Friday, May 29, 2020
ADF massacred civilians of NTOMBI/MAMBABIO this ended thursday
The province of ituri is under fire as ADF continues to butcher innocent congolese.The massacres of NTOMBI / MAMBABIO on Thursday,28/05/2020, brings the number to 642 civilians massacred by the ADF, in retaliation for the large-scale offensive launched against them by FARDC since October 2019.
one dead and 7 injured in a Mai-Mai attack in Minembwe
An attack by the Mai-Mai Biloze Bishambuke at the of refugee camp in the territory, during the morning of May 28, injured 7 among the displaced and one dead in the ranks of Mai - Mai.
"The provisional record shows arrested Mai-Mai element, an AK47 weapon recovered, 7 displaced people were injured, affected by stray bullets", says Captain Dieudonné Kasereka, military spokesperson for Operation Sukola 2 South Kivu.
The army has recovered 89 cows stolen by these Mai-Mai, who attacked the refugee camp.
" They attacked the camp of the displaced. We pushed them back and they are being chased by the FARDC. Until this moment, operations continue ", reassures the military hierarchy.
Two blue helmets soldiers were also injured in these incidents.
Thursday, May 28, 2020
DRC and Rwanda met to evaluate the impact of the of-19 pandemic on cross-border trade May 28, 2020
At the invitation of the Republic of Rwanda through its Ministry of Health, a delegation of the DRC authorities participated this Thursday, May 28th at the border post at the single stop "la ledge", Grand Est, a meeting bilateral of the Ministers of Health, Trade and Local Government of Rwanda and the Deputy Minister of Interior and Health of the Democratic Republic of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
This meeting was held in the framework of strengthening collaboration between the two countries in the field of public health and specifically aimed at making proposals for high-level political commitments to strengthen cross-border cooperation in the field of cross-border cooperation. monitoring of the 19 and its implications on cross-border trade in accordance with the specific measures taken in each country.
The two delegates discussed the need for a cross-border consultation framework setting out joint measures for prevention and case management of surveillance, sharing of information and expertise in the clinical field and scientific research ..
" As you know, both countries are experiencing a health crisis and there was a question that both governments could meet to refine strategies together to end this pandemic said Innocent Bokele Walaka.
" There is still the impact on cross-border trade, both countries live do trade together but there have been measures taken by each country, including the closure of borders, and we had to discuss ways and means to ensure that proposals that we found here that it could be submitted to the high ranking for review and possible approval so that these two countries could find themselves more he adds.
At the end of this meeting, the two delegates agreed, inter alia, to define the mechanism for the exchange of medical expertise for the care of patients with chronic conditions and who have their care in these two countries. They also agreed to facilitate access to laboratory diagnosis platforms. " We have created the framework for dialogue between these two countries so that we can find out how to end this pandemic said the Deputy Minister of the Interior of the DRC, Innocent Bokele Walaka.
As far as trade is concerned, the Deputy Minister of the Interior has pointed out that the state of emergency order is clear.
Sweden to establish a new authority for “psychological defence” in order to counter “disinformation” and rescue the country's image and reputation,
A new authority tasked with boosting society's “overall resilience within the psychological defence” should be established, according to investigator Anders Danielsson. In his own words, this aims to “safeguard the formation of opinions” and “parry undue influence and other misleading information”.
Sweden should establish a new authority for “psychological defence” in order to counter “disinformation” and rescue the country's image and reputation,
a state investigation has
proposed .
According to the report penned by former Director General of the Swedish Security Police Anders Danielsson, this would “parry undue influence and other misleading information”.
Danielsson suggested that Sweden was exposed, among other things, to so-called “impact operations” that try and sow discord in the country. The authority should therefore target “antagonistic actors” who spread information the authorities deem to be false. The new body, according to Danielsson, would “safeguard the formation of opinions”.
“It can be about diplomatic contacts or counter-narratives. Ultimately, it is about getting through a different image from the one the opponents want to convey”, Anders Danielsson explained.
