Satellite images suggest China has been practising for strikes | South Korea will deploy laser weapons to shoot down North Korean drones | Fear of Russia's naval capabilities for subsea cable sabotage
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Satellite images suggest that the Chinese military is practicing attacks on US fighter jets and aircraft carriers in the Xinjiang deserts, providing clues about its strategy in case of conflict. South China Morning Post
South Korea "StarWars project" aims to strengthen the military's response capabilities against drone provocation and will be the first country to deploy and operate such weapons in the military. Reuters
The fear that underwater communications could be crippled in a crisis or in wartime, or tapped for secrets in peacetime, heightened amid great power competitions. The Economist
ASPI
A stronger centre is key to future Australian intelligence capability
The Strategist
Chris Taylor
The Independent Intelligence Review may recommend empowering the Office of National Intelligence to lead capability development, enhancing collaboration among Australian intelligence agencies. This would improve the National Intelligence Community's technological initiatives, such as the $2 billion Top Secret Cloud project with Amazon Web Services announced in 2024. ONI's leadership in this project shows its potential to drive community-wide technological advancements and reduce duplication.
World
How China and Russia could hobble the internet
The Economist
The security of undersea cables, which carry most of the world's internet traffic, has gained attention due to a series of incidents from the Baltic Sea to the Red Sea. Russian spies and their proxies have attacked Ukraine-linked targets, hacking into water utilities, setting fire to warehouses, and plotting to strike American military bases in Germany. The fear is that underwater communications could be crippled in a crisis or in wartime, or tapped for secrets in peacetime. As America and China joust for influence throughout Asia, undersea cables have become a crucial part of their competition.
What NATO’s warning to China about Russia means
The New York Times
Chris Buckley
China's tight relationship with Russia is facing renewed condemnation from Washington and its allies after NATO accused Beijing of supporting Moscow's war in Ukraine. Despite Western bans and restrictions, Chinese semiconductors, machine tools, and other parts have become vital to Russia's arms industries, helping Moscow maintain its grinding war. NATO has become more vocal about China's growing power, especially its trade ties and technology exports to Russia after Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
NATO’s newest weapon is online content creators
The Washington Post
Taylor Lorenz
NATO invited 16 content creators from member nations including Belgium, Canada, the United States and Britain to attend the NATO summit. The US is running its own social media mission in support. An additional 10 creators were invited to the summit by the Department of Defense and State Department, which last year became the first cabinet-level agency to establish a team dedicated to partnerships with digital content creators.
Telecom industry coalition to boost access to smartphones in poor countries
Reuters
The telecom industry group GSMA announced the formation of a global coalition of companies, organisations, and financial institutions aimed at making smartphones more accessible and affordable for some of the world's poorest populations. This coalition includes mobile operators, vendors, and institutions such as the World Bank Group, the United Nations' ITU agency, and the WEF Edison Alliance. The coalition will focus on reducing the cost of digital economy entry for low-income populations, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Australia
Education apps ‘pose danger to kids’, expert warns
The Australian
Natasha Bita
Schools and parents are spending money on potentially “dangerous” educational apps that may harvest and sell children’s personal information, warns Leslie Loble, chair of the Network for Quality Digital Education. With around 500,000 educational apps available, it is challenging for teachers to identify effective ones. Loble criticizes the lack of system-wide regulatory standards to protect children’s data and calls for a consistent national approach to selecting edtech.
Australians bear soaring cost of managing online privacy
InnovationAus
Joseph Brookes
Australians spend significantly more time adjusting privacy settings and reading terms and conditions on websites and apps compared to Europeans, due to lax privacy and data laws, according to the Consumer Policy Research Centre. A new analysis reveals it takes Australians over two minutes to adjust privacy settings, versus three seconds for Europeans, and 14 hours to read privacy policies for daily-used sites. The Albanese government is preparing to overhaul privacy laws as Parliament investigates social media's influence.
