Today In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
The Must-Reads
Israeli defense minister warns an attack on Iran would be ‘lethal’ and ‘surprising’ Israel strikes Damascus, targeting Hezbollah weapons smuggler Iran rejects UK security official's 'accusations' against Tehran, foreign ministry says Bloomberg’s Marc Champion: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is the right target for Israel Rand Corporation’s Raphael S. Cohen: Iran’s terrible, horrible, very bad year Meeting of Western leaders on Ukraine is postponed, a setback for Kyiv EU envoys approve up to 35 billion euros contribution to G7 loan for Ukraine U.S. sees opening to sideline Hezbollah politically in Lebanon Taiwan’s President Lai says Beijing ‘has no right’ to represent Taipei Bloomberg’s Hal Brands: China’s ‘Anaconda Strategy’ is slowly choking Taiwan Philippines calls for urgency from China, ASEAN in negotiating South China Sea code Washington Institute’s Michael Knights: Embracing Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq: Pragmatism or Naiveté?In The News
Israel
For the first time in two months, President Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Wednesday in a phone conversation that focused on Israel’s plans to retaliate against Iran for a missile attack. – New York Times
Israel needs to address urgently “catastrophic conditions” among Palestinian civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip and stop “intensifying suffering” by limiting aid deliveries, its ally the United States told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday. – Reuters
Israeli forces killed five armed Palestinian fighters in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, Israeli police said. – Reuters
The United States is incredibly concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, particularly in northern Gaza, the State Department said on Wednesday, adding it is the subject of very urgent discussions between Washington and Israel. – Reuters
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Wednesday warned airlines to have strict risk monitoring procedures for flights within the airspace of Israel. – Reuters
The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees warned Wednesday that if pending Israeli legislation is adopted, all humanitarian operations in Gaza and the West Bank may “disintegrate,” leaving hundreds of thousands of people in dire need as war rages. – Associated Press
Israel’s defense minister warned Wednesday that his country’s retaliation to Iran’s recent missile attack will be “lethal” and “surprising,” as the Israeli military continued its large-scale operations in the northern Gaza Strip and a ground offensive against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. – Associated Press
IDF Arabic Spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee addressed residents of Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday in a post on X/Twitter announcing a temporary halt to military operations and urging the civilians to evacuate to the humanitarian zone in southern Gaza. – Jerusalem Post
The IDF had eliminated two key Hezbollah terrorists, Ahmad Mustafa Alhaj Ali and Muhammad Ali Hamadan, in Lebanon while operating on terrorist infrastructure, the IDF announced on Thursday morning. – Jerusalem Post
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar may be refraining from engaging in Gaza hostage talks out of a belief that a regional war is on the horizon, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller speculated on Wednesday during a conversation with reporters. – Jerusalem Post
Two people were killed in a rocket attack on the border town of Kiryat Shmona Wednesday, as Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets into northern Israel and military forces aimed heavy air and ground fire at the Lebanese terror group. – Times of Israel
Editorial: Even if they disagree on tactics, Israel must make it clear to its strongest ally why it’s deciding to make the moves it deems necessary to defeat its enemies on its borders. And Israel and the US must be united in whatever strategy is adopted to combat Iran and its proxies. Preventing Gallant from flying to Washington doesn’t help achieve that goal. – Jerusalem Post
Daniel Byman writes: The 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war’s end was inconclusive, and the situation seemed rife for renewed conflict. In fact, although both sides prepared for war, they preferred to avoid another round of disastrous conflict, leading to almost 20 years of shaky but real stability—an eternity in the Middle East. As we hope for the best, we should prepare for the worst. The risks of renewed war and worsening regional conditions are real, and even if a cease-fire is reached, we should temper our hopes for a return to normalcy in the Middle East. – Foreign Policy
Iran
As the Middle East remains on edge in anticipation of a possible retaliatory attack by Israel on Iran, the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday as part of a diplomatic tour aimed at shoring up relations with Iran’s Arab neighbors. – New York Times
The commander of the overseas arm of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards is well and will receive a medal from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei soon, the semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted a senior Guards adviser on Wednesday as saying. – Reuters
