Report for Wednesday, February 7, 2024

THE TOP STORIES

Hamas proposes 135-day-long ceasefire, hostage exchange

Russia launches massive missile, drone attack against Ukraine

Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas survives impeachment bid

UK, France-hosted conference leads to 35-nation declaration on curbing spyware use

IRAQ AND SYRIA

U.S. outpost in Jordan where three soldiers died lacked adequate air defense system.  The armed Iranian-made drone that attacked U.S. forces in Jordan Jan. 29, killing three soldiers and injuring dozens, probably slipped into the base’s airspace undetected by flying low and slow, a preliminary military assessment has found.  The remote U.S. outpost in Jordan near the borders with Iraq and Syria, had no defense system capable of downing an incoming projectile and inadequate sensors to pick up its approach.  The Washington Post, which broke the story, quoted a U.S. defense official as saying the drone may have been missed “due to its low flight path.”  Moreover, the Post reported, Tower 22, as the outpost was known, had no defensive weapons to “kill” armed drones. Rather, the Post reported, it had electronic systems “designed to disable them or disrupt their path to a target.”  The Post story contradicts earlier reports that the base didn’t detect the incoming enemy drone because it spoofed the air defense system by flying close to a friendly drone returning to base.  Washington Post 

Israel strikes target Syrian army outposts in Homs province - state media. The Syrian army said Israeli missiles struck several sites in Homs province today, and local sources said the targets were army installations and an air base. The Syrian state news agency SANA quoted a military source as saying there were several civilian casualties. The Syrian Observatory for Humanitarian Rights, a British-based pro-opposition organization monitoring the war in Syria, said two Hezbollah militants and six civilians were killed in one strike. The group said at least nine explosions were heard in and around Homs, where Hezbollah reportedly is present. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Reuters Bloomberg Associated Press

Iraq and US need to return to dialogue over future of coalition force, says Iraq foreign minister. Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, speaking with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, emphasized the importance of returning to negotiations about the future of the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq. Diplomatic talks were halted after three U.S. service members died in an attack linked to Iran-backed groups. Hussein reiterated Iraq's stance, saying, “Iraq is not an arena for settling scores between rival countries.”  Reuters

UN envoy to Iraq says country in danger of destabilizing. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the former Dutch foreign minister who has been heading the United Nations political mission in Iraq, told the U.N. Security Council that Iraq is perilously close to destabilizing.  “Iraq - indeed, the wider region - remains on a knife-edge, with the tiniest miscalculation threatening a major conflagration," she testified. Hennis-Plasschaert plans to depart Baghdad In May. She said Iraq had an "urgent need to cease attacks, be they originating from within or outside…this must include reining in armed actors operating outside state control."  Reuters UN in Iraq Al Jazeera  Associated Press

THE ISRAEL AND HAMAS WAR

Hamas proposes 135-day-long ceasefire, hostage exchange.  Hamas proposed a three-stage ceasefire plan over 135 days leading to an end in the war, in response to a proposal sent by Qatari and Egyptian mediators and backed by the U.S. and Israel. The plan would have Hamas release all Israeli women hostages, males under 19, elderly, and sick hostages in the first phase in exchange for the release of Palestinian women and minors from Israeli prisons. Male hostages would be released in the second phase, and remains of the deceased would be exchanged in the third phase. Hamas added that it is seeking the release of 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, a third of whom it wants to select from a list of Palestinians serving life sentences in Israel. Negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would take place during the four-and-a-half month truce. The reconstruction of Gaza would also start during the ceasefire, and all Israeli forces would withdraw from the enclave. The Hamas proposal adds that guarantors of the agreement would be Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Russia, and the U.N. — excluding the U.S.

