Latest news with #USCustomsandBorderProtectionagency
Engadget
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Engadget
TeleMessage, a Signal clone the Trump administration uses, has been hacked
A hacker has exploited a vulnerability in TeleMessage to breach the service and steal data, according to reporting by 404 Media . TeleMessage is an Israeli company that provides modded versions of encrypted messaging apps like Signal and Telegram. It was revealed last week that former US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz used TeleMessage's modified version of Signal to archive messages. Today's report indicated the presence of other high-ranking government officials in archived chats on the app, including Marco Rubio, Tulsi Gabbard and Vice President JD Vance. The unnamed hacker was able to access archived chats, but it doesn't look like they got into any of Waltz's conversations. The hack does, however, prove that the app's message archiving service is not end-to-end encrypted. The hacker also accessed contact information of government officials, login credentials for TeleMessage and data pertaining to the US Customs and Border Protection agency. Some businesses who use the service, like Coinbase and Scotiabank, were also hacked. 404 Medi a spoke to the anonymous hacker, who said the whole thing only "took about 15-20 minutes" and that it "wasn't much effort at all." TeleMessage's parent company Smarsh has yet to comment on the matter. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. All of this happened after Waltz accidentally revealed he used TeleMessage during a cabinet meeting last week. This led people to question what kind of information was being shared on the app and how it was being secured. Now we know it wasn't secured all that well. Of course, it's only been a few weeks since Signalgate, in which it was revealed that top US officials were using the messaging app Signal to discuss active combat operations. Prior to the Trump administration, government officials typically avoided consumer-grade messaging apps to hash out military plans. Instead, they used Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) and in-house encrypted communication channels.
Russia Today
25-04-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Apple to shift iPhone production to India — FT
Apple plans to move the assembly of all US-bound iPhones from China to India in light of the escalating trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, the Financial Times has reported. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on numerous countries, with Chinese goods facing duties as high as 145%. He has argued that the measures will help revive domestic manufacturing and redress the skewed trade balance. Beijing responded by imposing its own tariffs and export restrictions. The US Customs and Border Protection agency went on to publish a list of exempted articles, which are subject only to a separate 20% rate and include computers, laptops, smartphones and other tech devices and components. Commenting on the decision, the White House stated that the exemptions are meant to give companies enough time to localize their production on US soil. On Friday, the FT reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Apple hopes to complete the shift of its assembly lines to India by the end of 2026, affecting more than 60 million iPhones sold annually in the US. According to the publication, the tech giant has had to speed up its pre-existing diversification strategy amid the intensifying trade war, and now aims to double the iPhone output in India. While the company has already moved some of its assembly lines to India and Vietnam, China still remains the leading production center for iPhones globally. Apple has invested heavily there over almost two decades. A lot of the constituent components that are put together during assembly are sourced from China, the FT noted. Earlier this month, the Times of India, citing unnamed senior officials, alleged that Apple had transported five planeloads of iPhones and other devices from India to the US within a span of three days in late March. The shipment was reportedly conducted in anticipation of a 10% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods introduced by Trump, which took effect on April 5. The cheapest iPhone 16 model was launched in the US at $799 last September. This could now rise by 43% to $1,142 should Apple pass the burden on to consumers, Reuters estimated, citing calculations based on projections from analysts at Rosenblatt Securities.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trending tickers: The latest investor updates on Apple, Alibaba, ASML, Barclays and Wood Group
