The government has appointed Dr Muhammad Mehedi Hasan, additional secretary of the Information and Technology Division, as the administrator of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS). An office order was issued in this regard by the Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday. Read: BASIS welcomes new members at induction, networking event Mehedi Hasan is tasked with organising a fair and impartial election within 120 days to form a new committee for BASIS. Upon completion of the election, the administrator will hand over responsibilities to the elected committee and report the transition to the ministry, said the office order.

U.S. federal authorities have called on telecommunications companies to strengthen network defenses following a widespread hacking campaign by Chinese operatives that compromised the private communications of an unspecified number of Americans. The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued guidance on Tuesday to help identify and block the hackers, aiming to prevent future cyberespionage. Officials, however, admitted they are still uncertain about the full extent of the breach or whether Chinese hackers retain access to U.S. networks. Highlighting the global impact of the operation, the U.S. collaborated with security agencies from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada—members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which also includes the UK. The hacking campaign, referred to as Salt Typhoon, was uncovered earlier this year. Hackers targeted telecommunications networks to access metadata such as call and text logs, including timestamps and recipients. In fewer cases, they intercepted audio files and text content. Victims included government and political officials, and the FBI has reached out to this group. However, the responsibility of notifying affected customers from the larger pool rests with telecom companies. Despite months of investigations, the true scale of the breach remains unknown. Some of the data targeted by the hackers involved U.S. law enforcement investigations and court orders, potentially linked to programs under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). However, officials believe the hackers aimed for broader access to Americans' information by embedding themselves deeply into the nation's telecom systems. The FBI's recommendations for telecom companies include technical measures like encryption, network centralization, and continuous monitoring. If adopted, these steps could help disrupt ongoing operations like Salt Typhoon and strengthen defenses against similar future attacks, according to Jeff Greene, CISA's executive assistant director for cybersecurity. TikTok defends handling of Romania election content in grilling by EU lawmakers “We’re not under any illusion that these actors won’t try to return,” Greene said. China has been linked to several high-profile cyberattacks in recent months. In September, the FBI disrupted a Chinese operation that infected over 200,000 consumer devices with malware, creating a botnet capable of launching large-scale cybercrimes. In October, hackers associated with China targeted phones belonging to political figures, including then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, as well as individuals tied to Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. China has denied the allegations, with a spokesperson for its embassy in Washington dismissing them as “disinformation.” The statement emphasized China’s opposition to all forms of cyberattacks and accused the U.S. of engaging in its own cyber operations against other nations.      

TikTok executives have revealed that the platform dismantled multiple networks attempting to interfere in Romania's elections. The disclosure came as company officials defended their election integrity measures before European Union lawmakers on Tuesday. The popular video-sharing app has faced scrutiny in Romania after far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, previously an obscure independent, unexpectedly emerged as the frontrunner in the election. His victory in the first round of voting has triggered political unrest, with allegations of electoral violations and Russian influence. Brie Pegum, TikTok’s global head of product, authenticity, and transparency, stated that the platform disrupted two networks targeting Romanian users just days after the first round of voting. One network, with 1,781 followers, supported Georgescu, while the other backed various candidates. Georgescu’s TikTok presence, boasting 527,000 followers and 5.8 million likes, has been a focal point of his campaign. Critics allege that his online popularity may have been artificially enhanced, with some officials suggesting TikTok provided him preferential treatment. Speakers demand recognising internet as fundamental right in Bangladesh This controversy underscores TikTok's growing role in shaping elections in Romania, a NATO and EU member bordering Ukraine. Caroline Greer, TikTok's top EU lobbyist, highlighted the platform’s localized efforts during the election, which included 95 Romanian language content moderators, collaborations with fact-checkers, and consultations with the country’s electoral authority. Despite these efforts, EU lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction, questioning the effectiveness of TikTok’s measures. Dutch Member of the European Parliament Dirk Gotink criticized the platform for allowing misinformation to spread unchecked before acting, likening their response to firefighting after significant damage. Bezos denies Musk’s claim on Tesla stock advice as rivals clash again According to a report by Romania’s Expert Forum, Georgescu’s TikTok account surged to 92.8 million views in recent months, with an additional 52 million views in the week leading up to the first-round vote. Another account sharing exclusively Georgescu-related content, which gained 1.7 million likes, was removed shortly after the polls closed. TikTok stated it has taken down over 150 accounts impersonating Georgescu and 650 similar accounts for other candidates. Georgescu will compete in a runoff against reformist Elena Lasconi from the Save Romania Union party this Sunday.