According to the proposal, the new body, tentatively called the National Centre for Psychological Defence, will have 45 employees, tasked with “supporting and developing the society's overall resilience”. This will be done by identifying misleading information, disseminating knowledge among the competent authorities, providing necessary training and supporting the media in analysing and confronting fake news.
“The work on psychological defence is of great importance and needs to be strengthened. It is important to consider how it should be designed to be able to be carried out in peacetime, at the height of preparedness and ultimately in times of war. Among other things, it is about strengthening the ability to meet disinformation, something that we have also seen examples of during the ongoing corona crisis,” Interior Minister Mikael Damberg said.
“Sweden is facing increasingly complex threats, with foreign powers exploiting opportunities to disseminate information and propaganda, and therefore Sweden must have a stronger ability to detect it,” Damberg added.
The proposal also includes rights to electronic signal monitoring . This has spurred the criticism of Lena Hallin, the head of the Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Service (MUST).
“We don't see the need for another authority to receive these rights. The way it is regulated today, you can get information from other sources in such a way that it meets the need,” Hallin told the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.
Currently there are several authorities that have psychological defence in their area of responsibility. In addition to the aforementioned MUST, they include the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), SÄPO and the
Swedish Armed Forces.
If green-lit by the parliament, the new authority may become operational in 2022.
The US State Department signed off on three proposed weapons sales to modernize Patriot missile defences in Kuwait
The US State Department signed off on three proposed weapons sales to modernize Patriot missile defences in Kuwait
in a package totaling more than $1.4 billion, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Thursday.
The packages include 84 missile segment enhancers for $800 million, missile repair items valued at $200 million, plus a training and technical support deal worth $425 million, the Pentagon agency said in multiple statements.
“The proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East”, three separate press releases said, using identical language.
The centerpiece of the package, $800 million for 84 Missile Segment Enhancements (MSEs), also includes spare parts, tools and testing supplies and a long list of related equipment, which DSCA said will “improve Kuwait's capability to meet current and future threats and provide greater security for its critical oil and natural gas infrastructure”.
“Kuwait will use the enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland air defence by better meeting current and future air threats. The acquisition of these missiles will allow for integration with US forces for training exercises, which contributes to regional security and interoperability”, DSCA said.
The proposed sales will not alter the basic military balance in the region, according to DSCA.
The US Space Force has launched a series of classes aimed at training army personnel in "warfighting" to maintain military hegemony;I sometimes wonder how the 3rd world war will look like!
The 319 Combat Training Squadron (CTS) instructor cadre would begin teaching Space Warfighting (SWF) courses at the Peterson's Moorman Space Education and Training Centre on Wednesday, it said.
Disciplines covered in the training series included Orbital Warfare, Space Battle Management and Space Electronic Warfare, the report read.
Graduates from Undergraduate Space Training would "immediately" move to the new programme's Follow-on courses, according to the announcement.
“Our modern lives depend on our space capabilities, and potential adversaries are actively attempting to exploit the benefits space provides us. Every day our space warfighters purposefully prepare to negate potential adversaries’ attempts to claim space superiority over us,” Lt Col Daniel Sebeck, 319th Combat Training Squadron commander," said in a statement.
He added that such training would 'transform' the way US military developed future space warfighters into a "highly trained, ready force".
“The Space Force must develop a cadre of space warfighters to protect U.S. interests in space, deter aggression in, from and to space and conduct space operations. The SWF courses are the first step toward mastering and applying space warfare discipline,” he said.
— United States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD) May 28, 2020
Developing and integrating space professionals would be a "cornerstone of the way we fight wars" and the US military “must be ready and lethal" to provide such fighters "to defeat threats in the crowded, contested space domain,” he added.
But a passive mindset on tactical operations was 'dangerous', he said.
“Space warfighters will learn about threats and how space combat disciplines are utilized from the beginning of their career in the Space Force,” he said.
The 319th CST instructor cadre would consist of contractors, active duty personnel, civilians and reserve members from the 42nd Combat Training Squadron, the report stated.
