four-type weekend,' two top-6 clashes put women's college basketball focus on West Coast LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two games featuring four powerhouse teams has put the focus in women's college basketball on the West Coast this weekend. JuJu Watkins and No. 3 Southern California host Hannah Hidalgo and No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday. Top-ranked South Carolina visits Lauren Betts and fifth-ranked UCLA on Sunday. Both games are nationally televised and the arenas are expected to be packed. WNBA scouts will be on hand to check out some of the nation's top talent. Two teams will come away with their first losses of the season. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb calls it “a Final Four-type weekend.” A documentary featuring Watkins will air on NBC ahead of USC's game, which leads into the Army-Notre Dame football game. Noodles and wine are the secret ingredients for a strange new twist in China's doping saga Blame it on the noodles. That's what one Chinese official suggested when anti-doping leaders were looking for answers for the doping scandal that cast a shadow over this year's Olympic swim meet. Earlier this year, reports that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned heart medication emerged. None were sanctioned because Chinese authorities determined the swimmers were contaminated by traces of the drug spread about a hotel kitchen. In a strange twist, the leader of China's anti-doping agency suggested this case could have been similar to one in which criminals were responsible for tainting noodles that were later eaten by another Chinese athlete who also tested positive for the drug.