Puppet Masters

Israeli security company reportedly has tool that spies on Apple, Google and Facebook cloud data

Kate Fazzini and Annie Palmer
CNBC
Fri, 19 Jul 2019 23:38 UTC

© Jack Guez | AFP | Getty Images
An Israeli woman uses her iPhone in front of the building housing the Israeli NSO group, on August 28, 2016, in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv

An Israeli cybersecurity company has developed spyware that can scrape data from the servers of Apple, Google, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft products, according to The Financial Times.

The report says NSO Group's proprietary smartphone malware, Pegasus, harvests not only data stored on a device, but also any information stored in the cloud, including a user's location data, archived messages and photos.

NSO Group, who previously installed malware in Facebook's WhatsApp, denied that it markets software capable of capturing data in the cloud. It's unclear if it has developed the tools internally.

Pakistani soldier killed by 'unprovoked' cross-border fire from India - Islamabad

RT
Mon, 22 Jul 2019 16:32 UTC

The Pakistani Army accused India of shelling its outposts along the Line of Control (LoC) and said one of its soldiers died during the exchange of fire. New Delhi says its forces retaliated after Pakistani troops attacked first.

According to Islamabad, Indian troops struck its positions with rockets and mortar fire at several locations in the northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the Pakistani-controlled part of Kashmir on Saturday. The Pakistani Army said it responded to "unprovoked ceasefire violation" and retaliated, hitting Indian outposts and "causing casualties."

One Pakistani soldier was killed and four locals were injured, including two young girls, the army said.

New Delhi claimed that Pakistan opened fire first, shelling the Mendhar area on the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir and targeting Indian outposts with mortars and small arms. Indian troops then retaliated to suppress the fire coming from the Pakistani side, the army's spokesperson said.

India did not report any casualties.

Iraqi parliament to reopen investigation into 2007 Blackwater shooting in Baghdad

Sputnik
Mon, 22 Jul 2019 16:21 UTC

The Iraqi parliament intends to reopen the investigation into the 2007 Nisour Square massacre, in which employees of US security firm Blackwater, now Academi, killed 17 people and injured 20 more in Baghdad, Adnan Assadi, a member of the security and defence committee of the legislature, told Sputnik.

"Now is a proper time to start an investigation and persecute those involved. The security and defence committee will start investigating the case, invite the relevant organizations and hold talks with the government since this requires a parliamentary decision or a bill. We will take up the issue in order to protect the Iraqis," Assadi said.

He also stressed that the investigation would begin after parliament returned from its summer recess. As for why the Iraqi government never conducted another probe into the Nisour Square tragedy, Assadi speculated this was because fighting the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) in the country was the main priority.

On September 16, 2007, Blackwater mercenaries opened fire against unarmed locals while escorting US diplomats, claiming that the convoy was targeted by a car bomb. No explosives were found in the vehicle. Afterwards, Blackwater was temporarily banned from Iraq. The Iraqi Interior Ministry said that year, citing the results of the initial investigation, that the mercenaries were fully responsible for killing the civilians.

Interview with British Army major general's son draws criticism of BBC bias over UK-Iran tanker crisis

RT
Mon, 22 Jul 2019 16:00 UTC

Iran tanker seizure british general son BBC

© Reuters ; Wikipedia
(Main) A boat of Iranian Revolutionary Guard sails next to Stena Impero, a British-flagged vessel (Top right) Major General Rupert Jones

The BBC has been slammed for interviewing the son of a British major general as an 'independent' source on the UK-Iran tanker crisis, bringing into question the impartiality of the state broadcaster.

Mark Curtis, historian and columnist at the Middle East Eye, has taken to social media to hit out at the BBC's choice of 'neutral' expert, to highlight the apparent conflict of interests.

Curtis tweeted: "BBC doing a great job on Iran. Here's the son of a serving UK Major General (UK's Standing Force Commander) being interviewed as an independent source on TV..."

Comment: U.S. vassals seem to be wising up to the trap the Empire is setting for them.

