US and allied intelligence agencies have revealed that a sophisticated Chinese hacking group known as "Volt Typhoon" has been targeting US critical infrastructure, including aviation, rail, mass transit, and more for the past five years. The group, which is believed to be focused on sabotage rather than espionage, has prompted the US government to seek assistance from private technology companies in tracking its activity. The joint statement from the US, Britain, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand's cybersecurity agencies highlights the ongoing concern over malicious cyber activity from China and the need for coordinated efforts to combat it.
The European Union has approved a new agreement with the US government that allows for the transfer of personal data between the two regions, resolving years of uncertainty. The agreement restores the ability for businesses to easily transfer European citizens' data to the US and vice versa, without additional privacy safeguards. The new framework incorporates an executive order signed by President Joe Biden, limiting US intelligence agencies' access to European citizens' personal information and establishing a court-like body to address privacy violations. However, civil liberties advocates have criticized the framework as being too similar to the previous agreement, indicating potential court challenges.
US intelligence agencies have found no evidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology conducted genetic engineering on viruses related to Covid-19 or held such viruses in its stockpiles before the pandemic.
Independent journalist Michael Shellenberger has accused U.S. intelligence agencies of turning their anti-terror practices against the American people. Speaking on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, Shellenberger claimed that the government had coordinated with social media and political organizations to censor people. He also criticized the Aspen Institute and Stanford University for training journalists to debunk leaked information and claimed that the government was using these organizations to censor Americans on its behalf and bypass the First Amendment. Shellenberger also discussed the Hunter Biden scandal and how the FBI had warned Facebook about it before its release.
