911 outage, Russian spies, and 100 influential people.

Adam Rogers
April 19, 2024

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Big Stories

Millions across Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, and Texas faced difficulties contacting emergency services through traditional 911 calls.

The cause of the widespread 911 outage on Wednesday remains under investigation, but different possibilities have emerged across the affected states:
- Fiber Optic Cable Cut: Lumen Technologies, a communication company, believes a third-party company accidentally cut a fiber optic cable while installing a light pole. This explanation applies to outages in Nebraska, Nevada, and South Dakota.
- Mobile Carrier Issue: In Texas, Del Rio Police Department suggests the problem might have been specific to T-Mobile's network, causing connectivity issues for its customers trying to reach 911.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of the current 911 system due to its lack of built-in redundancy. Experts point out the following issues:
- Fragmented System: The US lacks a nationwide 911 system. Over 6,000 separate jurisdictions manage 911 services, leading to inconsistencies in equipment, budgets, and response plans.
- Limited Backups: The current infrastructure might rely on single points of failure, such as a single fiber optic cable or a specific cellular network. This makes the system susceptible to outages if these primary channels get compromised.
Service was restored within 2.5 to 3 hours in most affected areas. No injuries or serious issues were reported due to the outage.

The United Arab Emirates faced its heaviest recorded rainfall on Tuesday, causing widespread flooding.

Dubai International Airport, a major international travel hub, began allowing flights to resume Thursday but won’t be fully operational until the weekend. Floodwaters reached up to 3 feet in some areas, overwhelming drainage systems and causing damage to neighborhoods and businesses. (See photos)
Residents are still dealing with the aftermath of the floods. Some areas outside Dubai's downtown are just receiving assistance with water removal and at least one community reported a sewage processing facility failure.
The unprecedented rainfall has sparked discussions about the potential role of cloud seeding, a technique used by the UAE to increase precipitation. Experts believe the storm systems causing the rain were natural and not solely caused by cloud seeding. Additionally, scientists point towards climate change as a factor in increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events.

German police arrested two German-Russian nationals suspected of being Russian spies.

Dieter S (39) and Alexander J (37) are accused of planning attacks on German soil to disrupt aid to Ukraine. Their targets included a US military base — where Ukrainian soldiers are being trained to operate tanks — and industrial facilities. Authorities believe they were communicating with Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU).
German officials consider this a serious case of espionage and vowed to continue supporting Ukraine. They are investigating the suspects' network and increasing counter-intelligence efforts. This follows a previous arrest of a German official suspected of leaking secrets to Russia.
Russia denied the accusations and claimed Germany presented no proof. They consider the accusations "absurd" and a provocation.

TikTok is spending heavily on lobbying efforts to avoid a potential US ban. Their ad spend has more than doubled to over $4.5 million since March. The urgency comes from a bill recently tied to Ukraine and Israel aid that could force a sale of TikTok within 9 months or result in a US ban. (More)

Maine passed new gun safety laws six months after the largest mass shooting in state history. The legislation includes background checks on private gun sales, waiting periods for purchases, and restrictions on sales to prohibited individuals. This comes despite Maine's history of gun ownership and hunting. (More)

A group of over a dozen Kennedy family members publicly endorsed President Biden's reelection campaign, breaking ranks with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running independently for office. Despite his slim chance of winning, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy as a third-party candidate with a renowned Democratic name could siphon votes away from Biden in the November election. (More)

Pro-Palestinian protests erupted at Columbia University after the university president testified about handling antisemitism. The protest lasted at least two days and resulted in clashes with police. At least 30 people were detained and 4 were arrested. (More)

WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark is reportedly getting a huge endorsement deal from Nike including her own signature shoe. The eight-figure contract will dwarf her yearly WNBA salary of $76,535. (More)

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