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© Larry Downing / Reuters Department of Homeland Security workers
The unsuccessful hacking attempt took place on November 15 from an IP address associated with the DHS, according to a letter written by Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.
"...I am writing you to ask whether DHS was aware of this attempt and, if so, why DHS was attempting to breach our firewall," Kemp wrote, according to The Hill.
The letter reportedly copied to the full Georgia congressional delegation goes on to state that the systems under attack contained the personal information of over 6.5 million Georgians, 800,000 corporate entities, and over 500,000 licensed or registered professionals.
"At no time has my office agreed to or permitted DHS to conduct penetration testing or security scans of our network," the letter reads. "Moreover, your department has not contacted my office since this unsuccessful incident to alert us of any security event that would require testing or scanning of our network."
Jan Egeland, the head of the UN humanitarian task force on Syria, told reporters in Geneva on December 8 that months of negotiations over aid plans had produced "nothing."
Egeland told reporters in Geneva on December 8 that months of negotiations over aid plans had produced "nothing," and that it was up to the United States and Russia to pull together to agree an evacuation of besieged eastern Aleppo.
Syrian and Russian leaders have rejected pleas from rebel forces and Western powers for a cease-fire in Aleppo and pressed their campaign to retake the city in its entirety.
In an interview published on December 8, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said victory in the battle for Aleppo would be a "big gain" for his government but that it will not be the end of the war in Syria.
© Brendan McDermid / ReutersScott Pruitt Attorney General of Oklahoma arrives to meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., December 7, 2016.
"For too long, the Environmental Protection Agency has spent taxpayer dollars on an out-of-control anti-energy agenda that has destroyed millions of jobs, while also undermining our incredible farmers and many other businesses and industries at every turn. As my EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, the highly respected Attorney General from the state of Oklahoma, will reverse this trend and restore the EPA's essential mission of keeping our air and our water clean and safe," President-elect Donald Trump said in a statement on Thursday.
Pruitt, 48, has served as Attorney General for Oklahoma since 2011.
The appointment is "like putting an arsonist in charge of fighting fires," Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club,said in a statement.
© David Mdzinarishvili / ReutersUkrainian national (bottom) and EU flags fly outside the presidential administration building in Kiev.
The Hague wants to be sure the deal will include a binding defense guarantee with Ukraine and will not raise the question of its further membership of the bloc.
"If we do not get this we will put a law to parliament the next day, which will state that we will not ratify the association agreement," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told the Financial Times.
© Upload Archive/Youtube
Introduced to the House on Thursday by Democrat Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii, the legislature aims to put an end to the widely-reported US practice of indirectly sponsoring terrorism. In particular, the act seeks to make it illegal for any US government agency to assist extremist groups directly or indirectly in any way shape or form, be it through the sale of weapons, field training, or intelligence assistance.
Furthermore, the act, which is being supported by the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) and the US Peace Council, wants to make it illegal for Washington to provide assistance to any third nation that sponsors terrorists.
© SANA / ReutersPeople, who were evacuated from the eastern districts of Aleppo, wait with their belongings in a government held area of Aleppo, Syria, in this handout picture provided by SANA on December 8, 2016
"Civilians who escaped from terrorists are reporting about new crimes committed by the so-called 'moderate opposition' fighters in east Aleppo. There is confirmation of the facts of abuse, torture, public executions, as well as wanton killings of the population," said the head of operations for Russia's General Staff, Lieutenant General Sergey Rudskoy.
Officers of the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria are documenting all of the reported crimes, the head of the Russian General Staff added.
The militant-held territories in Aleppo have been reduced by a third over the past four days, the Russian military announced.
"Tens of tons of humanitarian aid are being delivered to the liberated districts daily, reconstruction of social infrastructure and medical help for the population are underway," Rudskoy stressed.
Over the past 24 hours, more than 10,500 people - including 4,015 children - have been evacuated from east Aleppo, according to the latest numbers by the Russian Reconciliation Center.
© Stringer / Reuters
RT: How might Obama's waiving of current restrictions on assistance to forces in Syria affect the situation on the ground? Is it likely to help or worsen the situation?
Patrick Henningsen: To me, if you read the language of the executive action, this memorandum, signed by the president, the language says to lift restrictions on weapons for people fighting ... against terrorism. That's what the language says in there. But if you listen to comments, like by State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau, she is saying, "even if Aleppo falls, certainly the war is not over." And that's a quote.
© REUTERS/ Omar Sanadiki
"I don't think this will significantly change the situation in eastern Aleppo, because the rebels are encircled and they are unlikely to receive reinforcements," Lavrov said.
Comment: Obama grants waiver for military support of foreign fighters in Syria
Weapons can end up with terrorists now US military aid restrictions to Syria lifted - Kremlin
The US move to lift some restrictions on arms supplies to the Syrian opposition could lead to the weapons ending up in terrorists' hands, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said in an official statement.'US weapons will absolutely end up in the wrong hands again' and extend the wars
"Certainly, the worst result of this decision would be those weapons, including MANPADs [man-portable anti-air missiles], ending up in the hands of terrorists, which of course poses a serious threat not only for the region, but for the entire world," Peskov said.
Asked if the decision could be dangerous to the Russian Air Force, Peskov answered, "Definitely."
© Getty ImagesUK Supreme Court in session
In closing remarks at the end of a four-day hearing, Supreme Court President David Neuberger said on Thursday the court it will announce its ruling on the Brexit legal challenge as soon as possible.
The country's highest judicial body began the hearing about a government appeal against last month's High Court ruling that only the parliament has the authority to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to begin the Brexit process on Monday.
Comment: Is anyone surprised the Western-sponsored terrorists employed torture and 'wanton killings'? They are only following the example of their masters.