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U.S. NEWS Friday 29 September 2023

Menendez’s indictment means a new Senate Foreign Relations

Committee chairman and policy reviews

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and of what is more than $1 bil-
MARY CLARE JALONICK lion in annual U.S. military
Associated Press aid to Egypt.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Menendez and his wife
new chairman of the Sen- have pleaded not guilty.
ate Foreign Relations Com- Cardin, before becom-
mittee said Thursday he is ing chairman, had con-
considering policy changes demned the Biden admin-
toward Egypt, Turkey and istration’s decision this year
other countries as he took to override a human-rights
over the powerful leader- prohibition on $235 million
ship of the panel, replacing of this year’s military aid to
indicted Sen. Bob Menen- Egypt.
dez. The administration cited na-
Sen. Ben Cardin, a veteran tional security interests for
Maryland Democrat, will waiving the human rights
have an abbreviated term restrictions. That was even
leading the committee though the State Depart-
because his term expires ment acknowledged Egypt
in January 2025 and he is had made no progress on
not seeking reelection. He detaining journalists, writers
described his unexpect- and rights advocates and
edly inheriting the chair- other human rights abuses.
manship, with its power to Asked Thursday if he in-
help shape how the United Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., talks to reporters as he holds Pen and Pad on assuming chairmanship of tended to stop the distribu-
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
States approaches the rest Associated Press tion of that money if it could
of the world, as a “pinch still be stopped, Cardin said
yourself” moment. on the job. that included using his po- The indictment alleges that he was “looking at his op-
Cardin spoke to reporters Menendez was indicted on sition as committee chair- included helping Egyptian tions.” He said he wanted
under the chandelier and Sept. 22 on charges he and man to influence some U.S. President Abdel Fattah el- to give the administration
vaulted ceiling of the his- his wife, Nadine, accepted policy decisions in favor of Sissi’s government over- and some lawmakers a
toric 19th-century commit- bribes including cash and Egypt’s autocratic govern- come human-rights restric- hearing on the issue before
tee room on his first full day gold bars in transactions ment. tions limiting a small portion reaching a final decision.q

National Security Agency is starting an artificial intelligence

security center

WASHINGTON (AP) — The sone said at the National elections, Nakasone said, any such efforts. Nakasone and evil.
National Security Agency Press Club, emphasizing “We haven’t seen that was asked about using AI Nakasone said it would be-
is starting an artificial intel- the threat from Beijing in yet.” He noted that a num- to automate the analysis come “NSA’s focal point for
ligence security center a particular. ber of elections will take of threat vectors and red- leveraging foreign intelli-
crucial mission as AI capa- Asked if the U.S. has de- place around the world flag alerts and he remind- gence insights, contributing
bilities are increasingly ac- tected either Russia or before that and said the ed the audience that U.S. to the development of best
quired, developed and in- China trying to influence U.S. would work with part- intelligence and defense practices guidelines, prin-
tegrated into U.S. defense the 2024 U.S. presidential ners and allies to help deter agencies already use AI. ciples, evaluation, method-
and intelligence systems, “AI helps us, But our deci- ology and risk frameworks”
the agency’s outgoing di- sions are made by humans. for both AI security and
rector announced Thurs- And that’s an important the goal of promoting the
day. distinction,” Nakasone said. secure development and
Army Gen. Paul Nakasone “We do see assistance from adoption of AI within “our
said the center would be artificial intelligence. But at national security systems
incorporated into the NSA’s the end of the day, deci- and our defense industrial
Cybersecurity Collabora- sions will be made by hu- base.”
tion Center, where it works mans and humans in the He said it would work close-
with private industry and loop.” ly with U.S. industry, nation-
international partners to The AI security center’s es- al labs, academia and the
harden the U.S. defense- tablishment follows an NSA Department of Defense as
industrial base against study that identified secur- well as international part-
threats from adversaries led ing AI models from theft ners.
by China and Russia. and sabotage as a major Nakasone is to be suc-
“We maintain an advan- national security challenge, ceeded as dual leader of
tage in AI in the United U.S. Cyber Command Commander Gen. Paul Nakasone testifies especially as generative AI the NSA and U.S. Cyber
States today. That AI ad- before the House Armed Services Subcommittee hearing on technologies emerge with Command by Air Force Lt.
cyberspace operations, on Capitol Hill in Washington, March
vantage should not be 30, 2023. immense transformative Gen. Timothy Haugh, his
taken for granted,” Naka- Associated Press potential for both good current deputy.q