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☆ Ukraine says it's cracking down on satellite images of its territory in case they give away secrets to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine wants to limit companies taking satellite imagery of its territory, according to reports. Russia could access the images through shell companies, a Ukrainian defense official said. AdvertisementUkraine says it is cracking down on satellite images of its territory over fears that they could be used by Russia against it, according to reports. "Every day, satellite companies take images of Ukrainian territory. These images can be used by the enemy," Ukraine's deputy defense minister, Kateryna Chernohorenko, said in a statement relayed by multiple media outlets.

Persons: —, Kateryna Chernohorenko, Chernohorenko, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense didn't, Elon Musk's, Elon Musk Organizations: Service, Radio Free, Radio Liberty, Kyiv Independent, Ukrainska Pravda, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, Business, Bloomberg, Wall Street Locations: Ukraine, Russia, China, Radio Free Europe, Kyiv

☆ US says Russia used choking agents against Ukrainian troops, breaching chemical weapons ban
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“The use of such chemicals is not an isolated incident, and is probably driven by Russian forces’ desire to dislodge Ukrainian forces from fortified positions and achieve tactical gains on the battlefield,” it said. Russia has previously denied using chemical weapons. The US has previously warned Russia against chemical warfare in Ukraine; in March 2022, a month after the invasion began, President Joe Biden said that NATO would respond if Russia used chemical weapons in Ukraine. The use of chemical weapons is banned by international law. Russia has signed those treaties and claims it doesn’t have chemical weapons, but the country has already been linked to the use of nerve agents against critics in recent years.

Persons: Ukraine’s, Chloropicrin, Joe Biden, Mallory Stewart, Sergei Skripal, Alexey Navalny –, Vladimir Putin, Navalny Organizations: CNN, US State Department, Ukrainian, Chemical Weapons Convention, CWC, Russian Embassy, CDC, State Department, United, United Arab Emirates, US, NATO Locations: United States, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Netherlands, China, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Slovakia, Turkey, United Arab, Moscow, Ukrainian, Siberia

☆ Mali Claims Death of Terrorist Who Helped Lead Deadly Ambush in Niger
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Ruth Maclean | More About Ruth Maclean | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Mali said on Monday that it had killed a high-value Islamist commander who helped lead a 2017 attack in which four American and four Nigerien soldiers were killed alongside an interpreter. The U.S. State Department had put a $5 million bounty on the head of the commander, Abu Huzeifa — a member of an affiliate of the Islamic State — after his participation in an attack in Tongo Tongo, Niger, on American Green Berets and their Nigerien comrades. At that time, the attack was the largest loss of American troops during combat in Africa since the “Black Hawk Down” debacle in Somalia in 1993. In a post on social media on Monday, Mali’s armed forces said that on Sunday they had “neutralized a major terrorist leader of foreign nationality during a large-scale operation in Liptako” — a tri-border region that contains parts of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

Persons: Abu Huzeifa —, — Organizations: Nigerien, U.S . State Department, Islamic, American Green Berets Locations: Mali, Tongo Tongo, Niger, Africa, Somalia, Liptako, Burkina Faso

☆ Ukraine is building underground stores and bunkers to protect F-16s as the jets' arrival moves closer
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine is preparing ways to protect its F-16s while at base, its air force said. AdvertisementUkraine's air force said it is preparing for the arrival of F-16s by building underground stores and bunkers at its bases. The Associated Press has reported that Ukraine may use Western air bases when it gets F-16s because the jets require high-standard runways and protective hangars. But the air force's update suggests that Ukraine plans on keeping at least some F-16s in Ukraine during periods when they are not flying. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned last month that Western air bases that host F-16s for Ukraine would be "legitimate" targets for his armed forces.