Such courses would add an "additional layer of depth" to space training to produce warfighters capable of "readiness and lethality", he concluded.
The announcements come after the US Space Force issued a $2.4bn contract to defence company Northrop Grumman to build two missile early detection satellites by the end of December 2025.
US president Donald Trump told reporters in May that the US was developing a "Super Duper" missile capable of travelling 17 times faster than conventional missiles.
"[We're] building right now incredible military equipment... We have, I call it the Super Duper Missile, and I heard the other night 17 times faster than what they have right now, when you take the fastest missile we have right now", Trump said at the time.
A base of the MONUSCO attacked by the militiamen in South Kivu, two blue helmets soldiers injured
According to our source in FiZI,Two blue helmets soldiers were injured during a militiamen attack on Thursday, 28 May against the temporary base of the United Nations Stabilization Organization Mission in the Congo (MONUSCO) located in the (territory territory) ) in South Kivu.
The attack is as of now nolonger in action and the calm has returned, says the Mission. The high plateau of Mwenga, are affected by self-defense armed groups that belong mainly to the local Banyamulenge, Bembe and Bafuliiru communities that have been fighting for more than two years.
Last March, a militiamen attack was carried out against a camp of the displaced in Mikenge. They have gathered since 2019 near the base of the blue helmets after the armed violence that ravaged several villages forcing many families to move.
This is the reality of what happenned near minembwe in FIZI territory.
5 militiamen from the coalition of armed groups Ngumino and Twigwaneho were killed in clashes with the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) near Minembwe in the territory of Fizi in South Kivu.
In these attacks, 2 FARDC soldiers were also killed and another 3 injured.
The news was confirmed this Wednesday, May 2020, 27 by Captain Dieudonné Kasereka, operating sector door 2 South Kivu.
He says that it has been since Saturday 23 May that two rebel armed groups attack FARDC positions.
" The coalition of armed groups Ngumino and Twigwaneho has been attacking different positions of FARDC around the rural commune of Minembwe in the territory of Fizi in the territory of Fizi. For 4 days, 2 military killed and 3 were seriously injured. 5 militiamen were killed as well ", he said.
Captain Dieudonné Kasereka also claims that the same rebel coalition went to attack the the armed group "Biloze Bishambuke".
He says that for now the calm has returned and the DRC army remains awake.
United nations says that the situation in Ituri is deteriorating further, nearly 300 people killed between October 2019 and April 2020 (UN)
The Joint United Nations Office for Human Rights (BCNUDH) is concerned about the situation in Ituri (eastern DRC). According to his latest report, at least 296 people were killed, 151 injured and 38 people raped, including many women and children, by the majority Lendu armed attackers between October 2019 and April 2020.
According to the reports, these attacks on civilians escalated from March 2020, especially around artisanal mining sites, and extended to the territories of Mahagi and Irumu.
" In addition to the Hema and the Alur, the violence affected members of the communities so far, including Mambisa, Nyali and Ndo-Okebo, of which 17 members were killed on March 14 by machete or by weapons of fire by the attackers, who also burned several homes and a health centre after looting all the drugs ", says the BCNUDH.
This violence has led to a new flow of displaced persons to Bunia and other urban centres that are considered safer.
" Since June 2018, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced in the territories of Djugu, Mahagi and Bunia, bringing the number of displaced persons in Ituri province to more than one million and two hundred thousand. the same source.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Indian Air Force (IAF) has operationalised the second squadron of home-grown Tejas fighter jet on Wednesday at Air Force Station (AFS) Sulur
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has operationalised the second squadron of home-grown Tejas fighter jet on Wednesday at Air Force Station (AFS) Sulur, in the southern part of the country. The first squadron of Tejas was formed in 2016.
Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria flew the LCA Tejas fighter with 45 Squadron at Air Force Station Sulur.