China
Satellite images suggest China has been practising for strikes on US jets
South China Morning Post
Sylvie Zhuang
Recent satellite images suggest that the Chinese military has been practicing attacks on US fighter jets and aircraft carriers in the Xinjiang deserts, possibly indicating its strategy in a conflict scenario. The images show a model aircraft carrier and over 20 replicas of US stealth fighters, many appearing damaged, in a location identified as Qakilik in the Taklamakan Desert. These exercises likely aim to enhance the PLA long-range missile capabilities to counter US naval forces. Analysts believe the PLA's drills align with Beijing's counter-intervention strategy, particularly targeting US forces in the South China Sea or Taiwan. The exercises may also involve simulating strikes on locations such as Guam, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Several Macau government websites hacked, says Chinese state media
Reuters
Several Macau government websites, including those of the secretary for security, public security police, fire services department, and security forces services bureau, were hacked, prompting a criminal investigation, according to Chinese state media. Security officials suspect the intrusion originated overseas and have initiated an emergency response with telecommunication operators to restore services.
Chinese commercial rocket firm suffers 4th launch failure
Space News
Andrew Jones
Chinese commercial rocket company iSpace suffered a launch failure late Wednesday when its four-stage Hyperbola-1 solid rocket, lifting off from Jiuquan spaceport, experienced an anomaly in its fourth stage, leading to mission failure. This setback follows iSpace's historic achievement in 2019 as the first privately-funded Chinese company to reach orbit, although it has faced multiple failures since. Despite recovering with two successful flights in 2023, the recent failure raises concerns about China's commercial launch industry, compounded by Space Pioneer's recent test bench explosion.
Chinese researchers see carbon fibre potential for submarine drones despite Titan tragedy
South China Morning Post
Stephen Chen
Chinese scientists have developed an ultra-strong carbon fibre hull for high-performance underwater drones, capable of withstanding pressures at depths of up to 6,000 metres, significantly reducing manufacturing costs and improving performance. This breakthrough challenges the belief that carbon fibre is unsuitable for underwater use, potentially giving China an advantage in the drone arms race in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. The hull, designed by Guo Yuqi’s team from Harbin FRP Research Institute, offers superior properties like low density, high strength, and corrosion resistance.
Chinese social media sensation Xiaohongshu wins major foreign VC backing
Financial Times
Eleanor Olcot
Xiaohongshu, China's rapidly expanding social media platform, has secured investment from DST Global, marking a rare instance of foreign investment in China's tech sector post-Beijing crackdown. The platform, valued at $17 billion, is popular among urban females and recently turned profitable with a $500 million net profit in 2023. Despite data-sharing restrictions, Xiaohongshu's robust performance and dual backing from Tencent and Alibaba enhance investor confidence. The platform is also expanding its overseas team to attract more advertisers.
Chinese tech giants trail on renewable energy use, and AI will put them further behind
South China Morning Post
Yujie Xue
The Greenpeace East Asia released a report that tracked the renewable energy use of China’s top 25 cloud providers and data centre operators, which together account for more than half of the country’s cloud market and more than 60 per cent of the data centre market. China’s leading technology firms have made limited progress in delivering on their renewable energy goals, as the sector’s power consumption is expected to surge on the back of demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud services. The report urged the tech giants to take firmer action on addressing climate change.
Baidu lags behind Alibaba and Tencent in Greenpeace’s latest China Tech Ranking
Greenpeace East Asia
Alibaba Group and Tencent took the top spots in Greenpeace East Asia’s latest renewable energy scorecard for China’s tech industry, beating out Baidu by a wide margin. The report, Clean Cloud 2024, finds a significant gap in climate action by major Chinese tech companies, with some having made only limited progress toward achieving their own renewable energy goals. The report analyzes ten of China’s leading cloud service companies and 15 leading data center operators.
