Wildlife monitoring tech used to harass, spy on women in India
Trump Asks the Supreme Court to Save TikTokThe United States offered a $10 million reward on Tuesday for information leading to the arrest of a Chinese man and co-conspirators wanted for hacking computer firewalls. Guan Tianfeng, 30, is believed to be living in China’s Sichuan Province, according to the State Department. An indictment charging Guan with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud was unsealed on Tuesday. The Treasury Department said it had imposed sanctions on the company Guan worked for, Sichuan Silence Information Technology Co Ltd. Guan and co-conspirators at Sichuan Silence allegedly took advantage of a vulnerability in firewalls sold by UK-based cybersecurity company Sophos Ltd, according to the indictment. “The defendant and his co-conspirators exploited a vulnerability in tens of thousands of network security devices, infecting them with malware designed to steal information from victims around the world,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement. Some 81,000 firewall devices were simultaneously attacked worldwide in April 2020, the indictment said, with the aim of stealing data, including usernames and passwords, while also attempting to infect the computers with ransomware. More than 23,000 firewalls were in the United States, of which 36 were protecting “critical infrastructure companies’ systems,” the Treasury said. “The zero-day vulnerability Guan Tianfeng and his co-conspirators found and exploited affected firewalls owned by businesses across the United States,” FBI agent Herbert Stapleton said. “If Sophos had not rapidly identified the vulnerability and deployed a comprehensive response, the damage could have been far more severe.” According to the indictment, Sichuan Silence sold its services and the data it obtained through hacking to Chinese businesses and to government entities, including the Ministry of Public Security.
MONTREAL — A childhood friend of the Quebec man killed in a Florida boat explosion Monday said one of the victim's sisters was among the other six passengers injured in the blast. Thi Cam Nhung Lê said 41-year-old Sebastien Gauthier was celebrating the holidays with his family when the explosion occurred in Fort Lauderdale. Lê said Gauthier’s older sister was also on the boat when it erupted into flames, and she was taken to a hospital. “It’s unimaginable, incomprehensible,” Lê said Saturday, adding that Gauthier’s family and mutual friends informed her about his death. Lê, 40, said she first met Gauthier in her early adolescence and they grew up together in Quebec City. She remembers him as a globetrotter who always had a smile on his face. “He’s still my best friend. It’s always him I call if I need something, but he’s no longer with us,” she said. The last time the two friends saw each other face-to-face was about two years ago, Lê said, but she last messaged Gauthier on social media in the days before Monday's explosion. And on Jan. 1, her birthday, she would have expected a call from him, just like every year. “I’m shocked, surprised, and feeling a little bit of regret," she said. "You regret not having seen him more. I spent yesterday crying. You can’t believe your friend disappears from one day to the next." Earlier this week, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed that Gauthier died of his injuries in Broward County. The FWC said its preliminary investigation in Fort Lauderdale showed a 37-foot vessel exploded after its engines were started, injuring all seven passengers on board. Video posted on social media Monday showed the vessel engulfed in flames, with a thick column of black smoke billowing into the sky. However, Florida authorities have not provided The Canadian Press with more information about the investigation. Searching for an explanation has also left Lê angry. As she mourns the loss of her longtime friend, she said she’s still waiting for answers about what led to his unexpected death. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2024. Joe Bongiorno, The Canadian PressNokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 10.12.2024Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. But Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sharply refuted that perception after Mangione’s arrest on Monday when a customer at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania spotted Mangione eating and noticed he resembled the shooting suspect in security-camera photos released by New York police. “In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this, he is no hero,” Shapiro said. “The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this morning.” Mangione’s family and upbringing Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather, Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. The Mangione family also purchased Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore in 1986. On Monday, Baltimore County police officers blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to Luigi Mangione’s parents. Reporters and photographers gathered outside the entrance. The father of 10 children, Nick Mangione prepared his five sons — including Luigi Mangione’s father, Louis Mangione — to help manage the family business, according to a 2003 Washington Post report. Nick Mangione had 37 grandchildren, including Luigi, according to the grandfather’s obituary. Luigi Mangione’s grandparents donated to charities through the Mangione Family Foundation, according to a statement from Loyola University commemorating Nick Mangione’s wife’s death in 2023. They donated to various causes, including Catholic organizations, colleges and the arts. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media by Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” Mangione’s education and work history Mangione, who was valedictorian of his elite Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press. He learned to code in high school and helped start a club at Penn for people interested in gaming and game design, according to a 2018 story in Penn Today, a campus publication. His social media posts suggest he belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. They also show him taking part in a 2019 program at Stanford University, and in photos with family and friends at the Jersey Shore and in Hawaii, San Diego, Puerto Rico, and other destinations. The Gilman School, from which Mangione graduated in 2016, is one of Baltimore’s elite prep schools. The children of some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent residents, including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., have attended the school. Its alumni include sportswriter Frank Deford and former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In his valedictory speech, Luigi Mangione described his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” Mangione took a software programming internship after high school at Maryland-based video game studio Firaxis, where he fixed bugs on the hit strategy game Civilization 6, according to a LinkedIn profile. Firaxis’ parent company, Take-Two Interactive, said it would not comment on former employees. He more recently worked at the car-buying website TrueCar, but has not worked there since 2023, the head of the Santa Monica, California-based company confirmed to the AP. Time in Hawaii and reports of back pain From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, including surfing, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back,” Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. An image posted to a social media account linked to Mangione showed what appeared to be an X-ray of a metal rod and multiple screws inserted into someone’s lower spine. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. An X account linked to Mangione includes recent posts about the negative impact of smartphones on children; healthy eating and exercise habits; psychological theories; and a quote from Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti about the dangers of becoming “well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” Police report a darker turn Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by AP. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; and Michael Kunzelman in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Angel Yin was making putts from across the green and threatening to build a big lead until Jeeno Thitikul finished eagle-birdie for a 9-under 63 to share the lead Saturday going into the final round of the CME Group Tour Championship with $4 million on the line. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Angel Yin was making putts from across the green and threatening to build a big lead until Jeeno Thitikul finished eagle-birdie for a 9-under 63 to share the lead Saturday going into the final round of the CME Group Tour Championship with $4 million on the line. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Angel Yin was making putts from across the green and threatening to build a big lead until Jeeno Thitikul finished eagle-birdie for a 9-under 63 to share the lead Saturday going into the final round of the CME Group Tour Championship with $4 million on the line. Yin had a 69 after another day of big putts and one chip-in from some 60 feet for eagle on the par-5 sixth hole that put her comfortably ahead at Tiburon Golf Club. She holed a 30-footer on the eighth hole, another birdie from about 25 feet on the ninth hole and another one from the 30-foot range on the 12th. Thitikul seemed to be an afterthought until she lit it up on the back nine for a 30. The Thai started the back nine with three straight bogeys, but she made up quick ground at the end with her eagle on the reachable par-5 17th and a birdie on the closing hole. The birdie briefly gave her the lead until Yin made birdie on the 17th to join her. They were tied at 15-under 201, three shots head of Ruoning Yin, who birdied her last two for a 66. Charley Hull had seven birdies in her round of 66 and was at 11-under 205, along with Narin An of South Korea. Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was tied for 16th at 7 under after a round of 69. Nelly Korda, who got back into the mix on Friday after a sluggish start, lost ground with a 69 on a pleasant day that left her six shots back going into the final round. Korda has won four of her seven LPGA titles this year coming from behind. This could be a tall order. At stake is the richest payoff in women’s golf, $4 million to the winner, nearly as much as Korda has made all year in her seven-victory season. Thitikul already picked up a $1 million bonus this week through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, a competition based on how players score on a designated hole each week. Now she could leave Florida with a total of $5 million. “Actually, $1 million is really good enough for me,” Thitikul said. “If I can get more, it’s definitely going to be a nice, because as my team know I spend a lot of money. That’s why I have to keep playing good golf, like spending on shopping day.” Angel Yin heard plenty of cheers for her long birdie putts, and the chip-in for eagle. She also was helped by a couple of pars after bad drives. She went well to the left at No. 10, did well to blast out on a blind shot just short of the green and then got up-and-down with a pitch to 4 feet. And then on the 13th, another tee shot went well to the left. She tried to get it back in play from just in front of some bushes, and from 50 yards hit wedge to about 15 feet. She holed that putt, too, that kept her in front. “I’m scoring still,” Yin said. “Making some mistakes, but saving a bunch, so a lot of positives.” ___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf Advertisement AdvertisementRepublican Gov. Chris Sununu said that Elon Musk is “so rich” that he is “removed from the potential financial influence” when it comes to conflicts of interest related to his future work in government. In other words, Musk is too wealthy to possibly use his forthcoming government position to further enrich himself. President Donald Trump has named Musk to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), leading many to worry that the tech billionaire would funnel government funds to his own companies like SpaceX , which benefits from federal contracts to the tune of billions of dollars. But Sununu believes Musk is too flush with cash to possibly want more government money, so why would he use his position as a government regulator to benefit himself and his corporations? “One of the criticisms and the concerns is that [Musk] has billions of dollars tied up in government contracts. You don’t see a conflict of interest here?” host Dana Bash asked the outgoing New Hampshire governor during a Sunday interview on CNN’s State of the Union. “Everyone has a conflict of interest at some level,” Sununu said, brushing the question aside. “But that’s like a pretty big one,” Bash noted. “True,” Sununu said. “The guy’s worth $450 billion as of today and this month. So I don’t think he’s doing it for the money. He’s doing it for the bigger project and the bigger vision of America. He doesn’t need the dollars. He really doesn’t. So it’s not about, oh, if I get involved in this, I will get another little contract here or there. That’s nothing to him. So I like the fact that he’s — in a way, he’s so rich, he’s so removed from the potential financial influence of it.” So, according to Sununu, the richest man in the world can’t be influenced by the appeal of lucrative government contracts because he already has lots and lots of money. It’s a ridiculous argument. SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace company, has received nearly $20 billion in federal government contracts since 2008. In fiscal year 2024 alone, SpaceX raked in $3.8 billion in U.S. government contracts. Beyond that, Musk could profit from a huge personal tax break thanks to a benefit available to federal officials and his future role leading DOGE as what Trump has described as his “secretary of cost-cutting.” While Musk is raking in cash thanks to the government, millions of Americans could suffer if the Trump administration makes cuts to cornerstone entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare — benefits most working Americans have paid into since they began their careers. But Sununu isn’t worried. In fact, he says Social Security and Medicare cuts “should be on the table.” “[Cuts] should be on the table,” he said. “It doesn’t mean they have to do it tomorrow, but they at least have to think constructively. OK, we will set up a commission, we will set up guidelines, we will set up metrics.”