World News Daily(2024-09-01) : North Korean IT Spies: A Threat to Global Cybersecurity
North Korean IT Spies: A Threat to Global Cybersecurity
North Korea deploys IT workers under false identities to infiltrate Western firms, primarily in the U.S. These operatives secure remote jobs, often through freelance contracts, to gain access for cyber espionage and financial gain. The U.S. Treasury warned in 2022 about this tactic, highlighting the use of fake personas and third-party intermediaries to obscure their origins.
In a recent case, an Arizona woman, Christina Chapman, allegedly facilitated this scheme by hosting North Korean IT workers' computers in her home, making it appear as if they were U.S.-based. She handled payroll and laundered payments, involving over 300 companies and $6.8 million. Another participant, a Ukrainian national, Oleksandr Didenko, created fake accounts for these workers on U.S. job platforms.
Security firms like KnowBe4 and Palo Alto have reported being targeted by these North Korean operatives, who use advanced tools like AI-created deepfakes to enhance their deception. The threat extends globally, with North Korean IT workers actively seeking employment in various countries.
Countermeasures suggested include live video interviews and verifying home addresses to detect and deter these infiltrators.
ScoresPolitics
Japan Seeks Record Defense Budget for 2025
Japan's Defense Ministry is seeking a record 8.5 trillion yen ($58.5 billion) for 2025. The funds are aimed at missile defense, drones, and cybersecurity. New projects include remote monitoring and AI supply forecasting. Three new destroyers are planned. The budget increases by 7.4% from 2024.
- PAC-3 Patriot missile: Advanced air defense missile system.
- DBP: Defense Buildup Program, Japan's strategic defense enhancement plan.
- FFM-class destroyer: Advanced naval vessel designed for multi-role missions.
Society
Yiwu: The Bridge and Innovator in Sino-African Trade
Yiwu, known as China's capital of small commodities, is emerging as a crucial hub for Sino-African trade. This city boasts a collection of 2.1 million different items, ranging from needles and thread to engineering machinery, all available here. Yiwu's exports to Africa account for one-twelfth of the national total and continue to grow. Africa is undergoing rapid urbanization and industrialization, creating a significant demand for Chinese engineering machinery and agricultural equipment.
African merchants like Ding En and Sula have found fertile ground for their businesses in Yiwu. They have evolved from buyers to entrepreneurs, selling Chinese goods to Africa while also introducing African products to China. Yiwu's innovative digital platform, "Yiwu Small Commodities City China goods," assists merchants in expanding their overseas operations, utilizing AI technology to translate into multiple languages, thereby promoting trade growth.
Yiwu not only exports goods but also imports. African products such as raffia hats and nautilus fossils are well-received in Yiwu. Yiwu's investments in Africa span various sectors, including textiles and business services. Sino-African trade has transitioned from a one-way export to a mutually beneficial partnership.
Yiwu is leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative to promote the construction of trade, logistics, and settlement systems with Africa, contributing to the building of a high-level Sino-African community with a shared future.
ScoresEconomy
Hangzhou-Wenzhou High-Speed Railway Opens: Zhejiang Accelerates Regional Integration
The Hangzhou-Wenzhou High-Speed Railway is set to open, connecting Hangzhou and Wenzhou with a total length of approximately 260 kilometers and designed for speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour. This high-speed rail not only reduces travel time between Wenzhou and Hangzhou to 80-90 minutes but also marks the formation of Zhejiang's land-based "1-hour transportation circle."
Wenzhou, the birthplace of private economy, is accelerating its integration into the Yangtze River Delta, especially with closer ties to Hangzhou, thanks to the high-speed rail. This not only facilitates personnel exchanges but also brings new opportunities for Wenzhou's economic development, potentially making it the 27th trillion-yuan city in the country.
Yiwu, known as the "capital of small commodities," will see an explosive increase in passenger traffic due to the completion of the Hangzhou-Wenzhou High-Speed Railway and the Ningbo-Jinhua Railway. The upgrade and renovation of Yiwu Station will make it the largest high-speed rail station building among county-level cities in the country, further strengthening its pivotal role in regional transportation.
Zhejiang is enhancing urban connectivity and promoting regional economic integration through the improvement of its high-speed rail network. This upgrade of transportation infrastructure is a critical step in the modernization process, showcasing the government's determination and foresight in driving economic development and regional integration.
