A former White House cyber-security expert is warning of potential cyber attacks on critical infrastructure.

Former Principal Deputy National Cyber Director Jake Braun was in Arizona recently to talk about the threat.

He's now the Executive Director of the Harris School of Public Policy Cyber Policy Initiative at the University of Chicago.

He said during his time at the Biden White House, he dealt with escalating cyber threats from China and other nation-states targeting water and energy utilities.

"They are very deliberately targeting specific water utilities, specific energy operators and so on - that are civilian but support military installations," said Braun, "so that if we go to war, they've kind of seeded the battlefield so to speak with malware."

Braun said nationwide there are about 50,000 water utilities, but only a few hundred support military operations.

He added that while the federal government is focused on safeguarding those, the majority fall through the cracks.

Braun said he's working with the National Rural Water Association to recruit cyber-volunteers that'll provide free cybersecurity support to local water utilities.

Braun said cybercriminals could hack utilities because they want a ransom. He said those cases are increasing, and start primarily in Russia and other Eastern European countries.

But he added that countries like China are wanting to infiltrate and weaken critical infrastructure.

While Braun was sounding the alarm, he was also advocating for solutions. He said the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides billions of dollars to revamp water infrastructure.

"And many water utilities aren't even requesting the funds," said Braun. "So the funds are there, they're available and water utilities often don't even know they can request the funds for that. And that is true for many other critical infrastructure."

Braun said he understands that money isn't enough. He added that some water utilities are in such remote, rural areas, they'll struggle to find cyber security experts.

But he said that's where the cyber volunteer program, Project Franklin, comes in.

"Volunteer programs like this one," said Braun, "are going to be really what's available to them for the foreseeable future."




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Exports are important to Wisconsin's economy but a new report found they are facing turbulence between a decade-long decline and the uncertainty of new tariffs.

Businesses and farmers across the state rely on exports and some of the biggest categories are industrial, electrical and agriculture. The value of exports has dropped in the last 10 years, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum report. The state has gone from the 19th top-exporting state to 21st.

Tyler Byrnes, senior research associate for the Wisconsin Policy Forum, said the cause is difficult to pinpoint but factors like labor costs, consumer tastes and workforce changes all play a role.

"Wisconsin is one of the most dependent states on agriculture and manufacturing jobs," Byrnes pointed out. "Any disruption to our access to international markets puts a lot of people at risk."

Byrnes added U.S. tariffs triggering retaliatory actions could make Wisconsin goods more expensive, potentially causing consumers to seek alternatives.

The report looked at state-produced goods, where they are produced and which countries buy them. Milwaukee exports the most goods, with total exports last year valued at $9.7 billion, down nearly 20% from a decade ago.

Byrnes noted it mirrors drops seen in other industrial cities.

"Exports are an important measure of the economic health of an area, of a state, of a city," Byrnes explained. "But it's not the primary measure. It's one of many."

Last year, Canada, the European Union, Mexico and China were the top buyers of Wisconsin-made products, accounting for about two-thirds of all the state's exports, according to the report, and the U.S. has imposed tariffs on all of them. Byrnes emphasized the uncertainty creates challenges, both for businesses and consumers.

"Over the long term, we don't really know what exactly it's going to look like," Byrnes acknowledged. "I'm hesitant to make a guesstimate. But I do think there are impacts related to this uncertainty around where we're going to source goods, where we're going to sell goods, and what trade is going to look like."


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California supporters of the Palestinian cause say they are cautiously optimistic - now that the ceasefire in Gaza has taken hold and the hostage releases have begun.

More aid trucks are arriving in Gaza and families are starting to make their way back to survey the almost-total destruction.

Professor Ahlam Muhtaseb with Cal State San Bernardino said about 47,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombardment - but notes the journal Lancet estimates the total death toll on the Palestinian side to be between 110,000 and 300,000 people.

"There are 10,400 Palestinian hostages," said Muhtaseb. "The narrative should be balanced where we care about the humanity of Palestinians, and the genocide they went through for over 15 months."

About 1,200 Israelis died and about 250 were kidnapped on October 7, 2023.

Supporters of the Palestinian people rallied in San Diego's Balboa Park on Saturday - and in Long Beach, Los Angeles, and San Francisco on Sunday, calling for a lasting peace so Gaza can start to rebuild.

Summer Ismail is a community organizer with the Council on American Islamic Relations in San Diego.

She said she's disappointed that the agreement took so long, since the basic framework has been around since last spring.

And she condemned the fact that Israeli airstrikes killed dozens more people after the deal was announced.

"I would like the United States to stop sending our tax dollars to Israel," said Ismail. "And I'd also like to see the international community continue pursuing their charges against Benjamin Netanyahu and find Israel guilty of genocide."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that President Donald Trump assured him of full U.S. support to resume hostilities, quote, "if Israel reaches the conclusion that the second stage of negotiations are ineffectual."




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Leaders of California's Jewish and Muslim communities say they're relieved that Israel and Hamas have taken the first steps toward ending their brutal war in Gaza. In the first phase of the agreement, Hamas has agreed to release an initial batch of 33 hostages and Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian detainees and implement a ceasefire.

Joy Sisisky, president and CEO of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund of the Bay Area, said she remains concerned about the 65 hostages who will still remain captive after this first six-week phase of the agreement.

"Even the return of all of the hostages is not the end, because they've been held in captivity, many of them for 467 days, and that there is a long road to recovery for not just the hostages but for their families, for their friends, and for many of us here too, who consider them like friends and family," she contended.

Many Californians have personal connections to the conflict, on both sides. The war started when Hamas militants crossed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 more. Israel's subsequent invasion of Gaza has killed approximately 46,000 Palestinians.

Teams from the Biden administration and the Trump camp worked together to press both sides to agree to a deal.

Zahra Billoo, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations San Francisco, said the ceasefire announcement is bittersweet because it is so long overdue.

"Right now, the international community needs to prioritize accountability, upholding human rights and providing urgently needed relief to the people in Gaza and the West Bank who have suffered incomprehensibly for more than a year now," Billoo said.

The second phase of the deal would see Israel withdraw from Gaza, as Hamas releases all remaining hostages. The third phase would address reconstruction.


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