Persons: —, Ilya Yevlash, Yevlash, Vladimir Putin, Jake Epstein Organizations: Service, Air Force, Ukrainian Armed Forces, RBC, Russia, Military, Associated Press Locations: Ukraine, Russia

☆ India is drawing lessons from Ukraine to counter China's military might
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

India is trying to modernize its military of 1.5 million people with lessons from Ukraine. AdvertisementAs India boosts defense spending amid tensions with China and Pakistan, it is closely studying the Ukraine conflict for clues to the future of warfare and how to thwart its neighbors. Some lessons that Indian experts have already drawn: India needs lots of artillery, drones and cyberwarfare capabilities. Drones have become the stars and workhorses of the air war, with both sides deploying — and losing — drones in the hundreds of thousands. AdvertisementThere are lessons here for Indian airpower, according to Arjun Subramaniam, a retired Indian Air Force air vice marshal who helped write the ORF report.

Persons: —, Amrita Jash, Wolfgang Schwan, Arjun Subramaniam, Subramaniam, Cyberwarfare, Shimona Mohan, Mohan, Michael Peck Organizations: NATO, Service, Artillery, Indian Army, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Observer Research Foundation, Getty, Russian, Indian Air Force, Air Force, Defense, Foreign Policy, Rutgers Univ, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: India, Ukraine, Russia, China, Pakistan, Eastern, Western, Indian, Siversk, Donetsk Oblast, Anadolu, cyberwarfare, Forbes

☆ Russia is making daily tactical gains in eastern Ukraine, as criticism grows of Ukrainian military reporting
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Andrew Carey | Olga Voitovych | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Ukraine’s DeepState monitoring group, which updates daily changes in frontline positions, shows Russian forces pushing forward in eight different locations along 20-25 kms of frontline in one 24-hour period. Military bloggers on both sides broadly agree that Russian forces have crossed a water course and taken control of the settlements of Semenivka and Berdychi. Heavy fighting continues there, but the situation is under the control of the (Ukrainian) Armed Forces,” he said. Russian forces are also making headway west of Donetsk city, entering the industrial town of Krasnohorivka from the south and the east. “Without (its) manpower advantage, Russia’s artillery and airpower advantage would not be sufficient for Russia to make gains on the battlefield.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Myroshnykov, Stringer, ” DeepState, Muscovites, –, Nazar Voloshyn, ”, DeepState, “, Voloshyn, Narciso Contreras, Anatolii Stepanov, Rob Lee, ” Lee Organizations: CNN, Anadolu, Getty, ) Defense Forces, Armed Forces, –, Foreign Policy Research Institute Locations: Ukraine, Kharkiv, United States, Avdiivka, Ocheretyne, Donetsk, Semenivka, Soloviove, Keramik, Ukrainian, Karlivka, DeepState, Russian, Kyslivka, Krasnohorivka, ”, AFP, Moscow, – greenlit, “ Russian, Russia

☆ Russian troops advanced and captured large parts of village after apparent Ukrainian blunder left front line unmanned
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A mistake by Ukrainian troops appears to have let Russian forces advance and capture large parts of a village. AdvertisementA blunder by Ukrainian troops appears to have allowed Russian forces to advance and capture large parts of a village unopposed. The 47th Mechanized Brigade was due to be relieved by the 115th along the front line just east of Ocheretyne. AdvertisementMelnyk said the only reason Russia was unable to continue its advance was because the 47th Brigade rejoined the fight. An update on the Ukrainian Deep State website, which tracks changes on the battlefield, showed that Russian forces had captured large parts of the village.