ScoresNetflix Stock Hits Record High, Analysts Predict Further Gains
Netflix's stock hit $700 a share in August, with analysts predicting further gains. The stock reached an intraday high of $711.33 and closed at $698.54. Shares then dipped slightly, closing at $701.35. The stock is up 44% year-to-date. Despite facing competition and a slowdown in consumer spending, Netflix maintains an edge.
Jason Helfstein, an analyst at Oppenheimer, believes Netflix will dominate global content. He rates the stock "outperform" with a target price of $725. JPMorgan's Doug Anmuth is also bullish, viewing Netflix as a strong value despite price increases, with a target of $750.
Alicia Reese from Wedbush highlights Netflix's value during economic downturns. She also rates the stock "outperform" with a target of $725. The potential addition of live sports streaming, including NFL games this year and niche sports like cricket or Gaelic football, could expand Netflix's global reach.
Mark Mahaney of Evercore sees live sports as a significant long-term revenue opportunity. He rates Netflix "outperform" with a target of $750. Helfstein believes Netflix faces no serious long-term challengers. The stock might be expensive in the short term but holds promising prospects for the long term.
ScoresChina's 'Deflation Exports' Impact Global Markets
China's economy is faltering. Companies are offloading excess steel and goods overseas, driving down global prices. Export prices for 60% of major products have dipped, ranging from steel to food.
Domestic demand is weakening. The purchasing managers' index, a measure of factory health, reached 49.1 in August, marking the fourth consecutive month below 50—the threshold between growth and contraction. However, exports are surging. July's $300.5 billion represented a 7% year-over-year increase, the fourth straight month of growth.
Steel is at the forefront. Prices have fallen by 9%, while exports have risen by 22% to 61.23 million tonnes in the January-July period. A real estate downturn and overproduction have created a steel surplus, inundating overseas markets.
Other nations are responding. The EU has increased duties on Chinese EVs. The U.S. is planning similar actions on EVs and steel. Brazil and Latin American countries have raised steel tariffs, fearing market loss.
China's GDP grew by 5% in the first half, meeting the annual target. However, no significant domestic stimulus has emerged. "Deflationary exports" may intensify to achieve growth targets.
This strategy is putting pressure on global markets, sparking trade tensions. China's economic challenges are spilling over, testing international trade relations.
ScoresMacao Casinos See Revenue Surge Amid Money Changer Crackdown
Macao casinos are booming again, nearing pre-pandemic highs. Six major operators saw a 36% jump in revenue, totaling HK$111.71 billion. Melco, SJM, and Galaxy led the charge, despite lingering losses from debt.
Yet, the good times may be short-lived. Authorities are cracking down on unlicensed money changers, key to the casino cash flow. These changers help mainland Chinese gamblers bypass strict capital controls. A recent police raid netted 47 suspects, with proposed five-year prison terms for unlicensed operations.
The crackdown reflects Beijing's fears of capital outflows amidst economic uncertainty. Ben Lee, of Macao-based IGamiX, suggests this might just be the start of a cat-and-mouse game between regulators and the casino industry.
The clampdown has already hit casino stocks, despite strong earnings. Shares of the six operators fell between 10% and 21% since June. The future of Macao's casino boom hangs in the balance, as authorities and the industry play a high-stakes game of regulation and evasion.
ScoresTechnology
Amazon Enhances AI Robotics with Covariant Acquisition
Amazon recruited the founders of Covariant and a quarter of its team. They also secured a license for Covariant's AI technology designed for robots. Covariant specializes in enhancing the intelligence of robots, beginning with tasks in warehouses.
Quinlivan, Amazon's Vice President, views this as a means to enhance the capabilities of their robotic systems. This strategy mirrors their previous recruitment of Adept's founders, a move referred to as a "reverse acquihire."
Covariant will continue to operate, now under the leadership of Stinson as CEO, with plans to extend their AI solutions across multiple industries.
Explanation:
- Reverse acquihire: A hiring approach where a large company absorbs a startup's team and technology, often to avoid the complexities of a full acquisition.
A research couple from Shanghai Jiao Tong University published a study on graphene superconductivity in Nature.
Associate professors Li Tingxin and Liu Xiaoxue, a scientific couple from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, have jointly published a paper in the journal Nature. They have observed, for the first time, an electron-doped superconducting state in a heterostructure of single-crystal bilayer graphene and two-dimensional semiconductors.
