RSnake Report 20250110

Hello, and thanks for reading! I hope you are getting back into the swing of things after the new year. We are creeping up on 1,000 subscribers now, and keep in mind that I am currently doing no advertising for it. This has largely been growing due to word of mouth, thanks to you. So thank you for that!

Let's start on the Russian/Ukraine front, where Ukrainian forces are holding their ground and even gaining in small areas around Kursk - doing their best to hold onto that until negotiations begin. The 47th Brigade “Mahura” repelled a large-scale Russian assault in the Kursk region. In one dramatic instance, a U.S.-supplied M1126 Stryker crushed enemy forces by driving over them while its gunner-operator fired from the hatch in what looked more like a scene from a war film than real life. Meanwhile, Russia suffered heavy losses, with over three battalions' worth of equipment—including tanks and artillery—lost in a single day. This is not terribly surprising due to the fact that many of these are being dismantled for things as trivial as tires. 🤔 

On the innovation front, Ukraine’s drone warfare is rewriting the playbook. Ukrainian USVs launched FPV drones from the Black Sea to take out Russian Pantsir SAM systems. If you recall last time I speculated that this might start happening off of small boats, or subs, and here we go with proof that something of this nature is happening. It is crazy to me that that prediction turned out to be true.

Alongside these developments and more on the waterfront, the Black Widow 2 river kamikaze drones can destroy watercraft with precision, and they can lay and wait, using next to no power while they wait for a target to float by. On the air side, there was some really interesting footage of Molniya-2 and Privet-82 drones armed with TM-62 mines. These things are proving very effective and capable of clearing an entire building in one go - with only the hulk of the structure remaining.

In contrast, Russia has resorted to adding "cages" to their FPV drones—a response more desperate than innovative. This video, unfortunately, sucks, but it should give you some idea of the idea. A few problems: weight, visibility and it won’t work very well. I can see protecting the blades from trees or bugs or birds, but the entire thing? If you notice, the camera is having a hard time focusing on anything but the cage, so this would require custom optics or manually focused optics to deal with it or expose the camera outside the cope cage. But for the weight? I just don’t see the value here beyond hardening the chassis itself for very valuable ISR mission objectives. Dumb idea from the Russians.

Strategic strikes also continue to undermine Russia’s infrastructure. In Engels, a Ukrainian drone strike caused a massive fire at an oil depot, with the blaze still raging out of control and a national emergency declared. A jet fuel storage facility was also hit. Even a long-range Ukrainian drone managed to strike an aircraft repair plant near Saint Petersburg, a 1000km hit.

Another operation targeted a reconnaissance drone warehouse in Rostov, using Neptune missiles after overloading Russian air defenses with smaller drones. This was an interesting tactic I hadn’t seen before - overwhelming very expensive anti-air defenses until they are depleted with very low-cost drones. Only when they started getting through did Ukraine send the big 1900lb Neptune missiles in. Clever and even more reason anti-air defenses will need to come down in cost and increase in round-count. That said, if that round count is ever known, all the adversary has to do is plan to bring a handful more drones to bear, and they’ll win.

Adding to Ukraine’s edge, their forces are now equipped with ENVG-B night vision goggles that function in extreme conditions, including fog and sandstorms. Full footage of these augmented reality devices reveals their ability to turn soldiers into something resembling sci-fi protagonists. This tech is at least three years old, if not older, and used within special operations warfare units in the United States and potentially other NATO allies, presumably, but it is interesting to see it on the battlefield.

Briefly, in European news, in Transnistria, the slow unraveling of normal life continues. Without Russian gas, the region’s water supplies have partially failed, forcing the reintroduction of Soviet-style field kitchens. Mobile internet access is expected to disappear next as electricity deficits climb to 30%. The region feels like a living time capsule, but not the nostalgic kind.

In Middle East news, CENTCOM is putting pressure on ISIS with a series of operations in Iraq and Syria. U.S. and Iraqi airstrikes in the Hamrin Mountains targeted ISIS camps, caves, and militants firing at coalition forces. The Syrian Democratic Forces, supported by U.S. forces, captured an ISIS leader in Deir ez-Zor, striking a blow to the group’s operational capacity. Such a mess - remember that Syria’s new leadership is former ISIS, and until a few weeks ago Ahmed al-Sharaa had a $10M price on his head.

