( MENAFN - The Conversation) US President-elect Donald trump has named most of the members of his proposed cabinet. However, he's yet to reveal key appointees to America's powerful cyber warfare and intelligence institutions. These include positions like national cyber director , director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and National Security Council cyber lead. These figures will be vital in securing America's cyber security at a crucial time. We believe there are three flashpoints that could be particularly troublesome for the incoming administration: Chinese electronic surveillance and espionage activities against the US have reached an all-time high in terms of level of effort and, most importantly, effectiveness. These espionage activities have been successfully targeting: As has recently been reported , the Chinese government has exploited vulnerabilities in America's ageing telecommunications infrastructure to target secret government systems. Hackers from the group“Salt Typhoon” were able to access the personal communications of high-ranking officials (including Trump) and expose the identities of US intelligence targets and sources in the US and overseas. Salt Typhoon also appears to have extracted US telecommunications companies' call data records. These detail the call history and associated phone numbers of all users of the network. These sophisticated breaches follow years of brazen cyber operations to steal US intellectual property and state secrets concerning strategically significant technologies. These include artificial intelligence, next-generation aircraft, biotechnology and energy systems. Indeed, researchers have found the majority of Chinese espionage activities against the US since 2000 have focused on stealing commercial technologies and information. Alongside this, the US government believes Beijing is seeking to expand its ability to capture digital information on Americans. The Biden administration responded to this threat with a number of measures to harden America's technology ecosystem against Chinese-made devices and software that may contain backdoors or hidden surveillance features. The response included bans and restrictions on products made by Hikvision, Dahua and Hytera, as well as the social media platform Tiktok. This all sets the scene for showdowns between Trump and China, as well as between Trump and America's tech sector. For example, the Trump administration will almost certainly have to compel telecommunications giants AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and others to address longtime deficiencies in their infrastructure. This includes the persistent use of unshielded components dating back to the 1970–80s. Simultaneously, the personal targeting of Trump, his Cabinet, and senior government officials and their sources will require a forceful response to deter future operations. But how much will the Trump administration be prepared to do in response to Chinese aggression? President Joe Biden has hit back against China by targeting its semiconductor industry and curtailing its access to other strategic technologies. In any negotiations between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping over trade and tariffs, Beijing is likely to seek to have these measures removed. If it does, Trump's desire for a better economic“deal” with China may come into conflict with national security concerns. Chinese agencies have also been infiltrating American and allied critical infrastructure (including the cyber security centres in the“Five Eyes” partners) for the purposes of sabotage. The aim is to pre-position themselves in target networks, installing sophisticated malware that can be activated to disrupt and degrade essential systems. This includes in a time of war. The most noteworthy of these efforts has come from Volt Typhoon , a Chinese state-sponsored hacker group. These efforts to infiltrate and cripple vital infrastructure are consistent with China's long-standing doctrine of covert action intended to“win without fighting”. These sabotage efforts are widely expected to intensify as we approach 2027. This is the crucial window when China's People's Liberation Army is expected to reach military readiness to attempt an invasion of Taiwan. The greatest risk of this digital sabotage campaign is a possible escalation into a military conflict between the US and China. If Chinese malware is used to target the celebrations for America's 250th birthday in 2026 or the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, for example, how much restraint would Trump have? The final flashpoint will be a legislative one. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) has long been the subject of passionate debate in the US. Most of this centres on Section 702 , the basis for much of America's cyber intelligence collection efforts on foreign targets. This section allows US intelligence agencies to intercept phone calls, emails and other digital communications on non-Americans outside the US. Congress has mandated these agencies to“minimise” the collateral collection of data on Americans. In practice, however, this has been difficult to achieve in the age of digital anonymity and transnational threats. Bipartisan supporters of FISA consider it essential to national security agencies that are fighting to keep America and its allies safe. The MAGA-aligned House Freedom Caucus, however, has cast the act in a different light. They believe it empowers an unaccountable deep state intent on surveilling ordinary citizens. Trump has at times aligned himself with this view. In April of this year, he posted that Congress should“kill FISA” due to allegations it enabled spying of his 2020 presidential campaign. Section 702 will lapse in April 2026 unless Congress votes to authorise it again. While both houses of Congress will have Republican majorities, the disparate views within the party do not guarantee passage. Raising the stakes further are the intensifying national security threats a second Trump administration will face. Intelligence officials will argue the demand for FISA-sourced intelligence has never been higher. However, outsiders like Tulsi Gabbard (presumptive director of national intelligence), Kash Patel (presumptive FBI director), Pam Bondi (presumptive attorney-general) and Kristi Noem (presumptive secretary of homeland security) may oppose re-authorising the legislation. Furthermore, America's allies rely heavily on intelligence shared by US agencies using FISA warrants. Just as Trump looks set to demand NATO and other allies pay more for their own defence, he may well insist that Five Eyes and other intelligence partners do more of their own surveillance operations, too. 