February 1 top stories
It is February 1. Here are today’s top stories.
FBI director warns about Chinese hackers
Multiple sources reported that the FBI director Christopher Wray warned Congress on Wednesday that Chinese hackers are preparing to “wreak havoc” on American infrastructure such as the electric grid and transportation systems.
“China’s hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm to American citizens and communities if and when China decides the time has come to strike,” Wray told the House Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. “We cannot afford to sleep on this danger.”
Other officials provided similar warnings about Chinese cyber threats. The threat, they said, is that China might place malware in equipment such as water-treatment plants, electrical grids or transportation systems that could shut down the power supply and access to clean water.
Gen. Paul Nakasone, commander of the US Cyber Command, said “the People’s Republic of China poses a challenge unlike any our allies and nation have ever faced. Defending against this activity is our top priority.”
House passes bipartisan tax bill
The House passed a $79 billion tax bill on Wednesday that would expand child tax credit for American families and business tax breaks that were rescinded during the Trump Administration. The bill passed by a vote of 357-70 and is now passed to the Senate for consideration.
The $79 billion package faces a steep climb in the Senate, where Republicans are demanding some issues such as Ukraine aid, border deal and immigration policy changes to be fixed in the bill.
How would the bill impact you? Though the tax legislation passed Wednesday would not rise to the level of the increased pandemic-era child tax credit, the bill would raise it to $1,800 per child in 2023, $1,900 per child in 2024 and $2,000 per child in 2025.
It would also create tax benefits for people impacted by natural disasters, and it would strengthen the low-income housing tax credit. The low-income housing tax credit provides a tax incentive to construct or preserve affordable rental housing for low-income households. The bill is also set up to extend tax breaks for businesses through 2025 and implement benefits to support trade with Taiwan.
Ukraine’s top commander reportedly to be sacked
The New York Times reported that rumors and allegations have swirled in recent weeks over the dismissal of Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s top commander.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky is preparing to replace top commander Valery Zaluzhny in what would be the biggest shake-up of its military brass during Russia’s almost two-year-old invasion.
Zaluzhny was called to a meeting at the president’s office on Monday and told he was being fired, as rift grows over tensions between the leaders. The Washington Post reported that in their conversation, Zelensky told Zaluzhny that Ukrainians have grown tired of war and that the country’s international backers have also slowed military assistance, so perhaps a new commander would rejuvenate the situation. They also disagreed over how many soldiers Ukraine needs to mobilize this year.
A formal announcement has not been made, meaning Zaluzhny remains in his post for now, however, a presidential decree is expected by the end of the week to dismiss the military commander.
In other news but related, Russian President Putin said Wednesday that Ukraine used a U.S.-supplied Patriot air defense system to down a military transport plane in the Belgorod region last week. The plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war and nine Russians. Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied that it downed the plane. Both Putin and Kyiv have called for an international investigation into the crash.
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Judge dismisses Disney’s lawsuit against DeSantis
A federal judge has dismissed Disney’s lawsuit against Florida Gov. DeSantis and his political allies. The judge ruled that Disney lacked standing to sue DeSantis. In other words, Disney failed to demonstrate to the court sufficient connection to or harm from DeSantis’ action. The judge’s ruling is a win for the governor’s escalating legal battle with Disney.
The lawsuit, which was filed by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in April, accused DeSantis of weaponizing his political power to punish the company for exercising its right to free speech.
A Disney spokesperson said the company was not deterred by the ruling. “If left unchallenged, this would set a dangerous precedent and give license to states to weaponize their official powers to punish the expression of political viewpoints they disagree with. We are determined to press forward with our case.”
See Alex for the report from yesterday’s Senate hearing with social media CEOs.
Social media CEOs testify
Thanks, Callie. On Wednesday, the CEOs of five major tech platforms testified before a Senate panel to answer questions on concerns about the dangers their platforms pose to teenagers.
The tech companies are Meta, TikTok, Snap, Discord, and X.
Some examples of the dangers include teens obtaining illegal drugs and dying of overdoses or sexual predators exploiting minors on the platforms.
There were parents and family members in the audience who held large pictures of their loved ones who died or suffered in part because of their interactions on tech platforms.
Some of the senators on the panel said the tech companies were as dangerous as cigarettes or the Boeing plane that had a hole in it.
At one point, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stood up, turned around, and apologized to family members who suffered. He vowed to continue to improve his platform.
Some senators hope to pass new laws to regulate the internet. The tech CEOs seem to prefer to solve safety issues on their own, without the government’s intervention. So that’s the recap of yesterday’s panel.
Thanks for that report. That is all the news stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light!
Chinese hackers:
Bipartisan bill:
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/31/congress-tax-vote-00138968
Ukraine:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/30/world/europe/ukraine-zelensky-zaluzhny-general.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/31/zelensky-zaluzhny-ukraine-commander-ousted/
Disney:
Tech CEOs:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/01/31/kids-online-safety-hearing-big-tech/