Category Archives: NSA

Former Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger explained to the January 6 committee his decision to resign after Trump put out a tweet attacking VP Pence, even as a violent mob were attempting to breach the Capitol Building.

POTTINGER: I began to see for the first time, those images on TV of the chaos that was unfolding at the Capital. One of my aides handed me a sheet of paper that contain the tweet that you just read. I read it and was quite disturbed by it. I was disturbed and worried to see that the President was attacking Vice President Pence for doing his Constitutional duty.

So, the Tweet looked to me like the opposite of what what we really needed at that moment which was a de-escalation and that's why I had said earlier that it looked like fuel being poured on the fire.

So, that was the moment that I decided that I was going to resign that, that would be my last day at the White House. I simply didn't want to be associated with with the events that were unfolding on the capitol.

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Former Trump Deputy NSA Matthew Pottinger explains his decision to resign after Trump tweeted attacking VP Pence. - Yahoo News

New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government has invoked the stringent National Security Act (1980) against Welfare Party leader and activist Javed Mohammad, paving the way for his detention for up to a year without charge or trial.

Mohammad was arrested in the early hours of June 11, hours after Prayagraj witnessed some incidents of stone pelting in the Khuldabad locality after the Friday prayers of June 10 in protest against BJP leader Nupur Sharmas controversial remarks about Prophet Mohammad.

Police claimed Mohammad was the ring leader of the violence a charge he and his lawyers deny and his residence was demolished by the authorities on June 12.

Speaking to The Wire on Saturday, advocate K.K. Roy who represents Mohammad said, We have been told that NSA has been involved against Mohammad. However, we have not yet received the papers. More importantly, what we feel is that the charges are aimed at selectively targeting Mohammad since the police has failed to surface any substantial evidence that he was involved in the violence or that he incited any crowds.

Roy stated that a disturbance or the intent to disturb law and order are critical factors to the invoking of NSA, which empowers the authorities to keep a person in detention for a maximum period of 12 months.It is clear that until the 9th of June, Mohammad was in fact active in ensuring peacekeeping amid tensions. There is no evidence to show that he instigated any violence. Moreover, the law and order situation was maintained in Prayagraj no curfew was even imposed so essentially there is no basis for [the NSAs] invocation.

Protests erupted in several Indian cities on June 10, against the remarks made by former BJP leader Nupur Sharma.

Mohammad was shifted from Naini Jail in Prayagraj to Deoria Jail over security concerns. Previously, the police had also claimed they found provocative material and weapons at Javeds home charges his family denies.

In a statement, the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) condemned the invoking of NSA against Javed Mohammad, stating that the the states police is hiding its own inability to collect evidence against him by using the stringent law.

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UP Government Invokes NSA against Javed Mohammad for Prayagraj Protest - The Wire

FROM permanent pasture to herbal leys, the options now available for the countrys sheep farmers when it comes to managing their grassland are numerous and can be confusing.

To support sheep farmers through these difficult decisions the NSA is launching its new Grassland Trail at this months NSA Sheep Event.

As input prices increase, the new feature at the event, taking place on Wednesday, July 27, at the Three Counties Showground, Worcestershire, will provide plentiful advice so farmers are able to explore ways they can optimise their grasslands for efficient and profitable sheep production.

The trail will offer visitors the chance to speak to grassland specialists, join practical workshops delivered by nutrition and grass seed companies or listen to leading industry experts debate the future role of grasslands in carbon sequestration. Topics covered will include soil health, multi-species swards, parasite control and water management.

NSA chief executive officer Phil Stocker said: All at NSA are very excited to be able to welcome visitors to this new feature at NSA Sheep Event. Its launch could not come at a more important time as farmers seek methods to make the most from their grasslands under current pressures from rising input costs but also at a time when the importance of grasslands in the climate change debate must be highlighted both to farmers and the wider public.

The NSA Grassland Trail has been created as part of NSAs involvement in the EU-funded E-Organic Erasmus project and aims to offer advice to farmers on how to integrate sustainable farming practices into their future management systems, taking proactive steps to tackle current and future challenges.

A number of workshops will also be on offer providing farmers with some hands on advice to take home. A series of competitions is run throughout the day, providing entertainment and encouraging the next generation of sheep farmers, while a sheepdog sale is always a big draw for visitors.

For more information, visit http://www.sheepevent.org.uk.

