DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ TikTok’s Osama bin Laden Fiasco
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Nearly half the U.S. population uses TikTok, and CEO Shou Zi Chew's testimony before Congress on Mar. Osama bin Laden . Users have been posting videos to the Chinese-owned app, urging their followers to read bin Laden’s 2002 “letter to America,” while suggesting he was on to something. “The number of videos on TikTok is small and reports of it trending on our platform are inaccurate,” the company said. The British newspaper the Guardian unpublished its copy of the bin Laden letter, posted in 2002, because it was being “widely shared on social media without the full context.”

Persons: Shou Zi, Mark Kelly TikTok’s, Osama bin Laden, “, TikTok Organizations: Mar, Chinese Communist Party, Getty, British, Guardian Locations: America

[1/2] Television equipment is seen outside the U.S. Supreme Court as Justices hear oral arguments on Twitter's appeal to an anti-terror law violation, in Washington, U.S., February 22, 2023. Both lawsuits were brought under a U.S. law that enables Americans to recover damages related to "an act of international terrorism." Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch said the statute focuses liability on aiding a person who engaged in a terrorist act. Islamic State called the attack revenge for Turkish military involvement in Syria. In the Twitter case, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S.

☆ Supreme Court considers whether Twitter can be held liable for failing to remove terrorist content
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a case that will help determine whether social media platforms can be held liable for aiding and abetting terrorism for failing to remove content and accounts promoting it. The case revolves around a specific international terrorist act, and contends that Twitter should be held accountable for not taking aggressive enough action against that content on its platform. Justice Elena Kagan at one point asked Waxman whether Twitter could be held liable if it actually didn't enforce any policy against terrorist content on its site. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson asked if it would be illegal to sell Osama bin Laden a phone without knowing it would be used for a terrorist specific terrorist act. Schnapper said it would not be necessary to prove the phone was used for a specific terrorist act, because it "aids the terrorist enterprise."

☆ Al Qaeda's new leader Adel has $10 million bounty on his head
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Michael Georgy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Zawahiri's death piled pressure on the group to choose a strategic leader who can carefully plan deadly operations and run a jihadi network, experts on al Qaeda say. The department’s Rewards for Justice programme is offering up to $10 million for information on Adel, whom it says is a member of "al Qaeda’s leadership council” and heads the organisation’s military committee. He and other Al Qaeda leaders were placed under house arrest in April 2003 by Iran, which released him and four others in exchange for an Iranian diplomat who was kidnapped in Yemen. OPERATIVE TO LEADERAdel, one of the few remaining al Qaeda old guard, has been close to the central command for decades, experts say. Adel gained more jihadi credentials after he joined other Arab militants fighting Soviet occupation troops in Afghanistan, where he eventually headed a training camp before becoming a senior figure in al Qaeda.

☆ Factbox: Prize-winning reporter Seymour Hersh no stranger to controversy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Journalist Seymour Hersh speaks at the Al Jazeera Forum "Media and the Middle East - Beyond the Headlines" in Doha April 1, 2007. REUTERS/Fadi Al-AssaadFeb 9 (Reuters) - Pulitzer Prize-winning U.S. reporter Seymour Hersh said this week that U.S. Navy divers, in a CIA operation ordered by President Joe Biden, planted explosives that destroyed three Russian gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea last September. The White House dismissed Hersh's report, which relied on a single source to support its claim about the destruction of the Nordstream pipelines, as "utterly false and complete fiction." Here are some key events in Hersh's career:- Hersh in 1969 exposed the massacre of South Vietnamese villagers by U.S. troops in the hamlet of My Lai. Both governments denied Hersh's allegations that Pakistan had been holding bin Laden prisoner and knew about the raid in advance.

☆ The claim by a discredited journalist that the US secretly blew up the Nord Stream pipeline is proving a gift to Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Once-celebrated journalist Seymour Hersh made unproven claims the US blew up the Nord Stream pipelines. In Russia, Hersh's story was immediately greeted with a sense of vindication. Biden had said he opposed opening the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and saying the US could "bring an end to" it if Russia invaded Ukraine. The invasion did take place, and officials in Germany — where the pipeline was due to pump its gas — axed the project before Nord Stream 2 moved any gas. Nord Stream 1 kept pumping until the explosion.