Li Tingxin specializes in two-dimensional layered semiconductors, while Liu Xiaoxue is adept in graphene superconductivity. By combining their expertise, they have broken through traditional research boundaries. Through optimizing the sample preparation method, they have pushed the electric field limit to 1.6V/nm, achieving high-quality graphene samples.
This research has discovered a superconducting state at the electron end of single-crystal graphene, whereas only two global research groups had previously found a superconducting state at the hole end. The findings of Li Tingxin and Liu Xiaoxue provide a new perspective for understanding the superconducting mechanism in graphene systems.
During the research process, they faced the challenge of equipment embargoes, being unable to purchase the necessary dilution refrigerators. Nevertheless, they persisted with their research and ultimately achieved a breakthrough.
This achievement not only showcases the harmony and perseverance of the scientific couple but also opens up a new field in graphene superconductivity research.
ScoresNASA Discovers Third Global Energy Field: Implications for Atmospheric Science
NASA's "Endurance" rocket mission confirmed the existence of a global electric field, dubbed the "bipolar field," crucial to Earth's atmospheric dynamics. This field, theorized 60 years ago, influences how particles escape our atmosphere.
The bipolar field begins at about 150 miles above Earth, where sunlight splits atoms into electrons and ions. These charged particles interact, creating a field that counters gravity, lifting some particles into space. This process, known as the "polar wind," was observed but not fully understood until now.
"Endurance" measured this field from 477 miles up, finding it weak but potent enough to boost particles into space, particularly hydrogen ions. This effect extends the height and density of the ionosphere, a layer of our upper atmosphere.
Understanding this field not only deepens our knowledge of Earth's atmosphere but also aids in assessing the habitability of other planets. The bipolar field, being a natural outcome of atmospheric processes, is likely present on other planets like Venus and Mars.
This discovery opens new avenues for planetary science, revealing how fundamental forces shape atmospheres across the cosmos.
ScoresVideo Game
LEGO's Great Deku Tree: A Tribute to Zelda
Built LEGO Great Deku Tree. First Zelda set. Detailed construction.
LEGO's tribute to The Legend of Zelda's iconic tree. Fans assemble, recreate.
ScoresSaudi Arabia Shifts Gaming Strategy with Focus on Japanese IPs
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) is shifting its gaming strategy. Instead of merely investing, it aims to collaborate more closely with Japanese gaming companies. This move is part of a broader plan to diversify the Saudi economy away from oil and into entertainment and intellectual property (IP).
PIF will transfer all its gaming assets to Savvy Games Group, a subsidiary, as early as 2025. This transfer signifies a move from passive investment to active partnership. Savvy has been in talks with Japanese companies about expanding into the Saudi and MENA markets.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a fan of video games and anime, is leading this initiative. The PIF already owns significant stakes in major gaming companies like Nintendo and Capcom.
Savvy's $35 billion investment plan is central to this strategy. It includes building theme parks based on popular IPs like "Dragon Ball" and "Transformers."
Japanese gaming companies could benefit from this shift. The Islamic population in the Middle East offers a large, untapped market. Additionally, soaring game development costs could be offset by Saudi funding.
While some Japanese companies are cautious, others see Saudi Arabia as a potential gateway to Middle East expansion. Savvy's cooperative stance suggests aggressive takeovers are unlikely. Despite concerns about the effectiveness of some Saudi plans and geopolitical risks, the gaming industry is watching closely.
ScoresEntertainment
Guide to the Upcoming Game of Thrones Spinoff: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Next year, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" will debut on screens. This Game of Thrones spinoff promises a fresh perspective on the familiar. The article provides a comprehensive guide, detailing key elements for both fans and newcomers.
Spinoff: A new series or movie derived from an existing one, sharing characters or themes.
ScoresHayao Miyazaki Wins 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Award
Hayao Miyazaki, 83, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, wins the 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Award. Known for "The Boy and the Heron" and "Spirited Away," his films simplify complex issues for children. The award, Asia's equivalent to the Nobel Prize, honors his artistry and educational impact.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award, established in 1958, recognizes individuals and organizations for public service and pragmatic idealism. This year, four others join Miyazaki as recipients, each addressing pressing global issues through dedicated work.
ScoresOasis Reunion Tickets Spark Fan Chaos and High Prices
Oasis reunion tickets caused pandemonium. Fans grappled with technical issues, lengthy queues, and allegations of bots. Some managed to secure tickets, while others encountered system crashes and heartbreak.