The Hamas counterproposal came after a framework for an extended truce, drafted by U.S. and Israeli intelligence chiefs in consultation with Egyptian and Qatari leaders, was presented at the end of last month. Those involved in negotiations had expressed optimism to the Hamas response to the initial proposal. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman Al Thani said Hamas’s response was “generally positive.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is meeting with Israeli officials to discuss the Hamas response.  CNN Reuters Bloomberg NPR Associated Press

Israel privately estimates up to 50 hostages taken by Hamas are dead.  Israel has privately advised the U.S. and Egypt that it believes as many as 50 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 could be dead. This estimate was used during hostage negotiations in recent weeks and is higher than what Israel is publicly saying. An Israel Defense Forces spokesman said Tuesday that 31 of the hostages are believed dead. (This came after The New York Times reported that 32 hostages were dead, according to a confidential Israeli military report, adding to the discrepancies.) If the 50-deaths estimate is correct, that would mean approximately 80 of the 132 hostages believed to be held by Hamas and other militant groups could still be alive. It would also mean that militants are holding dozens of bodies of people they kidnapped. Egyptian officials say Hamas told negotiators that they do not know the exact number of hostages who have died. Wall Street Journal New York Times Washington Post Reuters 

Argentina’s President Milei visits Israel.  Argentina’s President Javier Milei visited Israel on Tuesday for his fist official trip abroad since taking office. Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, Milei told Israeli officials that he plans to move Argentina’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Argentinian Foreign Minister Diana Mondino later said that no official decision has been made and that a relocation of the embassy would be a long process. The shift would make Argentina the largest nation to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, following the U.S. relocation in 2018. Milei also said he plans to label Hamas a terrorist organization. Al Jazeera Bloomberg Times of Israel

Saudi Arabia says diplomatic relations with Israel contingent on an independent Palestinian state.  Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry has told the Biden Administration that the kingdom will not have diplomatic relations with Israel unless it ceases its “aggression” in Gaza, returns to 1967 borders, and accepts a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Secretary of State Antony Blinken added that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman reiterated his “strong interest” in normalized relations with Israel when they met, but that he insisted on a ceasefire in Gaza and a “credible, time-bound path” to the creation of a Palestinian state. Bloomberg Reuters

THE RED SEA

Diplomacy underway to allow Houthis a 'climbdown' from attacks, though group vows to further escalate if Gaza war does not stop. The leader of Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, threatened further escalation if the Israeli military campaign in Gaza continues. The Houthis fired two missiles Tuesday morning which damaged Greek-owned Star Nasia and British-owned Morning Tide in the Red Sea. U.S. Special Envoy Deputy Secretary of State Tim Lenderking is engaged in diplomatic efforts alongside multinational efforts to find a resolution, citing recent talks in Oman aimed at finding a “climbdown” for the Houthis to shift them away from “kinetic” attacks. Lenderking warned that prolonged Houthi attacks increased the risk of renewed conflict in Yemen and are disrupting the delivery of essential food and medicine to both Yemen and Gaza.  Reuters Reuters

ANALYSIS — Conflict in the Middle East puts a key energy supplies for Europe at risk.  Yemen's Houthi rebels' attacks in the Red Sea pose a significant threat to Europe's energy supplies, particularly natural gas imports crucial for industries and residential heating. The impact of the attacks is already being seen through the cancellation of liquefied natural gas shipments — usually sent via ship through the Red Sea — to Italy. The disruption adds to Europe's ongoing energy crisis following Russia's reduction of natural gas exports due to the Ukraine war.  Associated Press 

THE UKRAINE UPDATE

Russia launches massive missile, drone attack against Ukraine. In an early morning assault on Tuesday, Russia targeted several Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv oblasts, killing at least five people and wounding over 30. Officials say a missile hit an 18-story residential building in southwest Kyiv, killing four people. Another person was killed in Mykolayiv in the south. Air raid alerts were activated in every Ukrainian oblast and in Kyiv during the attack. Ukrainian air defenses reportedly intercepted nearly 20 Russian missiles over the capital. EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell, in Kyiv on a two-day visit, posted a picture on social media from inside a bunker.  Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, said that Ukraine downed 44 of 64 missiles and drones launched by Russia in the attack. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the “massive attack against our state” and said authorities are responding to “the consequences of this terror.” Kyiv Independent Reuters