Israel begins illegal demolition of residential buildings in the West Bank

RT
Mon, 22 Jul 2019 15:42 UTC

© Mussa Qawasma / Reuters
Israeli forces patrol as a machinery demolishes a Palestinian house at Wadi Hummus July 22, 2019

Israel has started demolishing 13 residential buildings in East Jerusalem's Wadi Hummus for being too close to the separation barrier, even though the area falls under the Palestinian Authority's administration.

Israel Defense Force soldiers were seen placing explosives in a building set for demolition after they arrived before dawn. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said 700 police and 200 soldiers were involved in the operation. They evacuated a family from one of the buildings and removed activists protesting the demolition. Construction vehicles smashed up a number of buildings.

Comment:

It must be the Russians! Anonymous MI6 sources hold Russia responsible for Iran seizing British ship

Simon Rite
RT
Mon, 22 Jul 2019 13:34 UTC

For anyone wondering how an international incident happened that didn't have a link to Russia, no need to worry because those ubiquitous 'MI6 sources' are back to accuse Moscow of involvement in tensions between Britain and Iran.

Iran seized a British oil tanker in the Gulf over the weekend, saying it was "violating international maritime rules," although it's more likely because Britain seized an Iranian tanker earlier this month.

July has been a big month of tenuous Russia-blaming already, with Britain's foreign secretary suggesting Moscow could be behind an email leak from the UK ambassador in Washington, and US Presidential hopeful Kamala Harris accusing Russian bots of creating "heat" around the knee-bending superbowl protest of Colin Kapaernik.

So, now the Russia accusations are heading to the high seas and Britain's once-proud tabloid newspaper the Sunday Mirror has been on to its MI6 sources (anonymous of course) who claim that the Steno Impero tanker may have been "steered towards Iranian waters by false GPS coordinates sent by Russian spy technology."

The most anonymous of spooks also reportedly said: "Russia has the technology to spoof GPS and may have helped Iran in this venture as it was extremely brazen. It would make British shipping extremely vulnerable and will be of grave concern to Royal Navy warships in the region. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Russian intelligence have worked very closely in Syria, protecting and promoting their interests."

Why the United States will not launch a ground war against Iran - Pt. 2

Steve Brown
The Duran
Sun, 21 Jul 2019 00:00 UTC

Comment: For the first part of this analyisis, see: Why the United States will not attack Iran

While it is too soon to predict how the United States and its allies Israel and Saudi Arabia will react, let's explore the reasons why any US response will be largely symbolic, even if that involves a token strike versus Iran.

In recent weeks we have seen numerous probing attempts and provocations in and around the Strait of Hormuz — whether false flags or actual events — intended to raise the profile of the US's unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA, and renewed US sanctions versus Iran. Iran is pushing the issue with the United States, and is apparently offering a sacrificial pawn on the board (or perhaps knight!) by seizing two British oil tankers alleged to be operating illegally in the Strait of Hormuz.

While it is too soon to predict how the United States and its allies Israel and Saudi Arabia (both sworn enemies of Iran) will react, let's explore the reasons why any US reactionary response will be largely symbolic, even if that involves a token strike versus Iran.

Global alliances have shifted

Turkey has defacto announced its withdrawal from NATO, by its purchase of S-400 missiles. That purchase and collaboration with Russia guarantees its departure from NATO, even if Turkey has not publicly announced such a withdrawal. Furthermore, while Turkey's military bases host US aircraft and operations, Turkey says it will not allow its bases to be used in any attack on Iran, by the US.

Iraq, an ally of Iran, has likewise stated that it will not allow its territory to be used as a base for attacking Iran.

UK perplexed as EU kicks it out of cybersecurity meeting amid Huawei crackdown

Sputnik
Sat, 20 Jul 2019 15:40 UTC

Brexit is certainly going to have an impact on cybersecurity ties between London and Brussels, but the move to snub Britain at a major meeting before its departure from the union could signal more hurdles for British diplomats should another Brexit extension be agreed upon in future.