Scalpers dramatically increased prices. Official tickets varied from £73 to £506.25. Resale prices skyrocketed to £4,500. Dynamic pricing on Ticketmaster doubled certain ticket costs.
UK Music CEO, Tom Kiehl, cautioned against exorbitant prices. The concerts will take place in July and August across major cities in the UK and Ireland.
Oasis disbanded 16 years ago. This tour commemorates 30 years since "Morning Glory." Fans are fervent, and prices are steep. The Gallagher brothers have returned.
ScoresSouth Korean Deepfake Porn Incident Sparks International Concern
Recently, South Korea has experienced a surge in "deepfake" incidents involving a large number of pornographic images and videos, including those of underage girls. This technology uses AI to synthesize false content, such as voices and facial expressions.
Several Korean women have sought help on Chinese social platforms like Weibo and Xiaohongshu, hoping to amplify the issue and prompt authorities to take action. Eun-min (pseudonym), a 20-year-old, has been posting on Xiaohongshu since August 26, attempting to spread the message in English, Japanese, and Chinese to alert Chinese nationals in Korea to stay safe.
According to Korean police reports, there have been 297 cases of deepfake cyber-pornography crimes in the first seven months of this year, with 131 of the suspects being teenagers. The actual problem may be more severe than official data suggests.
The South Korean government and ruling party plan to increase the maximum sentence for such crimes from five to seven years. However, enforcement has gray areas, and merely possessing deepfake pornographic material does not necessarily lead to punishment.
Eun-min and other Korean women hope to punish the offenders and tighten regulation of social platforms. Their efforts have been met with support and encouragement from Chinese netizens.
ScoresHealth
Impact of Pandemic on Lockdown Babies Starting School
During the pandemic, babies like Elijah and twins Aqil and Fawaz faced unique challenges. Born in lockdown, they missed crucial social interactions and support services. The Bicycle study, involving six universities, examines the long-term effects on these "lockdown babies."
Initial findings suggest a significant impact on speech and language development. Reduced family interactions and lack of access to health visitors contributed to delays. At Elizabeth Selby Infants' School, over a third of children entering reception have speech and language needs.
The school has responded by hiring a speech and language therapist, a first in its history. Yet, with many children still waiting for therapy, the need for support remains high.
The pandemic stripped families of essential services and social networks. As these children start school, the focus is on how best to support their development. The challenge is clear: rebuild what was lost, and ensure these children thrive.
ScoresSports
Paris 2024 Paralympics: Triathlon Postponed Due to Water Quality
Paris 2024 Paralympics: Triathlon Postponed
Heavy rain in Paris has forced a 24-hour delay for the para-triathlon events. Originally scheduled for Sunday, 1 September, the races will now occur on Monday, 2 September, pending water quality tests in the River Seine.
World Triathlon cited poor water quality due to recent rainfall. The decision to postpone was made after midnight tests revealed unsafe swimming conditions. All 11 races, including those featuring British medal hopefuls like Lauren Steadman and Dave Ellis, will proceed if the water meets safety standards.
This delay follows similar issues during the Olympic triathlon, highlighting ongoing challenges for Paris 2024 organizers. The priority remains the health and safety of the athletes.
ScoresFood
Tim Hortons' Entry into Malaysia Highlights Coffee Market Growth
Kuala Lumpur — Tim Hortons, a Canadian coffee chain, opened its first two outlets in Malaysia this month. This move highlights a shift in local tastes, from tea to coffee. Malaysia, traditionally a tea-drinking nation, has seen a surge in coffee consumption and outlets in recent years.
Coffee consumption jumped 73% to 35,800 tonnes in 2021-22, then nearly 58% to 56,500 tonnes the following year, according to the International Coffee Organization (ICO). Despite a recent drop, the ICO expects demand to rebound.
Southeast Asia’s consumer coffee market is valued at around $3.4 billion, with Malaysia contributing $364 million. The region’s growth is driven by robust private consumption and increased urbanization.
Local player ZUS Coffee has expanded rapidly, from 180 stores in 2022 to 550 now, aiming for 700 by year-end. Tim Hortons plans to open at least 10 outlets in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, with a goal of 100 in the country within a decade.
The shift reflects changing social habits, with coffee shops becoming popular social spots, especially among millennials and Gen Z. International brands like Tim Hortons and potential entry of China’s Luckin Coffee signal a competitive market, benefiting consumers with diverse options.
Scores