US authorities, including the Commerce Department and the FBI, are investigating Baicells Technologies, a telecom hardware company with ties to China, over potential security risks. Founded by former Huawei executives, Baicells has supplied telecom equipment to 700 networks across the US since opening its North American branch in 2015. The investigations focus on national security concerns, particularly around the company’s Chinese origins and its equipment’s potential vulnerability to espionage. The FBI’s interest in Baicells goes back to 2019, and recent reports suggest that the Pentagon has added the company to a list of entities connected to China’s military.
While Baicells has denied any wrongdoing and pledged full cooperation with US authorities, the company faces mounting scrutiny amid fears that Chinese-made telecom equipment could be used for surveillance or cyber attacks. In particular, base stations and routers provided by Baicells have been flagged for vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to compromise sensitive networks. The FBI has already contacted local US entities, such as the city of Las Vegas, to raise security concerns regarding Baicells’ technology.
Despite Baicells’ claims that it no longer has ties to its Chinese parent company, its history and ownership structure continue to raise doubts. Many of its top executives and a significant portion of its staff have links to Huawei, further fueling suspicions about the company’s operations. In recent years, Baicells has attempted to distance itself from its Chinese roots, stating that its infrastructure is increasingly built in Taiwan, though much of its equipment still originates from China. The ongoing investigations highlight the broader concerns in Washington about the risks posed by Chinese-linked technology in critical infrastructure.
Reports of an Instagram outage in the United Statesdropped significantly on Wednesday morning, indicating that the issue has been mostly resolved. According to Downdetector.com, which tracks service disruptions, the number of reported incidents fell from over 11,000 earlier in the day to just 619 by 9:32 a.m. ET.
Meta, the parent company of Instagram, did not respond to requests for comment regarding the cause of the disruption. Last year, Meta’s platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp, experienced multiple outages, including a widespread global disruption in March.
Downdetector compiles outage data based on user-submitted reports, meaning the actual number of affected users may vary. Despite the initial surge in reports, the swift decline suggests that normal service has been restored for most Instagram users.
President Joe Biden is preparing to introduce a new executive order aimed at strengthening cybersecurity standards for federal agencies and contractors. The proposed measures address growing threats from Chinese-linked cyber operations and criminal cyberattacks, which have targeted critical infrastructure, government emails, and major telecom firms. Under the draft order, contractors must adhere to stricter secure software development practices and provide documentation to be verified by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
The order highlights vulnerabilities exposed by recent cyber incidents, including the May 2023 breach of US government email accounts, attributed to Chinese hackers. New guidelines will also focus on securing access tokens and cryptographic keys, which were exploited during the attack. Contractors whose security practices fail to meet standards may face legal consequences, with referrals to the attorney general for further action.
While experts like Tom Kellermann of Contrast Security support the initiative, some criticise the timeline as insufficient given the immediate threats posed by adversaries like China and Russia. Brandon Wales of SentinelOne views the order as a continuation of efforts across the past two administrations, emphasising the need to enhance existing cybersecurity frameworks while addressing a broad range of threats.
The order underscores Biden’s commitment to cybersecurity as a pressing national security issue. It comes amid escalating concerns about foreign cyber operations and aims to solidify protections for critical US systems before the transition to new leadership.
Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk is strengthening its collaboration with a United States tech firm Valo Health to develop new treatments for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases using artificial intelligence and human data. The agreement, originally signed in 2023, has been expanded to cover up to 20 drug candidates, nearly doubling the initial scope of 11 treatments.
The expansion comes as Novo seeks to maintain its competitive edge in the booming obesity drug market, expected to be worth $150 billion in the next decade. A recent clinical trial for its weight-loss drug candidate, CagriSema, delivered underwhelming results, increasing pressure to develop a successor to its best-selling drug, Wegovy. Rival pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly is also pushing forward with its own obesity treatments, intensifying the race for dominance in the sector.
Under the revised deal, Valo Health will receive up to $190 million in near-term payments and milestone payments of around $4.6 billion, significantly increasing its earnings potential compared to the original agreement, which offered up to $2.7 billion. Novo hopes the collaboration will lead to groundbreaking therapies that extend the health benefits of weight-loss drugs beyond obesity treatment.
Cyberattacks on Taiwan’s government departments doubled in 2024, reaching an average of 2.4 million attacks per day, according to the island’s National Security Bureau. Most of the attacks were attributed to Chinese cyber forces, with key targets including telecommunications, transportation, and defence. The report highlighted the increasing severity of China’s hacking activities, noting that many of the attacks were timed to coincide with Chinese military drills around Taiwan.
Taiwan has long accused Beijing of using cyberwarfare as part of broader “grey-zone harassment” efforts, which also include military exercises and surveillance balloons. The latest report detailed how China’s cyber forces employed advanced hacking techniques, such as distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and social engineering, in an attempt to steal confidential government data. These attacks were aimed at disrupting Taiwan’s infrastructure, including highways and ports, and gaining strategic advantages in politics, military affairs, and technology.