Shares in iPhone maker Apple (AAPL) were down less than 1% in pre-market trading on Monday morning, as investors tried to make sense of the latest developments around US president Donald Trump's tariffs. Late on Friday, the US Customs and Border Protection agency published a list of exclusions from Trump's higher 125% tariff on China and his baseline 10% global levy, which included smartphones, computers and semiconductors. The White House later published a clarification of exceptions, confirming these exemptions. However, Trump said in a social media post on Sunday: "Nobody is getting 'off the hook' for the unfair trade balances, and non monetary tariff barriers" Read more: FTSE 100 LIVE: Tech stocks rise amid mixed messages on Trump's electronics tariff reprieve "These products are subject to the existing 20% fentanyl tariffs, and they are just moving to a different tariff 'bucket'," he said. "We are taking a look at semiconductors and the whole electronics supply chain in the upcoming national security tariff Investigations," Trump added. Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "The net effect is positive for tech, especially for giants like Apple (AAPL), which could've seen their entire pricing strategy thrown into disarray under the proposed 145% China tariffs. "Instead, this reprieve, and news that further tariffs will be a couple of months away, gives Apple (AAPL) time to build up its US inventory to cover the current iPhone sales cycle without needing knee-jerk price hikes," he added. "Decisions on pricing can then be made alongside the launch of its latest handset in September." While Trump's comments signalled exemptions would be short-lived, the temporary reprieve saw stocks in Asia rise on Monday, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng (^HSI) index ending the session up 2.4%. Tech stocks were among those on the rise, with Alibaba ( climbing nearly 5% and Baidu ( up 4%. Read more: Gold hits record high amid tariff tensions Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said: "Sentiment was also boosted by the news that Chinese exports rose by 12.4% in March, as companies rushed to get ahead of the tariff implementations, leading to a trade surplus in excess of $100bn (£75.8bn)." "The next move from the authorities will be influenced by any developments on the current US trade war, with the Chinese reportedly ready to react with new countermeasures and economic stimulus as necessary." In Europe, chip equipment maker ASML ( was up more than 3% on Monday morning, appearing to be buoyed by hopes of an easing stance around tariffs on tech components. Dutch company ASML ( ASML) manufactures lithography machines that are key to making chips and so, is key to the sector. The company is due to release its first-quarter results on Wednesday, with the company having guided to net sales of between €7.5bn (£6.5bn) and €8bn for the first quarter, forecasting this figure for the year to be between €30bn and €35bn. Stocks: Create your watchlist and portfolio Derren Nathan, head of equity analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "Growth's being driven by increasing demand for its chip-making systems, as major customers like TSMC ( TSM), Samsung ( and Intel (INTC) rush to meet the rising need for high-performance semiconductors used in AI and other applications." "The impressive €36bn order backlog offers some reassurance in terms of revenue visibility in the near term, and we'll be keeping an eye out to see if there's been any growth in the backlog next week," he added. The UK's FTSE 100 (^FTSE) surged nearly 2% on Monday morning, with bank Barclays (BARC.L) among the biggest risers on the blue-chip index, rising 4%. Interactive Investor's Hunter said: "UK markets reflected the relief rally at the open, although ever subject to changing conditions which has seen any initial strength dissipating over recent trading sessions as new global developments emerge. Read more: Stocks that are trending today "Nonetheless, the spike in early exchanges reduced the losses of the FTSE 100 (^FTSE) to 1% in the year so far which, while still 9% off the recent record closing high, shows some evidence of continued interest in the UK as an investment destination amid the turmoil elsewhere." "Initial gains were typified by boosts in stocks with a notable exposure to China such as Prudential (PRU.L) and Standard Chartered (STAN.L), as well as those indirectly connected to US tech, with rises for the likes of Polar Capital (PCT.L) and Scottish Mortgage (SMT.L)," he said. "The banks were also underpinned by the read across from their US counterparts, with Barclays (BARC.L) in particular rallying given its own stateside set of businesses." On the FTSE All-Share (^FTAS) – comprised of FTSE 100 (^FTSE), FTSE 250 (^FTMC) and small-cap companies – troubled engineering business Wood Group (WG.L) surged 12%. This came after the company said it had received a £242m ($319m) takeover offer from United Arab Emirates-based Sidara, which is a privately held network of engineering and design companies. The offer would also include a potential $450m (£342m) cash injection into Wood Group (WG.L) and comes almost a year after talks around a previous takeover approach from Sidara collapsed. Read more: Stocks to watch this week: Goldman Sachs, TSMC, ASML, Netflix, LVMH and Sainsbury's Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell (AJB.L), said that Wood Group (WG.L) shares "recently traded at all-time lows after it was forced to delay results as an independent probe found key financial information had been withheld from auditors". He added: "This was expected to result in material adjustments to previous financial statements and its balance sheet. "The latest in a litany of disasters does not seem to have dissuaded erstwhile suitor, Dubai-based Sidara, which has put forward a 35p per share proposal." "This feels very small beer compared with the 230p on the table before Sidara walked away from a deal last summer but beggars cannot be choosers and such is Wood Group's (WG.L) perilous position it has little choice but to accept what is on offer, particularly given Sidara is pitching a potential capital injection as part of the agreement," said Mould. TSMC ( TSM) LVMH ( Dell Technologies (DELL) Intel (INTC) Read more: Best cash-saving deals as Trump tariffs hit rates Average UK house price climbs for first time in almost a year UK economy grows by 0.5% in FebruarySign in to access your portfolio