☆ The Paradox of Prosecuting Domestic Terrorism
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( James Verini | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +52 min

The preventive approach to domestic terrorism goes back even further than the 1990s and it begins with the basic police work and surveillance of the joint terrorism task forces. In fact, there is no section of the U.S. Criminal Code that criminalizes domestic terrorism as such. The absence of clear law around domestic terrorism, and the imperatives of prevention, mean that investigators and prosecutors who work domestic terrorism cases must focus on more common charges: weapons violations, illegal drug possession, burglary, aiding and abetting and so forth. But this was not enough to overrule the fear of domestic terrorism that was gripping the nation and that hung in the courtroom. It reflected the legal paradoxes of the case and domestic terrorism law in general or, maybe more accurately, the absence of it.

☆ White House says blog post on Nord Stream explosion 'utterly false'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - The White House on Wednesday dismissed a blog post by a U.S. investigative journalist alleging the United States was behind explosions of the Nord Stream gas pipelines as "utterly false and complete fiction." "This is utterly false and complete fiction," said Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council. The pipelines are multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects designed to carry Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The United States and NATO have called the incident "an act of sabotage." On Wednesday, Russia's foreign ministry said the United States had questions to answer over its role in explosions on the pipelines.

☆ Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan martial ruler in 9/11 wars, dies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has died in Dubai aged 79 after a long illness, the army said on February 5, 2023. By Sept. 12, then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told Musharraf that Pakistan would either be "with us or against us." They regrouped and the offshoot Pakistani Taliban emerged, beginning a yearslong insurgency in the mountainous border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Though Pakistan under Musharraf launched these operations, the militants still thrived as billions of American dollars flowed into the nation. Born Aug. 11, 1943, in New Delhi, India, Musharraf was the middle son of a diplomat.

☆ Before a secret raid on an ISIS leader's mountain cave complex, US forces ran the mission at a special recreation of the target area
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US forces carried out a raid in northern Somalia this week and took out a top ISIS money man. Before the operation, troops ran practice runs on a recreation of the mountainous target area. It's a similar technique to the one used before the 2011 raid that brought down Osama bin Laden. US forces used the mock-up to practice what their ground movements and helicopter approaches would look like during the actual raid. Wednesday's raid in Somalia comes as the US and partner forces continue to track down ISIS fighters in Syria.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo speaks during a press conference with Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein at the State Department in Washington on Aug. 19, 2020. A demonstrator holds a poster with a picture of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi outside the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul, Turkey October 25, 2018. "And as even the New York Times reported, Khashoggi was cozy with the terrorist-supporting Muslim Brotherhood," Pompeo wrote. I confirm it to you," Khashoggi's widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, told NBC News on Monday. Hanan Elatr Khashoggi Widow of journalist Jamal Khashoggi

WASHINGTON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - The succession of Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was believed to have been killed in a U.S. raid last year, remains unclear, a U.S. intelligence official said on Tuesday. "The question for Al Qaeda, that it has not answered for itself, is who follows (Zawahiri)," Christine Abizaid, director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, said in an event organized by the Washington Institute when asked about Al Qaeda's "center of gravity" after Zawahiri's death. Al Qaeda has not named a successor. Saif al-Adel, a mysterious, low-key former Egyptian special forces officer who is a high-ranking member of Al Qaeda, is seen by experts as the top contender. The United States is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to his arrest.

☆ Final farewell: From Sidney Poitier to Pope Emeritus Benedict a look back at the influential figures who died in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +55 min

Other world leaders who died in 2022 include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in August. The final days of 2022 saw the loss of some exceptionally notable figures, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2022 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Dan Reeves, 77. A Cuban-born artist whose radiant color palette and geometric paintings were overlooked for decades before the art world took notice. A prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean’s Eleven” and other films.

