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October 19: Federal DeepSeek Ban and Ukraine’s Intelligence Access
In tech and security
The Department of Homeland Security has ordered civilian federal agencies to remove DeepSeek products from government information technology systems. The directive extends beyond the Chinese artificial intelligence company’s own products to third-party tools built on its models. Agencies must also stop buying the covered products and services.
In U.S. news
The Justice Department has charged 28 green card holders in California, accusing them of fraudulently registering to vote and casting illegal ballots. The cases expand the Trump administration’s campaign against alleged noncitizen voting. Democrats and voting rights groups say that effort is aimed at sowing doubt about the upcoming midterm election results.
Federal agents are investigating envelopes containing white powder sent to offices of more than three dozen members of Congress. The latest incident prompted an evacuation Monday at Virginia Democrat Suhas Subramanyam’s district office in Leesburg. Subramanyam said the office was cleared quickly and condemned political intimidation.
Mahmoud Khalil has asked the Supreme Court to take up his case, his lawyers said Monday. The Columbia University demonstrator was jailed for months last year during the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian foreign college students. Khalil argues that his detention was retaliation for constitutionally protected speech.
In Kenya
A Kenyan court on Monday convicted Christian cult leader Paul Nthenge Mackenzie of murdering 190 children. Many of the children were killed by starvation.
In Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday questioned whether U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine had resumed, a day after saying Washington was again providing information to help defend against Russian missile strikes. Senator Richard Blumenthal separately said Zelensky told a bipartisan group of senators that Ukraine still lacked full access to U.S. intelligence and the satellite-based Starshield network. Zelensky also said Russia attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure overnight with ballistic missiles and drones.
Europe’s wild pollinators
A study of records dating back to 1921 finds that most European wild bee species and about half of hover fly species have declined over the past century. More bee species declined than increased in every European region except the Alps.
Research on forever chemicals
Researchers at Arizona State University and partner institutions report that a palladium-coated membrane can break down PFAS in water using activated hydrogen. In a 58-day trial involving six PFAS compounds, the system removed more than 90 percent of each and stripped away 83 percent of their total fluorine. The researchers say they still need to reduce the amount of costly palladium required before municipal use.
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