U.S. v. CHINA in cybersecurity combat (Shutterstock).

A “major incident” of hacking has hit the United States Treasury Department, according to the Associated Press.

A number of workstations were compromised and some unclassified documents accessed by Chinese hackers acting on behalf of their nation’s government, the agency reported.

There’s no evidence that the hackers have “continued access to Treasury information,” the department stipulated.

According to the AP, this breach followed an earlier major Chinese cyberespionage effort called “Salt Typhoon” in which access to private texts and phone conversations was reached.
Additionally, at least nine telecommunications firms have been affected by the campaign.

Trump loses appeal of $5m award

DONALD TRUMP, president-elect (File photo).

An attempt to overturn a $5 million judgment that President-elect Donald Trump sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll and then defamed her was rejected Monday by a federal appeals court.

Trump’s attorney’s were asking for a new trial, reports The New York Times, but the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit stated, “Mr. Trump has not demonstrated that the court erred in any of the challenged rulings.”

A spokesman for Trump’s election campaign called the lawsuit one of several “witch hunts” and a “hoax.”

Weather: Keep a coat handy

Conditions outside in our West Orange County cities will be all over the proverbial “map” for the next few days and into the new year. Tuesday – New Year’s Eve – will see a daytime high of 61 with a low of 45 under cloudy skies. There will be a 10 percent chance of rain through Friday. Wednesday is expected to warm to 64 (48) with partly cloudy skies. Even warmer temps will hit on Thursday at 70 (51) with sun. Cloudy conditions will make a comeback on Friday with cooler temps at 61 (51).