
Aussie bitcoin maverick avoids jail time. If he keeps his head downAMES — Matt Campbell decided to leave the politicking to the Big 12’s more outspoken coaches. Saturday, Iowa State (10-2 overall, 7-2 Big 12) . The winner, along with the four other highest-ranked conference champions, gets an automatic spot in the College Football Playoff. The problem is only the top four conference champions receive a first-round bye. No. 11 Boise State (11-1 overall, 7-0 Mountain West) is ranked above both Big 12 contenders, meaning the Broncos could take the last bye and leave the Big 12 winner playing a first round game at No. 5 Notre Dame or No. 7 Georgia. “Man, we need like (Oklahoma State) coach (Mike) Gundy or someone to answer that question,” Campbell said. “I’m probably not qualified enough. Shoot, I told the kids right after the game on Saturday we were in the Big 12 Championship Game and ... our whole staff ruined it for me and told me we weren’t even in. So to answer that question is tough for me.” After the initial deflection to Gundy, perhaps college football’s most outspoken voice, Campbell did talk up the strength of the Big 12 without directly asserting the Big 12 champion should be ranked ahead of the Mountain West champion. “I just think week-to-week, top-to-bottom, this conference is what it stood for and that’s not to say any other conference is better or worse,” Campbell said. “I just know what this conference and the quality of football, the quality of coaching, the quality of players, man, if you don’t play ‘A’ football, you’re not going to win in this conference right now. There’s no easy out, I give the coaches in this conference a lot of credit, I give the players in this conference a lot of credit and I think there should be a lot of respect for what this conference has stood for especially in this season so great question an you got to call coach Gundy, I’d rather hear his comments better than mine.” Iowa State ranks No. 16 in the week 14 College Football Playoff Rankings. It is the second-to-last CFP rankings of the season. Members of the College Football Playoff selection committee moved Iowa State up two spots from last week as a reward for . Boise State (11-1 overall, 7-0 Mountain West) is ranked No. 10. Iowa State’s kept ISU’s postseason hopes alive. Several top national outlets are unanimous with their opinion Iowa State will go to the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Dec. 28. Here are where some outlets see Iowa State (10-2 overall, 7-2 Big 12) playing in the postseason heading into a : Pop-Tarts Bowl. Iowa State will travel to Orlando, Florida, for the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Palm projects Clemson as ISU’s opponent. The Tigers are ranked No. 18 in the AP Poll and play SMU in the ACC Championship on Saturday. Pop-Tarts Bowl. Miami will match up with Iowa State in Tampa. Miami is ranked No. 14 in the AP Poll after being in the CFP picture for much of the season. Pop-Tarts Bowl. Iowa State will match up with Clemson. This has been the popular pick the past two weeks. Pop-Tarts Bowl. sees ISU facing Clemson. If the Pop-Tarts bowl doesn’t sound exciting by now, here is a reminder there will be three edible mascots. Pop-Tarts Bowl. Miami will be ISU’s opponent in Orlando. The Pop-Tarts Bowl brings a Big 12 team and ACC team together. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
WASHINGTON — A top White House official said Wednesday at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations were impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. FILE - The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Zhangjiakou, China, on Feb. 2, 2022. A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) Kiichiro Sato Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could grow. The U.S. believes the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden was briefed on the findings and the White House “made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” US officials recommend encrypted messaging apps amid "Salt Typhoon" cyberattack, attributed to China, targeting AT&T, Verizon, and others. Straight Arrow News The Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack Tuesday after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages Wednesday. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts White House officials believe the hacking was regionally targeted and the focus was on very senior government officials. Federal authorities confirmed in October that hackers linked to China targeted the phones of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, along with people associated with Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. The number of countries impacted by the hack is currently believed to be in the “low, couple dozen,” according to a senior administration official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House, said they believed the hacks started at least a year or two ago. The suggestions for telecom companies released Tuesday are largely technical in nature, urging encryption, centralization and consistent monitoring to deter cyber intrusions. If implemented, the security precautions could help disrupt the operation, dubbed Salt Typhoon, and make it harder for China or any other nation to mount a similar attack in the future, experts say. Trump's pick to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel was allegedly the target of cyberattack attempt by Iranian-backed hackers. Straight Arrow News Neuberger pointed to efforts made to beef up cybersecurity in the rail, aviation, energy and other sectors following the May 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline . “So, to prevent ongoing Salt Typhoon type intrusions by China, we believe we need to apply a similar minimum cybersecurity practice,” Neuberger said. The cyberattack by a gang of criminal hackers on the critical U.S. pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel used along the Eastern Seaboard, sent ripple effects across the economy, highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the nation’s aging energy infrastructure. Colonial confirmed it paid $4.4 million