Newly released documents provide details of U.S.-funded research on several types of coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. The Intercept has obtained more than 900 pages of documents detailing the work of EcoHealth Alliance, a U.S.-based health organization that used federal money to fund bat coronavirus research at the Chinese laboratory. The trove of documents includes two previously unpublished grant proposals that were funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as well as project updates relating to EcoHealth Alliance’s research, which has...…Newly released documents provide details of U.S.-funded research on several types of coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. The Intercept has obtained more than 900 pages of documents detailing the work of EcoHealth Alliance, a U.S.-based health organization that used federal money to fund bat coronavirus research at the Chinese laboratory. The trove of documents includes two previously unpublished grant proposals that were funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as well as project updates relating to EcoHealth Alliance’s research, which has...WW…

The killing of George Floyd last May sparked renewed scrutiny of data-driven policing. As protests raged around the world, signed an open calling on their colleagues to stop collaborating with police on algorithms, and cities like , , and variously banned predictive policing, facial recognition, and voice recognition. But elsewhere, police chiefs worked to deepen partnerships with tech companies, claiming that the answer to systemic bias and racism was simply more data.In her new book, “Predict and Surveil: Data, Discretion, and the Future of Policing,” sociologist Sarah Brayne slays that...…The killing of George Floyd last May sparked renewed scrutiny of data-driven policing. As protests raged around the world, signed an open calling on their colleagues to stop collaborating with police on algorithms, and cities like , , and variously banned predictive policing, facial recognition, and voice recognition. But elsewhere, police chiefs worked to deepen partnerships with tech companies, claiming that the answer to systemic bias and racism was simply more data.In her new book, “Predict and Surveil: Data, Discretion, and the Future of Policing,” sociologist Sarah Brayne slays that...WW…

, , State-sponsored hackers believed to be from Russia have breached the city network of Austin, Texas, The Intercept has learned. The breach, which appears to date from at least mid-October, adds to the stunning array of intrusions attributed to Russia over the past few months.The list of reported victims includes the departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, State, and the Treasury; the Pentagon; cybersecurity firm FireEye; IT software company SolarWinds; and assorted airports and local government networks across the United States, among others. The breach in Austin is another apparent...…, , State-sponsored hackers believed to be from Russia have breached the city network of Austin, Texas, The Intercept has learned. The breach, which appears to date from at least mid-October, adds to the stunning array of intrusions attributed to Russia over the past few months.The list of reported victims includes the departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, State, and the Treasury; the Pentagon; cybersecurity firm FireEye; IT software company SolarWinds; and assorted airports and local government networks across the United States, among others. The breach in Austin is another apparent...WW…

As protests over the killing of George Floyd spread across the country in early summer, federal and local law enforcement authorities in and culled social media for postings on upcoming protests, then disseminated RSVP counts and other details to agencies. Documents obtained by The Intercept show that into at least mid-July, law enforcement officials in Austin did the same — and that they kept tabs on cultural events with no apparent protest component, including an online Juneteenth celebration.The documents originate with the Austin Regional Intelligence Center, or ARIC, part of a...…As protests over the killing of George Floyd spread across the country in early summer, federal and local law enforcement authorities in and culled social media for postings on upcoming protests, then disseminated RSVP counts and other details to agencies. Documents obtained by The Intercept show that into at least mid-July, law enforcement officials in Austin did the same — and that they kept tabs on cultural events with no apparent protest component, including an online Juneteenth celebration.The documents originate with the Austin Regional Intelligence Center, or ARIC, part of a...WW…

In the weeks leading up to the presidential election, a document detailing Hunter Biden’s purported connections to the Chinese Communist Party circulated in the far-right online ecosystem.The 64-page document, which is styled as a confidential “intelligence report,” claims to reveal new links between the Chinese government and Hunter Biden, the son of then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. It also alleges Chinese influence operations aimed at “cultivating” Hunter Biden and, without giving concrete evidence, accuses the elder Biden of altering his stance on China as a result of...…In the weeks leading up to the presidential election, a document detailing Hunter Biden’s purported connections to the Chinese Communist Party circulated in the far-right online ecosystem.The 64-page document, which is styled as a confidential “intelligence report,” claims to reveal new links between the Chinese government and Hunter Biden, the son of then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. It also alleges Chinese influence operations aimed at “cultivating” Hunter Biden and, without giving concrete evidence, accuses the elder Biden of altering his stance on China as a result of...WW…