Persons: —, Mykola Melnyk, Hope, Vadym, Melnyk, Ocheretyne, Chasiv Yar, David Axe Organizations: 115th Mechanized Brigades, Service, 47th Mechanized Brigade, 115th Mechanized Brigade, 115th, Rifle Brigade, Facebook, 115th Brigade, Financial Times, 47th Brigade, Getty, for, Ukraine's 67th Mechanized Brigade, Forbes, Ukraine's Locations: Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Ukraine, Ocheretyne, Russia, Russian, AFP, Donetsk Oblast, Pokrovsk, Ukraine's, Bakhmut, Ukraine's Donetsk

☆ Xi shakes up China’s military in rethink of how to ‘fight and win’ future wars
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Chinese leader Xi Jinping oversees the inauguration of the Information Support Force of the People's Liberation Army at a ceremony in Beijing on April 19, 2024. The Information Support Force will be led by top generals from the now-defunct SSF. These functions will now be supervised at his level and not through the Strategic Support Force, which served as a middleman,” Wuthnow said. Though US intelligence officials said the balloon was part of an extensive surveillance program run by the Chinese military, Xi may not have been aware of the mission. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has scrapped the People's Liberation Army's Strategic Support Force, a branch he founded in 2015.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi, ”, Wu Qian, SSF, Bi Yi, Li Wei, Ju Qiansheng, Joel Wuthnow, ” Wuthnow, Joe Biden, didn’t, Xinhua News Agency James Char, Char Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Strategic Support Force, Support Force, PLA, China’s Defense, Aerospace Force, Cyberspace Force, Central Military Commission, Logistic Support Force, Information, Force, People's Liberation Army, Xinhua News, Information Support Force, Xinhua, Pentagon, National Defense University, Aerospace Systems Department, Network System Department, Xinhua News Agency, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, SSF’s Aerospace Systems Department, “, Communist Party, Taiwan Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Washington, United States, Singapore, Ukraine, Taiwan Strait, Taiwan

☆ The red flags that will tell us when China's actually ready to invade Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

"I don't think they lack for anything that they need," Lyle Goldstein, director of Asia engagement at Defense Priorities, said of China's forces. Military forces are being deployed nearer to Taiwan than ever, effectively shortening Taiwan's reaction time. Stockpiling of China's rocket force, too, suggests it would have more than enough missiles and rockets to target Taiwan. One common concern is that as China's military exercises around Taiwan have grown in frequency and size, the line between exercise and potential attack is becoming blurred. Xie Huanchi/Xinhua via Getty ImagesExperts, as well as US and Taiwan lawmakers and military officials, have long debated about the readiness of the People's Liberation Army as China's military is known.

Persons: —, Lyle Goldstein, Stringer China, Xi, Thomas Shugart, who's, Shugart, Goldstein, Mike Studeman, Xi Jinping, Dean Cheng, haven't, Cheng, Xie Huanchi, There's, Kyle Amonson, Dane Egli, Annabelle Chih, Getty Images Goldstein, Joe Biden Organizations: Service, Business, Defense, REUTERS, Taiwan's, Taiwan's Ministry of Defense, US Department of Defense, China Economic, Security, PLA, Patriot, US, Center, New, New American Security, Marine Corps, China Coast Guard, Scarborough, ROSA, Military, of Naval Intelligence, Pacific Command, US Institute of Peace, of, People, Getty Images, People's Liberation Army, CCP, Soviet, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Japan, US Coast Guard, Chinese Communist Party, Democratic Progressive Party, Kyodo, Stills Locations: China, Taiwan, Asia, Liaoning, Beijing, New American, AFP, Hong Kong, Xinhua, DoD's China, Cuba, US, Tainan, Japan, Philippines

CNN —A Russian court has placed Forbes journalist Sergey Mingazov under house arrest after he was detained for allegedly spreading fake news about the Russian armed forces, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti has reported. Forbes Russia says its journalist will be under house arrest for at least two months as he awaits trial after being detained on Friday. Bubon said that Mingazov is accused of spreading “knowingly false information” about the Russian armed forces “under the guise” of reliable reporting. Internet ban imposedBubon told Forbes Russia that Mingazov’s house arrest was enforced as a “preventative measure.” In Russia, preventative measures take place pre-trial and include being remanded in custody, released on bail, or placed under house arrest. “It contained, under the guise of being reliable, deliberately false information about… the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” it continued.