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Grassland options will be explored at NSA Sheep Event | Darlington and Stockton Times - Darlington and Stockton Times

By Yoshita SinghUnited Nations, Jul 23 (PTI) India along with six others has voted against a draft resolution presented by the US that recommended six human rights groups, which have been blocked for years in the United Nations' NGO Committee, be granted special consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council.At the meeting of the 54-member Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations recommended 203 groups for special consultative status.However, six other non-governmental organisations, including the foundation that runs Wikipedia, were added to the list in a draft proposed by the United States, which, in turn, led to a call for a recorded vote, according to the UN.A report on the UN website said that the draft resolution on the list of non-governmental organisations receiving consultative status with the Council, presented by the United States delegate, caused a brief stir.The draft resolution, sponsored by a total of 36 countries, recommended six additional non-governmental organisations to the list proposed by the Committee. It was adopted by 23 votes in favour with China, India, Kazakhstan, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Russia and Zimbabwe voting against and 18 abstentions. The Council decided to grant special consultative status to Diakonia; Inimoiguste Instituut; National Human Rights Civic Association Belarusian Helsinki Committee; Non Ce Pace Senza Giustizia; Syrian American Medical Society Foundation; and Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.The United States delegate pointed out that those organisations had been waiting for years to obtain non-governmental status and repeatedly answered questions from members of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations.Supporters of the amended resolution defended the right of the six organisations to make their voices heard at the United Nations. Others pointed to those organisations having political or, as stated by Israels delegate, even terrorist affiliations, the report said.Several member states members criticised the approach of submitting the request directly to the Council on the grounds that it was a manoeuvre to circumvent the Committee.The report added that the representative of India, in explanation of the position after the vote, highlighted the key role of the Committee, which has a clear mandate. The procedure is transparent, he said, cautioning against any deviation from it.Human Rights Watch welcomed the ECOSOC approval for UN accreditation for the six human rights groups "that have been blocked for years in the UNs NGO Committee.Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement that the decision to grant UN accreditation to six human rights groups is a step in the right direction.But its only a fraction of the hundreds of organisations whose applications have been unfairly blocked for years by Russia, China, and other abusive governments. Rights-respecting countries should push for an urgent overhaul of the UNs accreditation process for non-governmental organizations and put a stop to efforts to silence human rights activists at the UN. PTI YAS NSA AKJ NSANSANSA

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India six others vote against resolution to grant UN accreditation to 6 rights groups - The Week

Colombo, Jul 23 (PTI) Sri Lankas Cabinet has met for the first time under newly-elected President Ranil Wickremesinghe and discussed ways to normalise the situation in the economic-crisis hit country within a week by regularising functions of the government institutions such as the Prime Ministers Office and the Presidential Secretariat, according to a media report on Saturday.

After the appointment of the new Cabinet on Friday, the President called for the meeting, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported.

They discussed that the country should be normalised within one week by regularising functions of the government institutions such as the Prime Ministers Office, the Presidential Secretariat, and schools, the newspaper said quoting sources.

The Cabinet was informed that fuel sufficient for one month had been secured and therefore distribution under a quota system should be expedited.

The President said that he empowered the security forces to uphold the Constitution and to create an environment for people to live without fear.

The Cabinet also discussed the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund ( IMF) which are underway to secure financial assistance.

Meanwhile, the Opposition requested Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to summon the Parliament on July 25 to discuss attacks on peaceful protests at Galle Face on Friday by security forces and the current situation of the country.

Sri Lankan troops and police armed with assault rifles and batons on Friday forcibly removed anti-government protesters camped outside the presidential office here in a pre-dawn raid.

Police have described the pre-dawn raid on the main camp of the anti-government protesters as a special operation to take [back] control of the presidential secretariat.

The protesters had vacated the President and Prime Ministers residences and the Prime Ministers office after capturing them on July 9, but they were still occupying some rooms of the Presidents secretariat.

They also refused to accept Wickremesinghe as the new president, holding him partly responsible for the countrys unprecedented economic and political crisis.

The main protest group which blocked entry to the Presidents Office since April 9, said they would continue their struggle till Wickremesinghe resigned.

The new Sri Lankan government has been criticised for using force to remove the anti-government protesters.

Sri Lanka has seen months of mass unrest over an economic crisis and many blame the former government led by ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family for mishandling the island nations economy.

Protesters set Wickremesinghes personal residence on fire and occupied his office during protests last week.

Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials. Sri Lankas total foreign debt stands at USD 51 billion. PTI NSA AKJ NSA NSA

This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

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Sri Lanka Cabinet discusses ways to normalise situation within one week - ThePrint

New Delhi: A major political controversy has been raging in the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius since June, which has dragged India right into the eye of the storm. While the Indian government has chosen to side with Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, the imbroglio is deepening by the day.

