Ukraine wants partner countries to join in postwar development worth billions

• February 5, 2025

By ILLIA NOVIKOV

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine wants to collaborate with partner countries on postwar projects worth billions of dollars not just in mining rare earth elements, but also in energy and construction sectors to help rebuild the country, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Wednesday.

Sybiha responded to comments by U.S. President Donald Trump who said Monday that he wanted to gain access to Ukraine’s valuable rare earth materials as a condition for continuing support for its war against Russia.

Ukrainian officials have said Russia wants to get its hands on Ukraine’s vast natural resources.

Kyiv intends to offer “guarantees of the presence of major businesses in Ukraine and the vested interests of our closest allies — the United States — in developing these (rare earth) deposits and ensuring their protection,” the foreign minister said.

But cooperation should not be limited to rare earth materials, Sybiha said in a news conference alongside visiting U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Ukraine has “huge potential” to become a guarantor of energy security in Europe by buying liquefied natural gas from the United States and storing it in its massive underground tanks for later distribution, he said.

Sybiha also said there was “joint interest” from Ukrainian and American businesses in the postwar reconstruction of Ukraine, estimated to cost more than $400 billion. “This will be one of the largest projects of this century and, accordingly, one of the largest opportunities for our allies.”

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said in an interview broadcast Tuesday night that the war has killed 45,100 Ukrainian troops. The fighting also has injured close to 390,000 troops, he told Piers Morgan Uncensored on YouTube.

On Dec. 8, he said Ukraine had lost some 43,000 soldiers on the battlefield and 370,000 wounded.

Russia hasn’t given its number of killed since September 2022, seven months after its all-out invasion.

If the U.S. stops sending vital military aid, that could also jeopardize European support, Zelenskyy said in the interview. “Without a doubt, we cannot do without this kind of (Western) support,” he said.

Zelenskyy said Wednesday that the United States must be part of any Western troop deployment to safeguard a peace deal with Russia and shield against another invasion. Sending only European troops would not be enough, he said.

“Because this is not just a matter of numbers, it is about sharing responsibility and ensuring security guarantees. This cannot be done without the United States of America,” he said at a news conference with Lammy.

Ukrainian forces are slowly losing ground, especially in eastern areas, where they are being pushed backward by their bigger foe.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed Wednesday that Russian troops had captured the villages of Baranivka in the eastern Donetsk region and Novomlynsk in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

Baranivka’s capture is part of Russia’s effort to envelop Pokrovsk, a key road and rail hub whose loss would compromise a wider area of defense, while the seizure of Novomlynsk is part of Russia’s onslaught toward Kupiansk, another important train junction.

Ukraine keeps hitting the Russian military’s rear areas and supply lines in an effort to disrupt the creeping advance.

Ukraine’s Army General staff claimed Wednesday that Ukrainian forces struck an oil refinery in the Krasnodar region of Russia overnight, setting it on fire.

According to the General Staff, the oil refinery and petroleum product manufacturing plant supplies gasoline and diesel to the Russian army.

The governor of the Krasnodar region, Veniamin Kondratyev, claimed that fragments of a downed Ukrainian drone hit an oil tank at an oil depot in the village of Novominskaya early Wednesday, sparking a fire.

The fire was put out shortly after and there were no injuries, emergency officials said.

​ Orange County Register 

Rain falls across Southern California, with wildfire burn areas prepped for debris flow

• February 5, 2025

The first of two storm systems expected to douse Southern California brought rain across most of the area overnight, raising fears of possible mud and debris flows, but forecasters said the storm was weaker than anticipated, and no flooding was expected.

The “main part” of the storm had moved through the region by late morning Monday, according to the National Weather Service, which said “off-and-on drizzle or light rain” will be possible through Thursday, when the next storm front moves in.

“Rain rates will remain under a tenth of an inch per hour, so (there are) no flooding or debris flow concerns,” according to the NWS. “The next storm is still on track for Thursday night into Friday.”

It was not immediately clear how much rain fell overnight, although forecasters said the storm was “underperforming,” with most areas seeing only a quarter- to a half-inch.

“Rainfall rates have been light enough to tamp down the fire danger but not create anything more than nuisance flooding,” according to the NWS.

Forecasters said there was still “uncertainty” about how much will fall in the second storm later this week, but most models suggest that less than an inch is anticipated in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

“The current best estimate is for around a half-inch for almost the entire area, with higher amounts on the coastal slopes,” according to the NWS. “There is about a 30% chance that the storm will produce 0.75 to 1.00 inches of rain, with higher amounts on the coastal slopes.”

