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Monday, April 24, 2023

The Cipher Brief curates open source information from around the world that impacts national security. Here's a look at today's headlines, broken down by region of the world:  

Americas

President Biden Formally Announces Re-election Campaign. On Tuesday, President Biden officially announced his bid for a second four-year term, urging voters to let him “finish the job” and creating a potential rematch with former President Trump. Biden’s announcement, made via a three-minute video posted online Tuesday morning, comes exactly four years after he announced his run for president in 2019. Biden echoed several familiar themes from his last campaign and said that he believes “we are still in a battle for the soul of the nation”. His entry into the 2024 race comes as Trump currently leads the Republican primary field, but the lack of certainty over who will be the Republican nominee could create new challenges. Vice President Kamala Harris will remain Biden’s running mate. New York Times Politico

U.S. Assisting with Intelligence Support for Private U.S. Citizens Seeking to Leave Sudan.  US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Monday that the US has begun assisting private US citizens who are attempting to leave Sudan. Sullivan says the aid largely involves the use of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets to monitor overland routes from Khartoum to Port Sudan, and that once individuals arrive in Port Sudan, they are connected with diplomatic offices from neighboring countries to facilitate onward travel out of the country. Under ideal circumstances, that journey can take 14 hours; reports suggest it is currently taking nearly 20 hours as groups deal with armed checkpoints. An estimated 16,000 private U.S. citizens are registered with the embassy as being in Sudan, however this number is difficult to confirm because not all Americans register with the embassy or say when they depart. Sullivan also affirmed that while the Biden administration is looking at “every conceivable option” to halt fighting in the country and encourage both sides to return to negotiations, the U.S. is not considering sending peacekeeping forces to Sudan. Politico Wall Street Journal

U.S. Envoy to UN Directly Confronts Russian Foreign Minister on Detained Americans.  The senior US diplomat to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield confronted Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a dramatic United Nations Security Council meeting this week.  Lavrov, who was presiding over the meeting as Russia’s representative, offered ‘thanks’ to Greenfield after she demanded that Russia release detained Americans Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich.  Greenfield then asked Lavrov to look ‘into the eyes’ of Whelan’s sister, whom Greenfield had invited to the meeting, and to which Lavrov reportedly briefly raised his hand. During the meeting UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, seated next to Lavrov, warned that the risk of conflict between global powers was at an ‘historic high’ before criticizing Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Wall Street Journal NY Times  Reuters

Analysis- A Look at Western Concern on the Possibility of a Failed Ukrainian Offensive.  Politico is out with a new report that examines the political scenarios facing the US, Europe and Ukraine if Ukraine’s pending offensive falls short of achieving significant gains.  US officials say concerns over the domestic response from the ‘hawks and the doves’ are being discussed in the White House and that European allies could be persuaded to push Kyiv for a negotiated settlement in the event the offensive fails to deliver on the promise of ‘victory’.  Despite the Biden administration’s promise of aid ‘for as long as it takes’ the political reality, some say is that in the event of a failed or limited success offensive, both the supporters and opponents of US support to Ukraine will be armed with ideological support for their positions.  Politico 

House GOP Takes Aim at FBI in Talks to Renew Section 702.  Congressional negotiations related to the renewal of a controversial surveillance law known as 702, part of the Foreign Internal Surveillance Act (FISA) program are taking a different turn this year as House Republicans are signaling an adversarial posture with the FBI. Fueled in part by the Bureau's recent investigations into former President Donald Trump, but also impacted by what has been described as bi-partisan distrust of the FBI’s ability to stay within the guardrails of domestic surveillance restraints, some say the renewal of section 702, which allows for the US intelligence community collection of foreign communications in the US, and the associated collection of US citizens communication, will likely be forced to adopt some changes as part of any renewal agreement.  Politico

Guatemalan President Pledges Support for Taiwan. Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei pledged unconditional support for Taiwan on Tuesday as he arrived in Taipei for a trip. The visit comes as a return visit following Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to Guatemala last month. Guatemala is one of 13 countries with official diplomatic ties with Taiwan.  Reuters Associated Press 

