Chinese hackers breached the email accounts belonging to top government officials, and Hollywood actors could join writers in striking. These stories and more highlight the rundown for Thursday, July 13, 2023.
Chinese hackers breach U.S. government email accounts
Microsoft email accounts belonging to top government officials and agencies have been breached by Chinese hackers, according to statements from Microsoft and the White House. Affected agencies include the State Department and the Commerce Department.
According to The Washington Post, hackers accessed the email account of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. Sources familiar with the investigation said the Chinese hackers also targeted a handful of other government officials.
The FBI had previously said Beijing has a larger hacking program than all other governments combined. The latest breach could escalate cybersecurity concerns regarding China.
“We always look at incidents such as this and seek to learn how to better protect our systems,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday, July 12. “And of course, we engage in conversation with the third-party providers about how they can better protect the systems that they provide to us.”
Russian general dismissed over criticism of leadership
A Russian general said he was dismissed after telling military leadership about the dire situation on the front lines of the war with Ukraine. Major General Ivan Popov said Russian soldiers had been stabbed in the back by the failings of military leadership.
Popov also said the Russian army lacked proper reconnaissance of enemy artillery and counter artillery systems. His criticism and subsequent dismissal comes less than three weeks after the Wagner group staged a brief but significant revolt against Russia, further demonstrating discontent within Russian fighters as the country continues the biggest land war in Europe since World War 2.
“Putin still wrongly believes that he can outlast Ukraine. He can’t believe it’s their land, their country and their future. And even after all this time, Putin still doubts our staying power,” President Joe Biden said Wednesday in his closing remarks at this week’s NATO summit. “He’s still making a bad bet that the conviction and the unity among the United States and our allies and partners will break down.”
Tornado spotted near Chicago’s O’Hare airport
A tornado was spotted near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport Wednesday night. Just behind planes on the tarmac, a funnel and dark clouds hovered in the skies, grounding nearly 700 flights as pilots waited for the powerful storm to pass through.
Homes were lost and trees and powerlines were toppled in the suburbs. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage at the airport.
Ray Epps sues Fox News over Jan. 6 charges
Among the thousands of people participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, Ray Epps became the center of a conspiracy theory accusing him of being an FBI informant, at the Capitol to incite the crowd. Several Fox News hosts ran with the story, with former primetime host Tucker Carlson often questioning why Epps hadn’t been arrested when hundreds of others had.
Epps has now sued Fox News for defamation. According to the suit, Epps was informed in May of 2023 that he faces criminal charges for his actions on Jan. 6. Epps blames the charges on “the relentless attacks by Fox and Tucker Carlson and the resulting political pressure.”
The lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of Delaware, the same court where Dominion Voting Systems sued Fox over its coverage of the 2020 presidential election. Before trial was set to begin, Fox agreed to settle that lawsuit for $787 million. Soon after, Carlson was ousted.
Hollywood actors strike looms
Hollywood actors may soon join screenwriters on the picket lines. A deadline for the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) to reach a deal with studios and streaming services passed at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday.
The SAG-AFTRA Negotiating Committee then voted unanimously to recommend a strike, which would halt Hollywood productions. Issues in the negotiations include better residuals with streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon, as well as the use of AI technology.
The looming strike cast a shadow over Wednesday’s Emmy nominations.
“There are certain streamers that have really kind of changed the way we work and the way we have work,” actress Jessica Chastain said Wednesday. “And the contracts really haven’t caught up to the innovation that’s happened.”
The Writers Guild of America has been on strike since early May of 2023. If the actors go on strike, it would be the first time since 1960 that the two guilds would be on strike at the same time.
Elon Musk creates new company “xAI”
Elon Musk has begun his next business venture. This time, he’s entering the space of artificial intelligence.
Musk said he built “xAI” with a goal to “understand reality and the true nature of the universe.” He hired researchers from Google, OpenAI and other top tech firms to be part of his initial xAI team.
According to Musk, xAI will be its own entity, separate from his other businesses like Twitter, Tesla and SpaceX. However, Musk also said the companies will work closely together.