The rain is expected to wind down in LA and Orange counties by Friday afternoon.

Due to the anticipated precipitation, Caltrans closed Pacific Coast Highway at 3 p.m. Tuesday between Chautauqua Boulevard in Los Angeles and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu. The road is expected to remain closed until at least Friday.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the highway must be closed due to soft soils on both the hill and ocean sides of the road,” according to a statement from Caltrans. “Mud and debris flows may occur and canyons may overtop, blocking the road or causing further damage.”

Only essential workers — such as first responders, recovery agencies and utility companies — will be able to access PCH in the closure area, according to Caltrans.

Residents with passes will still be able to return to their homes in Pacific Palisades via Chautauqua, according to Caltrans.

PCH had just reopened Monday with one lane of traffic in both directions between Santa Monica and Malibu, a stretch that was largely closed since Jan. 7 due to the Palisades Fire.

In advance of the rain, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works worked to clean drainage facilities and debris basins, install additional k-rails near homes and provide sandbags at vulnerable sites.

County storm preparedness actions included:

Debris Basin and Flood Control Maintenance

Public Works crews have been clearing storm drains, catch basins, and debris basins in vulnerable burn areas, removing over 400 cubic yards of mud and debris in Sunset Mesa alone.

Infrastructure Reinforcements

With support from the California Office of Emergency Services, the county has deployed 679 feet of k-rail and over 1,500 sandbags in key locations within the Palisades and Eaton burn areas to slow runoff and prevent dangerous debris flows.

Beach and Water Quality Protection

The county is actively working with beaches and harbors, the Department of Public Health, and state and federal agencies to prevent post-fire debris from polluting local beaches and coastal waters.

Community Resources and Support

Free sandbags and flood risk assessments remain available to residents at designated locations, including the La Costa Post Office at 21229 PCH in Malibu.

Residents were urged to clear drainage paths around their properties, install sandbags to direct runoff away from homes, avoid travel in burn areas and mountain roads during heavy rainfall and sign up for emergency alerts at ready.lacounty.gov.

Southern California experienced its first significant winter storm in late January. The L.A. Basin saw accumulations ranging from half an inch to 1.5 inches, while downtown Los Angeles recorded a total of 0.54 inches of rain.

​ Orange County Register 

UN agencies raise alarm over Pakistan’s move to deport thousands of Afghans waiting to go to the US

• February 5, 2025

By MUNIR AHMED

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The U.N. refugees and migration agencies on Wednesday expressed their concern over Pakistan’s decision to deport thousands of Afghan refugees awaiting relocation to the United States and elsewhere.

The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration in a statement said they were seeking clarification from Pakistan, which said last week it would deport the refugees back to Afghanistan unless their cases were processed quickly by the countries that had agreed to take them in.

About 20,000 Afghans were approved for resettlement in the U.S. under a program that helps people at risk because of their work with the American government, media, aid agencies and rights groups. They were among tens of thousands of Afghans who fled to neighboring Pakistan after their country fell to the Taliban in 2021.

However, they were left in limbo after President Donald Trump paused U.S. refugee programs last month.

“A UNHCR-issued non-return advisory has been in place since 2021, calling for a suspension of forced returns of Afghan nationals from any country regardless of their status,” the joint UNHCR-IOM statement said.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last week gave the green light to evict Afghans without papers from the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi before March 31, in preparation for deportation if they were not relocated to their host countries.

UNHCR and IOM said they are especially concerned for Afghan nationals who face a risk of harm upon return, such as ethnic and religious minorities, women and girls, journalists, human rights activists, and members of artistic professions like musicians and others.

It said since Jan. 1, 2025, an uptick in arrests of Afghan nationals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi has caused significant distress, with reports of Afghan nationals of various documentation statuses being rounded up.

The Trump administration also announced the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program would be suspended from Jan. 27 for at least three months. It has shocked Afghans who were hoping to travel to the United States soon.

Afghans in Pakistan have been virtually living in hiding since 2023 when a crackdown began on foreigners who are in the country without proper documentation. An estimated 800,000 Afghans have either gone back voluntarily or been deported since despite criticism from U.N. agencies, rights groups and the Taliban.