Fully Loaded Tejas will play major role while dealing with enemy in the Indian Ocean
These tweets today reveal it all:
Region #Tejas pic.twitter.com/OnwVIEp6kP
— Rishikesh Kumar (@rishhikesh) May 27, 2020
Dubbed the Number 18 Squadron Flying Bullets, the fully loaded Tejas fighters will fortify the nation's air power in the Indian Ocean Region , where China has been increasing its presence, with more warships and submarines.
At the programme held at Sulur, Air Chief Marshall RKS Bhadauria flew the single-seater Tejas fighter jet in what was the first major event for the IAF since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indian defence ministry relayed that the No.18 squadron was formed in 1965 and had participated in the 1971 war with Pakistan. The squadron was revived this year on 1 April at the Sulur base.
The tailless, fourth generation Tejas Fighter Jet is equipped with a fly-by-wire flight control system, integrated digital avionics and multimode radar. The supersonic combat aircraft is equipped with air-to-air refuelling capabilities, close combat guns, additional drop tanks and beyond visual range (BVR) missile capability.
The manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is expected to deliver the entire block of 16 fully-loaded Tejas to the IAF by September 2022.
While commissioning its first permanent squadron equipped with BrahMos-armed multirole Su-30MKI in the southern base, the Indian Air Force official had said in January 2020 that the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has an important role to play in regional peace, security, and prosperity.
“The IAF, an intrinsically strategic force, is all set to extend its reach into the vast IOR," Air Marshal Amit Tiwari had said in a statement.
The IAF has developed Sulur Base as one of the most technically well-equipped air bases in the country. The fully-loaded Tejas squadron is the fifth squadron to be based at Sulur.
The development comes against the backdrop of an increased Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean Region, where the 690 naval personnel-strong 35th Task Force of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) were deployed earlier this month to carry out anti-piracy patrols in the Indian Ocean.
serial delivery of Russia's new Broneboyschik (armour piercer) air-launched missiles to the country's army is planned for 2021
The serial delivery of Russia's new Broneboyschik (armour piercer) air-launched missiles to the country's army is planned for 2021, documents for making it operational will soon be drafted, the CEO of Tecmash arms industry company (part of state corporation Rostec) has said in an interview.
"Everything is ready for producing Broneboyschik. Moreover, we have created a batch of these missiles for test exploitation by troops at our own expense. We hope that all the matters will be settled this year, and batch deliveries to the troops will start in 2021", Alexander Kochkin said.
After state tests of the new air-launched missile were finished in 2019, the state customer updated some of the requirements outlined in the design specification, Tecmash CEO recalled.
"All these issues have already been settled with the Defence Ministry. In the next few days, the preparation of documents for passing Broneboyschik into service will start", Kochkin said.
Broneboyschik is designed for planes of the Su-25 family and for Mi-8 military helicopters. These missiles are expected to complement the 80 mm-caliber S-8 unguided missile family.
New Cluster Glide Bomb Drel
Tecmash CEO also revealed that serial deliveries of Russia's new cluster glide bomb Drel to the country's army will start in 2021.
"We are now completing the state tests, we should finish this year. I believe the state customer will order some refinement, but the serial purchase of this item is planned for 2022", Alexander Kochkin said.
Drel can be launched by a carrier without entering the destruction envelope of the enemy weapon, and this is what makes the new cluster bomb unique, Kochkin noted. Apart from that, Drel is capable of reaching a target independently. It is equipped with self-aiming combat elements.
"Even if the bomb cannot find the target, it will destroy itself routinely and will present no threat for the population when combat operations are over", Kochkin explained.
The PBK-500U Drel stealth cluster glide bomb, which can be used round-the-clock regardless of the weather and does not require the aircraft to enter air defense facilities' coverage area, is designed to destroy armored vehicles, ground-based radar stations and control centers.
United States and Saudi Arabia are holding week-long joint military exercises at islands in the northern Persian Gulf
The United States and Saudi Arabia are holding week-long joint military exercises at islands in the northern Persian Gulf, the Navy said on Tuesday.
"The US and Saudi forces are conducting routine and joint sustainment training on and around Karan and Kurayn islands, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 24-30 May 2020", the Navy said in a statement.