It all started with the June resignation of former Mauritius Telecom (MT) CEO Sherry Singh. While stepping down, Singh, regarded as a key government insider and close confidant of Jugnauth, made a cryptic statement to his employees that said: I am unable to continue without compromising my values and that is not an option for me.

In interviews to the media, Singh subsequently made allegations about the Mauritian PM, hinting at Indias hand in a controversy surrounding the SAFE (South Africa Far East) cable, a 13,500-km submarine fibre optic cable connecting South Africa, Mauritius, La Runion in France, India and Malaysia.

In two interviews given to the Le Dfi Media Group and La Sentinelle, which were broadcast live, Singh alleged that PM Jugnauth had forced him to allow an Indian team to access a SAFE cable landing station at Baie-du-Jacotet, a prohibited area.

Singh also said that the PMs main objective was to install a sniffing device that would spy on Mauritian internet traffic.

The countrys Central Criminal Investigation Department Special Cell is investigating the matter, on Jugnauths orders.

Asked about the issue, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi Thursday sought to downplay it. I dont know if I have the full details of that, but my understanding is that the prime minister of Mauritius has already made a statement. I really dont have anything further to add to that. I think thats good enough from our perspective, he said.

Jugnauth responded to Singhs allegations Thursday, while speaking to mediapersons. Where is his irrefutable evidence, if he keeps his right to silence? he asked.

The Mauritian PM also said, When he accused me of doing something illegal, I expected him to go and give a statement to the police. He didnt when I gave him time. So it was I who made a statement to the police.

A new CEO will take over by early August, he added.

Also Read: Snoopgate, corrupt unparliamentary but not banned, says LS speaker after opposition hits out

The former Mauritius Telecom CEO, who reportedly also has an interest in joining politics and is negotiating with opposition parties there, told the Le Dfi Media Group: With or without me, there will be a political tsunami.

In an interview to the local media, Singh ruled out the role of Indias National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in the matter, but did say that leader of the Indian team of technicians came for the cable.

Asked why he allowed the cable to be accessed, Singh said, The prime minister is the supreme leader, I had to obey orders. But I could not accept that a third party has access to private data, because it would be a betrayal.

The opposition parties of Mauritius have latched onto the controversy and resorted to India bashing of sorts, raising questions on why the current NSA of their country, Kumaresan Ilango, is an Indian and not a Mauritian.

A 1982-batch IPS officer, Ilango was the frontrunner for the post of Indias Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief in 2018. He was the station commander at the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka, where he was allegedly blamed for playing a role in ousting their former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

In September 2021, he was appointed by Jugnauth as the NSA of Mauritius. It was he who steered Mauritius to become a member of the Colombo Security Conclave on maritime security cooperation along with India, Sri Lanka and Maldives, at a meeting held in March this year.

Earlier this week, Reza Uteem, a leader of the opposition Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), sought to link the controversy with Ilangos appointment.

To this, the PM replied that while the controversy is under investigation, the NSA was appointed following a request by the Indian government.

Responding to Uteem, the PM also said, What have you got against India?It is regretful that some people in the opposition are indulging themselves in systematic India bashing to pursue their sinister agenda.

(Edited by Gitanjali Das)

Also Read: Pegasus snooping a form of cyber-terrorism, says ex-RSS ideologue Govindacharya, moves SC

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CEO resignation, spying allegation why Indias in middle of raging controversy in Mauritius - ThePrint

Written by Mark Pomerleau Jul 22, 2022 | FEDSCOOP

The new commander of the Air Forces information warfare unit wants to increase and bolster partnerships to beat back adversaries in the information space, a lesson learned in his previous role at U.S. Cyber Command.

As weve seen about how information is used, I think information can be used to build coalitions in competition and I think sharing and exposing malign activity and sharing insights with our allies and partners, I think, is a key activity in competition to build those alliances and partnerships. Thats one thing I saw as the director of operations, Lt. Gen. Kevin Kennedy told reporters Thursday.

Kennedy, who was most recently the director of operations at U.S. Cyber Command, assumed command of 16th Air Force in a July 21 ceremony and will now be the units second ever commander. He takes over for Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh, who will head to Cyber Command to serve as its deputy commander.

16th Air Force was created in 2019 to fuse various disciplines and commands within the Air Force to break down barriers for a more efficient information warfare entity. It serves as the service cyber component to Cyber Command and the National Security Agency converging disciplines such as cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare, information operations and weather.

Kennedy said he saw firsthand at Cyber Command the importance of partnerships and that is something he hopes to bring to 16th Air Force.

When we were in crisis, I think thats also a way to contest misinformation then as we go into crisis types or conflict type activities sharing of information really enables joint operations to be more effective, he said. I saw that play out as director of operations and I think as the commander of 16th Air Force, working with our wings and partners and the other Air Force components, I think we can bring that to bear.