Besides thousands of Afghans who are living in Pakistan and awaiting travel to host countries, there are around 1.45 million Afghan nationals registered with UNHCR as refugees in Pakistan as well but their stay has been extended until June.

In the statement, UNHCR and IOM urged “Pakistan to implement any relocation measures with due consideration for human rights standards, including due process, and the legal status of Proof of Registration (POR) and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, who have resided in Pakistan for an extended period of time”.

“Pakistan has a proud tradition of hosting refugees, saving millions of lives. This generosity is greatly appreciated,” UNHCR representative in Pakistan Philippa Candler said.

“IOM is committed to work with the Government of Pakistan and UNHCR to develop a mechanism to register, manage and screen Afghan nationals in Pakistan,” said IOM Chief of Mission, Mio Sato.

She said “This will open the door to tailored solutions including international protection to those in need and pathways for Afghan nationals, with long-standing socioeconomic and family ties in the country.”

​ Orange County Register 

Pam Bondi is sworn in as attorney general as the Justice Department braces for major shakeup

• February 5, 2025

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and ERIC TUCKER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pam Bondi was sworn in Wednesday as attorney general, taking charge of the Justice Department as it braces for upheaval with President Donald Trump aiming to exert his will over an agency that has long provoked his ire.

The ceremony took place in the Oval Office and it was the first time that the Republican president had participated in a second-term swearing-in of a Cabinet member. It was further evidence of Trump’s intense personal interest in the operations of the department that investigated him during his first term and then brought two since-abandoned indictments after he left office in 2021.

Bondi is expected to radically reshape the department, which in recent days has seen the firing of career prosecutors and FBI officials as well as the undoing of the massive prosecution into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot with Trump’s sweeping day one pardons.

The former Florida attorney general enters as the department is embroiled in a dispute with the FBI over an effort to identify thousands of agents involved the sprawling Jan. 6 investigation.

FBI agents this week sued over the Justice Department’s demand to turn over the names, which agents believe may be a precursor to mass firings. And on Wednesday, the acting deputy attorney general in a memo sent to the workforce accused the acting FBI director of “insubordination.”

Bondi is likely to be one of the most closely scrutinized members of Trump’s Cabinet, given her close relationship Trump, who during his 2024 campaign suggested that he try to exact revenge on his perceived enemies.

Bondi has said that politics will play no role in her decision-making, but she also refused at her confirmation hearing last month to rule potential investigations into Trump’s adversaries. She also has repeated Trump’s claims that the prosecutions against him amounted to political persecution, telling senators that the Justice Department “had been weaponized for years and years and years, and it’s got to stop.”

Before Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas administered the oath of office, Trump praised Bondi’s record as a prosecutor and said she will “end the weaponization of federal law enforcement.”

Bondi, who was Florida’s first female attorney general before becoming a lobbyist, told the president that she would not let him down.

“I will make you proud and I will make this country proud,” she said. “I will restore integrity to the Justice Department and I will fight violent crime throughout this country and throughout this world, and make America safe again,” Bondi said.

The Senate confirmed Bondi in a 54-46 vote Tuesday that was almost entirely along party lines. The lone Democrat to join Republicans was Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman.

Republicans have highlighted Bondi’s record in Florida in taking on human traffickers and opioids. GOP lawmakers she will bring much-needed change to a department they believe unfairly pursued Trump through investigations and mistreated his supporters charged in the Jan. 6 riot.

As attorney general Bondi will oversee the FBI, which is in turmoil over the scrutiny of agents involved in Trump-related investigations. On Tuesday, FBI employees filed two lawsuits to halt the collection and potential dissemination of names of investigators after the acting deputy attorney general demanded the names on Friday to determine whether additional personnel decisions were merited.

Bove later said in a memo to the workforce Wednesday that FBI agents “who simply followed orders and carried out their duties in an ethical manner” are not at risk of being fired. The only employees who should be concerned, Bove wrote, “are those who aced with corrupt or partisan intent.”

​ Orange County Register 

Callers swamp Senate offices in Trump’s first weeks, only to get busy signals and full voicemail

• February 5, 2025

By JULIE CARR SMYTH

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Callers are getting busy signals and voicemail inboxes are full at many U.S. Senate offices as people try to reach out and voice their opinions on President Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks, executive orders and moves to dismantle various federal programs.

A memo distributed to Senate staff on Tuesday said there was a higher number of calls than usual and that some callers were having trouble getting through.

“The Senate is experiencing an unusually high volume of inbound calls. External callers may receive a temporary busy signal when phoning a Senate office,” according to the memo obtained by The Associated Press.

The influx of phone calls comes as Trump and ally Elon Musk are working to shrink the federal government during the president’s first weeks in office. They are shuttering agencies, temporarily freezing funding and pushing workers to resign, all while staffers with Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency infiltrate departments in a stated effort to root out fraud and abuse.

One popular post making the rounds on social media urged opponents of those actions to call their lawmakers six times a day, every day — two calls each to their two senators and two to their House member. “You should NOT be bothering with online petitions or emailing,” it said. The post urged use of a smartphone app that would make the task of making multiple calls per day easier.

Caitlin Christman, an institutional support contractor in Wisconsin furloughed last week from the U.S. Agency for International Development, said it took her four attempts over five days to successfully leave a message for her senator, Republican Ron Johnson, after dealing with an overloaded voicemail box, grainy recorded greetings and a busy signal.

“I wanted to express my concern with dismantling USAID without any sort of review, and to relay my experience with its work, which I believe has been in our country’s best interest,” she said, noting that she expects to be fired later this week.

Meryl Neiman of Ohio Progressive Action Leaders and others within her network sought to draw attention to the fact that they were having trouble reaching both her state’s senators — Republicans Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted — by phone or in person at their field offices before Wednesday’s nationwide protests against Trump and Project 2025, a hard-right playbook for American government and society.

Both senators are close with Trump’s vice president, JD Vance, and were with him as recently as Monday, during a tour of the 2023 derailment site in East Palestine.

Those frustrated by Trump’s actions shared similar stories with the AP of being unable to reach their lawmakers. They seemed to be experiencing particular barriers to connecting with the Senate offices of Trump’s fellow Republicans, who may be more inundated than Democrats because Republicans hold the chamber’s majority and are more likely to have the president’s ear.

Lawmakers were frustrated, too, as they seek to maintain operations amid the barrage. Senate voicemail boxes only hold about 1,000 messages before becoming full and needing to be catalogued and emptied.

Moreno’s spokesperson, Reagan McCarthy, said helping Ohioans in need is his top priority.

“While the Senate has been dealing with an exceptionally high volume of calls, our office is committed to responding to each and every Ohioan in need of assistance and working through all requests as quickly as possible,” she said in a statement.

​ Orange County Register 

Meet the woman keeping the adorable pups happy at this year’s ‘Puppy Bowl’

• February 5, 2025

By MARK KENNEDY, Associated Press Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — If you tune into the “Puppy Bowl” on Sunday, you’ll likely see a key person’s influence — even if you don’t actually see her.

Victoria Schade is a dog trainer and novelist who’s the show’s lead puppy trainer and wrangler. She’s the one making sure the shelter pups have a conflict-free contest and that they’re captured at their most adorable — all from off-camera.

It is Schade who gets the puppies to look up during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” or run through a tunnel to get to the field for the starting lineups. She’s on the lookout for possible conflicts or nervous dogs.

“My responsibilities include ensuring puppy happiness and safety during gameplay,” she says. “So if there’s any moment where a puppy looks like they’re overwhelmed or they just need a break, I’ll step out and give them a little break on the sideline.”

Schade has been working with the doggies on the Animal Planet show for 19 years and is believed to be the longest serving member of the “Puppy Bowl” crew. She also works the kitten halftime show and calls filming both her favorite week of the year.

“I think she is one of the most dedicated, hardest working people out there in the business,” says “Puppy Bowl” referee Dan Schachner, now in his 14th year. “She doesn’t ever seem to run out of energy. She never says no to a request and there’s always brightness and sunshine from her with every step.”

Schade has coached hundreds of dogs over the years but never adopted one from the show — until now. She took home Boris — known on the show as Mr. Pickles — from Dallas Dog rescue. “I saw star quality. So this was the year,” she says.

Treats and funny noises

Early on, Schade was responsible for recruiting and selecting the puppies, a task now that leans on animal rescue groups and shelters throughout the country. These days, she’s the lead trainer.

“If you’re seeing the puppy looking up at the camera, I’m typically right there with the treat,” she says. “It’s a lot of treats and funny noises. And that does the trick.”

This year, Schade is stepping out from the sidelines and joining Schachner on camera for an hour-long pre-game kickoff show, which features a doggie combine and a draft. Other show highlights include segments with Dan Smyers, from superstar country duo Dan + Shay, and Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi.

Schade has developed some very special animal-related skills over the years, including anticipating when one of the players needs to relieve itself.

“One of my ‘Puppy Bowl’ skills is reading butts. So I know when a puppy is going to go to the bathroom and I’ll typically say like, ‘Watch out in the 20-yard-line, we’re going to have a deposit’ and everyone’s ready to go with that cleanup.”

The “Puppy Bowl” made its debut as counter-programming to the Super Bowl in 2005. Dogs score touchdowns on a gridiron carpet when they cross the goal line — any goal line — with a toy in their mouth.

The show is really just an excuse to spend time watching adorable, clumsy pups play with chew toys, wag their tails furiously and lick the camera. A deeper reason is to encourage animal adoption.

According to the ASPCA, approximately 390,000 shelter dogs are euthanized each year and 2 million shelter dogs are adopted.

Most of the puppies are usually adopted by airtime, since the show was filmed in the fall. But the point is to show that animals just like the ones on the show can be found at any shelter at any time.

This year’s three-hour television event this year will feature 142 rescue puppies from 80 shelters across 40 states — and one from Nicaragua, a Chihuahua-German shepherd. There will be 11 special needs dogs.

“That’s the most amount we’ve ever had,” says Schachner. “Look out for Jolene, who is a pitbull mix that’s in a wheelchair. Look out for a three-legged Boston terrier from New York City. And my personal favorite, is Sprinkle, who is a blind and deaf Aussie. So it’s just incredible to watch them play.”

The inaugural “Puppy Bowl” was watched by nearly 6 million viewers. Last year, 12.6 million viewers tuned in. In comparison, this year’s Golden Globes attracted 9.3 million.

It airs Sunday, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT and will be simulcast across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max and discovery+. The show repeats throughout the day.

Practical advice for raising puppies

Schade, whose first book was “ Bonding With Your Dog ” and who then pivoted to writing pet-oriented novels, like “Life on the Leash” and “Dog Friendly,” is a wealth of information about our four-legged friends.

She advises dog owners to learn to read the body language of their pet, to try to understand what they’re trying to say. Like tail-wagging — how tight? And where is the tail positioned?

Schade is a big advocate for positive reinforcement and science-based training, not the so-called alpha dog approach, which uses intimidation or force.

“There’s no need to be the alpha, which has been debunked anyway. You are your dog’s ally. You’re their friend. You’re their No. 1. And it’s a relationship based in compassion and understanding.”

That means load up on treats. She advocates keeping them in your pocket and consistently using them as rewards for good behavior, especially when potty training.

“I cannot stress it enough: When you think you’re treating enough, treat more because, especially during puppyhood, it is such a critical learning period and every interaction is a chance to teach something.”

​ Orange County Register 

AB 253 would streamline building

• February 5, 2025

This one should be a no-brainer. Introduced by Assemblymembers Chris Ward, D-San Diego, and Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, Assembly Bill 253 is the California Residential Private Permitting Review Act. It would speed the approval process for developments of 10 or fewer units, including single-family homes and duplexes. If a city takes longer than 30 days to review building plans, in the bill’s words the developer could “employ a private professional provider … to perform the plan check.”

Speaking on Kitty O’Neal’s KFBK radio show in Sacramento, Ward explained his bill addresses both the wildfires that have burned much of the state as well as the ongoing housing crisis. Permits themselves would not be cut back, but a timeframe imposed. If permitting lasted too long, he said, “There’s a lot of great professionals out there who know your city’s code” and could check the building plan. “They build the things, they do the electrical work, they do the structural engineering work.”

A city still would issue the final occupancy permit and the bill would apply to the whole state, not just those hit by wildfires. He rightly pointed out that reduced permitting times would cut developer costs, encouraging more development. After all, time is money and permitting delays can mean major financial impacts.

The bill follows actions by Gov. Newsom, including a Jan. 12 executive order suspending permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Commission. And a Jan. 27 EO suspended for wildfire survivors any rules limiting stays in motels or hotels to 30 days.

AB 253 was introduced Jan. 15. Ward said hearings should begin in early March. After that, “we have many steps ahead of us” before it’s approved by the Senate and Assembly, then signed by Newsom.

We heartily support this bill. But it and other bills advancing post-wildfire reconstruction ought to be approved more quickly than the current timeline. Assuming AB 253 goes into effect in April, add 30 days for the local review process that takes too long, then another 30 days for a private assessment. That pushes rebuilding to June or later.