In a rare move, British diplomats were excluded from an EU meeting on cybersecurity, even though the UK is still part of the European Union, the Financial Times reports.

Tim Barrow, the UK's permanent representative to the EU, wrote a letter of complaint to the European Council on Friday, protesting against British officials being "disinvited" from the 25 June meeting on EU-wide cyber security standards.

Comment: Perhaps EU officials knew that this was one meeting that the Brits were particularly interested in attending: Why Washington wants to ban Huawei: US wants to spy and China won't cooperate

See also:

Now 'apologize to Israel': Trump in new rant on 'weak, insecure' Omar, Tlaib & co.

RT
Sun, 21 Jul 2019 15:08 UTC

© Reuters / Brendan McDermid
FILE PHOTO. Demonstrators hold an Israel flag with a Trump sticker as they taunt a pro-Palestine rally in New York.

President Donald Trump is unshaken by the accusations of "racism" he faces amid a feud with the Democratic Party's 'Squad,' slamming them for being "hateful" and demanding an apology to the US - and Israel.

The four congresswomen are "destroying the Democrat Party" through their actions, yet they "can never destroy our great Nation" since they are "weak & insecure people," Trump tweeted on Sunday, further fueling the ongoing feud.

"I don't believe the four Congresswomen are capable of loving our Country. They should apologize to America (and Israel) for the horrible (hateful) things they have said."

Comment: Trump should be careful stoking the contrived antisemitism hysteria, it might just come back to bite him:

Also check out SOTT radio's: NewsReal #29: What Israeli Lobby? Anti-Semitism Hysteria Hits US, UK, France

Panama deregisters unidentified tanker towed by Iran that "deliberately violated international regulations"

Tzvi Joffre
The Jerusalem Post
Sun, 21 Jul 2019 12:32 UTC

© HAMAD I MOHAMMED/REUTERS
A tugboat moves cargo towards the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam province, Oman, July 20, 2018.

Panama's maritime authority announced on Saturday night that it had begun the process of withdrawing the registration of the MT Riah oil tanker, which was towed to Iran after disappearing from tracking maps in the Strait of Hormuz at the beginning of last week, Reuters reported.

An investigation determined that the tanker "deliberately violated international regulations" by not reporting any unusual situation, the authority said.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday July 18 that they had seized a foreign ship carrying one million liters of smuggled fuel south of Larak Island in the Persian Gulf on Sunday July 14, according to Fars News.

The foreign ship was seized by order of Iranian judicial authorities during an operation to monitor and control traffic in the Persian Gulf in order to detect and combat organized smuggling.

I said this would happen...now they are looking to mandate companies with less that 100 employees...shits getting real, people[Link]

Bezel Bub

it's all a lie ! :O

cracker

"Falling out of windows" as an occupational hazard for people with access to sensitive information - compliments of the Soviet playbook and even...

Tsakoug

covid will seem like a walk in the park when the proper cold sets in later this month and beyond...

steven23

I've got an idea to help folks like this. Anyone know of any in Central Florida? R.C.

Rowan Cocoan

Puppet Masters

Israeli security company reportedly has tool that spies on Apple, Google and Facebook cloud data

Pakistani soldier killed by 'unprovoked' cross-border fire from India - Islamabad

Iraqi parliament to reopen investigation into 2007 Blackwater shooting in Baghdad

Interview with British Army major general's son draws criticism of BBC bias over UK-Iran tanker crisis

Israel begins illegal demolition of residential buildings in the West Bank

It must be the Russians! Anonymous MI6 sources hold Russia responsible for Iran seizing British ship

Why the United States will not launch a ground war against Iran - Pt. 2

UK perplexed as EU kicks it out of cybersecurity meeting amid Huawei crackdown

Now 'apologize to Israel': Trump in new rant on 'weak, insecure' Omar, Tlaib & co.

Panama deregisters unidentified tanker towed by Iran that "deliberately violated international regulations"

Latest News

Picture of the Day

Quote of the Day

Recent Comments

Quantum Quirk

Contact Us