So, we rescind that at the same time that we are sponsoring attacks against him in the North? Color me confused… there is some 4D chess being played there. Which is it? Do we like the guy or not? if we do, maybe we shouldn’t be arming Kurdish rebels in the North but negotiating. Maybe that negotiation is for a new official Kurdistan, but still. My only hope here is that the new administration will be a bit more clear headed about what our goals are.

In Iran, military drills highlighted the country’s evolving air defense capabilities. Footage of the IRGC launching loitering missiles-from-box trucks reveals a strategic emphasis on mobility and readiness. These exercises come amid heightened regional tensions, with preparations clearly geared toward deterring Israeli strikes. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, newly elected President Joseph Aoun signaled a potential shift by declaring that only the state should control weapons, implying that he intends to challenge Hezbollah’s longstanding dominance. I get the sense the Lebanese have had it with Israeli attacks and have no faith in Iran’s ability to project power.

In North American news, a lot is afoot. First of all, Justin Trudeau, the PM of Canada, had officially announced his intention to Resign. Seriously, good riddance. His policies largely hurt the average wages of Canadians and pushed weird agendas that were really out of touch with what the average person in Canada wanted. Everything from sanctioning bank accounts of truckers to forcing people with the threat of jail time to use other people’s preferred pronouns. Anyway, he will not be missed.

Well over 100 companies have been added to the US list of companies that are “Chinese military companies”. Of course, some of the companies are fighting back, but I doubt that will have much effect. If they’re on there, they’re likely on there for a reason. This is where a shadowy group within the government works, by the way - CFIUS. If you attempt to supply products or services to the government, expect CFIUS to start looking into you.

Wildfires continue to devastate California, with Malibu and Pacific Palisades bearing the brunt. For anyone who has lived in California, this is nearly an annual event, though this late in the season is rare. In Malibu, the uncontrolled blaze has been worsened by LA’s slashed fire budgets, a decision that has left the region ill-prepared for such disasters, but it’s also clear this will become a political talking point similar to what happened in Lahina. Pacific Palisades, once synonymous with wealth and comfort, now lies in ruins, with up to 75% of the neighborhood reportedly destroyed. Needless to say, the FAA is a bit annoyed about citizens flying their drones overhead to get that extra sick shot for their Instagram feed or whatever. There is an investigation ongoing regarding a mid-air collision between a drone and a firefighter plane.

On a completely unrelated front, a Wagner mercenary was arrested in Texas after crossing the border from Mexico on foot. Carrying $4,000, two passports, and a drone, this individual adds another layer to the complex security challenges facing the U.S. So, yes, the southern border is a real issue, not a make-believe one. But we have terrorists here at home, too. For some reason, the US government has decided to stop prosecuting people for inciting violence - case in point, an Imam in Michigan saying that killing Jews is a win-win situation. I am really looking forward to the new administration’s take on this because the old administration is doing nothing.

A few other government things of note - the first is that the US FCC has released a new “Cyber Trust Mark” that it will presumably use on items it believes are safe from foreign interference. Zero details on what that actually means, so we will be watching that one, but here is another article on it. Also, the US House of Representatives has voted to sanction the ICC for attempting to arrest the Israeli Prime Minister.

In Tech News, Facebook is pivoting toward less centralized control, ditching its censorship system to favor community notes and relocating its content moderation team to Texas (another article about it). This is very similar to the moves that X is using, and in fact, Mark even mentions their Community Notes feature as a model. Honestly, I think he has He wanted to make this move for a while and even said that the last administration forced him to take actions he wouldn’t have otherwise. In this short video, he mentions censorship several times, using phrases like “accidentally censor” and “too much censorship." So if anyone ever claims that social media companies aren’t censoring people, and it’s freedom of speech, not freedom of reach, please feel free to smack them upside the head and see if you can jump-start some brain cells again. The only thing I really don’t like about this is that it took until now for them to realize that censorship is not a good policy for a platform like Facebook and Instagram. If it’s not illegal, it should be allowed, with NSFW filters for kids, etc.

Meanwhile, a massive breach of Gravy Analytics—a location data broker—has exposed millions of mobile data points across the U.S., Europe, and Russia, raising serious privacy concerns. Matt Johansen did a good write-up here in his newsletter. Adding insult to injury, over 3,455 Android apps have been implicated in leaking user data to such brokers. There are likely many more; this is just what they found. Also, PowerSchool - software that is used by many K-12 schools - was compromised. The data stolen includes detailed information for minors in something like 16,000 schools. I spoke with an insurance broker about this breach, and they said that this could have ongoing lawsuits that they have to backstop for years to come, and it terrifies them from the claim’s potential.