Ukrainian Special Operations forces destroy Russian drilling platform in Black Sea.  Ukraine said Tuesday that its special forces blew up a Black Sea drilling platform that Russia was using to extend the range of its drones. Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said that the operation, dubbed Citadel, resulted in the capture of critical enemy equipment and the destruction of the platform. It added that the operation ensured the safer movement of ships at sea and limited Russia’s drone operations in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. Reuters Kyiv Independent 

Ukraine's Zelensky orders creation of separate military force for drones.  President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday issued an order to form a distinct military branch within Ukraine's armed forces dedicated to drone systems, emphasizing their crucial role in combating Russia. Zelensky underscored the urgency, stating, “This year should be decisive in many aspects–and, obviously, on the battlefield.” He further highlighted the impact of drones, noting, “Ukraine has really changed the security situation in the Black Sea thanks to drones.”  Reuters Kyiv Independent  

Turkey’s Baykar starts building drone factory in Ukraine. Turkish defense company Baykar says it has started construction on a drone factory near Kyiv. It plans to employ around 500 people and manufacture Bayraktar drones at the facility. Ukraine has used Bayraktar drones to target Russian armored vehicles and artillery. The construction of the factory is expected to take 12 months. The annual production capacity of the factory is estimated at around 120 units. Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar says that security concerns would not deter the factory's progress.  Reuters 

Hackers reveal cost of Iranian drone.  Hackers from the Prana Network gained access to Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) mail servers containing information on the production of Shahed-136 attack drones being used by Russia in the war in Ukraine. Documents showed each drone costs $375,000 to produce, but that Russia was able to negotiate a deal under which it pays $290,000 each when ordering 2,000 drones and only $193,000 when ordering 6,000. The documents show Russia had paid Iran a total of $1.8 billion for Shahed drones thus far. Kyiv Independent 

U.S. and Russia clash at U.N. over use of North Korean arms, Patriot missiles in Ukraine. During a U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine, the U.S. accused Russia of launching at least nine ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea at targets in Ukraine. U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood emphasized Moscow's responsibility, stating that both Russia and North Korea must be held accountable for violating U.N. Security Council resolutions. Russia countered with accusations that the Jan. 24 crash of a Russian Air Force Il-76, killing 74 people including 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers, was attributed to Kyiv, and alleged that it was downed by a U.S. supplied Patriot surface-to-air missile. During the Security Council meeting, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said, “We possess irrefutable evidence that a Patriot surface-to-air missile was used to carry out the strike, which leaves no doubt that Washington is a direct accomplice in this crime as well.”  Reuters

Wagner Group defector granted temporary residence in Norway but refused full asylum.  An alleged former high-ranking member of Russia’s Wagner Group has been granted temporary residence in Norway but denied permanent asylum in the country. The individual, Andrey Medvedev, sought asylum in Norway in January 2023 after defecting from Wagner, fearing for his life if he returned to Russia. Medvedev crossed into Norway illegally from Russia, fleeing due to an unauthorized extension of his contract with the Wagner group. He reportedly expressed willingness to disclose information about the Wagner Group and its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, including potential war crimes, and denied any personal participation in the crimes. In April 2023, Medvedev was sentenced to 14 days in jail in Norway for disorderly conduct and carrying an air gun in public, following an incident outside an Oslo pub. Associated Press Reuters Kyiv Independent

E.U. cautious on Belgium plan to use Russian assets.  Belgium’s proposal for the Group of Seven (G7) to use frozen Russian central bank assets as collateral to raise debt to fund Ukraine’s reconstruction is lacking European support. Belgium, which is not a G7 member, is involved in the discussion since it holds the majority of frozen assets. The European Commission says over 269 billion euros ($288.85 billion) of immobilized Russian assets are in G7 countries, the E.U. and Australia, with 200 billion euros in the E.U. The proposal, originally floated by the U.S., aims to avoid direct confiscation of the assets, but E.U. countries and institutions warn of legal implications, potential defaults on bonds issued using immobilized assets as collateral, and potential financial impacts from possible Russian retaliation.  Reuters 

ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD

The Americas

Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas survives impeachment bid.  In a humiliating defeat for the House Republican leadership, three Republicans – Reps. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.) and Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) –  voted with Democrats to defeat a measure to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, for failing at the impossible task of securing the porous 2,000-mile border between the United States and Mexico.  After a long rancorous day, the final vote, at 6:45 p.m. was 214 to 216, a stunning surprise for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.. “I don’t understand why they don’t count the votes,” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told reporters,  “If we can’t convince the Gallaghers, the Bucks, the McClintocks, know it before you go and make the call before we get on the floor.” Even if the vote had gone the other way, the Democrat-held Senate would have buried the measure.  Associated Press New York Times  Washington Post  NBC News

Trump’s opposition ditches Senate Ukraine-Israel-border bill.  Negotiated over many months by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, the Senate border security/foreign aid package had something for everyone. It proposed to spend $118.3 billion – $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine; $14.1 billion for aid to Israel; $10 billion in humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and elsewhere; $20.2 billion for U.S. border security, and $2.3 billion in refugee assistance inside the U.S.  It was doomed by opposition from former president Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican hardliners. The lawmakers ignored a last-minute plea from nine American ambassadors – a mix of career diplomats and political appointees Rahm Emanuel, President Obama’s chief of staff; Carolyn Kennedy; former Arizona senator Tom Udall, and former Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti – who argued that American credibility was on the line.  President Biden went on television shortly after 1 p.m. to say that Republicans blocking the bill were acting out of cynicism and political self-interest.   “Donald Trump thinks it’s bad for him politically,” Biden said.  Therefore, he doesn’t — even though it would help the — the country, he’s not for it.  He’d rather weaponize this issue than actually solve it. So, for the last 24 hours, he’s done nothing, I’m told, but reach out to Republicans in the House and the Senate and threaten them and try to intimidate them to vote against this proposal.  And it looks like they’re caving. Frankly, they owe it to the American people to show some spine and do what they know to be right.”  A short time later, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who had supported the bill, gave up. “It looks to me and to most of our members as if we have no real chance here to make a law," McConnell told reporters Tuesday afternoon.  Reuters New York Times Al Jazeera  

House tanks Israel aid bill, A stand-alone Israel aid bill, pitched as an alternative to the Senate border security/foreign aid bill opposed by former President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, fizzled yesterday when it failed to gain the votes of two-thirds of the House. The bill would have provided $17.6 billion for weapons and humanitarian aid for Israel. Washington Post The Hill

US Senate confirms Asia hand Kurt Campbell as country's No. 2 diplomat.  The U.S. Senate voted 92 to 5 to confirm Kurt Campbell as deputy secretary of state. Campbell — a veteran Asia hand who is viewed as an intellectual author to the Obama administration’s “pivot to Asia” strategy — was serving as coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs on the National Security Council.  Reuters Associated Press South China Morning Post Radio Free Asia 

Pentagon believes to have found cause of Osprey crash.  A defense official told The Associated Press that the Pentagon believes it has identified the mechanical failure that caused an Osprey aircraft to crash in Japan last month. The incident led to the grounding of the fleet for two months. THe Pentagon’s Joint Safety Council is now working with the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps to determine how to implement mitigations to get Ospreys flying again. The official did not specify what the failure was or say when the aircraft may return to service. Associated Press 

US detects Russian aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone. NORAD reported detecting four Russian military aircraft within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday. NORAD clarified that the Russian aircraft remained within international airspace and did not breach American or Canadian sovereign airspace.  Reuters  

China tells Guatemala the price for trade is to break up with Taiwan.  Beijing has urged Guatemala to sever its diplomatic ties with Taiwan “as soon as possible” if the central American country wants to bolster trade with China. Guatemala is one of the few countries maintaining official ties with Taiwan and says that it wants to maintain relations with Taipei. China, which has been expanding its economic influence in Latin America, is pressing El Salvador against this.  South China Morning Post 

