ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - May 15, 2024

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - May 15, 2024

ZeroFox physical security experts collect, curate, and analyze information derived from open and proprietary sources for comprehensive context of the circumstances surrounding global events. Here is today’s daily roundup of major developments.

Brief Highlights

• Biden Signs Legislation Banning Imports of Russian Uranium
• East Africa Affected by Widespread Internet Outage
• Georgian Parliament Adopts Foreign Agent Legislation in Final Reading

Biden Signs Legislation Banning Imports of Russian Uranium

On May 14, U.S. President Joe Biden signed legislation banning the import of Russian enriched uranium. The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act would ban U.S. imports 90 days after enactment, but allow temporary waivers until January 2028. This measure will likely prompt large shifts in the global uranium market and could increase uranium prices by as much as 20 percent. Russian imports account for about 25 percent of the uranium used to power America's commercial nuclear reactors, meaning U.S. nuclear facilities will likely have to identify new sources of uranium. While the law does allow for emergency waivers to continue Russian imports through 2028, Russia has previously warned it would halt all shipments to the United States, even those that receive a waiver, if President Biden approved the law.

East Africa Affected by Widespread Internet Outage

As of May 14, East Africa has experienced a widespread internet outage after a technical malfunction affected two undersea cables off the coast of South Africa on May 12. The outage has affected Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, and other countries in the area. Officials at the US Embassy in Tanzania announced a closure of services from May 14-15 due to the internet outage with the exception of some visa and emergency operations. Authorities have launched an investigation into the official cause of the disruption, and services may take days or weeks to resume. A similar incident occurred in March 2024 in West Africa due to damage to undersea cables, highlighting the vulnerability of some areas to internet services.

Georgian Parliament Adopts Foreign Agent Legislation in Final Reading

On May 14, the Georgian parliament adopted the proposed foreign agent legislation in its third and final reading. The vote passed largely along party lines; 84 members of parliament voted to approve the bill, and 30 voted against. During debate on the bill, a physical altercation broke out between members of the ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition members. After the vote thousands of protesters again gathered outside of parliament to demonstrate against the bill. Later in the day protesters marched to Heroes Square, about two kilometers from parliament, and blocked off streets that converge on the square. As of this writing, police have detained at least 13 people during the demonstrations. Protests are likely to continue as the bill moves through the legislative process. The foreign agent legislation now heads to President Salome Zourabichvili, who has vowed to veto the bill. However, Georgian Dream has enough votes in parliament to override her veto.