USA
Biden unveils $1.7 billion to boost EV production at US auto factories
The Washington Post
Maxine Joselow
The US Energy Department announced $1.7 billion to retool 11 auto factories for electric vehicle production, focusing on facilities at risk of closure without federal aid. This funding, part of Biden's 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, aims to accelerate the shift to clean energy and electric vehicles. The initiative, targeting battleground states like Georgia and Michigan, underscores Biden's support for unions and aims to create thousands of union jobs. The funds will help convert plants to EV production, such as General Motors' plant in Lansing, and address concerns about China's dominance in EV supply chains
Influencer running for US Senate challenges campaign finance rules
The Washington Post
Taylor Lorenz
Caroline Gleich, a Utah Democrat and professional content creator running to replace retiring Senator Mitt Romney, has requested the Federal Election Commission update its rules to better suit the influencer era. Gleich seeks permission to bypass campaign finance regulations that classify sponsored social media posts featuring her as “coordinated communications,” which count as in-kind political contributions and must be reported. Her request aims to make it easier for influencers and others with non-traditional careers to run for office, enhancing Capitol Hill's tech-savviness and reflecting the growing role of content creators in politics.
A grieving mom’s TikTok videos spark online speech battle
The Washington Post
Will Oremus
A judge has ordered a Mississippi woman who says her daughter was bullied to death to shut down her social media accounts, as a small-town tragedy balloons into an online drama with millions of onlookers. After 13-year-old Aubreigh Wyatt died by suicide in September 2023, her grieving mother, Heather Wyatt, began posting about her death on TikTok, attracting hundreds of thousands of followers. Heather Wyatt attributed her daughter’s death to bullying, both online and offline, at the hands of schoolmates in Ocean Springs, Miss., near Biloxi.
Trump threatens Mark Zuckerberg with prison in unhinged Truth Social rant
Gizmodo
Matt Novak
Donald Trump threatened to imprison "election fraudsters," including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, in a rant on Truth Social, highlighting a troubling future for American life given Trump's potential re-election. His threats came in a post about the SAVE Act, legislation aimed at preventing undocumented immigrants from voting in federal elections, despite it already being illegal and no evidence of widespread voter fraud. Trump falsely claimed "illegal migrants" were gaining voting rights and targeted Zuckerberg with the term "Zuckerbucks."
Americas
Global lithium sector eyes Argentina's salt flats on tech test run
Reuters
Daina Beth Solomon and Ernest Scheyder
In Salta province, northern Argentina, French miner Eramet is developing a $870 million project to extract lithium using a new method called direct lithium extraction. The project aims to produce its first ton of lithium carbonate in November and reach 24,000 tons annually by mid-2025. This project is co-owned with Chinese company Tsingshan, and could double Argentina's lithium production, potentially surpassing Chile by the decade's end.
North Asia
South Korea to deploy 'StarWars' laser weapons targeting North Korean drones
Reuters
Ju-min Park
South Korea will deploy laser weapons to shoot down North Korean drones this year, becoming the first country to operate such technology in the military, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. Developed with Hanwha Aerospace, these "StarWars project" weapons are effective and cost-efficient at 2,000 won ($1.45) per shot, and they silently and invisibly disable drones by burning their engines or electronic components with light beams for 10 to 20 seconds. This development strengthens South Korea's defenses against North Korean drone provocations, exemplified by the December intrusion of five drones.
Japanese who ‘don’t know how to use it’
Financial Times
Yifan Yu
Japan lags in individual adoption of generative AI, with only 9.1% usage. According to the 2024 White Paper on Information and Communications released by the Japanese government, Japan is falling behind in individual adoption of generative AI, in contrast to 56.3% in China, 46.3% in the US, 39.8% in the UK and 34.6% in Germany reported using generative AI. Many Japanese respondents cite a lack of knowledge on how to use AI or see no necessity for it in daily life.
Southeast Asia
Vietnam vows to keep lights on in electronics hub as needs soar
Bloomberg
Mai Ngoc Chau
Vietnam’s state electricity monopoly assured that power shortages will be avoided in the northern electronics hub, home to major Apple and Samsung suppliers, despite rising demand and expected heat waves. Vietnam Electricity Group anticipates the region’s power capacity to exceed 27,000 megawatts, 52% of the national total, due to extreme heat. Although last year saw significant blackouts due to hot weather and coal plant issues, the utility sees no power supply problems this year.