Airlines have diverted more flights over Afghanistan over the past week to avoid Iranian airspace, data shows, adding to journey times and fuel costs in the latest disruption for routes between Asia and Europe as tensions in the Middle East escalate. – Reuters
Tehran rejects “accusations” put forward by a British security official, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Wednesday, a day after UK’s MI5 spy chief said 20 Iran-backed potentially lethal plots had been disrupted in Britain since January 2022. – Reuters
Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ground operations, General Morteza Mirian, said the Islamic Republic had the ability to target any location in Israel in a video published by MEMRI on Wednesday. – Jerusalem Post
U.S. officials are denying Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s claims this week to have reached a “good understanding” with the Qatari government regarding the approximately $6 billion in Iranian funds moved to a Qatari bank as part of a hostage deal struck with the United States last year. – Jewish Insider
Marc Champion writes: To avoid doing the regime a favor, Israel’s counterstrike should avoid population centers — as Iran did at the start of this month — unless it makes symbolic attacks on the Basij and IRGC headquarters used for domestic repression. That balance would improve Israeli security, demonstrate to Iranians the risks that the IRGC’s Islamist zeal is bringing to its own country and make clear that the Jewish state’s only target is the armed wing of a hated Islamist regime. – Bloomberg
Mike Toth and Jonathan Sweet write: Iran’s day of reckoning is nearing as the Israel Defense Force refines its target lists and sets conditions — despite President Biden’s remarks, when asked by a reporter if he supported any preemptive strikes by Israel against Iran’s nuclear arsenal, “The answer is no.” Biden added that the U.S. will discuss with Israel “what it is going to do.” He also revealed that the G7 leaders with whom he spoke agree that Israel has the right to respond; but, the president clarified, “they must respond proportionately.” That topic is not likely up for discussion. For Netanyahu and his war cabinet, their national security is at stake, and they are prepared to go it alone. – The Hill
Raphael S. Cohen writes: If deterrence by punishment won’t work, then the United States and the West will need to resort to deterrence by denial—destroying Iran’s ability to attack Israel and aid its proxies. That would be hard to do, since it requires destroying significant chunks of Iran’s military capabilities rather than simply threatening to inflict pain. But if the Iranian regime seems intent on escalating, then the United States and its allies may have no other choice. And if that happens, while this year may have been a terrible one for Iran, next year might be even worse. – Foreign Policy
Russia & Ukraine
A meeting of Western leaders who support Ukraine’s war effort against Russia has been postponed after President Biden canceled his participation to deal with the impact of Hurricane Milton. – New York Times
The village of Rodnikovy in Russia’s southern Adygeya Republic region was being evacuated on Thursday morning due to a fire after a drone attack, region head Murat Kumpilov said on the Telegram messaging app. – Reuters
A Russian court on Wednesday found Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine who was freed by Russia in a 2022 prisoner swap, guilty in absentia of serving as a mercenary for Ukraine and handed him a prison sentence of 14-1/2 years. – Reuters
EU envoys agreed on Wednesday to give Ukraine up to 35 billion euros as part of the bloc’s share in a larger planned loan from the Group of Seven nations (G7) backed by frozen Russian central bank assets, a statement from the Council of the EU said. – Reuters
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will meet NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Thursday, a boost for Ukraine after a summit of its main backers was cancelled at a difficult moment in its fight against Russia. – Reuters
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that the battlefield situation ‘creates opportunity’ to take steps to end the war in Ukraine no later than 2025. – Reuters
Ukraine aims to organise a new peace summit by the end of this year and wants Russia to attend this time, its ambassador to Turkey said on Wednesday, but ruled out any direct bilateral talks with Moscow at the meeting. – Reuters
Authorities declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in a western region of Russia where Ukraine said it had struck a weapons arsenal overnight. – Reuters
To fill an urgent labor shortage in wartime Russia, the Kremlin has been recruiting women aged 18-22 from places like Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, as well as the South Asian country of Sri Lanka. The drive is expanding to elsewhere in Asia as well as Latin America. – Associated Press
Volodymyr Zelenskiy said any sign of weakness from his Western allies may embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin as he kicked off a three-day tour of European countries to rally support for his plan to end the war. – Bloomberg