Gang Members Lynched and Burned by Haitian Residents. In a brutal display of public fury at lawless Haitian gangs and their intensifying violence, a mob in the Port-au-Prince neighborhood of Canape Vert pulled 13 gang members away from police at a traffic stop and killed them with tires doused in gasoline. A statement from the National Police reports that the men, believed to be part of the Kraze Barye gang led by Vitel’Homme Innocent, were lynched and burned by an unknown number of people after the minibus they were travelling in was stopped and searched by officials. Police spokesperson Gary Desrosiers also claimed that the infamous Carlo Petithomme, leader of the Ti Makak gang, was dead. Since the summer 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, no government entity has been able to successfully control the country, around 200 criminal gangs control 60-80% of the capital, and daily gunfights and territory battles have killed hundreds and dislodged thousands. Reuters Associated Press Al Jazeera 

Colombian Police Intercept Arms Shipment Destined for Ecuador. After stopping and searching a vehicle in the southern Putumayo region on Monday, Columbia’s National Police seized an arms shipment reportedly headed for Ecuador that included 111 pistols, seven rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition worth more than $22,000. In recent years the country has experienced an uptick in arms trafficking, and according to a Reuters investigation, Mexican cartels often pay for cocaine deals with guns. Reuters

Western Europe

UK Issues Warning to China over Secrecy Around Military Expansion. British foreign Minister James Cleverly warned China in a speech at the Mansion House in London that secrecy over their military build up could lead to a “tragic miscalculation.” Relations between London and Beijing are the worst in decades as London has restricted several Chinese companies over national security concerns. This warning follows Cleverly’s announcement that the UK is open to seeking closer collaboration with allies in the Indo-Pacific region.  Reuters

Central & Eastern Europe

Kyiv Advances to Strategic Bridge Across Dnipro River.  Reports suggest that the Ukrainian military has secured a position on the East bank of the Dnipro River.  The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) says that Russian mil bloggers have published data with sufficient geo-location in order to make the claim.  If true, the development could give the Ukrainian military a key foothold from which to launch further offensive actions into Russian-held areas.  The size of the Ukrainian advance could not be determined and military experts say there are significant challenges for Ukraine to operate in the area due to crisscrossing irrigation canals and the presence of Russian aircraft.   BBC ISW

Ukraine’s International Allies Castigate Russian Diplomat at UN Meeting. In a recent UN Security Council meeting chaired by Russia’s Sergey Lavrov, diplomats hurled conflicting accusations about the degradation of the UN system. Lavrov accused the West of aggressive hegemonic behavior, while other member states and the UN Secretary General condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a violation of international law.  Al Jazeera Associated Press  New York Times 

Stillness on Ukraine’s Southern Fuels Speculation of Upcoming Counteroffensive.  CNN is out with a report that analyzes some of the areas that could be part of an upcoming Ukrainian offensive.  Ukrainian officials have been reluctant to comment or offer any clues about potential offensive operations against Russia, while the Russian military has been attempting to strike Ukraine’s military in areas it believes Ukraine is using for preparations.  In particular, for nearly two weeks Ukrainian officials have offered no updates on operations in the area around Zaphorizia, fueling speculation by analysts that this will be a key focus area of Ukraine’s expected offensive push to reclaim territory from Russia.  CNN

U.S. Allegedly Restrained Ukraine from Attacking Moscow on the One Year Anniversary of War.  On the one-year anniversary of the Ukraine war, Ukraine’s military had planned for aggressive strikes against Russia, including inside Russian territory but classified intelligence, part of a trove of leaked documents that say that the US intervened to restrain the plan.  US officials were allegedly worried that the plan for aggressive strikes, reportedly the work of Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, would provoke an aggressive response from Moscow.  Such a provocation, the US fears, could raise the likelihood of a direct encounter between US and Russian forces or the use of a tactical nuclear weapon by Russian President Vladimir Putin. An advisor to the office of the Ukrainian President, Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed these claims as a ‘strange media sensation’ that was ‘conspiratorially reported’ by American media.  The Washington Post Kyiv Post

Moscow Cautions that U.S. is Intensifying Risk of Nuclear Conflict, says Russian Diplomat. Vladmir Yermokov, the Russian Foreign ministry’s head of nuclear non-proliferation reported that Washington’s behavior towards Moscow is escalatory. He warned if this behavior continues “the fate of START (nuclear arms treaty) may be a foregone conclusion,” and both the US and Russia recently stopped sharing data on their nuclear forces. While Yermokov did not identify any specific escalatory behavior, he stated that the global expansion of the US anti-missile system “clearly undermines strategic stability.” Reuters