South & Central Asia
India needs 1 million high-tech engineers as economy expands
Bloomberg
Ruchi Bhatia
India's technology sector will require over 1 million engineers with advanced skills in artificial intelligence and related fields within the next 2-3 years, a demand that current education and training levels can't meet without significant government intervention. More than half of the existing workforce will need reskilling to fill roles in AI, big data analytics, and cyber-security, with new graduates expected to cover only a quarter of these jobs.
The Northeast Indian YouTubers challenging cultural stereotypes through mukbang
Rest of World
Tora Agarwala
Apollos Kent, a farmer from Nagaland, is a popular mukbang YouTuber showcasing Northeast India's unique food culture. Mukbang videos, where creators eat large quantities of food, help challenge stereotypes and highlight diverse culinary traditions. Despite internet challenges and criticism, Kent and other local YouTubers emphasize their cultural and ecological connections. Kent's success has improved his family's living conditions, demonstrating YouTube's positive impact on their communities.
NZ & Pacific Islands
Fiji wrestles with need for outside help on security, at risk to its own sovereignty
The Guardian
Ivamere Nataro
Fiji, one of the largest Pacific island countries with a population of nearly 1 million, faces rising external threats including transnational crime, maritime security and cyber warfare. Domestically, crime rates are increasing and police resources are stretched. Analysis by the Guardian found that Fiji has at least 12 significant agreements with countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Ukraine - Russia
The Kremlin is rewriting Wikipedia
The Economist
Wikipedia has long faced threats from the Kremlin, but in late 2023, a serious plan to replace it emerged with RuWiki, a Kremlin-backed version of Wikipedia. RuWiki is largely a copy of Wikipedia but with sensitive historical events altered or omitted to align with Kremlin ideology. For instance, Russian atrocities in Bucha are described as a disinformation campaign, and the execution of Polish officers at Katyn is cast in doubt. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is downplayed as a mere blogger. Mediazona, an independent Russian media outlet, found that most edits on RuWiki occur during working hours, indicating paid writers rather than volunteers.
Ukraine is fighting Russia with toy drones and duct-taped bombs
Bloomberg
Jake Rudnitsky
Thousands of Ukraine’s deadliest weapons, specifically exploding drones, were produced on the top three floors of a residential high-rise in Kyiv by Vyriy Drone. This space, previously an IT company office, became a drone manufacturing hub due to its affordability. Founder Oleksiy Babenko, a former steampunk street performer, revealed this facility to Bloomberg Businessweek as his company prepared to move to a larger space. Vyriy, one of Ukraine’s top drone producers, creates first-person-view (FPV) drones, essential in the current conflict, costing $400 each and capable of disabling armored vehicles and tanks.
Russian researchers identify alleged Ukrainian developer of malicious remote access tool
The Record by Recorded Future
Daryna Antoniuk
Researchers have identified the developer of BurnsRAT, a malicious remote access tool used against Russian organizations. Known as Mr. Burns, he is a 38-year-old Ukrainian named Andriy R. from Ternopil. Active since 2010 on darknet forums, he creates malicious versions of tools like TeamViewer. The cybersecurity firm FACCT linked him to cybercriminal VasyGrek, who has used BurnsRAT and other malware to target Russian companies since 2016. Renting BurnsRAT costs $1,200 per month, enabling control over victims' computers.
Bellingcat warns of ‘censorship’ on X after research on Russian attack is labeled spam
The Record by Recorded Future
Daryna Antoniuk
The social media platform X faced criticism from researchers after labeling a link by the investigative journalism group Bellingcat about Russia's attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv as "potentially spammy or unsafe." Bellingcat's research identified a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile that struck Ukraine's largest children's medical center, Okhmatdyt, and debunked pro-Russian claims blaming Ukraine for the attack. Despite Bellingcat's reputable use of open-source intelligence, X flagged the link as unsafe, alleging it could lead to violent or misleading content.
Europe
Defense startup Helsing raises at €5 billion valuation to expand along NATO’s eastern flank
Bloomberg
Mark Bergen
Helsing, a startup developing artificial intelligence software for defense, has raised €450 million ($487 million) in venture capital funding that it plans to use to expand its presence in European nations bordering Russia. The company, which plans to announce its financing on Thursday, says it’s been active in Ukraine since 2022 and is in talks with countries on NATO’s eastern flank — Baltic and eastern European nations that face growing aggression from Russia.