In more futuristic news, a toroidal propeller design promises to make drones whisper-quiet, paving the way for scalable, passenger-carrying models, but also has a lot of advantages for smaller military FPV drones that need to sneak up on opposing troops.

NVIDIA’s ACE system also made headlines by introducing AI-driven NPCs capable of behaving like human players, marking a potential revolution in gaming. The NPC learns from previous play and becomes better and better at combat. There are some other very interesting examples in that thread. Reminds me a bit of this new social platform where you are just talking to your robot followers all day.

Finally, the tech world is buzzing with debates surrounding incest allegations against Sam Altman by his sister Annie as his legal battles become a public spectacle. This has been around for quite a while but not made it to this level until now. $75k an open trial lawsuit sounds a lot less of a money grab than a determined effort to drag the algorithm out into the public eye. This reminds me a little of the Gawker case where Hulk Hogan’s feeds were paid by Peter Thiel. A small part of me thinks that maybe some other big company or hyper-wealthy AI investor who has a dislike for OpenAI (someone like Elon Musk) who wants to see the inner workings of OpenAI might be fronting any and all legal expenses to that end while dragging Sam Altman through the mud in the process.

I would like to briefly comment on the point about the alleged shadowbanning of Annie Altman. It is true that ChatGPT will not help you do research on this issue without a ton of work and extra prompting. It will give you the same boilerplate response over and over. And this isn’t just some recent issue. It has been like this since I tweeted about it back in May - though the boilerplate text has evolved. It should be noted that if you look carefully, the text isn’t actually a cut and paste, so there is some process running atop whatever boilerplate response to make it look slightly different. Note the last paragraph has a few extra words in the first sentence. Even if there is some bug here that affects more than just Sam Altman’s case, it sure doesn’t look good. Try it for yourself!

Okay, onto the articles!

On January 6, 2025, Vice President Kamala Harris presided over a joint session of Congress that certified Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election. This event took place four years after the January 6 insurrection, marking a return to the normal electoral certification process without objections from lawmakers. Trump, who recently faced criminal charges related to the events surrounding the 2020 election, will be sworn in as president on January 20, 2025, with Republicans holding control of both houses of Congress.

• Kamala Harris certified Donald Trump's election victory during a joint session of Congress.

• The certification marked a significant contrast to the violent insurrection that occurred on January 6, 2021.

[RSnake: How humiliating. Also, some of the memes are quite funny.]

Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/congress-meets-certify-trumps-2024-election-victory/story?id=117380065

Russia plans to relocate 5,000 schoolchildren from occupied Luhansk Oblast to Russian territories as part of a program aimed at reinforcing cultural assimilation. This initiative follows previous deportations of Ukrainian children under the guise of educational activities, which have been condemned internationally as acts that could constitute genocide under international law.

• Russia is relocating 5,000 schoolchildren from occupied Luhansk Oblast to Russia.

• Previous deportations of 40,000 Ukrainian children have occurred for similar purposes.

[RSnake: That’s pretty bad. If there was ever a cause to be mad at Russia, this might be it. Seriously unwise. People hate when children are abducted and/or mistreated.]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=313900

A Ukrainian F-16 pilot successfully intercepted and destroyed six Russian cruise missiles during a single mission, a historic achievement in aerial defense. This event occurred amid a significant Russian attack involving numerous missiles and drones, showcasing the effectiveness of Western technology combined with Ukrainian tactical innovation.

• A Ukrainian F-16 pilot made history by destroying six cruise missiles in one mission.

• This achievement demonstrates the operational capabilities of Ukrainian forces using Western military technology.

[RSnake: The F16 got a lot of flak from Russian propagandists for not being advanced enough for the modern battlefield and not being an acceptable airframe to handle the austere conditions of the Ukrainian front. You make up your own mind.]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=313863

China has a significant lead in space-based surveillance capabilities, operating at least 245 defense and spy satellites compared to India's 26, which affects military intelligence and reconnaissance operations in the Indo-Pacific region. The effectiveness of these satellites is evident in ongoing regional tensions, particularly between India and China, as new satellite images have revealed military escalations and infrastructure developments along their shared border.

• China's Yaogan series of satellites plays a crucial role in global espionage and military surveillance.

• India is significantly behind China in satellite capabilities, impacting its strategic military positioning.

