Don't Trust the FBI's Ability to Keep an iPhone Back Door to Itself - Reason
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Don't Trust the FBI's Ability to Keep an iPhone Back Door to Itself
Reason Credit: Robert Scoble / photo on flickrRepresenting Apple in its ongoing battle with the FBI, former George W. Bush administration Solicitor General Ted Olson warned that if the tech company was forced to write a new operating system to ease law ... POV: Apple vs FBI: Who Should Prevail?BU Today all 5 news articles » |
Fortune |
What Apple's Standoff With the FBI Says About Leadership
Fortune It's not about whether Tim Cook is right or wrong. Apple Inc.'s standoff against the U.S. government's mounting pressure to hack into an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters highlights the importance of having clear leadership values in place. and more » |
Dozens of Russian warplanes sat idle Tuesday on the tarmac at this Russian air base in Syria on the fourth day of a cease-fire brokered by Moscow and Washington.
The leading lawmaker in the United States Congressional intelligence committee has accused the Department of Defense of resisting his efforts to investigate claims that intelligence products on the Islamic State were manipulated.
Liberal billionaire George Soros was at the White House late last year to meet with President Obama’s controversial top adviser on ISIS, according to the White House visitor log.
Soros, joined by top aide Michelle’s Vachon and Bulgarian political scientist Ivan Krastev, met with White House ISIS czar Rob Malley late in the afternoon on October 8, 2015 in the Executive Office Building, according to a recent update of the log.
The White House did not return a request for comment on the topic of the meeting with Malley, the senior advisor to the president for the counter-ISIL campaign in Iraq and Syria.
Though Malley wouldn’t be named ISIS czar until a few weeks later, the terrorist force was almost certainly the topic of discussion at the meeting.
Krastev, the chairman of a foreign policy think tank in Europe, published an op-ed in the New York Times the day before the meeting analyzing the power struggle between Russia and the United States in Syria. Soros has been an active voice on the topic of how to handle Russia’s involvement in the campaign against ISIS.
It is unsurprising that Soros was given access to Malley. The billionaire sits on the board of trustees and is a major funder of the International Crisis Group, where Malley served as Middle East director before being tapped by the Obama administration.
It was Malley’s work at the International Crisis Group that led to him being fired by the 2008 Obama campaign once it became known that he entered into direct negotiations with Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist group by the State Department.
Malley told the New York Times that he had agreed to leave the campaign “because it was becoming a distraction to me and to Senator Obama’s campaign, and to avoid any misperception—misrepresentation being the more accurate word—about the candidate’s position regarding the Islamist movement.”
His critics have pointed to an “anti-Israeli, pro-Palestinian bias” that is evident in much of his public writing, according to a report by NBC News.
In 2006, for example, Malley argued that Hamas’s rise to power in the Gaza Strip was “not necessarily a fatal setback” to diplomacy.
“Even on the diplomatic front, Hamas’ victory is not necessarily a fatal setback,” Malley said at the time. “The Islamists’ approach is more in tune with current Israeli thinking than the [Palestinian Authority’s] loftier goal of a negotiated permanent peace ever was.”
In 2002, he argued that the Israeli army had damaged medical facilities and schools using “security concerns” as a false excuse.
“The logic behind these actions appears to have less to do with furthering Israel’s security than with its political goals,” Malley wrote.
Malley previously served on the advisory council of J Street, a liberal fringe group that also receives funding from Soros.
This was the 13th time that Soros has officially been a guest at the White House, according to the visitor logs. Included in those meetings are trips to speak with President Obama in the Oval Office and Vice President Joe Biden in the West Wing.
The billionaire, age 85, remains heavily involved in liberal politics, steering millions of dollars toward his favored groups.
The post George Soros Had White House Meeting With Obama’s ISIS Czar appeared first onWashington Free Beacon.
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Hillary Clinton’s private email server contained now-classified information about high-level State Department meetings with leaders of more than a dozen countries, emails released last week show.
The new batch of emails show Clinton and top aides from her tenure as Secretary of State sharing details about those meetings that the State Department now says contain classified information about foreign governments, U.S. national security, intelligence sources, and financial secrets.
The emails were sent to or from Clinton’s personal email server, a non-secure computer network set up in her Chappaqua, N.Y., home. The FBI is currently probing the legality of the system.
On Friday the Department of State released the latest batch of emails to or from Clinton’s account in response to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act for messages to or from her personal email address—the only address Clinton used as secretary of state.
In one email, a top official in the State Department’s East Asia bureau briefed two of Clinton’s senior staff members on bilateral meetings during the 2012 East Asia Summit in Cambodia.
The email includes details on meetings with high-ranking officials from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. The contents of the discussions are redacted pursuant to the FOIA exemption for classified information.
Jake Sullivan, an aide to Clinton, forwarded that message. “Useful info,” Clinton responded. The rest of her reply is now classified.
Clinton has stated repeatedly that she did not send or receive information that was marked classified at the time. However, the non-disclosure agreement she signed after taking office stated that criminal penalties for the mishandling of classified information applied to “marked or unmarked classified information.”
Numerous Clinton emails contain information that was “born classified,” such as details of U.S. foreign policy known as “operational intelligence.” That information is so sensitive that any senior government official would recognize it as classified regardless of markings, experts say.
The Clinton campaign did not respond to a request for comment on classified information in the latest batch of emails.
It is not clear how sensitive the information in those emails is. However, redaction codes specifying exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act list three specific exemptions in emails regarding communications with foreign diplomats.
Those exemptions pertain to “foreign government information,” “foreign relations or foreign activities of the United States, including confidential sources,” and “scientific, technological, or economic matters relating to national security,” according to the National Archives and Records Administration.
Those exemptions are sprinkled throughout other emails released last week pertaining to communications with foreign diplomats and other government officials.
Those messages contain classified information about discussions with leaders in Bahrain, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar about the 2011 revolution in Egypt in the days after the uprising began.