Russia says Ukraine Targeted Russian Fleet in Crimea & Drone found near Moscow.  Russian officials say that a Black Sea base in Crimea was targeted by three, unmanned Ukrainian vessels.  The incident reportedly occurred near the main Russian naval base in Sevastpol Crimea. Ahead of an anticipated counteroffensive, Ukrainian authorities simply stated Ukraine had the right to strike any target in response to Russian aggression. Russian media also reported that a drone was found in the forest 19 miles from Moscow. Recently armed with US PATRIOT missile defense systems and other advanced weapons, many believe Ukraine’s counteroffensive will focus on the Russian held southern regions Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, and Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of defending Bakhmut. Associated Press Al Jazeera Wall Street Journal

Iran Transfers Artillery and Ammunition to Russia through Caspian Sea, Presents Challenge for U.S. Over the past six months, Russian ships have carried more than 300,000 artillery shells and a million rounds of ammunition from Iran to Russia to resupply its troops in Ukraine, according to unnamed Middle East officials and documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal. The movement of the ammunition through the Caspian sea poses a challenge for U.S. and allied efforts to disrupt weapons transfers from Iran, as taking action would require help from former Soviet republics on the coastline. Earlier this month, the head of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, made an unannounced visit to Turkmenistan, which is on the Caspian Sea. According to a Navy spokesman, the admiral discussed a range of issues, including ways to deepen U.S.-Turkmenistan cooperation and expanding maritime security. The Biden administration has warned that deepening ties between Russia and Iran pose a threat beyond Ukraine, and experts say that Iran’s relationship with Russia is gradually moving from transactional to strategic. Middle Eastern officials say that a team of Iranians recently visited a Russian factory for advanced jet fighters, which could be a sign a deal for advanced Su-35 jets–long sought by Tehran–is moving forward. Wall Street Journal

Asia & Oceania

Chinese Envoy Claims Beijing's Collaboration with Europe is as 'Endless' as with Russia. Offering assurance of China’s neutrality over Ukraine, the Chinese envoy to the EU, Fu Cong, described their cooperation with Europe as ‘endless.’ Cong compared China’s relationship with Europe and Russia, stating there should be no artificial limits to interstate cooperation. He warned against using China’s relations with Russia as a wedge between Europe and China, but EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned a trusting relationship would be difficult to continue without China’s contribution to a political solution in Ukraine. Reuters

Damage Control: China Attempts to Assuage European Outrage From Ambassador’s Statement.  China’s recent attempts to balance support for Russia with increased European trade were destabilized when Lu Shaye, Chinese ambassador to France denounced the sovereignty of former Soviet states.The Chinese foreign ministry emphasized that Beijing respects the status of former Soviet member states as sovereign nations. The Chinese embassy in Paris issued a statement that the Ambassador’s statement reflected personal views and not a political declaration or China’s official position. The US weighed in stating that China and Russia are clearly aligning and working to “challenge outright the international rules-based order,” claiming they want to undermine state sovereignty and western influence.  Reuters New York Times South China Morning Post Associated Press

Taiwan, U.S. Discuss Potential Weapons Stockpiles on Island. Taiwanese Premier Chen Chien-jen stated the US and Taiwan have engaged in talks about defense acquisitions since December. Given recent Chinese aggression in the region, Taipei is interested in potentially creating weapons stockpiles to fend off a potential invasion by Beijing, but building these stockpiles on the island could be risky. South China Morning Post

U.S. Troops Drill for Confrontation With China On Basco Island, Philippines . On Basco Island, 100 miles south of Taiwan, the U.S. military has begun preparing for a conflict with China in the event of a Taiwan invasion and conducting joint military exercises with the Philippines. The drills focus on the necessity of controlling the strategic Bashi Channel, a key transit location which offers American forces from Guam, and the Chinese navy, access to Taiwan. In recent months, tensions between Taiwan, China, the U.S. and many other global powers have escalated, leading to the increased presence of military activity in the region and a strengthening of Manila’s relationship with Washington. Wall Street Journal

Explosion at Pakistan’s Counterterrorism Office Kills At Least 12, Police Blame Electrical Shorts. At least 12 are dead and more than 50 injured after two explosions at a counterterrorism office in northwest Pakistan, according to police officials in Kabul. The explosion took place at the Counter-Terrorism-Department in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. According to the police, the explosion is not believed to be caused by terrorism, but rather occurred after an explosive material in the building’s basement caught on fire.  Al Jazeera Associated Press New York Times