[RSnake: China will use whatever it can. Satellites, balloons, SIGINT from tapping connections, etc. It’s full-on spy operations coming from them.]

Source: https://www.eurasiantimes.com/?p=207397

Wildfires are currently ravaging parts of Southern California, leading to widespread evacuations and significant destruction in multiple neighborhoods, including celebrity enclaves. The situation has resulted in at least five fatalities and extensive property damage, with communities bracing for further impacts as high winds complicate firefighting efforts.

• Southern California is experiencing catastrophic wildfires that have led to mass evacuations.

• Communities are suffering severe loss as homes are destroyed and the situation remains volatile due to weather conditions.

[RSnake: If you know anyone from there, please give them a call and check in on them.]

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/sunset-tower-hotel-a-hollywood-hotspot-fills-up-with-evacuees/articleshow/117101340.cms

In Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro is set to be inaugurated for a third term amidst significant opposition protests, with key regional leaders boycotting the event due to allegations of undemocratic practices. Opposition leader María Corina Machado continues to call for demonstrations against Maduro's government, which faces international scrutiny for human rights abuses and electoral fraud. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts in the region related to Venezuela's political instability appear to have stalled, even as pressure mounts on Maduro from both within and outside the country.

• Nicolás Maduro's inauguration is met with protests and boycotts from regional leaders.

• Opposition leader María Corina Machado is rallying protests against Maduro amid claims of election fraud.

[RSnake: I can’t figure out if his people are really buying his rhetoric or if he has rigged the election. She clearly thinks there has been some electoral fraud, but I haven’t heard much about that other than that, so my guess is his people actually like the conditions they’re in and think they’re preferable to life without government intervention and radical inflation. The mind boggles at what people will put up with. It’s just a matter of time before they look at Nayib Bukele’s actions and start going, “Hey, could our country be like that one?”]

Source: https://foreignpolicy.com/?p=1183523

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has completed the B61-12 Life Extension Program, modernizing a key component of the U.S. nuclear arsenal for at least 20 more years. This upgrade enhances the bomb's precision and reduces yield, reflecting a strategic shift in U.S. nuclear deterrence capabilities. The NNSA is now transitioning to the development of the next-generation B61-13 bomb, which will have a significantly higher yield and is scheduled for production in 2026.

• The B61-12 program represents a significant modernization effort of the U.S. nuclear stockpile.

• The transition to the B61-13 bomb signals ongoing enhancements in U.S. nuclear deterrent capabilities.

[RSnake: I don’t think air-dropped nuclear weapons are of much use in the modern environment, but it is good that they are serviced purely as a deterrent.]

Source: https://sofrep.com/?p=211872

The U.S. Navy plans to invest $1 trillion in a 30-year shipbuilding initiative to grow its fleet amidst increasing maritime competition with China, which currently has the largest naval fleet. The Navy's shipbuilding budget has seen a significant increase, with plans for 85 new ships designed to enhance capabilities to match strategic demands, particularly in the Western Pacific.

• The Navy aims to increase its fleet from 296 to 381 manned ships by 2045.

• China's rapid expansion in naval capabilities has prompted the U.S. to reassess its shipbuilding strategy.

[RSnake: It’s not enough, but I’ll take it. The real problem will be finding the qualified mariners to man those vessels. This isn’t like taking any old guy on the dock and throwing them in the boiler room.]

Source: https://news.usni.org/?p=114076

The United States has accused Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing genocide and has imposed sanctions targeting RSF leaders. The situation in Sudan has resulted in thousands of deaths due to ongoing violence and humanitarian crises, while international organizations are struggling to provide aid to affected civilians.

• The US has determined that RSF and allied militias have committed genocide against specific ethnic groups.

• Sanctions have been announced against RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and seven RSF-owned companies in the UAE.

[RSnake: It looks like we want to support the RSF. Likely because they are pushing back against Russia.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/7/us-says-sudans-rsf-committed-genocide-announces-sanctions-on-leaders?traffic_source=rss

The global battery supply chain faces a critical issue with forced labor and child labor, affecting an estimated 75% of the world's supply chains, and efforts to address this problem are ongoing.

• The proliferation of forced labor and child labor in battery supply chains is a significant concern due to the involvement of major players in the industry.

• Efforts to end forced and child labor in battery supply chains are ongoing, with some companies taking proactive steps to monitor and evaluate suppliers.