China has not responded to the allegations, though it routinely denies involvement in hacking operations. However, Taiwan’s findings come amid growing international concerns over Chinese cyber activities, with the United States recently accusing Chinese hackers of stealing sensitive documents from the US Treasury Department. Taiwan’s government has warned that Beijing’s cyber threats are intensifying and pose a growing risk to national security.
Eskom has reconnected the second unit of the Koeberg nuclear power plant to South Africa’s grid following a significant refurbishment, providing a welcome boost to electricity supply. This achievement follows a decade marked by controlled power outages, which have finally given way to nine months of uninterrupted electricity, improving business confidence in the country.
Located near Cape Town, Koeberg remains Africa’s sole commercial nuclear power plant, generating approximately 1,860 megawatts, or 5% of the nation’s electricity. Eskom’s CEO, Dan Marokane, highlighted Koeberg’s role in aligning economic and environmental goals, promoting a sustainable energy future.
In a move to extend the plant’s longevity, the nuclear regulator approved a 20-year extension of Unit 1’s operating licence in July. A similar decision for Unit 2 is anticipated by 2025, underscoring South Africa’s commitment to maintaining and expanding its nuclear energy resources.
Looking ahead, South Africa plans to add 2,500 megawatts of nuclear capacity. Efforts to revive the development of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor, abandoned over a decade ago, are also under consideration as the nation explores innovative energy solutions.
A series of intrusions targeting Chrome browser extensions has compromised multiple companies since mid-December, experts revealed. Among the victims is Cyberhaven, a California-based data protection company. The breach, confirmed by Cyberhaven on Christmas Eve, is reportedly part of a larger campaign aimed at developers of Chrome extensions across various industries.
Cyberhaven stated it is cooperating with federal law enforcement to address the issue. Browser extensions, commonly used to enhance web browsing, can also pose risks when maliciously altered. Cyberhaven’s Chrome extension, for example, is designed to monitor and secure client data within web-based applications.
Experts identified other compromised extensions, including those involving AI and virtual private networks. Jaime Blasco, cofounder of Texas-based Nudge Security, noted that the attacks appear opportunistic, aiming to harvest sensitive data from numerous sources. Some breaches date back to mid-December, indicating an ongoing effort.
Federal authorities, including the US cyber watchdog CISA, have redirected inquiries to the affected companies. Alphabet, maker of the Chrome browser, has yet to respond to requests for comment.
India is taking significant steps to build a home-grown Earth observation satellite network, reducing dependence on foreign data for critical sectors like defence and infrastructure. Thirty Indian companies, forming nine consortiums, have expressed interest in the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre’s (IN-SPACe) initiative.
The project, part of a larger strategy to monetise the space sector, aims to bolster the country’s $45 billion small satellite and data services market, projected to thrive by 2030. Major participants include startups Pixxel and SatSure, alongside Tata Advanced Systems. Technical evaluations are set to conclude by January, followed by the selection of a winning bidder.
Applicants must meet strict eligibility requirements, including substantial investment in space activities and establishing operational capabilities within India. The government plans to offer loans of up to 3.5 billion rupees, with private entities covering remaining costs.
India’s broader space programme features plans for crewed missions and interplanetary exploration. However, the immediate focus remains on expanding private sector involvement, supported by a 10-billion-rupee venture fund for startups. By fostering domestic innovation, the nation aims to secure its data sovereignty and commercial space leadership.
One NZ has become the first telecommunications company globally to offer a nationwide satellite text messaging service, thanks to a partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink. This service enables customers with eligible phones and plans to send and receive text messages in areas beyond traditional cell tower coverage, provided they have a clear line of sight to the sky.
Initially, the service supports four specific phone models, with plans to expand compatibility to more devices next year. During the rollout phase, text message delivery times are expected to be within three minutes, though some may take up to ten minutes or longer. The service is available at no extra cost to existing customers on paid monthly plans, with future enhancements potentially including voice calling and data services.
This initiative follows successful tests of Starlink’s satellite text service during hurricane relief efforts in the United States. One NZ’s collaboration with Starlink marks a significant advancement in ensuring connectivity across New Zealand‘s diverse landscapes, particularly in the 40% of the country not covered by cell towers.
Ukraine‘s Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna announced that Russia launched a large-scale cyberattack on Thursday, temporarily crippling the country’s state registries. These registries contain essential citizen data, including information on births, deaths, marriages, and property ownership. The attack forced a suspension of services managed by the Ministry of Justice.
Stefanishyna described the incident as a deliberate attempt by Russia to disrupt Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. While restoration efforts are expected to take about two weeks, some services will resume on Friday. Other state functions appear to be unaffected.
This is the latest in a series of cyberattacks during the ongoing war, including a December 2023 assault on Ukrainian telecom provider Kyivstar and previous attacks on Russian ministries. Ukrainian authorities plan to conduct a thorough investigation to bolster defences against future cyber threats.
