White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaignPresbyterian 67, Youngstown St. 42People gather outside the negotiation room during the UN COP29 conference in Baku on Nov 23. BAKU - The world’s most climate-imperilled nations stormed out of consultations in protest at the deadlocked UN COP29 conference on Nov 23, as simmering tensions over a hard-fought finance deal erupted into the open. Diplomats from small island nations threatened by rising seas and impoverished African states angrily filed out of a meeting with summit host Azerbaijan over a final deal being thrashed out in a Baku sports stadium. “We’ve just walked out. We came here to this COP for a fair deal. We feel that we haven’t been heard,” said Mr Cedric Schuster, the Samoan chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). An unpublished version of the final text circulating in Baku, and seen by AFP, proposes that rich nations raise to US$300 billion (S$404 billion) a year by 2035 their commitment to poorer countries to fight climate change. COP29 host Azerbaijan intended to put a final draft before 198 nations for adoption or rejection on Nov 23 evening, a full day after the marathon summit officially ended. But, in a statement, AOSIS said it had “removed” itself from the climate finance discussions, demanding an “inclusive” process. “If this cannot be the case, it becomes very difficult for us to continue our involvement here at COP29,” it said. Sierra Leone climate minister Jiwoh Abdulai, whose country is among the world’s poorest, said the draft was “effectively a suicide pact for the rest of the world”. An earlier offer from rich nations of US$250 billion was slammed as offensively low by developing countries, who have demanded much higher sums to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions. British energy secretary Ed Miliband said the revised offer of US$300 billion was “a significant scaling up” of the existing pledge by developed nations, which also count the United States, European Union and Japan among their ranks. At sunset, a final text still proved elusive, as harried diplomats ran to-and-fro in the stadium near the Caspian Sea searching for common ground. “Hopefully, this is the storm before the calm,” said US climate envoy John Podesta in the corridors as somebody shouted “shame” in his direction. Earlier, the EU’s climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said negotiators were not out of the woods yet. “We’re doing everything we can on each of the axes to build bridges and to make this into a success. But it is iffy whether we will succeed,” he said. ‘Ripped off’ Mr Ali Mohamed, the Kenyan chair of the African Group of Negotiators, told AFP: “No deal is better than a bad deal.” South African environment minister Dion George, however, said: “I think being ambitious at this point is not going to be very useful. “What we are not up for is going backwards or standing still,” he said. “We might as well just have stayed at home then.” The revised offer from rich countries came with conditions in other parts of the broader climate deal under discussion in Azerbaijan. The EU in particular wants an annual review on global efforts to phase out fossil fuels, which are the main drivers of global warming. This has run into opposition from Saudi Arabia, which has sought to water down a landmark pledge to transition away from oil, gas and coal made at COP28 last year. “We will not allow the most vulnerable, especially the small island states, to be ripped off by the new, few rich fossil fuel emitters,” said German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock. Wealthy nations counter that it is politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. The US earlier in November elected former president Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. A coalition of more than 300 activist groups accused historic polluters most responsible for climate change of skirting their obligation, and urged developing nations to stand firm. The draft deal posits a larger overall target of US$1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. Even US$300 billion would be a step up from the US$100 billion now provided by wealthy nations under a commitment set to expire. A group of developing countries had demanded at least US$500 billion, with some saying that increases were less than met the eye due to inflation. Experts commissioned by the United Nations to assess the needs of developing countries said US$250 billion was “too low” and by 2035 rich nations should be providing at least US$390 billion. The US and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China – the world’s largest emitter – to chip in. China, which remains classified as a developing nation under the UN framework, provides climate assistance but wants to keep doing so on its own voluntary terms. AFP Find out more about climate change and how it could affect you on the ST microsite here. 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White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign
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The S&P 500 edged up by 2 points, or less than 0.1%, to set an all-time high for the 55th time this year. It's climbed in 10 of the last 11 days and is on track for one of its best years since the turn of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 76 points, or 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.4% to its own record set a day earlier. AT&T rose 4.6% after it boosted its profit forecast for the year. It also announced a $10 billion plan to send cash to its investors by buying back its own stock, while saying it expects to authorize another $10 billion of repurchases in 2027. On the losing end of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which fell 8%. President-elect Donald Trump reiterated on social media that he would not let Japan's Nippon Steel take over the iconic Pennsylvania steelmaker. Nippon Steel announced plans last December to buy the Pittsburgh-based steel producer for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden also came out against the acquisition. Tesla sank 1.6% after a judge in Delaware reaffirmed a previous ruling that the electric car maker must revoke Elon Musk's multibillion-dollar pay package. The judge denied a request by attorneys for Musk and Tesla's corporate directors to vacate her ruling earlier this year requiring the company to rescind the unprecedented pay package. All told, the S&P 500 rose 2.73 points to 6,049.88. The Dow fell 76.47 to 44,705.53, and the Nasdaq composite gained 76.96 to 19,480.91. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady after a report showed U.S. employers were advertising slightly more job openings at the end of October than a month earlier. Continued strength there would raise optimism that the economy could remain out of a recession that many investors had earlier worried was inevitable. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.23% from 4.20% from late Monday. Yields have seesawed since Election Day amid worries that Trump's preferences for lower tax rates and bigger tariffs could spur higher inflation along with economic growth. But traders are still confident the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate again at its next meeting in two weeks. They're betting on a nearly three-in-four chance of that, according to data from CME Group. Lower rates can give the economy more juice, but they can also give inflation more fuel. The key report this week that could guide the Fed's next move will arrive on Friday. It's the monthly jobs report, which will show how many workers U.S. employers hired and fired during November. It could be difficult to parse given how much storms and strikes distorted figures in October. Based on trading in the options market, Friday's jobs report appears to be the biggest potential market mover until the Fed announces its next decision on interest rates Dec. 18, according to strategists at Barclays Capital. In financial markets abroad, the value of South Korea's currency fell 1.1% against the U.S. dollar following a frenetic night where President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and then later said he'd lift it after lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Stocks of Korean companies that trade in the United States also fell, including a 1.6% drop for SK Telecom. Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9% to help lead global markets. Some analysts think Japanese stocks could end up benefiting from Trump's threats to raise tariffs, including for goods coming from China. Trade relations between the U.S. and China took another step backward after China said it is banning exports to the U.S. of gallium, germanium, antimony and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications. The counterpunch came swiftly after the U.S. Commerce Department expanded the list of Chinese technology companies subject to export controls to include many that make equipment used to make computer chips, chipmaking tools and software. The 140 companies newly included in the so-called "entity list" are nearly all based in China. In China, stock indexes rose 1% in Hong Kong and 0.4% in Shanghai amid unconfirmed reports that Chinese leaders would meet next week to discuss planning for the coming year. Investors are hoping it may bring fresh stimulus to help spur growth in the world's second-largest economy. In France, the CAC 40 rose 0.3% amid continued worries about politics in Paris, where the government is battling over the budget.Arguably the biggest house at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds has a new man in charge, and it is a name that is very familiar to the people of Miles City. Mike Lavin, who has lived in Miles City for four years, is filling the new role of events coordinator at the Custer County Events Center, which opened in 2021. Lavin, who came to Miles City from Las Vegas, Nev., comes from a sound, speaker, and technology background, and has spent years installing sound and speaker systems at various venues. Before coming to Miles City, he was a professional audio engineer at the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas. Since coming to Miles City in 2020, he has installed numerous sound systems in the community, including the current sound system at the Custer County Events Center. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. 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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 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.” 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. 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.'Cancer might have started this, but I am going to finish it': Nine-year-old cancer patient prepares to Illuminate Ronald McDonald House
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Josh Hawley thinks America needs a religious revival. Is this man helping him find itThe Aragalaya or the struggle started in March 2022 and ended in November 2022 with the ouster and resignation of then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. It was the result of deep and unprecedented public anger at the events of the previous year when in 2021 there was a complete breakdown of the economy, fuel and electricity and cooking gas were not available and people were in dire straits due to high double digit inflation. Sri Lanka then declared bankruptcy and till Indian assistance came in form of a much needed dollar infusion plus a good word with the IMF, Sri Lanka seemed to be on the brink. People blamed the corrupt practices of the Government of the time and their utter mismanagement of the economy for the crisis. And anger and disgust at the entire political dispensation found expression in violent ways too with many houses of politicians being burnt and them feeling the heat of public anger. With Gotabaya Rajapaksa leaving office and temporarily the country, and Ranil Wickremesinghe taking over, the worst of the anger seemed dissipated and it seemed like everything would return to normal. Ranil W as the new president enforced law and order very firmly. And a potential attempt to storm Parliament was thwarted by the police. It was deemed that such an act though a felt need of segments of the population (as a way of demonstrating anger at the political establishment) would destabilise the country and the economy even more. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his team set about addressing the issues related to the economy and secured an IMF agreement that was crucial to get the country back on track. But the austerity measures agreed with the IMF and implemented resulted in an already struggling population (with increased prices due to inflation) now saddled with extra taxes finding themselves squeezed from both sides. The population used to the populist tax structure of the Gota regime had to suddenly absorb the impact of IMF driven taxes. This caused severe hardships to many in the population and though the Government and administration continued to communicate the need for this ‘bitter pill’ clearly it was too bitter for most. Also the fact that Ranil Wickremesinghe relied on the same 225 politicians to set the economy right made him the target of accusations. He was called ‘Ranil Rajapaksa’ to suggest that he is a protector of the Rajapaksas. The NPP under Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who in 2019 had only three seats in the 225 seat Parliament started actively organising themselves as an alternative on the back of the Aragalaya. They constantly reminded people of the misdeeds of the current crop of politicians and blamed them squarely for the plight of the people. And promised a new political culture if elected that would transfer power from the failed elite