The US assesses that Ukraine will be able to hold onto the territory its forces have claimed in Russia’s Kursk region for at least several months if not longer, according to senior American officials. – Bloomberg
Russia has suffered more than 600,000 casualties in the war with Ukraine, a senior U.S. defense official said Wednesday. – The Hill
Two hackers affiliated with the Russian federal security service (FSB) have been sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison in Ukraine for carrying out cyberattacks against state institutions, according to a government statement on Tuesday. – The Record
Thomas Graham writes: Ukraine must have sufficient military resources to defend the line of contact and prevent any further Russian advance westward, should Moscow decide to renew military operations against Ukraine in the years ahead. Ukraine must also develop an aerial defense system capable of providing security for its critical infrastructure and major cities. – The Hill
Hezbollah
The Biden administration is pushing to use Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah as an opening to end the militant group’s long-running dominance by electing a new Lebanese president, U.S. and Arab officials familiar with the discussions said. – Wall Street Journal
A call by the U.S. and France for a 21-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah “is still on the table,” said the top U.N. official in Lebanon on Wednesday as she pushed for a way to enforce a U.N. Security Council resolution violated for years by both sides. – Reuters
Russia’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Hezbollah was still organised and had not lost its chain of command despite strikes by Israel which Moscow said was trying to stoke an armed conflict across the Middle East. – Reuters
Hanin Ghaddar writes: UNSCR 1680. This resolution—adopted before the start of the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel war—calls for “Syria to respond positively to Lebanon’s request to delineate borders and establish diplomatic relations.” This provision is crucial today because Hezbollah cannot rebuild its arsenal without the continued flow of arms and resources from Iran via Iraq and Syria. Halting this flow requires international support for tougher border initiatives like the British effort to help the LAF safeguard the frontier with Syria. In this sense, the border with Israel cannot be fully secured until Lebanon’s other borders are secured as well. – Washington Institute
Lebanon
Hezbollah militants fired rockets at Israeli towns and fought ground battles with Israeli troops in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, as the United Nations warned that nearly a million Lebanese had fled the spreading war between Israel and Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East. – New York Times
The U.S. State Department on Wednesday warned that it would be unacceptable for Israel’s military incursion in southern Lebanon to evolve into a situation similar to its invasion of the Gaza Strip. – Reuters
Nearly 2,000 Turkish citizens and family members prepared to leave Beirut on two Turkish navy landing ships on Wednesday, evacuating from Lebanon over fears for their safety as Israel expanded its operations against Hezbollah militants. – Reuters
The U.S. is working to get Americans out of Lebanon ahead of a potential Israeli attack, White House press spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Canada will provide C$15 million ($11 million) in new humanitarian assistance to support civilians affected by conflict in Lebanon, the Canadian foreign ministry said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Middle East & North Africa
The Israeli military struck a building in Syria’s capital, targeting what it believed to be a Hezbollah official involved with smuggling weapons into Lebanon, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday, as it expands its campaign to disrupt supply lines to the militant group. – Wall Street Journal
Israel carried out airstrikes targeting an industrial site in the Syrian city of Homs and a military site in the countryside near the city of Hama leaving only “some material damage,” Syrian state TV said early on Thursday. – Reuters
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Thursday it received a report of an incident 70 nautical miles (130 km) southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, adding authorities are investigating. – Reuters
Saudi Arabia narrowly failed on Wednesday to win a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, a blow to Riyadh’s efforts to boost the country’s rights reputation abroad and four years after it was rejected in a 2020 bid to join the 47-member body. – Reuters
Algeria excluded French companies from a wheat import tender this week and required that participating firms did not offer French-origin wheat, in apparent fallout from renewed diplomatic tensions between Algiers and Paris, trading sources said. – Reuters
Korean Peninsula
South Korea has never formally accepted the division of the Korean Peninsula, which was imposed by the United States and the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. (Neither has North Korea, for that matter.) To assert its claim, the South appoints its own governors for five provinces in the North. – New York Times