Additional emails include classified information on State Department discussions with David Cameron, the British prime minister, an Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestine Liberation Organization official, and on a departmental delegation to Sudan.
A July 2010 memo apparently sent to Clinton’s personal email address contained now-classified details about a meeting between Henry Kissinger and a handful of high-ranking Chinese officials.
The contents of the four-page memo are entirely redacted pursuant to exemptions for classified information, with the exception of one line at the end, which notes, “The meeting lasted for 90 minutes.”
The post Classified Clinton Emails Detailed U.S. Meetings With 15 Foreign Governments appeared first on Washington Free Beacon.
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'Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War,' by Fred Kaplan
New York Times There is widespread uncertainty not just about how a cyberwar should be fought, but also over the fundamentals of who should fight it and even whether it is a war or not. Kaplan follows Kipling's advice, gathering the stories of American ... For ... |
The Independent |
The FBI would be able to monitor everybody's entire lives if Apple is forced to unlock terrorist's iPhone, judge says
The Independent Apple is currently locked in a public feud with the FBI about whether it should be forced to break into a phone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters. And if the US government wins then it could have huge consequences for citizens' privacy, a ... and more » |
Los Angeles Times |
The fight between Apple and the FBI moves to Capitol Hill
Los Angeles Times The heated dispute over whether Apple should be forced to help the FBI unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino killers is heading to Capitol Hill. FBI Director James B. Comey and Apple's general counsel, Bruce Sewell, are scheduled to ... Apple Wins Ruling in New York iPhone Hacking OrderNew York Times The exact moment when the FBI realized how big its battle with Apple would beBGR Apple's Top Lawyer Will Tell Congress Tuesday "Encryption Is a Good Thing"Inverse El Paso Inc.-Norwich Bulletin-NanoNews (blog) all 1,789 news articles » |
9 to 5 Mac |
House Judiciary Committee members may file legal brief to back Apple's view that Congress should decide FBI case
9 to 5 Mac Reuters reports that both Republican and Democratic party members of the House Judiciary Committee support Apple's view that Congress, not the courts, should decide the FBI case – and plan to file a legal brief to say so. The committee is responsible ... Apple, FBI to face off at House hearing on encryptionUSA TODAY Apple to Defend Encryption, Privacy in House Judiciary HearingThe Mac Observer The fight between Apple and the FBI moves to Capitol HillLos Angeles Times The Star Online-Press-Enterprise all 1,719 news articles » |
RT |
'Unlocking cellphone is trivial, FBI should stop deceiving public & tell truth' – John McAfee
RT Let me try to make this issue simple for the American public and for the FBI, who clearly doesn't understand. These devices are computers, whether it is an Android phone, iOS phone, or whatever. Inside - is a processor, which is a computer, the ... and more » |
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BEIRUT (AP) - The Latest on the Syrian conflict as a fragile cease-fire enters its fourth day (all times local):
2:30 p.m.
Russia's Defense Ministry says the ongoing cease-fire in Syria has been violated 15 times in the past 24 hours.
The ministry said in a statement Tuesday that most ...
The Early Edition: March 1, 2016 by Nadia O'Mara
Before the start of business, Just Security provides a curated summary of up-to-the-minute developments at home and abroad. Here’s today’s news.
*** Correction: Yesterday’s Early Edition erroneously asserted that Ibragim Todashev was one of the Boston Marathon bombers. The story should have read: “Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev passed the US citizenship test three months before the attack …”
IRAQ and SYRIA
Syria’s ceasefire. The ceasefire agreement brokered by the US and Russia faces “complete nullification” because of Assad regime attacks in violation of the truce, warned a senior official from the Saudi-backed opposition High Negotiations Committee yesterday. [Reuters’ John Davison and John Irish] Secretary of State John Kerry said that alleged violations of the agreement will be investigated, adding that the regime of President Bashar al-Assad should show “some measure of decency” during the cessation of hostilities. [BBC; CNN’s Susannah Cullinane]
Russian fighter jets sat idle today at Moscow’s Hemeimeem air base in Syria, as the country’s ceasefire enters its fourth day, reports the AP.