Former Chilean President Pinera killed in helicopter crash.  Chile’s former President Sebastian Pinera died in a helicopter crash on Tuesday. The helicopter, reportedly carrying Pinera and three others, crashed into a lake. The other passengers in the helicopter reportedly survived. CNN Reuters New York Times Washington Post 

Asia and Oceania

China express trade concerns to U.S. during Beijing talks.  China’s finance ministry on Tuesday expressed concerns to visiting U.S. Treasury officials about U.S. tariffs, sanctions, and investment that “suppress” Chinese companies. The ministry said both sides had “pragmatic and constructive” exchanges on macroeconomic policy and developing countries’ debt, and agreed to maintain communications. The U.S. delegation reportedly said during the talks that U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wants to visit China this year, evidence of further stabilizing of ties between Washington and Beijing.  Meanwhile, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said on Tuesday in an interview in Chicago that tariffs are an “important defensive tool” to rebalance unfair commercial relationships, signaling that the U.S. will continue to use the duties as a “playing field leveler.”  Reuters Bloomberg Bloomberg 

Beijing calls for 'positive, objective, friendly' China policy from South Korea.  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a phone call with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul that Beijing hopes Seoul will pursue a “positive, objective and friendly” policy toward China. China’s foreign ministry quoted Wang as saying China and South Korea have close economic ties and should work together to maintain stability and an efficient supply chain. South Korea’s foreign ministry said Cho asked that China play a “constructive role” in curbing North Korean military threats and that China help ensure North Korean defectors are not returned against their will. The ministry also said that Wang has invited Cho to China.  Reuters

Russian envoy says ‘very good’ deals planned for Putin’s visit to North Korea.  Russia’s TASS news agency reports that Russia and North Korea are working on a “very good” set of agreements to be signed when President Vladimir Putin visits Pyongyang. The report did not reveal any additional details, saying only that there will be agreements to make tourism travel between the two countries easier. The timing of the visit has not been decided, though Russia’s ambassador to Pyongyang reportedly said he thinks this year will be “a breakthrough” in Russia’s relations with North Korea.  Reuters 

Philippines seeks boost to military near Taiwan.  Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Tuesday that the Philippines intends to bolster its military presence and infrastructure in its northernmost province near Taiwan amid increased tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea. Teodoro also said that more joint Philippine-U.S. patrols in the region may take place at some point.  Bloomberg Reuters 

Germany and Mongolia enter into strategic partnership. Germany and Mongolia are poised to begin a strategic partnership on Wednesday, aimed at enhancing bilateral collaboration across various sectors. The agreement, to be formalized during German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's visit to the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, encompasses mutual support for initiatives such as Germany's bid for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council and Mongolia's renewable energy expansion efforts.  Reuters 

Explosions kill 26 near political offices in Pakistan.  Two blasts near electoral candidates’ offices in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province killed 26 people and wounded dozens more on Wednesday on the eve of a general election.  The first explosion hit an independent election candidate’s office in Pishin district, killing 14. The second hit near an office of the religious party Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) in Qilla Saifullah, near the Afghan border, killing 12. It was not immediately clear who was behind the blasts. The Islamist militant Pakistani Taliban (TPP) and other separatist groups from Balochistan have been conducting attacks in recent months, though the TPP have claimed they are only targeting Pakistani police and security officials. The attacks come as Pakistan says it is boosting security for the election. Western border crossings with Iran and Afghanistan will be closed during the vote and re-open on Friday. Reuters BBC

Europe

Sweden concludes Nord Stream probe, hands evidence to Germany.  Sweden has dropped its investigation into the 2022 explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines in the Black Sea. While the pipelines were damaged in blasts in the Swedish and Danish economic zones, Swedish Public Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said Sweden’s investigation showed it does not have jurisdiction in the matter. He added that the main task of the probe was to determine Swedish involvement, which was ruled out. Evidence has now been handed over to Germany, which is conducting a separate probe. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia will now watch Germany’s investigation into the blasts closely.  Reuters