UK
In the Labour Party’s UK, a new day dawns for tech
POLITICO
Vincent Manancourt
Britain has elected its first Labour government in over a decade, with Peter Kyle appointed as the tech secretary under new Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Kyle aims to make the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the "digital center" of the government, relocating several tech teams to his department. Labour plans to introduce a narrow artificial intelligence bill focused on advanced technology, continue the AI Safety Institute's work, and consider reviving a data protection reform bill that previously faced criticism for weakening privacy rights. Additionally, Labour must fulfill promises related to regulatory innovation, planning reform, R&D funding, and support for tech scaleups.
Middle East
Palestinians say Microsoft unfairly closing their accounts
BBC
Mohamed Shalaby and Joe Tidy
Palestinians living abroad have accused Microsoft of closing their email accounts without warning - cutting them off from crucial online services. They say it has left them unable to access bank accounts and job offers - and stopped them using Skype, which Microsoft owns, to contact relatives in war-torn Gaza. Microsoft says they violated its terms of service - a claim they dispute. Some of the people the BBC spoke to said they suspected they were wrongly thought to have ties to Hamas, which Israel is fighting, and is designated a terrorist organisation by many countries.
OilAlpha malicious applications target humanitarian aid groups operating in Yemen
The Record by Recorded Future
Insikt Group
OilAlpha, a likely pro-Houthi group, continues to target humanitarian and human rights organizations operating in Yemen. They use malicious Android applications to steal credentials and gather intelligence, potentially to control aid distribution. Notable organizations affected include CARE International and the Norwegian Refugee Council. This report highlights the ongoing threat and suggests mitigation strategies, such as social engineering awareness, strong passwords, and multi-factor authentication.
Africa
Africa gets $1 billion boost as UN agency backs startup hubs
Bloomberg
Emele Onu
The UNDP, African governments, and the private sector plan to raise $1 billion and establish technology hubs across Africa to boost start-up innovation. The first of 10 hubs will open at UNDP’s innovation center in Lagos, Nigeria, aiming to spark a start-up revolution. Other hubs, including those focused on healthtech, agritech, and minetech, will launch in 2024 in Rwanda, Ghana, and Zambia. These hubs, funded by private and public institutions, will support over 10,000 youth-led tech firms across various sectors.
Big Tech
Microsoft ditches OpenAI board observer seat to stave off antitrust scrutiny
Reuters
Foo Yun Chee
Microsoft has relinquished its observer seat on OpenAI's board to address antitrust concerns from US and UK regulators regarding its control over the AI startup amidst the growing popularity of generative artificial intelligence. Despite this move, the US Federal Trade Commission indicated it is unlikely to resolve their concerns, as they continue an antitrust review of deals involving Big Tech firms and leading AI companies.
Apple settles EU case by opening its payment service to rivals
The New York Times
Adam Satariano
Apple has agreed to allow banks, payment services, and app developers to use the technology behind Apple Pay for rival tap-and-go payment services in the European Union. This settlement is part of a long-running antitrust investigation, which began in 2020 to determine if Apple was abusing its dominant position in the smartphone market. The agreement does not apply to Apple Watch, which also has tap-and-go payment technology.
Artificial Intelligence
AI helped to find a vast source of the copper that AI needs to thrive
The New York Times
Max Bearak
KoBold Metals has discovered the world's largest copper discovery in over a decade, with the mine located in Zambia expected to produce at least 300,000 tons of copper a year once fully operational. The company aims to transform the way metals are found, critical to the tech industry and the fight against climate change. The geopolitical significance of the discovery comes as the United States and China are increasingly clashing over global access to minerals needed for clean-energy technologies.
Manufacturers slow Gen AI rollout on rising accuracy concerns, says study
Reuters
Manufacturers are deploying Generative AI initiatives more slowly than anticipated due to concerns about accuracy. Lucidworks surveyed over 2,500 global AI decision-makers and found that 58% of manufacturing leaders plan to increase AI spending in 2024, lower than the global consensus of 63% and the US consensus of 69%. Despite a quarterly increase in U.S. venture capital funding driven by AI investments, manufacturers are cautious due to issues like AI hallucinations. Concerns about response accuracy and the high cost of commercial AI models are leading manufacturers to consider more accessible open-source options.