[RSnake: If China sanctions us and won’t ship us EV batteries, it will only be their own population that is suffering for their batteries. Weird world we live in.]

Source: https://www.supplychainbrain.com/articles/40948-podcast-fighting-the-scourge-of-forced-labor-in-the-battery-supply-chain

A new malware known as PhishWP has been discovered that hijacks e-commerce checkout processes on WordPress sites, impersonating legitimate payment processing services like Stripe to steal sensitive user payment information. The malicious plug-in, created by Russian cybercriminals, employs deceptive tactics including customizable fake interfaces and instant data transmission to attackers via Telegram, enabling rapid exploitation of stolen data.

• PhishWP can simulate legitimate payment gateways to trick victims into providing personal payment information.

• The malware sends stolen data directly to cybercriminals in real time, facilitating immediate fraudulent activity.

[RSnake: Interesting. I have long thought that something like this would eventually exist. Stripe is only secure if it isn’t removed and replaced by something that isn’t. Honestly, I’m a little glad this exists because otherwise, it would be hard to explain to people why you cannot just trust a platform because it doesn’t host the credit card processing itself. It’s a good use case.]

Source: https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/phishwp-plugin-hijacks-wordpress-e-commerce-checkouts

A U.S. Army soldier, Cameron John Wagenius, has been arrested for allegedly hacking telecommunications companies and unlawfully transferring confidential phone records, including those of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. This case is part of a broader investigation into a series of cybercrimes and breaches involving major firms, raising alarms about insider threats and cybersecurity vulnerabilities in military and government contexts.

• Cameron John Wagenius has been charged with unlawfully transferring confidential phone records as part of a larger cybercrime investigation.

• His activities include hacking into telecommunications companies and selling stolen sensitive information, posing significant risks to national security.

[RSnake: Some people really do have no morals/scruples. That is why having such access at all is incredibly dangerous.]

Source: https://sofrep.com/?p=211845

Amit Yoran, a renowned cybersecurity executive, has passed away after an almost one-year battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy as a visionary leader and mentor. He led several major cybersecurity companies, including Tenable, RSA Security, and NetWitness, and was also the founding director of the US Department of Homeland Security's US-CERT program. His contributions to the industry were widely acknowledged by former colleagues and peers.

• Amit Yoran was a cybersecurity executive who led several major companies, including Tenable, RSA Security, and NetWitness.

• Yoran was also the founding director of the US Department of Homeland Security's US-CERT program.

[RSnake: Very sad. I spoke with his brother, and he says the outpouring was enormous.]

Source: https://www.darkreading.com/cloud-security/amit-yoran-tenable-passes-away

Researchers have developed a new type of attack on speaker identification systems that can effectively mislead models while preserving speaker characteristics, improving the attack success rate.

• The proposed DiffAttack approach exploits a diffusion-based voice conversion model to generate adversarial fake audio with distinct target speaker attribution.

• The attack improves the attack success rate compared to vanilla DiffVC and other methods.

[RSnake: Interesting. There are a few uses for this - the obvious one mentioned is bad attribution - you think it’s Joe Bob, and the model thinks it’s the president. Alternatively, you are hearing one thing, and the model is hearing something different. You think it’s safe to feed it into your model, but it has a malicious payload underneath.]

Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.05127

CrowdStrike has received FedRAMP authorization for three modules that allow U.S. government agencies to securely manage cyber threats. This authorization enables government entities to enhance their security capabilities and protect against advanced cyberattacks and threats from nation-state adversaries.

• CrowdStrike offers key security technologies authorized for use by U.S. government agencies.

• The FedRAMP authorization helps agencies streamline operations and comply with critical security mandates.

[RSnake: Kinda funny that this happens after their massive DoS event. But good for them. This will go a long way to being able to take down tons of government services. 😆  I kid, I kid! That’s the last joke I make at their expense. For today.]

Source: https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/crowdstrike-achieves-fedramp-authorization-for-new-modules

Eagerbee backdoor deployed against Middle Eastern government organizations and ISPs, utilizing a Windows injection technique, collecting system information and establishing connections with command-and-control servers.

• The Eagerbee malware framework is being used to breach government organizations and ISPs in the Middle East, potentially linked to the CoughingDown threat group.

• The attacks involve deploying an injector to load a payload file into memory, which collects system information and establishes connections with command-and-control servers.