Partnerships have been a top priority for Gen. Paul Nakasone, the commander of Cyber Command and director of NSA.

Cyber Command has worked with several partner nations to build their capacity in cyberspace and share threat information that benefits the broader cybersecurity community.

One example includes so-called hunt forward missions, in which teams from Cyber Command physically deploy to nations at their request to hunt for malicious threats on their network.

These operations are mutually beneficial because they help bolster the security of partner nations and provide Cyber Command and by extension, the U.S. advanced notice of adversary tactics allowing the U.S. to harden systems at home against these observed threats.

This week Cyber Command shared technical details of malware targeting Ukrainians based on information the Ukrainian government shared with the command.

Outgoing Cmdr. Haugh also noted that at the creation of 16th Air Force, he underestimated the importance partnerships can play.

An area that we assumed that we would be able to maximize some of the effects wed have was through partnership. We definitely underestimated the opportunity space there, Haugh told reporters prior to his departure.

Kennedy is also taking other lessons from his time at Cyber Command, such as the recognition of how information can be a critical enabler.

Its clear to me as information warfare and using information, its ever-present during competition as we see crises across the globe, I think it is the dominant activity and then a key enabler or if not the essential enabler as we enter into conflict, he said. My role as the director of operations and now the commander of 16th Air Force, I see as we hunt, expose, contest, and when necessary, defeat adversaries in the information domain, I can see that my understanding of how we integrated the cyber element of national power into that as we bring those other enterprises of the ISR, EW and our weather enterprises to bear on that as well.

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New Air Force information warfare commander wants to increase partnerships - FedScoop

FORT MEADE, Md. The National Security Agency (NSA) and partner cybersecurity authorities released a Cybersecurity Information Sheet today recommending that Microsoft Windows operators and administrators properly configure and monitor PowerShell to prevent and detect abuse by malicious actors.NSA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the New Zealand and UK National Cybersecurity Centres developed Keeping PowerShell: Security Measures to Use and Embrace to help Windows operators and administrators understand how PowerShell supports system maintenance, forensics, automation, and security.PowerShell is a scripting language and command line tool included with Microsoft Windows that provides many features, including the ability to automate tasks, improve incident response and enable forensics efforts. However, the same extensibility, ease of use, and availability that aids net defenders also provides an opportunity for malicious cyber actors, who have often abused PowerShell after gaining access to victim networks.This has prompted some net defenders to disable or remove the Windows tool. NSA and its partners advise against doing so, and instead recommend following the guidance in this advisory to properly configure and monitor the tool. Recent versions of PowerShell include improved defensive capabilities, including ways to counter PowerShell abuse. The report outlines security features in PowerShell that help with protecting credentials, remote management configurations, anti-virus scanning and logging.Read the full report here. Visit our full library for more cybersecurity information and technical guidance.

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Partners Recommend Properly Configuring, Monitoring PowerShell in New Report - National Security Agency

5G core software expert Alepo and Casa Systems announced a strategic partnership that will simplify the deployment of 5G networks and reduce time-to-market and resource requirements for service providers and enterprise customers.

Casas cloud-native 5G Core, combined with the Alepos subscriber data management (SDM) and converged policy control (PCF, PCRF), will deliver an industry-leading low resource footprint that keeps initial investment low. It will give service providers and private enterprises the ability to deploy 4G, 5G, and fixed wireless access (FWA) broadband networks more rapidly and cost effectively.

5G transforms the role of the service provider, opening new opportunities to forge cross-industry partnerships to launch diverse services. The combination of Alepos policy control and containerized SDM with Casa Systems portfolio of open, cloud-native 5G Core network functions, facilitates a smooth transition to 5G. Service providers can shift to a fully virtualized service-based environment using a single solution to support both LTE and 5G.

The solution provides a secure, flexible, scalable, cloud-native architecture with 3GPP standards-compliant network functions, enabling service providers to upgrade to 5G without disrupting their existing services. Service providers of all sizes can swiftly introduce 5G capabilities and support new 5G use cases, including private enterprise networks, for diverse industry verticals.Alepos cloud-native network functions are built to maximize ROI, with compact resource needs, high-performance architecture, and an agnostic approach to deployment infrastructure.

Alepos experience in digital transformation helps modernize operational architecture without service disruption, shifting to a fully virtualized service-based environment as operators evolve to 5G.Multiple field trials and deployments with leading operators in the US, Europe, and Australia are underway, including a leading mobile operator deploying private 5G and a fixed broadband operator deploying a fixed and wireless solution to expand coverage to underserved communities.