“In the Syrian ceasefire shell game, the good guys may be bad guys,” reports Alexander Decina, citing US-allied backed militia, Ahrar al-Sham which is actually allies with al-Qaeda. [The Daily Beast]
Iraqi forces are pushing back against the Islamic State in a strategic area north of Baghdad, officials said. The area, called Jazerat Samarra, will be essential for future operations aimed at reclaiming parts of Anbar province and Mosul, said the country’s spokesman of the counterterrorism forces. [AP]
Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the US is increasing its support for Iraqi troops as they attempt to reclaim Mosul from ISIS, saying: “Will we do more to enable as they go north? Yes, we fully expect to do that,” yesterday at a briefing. [The Hill’s Kristina Wong] Echoing this, Gen Joseph F. Dunford Jr, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that US-backed troops have begun laying the groundwork for the battle to isolate Mosul from the militant group’s de facto Syrian capital, Raqqa. [New York Times’ Helene Cooper and Matthew Rosenberg]
The American Army’s elite Delta Force has begun operations to target, capture or kill senior Islamic State operatives in Iraq, following a number of weeks of covert preparation, according to an administration official. [CNN’s Barbara Starr]
Russia has appealed for a global pact to counter the growing threat of chemical warfare from Islamic State and other militant groups. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the UN-sponsored conference on disarmament in Geneva that the threat is “extremely urgent in light of newly revealed facts of repeated use of not only industrial toxic chemicals but also of full-fledged chemical warfare agents” by terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq. [Reuters]
GOP lawmakers have accused the Obama administration of “paralysis” in failing to adopt the label of genocide for the actions of the Islamic State. Nahal Toosi provides the details. [Politico]
The Islamic State has executed eight Dutch members accused by the group of attempting to desert, according to the Syrian citizen journalist group Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently via Twitter. [AFP]
US-led airstrikes continue. The US and coalition military forces carried out 12 airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria on Feb 28. Separately, partner forces conducted a further 12 strikes against targets in Iraq. [Central Command]
SURVEILLANCE, PRIVACY and TECHNOLOGY
New York judge rules in Apple’s favor. A federal judge ruled against the Justice Department yesterday, over whether the tech giant can be compelled to extract data from a locked cell phone. The decision could affect the fight between Apple and the FBI over the phone of one of the San Bernardino shooters. [Wall Street Journal’s Devlin Barrett] Magistrate Judge James Orenstein said that the 1789 All Writs Act did not authorize him to force Apple to act, reports Ellen Nakashima. [Washington Post]
Apple v. FBI. Apple and the FBI will present their cases before a congressional panel today concerning a court order demanding that the tech giant provide the federal agency with data from the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone. [Reuters’ Julia Harte and Julia Edwards] US officials are expected to argue that lawmakers should pass a bill requiring tech companies to retain user keys for decrypting customer data, report Sam Thielman and Spencer Ackerman. [The Guardian]
Investigators are unlikely to uncover much useful information on the iPhone of Syed Farook, even if the FBI succeeds in forcing Apple to unlock the phone, warn security and law enforcement experts. David Perera provides the details. [Politico]
The husband of one of the San Bernardino survivors is backing Apple in its fight against the FBI.Salihin Kondoker, whose wife Anies was shot three times in the attack, filed an amicus brief explaining that his decision was based mainly on the fact that it is “unlikely there is any valuable information on this phone.” [The Guardian’s Alex Hern]
The White House has warned the nations’ utilities companies that a sophisticated cyberattack like the one used to take down Ukraine’s power grid two months ago could be used on them. [New York Times’ David E. Sanger]
The Pentagon is utilizing new digital weaponry in the fight against ISIS, deploying technologies aimed at hindering the militant group’s ability to communicate, control forces and manage finances in Iraq and Syria, officials said yesterday. [Wall Street Journal’s Damian Paletta and Felicia Schwartz]
LIBYA
US military involvement will be needed in Libya to defeat Islamic State, even if a unity government is formed, Army Brigadier General Donald Bolduc, commander of US special operations forces in Africa, has said. Although his comments were focused on the special operations arena, they are more direct than those made on previous occasions by other US officials, reports Yaroslav Trofimov. [Wall Street Journal]
Britain is due to send a training team of troops to Tunisia’s border with Libya, in an effort to put a stop to “illegal cross-border movement from Libya in support of Tunisian authorities” by Islamic State. [Reuters’]
HILLARY CLINTON EMAIL CONTROVERSY
The last of the 30,000 emails on Hillary Clinton’s private server were released yesterday, including anemail dated July 3, 2009, concerning North Korea, which prompted the original referral to the FBI last year for a review of Clinton’s handling of classified information. [New York Times’ Steven Lee Myers and Julie Hirschfeld Davis] Nick Gass provides a compilation of the “23 must-read emails from Clinton’s inbox.” [Politico]
Meanwhile, Attorney General Loretta Lynch has fielded further questions about potential criminal charges in relation to Clinton’s handling of classified emails, stating that the Department of Justice will not obey “any kind of artificial deadline” and will look to “follow the facts, follow the law and come to an independent conclusion.” [The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes]
The US’ system of classifying documents is “dysfunctional, arbitrary and counterproductive,” says Abbe David Lowell, the Hillary Clinton email affair being the latest demonstration of this. Clinton is “right” to argue that government information is “overclassified” and “poorly labeled.” A “saner” system of classification is needed. [New York Times]
AFGHANISTAN
More US troops than planned may remain in Afghanistan at the end of the year to support national security forces. At a Pentagon briefing, General Joseph Dunford explained that assumptions made previously as to Afghanistan’s progress have proved wrong, though this was not surprising given the “two major elections and a difficult political transition” Afghan forces have had to deal with in the past few years. [The Hill’s Kristina Wong]
An Afghan policeman has shot and killed four colleagues at an isolated checkpoint in the Uruzgan province. Another 11 policemen are missing. It is still unclear what took place, and no group has claimed responsibility for the incident, the police chief of Uruzgan province stated. [AP]
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
“It’s good if it can be done, but it cannot be done under current law.” Defense Secretary Ash Carter told reporters yesterday that the closure of Guantánamo Bay will not go ahead without the support of Congress. He also said that a similar facility would have to be built in the US to house those detainees who are not safe to release from US custody. [The Hill’s Kristina Wong]
“Ford administration officials suppressed the Rockefeller Commission’s actual report on CIA assassination plots.” The National Security Archive at the George Washington University, which released internal White House and commission documents yesterday, said the report had been substantially changed in order to soften its impact. In particular, a whole portion on CIA assassination plots was taken out. [The Daily Beast]
A Palestinian man has been shot dead by Israeli forces, and ten others have been injured, after an army jeep entered a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank “by mistake,” according to Israeli police. [Al Jazeera]
“Snooper’s charter.” A revised investigatory powers bill is to be published by the UK legislature today. The revisions are said to include more stringent privacy safeguards. [The Guardian’s Alan Travis; BBC]
Nuclear materials have been flown between the US and the UK 23 times over the past five years, the UK’s Ministry of Defense has admitted, politicians and campaigners raising alarm at the risk of radioactive contamination they say this would have posed. Materials transported were tritium, plutonium and enriched uranium, all ingredients of Trident warheads. [The Guardian’s Rob Edwards]
“Territorial integrity and sovereign equality of nations.” UN and OSCE principles “must still form the bedrock of how we live together as nations,” the Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE (the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) said to the UN Security Council yesterday. He added that states need to “muster the necessary political will” to uphold their commitment to these principles in the face of “enormous” conflict resolution challenges. [UN News Centre]
In an increasingly unpredictable world climate, future US military budgets need to be “better, not bigger,” says the New York Times editorial board. So far, none of the presidential candidates have properly explained what their approaches to military spending would be.