[RSnake: Hm, malware coming out of other nation state actors. I wonder if this is Iran or China trying to understand what is going on with the governments of their West. Keep in mind China has not been nice to Muslims, so they may have a vested interest in keeping very close tabs on their Western front.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/eagerbee-backdoor-deployed-against-middle-eastern-govt-orgs-isps/

A cyber-espionage campaign targeting Japanese government entities and politicians has been linked to the Chinese state-backed hacking group MirrorFace, which has been active since 2019. The group employs sophisticated methods to exploit vulnerabilities in networking equipment and has focused on stealing sensitive information related to Japan's advanced technologies and national security.

• MirrorFace hackers have targeted Japanese government and political entities since 2019, primarily to steal advanced technology and gather intelligence.

• The hacking group uses various malware and tactics, including phishing emails and exploitation of software vulnerabilities, to maintain long-term access to compromised networks.

[RSnake: There we go - that’s more like China. I am surprised that we haven’t come up with a better strategy for China’s hacking. Doing nothing hasn’t worked out so well.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/mirrorface-hackers-targeting-japanese-govt-politicians-since-2019/

Ibrahim AlHusseini, a venture capitalist involved in green energy, has been arrested on suspicion of securities fraud, with allegations that he defrauded investors out of $150 million. He transferred substantial amounts of money to Saudi Arabia to avoid debts while facing legal issues related to his financial dealings with the progressive banking app Aspiration.

• Ibrahim AlHusseini has been accused of defrauding investors involving a significant amount of money linked to a financial technology company.

• There is ongoing scrutiny regarding the practices of the company involved, which has faced allegations of misleading customers about its sustainability commitments.

Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-green-investor-climate-change-activist-charged-with-securities-fraud

Nvidia showcased its new GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs, featuring advanced AI capabilities and significant improvements in processing power. The company also announced the Nvidia Cosmos platform for robotics development and introduced various AI foundation models to support LLM development, along with the DRIVE Hyperion AV platform for autonomous vehicles, partnering with major automotive manufacturers.

• Nvidia introduced the GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs with advanced AI processing capabilities.

• The company unveiled its Nvidia Cosmos platform for robotics and announced new models for AI development supporting autonomous vehicles.

[RSnake: The little desktop supercomputer looks cool - especially for developing custom models. If I had an extra $3k to throw at it, I just might. I do wonder if these can be clustered together like the Apple devices can. Another article from Mashable here.]

Source: https://mashable.com/article/nvidia-ces-2025-live-keynote-everything-announced

TikTok is currently facing a potential ban in the United States while also dealing with legal issues in at least 20 other countries due to its connections to China and concerns over its influence. Recent events include a fine from Russia for not removing prohibited content and a year-long ban in Albania following a violent incident linked to the app. Despite this scrutiny, TikTok maintains a large global user base, with over a billion monthly active users.

• TikTok is challenging a potential US ban and has been involved in legal battles in multiple countries.

• Governments worldwide are concerned about TikTok's influence and connection to China.

[RSnake: Looks like the Supreme Court is siding towards the ban. ⏲️ ]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/09/technology/tiktok-ban-global-legal-battles.html

Honda and Renesas have signed an agreement to develop a high-performance system-on-chip (SoC) intended for software-defined vehicles (SDVs). The SoC will provide advanced AI capabilities and improved power efficiency for Honda's upcoming electric vehicle series, the Honda 0 Series, planned for the late 2020s.

• The SoC will deliver AI performance of 2,000 TOPS and power efficiency of 20 TOPS/W.

• It will utilize advanced semiconductor technologies to optimize vehicle functions such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and Automated Driving.

[RSnake: Cool - I can see this tech, not theirs necessarily, but the concept. I have been talking about the need for such a thing for a while, especially in concert with drive statistics, component analysis, etc.]

Source: https://thereadable.co/honda-and-renesas-sign-agreement-to-develop-high-performance-soc-for-software-defined-vehicles/

BrainChip has introduced the Akida Edge AI Box, a compact AI/ML processing platform designed for various industries including manufacturing, retail, and healthcare. The device leverages energy-efficient, event-based neural processing, enabling on-chip learning without reliance on cloud computing, thus improving privacy and data security.

• BrainChip's Akida Edge AI Box supports a range of applications by utilizing event-based neural processing.

• The technology allows for efficient on-device learning, enhancing real-time decision-making capabilities.

[RSnake: Think of the AI on a chip for cars and this combined.]