☆ Joe Biden's biggest successes and failures in his second year in office
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

His second year in office was marked by historic legislative achievements despite Democrats' razor-thin majority in Congress. Here are some of the highs and lows from Biden's second year:Success: UkrainePresident Joe Biden talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outside the White House. Conservative New York Times columnist Bret Stephens in September called the "staggering gains" by Ukrainian forces "a victory for Joe Biden, too." Universal pre-K was included in a sweeping spending plan passed by House Democrats until their Senate colleagues cut that out too. Failure: InflationPresident Joe Biden arrives for an event focused on inflation and the supply chain at the Port of Los Angeles in June.

☆ Al Qaeda releases video it claims is narrated by leader al-Zawahiri who was believed dead -SITE
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CAIRO, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Al Qaeda has released a 35-minute recording the group claims was narrated by its leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was believed to have been killed in a U.S. raid in August 2022, SITE intelligence group said on Friday. The recording was undated and the transcript did not clearly point towards a time frame for when it could have been made. Al Qaeda has not named a successor. But Saif al-Adel, a mysterious, low-key former Egyptian special forces officer who is a high-ranking member of Al Qaeda, is seen by experts as the top contender. Reporting by Enas Alashray; Editing by Nadine Awadalla, Chris Reese, Michael Georgy and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Umar Patek: Bali bomber released on parole in Indonesia after serving half of 20-year sentence
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Jakarta, Indonesia CNN —Indonesia has released on parole Umar Patek, a bomb maker in the deadly 2002 Bali attacks, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights said on Wednesday. After his release on Wednesday, Patek is required to join a “mentoring program” until April 2030, according to the ministry statement. In August, Indonesia’s government said that Patek was eligible for parole after his sentence was reduced, a decision that sparked criticism from the victims’ families. “I think this going to be a very difficult day for many Australians – all Australians – to hear about the release of Umar Patek,” Marles told ABC radio. Three of the masterminds of the Bali bombings – Imam Samudra, Amrozi bin Nurhasyim and Ali Ghufron – were executed in 2008.

☆ Secret 9/11 memo reveals Bush rewriting the history of the 9/11 attacks and the warnings he'd tuned out
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

The ten members of the 9/11 Commission got to ask him and Vice President Dick Cheney any question they wanted about the September 11th attacks. What the new memo makes clear is that the White House's lack of urgency in facing down the domestic Al Qaeda threat wasn't all that complicated. Fortunately for Bush, the 9/11 Commission Report was careful not to point the finger directly at the sitting president. Still, when set beside the newly declassified memo, their official version of history as described by the 9/11 Commission Report feels incomplete, and sanitized. On the question of whether Al Qaeda came up during the August 17 briefing, Morell said he did not remember.

☆ Fact Check-Altered image of John McCain and Lindsey Graham standing with Osama bin Laden resurfaces online
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An altered image of late Arizona senator John McCain and South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham standing with the late Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden has resurfaced online. The image appears to show McCain and Graham pictured with bin Laden standing between them. Other recent examples of the altered image being shared online can be found (here), (here) and (here). McCain and Graham visited troops in Kabul, Afghanistan on July 4, 2013, during celebrations of the U.S. The original photograph shows McCain and Graham pictured with former Afghan President Karzai in July 2013.

☆ 2 little-known intel agencies are helping US partners keep an eye on Russia's and China's frontline forces
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Two little-known US intelligence agencies have made significant contributions to countering Russia in Ukraine. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the National Reconnaissance Office have gathered and distributed valuable information about Russian activity. Little-known intel agenciesA National Reconnaissance Office payload is launched into space from Vandenberg Air Force Base in September 2017. US Air Force/Senior Airman Ian DudleyThe US response to Russia's war in Ukraine has pulled the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Reconnaissance Office out of the shadows. NRO satellites have many customers, but the NGA is probably the most reliant on the satellites operated by the NRO.