Persons: Sergey Mingazov, Forbes, “ Forbes, Mingazov, ”, Mingazov’s, Konstantin Bubon, Bubon, “, general’s, Alsu Kurmasheva, Evan Gershkovich, Alexander Nevzorov, Dmitry Gordon, Marina Ovsyannikova Organizations: CNN, Novosti, Forbes Russia, Russian Armed Forces, Mingazov’s, Kremlin, Khabarovsk territory’s, Armed Forces, Russian Federation, Radio Free, Radio Liberty, Wall Street Locations: Russian, Bucha, Ukraine, ”, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Russia, Khabarovsk, Radio Free Europe

☆ Ukraine is going to do even more long-range attacks on Russian soil, a key ally said. The US won't like it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian strikes on Russian soil will increase, according to the head of the UK's armed forces. The US is reportedly unhappy with Ukraine's strikes on targets in Russia. AdvertisementUkraine will increase its long-range strikes inside Russian airspace, the UK's military chief said, as the war enters its next stage. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the head of the UK's armed forces, told the Financial Times that "as Ukraine gains more capabilities for the long-range fight . Ukraine's strikes on Russian soil have so far included attacks on oil facilities and military targets.

Persons: Tony Radakin, —, Sir Tony Radakin, Radakin, Ukraine's Organizations: Service, Financial Times Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Europe

☆ A Chinese Firm Is America’s Favorite Drone Maker — Except in Washington
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Kate Kelly | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“In this kind of environment, that’s actually pretty quick,” said Kyle Nordfors, a volunteer search and rescue worker. He was operating one of the drones, made by the Chinese company DJI, which dominates sales to law enforcement agencies as well as the hobbyist market in the United States. But if DJI’s drones are the tool of choice for emergency responders around the country, they are widely seen in Washington as a national security threat. DJI is on a Defense Department list of Chinese military companies whose products the U.S. armed forces will be prohibited from purchasing in the future. As part of the defense budget that Congress passed for this year, other federal agencies and programs are likely to be prohibited from purchasing DJI drones as well.

Persons: ”, Kyle Nordfors Organizations: Defense Department Locations: Utah, United States, Washington

☆ The US secretly slipped ATACMS to Ukraine with more to come, putting high-value Russian targets in danger
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Kyiv used these long-range missiles to batter Russian helicopters in multiple strikes last year. T South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty ImagesThroughout the war, Ukraine has routinely pressed Washington to provide ATACMS so it could hit high-value Russian targets deep behind enemy lines. Kyiv used the M39 ATACMS variant in those attacks. Regardless of the variant, the arrival of additional ATACMS will likely compel Moscow to change its strategy and tactics. While the statement did not specifically mention ATACMS, it said the package contains "additional ammunition" for the HIMARS, which could include ATACMS.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Dan Rice, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ATACMS, Biden, Sen, Mark Werner, Zelenskyy, Serhii, Rice, AP Rice, Pat Ryder, ANATOLII STEPANOV, Vladimir Putin, Putin Organizations: Service, MGM, Tactical Missile Systems, US, South Korean Defense Ministry, Army Tactical Missile, Korean Defense Ministry, Getty, Kyiv, The New York Times, Reuters, General Staff, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Senate Intelligence, CBS, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, American University Kyiv, South Korea Defense Ministry, AP, Pentagon Press, Air Force, Gunners, Separate Mechanized Brigade, Armed Forces, Pentagon Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Moscow, United States, South Korea, Washington, Ukrainian, Russian, Crimean, ATACMS, Crimea, Donetsk Oblast, —, Russia, Kharkiv, AFP, NATO, Europe

☆ Ukraine uses long-range ATACMS against Russia for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Courtney Kube | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The first strike was about 100 miles inside Crimea's border on the morning of April 17, targeting a Russian military airfield, according to the officials. The Biden administration has not previously acknowledged sending ATACMS to Ukraine, but a National Security Council spokesperson confirmed that the U.S. has provided them. The NSC spokesperson said the administration did not reveal at the time that it was sending Ukraine the long-range missiles for operational security reasons. President Joe Biden directed his national security team to send the ATACMS to Ukraine secretly, the spokesperson said. The powerful missiles have a range up to 300 kilometers (about 187 miles) and allow Ukraine to strike the Russian military throughout Crimea and in occupied parts of eastern Ukraine that had been difficult to reach.