Source: https://thereadable.co/brainchip-unveils-edge-ai-box-partner-ecosystem-for-gestures-cybersecurity-image-recognition-and-computer-vision/

A startup named Flawless is using AI technology to edit film dialogue, allowing for the replacement of profanity to secure more favorable ratings from film boards. This innovation is part of a larger trend in Hollywood towards integrating AI in filmmaking, particularly in response to recent regulations concerning digital alterations and performer rights due to rising concerns over the impact of generative AI. Flawless has developed tools that comply with industry standards while aiming to transform production processes and content delivery.

• Flawless is developing AI tools to modify film dialogue, enabling studios to meet rating requirements.

• Recent regulations in Hollywood demand explicit consent for digital alterations, fostering opportunities for startups like Flawless.

[RSnake: Lol - wow. Well, I guess there is a market for whitewashing content. The better version of this is modifying the plot or making more characters or removing characters you dislike, etc.]

Source: https://thenextweb.com/news/ai-startup-flawless-edits-hollywood-movies-dubbing-actors

A large-scale study conducted in Germany shows that artificial intelligence (AI) significantly improves breast cancer screening detection rates among women aged 50-69. The study indicates a 17.6% increase in detection capability without raising the false positive rate, suggesting potential for AI to alleviate shortages in radiologists and streamline screening processes.

• AI improves breast cancer detection rates by 17.6% over traditional methods.

• The use of AI can help manage the workload of radiologists.

[RSnake: Impressive. And it will get better. The issue has been historically that there just isn’t that much information to use to train it, but now that companies are realizing they need to keep all the images they can to train over time, they can start building this. Basically, save all the breast photos you can (I know how that sounds), and over time, if they end up with cancer,, you can roll back the footage and see where you should have caught it, and re-train the AI.]

Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-large-scale-study-shows-ai-significantly-helps-breast-cancer-screening

An investigation has been launched into 2.56 million Tesla vehicles due to crashes associated with the 'Actual Smart Summon' feature, which allows remote parking through a smartphone app. Complaints have been filed regarding incidents where the feature failed to detect obstacles, resulting in accidents with no time for drivers to react.

• NHTSA is investigating 2.56 million Tesla vehicles for crashes related to the Actual Smart Summon feature.

• Multiple complaints allege that the feature fails to detect obstacles, leading to accidents.

[RSnake: This is poorly worded. 2.56 million vehicles were not in crashes. Though if the wrong software got pushed to them that is a real possibility. This is one of the reasons I do not trust autonomous vehicles. Think of them as one of the largest mass-effect weapons in the world. Similar to the pagers Hezbollah had, only way way more widespread.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=2941596

Kevin O'Leary is pursuing the acquisition of TikTok's U.S. assets, contingent on assistance from President-elect Trump, as the platform faces a federal ban in the United States. O'Leary emphasizes the significance of this acquisition in protecting the privacy of American users and promoting a secure and innovative platform that prioritizes individuals over algorithms.

• Kevin O'Leary wants to purchase TikTok to protect user privacy.

• The sale is necessary to avoid the federal ban on TikTok in the U.S.

[RSnake: I can easily see this happening. In case you are wondering in which way this ends up going, in 2017, he campaigned to be the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. So I can go out on a limb here and say that this will end up being an open-idea-friendly platform similar to X and what Facebook says it is trying to become.]

Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-oleary-says-he-wants-to-buy-tiktok-needs-trumps-help-as-ban-looms

In 2024, startups in Silicon Valley secured over 57% of global venture capital funding, totaling $90 billion out of $178 billion. The Bay Area's ongoing strength is attributed to its dominance in artificial intelligence and the presence of major tech companies, attracting a high concentration of skilled engineers and entrepreneurs, which facilitates startup development.

• Silicon Valley startups received $90 billion in venture capital funding in 2024.

• The Bay Area continues to be a fertile ground for AI startups due to its significant tech ecosystem.

[RSnake: Sure, but there are no liquidity events happening. Until that happens, venture financing is going to be hamstrung. Speaking from experience here. The money is there, it’s just spoken for at the moment.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=2941030

The Federal Trade Commission and New York's attorney general have filed a lawsuit against Handy, alleging that the platform made deceptive claims about worker earnings and failed to disclose fees, resulting in significant financial losses for workers. Handy has agreed to a settlement of $2.95 million to refund affected workers and must provide clearer information regarding earnings and fees in the future.

• The FTC and NY attorney general allege Handy made inflated claims about earnings.