US forces in the still ongoing exercise are comprised of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (BATARG) and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and they are performing mission-essential training and planning with their Saudi partners, the US Navy said.
"The ability to plan and operate with other forces supports our ability to rapidly deploy aviation, maritime, and ground combat elements – all from over the horizon – at a moment’s notice in order to support maritime security, freedom of navigation, and the free flow of commerce”, 26th MEU commander Colonel Trevor Hall said in the report.
In coordination with their Saudi partners, US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) Task Force (TF) 52 and TF 56, the BATARG and 26th MEU are also conducting well deck operations, underwater beach surveys, maritime patrolling, boat lane security operations in the area, the report said.
French High Council for Public Health (HCSP) and the Agency for the Safety of Health Products (ANSM) had suspended the use of hydroxychloroquine as a means to combat COVID-19
for both the treatment of patients and clinical trials.
The French government has cancelled a decree permitting hospital doctors to administer hydroxychloroquine as a treatment to patients suffering severe forms of coronavirus.
Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) paused an extended trial of the malaria drug due to safety concerns.
At the end of March, France decided to allow the use of hydroxychloroquine in specific situations, and exclusively in hospitals.
The study, published last Friday in The Lancet medical journal, revealed that there was an increased risk of death when the drug was used for patients with COVID-19. The publication prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to halt its clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine on Monday as a precautional measure.
The number of people who have died in France from coronavirus-related complications has reached 28,530, an increase of 315 since the latest previous reported figures last week, the French Public Health Agency (DGS) said.
The last time the DGS released a situation report on the death toll in France was last Thursday. The report stated 28,215 deaths linked to COVID-19.
According to the update, 100,841 people in total have been hospitalized since the beginning of the pandemic, and 16,264 currently remain in hospitals, down from 18,468 last week, including 1,555 patients in intensive care units.
Over a phone conversation,Defense and security among the points mentioned by Félix Tshisekedi and Benjamin Netanyahu the Prime Minister of Israel. 27/05/2020
The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Félix Antoine Tshisekedi tshilombo exchanged ideas over the phone on
According to the presidential press, the exchanges between the two personalities have focused on the coronavirus pandemic, which has been shaking the world for a few months already.
Félix Tshisekedi and Benjamin Netanyahu also mentioned Israeli investments in the DRC, finance as well as defense and security.
According to the same source, cybersecurity, agriculture, agri-food and watertechnology were also discussed.
As a reminder, President Tshisekedi had taken advantage of his visit to the United States last March as part of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, (AIPAC), to announce the resumption of diplomatic relations between the DRC and Israel, as well as his support to Donald Trump's controversial peace plan.
Félix Tshisekedi meets and teaches military leaders to "reflect deeply on how to restore security" in the DRC
As a prelude to the meeting of the Superior Council of National Defence, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, supreme commander of FARDC and police, gathered the officials of the civil and military security services, Monday, May 2020, 25,.
For more than 4 hours, issues related to the establishment of security permanently throughout the national territory have been discussed..
Around the Head of State, " All security officials, both civil and military, have thought deeply to prepare for the next meeting of the High Defence Council said Aimé Ngoy I, Minister of National Defence, reporting of the meeting.
" It was a question of thinking deeply to see how to bring security back to other parts of the country, where armed groups still operate he said.
Minister of National Defence and all the other persons responsible for security met on Tuesday, May 2020, 26, on instructions from the Head of State, around the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister from the interior to "think deeply" on how to permanently restore security throughout the national territory, by strengthening the central views that the Head of State has made available to them.
143 new cases confirmed in 6 different provinces of DRC, the accumulation rises to 2546 cases
The response team against the-19 in the DRC, reports 143 new confirmed cases of the disease out of the 410 samples tested, including 95 registered in Kinshasa, 20 in North Kivu, 12 in South Kivu, 11 in Central Kongo, 4 in Haut-Katanga and 1 at Kwilu. The accumulation is now increasing to 2.546 confirmed cases.