By June 2024, the user base of generative artificial intelligence (AI) products in China had grown to 230 million, demonstrating the country's broad adoption of AI-driven innovations across various sectors, according to a report released on December 1. China has developed a robust AI industry ecosystem, with over 4,500 companies involved in the sector, as outlined in a report from the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC). The generative AI industry in China is thriving, with the core sector valued at nearly 600 billion yuan (approximately 82.84 billion U.S. dollars). The ecosystem covers critical areas such as chips, algorithms, data, platforms, and applications. Australia imposes world’s first ban on social media for under-16 As of July 2024, more than 190 generative AI models were operational and available online, providing users with a wide array of options and personalized experiences. In July 2023, China introduced a set of provisional regulations for generative AI services, the first of its kind globally. Additionally, a key policy resolution adopted in July 2024 highlighted the country’s plans to enhance mechanisms for the development and management of generative AI.  

A coalition of Canadian news publishers, including The Canadian Press, Torstar, Globe and Mail, Postmedia and CBC/Radio-Canada, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI for using news content to train its ChatGPT generative artificial intelligence system. The outlets said in a joint statement on Friday that OpenAI regularly breaches copyright by scraping large amounts of content from Canadian media. “OpenAI is capitalizing and profiting from the use of this content, without getting permission or compensating content owners,” the statement said. The publishers argue that OpenAI practices undermine the hundreds of millions of dollars invested in journalism, and that content is protected by copyright. Teletalk launches trial online SIM service “News media companies welcome technological innovations. However, all participants must follow the law, and any use of intellectual property must be on fair terms,” the statement said. Generative AI can create text, images, videos and computer code based on a simple prompt, but the systems must first study vast amounts of existing content. OpenAI said in a statement that its models are trained on publicly available data. It said they are “grounded in fair use and related international copyright principles that are fair for creators and support innovation.” The company said it collaborates “closely with news publishers, including in the display, attribution and links to their content in ChatGPT search” and offers outlets “easy ways to opt-out should they so desire.” This is the first such case in Canada, though numerous lawsuits are underway in the United States, including a case by the New York Times against OpenAI and Microsoft. Some news organizations have chosen to collaborate rather than fight with OpenAI by signing deals to get compensated for sharing news content that can be used to train its AI systems. The Associated Press is among the news organizations that have made licensing deals over the past year with OpenAI. Others include The Wall Street Journal and New York Post publisher News Corp., The Atlantic, Axel Springer in Germany and Prisa Media in Spain, France’s Le Monde newspaper and the London-based Financial Times. Elon Musk's wealth hits all-time high Canada has passed a law requiring Google and Meta to compensate news publishers for the use of their content, but has previously declined to say whether the Online News Act should apply to use by AI systems. In response to that legislation, Meta pulled news from its platforms in Canada, while Google has reached a deal to pay $100 million Canadian (US$ 71 million) to Canadian news outlets.

Teletalk Bangladesh Limited, the country’s sole state-owned mobile operator, has launched its trial online SIM service. The service started on Wednesday as part of a commercial pilot programme in 11 post offices in Rajshahi, Naogaon, and Chapainawabganj districts under Rajshahi division. Plans are underway to expand the service to post offices nationwide. India attempting to further provoke Chinmoy incident: Nahid The trial service was inaugurated in Dhaka where Information and Braodcasting adviser Mohammad Nahid Islam attended as the chief guest. The initiative integrates Teletalk’s SIM distribution with the Bangladesh Postal Department's extensive network, allowing customers to order their preferred SIM numbers online and collect them from designated post offices or opt for home delivery. Govt expects constructive criticism from media: Adviser Nahid Under the new service, customers can collect their SIMs for at Tk 250 from post offices or at Tk 300 via home delivery.

