McAfee Reports of Massive 5-Year Hacking Plot
August 3, 2011
Computer software security firm McAfee, has uncovered evidence of a five-year-long hacking effort of more than 70 government and private organizations—and experts are pointing to China as the likely culprit. McAfee’s report says it found security breaches dating back to mid-2006 and included one attack that lasted for 28 straight months against an unidentified Asian country’s national Olympic committee. Targets include the Associated Press, the International Olympic Committee, the United Nations, a U.S. Department of Energy lab, and a dozen U.S. security firms. All the evidence came from a single server, and McAfee said hundreds of other servers have been used in similar attacks. While McAfee did not name a culprit, a computer expert familiar with the study said the attacks, the biggest ever recorded, appear to have originated in China. The hackers were apparently after information on such matters as U.S. military systems, satellite communications, electronics, and natural-gas companies.
Banned: Netherlands Coffee Shops Will No Longer Sell Marijuana to Tourists
May 28, 2011
Another thing I hate about right wing governments. The new conservative Dutch government Friday announced that by the end of the year, the country’s famed marijuana-dispensing coffee shops would start to close to tourists and be open only to Dutch citizens by the end of the year. In the past the Netherlands has somewhat catered to travelers looking for exotic fun, which has generated a significant amount of international tourism for the country. But marijuana is not actually legal, just simply a crime that was not actively enforced by the police. Backed by the far-right party of anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders’ coalition government, the new regulation will only allow Dutch citizens to enter the marijuana-dispensing coffee shops, and even they will face new restrictions. Dutch citizens will have to sign up for a year’s membership at a specific shop, which will only be allowed to have up to 1,500 members.
War crimes fugitive Gen. Ratko Mladic arrested in Serbia
May 26, 2011
Europe’s most wanted war crimes fugitive Gen. Ratko Mladic, has been arrested, Serbian President Boris Tadic announced Thursday.
Mladic has been on the run since the Balkan wars of the 1990s, when he was indicted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, for genocide in the slaughter of at least 7,500 Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica, the worst single atrocity in Europe since World War II.
Just before news of today’s arrest, UN war crimes chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz accused Serbia of failing to do enough to find Gen Mladic.
“The capture is the biggest obligation of Serbia,” he said in a report sent to the UN Security Council.
Obama: Pakistan ‘Support Network’ Sheltered Bin Laden (VIDEO)
May 9, 2011
(ChattahBox Political News)–President Obama pointed out last night, during his “60 Minutes” interview, that Osama bin Laden must have had the support of Pakistan officials and locals. The internationally hunted 9/11 terrorist could not have remained safely hidden inside a large compound in a police state for nearly six-years, without the aid of an extensive “support network,” said Obama. It remains to be seen how much high-level government officials knew about bin Laden’s compound just 35-miles away from the capitol of Islamabad in the suburb of Abbottabad; a stone’s throw from a military training center. But some intelligence officials certainly knew, and if they didn’t, they should consider another line of work. Read more
Obama: We Killed Osama Bin Laden, ‘Justice Has Been Done’
May 2, 2011
(ChattahBox US News)—Last night marked the final chapter in the nearly 10-year manhunt for Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind behind the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil, who quickly became the face of evil to Americans and the rest of the civilized world. President Obama told the nation late last night that a crack team of U.S. forces entered Bin Laden’s hideout in a heavily fortified compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan and shot him dead. “The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda, said the President during his nearly 10-minute address, as crowds assembled in front of the White House gates shouted “U.S.A, U.S.A!” And just like that, the open festering wound that was Osama Bin Laden came to an abrupt end. Read more
WikiLeaks: al-Qaeda Leader Zapped Sexual Urges With Impotence Shots
April 25, 2011
(ChattahBox US News)—A new Wikileaks dump of classified military documents, dubbed the Guantanamo Files, is dominating the news today. The cache contains details of the intelligence assessments called, Detainee Assessment Briefs of most of the 779 detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, starting in 2002. The behind the scene activities of al-Qaeda leaders immediately after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 reveal infighting within the jihadist organization, but also a determination to stay the course in terrorist attacks against the West. One strange nugget: Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the alleged mastermind of the USS Cole bombing tamped down his sexual attraction to women with injections that made him impotent. Apparently, al-Nashiri, had difficulty waiting for his 72 virgins in heaven; a sexual reward promised to Muslim “martyrs,” and used as an al-Qaeda recruiting tool. Read more