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba were scheduled to hold their first summit on Thursday in Laos, Yoon’s office said, as the neighbours seek to deepen security and economic ties. – Reuters
A plan by the British government to burn biomass imported from countries including North Korea and Afghanistan has been described as “bonkers”, with critics saying it undermines the credibility of the UK’s climate strategy. – The Guardian
China
The People’s Republic of China “has no right to represent Taiwan,” Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said Thursday, delivering a forceful defense of the island’s democracy and of its integration in the international community on its National Day. – Washington Post
China’s National Bureau of Statistics said it will conduct a nationwide sample survey from Thursday to “accurately” monitor population changes and better plan economic and social policies, as authorities struggle to boost a fall in births. – Reuters
Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy will visit China next week, sources familiar with the plan said, as the new Labour government seeks less confrontational ties with the world’s second-largest economy and to resume trade and investment talks. – Reuters
From a missile discreetly ferried more than 1,000 km (620 miles) to a launch site, to the use of remote bases and satellites to track it from Hainan Island to the South Pacific, China’s September ICBM flight marked a test of operational necessity. – Reuters
China has no justification for using an annual national day speech by Taiwan as a pretext for military pressure, the United States said on Wednesday, ahead of scheduled remarks by the island’s president that Taiwan officials say Beijing is likely to follow with military drills. – Reuters
Chinese Premier Li Qiang called for deeper market integration with Southeast Asia on Thursday during annual summit talks where territorial disputes in the South China Sea are likely to be high on the agenda. – Associated Press
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign has implicated a record number of senior officials for two straight years, highlighting the risks for bureaucrats and threatening to unsettle investors already anxious about the economy. – Bloomberg
Hal Brands writes: China’s strategy is meant to constrict Taiwan physically, economically, diplomatically and psychologically, creating a sense that resistance is pointless and reunification on Beijing’s terms is inevitable […]All eyes in Beijing are now on what happens in Taiwan’s next presidential election, in 2028. If Lai or another DPP candidate wins again, Xi — whose military will then be completing its current modernization program — might conclude that coercive persuasion has failed and sharper measures are necessary. At that point, things could get really nasty in the Taiwan Strait. – Bloomberg
South Asia
India’s main opposition Congress party has complained to the election panel about concerns regarding the counting of votes in state elections in Haryana won by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it said. – Reuters
The chief minister of Pakistan’s most populous province called for “climate diplomacy” with neighbour and arch-rival India to combat smog ahead of the winter months, which are accompanied by dangerous levels of pollution in both nations. – Reuters
Pakistani authorities are seeking to curb movements of Chinese citizens during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting next week because of a security risk from militant groups targeting them, according to three security officials and an internal security note. – Reuters
One Pakistani soldier was killed in the early hours of Wednesday when a group of militants attempted to storm a paramilitary camp in the south west of the country, the military said. – Reuters
The American Sikh separatist targeted in a foiled assassination plot allegedly planned by India said that intelligence agents in New Delhi still want him dead and said that the Biden administration’s “quiet diplomacy” has failed to deter Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. – Bloomberg
Sadanand Dhume writes: On the domestic political front, India needs to insulate its large Muslim minority from radical currents. Shehla Rashid, the author of a new book about role models for Indian Muslims, said in a phone interview that Indian Shiites “ought to be encouraged to look up to successful members of their community rather than the likes of Nasrallah.” Calling out Hamas and Hezbollah may not guarantee this outcome, but it would be a step in the right direction. – Wall Street Journal
Mihir Sharma writes: The prime minister may disapprove of state parties and leaders — especially now that the Indian electorate has forced him into a coalition government where he must share power with a pair of notably mercurial regional politicians. But their electoral independence deepens Indian democracy. It allows for a constructive opposition even when there is a dominant force in federal politics. It gives states a voice. This keeps India united, not divided, and it shouldn’t be risked. – Bloomberg
Asia
China will lift a ban on Australian rock lobster imports by the end of the year, Australia’s prime minister said Thursday, as ties between the two major trading partners continue to stabilize. – Wall Street Journal