Persons: Biden, ATACMS, Joe Biden, Kostiantyn Liberov Organizations: South Korean Defense Ministry, U.S, MGM, Tactical Missile, South, Getty, Russian, Army Tactical Missile, National Security, NSC, Armed Forces Locations: U.S, South Korea, East Coast , South Korea, Ukraine, Crimea's, Russian, Ukrainian, Berdyansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Crimea

☆ The Supreme Court is about to decide if a president can get away with committing crimes while in office
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to recognize that he had total legal immunity as president. Trump is asking the Supreme Court to grant him a sweeping immunity mandate as he runs to recapture the presidency. "This may indeed be the most important US Supreme Court case in the history of our country," he told journalists at a panel organized by the Defend Democracy Project. The Supreme Court will likely issue a decision in late April. "The Supreme Court need not stray into other questions just because Trump has made it easy for them.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jack Smith's, —, Trump, Jack Smith, Richard Nixon, David Frost, Smith, He's, Stormy Daniels, Todd Blanche, David Pecker, Tanya Chutkan, Barack Obama, Dana Verkouteren, doesn't, MANDEL NGAN, Nixon, Gerald Ford's, Ford, Leon Jaworski, indicting Nixon, Robert Ray, Bill Clinton, Monica Lewinsky, Donald Ayer, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, Bush, it's, Justice Department's, Chutkan, BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, framers, Mark Meadows, Norm Eisen, Obama's Organizations: Service, Justice Department, Capitol, Department, Air Force, Nixon, Trump, Prosecutors, AP, Getty, Independent, Department of Justice, Defend, Justice, White House Locations: Washington , DC, Georgia, Florida, New York, Manhattan, United States, AFP, Fulton County

Biden secretly approved the transfer of the long-range ATACMS missiles in February for use inside Ukrainian territory. The Biden administration had resisted sending the long-range missiles in part because of readiness concerns. Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the ATACMS missiles, is in full-rate production and produces approximately 500 missiles per year, a spokesman for the company said in September. The US worked behind the scenes to address the readiness concerns, which included buying more ATACMS missiles and filling US military stocks. Ukrainian officials have been asking the US in private and in public for the long-range missiles to target deeper behind Russian lines.

Persons: Biden, Joe Biden, Garron, ” Garn, Lockheed Martin, ”, Charlie Dietz, “, ” Dietz Organizations: CNN, US, Pentagon, Lockheed, North Korean Locations: Ukraine, Korean, Russia, ”, Moscow

Kyiv, Ukraine CNN —As the US prepares to transfer significant military aid to Ukraine following the Senate passing funding legislation worth $61 billion, reports from eastern Ukraine continue to highlight Kyiv’s sliding fortunes on the battlefield. Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty ImagesUkrainian soldiers on the front lines have spoken of being badly outgunned by Russian forces. A Ukrainian military blogger, Bohdan Myroshnykov, wrote, “In Novobakhmutivka, the enemy made progress in the village, advancing up to 400 meters in depth. Meanwhile, around Chasiv Yar, about 40 kilometers to the north, both Ukrainian and Russian reports suggest Ukraine has succeeded in stopping Russian advances, at least for the moment. Oleksandr Ratushniak/Reuters“In the Chasiv Yar direction, the offensive of the Russian forces ‘stalled’ on the eastern outskirts,” a Russian military blogger, Wargonzo, reports, though fierce fighting continues, the site adds.