Dubai Eye
13-04-2025
- Business
- Dubai Eye
Trump spares smartphones and computers from China tariffs
US President Donald Trump's administration granted exclusions from steep reciprocal tariffs to smartphones, computers and some other electronics imported largely from China, providing a big break to tech firms like Apple that rely on imported products. In a notice to shippers, the US Customs and Border Protection agency published a list of tariff codes excluded from the import taxes, with retroactive effect on April 5. It featured 20 product categories, including the broad 8471 code for all computers, laptops, disc drives and automatic data processing. It also included semiconductor devices, equipment, memory chips and flat panel displays. The notice gave no explanation for the move, but the late-night exclusion provides welcome relief to major technology firms such as Apple, Dell Technologies and many other importers. Trump's action also excludes the specified electronics from his 10 per cent "baseline" tariffs on goods from most countries other than China, easing import costs for semiconductors from Taiwan and Apple iPhones produced in India. Asked on Saturday about his reasoning for the exemptions and plans for semiconductors, Trump told reporters on Air Force One: "I'll give you that answer on Monday. We'll be very specific on Monday ... we're taking in a lot of money, as a country, we're taking in a lot of money." Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives called the announcement "the most bullish news we could have heard this weekend." "There is still clear uncertainty and volatility ahead with these China negotiations.... Big Tech firms like Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft and the broader tech industry can breathe a huge sigh of relief this weekend into Monday," Ives said in an industry note. Many tech company CEOs have embraced Trump as he begins his second term, attending his January 20 inauguration in Washington and celebrating with him afterward. Apple CEO Tim Cook hosted a pre-inaugural ball and has visited Trump at his home in Florida. For the Chinese imports, the exclusion only applies to Trump's reciprocal tariffs, which climbed to 125 per cent this week, according to a White House official. Trump's prior 20 per cent duties on all Chinese imports that he said were related to the US fentanyl crisis remain in place. But the official said Trump would launch a new national security trade investigation into semiconductors soon that could lead to other new tariffs. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that Trump has made clear the US cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones and laptops. But she said that at Trump's direction, major tech firms, including Apple and chipmakers Nvidia and Taiwan Semiconductor "are hustling to onshore their manufacturing in the United States as soon as possible." The exemptions suggest an increasing awareness within the Trump administration of the pain his tariffs could inflict on inflation-weary consumers.
Express Tribune
13-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
US exempts tech imports in tariff step back
Listen to article The US government has granted tariff exclusions for smartphones, computers and other electronics imported largely from China, sparing them from President Donald Trump's steep 125% reciprocal duties. In a notice to shippers, the US Customs and Border Protection agency published a list of tariff codes that will be excluded from the duties. The exclusions are retroactive to 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) on April 5. The US CBP listed 20 product categories, including the very broad 8471 code for all computers, laptops, disc drives and automatic data processing. It also included semiconductor devices, equipment, memory chips and flat panel displays. The notice did not provide an explanation for the Trump administration's move, but the late-night exclusion provides welcome relief to major U.S. technology firms, including Apple, Dell Technologies and many other importers. Trump's action also excludes the specified electronics from his 10% "baseline" tariffs on goods from most countries other than China, easing import costs for semiconductors from Taiwan and Apple iPhones produced in India. For the Chinese imports, the exclusion only applies to Trump's reciprocal tariffs, which climbed to 125% this week, according to a White House official. Trump's prior 20% duties on all Chinese imports that he said were related to the US fentanyl crisis remain in place. But the official said Trump will launch a new national security trade investigation into semiconductors soon that could lead to other new tariffs on the sector. Separately, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that Trump has made it clear the US cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones, and laptops. But she said that at Trump's direction, major tech firms, including Apple and chipmakers Nvidia and Taiwan Semiconductor "are hustling to onshore their manufacturing in the United States as soon as possible."