Japan’s new foreign minister raised concerns on Wednesday about stabbing attacks on Japanese nationals in China and about Chinese military activity during his first phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi since taking office last week. – Reuters
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr pressed Southeast Asian leaders and China at a regional summit on Thursday to urgently speed up negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea, while accusing Beijing of harassment and intimidation – Reuters
Human rights activists called on Filipino voters Wednesday to reject former President Rodrigo Duterte and detained televangelist Apollo Quiboloy in next year’s mid-term elections, citing the criminal allegations they’re facing. – Associated Press
New Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba dissolved the lower house of parliament Wednesday to set up an Oct. 27 snap election, asking people to trust the governing party’s policies even as critics said the vote comes far too soon. – Associated Press
Malaysia has commuted the death sentence of an ex-police guard of former premier Najib Razak, after the Southeast Asian country changed its law on capital punishment. – Bloomberg
Europe
The European Union — which Hungary joined in 2004 — has long been at odds with Mr. Orban for his right-wing nationalist stance on minority rights, immigration, the rule of law and other issues, including what Brussels sees as his sympathies for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. – New York Times
Two pro-Russian activists said that German authorities have barred them from re-entering the country where they had been operating when a Reuters investigation last year revealed their ties to the Kremlin. – Reuters
Hungary is putting European security at risk, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday in an unusually blunt speech blasting Budapest’s relationship with Russia and China. – Reuters
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Wednesday urged Britain to close a deal on the post-Brexit status of the British overseas territory of Gibraltar by Nov. 10, before new EU border controls kick in, likely creating a hard border in Gibraltar. – Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will travel to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday, two sources told Reuters on Wednesday. – Reuters
Three ethnic Serbs pleaded not guilty in a Kosovo court on Wednesday to terrorism charges in connection with a 2023 shooting attack in which gunmen infiltrating from Serbia stormed a village and shot dead a police officer. – Reuters
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will visit Moldova on Thursday for talks with pro-Western President Maia Sandu in a gesture of support ahead of the country’s Oct. 20 presidential election and EU referendum. – Reuters
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb will go on a state visit to China from Oct. 28-31 for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior government officials, the Finnish government said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Air France said Wednesday it had launched an inquiry into how a jet on a Paris-Dubai flight went over Iraq as Iranian missiles taking part in an attack on Israel went through the same airspace. – Agence France-Presse
Startups are driving growth within Finland’s defense sector after the country joined NATO last year, with companies showing upticks in revenue of between 30% and 40%, according to an industry survey by the Helsinki-based investment firm Tesi Oy. – Defense News
France kicked off the development of an air-combat drone that will serve as an unmanned wingman for the country’s Rafale fighter, part of a contract with Dassault Aviation to start work on an upgrade package for the aircraft. – Defense News
Anda Bologa writes: Voters face a clear choice: align with the EU or remain tethered to Russia. […]Remaining in Moscow’s orbit offers only stagnation and continued dependency, with Russia leveraging financial tools and disinformation to erode Moldova’s sovereignty. The risks of a failed referendum or inconclusive presidential election are considerable. Should Moldova falter in its pro-EU course, Russia would likely intensify its efforts to destabilize the country, using every available lever to prevent its neighbor from slipping away. For Brussels, a missed opportunity could signal a weakening of its influence in South-Eastern Europe, further emboldening Moscow. – Center for European Policy Analysis
Africa
The leader of the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, accused Egypt of being involved in airstrikes on the group’s troops in a recorded speech on Wednesday. – Reuters
Kenya’s senate will next week debate whether to dismiss Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, the senate speaker said on Wednesday, after the national assembly voted to impeach Gachagua. – Reuters
Democratic Republic of Congo has accused Rwanda of creating obstacles in ongoing negotiations to resolve the M23 rebel conflict in eastern Congo that has displaced more than 1.7 million people. – Reuters
Mozambique began counting votes late Wednesday in a presidential election that is expected to extend the ruling party’s 49 years in power, though the opposition was already alleging fraud and manipulation. – Associated Press