US and South Korea to Sign Space Cooperation Agreement. Today, NASA and South Korea’s science agency are expected to sign the Joint Statement of Intent for Cooperation on Space Exploration and Science to deter North Korea. The agreement covers collaboration on space-based navigation, communications, and research on the moon. Increased activity in space suggests that civil space exploration is re-emerging as a key diplomatic tool. This is well timed with a South Korean Presidential visit to the White House tomorrow to mark the 70th anniversary of the US-South Korea alliance. Reuters

Analysis- Secret Chinese Police Stations Overseas: Dissenters Fear Beijing’s Repression. In Europe and North America, unassuming locations are allegedly used as fronts for Chinese security service operations to advance Beijing’s reach and repression capabilities. The alleged ‘police station’s create fear among Chinese diasporas that it is impossible to escape Chinese control. Last week the US made its first arrests related to Chinese police stations in New York, and both suspects admitted to deleting correspondence with China. The US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York assured the Chinese diaspora that American law enforcement and justice will protect them and their rights.  Some Chinese are concerned that international police stations will be used to impose the broad National Security Law, which gives Beijing the authority to prosecute anyone accused of violating its provisions anywhere in the world, or track minority populations like the international Uighur community. Meanwhile China claims these are “service centers” to help Chinese citizens handle administrative tasks like passport renewal.  Al Jazeera 

Middle East & Northern Africa 

UK Announces Tougher Sanctions on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Following Protest Crackdowns. The UK’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced on Monday new sanctions against Iran’s Revolutionary Guard due to alleged human rights violations in regards to the crackdowns on protests. The sanctions package include a travel ban and asset freeze on four individuals, as well as the entire IRGC. According to Cleverly, the ban was made in collaboration with the United States and the European Union.  France24

Sub Saharan Africa

U.S.-Brokered Ceasefire in Sudan on Shaky Ground. Gunfire and explosions erupted in Khartoum on Tuesday, hours after the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan agreed to a U.S.-brokered 72-hour ceasefire, threatening ongoing evacuation efforts in Sudan. The U.S. had hoped the ceasefire would create room for engagement with other countries on a peace process to permanently end the hostilities. Residents in Khartoum reported cracks of gunfire and shelling, especially downtown, with some reporting low-flying airplanes. The RSF also accused the SAF of attacking its positions near the presidential palace. The UN Security Council planned a meeting on Sudan for today. At least 427 people have been killed since fighting erupted on April 15, with over 3700 wounded. New York Times Reuters Associated Press 

WHO Warns of “High Risk of Biological Hazard” Amid Sudan Fighting. On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of a “high risk of biological hazard” in Khartoum after one of the warring factions seized a national laboratory holding measles and cholera pathogens and ejected the technicians. A WHO spokesperson said that the technicians were unable to access the National Public Health Laboratory to safely secure the materials. Reuters Jerusalem Post

Lull in Fighting in Sudan Allows More Extractions. A lull in fighting in Khartoum has allowed some foreign nationals to flee the country. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced today that large-scale evacuations of UK citizens from Sudan had begun on UK military flights departing from an airfield just north of Khartoum, and would initially focus on older people and to families with children. The UK Foreign Secretary said the government had started contacting British nationals directly to provide routes for departure, but would not be able to provide escorts to the airport. Separately, French President Macron said that France has evacuated more than 500 people, including about 200 French nationals; a French warship was also heading to Port Sudan to pick up more evacuees. Japan also said on Monday that all its citizens who wished to leave Sudan had been evacuated. Reuters Reuters France 24 Washington Post New York Times

Millions Cornered by Violence in Sudan; Options for Escape Dwindling. Amid international evacuations, the security environment for Sudanese citizens is increasingly precarious. Some of Sudan’s biggest jails released their prisoners because the prisons have been damaged by fighting or they cannot feed them. In Khartoum, residents report looting, indiscriminate violence from paramilitary fighters, and roaming gangs. In the Darfur town of El Geneina, residents broke into a police armory and took guns to protect themselves amid ongoing clashes between the military and paramilitary forces. Residents injured by bullets and artillery throughout the country are unable to get treatment, as many hospitals are closed. There has reportedly been a near-collapse of connectivity across Sudan; internet and phone access have been patchy, due in part because of damage to mobile phone towers and service providers. Lack of internet access would be disastrous, as citizens are relying on social media and WhatsApp to help one another organize evacuations and find medicine and food. Sudanese citizens have been frantically trying to secure bus tickets–whose prices have risen dramatically–or other means of transport to reach neighboring countries, and tens of thousands have reportedly fled into Chad, Egypt, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. Wall Street Journal Washington Post