• Handy will pay $2.95 million to refund harmed workers and must clarify its pay practices.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=2941440

In China, venture capitalists (VCs) are aggressively pursuing personal assets of startup founders who fail to return investments as the country's economy experiences difficulties. This shift is leading to increased pressure on entrepreneurs, some of whom are finding themselves on debtor blacklists that prevent them from traveling, which may adversely affect the startup landscape in the country.

• Chinese VCs are enforcing redemption clauses against failed startup founders.

• Founders may face travel restrictions and financial penalties due to this trend.

[RSnake: Make money or go broke. That’s a hell of a way to encourage entrepreneurship. Lol. As if being an innovator wasn’t already daunting enough, now you know you’ll lose everything if you don’t make it work.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=2941455

Meta is revising its content moderation policies, allowing for increased political discourse while also facing internal backlash over its recent appointment of UFC's Dana White to its board. Employees expressed frustration at the deletion of critical comments regarding the appointment, citing concerns about the company's new direction and the impact of past controversies surrounding members of the board.

• Meta's content moderation policy changes aim to reduce oversight on political discussion across its platforms.

• Employees are reacting negatively to internal censorship of dissenting opinions regarding leadership decisions.

[RSnake: Yeah, Dana White. You heard that right. That is a big credibility hire right there about their intentions.]

Source: https://gizmodo.com/?p=2000547073

Anthropic is negotiating a new funding round that could value the company at $60 billion and raise an additional $2 billion, amidst a resurgence of funding for AI start-ups. This comes on the heels of substantial investments into other AI firms, including OpenAI, which recently raised $6.6 billion at a $157 billion valuation. The interest from investors in AI technology is reviving after a period of cooling despite concerns raised by various stakeholders about risks associated with the technology.

• Anthropic is aiming to complete a funding round that may further increase its valuation significantly.

• A resurgence in investor interest is evident as several AI companies secure large investments despite previous concerns.

[RSnake: Wow - these sky-high valuations are pretty crazy. That said, Anthropic really is ahead on coding for the moment. I don’t see that moat lasting long, but for now, they’re ahead. That said, they have an advantage which is that they get to see guys like me saying, “No, that code sucks,” or “Yep, you got it right,” and they have maybe a million people using it in that way. That’s a lot of helpful feedback for training.]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/07/technology/anthropic-ai-funding.html

Port workers in the United States are engaged in negotiations regarding the implementation of automation at various terminals, with the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) pushing back against increased automation that they argue displaces jobs and threatens their employment. There are discussions about the costs and implications of automation on the labor force and the impact this could have on the supply chain and consumer prices, especially in light of union leadership wanting to secure language in contracts that protects existing jobs amidst ongoing technological advancements.

• Port workers are currently striking over automation issues at U.S. ports.

• Negotiations involve the balance between labor protection and technological advancements in the shipping industry.

[RSnake: I don’t see this getting put to bed, but maybe we can delay it a bit with some minor concessions. The question is how do we deal with these port workers over the long term?]

Source: https://gcaptain.com/?p=220000

US Steel and Nippon Steel are suing the Biden administration over the rejection of their proposed $15 billion merger, claiming the decision violated their right to a fair review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The lawsuit alleges political motivations behind the merger's block, with the companies arguing that it hinders U.S. competitiveness in the steel industry, particularly against China. The situation is complicated further by the upcoming U.S. presidential election, with both major party candidates expressing opposition to foreign ownership of American companies.

• US Steel and Nippon Steel filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration for blocking their $15 billion merger.

• The lawsuit claims political motivations influenced the decision, potentially affecting U.S. competitiveness in the steel market.

[RSnake: Good. It was a dumb move, anyway. This isn’t military steel, and we retain the foundries anyway.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/1/6/us-steel-nippon-sue-biden-administration-over-decision-to-block-merger?traffic_source=rss

Shell has launched its new floating production facility in the Gulf of Mexico, reaching first oil after seven and a half years of development. This facility is designed for enhanced efficiency and lower emissions, aiming for peak production of 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and is a joint venture with Chevron.

• The Whale facility is located 200 miles south of Houston, operating in over 8,600 feet of water depth.

• The project showcases significant advancements in offshore energy production, with a focus on reducing greenhouse gas intensity.

[RSnake: I am surprised the Biden administration is allowing this given their latest edict about making more of the ocean a “preserve.” We’ll see how this plays out.]

Source: https://gcaptain.com/?p=220204