Speakers at a seminar in the capital advocated for recognising the internet as a fundamental right and ensuring data protection in the Constitution of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association organised the seminar at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity on Wednesday. Former BASIS president Fahim Mashrur said Bangladesh's reliance on the internet has grown exponentially. “The internet is not just an ordinary service; it is now part of basic human rights. It is essential to recognise this in our constitution.” BTRC working to lower internet data package prices, says chairman He also said everything from financial transactions to governmental tasks now happens online, making uninterrupted internet access crucial. Political analyst Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad said the widespread impact of internet disruptions was seen in July student-led uprising when mobile internet was shut for 13 days, broadband for 8 days, and social media for 15 days. “The movement spread across the nation because people recognised the importance of unrestricted internet access,” Fuad said. President of IIAB, Aminul Hakim said the importance of protecting citizens' data online. “We must ensure that our data is secure on the internet. The government must take initiative and implement measures to protect personal information,” he said. Internet users to face slower speed for 4 hrs early Sunday: Here's what to expect Moheeduddin Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association, said, “To safeguard citizens’ data, we must clearly include digital protections in the Constitution.” Technology analyst Tanveer Hasan Joha, telecommunications expert Mustafa Mahmood Hussai Kayyum, spoke, among others, spoke.

Around 800 telephone lines, including those of key government and private offices in Savar, have been out of service after miscreants vandalized three manholes and cut underground copper cables belonging to Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL). Mir Mohammad Morshed, General Manager of Public Relations and Publications at BTCL, confirmed the matter with a press release. The incident damaged 2,400 and 3,000-pair copper cables, causing widespread disruption in the area. Repair efforts have been delayed due to water accumulation in the manholes from sewerage lines and delays in obtaining road-cutting permits from relevant authorities. BTCL apologized for the inconvenience caused and assured its valued customers of their dedication to resolving the issue promptly. Customers are encouraged to contact BTCL for updates or further assistance.  

Italian President Sergio Mattarella sharply rebuked Elon Musk on Wednesday for weighing in on Italian court rulings that have stymied the government’s plans to process some asylum-seekers in Albania. Musk, who is expected to have a top advisory role in Donald Trump’s new administration, wrote Tuesday on X that “these judges need to go.” He was referring to the latest Italian court ruling against right-wing Premier Giorgia Meloni’s much-touted Albania immigration deal. “This is unacceptable. Do the people of Italy live in a democracy or does an unelected autocracy make the decisions?” he wrote in a subsequent post Wednesday. The posts concerned a Rome court's refusal to rule on a formal request to detain seven migrants rescued at sea and transferred to Albania for processing. Monday's ruling resulted in the men being brought to Italy for processing. Mattarella didn’t cite Musk by name but — in an unusually piqued statement — made clear on Wednesday that he was referring to him. Italy's head of state demanded respect for the country's sovereignty, especially from other soon-to-be public officials. “Italy is a great democratic country and … knows how to take care of itself while respecting its Constitution,” Mattarella said in a statement issued by his spokesman. “Anyone, particularly if as announced is about to assume an important role of government in a friendly and allied country, must respect its sovereignty and cannot attribute to himself the task of imparting prescriptions,” the statement said. Trump announced Tuesday that Musk, one of the most influential people around the U.S. president-elect, would help lead a Department of Government Efficiency, essentially an independent advisory panel to eliminate waste and fraud. Musk is a supporter of Meloni and has met with her in Rome on a few occasions, and in September joined her at an awards ceremony on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. Photos of them together made such news that Musk seemingly felt the need to tamp down speculation by posting “We are not dating.” Musk has a history of making provocative statements and sparring with leaders on X. Earlier this year, he posted messages insulting U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and saying the United Kingdom was headed for civil war. He has also clashed with a Brazilian supreme court justice over free speech, far-right accounts and purported misinformation on X, and also accused Venezuela’s socialist president, Nicolás Maduro, of “major election fraud” after that country’s disputed election. Later Wednesday, an Italian representative of X, Andrea Stroppa, tweeted what appeared to be a statement from Musk that said he had spoken during the day with Meloni. According to Stroppa's tweet, Musk “expresses his respect” for Mattarella and the Italian Constitution but insists on his right to freedom of expression. The courts’ rulings have raised the ire of Meloni’s far-right-led government, which has been seeking strategies to ease the strain on Italy of the arrival of migrants seeking a better life in Europe. The government had held up the opening of the Albanian centers as a centerpiece of its immigration crackdown, also as a means of deterrence, and said they could be a model for Europe. In both cases, Italian courts referred the cases to the EU court of justice in Luxembourg to rule if the countries of origin for the migrants are considered safe for repatriation. There is no word on when the European court might rule. But as a result of the Rome court decisions, no migrant has yet been processed in the Albanian centers, which are budgeted to cost Italy 670 million euros ($730 million) over five years to build and operate. Italy's opposition says the money could be much better spent on reinforcing Italian-operated migrant processing centers, while human rights groups say the outsourcing of asylum processing contravenes international law. The centers opened in October after a months-long delay, because crumbling soil at one of the facilities needed to be repaired. They are run by Italy and are under the country's jurisdiction, while Albanian guards provide external security.

Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, currently visiting India for the first time, unveiled his vision for a future where artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as Copilot Vision, will learn to communicate like humans. Speaking at Microsoft's "Building AI Companions for India" event in Bengaluru, Suleyman highlighted that AI agents are set to reshape how people interact with technology by adopting human-like conversational styles and rhythms, making them more natural and engaging. With tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot already gaining popularity worldwide, Suleyman stressed that these innovations are merely the beginning. “Imagine if your personal assistant learned your style, your rhythm, what information matters to you — it’s not just functional but deeply personalised, enhancing your experience,” he explained. OpenAI’s Whisper invents speech creating phrases no one said Suleyman envisions future AI agents as integral parts of people’s lives, describing them as “an always-on advisor, a steady presence in your life — connecting dots across tasks, helping you work smarter, live better, and make the most of every moment.” Accompanying Suleyman at the summit was Puneet Chandok, Microsoft President for India and South Asia. Together, they introduced various AI-driven tools and strategies Microsoft has developed to enhance digital experiences for millions of users in India. One significant innovation showcased was KissanAI, a tool designed to aid farmers in remote and rural areas by providing real-time data that can help them achieve better crop yields. In a fireside chat with S Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Suleyman highlighted how KissanAI has strengthened government outreach to support these communities effectively. A particularly groundbreaking feature presented during the event was Copilot Vision. This intuitive AI tool analyses everything a user views on their digital screen, offering real-time recommendations based on content. During a live demo, Copilot suggested furniture and clothing styles in real time as a user browsed the web. Once released, Copilot Vision is expected to enable users to benefit from seamless recommendations and relevant web searches. OpenAI ready to launch Orion AI Model by Dec 2024 However, with such advanced tools comes the concern for user privacy. Microsoft encountered criticism recently over a tool called Recall, which was designed to track and record user activity across their devices. This tool, intended to allow AI to organise and retrieve data efficiently, faced backlash due to privacy concerns, leading Microsoft to delay its launch. Addressing these concerns, Puneet Chandok assured that user trust and privacy remain Microsoft’s top priorities. “Trusting an AI agent is about knowing it has your back, that it learns with you and grows to understand not just your tasks, but your values,” he noted. Chandok emphasised that Microsoft is committed to creating a secure and trustworthy AI ecosystem that prioritises user safety and ethical standards. Elon Musk's xAI seeks AI tutors with good offer Suleyman’s visit to India marks a significant moment for Microsoft’s AI division as it seeks to expand its reach and redefine digital experiences through innovative, human-centred AI tools.  With further advancements anticipated, the next generation of AI may soon feel like a familiar, dependable presence in users' daily lives. Source: With inputs from agencies