The UN Security Council will vote today on whether to impose new sanctions against North Korea.The draft resolution, which was presented to the Council last week, requires UN member states to conduct mandatory inspections of all cargo passing to or from North Korea via their territories, and bans all weapons imports and exports to and from Pyongyang. [Reuters’ Louis Charbonneau]
The trial of Seamus Daly, accused of carrying out the Omagh bomb attack in Northern Ireland in 1998, has collapsed. Daly’s was the first and only trial in relation to the attack, which killed 29 people, and took place soon after the Good Friday Agreement was signed. [BBC; The Guardian’s Henry McDonald]
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In his handwritten will, al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden claimed he had about $29 million in personal wealth — the bulk of which he wanted to be used "on jihad, for the sake of Allah."
IDOMENI, Greece (AP) - The Latest on Europe's migration crisis (all times local):
4:40 p.m.
The German government says Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet French President Francois Hollande in Paris on Friday to prepare for a European Union summit with Turkey.
Merkel views diplomacy with Turkey as the key to ...
Sergey Aleksashenko, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former deputy chairman of the Russian Central Bank, comments on recent key developments impacting the Russian economy.
A look at the best news photos from around the world.
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Mikhail Gorbachev releases book of his life by Associated Press
Soviet Union’s last leader presents 700-page collection of memoirs, letters and articles as he approaches his 85th birthday
Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, has presented a new book about his life and times ahead of his 85th birthday.
The 700-page book called Gorbachev in Life is a collection of memoirs, interviews, letters, documents and articles by him and others.
Continue reading...
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has presented a new book about his life ahead of his 85th birthday.
Top Pentagon officials say the United States is stepping up cyberattacks against the Islamic State (IS) network in Syria and Iraq, and U.S. special forces unit are finally on the ground there as well.
Russia says one of its warplanes has crashed while on a training exercise in the southern region of Stavropol and the pilot was killed.
Apple: 'Dangerous Precedent' to Unlock Phone in Terrorism Probe by webdesk@voanews.com (Ken Bredemeier)
Technology giant Apple plans to tell a U.S. congressional panel Tuesday that a demand by law enforcement authorities to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, California terrorists who killed 14 people "would set a dangerous precedent for government intrusion" into the lives of people. In an advance copy of his testimony, Apple general counsel Bruce Sewell says that building the software needed to break into the phone used by Syed Rizwan Farook would debilitate the security of hundreds of millions of other Apple devices used by the company's customers throughout the world. "Building that software tool would not affect just one iPhone," Sewell says. "It would weaken the security for all of them.... We can all agree this is not about access to just one iPhone." The top U.S. law enforcement agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is demanding that Apple create software that would allow investigators to check the phone to see if Farook, an American-born Muslim, was in contact with others about the early December attack he carried out with his Pakistani-born wife, Tashfeen Malik. Both were killed hours later in a shootout with police. A court magistrate in California has ordered Apple to comply with the demand, but the outcome is uncertain pending Apple's appeal. In New York Monday, a different court magistrate ruled that the Justice Department cannot force Apple to comply. A Justice Department spokesman expressed disappointment in that ruling and said the department plans to appeal. If the California judge's order is upheld, other law enforcement officials say they will ask the company to unlock other Apple devices involved in criminal investigations. One survey in the U.S. showed that a majority of Americans favor the government's position in the dispute.
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Fox Business |
Russia's Growing and Dangerous Influence
Fox Business Last year a Turkish air force jet shot down a Russian bomber flying missions over Syria after the bomber crossed into Turkey's air space. The incident raised the specter that the Syrian civil war could spread. Ereli writes, “The Russian military ... |
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- The Power Vertical Podcast: The Nemtsov LegacyHe was a young pathbreaking provincial governor in the heady days following the Soviet collapse. He was a reformist deputy prime minister, and in the eyes of many, a potential president. He was an uncompromising opposition leader who refused to be coopted and who persevered,...
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Republicans in Congress Split on Trump Candidacyby webdesk@voanews.com (Cindy Saine)
On the eve of Super Tuesday when U.S. voters will choose their Republican and Democratic presidential candidates in at least 11 states and one territory, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump is again in the spotlight. Recent polls show Trump leading in every state except Texas, where Texas Senator Ted Cruz is ahead in most surveys. With Trump set to further cement his commanding lead in the Republican race, some lawmakers are taking a stand on his candidacy. Freshman Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska posted an open letter to Trump’s supporters on Facebook outlining why he will not support Trump if he wins the nomination. Citing Trump’s refusal to disavow the endorsement of white supremacist and former KKK Grand Master David Duke in a CNN interview Sunday, Sasse wrote: “A presidential candidate who boasts about what he will do during his “reign” and refuses to condemn the Klu Klux Klan cannot lead a conservative movement in America.” Sasse wrote that he cannot support Trump or the Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, adding: “If Donald Trump ends up as the GOP [Republican] nominees, conservatives will need to find a third option. Sasse told Trump’s supporters they have a right to be angry, but insisted that Trump is not the right candidate. He accused Trump of “dividing Americans and tearing down rather than building back up this glorious nation.” Sasse was elected to the Senate in 2014 as a conservative Tea Party challenger. His clear rejection of Trump came only hours after Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama became the first sitting U.S. senator to endorse Trump. Sessions joined Trump at a rally in Alabama, putting on a red “Make America Great Again” cap and saying: “At this time in America’s history, we need to make America great again!” Sessions praised Trump as the man who can finally deal with illegal immigration and securing the U.S. southern border with Mexico. The Alabama senator has long been tough on opposing comprehensive immigration reform efforts in the Senate, condemning what he terms “amnesty” for illegal immigrants. He is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. At the rally, Trump was thrilled, saying: “I’m becoming mainstream. All these people are now endorsing me.” Trump picked up a key endorsement on Friday from recent Republican rival and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. In recent weeks, Christie had blasted Trump for calling for a ban on Muslims to the United States and for saying he would build a huge wall on the border with Mexico and make Mexico pay for it. Now, Christie has been accused by a number of Republicans of blatant political opportunism. He says Trump is the strongest Republican candidate to face Democratic frontrunner Clinton in the November general election. Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney blasted Trump on Twitter Monday, tweeting: “A disqualifying and disgusting response by Donald Trump to the KKK. His coddling of repugnant bigotry is not in the character of America.” Two House Republicans have endorsed Trump – Representatives Chris Collins of New York and Duncan Hunter of California. A long list of Republican U.S. senators and House members has endorsed Florida Senator Marco Rubio in the presidential race, and a few House members have endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
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BBC News |
US and Russia in partnership over Syria
BBC News Syria's "cessation of hostilities" is making a difference - whatever the arguments about early violations, the level of violence across the country has fallen - and with this fragile modicum of progress, the United States and Russia find themselves in ... The Latest: Russia says arms coming from Turkey in convoysWashington Post The Latest: Russia cites repeated cease-fire violationsNewsOK.com Amid Russia-Turkey Ceasefire Violations In Syria, NATO Concerned About Wider Conflict With MoscowInternational Business Times all 2,425 Russia Resumes Air Strikes in SyriaThe Moscow Times (registration) How the US and Russia Can Make the Syria Ceasefire Deal LastThe Fiscal Times The Guardian-Russia Beyond the Headlines-PBS NewsHour all 1,758 news articles » |
Kerry: Next Few Days Critical in Building Syria Momentumby webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the next few days will be critical in building momentum toward the goal of de-escalating the five-year conflict in Syria. He spoke to reporters Monday evening in Washington as Syria entered its fourth day under a cessation of hostilities that includes pro-government fighters and opposition forces, but not Islamic State militants or those from al-Qaida-linked Jabhat al-Nusra. Kerry said he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agree there have been a number of violations since the truce began Saturday, but that they do want to litigate them publicly. Instead, they will rely on a task force led by their two countries to investigate every reported violation and promote compliance with the halt in fighting. "This is hard," Kerry said. "But the fact is that we need to stop the cycle of fighting and of bloodshed that is destroying Syria. It is that simple." The task force monitoring the truce met Monday and Kerry said it will continue to do so regularly. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also said that despite "some incidents" the cessation of hostilities was largely holding. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said "if properly adhered to," the cessation can lead to an overall decline in violence. "It could be the first step towards a political solution that would end the civil war and the suffering of the Syrian people," he added. There was a noticeable uptick in violation claims on Monday with Syrian rebels alleging the Assad regime attacked towns and villages they hold 26 times. Seven of the breeches they claimed consisted of barrel bombing by low-flying regime helicopters. “The regime has continued to target populated areas using helicopter raids using explosive barrels, resulting in a large number of fatalities and causing significant injuries, most of whom were innocent women and children,” Riad Hijab, the rebels’ chief negotiator, complained in a formal letter to the United Nations. Rebels claim there have been 24 recorded breaches involving regime artillery shelling and five incidents of offensive ground operations. “Hostilities committed by Russian, Iranian, the Syrian regime, and foreign militias and mercenaries allied to them have continued against the Syrian people despite the truce taking effect on 27 February 2016,” Hijab’s said. He added: “Right from the onset of the truce, a large number of violations have been committed by the regime and its allies in several parts of Syria.” Rebels claim 26 Russian airstrikes Hijab said on Sunday Russian fighter jets launched 26 air strikes against territory held by opposition groups which have announced and entered into the truce. “Disturbingly significant is the fact that cluster bombs as well as Thermobaric weapons have been used,” he wrote. Rebels say a map issued publicly at the start of the truce by the Russian Ministry of Defense detailing the positions of moderate opposition groups is full of errors. They are urging the U.N. to draw up a separate map. Russian monitors Sunday said they have recorded nine violations of the truce, attributing most to the rebels. Meanwhile, the U.N. and aid partners began deliveries Monday in hopes of reaching more than 150,000 Syrians in besieged areas. The U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator for Syria, Yacoub El Hillo, said the shipments are scheduled for multiple areas across Syria through Friday. "It is the best opportunity that the Syrian people have had over the last five years for lasting peace and stability," he said. U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura has said that if the truce largely holds and humanitarian aid access continues he will reconvene intra-Syrian peace talks in Geneva on March 7. Jamie Dettmer contributed to this report from Gaziantep, Turkey.
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Росбалт.RU |
Российские телеканалы промолчали о жестоком убийстве ребенка в Москве
Росбалт.RU Крупнейшие федеральные каналы не сказали в эфире выпусков новостей об убийстве четырехлетней девочки, произошедшем 29 февраля на северо-западе Москвы. Только в выпуске новостей Рен-ТВ за 12:30 удалось найти сюжет об убийстве на северо-западе Москвы. В ... В Кремле поддержали отказ федеральных каналов от сюжета об убийстве няней ребенкаГазета.Ru Федеральные телеканалы умолчали о няне, отрезавшей голову ребенку в МосквеМосковский комсомолец Кремль объяснил отказ телеканалов освещать убийство няней ребенкаForbes Россия NEWSru.com -Радиостанция ЭХО МОСКВЫ -НТВ.ru Все похожие статьи: 119 » |
The Kremlin has decided that some incidents in Russia are too incendiary to be shown on television.