“Surprise” of Sudan Clashes Prompting Criticism. The rapid descent of Sudan, and especially the capital of Khartoum, into an all-out war is prompting criticism from former U.S. government officials and security experts that governments misread warning signs. Most countries, including the U.S., evoked optimism that the now-warring generals would abide by a previous United Nations-mediated agreement to transition power to civilians until clashes broke out on April 15. The two generals missed a deadline agreed with the U.S.,United Nations, and other governments to hand power to a civilian-led government on April 11. On April 13, local and international media reported a buildup of fighters from both sides in Khartoum and other cities, and the U.S. Embassy warned Americans to avoid parts of northern Sudan and prohibited travel of U.S. diplomatic personnel outside the broader capital area. According to one expert, “the descent into violence happened so quickly because at the time they were talking to us, they were preparing for war. We were planning for success and ignored the possibility of conflict.” A separate former State Department official said that the U.S. government made a mistake in treating the generals’ 2019 overthrow of Omar al-Bashir, which followed months of large-scale protests against his rule, as a democratic uprising. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but later pointed to its travel advisory for Sudan, which has been in place for over a decade. Wall Street Journal

U.S. Intelligence Leak Suggests Increasing Concerns about Chad’s Stability. A recently leaked U.S. intelligence assessment suggests that Western officials are increasingly concerned about Chad, one of the U.S.’ most stalwart security partners and allies against Islamist insurgencies and Islamic State-associated terrorist groups in central Africa. The leaked documents describe an effort by Russia’s paramilitary Wagner Group in February to recruit Chadian rebels and establish a training site in neighboring Central African Republic as part of a plot to overthrow the Chadian government. The plot is reportedly part of a broader push by Wagner Group’s Yevegeniy Prigozhin to create a “unified ‘confederation’ of African states” by intentionally facilitating instability. The Wall Street Journal reported in February that the U.S. shared intelligence with Chadian authorities that Wagner was potentially planning to assassinate President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno. Critics say those security concerns are likely driving the muted response from the U.S. and other Western governments to Chad’s increasing repression of its citizens, including security forces’ killing of scores of largely peaceful protesters in October. The Chadian Human Rights Commission reported that at least 128 people were killed. Last month, Sen. Robert Menendez warned in a sharply-worded letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the lack of a clear, public U.S. response to those killings was “creating a perception…that the U.S. is willing to partner with regimes that do not respect democracy and human rights as long as such regimes agree to cooperate on countering terrorism and opposing malign Russian influence.” Menendez has also frozen some U.S. funding for security cooperation with Chad. Washington Post Wall Street Journal

Cyber & Tech

Leaked CIA Report Concludes China Building Cyber Weapons To Disable Satellites. A leaked CIA document, part of the trove of documents allegedly released by a 21-year old US member of the Air National Guard, reports that China is developing cyber weapons capable of taking control of satellites and rendering them useless for communications and surveillance.  According to the analysis, the Chinese cyber weapon would be capable of replicating signals from satellite operators to either take control or introduce malfunctions.  China’s goal would be to prevent communications among satellite clusters and degrade their ability to control weapons systems or relay intercepted electronic data.  Financial Times

Bipartisan Legislation Aims To Intensify U.S. Cyber Assistance to Taiwan. A bipartisan group of senators and representatives last week introduced the Taiwan Cybersecurity Resiliency Act, which aims to boost U.S. support to Taiwan’s defenses against cyberattack.  The expansion of Pentagon partnerships with Taiwan would include enhanced training and efforts to counteract cyber warfare campaigns.  Taiwan has reported “thousands” of cyberattacks are launched against the island each week.  Senator Jacky Rosen, a co-sponsor of the bill, said the legislation would result in Taiwan being armed “to the teeth in the cyber domain.”  C4ISRNet

Space Force Aiming for “Tactically Responsive” Orbital Capabilities by 2026. The U.S. Space Force anticipates the ability to have “tactically responsive” space capabilities no later than 2026, an official told the Space Symposium last week.  According to project leader Lt. Col. MacKenzie Birchenough, the Space Force wants to deploy assets into space at “unimaginable speeds,” within 24 hours of a requirement.  Two missions are envisioned – first, to respond in real time to “any kind of on-orbit threats.  Second, if space assets were rendered ineffective, the goal would be to restore or replace that capability “on a very short timeline.”  BreakingDefense