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No. 22 Xavier aims to keep its perfect record intact Monday night in Fort Myers, Fla., when it takes on South Carolina in the Fort Myers Tip-Off. The Musketeers (5-0) are coming off an 80-55 victory on Wednesday over Siena, while the Gamecocks (3-2) beat Mercer on Thursday 84-72. Against Mercer, South Carolina sank a season-best 12 3-pointers -- tied for the fourth-most in a single game under third-year coach Lamont Paris. Jamarii Thomas, a senior transfer from Norfolk State, had 19 points and swished 4 of 5 shots from behind the arc. "Thomas got some good, clean looks," Paris said. "It was good to see those guys make their shots. Hopefully it gets those guys going in the right direction." On the season, the Gamecocks are making 7.8 3-pointers per game and shooting 32.5 percent from deep. Senior guard Jacobi Wright makes a team-best 1.8 3-pointers per game and shoots 37.5 percent from behind the arc. At 13.0 ppg, he is second on the team behind Collin Murray-Boyles (15.8). Xavier is allowing eight makes from deep per game and is letting opponents shoot 38.5 percent from behind the arc, which ranks 337th in the country. And despite an undefeated record so far for the Musketeers, third-year coach Sean Miller is worried about his players developing bad habits. "We have a virus that everybody is looking at the stat sheet, trying to get as many points as they possibly can," Miller said after the win over Siena. "They want to win, but they really want to win and score. We need a couple of guys that are willing to rebound, defend, make the extra pass, play at a high level defensively and understand what makes a team great." Marcus Foster did a decent job of doing a little bit of everything for Xavier against Siena, piling up 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and a steal. It was the first double-digit scoring outing for Foster -- a grad transfer from Furman -- in a Xavier uniform. Since 2008, Xavier is 25-11 against teams from the Southeastern Conference, but it hasn't played South Carolina in that stretch. --Field Level Media
Barrister cleared of misconduct calls on head of Bar Standards Board to resignBy MEAD GRUVER and AMY BETH HANSON, Associated Press A judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. Monday’s ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to continue competing in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship scheduled for later this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes after a lawsuit was filed by nine current players who are suing the Mountain West Conference to challenge the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Judge Crews referred to the athlete as an “alleged transgender” player in his ruling and noted that no defendant disputed that San Jose State rosters a transgender woman volleyball player. He said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting that the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a forfeit in league standings. He also said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 – making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season’s awareness of her identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a political campaign year. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. San Jose State is seeded second. The judge’s order maintains the seedings and pairings for the tournament. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada’s players stated they “refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes,” without providing further details. Crews served as a magistrate judge in Colorado’s U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him to serve as a federal judge in January of this year. Gruver reported from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Hanson from Helena, Montana.NEW HOPE, Pa. — Dayle Haddon, an actor, activist and trailblazing former “Sports Illustrated” model who pushed back against age discrimination by reentering the industry as a widow, has died in a Pennsylvania home from what authorities believe was carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities in Bucks County found Haddon, 76, dead in a second-floor bedroom Friday morning after emergency dispatchers were notified about a person unconscious at the Solebury Township home. A 76-year-old man police later identified as Walter J. Blucas of Erie was hospitalized in critical condition. Responders detected a high level of carbon monoxide in the property and township police said Saturday that investigators determined that “a faulty flue and exhaust pipe on a gas heating system caused the carbon monoxide leak.” Two medics were taken to a hospital for carbon monoxide exposure and a police officer was treated at the scene. As a model, Haddon appeared on the covers of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle and Esquire in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1973 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. She also appeared in about two dozen films from the 1970s to 1990s, according to IMDb.com, including 1994’s “Bullets Over Broadway,” starring John Cusack. Haddon left modeling after giving birth to her daughter, Ryan, in the mid-1970s, but then had to reenter the workforce after her husband's 1991 death. This time she found the modeling industry far less friendly: “They said to me, ‘At 38, you’re not viable,’” Haddon told The New York Times in 2003. Working a menial job at an advertising agency, Haddon began reaching out to cosmetic companies, telling them there was a growing market to sell beauty products to aging baby boomers. She eventually landed a contract with Clairol, followed by Estée Lauder and then L’Oreal, for which she promoted the company's anti-aging products for more than a decade. She also hosted beauty segments for CBS’s “The Early Show.” "I kept modeling, but in a different way," she told The Times, “I became a spokesperson for my age.” In 2008, Haddon founded WomenOne, an organization aimed at advancing educational opportunities for girls and women in marginalized communities, including Rwanda, Haiti and Jordan.' Haddon was born in Toronto and began modeling as a teenager to pay for ballet classes — she began her career with the Canadian ballet company Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, according to her website . Haddon's daughter, Ryan, said in a social media post that her mother was “everyone’s greatest champion. An inspiration to many.” “A pure heart. A rich inner life. Touching so many lives. A life well lived. Rest in Light, Mom,” she said.