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Super Tuesday Is Biggest Day in Democratic, Republican Presidential Primariesby webdesk@voanews.com (Katherine Gypson)
What is Super Tuesday? Super Tuesday is March 1, the day when Democrats and Republicans each compete in primaries and caucuses in at least 11 states and one U.S. territory for presidential nominations. Voters across the United States select their candidates on different days leading up to their party's convention in July. This Tuesday is called Super Tuesday because it is the day with the most nominating contests on the campaign calendar. Who votes? Primaries for Republican and Democratic voters are held in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Virginia. Caucus votes are held for Republicans in Alaska and Wyoming. Democrats in American Samoa, a U.S. territory, and Democrats living abroad also get to vote on Tuesday. Why is it so important? Super Tuesday votes account for about one quarter of all delegates to be awarded during the primary elections. It’s the single biggest day of voting in terms of the number of delegates awarded to the candidates. Why do candidates want to win delegates – not states? Candidates win by amassing a specific number of delegates who will nominate them at their party’s convention later this year. For the Democrats, that number is 2,383 delegates. For the Republicans, the number is 1,237 delegates. By law, all Super Tuesday states have to allocate their delegates proportionally. Candidates can still win delegates even if they don’t win the state. Candidates try to win states because it looks good to the media and voters but ultimately all that matters is winning enough delegates to secure the party nomination. Why is it called the SEC primary? The term is actually a reference to American sports. Many of the states holding votes on Tuesday have college football teams that play in the Southeastern Conference (SEC); however, some of the other states voting Tuesday don’t have any connection to that organization and it has no official political meaning. How will Super Tuesday change the Republican presidential race? There are still five candidates in the Republican field – the more delegates that are awarded, the more it will become mathematically difficult for some candidates to secure the nomination. A number of candidates who trailed far behind the leaders have already dropped out. It is possible others will do so after the March 1 voting. “For Republicans who are not happy at the prospect of a (billionaire and Republican front-runner Donald) Trump nomination, there’s still a little bit of time left but the clock is still ticking,” said William Galston, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution. Super Tuesday is a chance for Trump’s challengers to win primary states – and the delegates that come with those wins. The more delegates they win, the more they can challenge Trump for the nomination. How will it change the Democratic race? So far, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has won the South Carolina primary and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has won the New Hampshire primary. Sanders came close to beating Clinton in Iowa and Nevada. The large number of delegates awarded could give an enormous amount of momentum to one of the candidates in this two-person race. Which states are important to watch? Texas is a key battleground, with the Southern state awarding the highest number of delegates among the states voting on Tuesday. For the Republicans, some polls show Senator Ted Cruz winning his home state. Other polls show him in a close race with Donald Trump. “I want to see who wins Texas because I think that will tell us a lot about the future of the party and what happens with Ted Cruz,” said John Feehery, a Republican strategist. For the Democrats, look for Clinton to do well in Southern states with a large percentage of African-American voters. Sanders is expected to win his home state of Vermont on Tuesday. What comes next? A handful of states hold primary and caucus votes on March 5 and 6. Another major round of voting takes place March 8 and and 15 with contests awarding large numbers of delegates. Many Republicans are looking to this round to see who is still in the race and could challenge front-runner Donald Trump. Florida Senator Marco Rubio has to “stay alive until the middle of March, at which point Ohio, Illinois, Florida primaries take place. A couple of those are winner-take-all primaries with a lot of delegates at stake,” said political analyst Stu Rothenberg. On the Democratic side, Sanders could benefit from a geographic shift in voting. “Once we get out of states where African-Americans constitute 35, 40, 45 percent of the Democratic primary vote, Bernie Sanders will be better off,” Rothenberg said.
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Russia Says Arms Coming Into Syria From Turkeyby webdesk@voanews.com (Associated Press)
Russia's foreign minister says convoys entering war-torn Syria from neighboring Turkey have supplied rebel groups with weapons and is calling for the closure of the border. In Geneva on Tuesday, Sergei Lavrov told the U.N. Human Rights Council that “gangs have received arms across this border, including from humanitarian convoys.” Russia, an ally of Syria's president, has had tense ties with Turkey in recent months. Earlier, he told the conference on disarmament that information showed “terrorist groups,” have the technical specifications and facilities needed to make chemical weapons, and have hired specialists with knowledge of how to create chemical weapons. Russia and the United States last week pushed through a “cessation of hostilities” accord in Syria. Officials say it has largely eased the violence since taking effect Saturday. Russia's Defense Ministry says the ongoing cease-fire in Syria has been violated 15 times in the past 24 hours. The ministry said in a statement Tuesday that most of the violations were recorded around Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Latakia. The Russians blamed the shelling on the Islamic State group and the Nusra Front, al-Qaida's Syrian branch. Both extremist groups have been left out of the current cease-fire, and the ministry statement said they have been attacking government positions and residential areas from territory controlled by the Syrian opposition. The cease-fire in Syrian began at midnight Friday and has brought a notable reduction in hostilities for the first time in the five-year war that has killed more than 250,000 people, displaced half of Syria's population and flooded Europe with refugees.
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Today's Headlines and Commentary by Alex R. McQuade
Pentagon leaders announced todaythat the United States is waging cyber attacks against the Islamic Statein Syria and Iraq. Reuters also reports that newly deployed commandos are carrying out secret ground missions against the terrorist group. According to Defense Secretary Ash Carter, the cyber attacks are designed to prevent the Islamic State from commanding its forces and that “the methods we’re using are new. Some of them will be surprising.”
The Islamic State carried out two major attacks in Baghdad on Sunday that killed dozens of people. The Washington Postreportsthat the attacks on a market and on security forces on the city’s outskirtsdemonstrates the Islamic State’s ongoing ability to disrupt Iraq’s capital even as it loses ground. The first attack involved six car bombs in Baghdad’s western neighborhood of Abu Ghraib. Later in the day, two suicide bombers struck a market in the largely Shiite district of Sadr City. USA Todaytells usthat at least 59 people were killed in the double suicide bombing and more than 95 others were injured.
Elsewhere in the region, Kurdish officials and the U.S.-led coalition are working together to verify reports that the Islamic State used chemical weapons against Kurdish forces in Iraq’s northern area of Sinjar. According to Voice of America, “dozens of Peshmerga as well as civilians reported suffering from nausea and vomiting after homemade Islamic State rockets hit the area” on February 25. If the Islamic State’s use of chemical weapons is confirmed, this attack would be the pseudo-state’s eighth chemical weapons attack on Kurdish forces.
In other news, Islamic State militants allegedly “melted away” in the strategic Syrian city of Shaddadigiving the Syrian rebels a key victory in the fight against the terrorist group. The Military Timesquotes Army Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. Defense Department spokesman in Baghdad, saying “We expected a tougher fight inside the city.” The Military Timesalso writes that the capture of the Shaddadi was the biggest victory to date for the Syrian rebel forces.
In Iraq, the U.S. Embassy Baghdad has issued a security warning to U.S. citizens in Iraq in regards to the possible collapse of the Mosul Dam. The warning informs that the “Embassy would be extremely limited in its abilities to assist in the event of a crisis” such as the dam collapse. You can read the rest of the warning here.
The Syrian “cessation of hostilities” took into effect Saturday, but has not stopped Russia from resuming airstrikes on towns and villages in the north and other alleged artillery fire across some front lines, as the Washington Postreports. The Postwrites that the “violence came on only the second day of a planned two-week cessation of hostilities” which further dimmed light on the hope that the agreement may lead to a wider peace effort. Syrian opposition officials warned that the attacks by Russia threaten to collapse the U.S.-Russian deal for a two-week cessation of hostilities and endanger future peace talks. Reuters tells usthat the Syrian opposition sent a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stating that “violations would undermine international efforts to guarantee the continuation of the truce and lead to the collapse of the U.N.-adopted political process.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he welcomed the efforts to achieve a long-term ceasefire in Syria. According to the New York Times, Netanyahu also mentioned that Israel would continue to defend its interestsin their neighboring nation, including preventing advanced weapon transfer from Syria to Hezbollah and blocking Iranian-backed attacks against Israel from Syrian territory. The Timesalso writes that Israel has repeatedly declined to take sides in the Syrian conflict and has avoided stepping into the conflict.
Reuters reportsthat one Afghan policeman was killed and another 30 were detained during a joint operation between Afghan troops and U.S. forces in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The police officers were suspected of supporting the Taliban following multiple insider attacks against Afghan police officers in recent months. Helmand’s police chief Abdul Rahman told Reuters that the Afghan “army and U.S. advisers suspected the police of providing weapons and ammunition to the Taliban and that they had planned a surrender to the insurgents.”
Over in neighboring Pakistan, former police officer Mumtaz Qadri was hanged for the assassination of former Governor Salman Taseer in 2011. Qadri was on guard duty for the governor when he shot and killed him for percieved blasphemy. The Associated Press has moreon the story.
In Yemen,a U.S.-backed Arab military coalition bombed a busy market north of Sana’a on Saturday. The blast killed at least 30 people. The New York Timesreportsthat the death toll was among the highest from a single bombing in recent months and was likely to trigger calls for an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia, which leads the fighting coalition.
Saudi Arabia’s police announcedyesterday that a member of the Kingdom’s anti-terrorism force has been murdered and that six of the officials relatives are wanted in connection with his death. The Associated Press indicates that according to Saudi reports, Sgt. Badr Hamdi al-Rashidi was a member of Saudi Arabia’s Special Emergency Force in the Kingdom’s Qassim region and that the six relatives wanted for his murder took advantage of family links with the official to lure him into a remote area to kill him.
Elsewhere in Turkey, top officials in Ankara are moving to build a better homeland security system designed to preemptively strike potential terrorists. Turkey’s plan comes after the country suffered three large scale terrorist attacks since last October. Defense Newstells usthat Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu signified that a new “security approach and mechanism” would be devised, especially for Turkey’s capital.
Yesterday,suicide bombers belonging to al Shabaab struck two popular restaurants in Mogadishu killing at least 20 people and injuring at least 60 others . The New York Timesdescribed witnesses'reports that a car bomb exploded outside the restaurant across from the Hotel Baidoa around 5pm. After the first car bombing, a second suicide bomber detonated his explosives in another nearby restaurant. The Timesalso writes that analysts have been warning for months that al Shabaab is posed to make a comeback, and it seems as though their warnings are now coming true.
Over in North Korea, American student Otto Warmbier, who was detained in the hermit kingdom in January, appeared in a government-arranged news conference in Pyongyang and apologized for his alleged “anti-state crime” of “trying to steal a political banner.”The New York Timeswritesthat in his appearance, Warmbier stated, “I made the worst mistake of my life” as he sobbed and plead for his release. North Korea is under the belief that Warmbier was instructed to commit his “crime” by an Ohio church, a secretive university organization, and the CIA.
Speaking of North Korea, China is on high alertfor any angry responses from the hermit kingdom to the newly proposed United Nations sanctions. The U.N. sanctions come after North Korea successfully tested a nuclear weapon and launched a space satellite into orbit. The Associated Press reports that a Chinese diplomat, who visited Washington last week with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, called for the United States to also provide incentives to Pyongyang such as offering progress on a permanent peace agreement between the North and South in order to return to negotiations.
Elsewhere in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, the Marine Corps Timestells usthat the U.S. government is closely monitoring Chinese military activity on the heavily disputed islands and territory. During an event here at Brookings, Marine Commandant General Robert Neller stated, “Just like they pay attention to what we do, we’re playing very close attention to what they do.” You can watch last week’s event here.
The Hillhas the latest developments in the FBI vs. Appledispute. According to Apple’s chief lawyer, the FBI’s effort to compel Apple to unlock one of the San Bernardino attackers’ iPhone will weaken security for all devices. In his written testimony to be given to the House Judiciary Committee, Apple General Counsel Bruce Sewell states that “We can all agree this is not about access to just one iPhone.” The Hill has more.
The Air Force announcedthat their Cyberspace Vulnerability Assessment/Hunter (CVA/H) cyber weapon platform is now fully operational. The CVA/H is the second cyber weapon to go online in just over a month. According to C4ISR & Networks, the CVA/H weapon system “enables execution of vulnerability assessments, adversary threat detection, and compliance evaluations.” The new cyber capabilities come as the Department of Defense continues its efforts to train offensive and defensive teams that will comprise U.S. Cyber Command operations.
Defense Onesharesthat bipartisan members of the House of Representatives questioned the Obama administration’s new federal entity to conduct background investigations and criticized the plan for failing to make essential changes. According to a some members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the newly proposed National Background Investigative Bureau “appears to ignore some of the most fundamental problems with the security clearance system,” as Defense Onewrites. Defenders of the proposal stressed that the overhaul provides more security for sensitive data and signals a significant change. However, some committee members were not sold on it with Representative John Mica (R-FL) openly laughing and stating “We’ll be back here in 2017, I guaran-damn-tee it.”
The Wall Street Journalreportsthat U.S. Air Force veteran Tairod Pugh will head to a Brooklyn federal court this week as one of the first suspected Islamic State supporters in the country to go to trial. According to the Journal, Pugh is among the 80-plus Americans who have been arrested since early 2014 on charges related to the terrorist group. Pugh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State as well as obstruction of justice. He faces a maximum of 35 years in prison if convicted.
The Washington Posttells usthat former CIA and NSA Director Michael Hayden “believes there is a legitimate possibility” that the U.S. military would refuse to follow orders given by a potential President Donald Trump. The Postwrites that Hayden also stated that he “would be incredibly concerned if a President Trump governed in a way that was consistent with the language that candidate Trump expressed during the campaign.” Watch the provocative claim General Hayden made on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” here.
While General Hayden contemplates a Trump presidency, you can take a look at the Military Times’interactive coverage of all the current presidential candidates’ stances on the military. An outline of the candidates’ plans may be found here.
Parting Shot: Many are aware that the president receives the Presidential Daily Brief each morning, with the most accurate and timely intelligence assessments of the day. But have you ever wondered about the PDB’s history? Foreign Affairsprovidesa detailed account of the PDB’s origins, creation, and presentation to its most valuable customer.
ICYMI: This Weekend, on Lawfare
Elina Saxena highlightedthe national security topics covered during the 10th Republican Presidential Debate.
Cody issuedthe latest edition of the Lawfare Podcast, focusing on how to solve the encryption challenge.
Paul Rosenzweig flaggedNorway’s intelligence branch’s threat assessment, which places Russia and the Arctic as the top items of concern.
Stewart Baker provided ussome questions that he would ask Tim Cook if he were under oath.
Ammar Abdulhamid askedwhether Syria is President Obama’s fault.
John Mueller and Mark Stewart arguedthat since 9/11, terrorism’s incidence and “seeming importance” has been multiplied by conflating it with insurgency.
Herb Lin providedhis thoughts on setting precedents in the Apple vs. FBI dispute.
Emailthe Roundup Team noteworthy law and security-related articles to include, and follow us on Twitterand Facebookfor additional commentary on these issues. Sign upto receive Lawfarein your inbox. Visit our Events Calendarto learn about upcoming national security events, and check out relevant job openings on our Job Board
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The United Nations delivered humanitarian aid to a suburb of the Syrian capital on Monday as it takes advantage of an internationally backed cease-fire despite accusations of breaches from both sides.
Senior U.S. commander says Islamic State has become too strong in the divided country to be rolled back without U.S. help.
U.S. Cyberattacks Could Disrupt ISIS Technologyby Lolita C. Baldor / AP
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. cyberattacks to disrupt ISIS‘ communications and overload their networks could force the militant group to use older technologies that are easier for the U.S. to intercept, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Monday.
Carter and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided new details about how the Pentagon is using its new aggressive cyber campaign as part of the military operations against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
“As we disrupt the ISIL communications via cyber or other methods, sometimes we do drive them to other means,” Carter told Pentagon reporters. “Sometimes, those other means are easier for us to listen to. So by taking away some of the ways that they are used to operating, they’re protected and that they regard as an information sanctuary, drives them to other, including older technologies. And so one way or another, it is a very effective tool.”
U.S. officials told The Associated Press last week that the military had ramped up cyber operations against the group. The operations include efforts by U.S. Cyber Command at Fort Meade, Maryland, to prevent the group from using the Internet and social media to communicate and distribute propaganda aimed at attracting and inspiring recruits. It could also force them back to technologies like cell phones to communicate.
Dunford said that using the computer-based attacks alongside bombings and other military actions allows the U.S. to “both physically and virtually isolate” the group and limits its ability to command and control its fighters. And that type of coordinated offensive, he said, will be used to support Iraqi security forces as they try to retake the northern city of Mosul.
The surge of computer-based military operations by U.S. Cyber Command began shortly after Carter prodded commanders at Fort Meade last month to accelerate the fight against ISIS on the cyber front.
Late last year Carter met with commanders, telling them they had 30 days to bring him options for how the military could use its cyberwarfare capabilities against the group’s deadly insurgency across Iraq and Syria, and spreading to Libya and Afghanistan. Officials said he told commanders that beefing up cyberwarfare against ISIS was a test for them, and that they should have both the capability and the will to wage the online war.
The officials described the conversations on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Dunford and Carter didn’t provide a lot of details Monday.
Dunford said the U.S. doesn’t want to reveal too much.
“We don’t want the enemy to know when, where and how we’re conducting cyber operations,” said Dunford. “We don’t want them to have information that will allow them to adapt over time. We want them to be surprised when we conduct cyber operations. And frankly, they’re going to experience some friction that’s associated with us and some friction that’s just associated with the normal course of events in dealing in the information age. And frankly, we don’t want them to know the difference.”
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