Kremlin says Tucker Carlson interviewed Putin.  Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an interview to U.S. media figure Tucker Carlson on Tuesday in Moscow, marking Putin’s first interview with U.S. media since before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.  Peskov said Putin agreed to the interview since Carlson’s approach was different to the “one-sided” reporting from Western media outlets, though Peskov noted that it was “in no way pro-Russian, it is not pro-Ukrainian — it is pro-American.” Russia’s TASS news agency, citing the Wall Street Journal, said the interview is likely to air on Thursday. Carlson has said the interview will allow Americans to understand Russia’s view on the war.  Reuters Wall Street Journal New York TimesBloomberg Kyiv Independent 

ANALYSIS — How the FSB tried to buy an Italian political party. 

Middle East

South Korea, Qatar agree to boost military ties.  South Korea and Qatar's defense ministers have agreed to enhance joint military training and bolster bilateral cooperation. During his visit to Qatar, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik and his Qatari counterpart, Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, also committed to regular ministerial talks and laid the groundwork for deeper defense collaboration. This initiative coincides with South Korea's ambition to become one of the world's leading arms suppliers, evidenced by its significant increase in arms sales and burgeoning exports to the Middle East in recent years.  Reuters

Africa

Somalia market blasts kill 10.  Multiple explosions hit the Bakara market in Somalia’s capital of Mogadishu, killing at least 10 people and over 20 others. It is unclear what caused the blasts, but the al-Qaeda affiliated group al-Shabab routinely conducts bombings in Somalia.  Al Jazeera Reuters Jerusalem Post  

Senegal internet shutdown continues after election postponed.  Internet shutdowns in Senegal continued for a second day following the government’s decision to postpone elections scheduled this month to December. The shutdown came amid fallout from the parliament’s decision to delay the vote, which extends the rule of President Macky Sall. Three Senegalese opposition lawmakers have been arrested since the postponement. ECOWAS has called on Senegal to re-establish its electoral calendar, saying that it views the delay as unconstitutional. The Record  Reuters Associated Press

ANALYSIS — Libya smuggled fuel trade benefits Russia. 

THE CYBER AND TECH RUNDOWN

Dutch intelligence agencies disclose Chinese hack of military research network.  For the first time, Dutch intelligence and military authorities have attributed a hack of a Dutch military network to Chinese state-sponsored threat actors.  The Dutch intelligence agencies MIVD and AIVD described the cyber intrusion last year as part of a trend in Chinese cyberespionage against the Netherlands and its partners.  The agencies said the campaign involved implanting malware inside a military network used for unclassified research. Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren commented that public exposure of Chinese espionage operations is important “since this will help to increase international resilience to this type of cyber espionage.”  The Netherlands’ ASML firm, the world’s leading provider of advanced lithography equipment, reportedly is a prime target for Chinese data hackers. The Chinese embassy in the Netherlands said China rejects “groundless accusations” of malicious cyber activity, adding that it would never allow Chinese entities or individuals to conduct or use Chinese facilities to launch illegal activities like cyberattacks. Reuters Reuters The Record

UK, France-hosted conference leads to 35-nation declaration on curbing spyware use.  Britain, France, and the U.S., along with some of the world’s leading tech firms, on Tuesday issued a joint statement on the need to take action against widespread use of spyware and other cyber surveillance tools.  At a conference hosted by Britain and France, 35 nations signed the declaration to defend against malicious use of spying tools often deployed against opponents of authoritarian regimes.  The tools are used to eavesdrop on telephone conversations, extract data from devices, and to remotely operate surveillance gear like cameras and microphones.  The conference document said that the failure to impose stricter controls on such tools increases opportunities for state and non-state threat actors to use them in espionage and other illegal activities.  The conference coincides with a new U.S. State Department policy that restricts visas for those involved in misusing commercial spyware. Israeli officials were notably absent from the London conference despite Israel's significant market share in the export of such technology, according to Recorded Future News. The Record Reuters The Record RFI