Persons: DeepState –, –, Biden, Joe Biden, Charly Triballeau, Volodymyr Zelensky, Bohdan Myroshnykov, “, DeepState, Ukraine’s Eastern Command –, Oleksandr Ratushniak, ‘, Ukraine’s DeepState, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Vladimir Putin, Chasiv Yar Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, Russian, Wednesday, Senate, Scranton Army, Getty, 100th, Ukraine’s Eastern Command, CNN, Reuters, 92nd Brigade, Nazi Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Ocheretyne, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Israel, Taiwan, Scranton, Scranton , Pennsylvania, AFP, Russian, Russia, Novobakhmutivka, Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, ”, Ivanivske, Bakhmut, Nazi Germany

☆ Russian Deputy Defense Minister Is Detained on Bribery Charges
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Neil Macfarquhar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A deputy minister of defense in Russia has been detained on charges of taking a “large scale” bribe, the country’s top law enforcement investigators announced on Tuesday. The brief announcement from the Investigative Committee divulged few details about what had led to Timur Ivanov, the deputy minister, being taken into custody. But the legal statute that he is accused of violating is for taking a bribe “on a particularly large scale,” more than one million rubles, or more than $10,000. The Ministry of Defense did not comment on the investigation. Mr. Ivanov, a deputy defense minister since 2016, had long been in charge of military construction projects, including most recently the huge contracts awarded to rebuild the Russian-occupied eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which was devastated by Russian attacks soon after the February 2022 invasion.

Persons: Timur Ivanov, Ivanov Organizations: Ministry of Defense, Merit, Fatherland Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Mariupol, Moscow, Russian

☆ Kim Aris: Aung San Suu Kyi’s son casts doubt on reports Myanmar former leader has been moved from prison
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Drn/Getty Images Suu Kyi, front center, is seen with her parents and her two elder brothers in 1947. Kyodo News Stills/Getty Images Suu Kyi poses with Burmese comedian Par Par Lay, who was part of the pro-democracy act "The Moustache Brothers." Soe Than Win/AFP/Getty Images Suu Kyi meets US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at Suu Kyi's residence in Yangon in 2011. Peter Muhly/AFP/Getty Images Suu Kyi is presented with the Congressional Gold Medal while visiting the US Capitol in 2012. U Aung/Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images Suu Kyi addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2016.

Persons: Aung, Suu, ”, Kim Aris, Suu Kyi, she’s, ” Aris, CNN’s Anna Coren, “, Michael Aris, ” “, Zaw Min Tun, Min Aung Hlaing, Aris, they’ve, Ma Khin Kyi, Par, Karl Malakunas, David Brunnstrom, Jonathan Karp, Price, Luis D'Orey, David Van Der Veen, Jonathan Utz, Michael Wolf, Pornchai Kittiwongsakul, Soe, Hillary Clinton, Paula Bronstein, Minzayar Oo, Kyi, Bono, Peter Muhly, Alex Wong, Barack Obama, Obama, Brendan Smialowski, Chris Ison, Ragnar Singsaas, Romeo Gacad, Lauren DeCicca, Lam Yik Fei, Htin Kyaw, Aung Naing, Min Aung, Aung Htet, Kyaw, Jewel SamadD, John Kerry, Jonathan Ernst, Reuters Suu Kyi, Heath Mitchell, Pope Francis, Elizabeth II, John Stillwell, Mike Pence, Bernat, Myanmar's, Koen Van Weel, ’ Aris, I’d, Suu Kyi’s NLD Organizations: CNN, Aung, National League for Democracy, Aris, Reuters, Burma Independence Army, Kyodo, Stills, Oxford University, Getty, Embassy, Suu Kyi, Panos, Congressional, Capitol, Suu, Xinhua News Agency, United Nations General Assembly, National Park Service, Palace, ASEAN, Court of Justice, Association for Political, United Nations Locations: Myanmar, Britain, Rangoon, Yangon, Myanmar’s, Zaw, heatstroke, Naypyidaw, India, Par Par Lay, England, AFP, Bangkok, Thailand, Bagan, Pathein, Camberley, Oslo, Norway, Kawhmu, New York, Washington ,, Washington, DC, Singapore, Gambia, “, Burma, doesn’t