to the gang of hackers who broke into its computer systems as it scrambled to get the nation's fuel pipeline back online. Picture this: You're on vacation in a city abroad, exploring museums, tasting the local cuisine, and people-watching at cafés. Everything is going perfectly until you get a series of alerts on your phone. Someone is making fraudulent charges using your credit card, sending you into a panic. How could this have happened? Cyberattacks targeting travelers are nothing new. But as travel has increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so has the volume of hackers and cybercriminals preying upon tourists. Financial fraud is the most common form of cybercrime experienced by travelers, but surveillance via public Wi-Fi networks, social media hacking, and phishing scams are also common, according to a survey by ExpressVPN . Spokeo consulted cybersecurity sources and travel guides to determine some of the best ways to protect your phone while traveling, from using a VPN to managing secure passwords. Online attacks are not the only type of crime impacting travelers—physical theft of phones is also a threat. Phones have become such invaluable travel aids, housing our navigation tools, digital wallets, itineraries, and contacts, that having your phone stolen, lost, or compromised while abroad can be devastating. Meanwhile, traveling can make people uniquely vulnerable to both cyber and physical attacks due to common pitfalls like oversharing on social media and letting your guard down when it comes to taking risks online. Luckily, there are numerous precautions travelers can take to safeguard against cyberattacks and phone theft. TAUSEEF MUSTAFA/AFP // Getty Images Hackers can—and do—target public Wi-Fi networks at cafés and hotels to gain access to your personal information or install malware onto your device, particularly on unsecured networks. Travelers are especially vulnerable to these types of cybersecurity breaches because they are often more reliant on public Wi-Fi than they would be in their home countries where they have more robust phone plans. This reliance on public, unsecured networks means travelers are more likely to use those networks to perform sensitive tasks like financial transfers, meaning hackers can easily gain access to banking information or other passwords. One easy way to safeguard yourself against these breaches is to use a virtual private network, or VPN, while traveling. VPNs are apps that encrypt your data and hide your location, preventing hackers from accessing personal information. An added bonus is that VPNs allow you to access websites that may be blocked or unavailable in the country you are visiting. To use a VPN, simply download a VPN app on your phone or computer, create an account, choose a server, and connect. Robert Nickelsberg // Getty Images Pickpockets, scammers, and flagrant, snatch-your-phone-right-out-of-your-hand thieves can be found pretty much everywhere. In London, for instance, a staggering 91,000 phones were reported stolen to police in 2022 , breaking down to an average of 248 per day, according to the BBC. Whether you're visiting a crowded tourist attraction or just want peace of mind, travel experts advise taking precautions to make sure your phone isn't physically stolen or compromised while traveling. There are several antitheft options to choose from. If you want a bag that will protect your phone from theft, experts recommend looking for features like slash-resistant fabric, reinforced shoulder straps, hidden zippers that can be locked, and secure attachment points, like a cross-body strap or a sturdy clip. For tethers, look for those made of tear-resistant material with a reinforced clip or ring. Lauren DeCicca // Getty Images In order for the previous tip on this list to work, "Find My Phone" must be turned on in advance, but remotely wiping your device isn't the only thing this feature allows you to do. The "Find My Phone" feature enables you to track your device, as long as it's turned on and not in airplane mode. This is particularly helpful if you misplaced your phone or left it somewhere since it can help you retrace your steps. While this feature won't show you the live location of a phone that has been turned off, it will show the phone's last known location. With "Find My Phone," you can also remotely lock your phone or enable "Lost Mode," which locks down the phone, suspends any in-phone payment methods, and displays contact information for returning the phone to you. If your phone was stolen, experts caution against taking matters into your own hands by chasing down the thief, since this could land you in a potentially dangerous situation and is unlikely to result in getting your phone back. Canva Strong passwords for important accounts help protect your information while you travel, but it's just a first step. The National Cybersecurity Alliance recommends creating long, unique, and complex passwords for every account and combining them with multifactor authentication to create maximum barriers to entry. If you're worried about remembering these passwords, password managers can be a vital tool for both creating and storing strong passwords. Password managers are apps that act as secure vaults for all your passwords. Some even come with a feature that allows you to temporarily delete sensitive passwords before you travel and then easily restore them once you return. Story editing by Mia Nakaji Monnier. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Spokeo and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. KT Stock photos // ShutterstockTURTLE CREEK, Pa., Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOSE) ("Eos" or the “Company”), America’s leading innovator in the design, sourcing, and manufacturing of zinc-based long duration energy storage (LDES) systems, manufactured in the United States, today announced that it has received the first loan advance from the Department of Energy's (DOE) Loan Programs Office in the amount of $68.3 million. The loan advance, which covers 80% of eligible costs incurred to date on the Mon Valley Works expansion project, represents the maximum allowable amount under the program at this time. The loan advance covers both capital expenditures and project associated operating expenses incurred as part of the Company's production expansion plans related to Project AMAZE in the Mon Valley Works. These funds support Eos’ ongoing efforts to enhance its operational capacity and further its strategic growth objectives. “Our first state-of-the-art manufacturing line has been operational since June 2024, and this funding is a significant milestone towards expanding our manufacturing capacity and being able to procure line 2,” said Nathan Kroeker, Eos Chief Financial Officer. “The loan proceeds from the DOE, coupled with our strategic partnership and investment from Cerberus Capital Management, facilitates our growth plans to capitalize on the growing need for long duration energy storage solutions.” This announcement comes on the heels of 616 MWh in new customer orders and an announced partnership with FlexGen to address a preliminary 50 GWh market opportunity, highlighting the growing demand for American-made long duration energy storage. About Eos Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. is accelerating the shift to American energy independence with positively ingenious solutions that transform how the world stores power. Our breakthrough ZnythTM aqueous zinc battery was designed to overcome the limitations of conventional lithium-ion technology. Safe, scalable, efficient, sustainable—and manufactured in the U.S—it's the core of our innovative systems that today provide utility, industrial, and commercial customers with a proven, reliable energy storage alternative for 3- to 12-hour applications. Eos was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Edison, New Jersey. For more information about Eos (NASDAQ: EOSE), visit eose.com . Forward Looking Statements Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our expected revenue, contribution margins, orders backlog and opportunity pipeline for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, our path to profitability and strategic outlook, the tax credits available to our customers or to Eos pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the delayed draw term loan with Cerberus, milestones thereunder and the anticipated use of proceeds therefrom, the DOE loan and statements regarding the receipt of funds under the DOE loan and the anticipated use of proceeds therefrom, obtaining the requisite approvals from the DOE to receive guarantees under the loan guarantee agreement, our ability to meet the applicable conditions precedent under the loan guarantee agreement, statements that refer to outlook, projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions. The words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intends," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "would" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, them. Because such statements are based on expectations as to future financial and operating results and are not statements of fact, actual results may differ materially from those projected. Factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: changes adversely affecting the business in which we are engaged; our ability to forecast trends accurately; our ability to generate cash, service indebtedness and incur additional indebtedness; our ability to achieve the operational milestones on the delayed draw term loan; our ability to raise financing in the future, including the discretionary revolving facility from Cerberus; risks associated with the credit agreement with Cerberus, including risks of default, dilution of outstanding Common Stock, consequences for failure to meet milestones and contractual lockup of shares; our customers’ ability to secure project financing; the amount of final tax credits available to our customers or to Eos pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act; uncertainties around our ability to meet the applicable conditions precedent to any funding under the DOE loan; our ability to continue to develop efficient manufacturing processes to scale and to forecast related costs and efficiencies accurately; fluctuations in our revenue and operating results; competition from existing or new competitors; our ability to convert firm order backlog and pipeline to revenue; risks associated with security breaches in our information technology systems; risks related to legal proceedings or claims; risks associated with evolving energy policies in the United States and other countries and the potential costs of regulatory compliance; risks associated with changes to the U.S. trade environment; risks resulting from the impact of global pandemics, including the novel coronavirus, Covid-19; our ability to maintain the listing of our shares of common stock on NASDAQ; our ability to grow our business and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain our management and key employees; risks related to the adverse changes in general economic conditions, including inflationary pressures and increased interest rates; risk from supply chain disruptions and other impacts of geopolitical conflict; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the possibility that Eos may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; other factors beyond our control; risks related to adverse changes in general economic conditions; and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to additional risks, uncertainties, and factors, including those more fully described in the Company’s most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Further information on potential risks that could affect actual results will be included in the subsequent periodic and current reports and other filings that the Company makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Moreover, the Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks and uncertainties may emerge that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and, except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
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White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign