Thursday Briefing: U.S. warnings about a Russian space weapon

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February 22, 2024

By Amelia Nierenberg Writer, Briefings

Good morning. We’re covering U.S. intelligence about Russia’s nuclear ambitions in space and China’s A.I. push.

Plus, Niue’s fight for .nu on the web.

A photo released by the Russian state media showing Vladimir Putin and his defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, on Tuesday. Alexander Kazakov/Sputnik, via Getty Images

The U.S. warned that Russia could put a nuclear weapon in space

U.S. intelligence agencies have told their closest European allies that if Russia is going to launch a nuclear weapon into orbit, it will probably do so this year. But, they warned, it might instead launch a harmless “dummy” warhead to leave the West guessing about its capabilities.

The assessment came amid a U.S. intelligence scramble: Officials have been conducting a series of rushed, classified briefings for their NATO and Asian allies, as details began to leak out. But U.S. intelligence agencies are divided, and officials have low confidence in their analysis of whether Russia is ready to launch such a space weapon.

The consequences of such a weapon are clearer. It could disrupt communications by destroying the commercial and military satellites that have reshaped global communications capabilities.

Response: President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow was “categorically against” placing nuclear weapons in space. The Russian defense minister said the warning was manufactured to get Congress to authorize more aid for Ukraine.

Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan at a protest in Karachi. Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

Pakistan’s military is in crisis

Pakistanis once thought of the military as the iron hand controlling politics in the country. Recent elections shattered that myth of its omnipotence when voters backed candidates aligned with the jailed former leader, Imran Khan, despite a military crackdown on his party.

Their fervor — and their accusations that the military then rigged the results to deny the candidates a majority — have created one of the military establishment’s biggest crises yet.

“We’ve seen the military becoming increasingly isolated from its usual support base, like veterans and Pakistan’s elite, who were also arrested and pressured in the crackdown leading up to the polls,” Christina Goldbaum, our Pakistan and Afghanistan bureau chief, told us.

Young people refused to be intimidated by the military, and social media outpaced censorship. But Christina said the mood is uneasy: The military has doubled down and moved to consolidate its control since the election. “Most people I’m talking to don’t believe that these elections alone are enough to fundamentally change the power dynamic between civilian leaders and military leaders in Pakistan,” she said.

Robin Li, the chief executive of Baidu — the Chinese search giant, which is building an A.I. model. Mark R Cristino/EPA, via Shutterstock

China lags behind the U.S. in A.I. development

China is racing to build generative A.I. systems. But its companies lag behind the U.S. by at least a year — and are relying almost entirely on underlying systems from the U.S., according to more than a dozen tech industry insiders and leading engineers.

The jockeying for A.I. primacy could make for a new phase in the tense technological competition between the U.S. and China.

Also in tech: Silicon Valley investors are shifting away from Chinese start-ups as U.S. actions to limit investing in China have piled up.

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Israel-Hamas War

Mourners attend to the bodies of people killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza this week. Mohammed Saber/EPA, via Shutterstock

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Culture

Beyoncé’s country-themed album is expected to be released March 29. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

A Morning Read

Michele Evans found inspiration for writing during an 18-month stint in prison. Ye Fan for The New York Times

Thousands of pages of court documents have been written about the troubled state of the jail at Rikers Island, in New York City. Thousands of pages of fiction have, too: The jail has become a literary incubator for detainees and corrections officers.

Lives lived: Ameen Sayani, a pioneering and beloved Indian D.J., was on the air for more than 42 years. He died at 91.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times.

Niue has a population of about 2,000 people. Jill Ferry/Getty Images

Niue’s fight for .nu

In the 1990s, the South Pacific island of Niue may have made a big mistake. It gave an American businessman the rights to the internet suffix .nu, in exchange for access to the World Wide Web.

“Nu” means “new” in several Nordic languages, and thousands of Scandinavians registered websites with .nu, making it very valuable. Niue has been fighting for decades to reclaim it, arguing that it is a fight for self-determination.

“We are victims of digital colonialism,” the island’s prime minister told The Times. “This domain, the .nu, recognizes Niue as a sovereign country. This is how important it is to our identity.”

Niue is seeking about $30 million in damages. A court ruling is expected soon.

Johnny Miller for The New York Times

Cook: Efo riro (stewed amaranth greens) is a rich vegetable side dish from Nigeria.

Read: In “Remembering Peasants,” a historian presents a stirring elegy for a vanishing culture.

Listen: Our Amplifier newsletter recommends new songs from Maggie Rogers, Angélica Garcia and others.

Rest: Experts say that lounging in bed is generally time well spent.

Compete: Take this week’s history quiz.

Play Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.

That’s it for today’s briefing. See you tomorrow. — Amelia

We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions at briefing@nytimes.com.

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