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“The level of vitriol and hate that comes through in these images is really, really scary,” one woman who received them said.Around lunchtime on Monday, Minnesota resident Luke Healy found a surprise waiting in his mailbox. Along with bills and junk mail was an envelope addressed to “Resident Neighbor.” Inside were 15 glossy prints depicting memes popularized by supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory, which holds that a government agent called “Q” dribbles clues about the global elites at the center of a diabolical pedophile ring. One image referenced Adrenochrome, a drug that adherents...…“The level of vitriol and hate that comes through in these images is really, really scary,” one woman who received them said.Around lunchtime on Monday, Minnesota resident Luke Healy found a surprise waiting in his mailbox. Along with bills and junk mail was an envelope addressed to “Resident Neighbor.” Inside were 15 glossy prints depicting memes popularized by supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory, which holds that a government agent called “Q” dribbles clues about the global elites at the center of a diabolical pedophile ring. One image referenced Adrenochrome, a drug that adherents...WW…

A glimpse at what the social media platform does in the U.S. underscores that data privacy issues extend beyond China.President Donald Trump’s  banning Americans from using TikTok is driven by concerns that the company might hand over user data to Chinese authorities. Recently hacked police documents reveal the nature of the company’s relationship to law enforcement — not in China but in the United States.TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is headquartered in Beijing, where the government censors social media content and maintains other forms of influence over tech...…A glimpse at what the social media platform does in the U.S. underscores that data privacy issues extend beyond China.President Donald Trump’s  banning Americans from using TikTok is driven by concerns that the company might hand over user data to Chinese authorities. Recently hacked police documents reveal the nature of the company’s relationship to law enforcement — not in China but in the United States.TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is headquartered in Beijing, where the government censors social media content and maintains other forms of influence over tech...WW…

People close to China-related investigations in Houston say the decision to close the consulate may be more about politics than spy threats.As the deadline for the closing of the Chinese consulate in Houston approached on Friday afternoon, employees hauled out bags of supplies and heaved them into a van. Then, shortly after 4 p.m., a locksmith his way inside using power tools and a crowbar, and the U.S. State Department took over. The transition was complete, as least as far as the U.S. government . But the reason given for closing the consulate — that it was the epicenter of economic...…People close to China-related investigations in Houston say the decision to close the consulate may be more about politics than spy threats.As the deadline for the closing of the Chinese consulate in Houston approached on Friday afternoon, employees hauled out bags of supplies and heaved them into a van. Then, shortly after 4 p.m., a locksmith his way inside using power tools and a crowbar, and the U.S. State Department took over. The transition was complete, as least as far as the U.S. government . But the reason given for closing the consulate — that it was the epicenter of economic...WW…

, While doctors and politicians still struggle to convince Americans to take the barest of precautions against Covid-19 by wearing a mask, the Department of Homeland Security has an opposite concern, according to an “intelligence note” found among the : Masks are breaking police facial recognition.The rapid global spread and persistent threat of the coronavirus has presented an obvious roadblock to facial recognition’s similar global expansion. Suddenly everyone is covering their faces. Even in ideal conditions, facial recognition technologies often struggle with accuracy and have a...…, While doctors and politicians still struggle to convince Americans to take the barest of precautions against Covid-19 by wearing a mask, the Department of Homeland Security has an opposite concern, according to an “intelligence note” found among the : Masks are breaking police facial recognition.The rapid global spread and persistent threat of the coronavirus has presented an obvious roadblock to facial recognition’s similar global expansion. Suddenly everyone is covering their faces. Even in ideal conditions, facial recognition technologies often struggle with accuracy and have a...WW…