We can do better, faster.

​ Orange County Register 

Researchers say China’s DeepSeek chatbot is linked to state telecom, raising data privacy concerns

• February 5, 2025

By BYRON TAU, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The website of the Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek, whose chatbot became the most downloaded app in the United States, has computer code that could send some user login information to a Chinese state-owned telecommunications company that has been barred from operating in the United States, security researchers say.

The web login page of DeepSeek’s chatbot contains heavily obfuscated computer script that when deciphered shows connections to computer infrastructure owned by China Mobile, a state-owned telecommunications company. The code appears to be part of the account creation and user login process for DeepSeek.

In its privacy policy, DeepSeek acknowledged storing data on servers inside the People’s Republic of China. But its chatbot appears more directly tied to the Chinese state than previously known through the link revealed by researchers to China Mobile. The U.S. has claimed there are close ties between China Mobile and the Chinese military as justification for placing limited sanctions on the company. DeepSeek and China Mobile did not respond to emails seeking comment.

The growth of Chinese-controlled digital services has become a major topic of concern for U.S. national security officials. Lawmakers in Congress last year on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis voted to force the Chinese parent company of the popular video-sharing app TikTok to divest or face a nationwide ban though the app has since received a 75-day reprieve from President Donald Trump, who is hoping to work out a sale.

The code linking DeepSeek to one of China’s leading mobile phone providers was first discovered by Feroot Security, a Canadian cybersecurity company, which shared its findings with The Associated Press. The AP took Feroot’s findings to a second set of computer experts, who independently confirmed that China Mobile code is present. Neither Feroot nor the other researchers observed data transferred to China Mobile when testing logins in North America, but they could not rule out that data for some users was being transferred to the Chinese telecom.

The analysis only applies to the web version of DeepSeek. They did not analyze the mobile version, which remains one of the most downloaded pieces of software on both the Apple and the Google app stores.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission unanimously denied China Mobile authority to operate in the United States in 2019, citing “substantial” national security concerns about links between the company and the Chinese state. In 2021, the Biden administration also issued sanctions limiting the ability of Americans to invest in China Mobile after the Pentagon linked it to the Chinese military.

“It’s mindboggling that we are unknowingly allowing China to survey Americans and we’re doing nothing about it,” said Ivan Tsarynny, CEO of Feroot.

“It’s hard to believe that something like this was accidental. There are so many unusual things to this. You know that saying ‘Where there’s smoke, there’s fire’? In this instance, there’s a lot of smoke,” Tsarynny said.

Stewart Baker, a Washington, D.C.-based lawyer and consultant who has previously served as a top official at the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency, said DeepSeek “raises all of the TikTok concerns plus you’re talking about information that is highly likely to be of more national security and personal significance than anything people do on TikTok,” one of the world’s most popular social media platforms.

Users are increasingly putting sensitive data into generative AI systems — everything from confidential business information to highly personal details about themselves. People are using generative AI systems for spell-checking, research and even highly personal queries and conversations. The data security risks of such technology are magnified when the platform is owned by a geopolitical adversary and could represent an intelligence goldmine for a country, experts warn.

“The implications of this are significantly larger because personal and proprietary information could be exposed. It’s like TikTok but at a much grander scale and with more precision. It’s not just sharing entertainment videos. It’s sharing queries and information that could include highly personal and sensitive business information,” said Tsarynny, of Feroot.

Feroot, which specializes in identifying threats on the web, identified computer code that is downloaded and triggered when a user logs into DeepSeek. According to the company’s analysis, the code appears to capture detailed information about the device a user logs in from — a process called fingerprinting. Such techniques are widely used by tech companies around the world for security, verification and ad targeting.

The company’s analysis of the code determined that there were links in that code pointing to China Mobile authentication and identity management computer systems, meaning it could be part of the login process for some users accessing DeepSeek.

The AP asked two academic cybersecurity experts — Joel Reardon of the University of Calgary and Serge Egelman of the University of California, Berkeley — to verify Feroot’s findings. In their independent analysis of the DeepSeek code, they confirmed there were links between the chatbot’s login system and China Mobile.

“It’s clear that China Mobile is somehow involved in registering for DeepSeek,” said Reardon. He didn’t see data being transferred in his testing but concluded that it is likely being activated for some users or in some login methods.

Contact the AP’s global investigative team at [email protected] or https://www.ap.org/tips/.

​ Orange County Register