U.S. Asks South Korea Not To Fill Chip Shortfalls in China If Micron Products Banned. On the eve of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to Washington, the Biden administration has asked South Korea not to fill any market shortfall in China that might be caused by a Chinese ban on Micron chips.  Beijing is currently conducting a “security review” of Micron operations in China.  South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, along with Micron, are world leaders in the production of DRam memory chips.  The South Korean embassy and the Korean chip manufacturers have not commented on the U.S. request.  A National Security Council (NSC) official did note that the U.S. and South Korea have made “historic progress” on national security issues, including efforts to protect “leading-edge technologies” such as semiconductors. Financial Times

Russian Bank Releases GigaChat App for Invitation-Only Testing. Russia’s Sberbank has released GigaChat, a rival to ChatGPT, for testing by invitation only.  Sberbank says GigaChat’s unique advantage over foreign generative AI applications is its strength in Russian-language communications.  According to Reuters, Sberbank has invested heavily in domestic technology in recent years to reduce dependence on imports in the face of foreign sanctions.  Reuters

Britain Establishes $125 Million Taskforce To Drive AI Development. Britain has announced an initial investment of $125 million for the creation of a task force to drive development of foundational AI models.  In making the announcement, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said through investments in emerging technologies, Britain “can continue to lead the way in developing safe and trustworthy AI as part of shaping a more innovative UK economy."  Reuters

Industrial Security Leaders Collaborate on Infrastructure Early Warning Platform. A threat intelligence-sharing platform known as ETHOS is being jointly developed by industrial security sector leaders, including Nozomi, Dragos, and Tenable.  The platform is being designed to offer a remedy for information gaps that occur when information about the latest hacks or vulnerabilities is not broadly or evenly shared among operators of energy, pipeline, and other industrial sectors.  The ETHOS concept is supported by CISA.  CISA official Eric Goldstein said the agency is behind “community-driven efforts to reduce silos that impede timely and effective information sharing” and promised continued collaboration with the ETHOS developers.  CyberScoop

Beijing Military Researcher Fears China Falling Behind U.S. in Laser Weapons. A researcher with a Beijing military S&T institute has urged China to put more effort into developing high-powered laser weapons.  Zhou Chenming, a researcher at the Yuan Wang military think tank, said “China is good at making smaller laser weapons…but China doesn’t have more powerful ones that can intercept bigger targets like missiles or ones that can be installed at naval vessels.”  Zhou added that adapting laser weapons to be used about aircraft would be “another promising direction” for use at high altitudes less impacted by dust and rain.  South China Morning Post

European Consumer Agency Urges Scrutiny of Generative AI Technologies. The European Consumer Organization (BEUC), which represents 46 organizations in 32 countries, has urged authorities charged with consumer protection to investigate the harm that generative AI technologies may cause.  The BEUC said chatbots often produce content that is incorrect, thereby potentially misleading consumers and promoting deceptive advertising.  The organization described the need to identify the presence of chatbots in consumer markets as urgent and asked that remedial measures be taken to reduce risks.  Reuters

Alibaba Cloud Services Reaches “Major Deal” with Chinese State Data Exchanges. Chinese tech giant Alibaba has reached an agreement with the state-run data exchange in Shenzhen, China’s southern technology hub.  The cooperation agreement covers data infrastructure construction, data ecology, and research into large-scale model applications.  Huang Haiqing, China president at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, added that the work with Shenzhen Data Exchange would range from big data and cloud computing to artificial intelligence services.  The South China Morning Post reports that the tie-up between Alibaba Cloud and Shenzhen Data Exchange reflects the urgency of China’s effort to apply commercial rules to create a major domestic market for trading data.  South China Morning Post

IRS Plans To Deploy Cybercrime Investigators to Four New Overseas Posts. The IRS this summer will post investigators to four new locations to assist in combating cybercrimes including cryptocurrency fraud and crypto laundering services.  The agents will be deployed to Australia, Singapore, Colombia, and Germany for a 120-day trial period after which the IRS will evaluate extending the assignments.  An existing IRS position at The Hague has been instrumental in cooperative cybercrime investigations with Europol.  An IRS report noted in 2022 that assigned agents “provide support and direction for investigations with international issues, foreign witnesses, foreign evidence, or execution of sensitive investigative activities in collaboration with our international partners.”  TechCrunch