French startup Bioptimus releases AI model for disease diagnosis
Bloomberg
Michael Hennessey
French startup Bioptimus has launched an open-source AI model, H-optimus-0, trained on hundreds of millions of images to aid in disease research and diagnosis, such as identifying cancerous cells and detecting genetic abnormalities in tumors. This model, described as the largest for pathology that is widely accessible, aims to foster transparency and accelerate medical advancements. Despite concerns about AI in medical diagnostics, Bioptimus is committed to progressing its model to work across different levels of human biology.
Scammers harness AI and deepfakes to sell bogus ‘miracle cures’ on Meta platforms
The Record by Recorded Future
Suzanne Smalley
Health-related scam campaigns using artificial intelligence and deepfake videos have flooded Meta platforms, reaching millions globally, according to research by Bitdefender Labs. These scams, active from March to May, use celebrity audio and cloned images of politicians, doctors, and healthcare experts to promote fake “miracle cures.” The scams, designed to manipulate emotions with catchy phrases and fake limited-time offers, often direct users to websites with fabricated reviews and studies. The scale and adaptability of these campaigns challenge content moderation, with scammers quickly replacing banned pages.
AI’s insatiable appetite for energy
The New York Times
David Gelles
Projections suggest that AI could make up 0.5 percent of worldwide electricity use by 2027, and US electricity demand could jump 20 percent by 2030. Tech giants like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta have announced plans to build new data centers in Indiana, straining the grid. While these companies are working to reduce their carbon footprints and bring more clean energy online, the energy demands from AI are not making the grid cleaner. The AI boom is generating big profits for some companies, but it is also doing more harm than good for the climate.
Misc
The first Miss AI has been crowned — and she’s a Moroccan lifestyle influencer
CNN
Jacqui Palumbo
After judges of the world’s first AI beauty pageant unveiled 10 finalists last month, the inaugural Miss AI has now been crowned. The inaugural Miss AI contest opened in spring, drawing entries from some 1,500 AI programmers around the world, according to organizers Fanvue, an influencer platform for both AI and human creators. Layli was created by Myriam Bessa, founder of the Phoenix AI agency, who will receive $5,000 cash, support on Fanvue and a publicist to raise Layli’s profile. The runners-up were AI contestants Lalina Valina from France and Olivia C of Portugal.
Man stopped at customs with 100 live snakes down his pants
CNN
Fred He, Alex Stambaugh and Jack Guy
Due to modern technology scanner, customs officers in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen intercepted the man traveling through Futian Port, a checkpoint between Hong Kong and mainland China, the agency said in a statement. The man was caught trying to smuggle more than 100 live snakes into mainland China by stuffing them into his pants
Events & Podcasts
Jobs
Director of Cyber, Technology & Security (CTS)
ASPI
ASPI is looking for an exceptional and experienced senior leader to lead our largest team focused on emerging security challenges in the Indo-Pacific. This is an exceptional opportunity for a talented senior leader to contribute to the work of one of the Indo-Pacific’s top think-tanks with a focus on emerging security issues, and our region. The role provides a unique opportunity for a strategic and creative leader to drive the team’s evolution and to continue influencing public policy making in Australia and across the globe. The role is responsible for the oversight and delivery of a wide range of data-driven research projects. The closing date for applications is 28 July 2024 – an early application is advised as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if suitable applications are received.
Program Manager - Cyber, Technology & Security (CTS)
ASPI
The team has an exciting role for a talented and proactive individual to work with the CTS Director and Deputy Director on program and research coordination, strategic engagement and grants. This is a key role within the CTS team working with the Director, Deputy Director and Program Coordinator on project delivery, fundraising and coordination of team activities. The focus of the role is to help manage and support the individual researchers to collectively deliver projects, accurately, on time and in the most effective way to impact policy. The closing date for applications is 25 July 2024 – an early application is advised as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if suitable applications are received.
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