The Americas
The U.S. State Department has barred former Ecuador President Rafael Correa and former Vice President Jorge Glas from entry into the United States due to involvement in corruption, the department said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Mexico’s new President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Wednesday that she does not have plans to meet soon with her U.S. counterpart President Joe Biden, but she added that close coordination with Mexico’s top trade partner will continue. – Reuters
The death toll in a brutal gang attack last week on a small town in central Haiti has risen to 115, a local official told The Associated Press on Wednesday. – Associated Press
United States
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said he supports lowering taxes on U.S. citizens who live abroad, marking a new attempt by the former president to win support from an often-overlooked group of voters. – Wall Street Journal
Online hate against Americans of South Asian ancestry has risen steadily in 2023 and 2024 with the rise of politicians from that community to prominence, according to a report, opens new tab released on Wednesday by nonprofit group Stop AAPI Hate. – Reuters
Voting rights groups have asked a federal judge to extend Florida’s voter registration deadline ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election, citing disruptions from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. – Reuters
Brown University has rejected a proposal to divest from 10 companies that protesters say were facilitating the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. – Associated Press
Donald Trump has had as many as seven private phone calls with Vladimir Putin since leaving office and secretly sent the Russian president COVID-19 test machines during the height of the pandemic, Bob Woodward reported in his new book, “War.” – Associated Press
Former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said on Tuesday that the U.S. should consider military strikes against Iran’s key military programs. – Jewish Insider
Michael Knights writes: The United States needs to be clear-eyed about who it is meeting and why. Whether it is ultimately right or wrong to try to engage villains like Qais al-Khazali, let’s have a real debate about it, where Congress can ask questions in public and both sides of the arguments can be fully aired. Otherwise, U.S. diplomats could be the next high-profile victims to be punked by Qais al-Khazali, with history books remembering them as the folks who had the bright idea of making an Iraqi Pinochet. – Hudson Institute
Cybersecurity
OpenAI has seen a number of attempts where its AI models have been used to generate fake content, including long-form articles and social media comments, aimed at influencing elections, the ChatGPT maker said in a report on Wednesday. – Reuters
Mexico accounted for just over half of all cyber threats reported in Latin America in the first half of 2024, cybersecurity firm Fortinet said in a study. – Reuters
Three cryptocurrency companies and 15 people have been charged with engaging in widespread fraud and market manipulation following an investigation in which the FBI for the first time directed the creation of a new digital token to help authorities ferret out crime. – Reuters
National Cyber Directory Harry Coker said that the White House is focused on securing two foundational aspects of the tech landscape: how information packets are routed across the internet and computer programming languages that can be susceptible to memory-related errors. – CyberScoop
U.S. authorities have honored their commitment to put guardrails in place to limit American intelligence agencies’ access to Europeans’ personal data, the European Commission (EC) announced Wednesday. – The Record
One of the top cybersecurity officials in the U.S. said Wednesday that he was especially concerned with Chinese infiltration of the country’s critical infrastructure, as well as software supply chain risks and the continued expansion of ransomware. – The Record
Several government agencies are warning of scams related to Hurricanes Helene and Milton aimed at stealing relief funds and sensitive data. – The Record
Defense
The Army’s 18th Airborne Corps is for the first time using a battlefield capability to map road closures, cellular outages, supply needs and other data in real time to help the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Northern Command help people whose homes and communities were battered by Hurricane Helene late last month. – Defense News
Lockheed Martin is putting a software engineering specialist in charge of its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program as the current director gets set to retire. – Defense News
Growing cooperation between China and Russia is a major concern for the U.S. and its Arctic allies, the U.S. military’s top officer told USNI News on Wednesday. – USNI News
George F. Will writes: Those who say America “doesn’t make anything anymore” should see the submarines and aircraft carriers materializing here. The shipyard is 30 miles from Yorktown, where George Washington commanded the climactic battle of the war that secured America’s independence. Preservation of the nation depends heavily on what 27,000 shipbuilders do here. – Washington Post