☆ How Palantir's tech-based patriotism and politics grew into a multi-billion dollar company
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Cameron Costa | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The data mining and software company got its start with government contracts, and 19 years since its inception, Palantir's government work is still central to its business. At its start, Palantir's business came directly from the FBI, the NSA, and even the CIA, whose venture arm In-Q-Tel was one of the company's earliest backers. For Karp, data and defense are intertwined, and his company's contracts with government agencies reflect a commitment to leveraging technology to bolster the West. Karp founded the company with well-known conservative tech investor Peter Thiel, and the two have publicly sparred over politics and technology. However, even as a $16.7 billion market cap publicly traded company, Palantir's work remains opaque.

☆ Putin grants Russian citizenship to U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( The Associated Press | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Brinley-Bruton-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Whistleblower Edward Snowden has a new title: Russian citizen. U.S. authorities have for years wanted Snowden returned to the United States to face a criminal trial on espionage charges. Snowden said in 2019 that he was willing to return to the U.S. if he’s guaranteed a fair trial. In fact, in 2016, The Washington Post’s own editorial board opposed granting the whistleblower a pardon. He is one of 75 foreign nationals listed by the decree as being granted Russian citizenship.

☆ U.S. CIA's in-house museum adds new spy exhibits
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LANGLEY, Va., Sept 24 (Reuters) - They like to call it 'the greatest museum you'll never see.' Tucked away in the corridors of its Langley, Virginia, headquarters, the revamped Central Intelligence Agency museum – while still closed to the public – is revealing some newly declassified artifacts from the spy agency's most storied operations since its founding 75 years ago. The hundreds of museum items, some of which have been on display since the 1980s, are all declassified. Neises said the agency does from time to time loan some to presidential libraries and other non-profit museums. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Michael Martina Editing by Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Alex Jones' billion-dollar judgement: The conspiracy theorist has turned career-ending setbacks into profit windfalls, but this could be too much to overcome
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Ashley Collman | Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +22 min

Robbie Parker was later falsely called a crisis actor, and the Parkers are among those who sued Alex Jones for defamation. Longtime informal adviser to Donald Trump, Roger Stone (right), and and Alex Jones (left) speak to reporters in December 2018. Picture showing a computer screen displaying the Twitter account of Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones taken on August 15, 2018 in Washington DC. "Alex Jones is likely to continue being Alex Jones, which means he's likely to try all kinds of shenanigans to avoid accountability," said Holt. "The money awarded in damages does not repair what Alex Jones has done to those parents' lives, but it could be a step towards dismantling the toxic empire that Alex Jones has built around his brand."

Noor bin Laden, nepoata fostului lider al-Qaeda, o înfocată susținătoare a fostului președinte Trump și o adeptă QAnon a fost oprită de polițiștii elvețieni care au încercat să o convingă să renunțe la steag și să revină la țărm. Tânăra se recomandă drept activistă și susține teoriile conspirației promovate de fostul președinte conform cărora alegerile din 2020 au fost fraudate. Întrevederea cu președintele rus este ultimul eveniment de pe agenda turneului european realizat de președinte american Joe Biden în ultima săptămână.

Persons: bin Laden, Qaeda, american Joe Biden Organizations: Trump, elvețieni, american Locations: rus

☆ Liderul grupării Boko Haram s-a sinucis: „A declanşat un exploziv”
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-07 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +3 min

Sursa foto: APLiderul grupării Boko Haram s-a sinucis: „A declanşat un exploziv”Liderul Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, s-a sinucis, susțin militanții islamiști rivali într-o înregistrare audio publicată la două săptămâni după primele informaţii care anunțau moartea lui. Boko Haram nu a comentat moartea anunţată a liderului său, iar armata nigeriană a menţionat că desfăşoară o anchetă. A preluat frâiele Boko Haram după ce fondatorul grupului a murit în timp ce se afla în custodia poliției în 2009. Sun conducerea lui Shekau, Boko Haram s-a transformat într-o grupare teroristă care a îngrozit nord-estul Nigeriei. Sub conducerea lui Shekau, Boko Haram a organizat atacuri teroriste și răpiri în toată regiunea.

Persons: Pământ, Abu, Iswap, Shekau, Sun, Boko, Osama Bin Laden Locations: forţă, Nigeriei, Chibok, SUA

Search resuls for: "Osama bin Laden"

25 mentions found