☆ 4 Iranians charged in scheme to hack US agencies and defense contractors
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —US prosecutors on Tuesday announced charges against four Iranian men for a sprawling hacking campaign that targeted US federal agencies and sensitive data held by American defense contractors. It was not immediately clear whether the departments of State or Treasury networks were successfully hacked in the campaign. In the indictment unsealed Tuesday, Hossein Harooni, Reza Kazemifar, Alireza Shafie Nasab and Komeil Baradaran Salmani were charged with wire and computer fraud, among other charges. Nasab had been charged in a previous indictment unsealed in the Southern District of New York in February. Prosecutors accused three of the men of working for a front company in Iran that purported to offer cybersecurity services.

Persons: ” Damian Williams, Hacking, Christopher Wray, Hossein Harooni, Reza Kazemifar, Shafie, Baradaran Salmani, Nasab, General Merrick Garland Organizations: CNN, US State, Treasury, Pentagon, of, Southern, State, Boston Children’s Hospital, Justice Department, Prosecutors, Treasury Department, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, State Department, Iranian, United Nations Locations: Southern, of New York, US, Iran, Boston, Tehran

☆ Ecuador referendum: Early results and gang member’s arrest give President Daniel Noboa’s war on crime a boost
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Abel Alvarado | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Early results from Ecuador’s referendum suggest President Daniel Noboa has won public backing for security measures aimed at boosting his war on crime. And the good news for Noboa was compounded Monday when police announced they had arrested a notorious alleged gang leader. Both those proposals would require modifying Ecuador’s Constitution, which currently forbids the extradition of Ecuadorians under any circumstances. Gang leader arrestedIn another boost for Noboa, police said in a post on X that they had arrested notorious alleged gang leader Fabricio Colon Pico on Monday morning. Thirty-eight other inmates had escaped along with Colon Pico, of which 12 have since been recaptured, Ecuador’s penitentiary service told CNN.

Persons: Daniel Noboa, Noboa, ”, Guillermo Lasso, Fabricio Colon Pico, Colon Pico, Diana Salazar, Colon Pico’s jailbreak, – José Adolfo Macías, Choneros – Organizations: CNN, National Electoral Council, National Assembly, Noboa, Los Lobos Locations: Ecuadorians, Quito, Ecuadorian, Riobamba

☆ Taiwan to discuss new funding with U.S. as Chinese warplanes get close to island
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The United States is Taiwan's most important international supporter and arms supplier despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties. Democratically governed Taiwan has faced increased military pressure from China, which views the island as its own territory. Taiwan has previously reported Chinese military aircraft getting close to but not entering the contiguous zone. On Saturday, Taiwan's defence ministry said China had again carried out "joint combat readiness patrols" with Chinese warships and warplanes around Taiwan. China's defence ministry did not answer calls seeking comment outside of office hours on Sunday.

Persons: Ceng Shou Yi, Wang Ting Organizations: Getty, Taipei, U.S . House, Democratic Progressive Party Locations: China, Pingtung county, Taiwan, Taipei, Japan, Canada, India, Beijing, United States, Ukraine, Israel, U.S, Russian, Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's

☆ Ecuadorians head to polls for referendum as Noboa seeks backing for war on crime
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Abel Alvarado | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The referendum will ask 11 questions, five that will modify the Constitution if approved and six that are advisory. More than 13 million of Ecuador’s population of nearly 18 million are eligible to vote – and in Ecuador, voting is obligatory. “We require urgent reforms that allow us to protect our security,” Noboa told a military event in March. In response to the escape, the government deployed more than 3,000 police officers and members of the armed forces to find Fito. The referendum has met opposition among some groups who claim the matters can be dealt with in the National Assembly.