Gibson Ang, Vice President, Technology at Casa SystemsAt Casa Systems, we rely on a simple truth: if the network is not built for you, it is not the right network. For 5G to be successful, the network must be tailored to meet each customers specific needs. Thats why Casa built an open, interoperable, cloud-native 5G Core network architecture that allows us to pull in best-of-breed technologies so that we can create cloud-native network solutions that unlock new markets, new services, and new revenues for our customers.

Derrick Gross, President of AlepoAlepo has been at the forefront of 5G, with SDM and policy components that offer among the lowest resource footprints in the industry, and Casas components are the perfect complement for what weve developed. Were thrilled to partner with Casa Systems on our shared mission of enabling global operators to launch and monetize 5G regardless of their size.

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Casa Systems, Alepo Team Up to Deliver 5G SA & 5G NSA Solutions - The Fast Mode

MANILA, Philippines Incoming National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos voiced her disapproval Friday of the practice of red-tagging, or conflating progressive critics and activists as armed insurgents, calling it "unproductive."

This comes after incumbent National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, a retired Philippine Army general, launched an offensive against progressive groups and alternative media outfitswith just two weeks left in his term. Advocates called this an attack on press freedom and civil liberties.

Speaking overThe Mangahas Interviews, Carlos questioned the practice of red-tagging popularized as of late under the Duterte administration's anti-insurgency campaign calling it lazy thinking.

"What I will bring into our national security landscape is really my training as a political scientist...when you run out of arguments, you label.It's not a productive thing and it's antithetical to the presumption of innocence, right? Why are we doing things that are not productive? Let's stop doing that," she said in mixed Filipino and English.

"If you have proof, well then you should file a case in court. Does labeling help you? No, so don't waste your time."

Outgoing Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who has accepted his nomination as the next solicitor general, also said the statement earlier this week. The incoming solicitor general said that "labelling" is dangerous and complaints should be filed instead.

Carlos said that the national government should address the root causes of the communist insurgency by looking at problems on the ground.

"The roots are there...address the lack of justice, the lack of opportunities for our youth," she said in Filipino. "And you're killing their future; they can't aspire to be journalists, scientists, engineers, architects...If you kill them, they'll take up arms."

"So we should give them opportunities to study, to be healthy, health is a security issue, and give them opportunities to flourish as an individual, because they will contribute to building a better Philippines. Not by holding a gun, but by becoming a senator, a plumber, a carpenter. Because that's what this is about."

Categorically asked if there would be changes in the controversial National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, Carlos said: "That wasn't included when we were briefed...I'll need to study that first [because] there are so many offices involved...I don't want to comment first because I don't understand it yet."

As the government's security adviser, Carlos will be among those behind thecontroversialAnti-Terrorism Council, feared by many to be abuse its powers to limit dissent and undermine democracy under pretext of countering terrorism.

In President Rodrigo Duterte's Philippines, the communist insurgency is the boogeyman up there with the illegal drug trade as public enemy number one. The president's nightly addresses feature lengthy asides that see the chief executive railing against left-leaning activists and drug suspects alike.

This has culminated in the widespread practice of red-tagging,defined by Philippine jurisprudence as the act of labeling, branding, naming and accusing individuals and/or organizations of being left-leaning, subversives, communists or terrorists (used as) a strategy... by State agents, particularly law enforcement agencies and the military, against those perceived to be threats or enemies of the State.

But the Commission on Human Rights has warned that the practice of red-tagging, which has increased in 2020, "violates the constitutional guarantee of presumption of innocence and may have serious implications on the security and movement of individuals and groups involved."

READ:Militarization in Philippines has 'damaging effects' on civic space, democratic freedoms think tank

Many activists and members of progressive and left-leaning groups have pointed out that many who are red-tagged often end up shot and killed by unknown assailants. Rights groups, including the UN Human Rights Office, have said the dangerous practice has been institutionalized in the country.

The Constitution guarantees the presumption of innocence, while leaning towards the left of the political spectrum or even being a communist is not illegal in the Philippines.

Even the government's own National Security Plan 2017-2022 acknowledges what it calls "the root causes of internal conflicts, namely: poverty and social injustice, widespread economic inequity, poor governance, abuse and control of political power, and marginalization of cultural communities."

"Terrorism is hard to define. I teach that. There are over 100 definitions for it. Even the UN cannot ask for a consensus on its definition. Why? Because terrorism is a political-related term," Carlos said.

"Just use terms under the Penal Code because those are defined in the operational component." Franco Luna

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Incoming NSA chief on 'unproductive' practice of red-tagging: Let's stop doing that - Philstar.com