Harnessing AI potential crucial for progress: Kh Salman LAHORE:Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has stressed that harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) potential is crucial for progress and it will open up new pathways for development. He said this while speaking at the Annual International Medical, Educational and Research Scientific Conference 2024 of Fatima Jinnah Medical University (FJMU) on Thursday. The provincial minister highlighted the significance of AI in revolutionising medical education and practice. He emphasised that AI will greatly benefit students in their learning journey and doctors in their profession. The minister announced that Fatima Jinnah Medical University will soon launch an artificial intelligence programme, underscoring the institution's commitment to embracing this advance technology. The conference was organised in collaboration with Alumni Associations Fatima Jinnah Medical College Alumni Association of North America (FJMCAANA) and Association of Fatima Jinnah Old Graduates (AFJOG), UK. This international conference brought together renowned medical professionals, educators, and researchers from around the world to share knowledge, expertise, and best practices in medical education, research, and healthcare. Several guests, including Parliamentary Secretary Health Medium Rushda Lodhi, Vice Chancellor (KEMU) Prof Mehmood Ayaz, Prof Aamir Zaman Khan, Dr. Warda Shafi, Syndicate Member Mr. Syed Farrukh Ali Shah, Prof Abdul Majeed Chaudhry, Prof Sajid Maqbool, President (KEMCAANA) Dr Shehzad Khan, Prof Aftab Chaudhry, Prof Kamran Khalid Khawaja, Prof Shamsa Humayun, Prof Munazza Iqbal, Prof Noreen Akmal, and Dr Munira Ahmed attended the inaugural ceremony. Prof Ayesha Malik, Principal Prof Abdul Hameed, Prof Bilqis Shabbir, Prof M Nadeem, Deans Prof Alia Zahid, Prof Naveed Akbar Hotyana, Dr Saima Chaudhry, faculty members and a large number of students participated from the university. Their active participation in the inaugural ceremony of the Annual International Scientific Conference 2024 showcased the university's commitment to medical education, research, and innovation. Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalid Masood Gondal acknowledged the significance of artificial intelligence in assisting medical experts, rather than replacing them. He expressed gratitude for the unparalleled services of the Fatima Jinnah Medical College Alumni Associations. Dr Khalid Masood Gondal highlighted the pre-conference workshops organised by Fatima Jinnah Medical University, focusing on the latest aspects of medicine, education, and research. He delivered a comprehensive lecture on the importance of career counselling in Pakistan. He enables the students to align their decision-making, skills, and interests with emerging opportunities in the country. He emphasised the need for career counselling services in Pakistan, particularly in the context of the country's growing youth population and evolving job market. Rushda Lodhi said that educational institutions have a lot to teach us. The use of artificial intelligence is increasing day by day and man is progressing through innovation, but artificial intelligence would be nothing without humans. Prof Mahmood Ayaz acknowledged the significance of artificial intelligence in today's era. He emphasised the vital role of affiliates and Alumni in providing valuable insights and expertise to organisations. He credited Prof Khalid Masud Gondal's vision and efforts for putting the university on the world map, making him a role model for others.Smartee Perkenalkan Solusi "Facial Convexity" dan "Facial Deviation" di Vietnam
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