Persons: Daniel Noboa, ”, he’s, ” Noboa, John Moore, Guillermo Lasso, Fernando Villavicencio, Adolfo Macias, Noboa, “, CNN’s Christiana Amanpour, Jorge Glas, Glas, Karen Toro Organizations: CNN, National Police, Armed Forces, Ecuadorian National Police, United Nations, Reuters, National Assembly Locations: Quito, Ecuadorian, Ecuador, Ecuadorians, Guayaquil, ”, Peru, Colombia, United States, Europe, Mexico, Mexican

☆ Russia's military is allergic to the deep reforms it needs
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Can the Russian military can be reformed to better achieve Putin's revanchist aims? Yes, but the drastic changes will not be easy, an expert on Russia's military says. AdvertisementWhatever the outcome of the Ukraine war, one thing seems certain: the Russian military needs drastic changes. Indeed, Russia's tendency to seek top-down structural reforms matched with enduring characteristics of the Russian military suggest that a transformation of the Russian military will be difficult." Given that observers so misjudged Russian military capabilities prior to the Ukraine war, how can the West accurately determine whether reforms are occurring?

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Katherine Kjellström Elgin, Putin, Elgin, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Center for Strategic, National Guard Service, Nazi, NATO, Elgin, Business, Russo, Defense, Foreign Policy, Rutgers Univ, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Washington ,, Elgin, Moscow, Russia, Crimean, Soviet, Nazi German, Turkish, Forbes

☆ What’s Happening In Myanmar’s Civil War?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Hannah Beech | Weiyi Cai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +16 min

RUSSIA CHINA INDIA Pacific Ocean MYANMAR INDONESIA Indian Ocean AUSTRALIA RUSSIA CHINA INDIA Pacific Ocean MYANMAR INDONESIA Indian Ocean AUSTRALIAWhat’s Happening In Myanmar’s Civil War? Parliamentary rule 1962 Military coup 1988 Nearly five decades of military rule Widespread pro-democracy protests followed by bloody military crackdown. National civil unrest 2021 Military coup ended power sharing with civilian government. Parliamentary rule Nearly five decades of military rule National civil unrest British colonial rule 1948 1988 1990 2007 2011 2021 1962 2015 Widespread pro-democracy protests followed by bloody military crackdown. National civil unrest 2021 Military coup ended power sharing with civilian government.

Persons: Adam Ferguson, Min Aung, Daw Aung, Suu Kyi, Aung, —, Tom Andrews, Chin, Rakhine Karen Mon Bamar, Kayan, Karen, Ms, hideouts Organizations: MYANMAR INDONESIA Indian Ocean, Insurgent, Council, Myanmar, 8th Battalion, Karenni Nationalities Defense Force, The New York Times, Senior, National Unity Government, People’s Defense Forces, Rebels, Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, Myanmar Peace Monitor, United Nations, General Administration Department, Union of, United, National Liberation Army Locations: RUSSIA CHINA, MYANMAR INDONESIA Indian Ocean AUSTRALIA RUSSIA CHINA, MYANMAR INDONESIA Indian, MYANMAR INDONESIA Indian Ocean AUSTRALIA, INDIA CHINA BANGLADESH Mandalay MYANMAR LAOS Naypyidaw Bay, Bengal Yangon THAILAND, INDIA CHINA Mandalay MYANMAR, Yangon THAILAND Bay, Bengal, Myanmar, Ukraine, Gaza, India, China, Karenni State, country’s, Suu, Myanmar’s, British, Sagaing Region, MYANMAR, Naypyidaw, Burma, United States, Rakhine, Thailand, Union, Union of Burma, Afghanistan

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