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| A hacking group thought to be associated with Russian military intelligence targeted the European offices of two American think tanks, according to reports. Fancy Bear—the same group believed to be behind some of the 2016 hacking of the Democratic National Committee—went after the Aspen Institute and the German Marshall Fund of the United States, as well as the German Council on Foreign Relations, late last year, The Washington Post reports. “We’ve seen and continue to see efforts by nation-states and others to influence elections in democracies around the world, including in Europe,” Tom Burt, Microsoft’s vice president of customer trust and security, wrote in a blog post. U.S. intelligence agencies have previously identified Fancy Bear as two units within Russia’s military intelligence directorate, the GRU. In July 2018, Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers for U.S. election interference hacking. [The Daily Beast: AM Cheat Sheet, February 20, 2019] |
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| IMMIGRATION |
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| JAPAN |
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| CHINA |
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| PAKISTAN |
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| VENEZUELA |
The U.S. has enacted sanctions against Venezuela’s national oil company as well as against embattled President Nicolas Maduro’s inner circle.
- Washington has made several public overtures for Maduro to step aside, while Moscow and Beijing have firmly opposed anything resembling regime change.
- Aid has become a critical pressure point between the U.S. and the Maduro regime; both sides seeking to control access to humanitarian supplies as a cudgel in this ongoing struggle.
- To date, Maduro has shown few signs that he is planning to capitulate to external pressure and cede power to his political opponents.[The Cipher Brief, February 22, 2019]
Malaria, dengue cases climb amid Venezuela's crisis
Public health experts warn there’s a surge in vector-borne diseases in Venezuela and surrounding countries as a result of the country's ongoing humanitarian crisis. Writing in the Lancet, experts report that cases of vector-borne illnesses including malaria, dengue, and Chagas climbed in Venezuela from 2000 to 2015. Malaria cases increased by nearly 400 percent during that time, with some cases spilling over into Brazil in recent years. The study also found that while parasite-borne illnesses have fallen in Brazil and Colombia, Venezuela’s rates have shot up, threatening its neighbors’ progress. Despite restricted resources, the study’s authors suggest that citizen scientists and an informal network of health professionals could help with surveillance efforts. [STAT: Morning Rounds, February 22, 2019]
NOTE: I have no official connection to any organization from which information is shared.. Occasionally, I post informational material and/or an opportunity to donate or join as a "community service" announcement. These again are shared for their varying perspectives.
Any commercial or business interest information shared is purely informational, not an endorsement. I have no connection with any such commercial or business interest.
Any books listed are random or topic-related to something else in the post. Think of these as a "library bookshelf" to browse. They are shared for informational or entertainment value only, not as being recommended.
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