politicians and bring it to the ordinary man on the street (who he represents). The JVP which has a militant past, did not project itself and instead focused on a new brand NPP and an untainted leader AKD (Anura Kumara Dissanayake) as an alternative to the current crop. The lead up to the 2024 Presidential election which saw a very aggressive campaign mounted by NPP under AKD who even visited many foreign countries including the US and India giving credence to the belief that his stock is rising among the masses. The most important thing is that the on the ground activation of the campaign was very intense. While the UNP machinery on the ground was split between SJP and the few UNPers and with the SLPP folk keeping a low profile due to negative public sentiment towards them, AKD and his team mobilised voters effectively and efficiently. The Presidential election in October saw Anura Kumara Dissanayake assume office with a significant gap over the next candidate Sajith Premadasa. The voter had spoken and it was clear the people wanted change even at the risk of empowering a party and leader who was previously inexperienced in governance. Parliament was dissolved and the General election was called immediately. In exactly 54 days as the constitution provides. And the well-oiled election machinery of NPP continued its juggernaut on the same platform of ‘change’ and clean government. The election results declared on 15 November 2024 are a watershed in Sri Lankan political history. The people have willed and voted for a complete change. Most old names no longer feature – the 2024 Parliament will have a totally fresh new look. Led by AKD as the President and his team in the NPP. Not only has NPP got a majority but it now has 159 out of 225 seats which gives it more than two-third majority to run the country. In a media interview prior to the General election, AKD was quoted as saying that they are looking for a simple majority (113) and that two-third majority are only sought by ‘oppressive’ regimes. Clearly the people have granted him more than what he sought. The people of Sri Lanka have shown they do not have short memories. Certainly not if a smart politician keeps reminding them of their suffering and provides a credible alternative. The Aragalaya can now be declared over. What some elements of the population sought to do – bulldoze Parliament – has been achieved via the popular vote. Now the onus is on the NPP to deliver. To make sure the economy is revived. To ensure no defaults. To ensure compliance with all IMF obligations. At the same time to deliver on the people’s wishes – a transparent clean government that mitigates the suffering of the common man and provides hope and give fuel to the aspirations of the young in Sri Lanka. Two cliched statements both proven true are apt at this stage. “With great power comes great responsibilities” and “Absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Let’s hope and pray for the sake of the pearl that it’s the former that will be true here than the latter. The Aragalaya ends. Now what’s next for Sri Lanka is the moot question.The popularity of Yuletide customs, such as exchanging greeting cards and getting together to watch TV, has been declining in recent years, but seasonal delicacies are still growing in popularity. When it comes to the food on the plate, everyone has their favourites and least favourites. Social media is rife with claims and opinions regarding your festive feast. We got renowned culinary expert Varuni Perera to give some tips on how to plan and craft a festive feast which will have everyone talking. “December 1 is a special day for everyone because it marks the beginning of the festive season. Cities don Christmas colours and decorations, Christmas trees are set up in households and you get the sweet and spicy aromas of baking everywhere. This is not a time which is reserved for purely Christians and Catholics. Everyone wishes to celebrate the season in their own special way,” she said. Varuni said that thoughts of holiday feasts take centre place during this season as this is the time for loving and giving. Everyone is eager to treat their loved ones in the best manner possible, despite the expenses. “Many ingredients are quite costly today and a housewife thinks twice about spending lavishly on everyday items. However, I believe that this is not the time to focus solely on cross-cutting. The fact that most of us get to eat foods that we wouldn’t typically eat at any other time of the year is one of the best things about this season. These delicious treats are unique because they only appear once a year. So save up a bit throughout the year and put your savings to good use to create delicious memories for your family and friends,” Varuni said. She notes that much like oil cakes, kokis and mung kavum are part of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, there are traditional food items which have been closely associated with the yuletide throughout the years. Such foods include breudher, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, yule log, mince pies and egg nogs. Homemade seasonal goodies may sound enticing but preparing them while juggling household chores is no piece of cake. A housewife is normally burdened with stress unless she gets the help of other family members. “Unlike in the past, family members are so engaged in their own worlds. Therefore, they mostly spend even their free time towards the holidays with their own work. It is up to the housewife to use her skills and get the others engaged in the baking process. Make some cupcakes and butter icing in various shades and give them to some tiny tots to decorate. Not only will they have fun engaging in the chore but it will add memories to their childhood as they can display their handiwork proudly to their relatives and friends,” she added. “A special item like patties or rolls would be eye-catching among goodies like marshmallows and cakes found at almost every house. People tend to pick a savoury after indulging in so many sweet treats during these times. The best part of this is that you can make them early and keep them refrigerated. That way you can bake or deep fry them immediately just before your guests are expected,” Varuni said. Her message to our readers is to stay true to the essence of Christmas, give and share as much as possible. Not only would it make you feel good at heart but you would bring a moment of joy to someone and make him or her feel appreciated. “There are certain people in the society who do great service to us but their services have escaped our eyes. For example, there are those who take away the trash in every household even during the festive season. Think how much joy they would derive if you simply offered a slice of your homemade Christmas cake. Such simple gestures speak a lot of words,” she said.
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