Koran Burning Fla. Pastor Says He’s Not Responsible for Deaths, Riots
April 2, 2011
(ChattahBox World News)— Lunatic fundamentalist Pastor Terry Jones just can’t help himself. After sparking violent protests, gaining international attention and condemnation last year for threatening to burn the Koran on the anniversary of 9/11, Jones stood down, promising he would never burn a Koran. “Not today, not ever,” Jones told NBC’s Today Show. That was then and this is now. Last month, Jones and his tiny rag-tag congregation in Gainesville, Florida, burned a copy of the Koran after a mock trial finding the Muslim Holy Book guilty of crimes against humanity. Video of the trial and the Koran burning was promptly placed on the church website, but it largely flew under the radar, until this past Friday. Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai decided to call attention to Jones’ provocation, and he delivered a speech condemning the Koran burning and called for Jones’ arrest. In response, several mullahs at Friday Prayer services incited the townspeople. The result was deadly. A group of angry Afghan men attacked the United Nations headquarters in Mazar-i-Sharif. Twelve people were massacred, including seven U.N. staff members. Some of the victims may have been beheaded. Since then, violent protests spread to Kandahar with more deaths and injuries. There is plenty of blame to go around, but the main culprit, Terry Jones, says he’s not”responsible” for the violence and bloodshed. Read more
US Prepares to Hand Over ‘Operation Odyssey Dawn’
March 22, 2011
(ChattahBox World News)— The air strikes over Libya led by coalition forces continues today, but the United States is about to declare mission accomplished and hand over the mess to someone else. President Obama and the Pentagon have no desire to become entangled in another endless war and nation building effort in another Arab country. And the contentious political climate, is no picnic either. Right-wing neo-cons shrieked and squawked for Obama to intervene militarily in Libya. And once he did, under the authority of a U.N. resolution supporting a no-fly zone, the neo-cons still aren’t happy, because Obama is not beating his chest letting France and the UK know who is the boss. Many Democrats are opposed to our involvement, as well, with Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) calling for Obama’s impeachment. Read more
French Fighter Jets Now Flying Over Libya to Stop Gaddafi’s Forces
March 19, 2011
(ChattahBox World News)—So much for the cease fire. Soon after the United Nations Security Council imposed a no-fly zone over Libya on Friday, strongman Muammar Gaddafi called for a cease fire on the government’s attacks on civilian rebels. But pro-Gaddafi forces resumed their military campaign in Benghazi on Saturday, without missing a beat. The unstable political solution is about to come to a head. French President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered fighter jets to take to the skies over Libya to enforce the UN resolution. And Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attended an emergency meeting in Paris with U.S. allies to coordinate a response to Gaddafi’s defiance of the UN resolution. There are also reports of a downed fighter jet in Benghazi, but it’s not known what country the aircraft belongs to, or who shot it down. Read more
U.N. Approves “All Necessary Measures” in Libya
March 17, 2011
(ChattahBox World News) – The United Nation’s security council with 10 votes for and 5 abstentions, has approved a no-fly-zone to stop Moammar Gadhafi. The resolution was strongly supported by France, the United Kingdom and Lebanon. The abstentions came from Germany, China, Russia, India and Brazil. In anticipation of the vote, Gaddafi warned that Libya would mount terror attacks across the Mediterranean for years to come in retaliation if foreign powers took up arms against him. With pro-Qaddafi forces advancing on the Libyan opposition capital, the resolution authorizes UN members to take “all necessary measures” to protect civilians and civilian centers. The resolution also called for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the violence, and a tightening of sanctions. With US and European warships and aircraft positioned nearby, military operations could begin quickly. But the UN resolution rules out a foreign occupation force in any part of Libya.
Update: Soon after the U.N.’s resolution approving military force in Libya, the country’s government called for a cease-fire on Friday. Libya’s foreign minister said that, as a member of the council, Gaddafi’s regime is “obliged to accept the Security Council resolution that permits the use of force to protect the civilian population.” He said the regime would halt all military operations against the opposition. It seems to be a smokescreen though, as there are continuing reports that Libya’s military continues to attack the opposition forces.