Google appeals for government action against spyware, hacking tool producers.  Google has called on the U.S. and other governments to take action against suppliers of spyware, whose products often are used to target “high risk”  users such as journalists, human rights advocates, and dissidents.  Google’s Threat Analysis Group, which monitors nation-backed hacking, said that its tracking includes government spyware campaigns conducted with hacking tools produced by the Spain-based firm, Variston. One of these campaigns, Google reported, resulted in exploitation of three iPhone “zero-days,” vulnerabilities that are unknown to system operators at the time of attack.  Google’s report noted that spyware has proliferated around the globe in the absence of accountability measures. It noted that “limiting spyware vendors' ability to operate in the U.S. helps to change the incentive structure which has allowed their continued growth."  The Record TechCrunch CyberScoop Cybernews

Chinese scientists report revolutionary signal monitoring capability for military use.  A Beijing-based team of scientists report that they have developed “seamless, wide bandwidth, real-time monitoring analysis of the electromagnetic spectrum” that will allow the Chinese military to detect and lock on to enemy signals.  In a January 17 paper in the Chinese academic journal Radio Communications Technology, team leader Yang Kai described the new electromagnetic monitoring gear as ““small in size, high in performance and low in power consumption.”  The team from the Beijing Institute of Technology said the breakthrough will bring about “a profound shift in the art of war.”  Yang noted that newly developed signal processing chips separated the flood of data from high performance antennas into smaller streams to reduce processing burdens and enable monitoring of a large number of signal sources simultaneously over a wide frequency range.  South China Morning Post

Chinese chipmaker prepares new production lines for advanced Huawei products.  China’s largest chipmaker, SMIC, has set up two new semiconductor production lines in Shanghai that will allow the company to mass produce “next-generation smartphone processors” designed by Huawei.  According to sources, SMIC will use existing U.S. and Dutch fabrication equipment to produce Huawei’s 5nm Kirin chips for future high-end smartphones.  Although 5nm chips lag behind 3nm models manufactured outside China, SMIC’s new production capability indicates the country is making progress in advanced chip-making.  A source said the development indicates that the 5nm node puts Huawei “well on track to upgrade its new flagship handset and data center chips.”  Increased costs are a factor, as sources said SMIC will charge 40-50 percent more for 5nm and 7nm chips than the Taiwan company, TSMC, does for equivalent products.  Financial Times

Taiwan chipmaker moves ahead with plans for second Japanese fabrication plant.  Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is planning a second chip fabrication plant in Japan.  The new facility will be near TSMC’s first plant in Kumamoto and will feature 6 and 7nm process technologies.  Construction on the new plant will begin by the end of this year with operations expected by the close of 2027.  The two TSMC facilities in the Kumamoto area will produce more than 100,000 12-inch wafers each month.  The overall investment in the two Japanese facilities is more than $20 billion, with “strong support from the Japanese government.”  According to Bloomberg, TSMC is also considering a third Japanese production facility that would use advanced 3nm technology.  South China Morning Post Bloomberg

Meta says platforms will detect, label AI-generated content as elections approach.  Meta announced that its Facebook, Instagram, and Threads platforms will begin labeling more posts that are created with the use of AI tools.  Meta said that it is developing software systems and working with other tech firms to create uniform technical standards to identify AI-generated posts, which have invisible watermarking and image metadata.  Meta executive Nick Clegg said within several months he expects the company will be able to detect and label content from other AI-companies, including Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Adobe.  The initial detection capabilities will be limited to images, with audio and video to follow later.  Clegg has described the creation of industry watermarking standards as “the most urgent task facing us today.”  Clegg also noted that a future challenge will be to develop industry standards for verifying the authenticity of genuine, “non-synthetic content.”  Bloomberg Axios TechCrunch

The data cutoff for this product was 7:00 a.m. E.T.

Brad Christian, Ethan Masucol, Bruce Wilmot, Elaine Shannon, Allison Brown, Ken Hughes, Katharine Campbell, Leighton Durham, Ryan Simons, and Tiffany Krueger contributed to this report.

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