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WASHINGTON -- 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. 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. 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 still grow. The U.S. believes that 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 noted that because the hack appeared to be targeting a relatively small group of individuals, only a small number of Americans' phone calls and texts have been compromised. Neuberger added that impacted companies are all responding, but none “have fully removed the Chinese actors from these networks.” “So there is a risk of ongoing compromises to communications until U.S. companies address the cybersecurity gaps the Chinese are likely to maintain their access,” Neuberger said. She said that President Joe Biden has been briefed on the findings and that the White House “has made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” The Chinese embassy in Washington on Tuesday rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack 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 on Wednesday. White House officials believe that 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 ground 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, which has been dubbed Salt Typhoon, and make it harder for China or any other nation to mount a similar attack in the future, experts say. Neuberger pointed to efforts that have been 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. ___ Associated Press writer David Klepper contributed reporting.

Percentages: FG 48.889, FT .429. 3-Point Goals: 9-22, .409 (Antenucci 4-8, Cairns 3-6, Jefferson 1-3, Santoro 1-3, Rolle 0-1, Gill 0-1) Blocked Shots: 1 (Taylor 1) Turnovers: 16 (Team 4, Antenucci 3, Gill 2, Jefferson 2, Rolle 2, Taylor 2, Mitchell-Steen 1) Steals: 5 (Antenucci 1, Gill 1, Jefferson 1, Santoro 1, Taylor 1) Technical Fouls: 1 (Jefferson 1) Percentages: FG 40.000, FT .900. 3-Point Goals: 3-13, .231 (Hylton 2-4, R.Jackson 1-4, A.Jackson 0-3, Holtman 0-1, Mann 0-1) Blocked Shots: 2 (Ndiba 2) Turnovers: 18 (A.Jackson 5, R.Jackson 4, Byars 2, Hayes 2, Hylton 2, Mann 1, Ndiba 1, Team 1) Steals: 4 (Byars 1, Hylton 1, R.Jackson 1, Mann 1) Technical Fouls: None A_804 Officials_Ian Carey, Tunita Dumas, Darwin ThompsonAmbassador to the US Kevin Rudd (Image: AP/Mark Schiefelbein) Despite Kevin Rudd’s assurances last week that his team is “ready” to work with Donald Trump’s incoming administration, his precarious ambassador position in Washington demonstrates the risks of political appointments. Rudd was undoubtedly well qualified for the ambassadorship under the previous Biden administration: he has foreign affairs experience and extensive political experience, including as an Australian prime minister; is a fluent Mandarin speaker; and has specialized in a range of international studies. However, this has not prepared him for an unpredictable Trump administration. Most politicians have fixed opinions about policy options, and their capacity to accept opposing views is often limited. Australian political debates occur most commonly in a rigid environment where negotiation and compromise are regarded as signs of weakness. Consequently, it is harder for senior politicians to consider alternative policy agendas and adapt a nuanced diplomatic position in international discussions. Rudd works room at Republican convention to shore up ‘Trumpified’ AUKUS deal Read More Like Trump himself, Rudd is also an enthusiastic social media commentator, and some of his past personal observations about the returning US president — a number of which were posted on Twitter, since deleted — are unacceptable within diplomatic circles. Australians may need to be reminded that we have a professional workforce of career diplomats working in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, professionals who gain expertise in a variety of cultures and complex issues in international relations — and work in a variety of positions in Canberra — before being considered for posting to other countries. Despite this extensive in-service training of career diplomats, Australian governments frequently appoint politicians with scant special diplomacy skills to represent the nation overseas. Critics argue that elected members and senators representing either the Liberals or the ALP are not necessarily familiar with world affairs, and many would doubt their capacity to be diplomatic. Government leaders often make ambassadorial appointments when rewarding former ministers. These appointments are criticised as “jobs for the boys” — and indeed very few women have been anointed with this benefit. (We have yet to see a minor party or independent political appointment, so the partisan nature of this process reinforces the view that diplomacy should be about more than mateship.) Such political appointments can take advantage of the particular skills or experience of former parliamentarians, particularly in the case of former treasurers, ministers or prime ministers. However, it must be frustrating for career diplomats to be overlooked when their political masters prefer familiar former parliamentarians instead of professionals with years of experience in diplomacy and international relations. The Lowy Institute shows that political appointments are increasing, and former politicians currently head our diplomatic missions in Washington, London and Dublin. Political appointments rarely have bipartisan support, too, and we’ve seen Peter Dutton further entrench the debate about Ambassador Rudd’s future by reminding the community his appointment was Anthony Albanese’s “captain’s pick” . This ties the prime minister to remain loyal to Rudd despite the prospect that the Trump administration may demand a diplomatic replacement. Perhaps it is time for Australian governments to seriously examine how highly they rate diplomacy in their management of foreign policy. Since its early role at the formation of the United Nations in 1945, Australia has a proud tradition of taking a leading role in key initiatives like peacekeeping missions and the Chemical Weapons Treaty. However in recent years, our governments have lost interest in being proactive as a middle power, preferring more to line up with old allies than assert our independence in foreign and defence policy.

Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fightingThe ceasefire, starting at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday, would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza , where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . President-elect Donald Trump vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Israel says it will ‘attack with might’ if Hezbollah breaks truce Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Warplanes bombard Beirut and its southern suburbs Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. The warnings sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli forces reach Litani River in southern Lebanon The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few miles from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 20 miles north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed.

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Prosecutors have shot down Sean “Diddy” Combs’s insistence that he should be afforded the same free speech rights as President-elect Donald Trump when the rap star tried again to be released on bail following his indictment on sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation for prostitution charges. After Combs was accused of trying to influence jurors from jail in an orchestrated online and phone campaign through friends and family, his attorneys argued in a filing Monday that he should have the same rights Trump enjoyed when he badgered law enforcement officials publicly and online in the election interference case following the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The case against Trump, brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith is being dropped because there is no precedent for such an action against a sitting president. Combs’s attorney cited the District of Columbia Appeals court decision in United States v. Trump last December in which the court ruled that the former president could only be constrained in his attacks in the case in the event of a “significant and imminent threat to the administration of criminal justice.” The court ruled that Trump is “free to make statements criticizing the current administration, the Department of Justice , and the Special Counsel, as well as statements that this prosecution is politically motivated or that he is innocent of the charges against him.” Combs’s attorneys argued that the “court should apply Trump’s heightened standard when considering” restricting their client’s speech. But prosecutors in the Brooklyn case weren’t buying it. In a response filed later Monday they argued that Trump’s judges “faced the unique task of balancing the right of a current candidate for the presidency to speak publicly about his charges against the public’s right to a fair trial.” They said that Combs’s communications “are not protected by the First Amendment.” The defense team filing was in response to US District Court Judge Arun Subramanian, who last week asked both sides to explain if Combs’ public communications do or don’t constitute obstruction of justice. Combs has already been denied bail twice. The judge said Friday that he would decide on his latest bail application sometime this week. Combs’s trial is set for May 5.

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