On Tuesday,twenty-five (25) new people were declared healed, bringing the total winners to 365. In the rank of death, no additional reports were reported. 67 is so far, the number of deaths in the country.
The newsletter also shows that 567 suspect cases are being investigated and 1679 evolving patients.
Seven of the twenty-six provinces in the country are affected by this pandemic declared in the DRC on March 10th. This is Kinshasa with 2.293, Ituri with 2 cases, of with 2 cases, Haut-Katanga with 21 cases, North Kivu with 35 cases, from South Kivu Kivu with 16 cases and Kongo Central with 176 cases.
.....thanks to our sources.......
54 people killed by the ADF in 2 days in the village Samboko of irumu
It was around 4 am , Tuesday, May 2020, 26 that armed men identified with the Ugandan rebels of the Ugandan rebels made their foray into Samboko, a village located in Chieftainship of Walesse Vonkutu, territory of Irumu more than 130 km south of the city of Bunia.
Local civil society delivering information to
buniaactualite.com says that 14 people were killed this Monday around 4 am and 40 others were killed the next day, making a total of 54 dead in only two days.
" Yesterday at around 4 am, the Ugandan rebels called ADF arrived in the village Samboko, they started shooting in the air. When the population began to run in every way, the ADF started cutting people with machete says Gili Gotabo, coordinator of this citizen structure.
He calls for a strengthening of the military in this border part of Beni (North Kivu), where these out have been running for years.
" The national and provincial government must affect several mileage in the territory to end this kind of situation he says.
Several deaths have been recorded in this part between North Kivu and Ituri since the Congolese army launched in-depth operations against rebel positions.
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
DRC's first vice president of national aasembly has been impeached by MPs, start of a deep divorce?
Members have removed the first Vice-President of their National Assembly by a very large majority.
The evening will have been heated in the National Assembly and yet the vote of the petition which was to lead to the removal of Jean-Marc Kabund-a-Kabund, also president a.i. of udps by Félix Tshisekedi's only decision, did not do any doubt.
Indeed, since the announcement of Félix Tshisekedi's presidential victory (without any ticket of a voting office has ever been published), the presidential party knows that it is and will always be under the supervision of a legislative power national fully in the hands of Joseph Kabila's Common Front for Congo (FCC).
MLC MP Jean-Jacques Mamba's petition, launched on the grounds that the first vice president of the National Assembly would have negatively affected the image of his institution by publicly providing on the air of a kinoise radio that call a convention to vote the state Health emergency in the face of the coronavirus would cost "$ 7 million", a figure not related to reality, so had every chance to be voted if it collected the 50 votes needed (out of 500 Members) for be able to be dropped.
Indeed, if the opposition left the two components of the coalition in power to tear apart, this petition could only exist if FCC members decided to sign their signature at the bottom of this text. From the moment, among the signing of the petition, there was a large majority of FCC, there was little doubt that the text would go to the end of its process and would therefore lead to the removal of Kabund-a-Kabund. And in fact, out of 315 MPs participating in the vote during this of-19 pandemic, 17 voted against the petition, 9 abstention, while 289 elected officials voted in favor of the text.
Hot spring in Congolese rooms
The tension between Jean-Mard Kabund and Jeanine Mabunda, the very kabiliste president of the National Assembly is no mystery to anyone. The eviction of Kabund, who tried a last wrong to his president when she voted the petition while a dispute was still high on one of the petition's signatures, did not fix anything. Through this hostility, it is the limits of the FCC - cach coalition (of Tshisekedi and... Kamerhe) that appear in the open. And what just played in the National Assembly brings back early May tensions in the Senate when a Senator from Modest Bahati (former FCC member who came closer to cach), Mrs. Jewelry Goya Kitenge, had tried to put into trouble the president of the Upper House, Alexis Thambwe Mwamba. In question of the renovation work of the Chamber and its surroundings through a contract signed voluntarily and without being included in the budget.
If President Thambwe was put in a brief form by a well-conducted and very well-documented statement of the Senator of Haut Katanga, the man, after a little glorious unpacking session, quickly back himself, understanding that he had nothing fear because - although some senators might be tempted to play a pendable tour to the former Justice Minister still very close to the first circle of the kabilie - he had a large majority more than comfortable in the Senate to ensure his tranquility.
The opposite of Kabund and the few "elected" of the cach platform who know and to whom the kabilistes reminded this Monday evening that they depended exclusively on their good will... especially in this hot spring where Kinshasa rustles, as usual , of a thousand rumors.
The first announces an in-depth restructuring of the government. Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunga could pack his bags. The name of Matata Ponyo is regularly mentioned. Tshisekedi's DRC has lived on credit for more than a year. The Covid, the drop in export and the melting of raw materials prices make the state crates, which are already hungry, are now almost completely empty and with no prospect of a better in the short term.
The DRC will have to hit quickly on the doors of international donors. The IMF and World Bank have always had a little weakness for the man at the Maniema red tie. The presidential camp has finished burning its last rounds by definitely being unable to - simply - reduce his lifestyle.
What to consider, therefore, the start of the second rumor and the end of the cach-FCC coalition in power for a co-existence that would send back udps and UNC in the opposition and leave Félix Tshisekedi alone in the opposition and leave Félix Tshisekedi alone in front of his current ally. A scenario that should still stir up the discord in udps, deprived of maroquins and having only a few elected officials, and which could also harm the very survival of the UNC, the party of a vital Kamerhe, still held at the of prison as part of the case of diversion of funds during the 100-day program of the head of state.
Kinshasa likes to spread these rumors. Kabila has gone master in their use to gauge their possible impact. Only for sure, Kabund is no longer the first vice president of the National Assembly, Kamerhe is still in prison and state crates are empty every day a little more.
Monday, May 25, 2020
The island enjoys a certain degree of autonomy in terms of its economy and laws, but recently Beijing decided to introduce stricter penalties for treason and sedition in light of the protests that rocked Hong Kong in 2019 and which led to casualties as well as numerous accounts of vandalism.
China's Foreign Ministry has harshly criticised Washington's recent attempts to meddle in its policies towards Hong Kong, vowing to use "every necessary measure" to stop the US from doing so in the future if necessary. The ministry's spokesman Zhao Lijian argued that Washington had "no right to criticise and interfere" in how Beijing regulates its semi-autonomous territory .
"What laws, how, and when Hong Kong SAR [Special Administrative Region] should legislate are entirely within the scope of China’s sovereignty. If the US insists on hurting China’s interests, China will have to take every necessary measure to counter and oppose this", Zhao Lijian stated.
US Interference in Hong Kong Affairs
While Hong Kong does have its own legal system, Beijing has a say in the laws that are applied there. Namely, the Chinese government recently introduced a bill that is yet to be voted on that would make treason and sedition laws stricter, banning activities that could potentially subvert the government or "split the country".
China's Foreign Ministry has harshly criticised Washington's recent attempts to meddle in its policies towards Hong Kong, vowing to use "every necessary measure" to stop the US from doing so in the future if necessary. The ministry's spokesman Zhao Lijian argued that Washington had "no right to criticise and interfere" in how Beijing regulates its semi-autonomous territory .
"What laws, how, and when Hong Kong SAR [Special Administrative Region] should legislate are entirely within the scope of China’s sovereignty. If the US insists on hurting China’s interests, China will have to take every necessary measure to counter and oppose this", Zhao Lijian stated.
US Interference in Hong Kong Affairs
While Hong Kong does have its own legal system, Beijing has a say in the laws that are applied there. Namely, the Chinese government recently introduced a bill that is yet to be voted on that would make treason and sedition laws stricter, banning activities that could potentially subvert the government or "split the country".
The move was criticised by US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien, who threatened that Washington would strip the island of its preferential trading status if Beijing doesn't backtrack on the bill. O’Brien argued that by introducing the new law, Beijing was violating its own promise to grant the island significant autonomy.The new piece of legislation came after Hong Kong was rocked by a series of public protests back in 2019. The protesters demanded the withdrawal of another bill that would have legitimised extraditions to mainland China, but continued their riots even after it was scrapped. The demonstrations often turned violent, resulting in numerous acts of vandalism and injuries to local police officers.
The earth's magnetic field is weakening! It will have significant effects on communication.
The Earth’s magnetic field is weakening, the European Space Agency (ESA) said in a statement, citing data from its Swarm mission, a constellation of satellites that was launched in 2013. According to the ESA, over the last 200 years, the Earth’s magnetic has field has lost 9 percent of its strength.
In 1958, scientists discovered the South Atlantic Anomaly, an area that sits between Africa and South America where the magnetic field has been weakening considerably. According to the ESA’s latest study, this area has grown and moved westward at a pace of around 12 miles (20 km) per year and scientists cannot explain why.
Moreover, according to data provided by the Swarm mission, which studies our planet’s magnetic field, a second area with less strength has emerged in South Africa, which the ESA says could be a sign that the South Atlantic Anomaly "could split up into two separate cells".
"The new, eastern minimum of the South Atlantic Anomaly has appeared over the last decade and in recent years is developing vigorously", said Jürgen Matzka, from the German Research Centre for Geosciences. "We are very lucky to have the Swarm satellites in orbit to investigate the development of the South Atlantic Anomaly. The challenge now is to understand the processes in Earth’s core driving these changes", Matzka said
The space agency said one hypothesis that may explain the magnetic field’s bizarre behaviour is a reversal of the North and South Poles, a process during which the poles switch places. It has occurred many times throughout the planet’s history and the ESA says "we are long overdue by the average rate of roughly 250,000 years".
The ESA said that at the moment, the weakening of the magnetic field, which protects our planet from cosmic radiation and charged particles emitted by the Sun, poses no risk for humans. However, satellites and spacecraft that fly through an area with reduced field strength are more likely to experience technical malfunctions.
The effects!
An imminent polar reversal on planet Earth - a North and South Pole switch - and thus a weakening of the planet’s magnetic field in parts of the globe would definitely bring about at least some changes to how Earth would be protected from harmful ultraviolet radiation, as well as space winds,
News18 reported, citing scientists.
Satellites are feared to be rendered non-operational, which would automatically mean massive disruptions to global communication systems, including telecom networks and Internet connection. Scientists say spacecraft flying through an area with a depleted magnetic force, as the North Pole and South Pole are set to swap places, are more likely to experience technical issues.
According to Mike Hapgood, a scientist who focused on geomagnetic storms and conducted a study on the solar storm of 1921, a powerful geomagnetic event would disrupt most technological innovations that people widely exploit nowadays.
"This could include regional power outages, profound changes to satellite orbits, and loss of radio-based technologies such as GPS", he said in a statement, as per SpaceWeather.com .
"The disruption of GPS could significantly impact logistics and emergency services”, he went on.
Although magnetic field reversals don’t usually happen overnight, concerns have mounted over how the main consequences could be avoided, or at least, promptly fixed.
In a recent statement, the ESA warned about the weakening of Earth’s vital magnetic field, generated by superheated liquid iron hundreds of kilometres beneath the planetary surface. According to the ESA, over the last 200 years, the Earth’s magnetic field has lost 9 percent of its strength.
In 1958, scientists discovered the South Atlantic Anomaly, an area that sits between Africa and South America where the magnetic field has been weakening the most. According to the ESA’s latest study, this area has expanded and moved westward at a speed of around 12 miles (20 km) per year.
One theory that may explain the magnetic field’s bizarre behaviour is a reversal of the North and South Poles, a process during which the poles switch places. It has occurred many times throughout history - roughly every 250,000 years - and the ESA says that now "we are long overdue”. However, it assures, these events hardly pose any direct danger to humanity, except the aforementioned technical malfunctions.
The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, expressed his desire to discuss possible cooperation in rocket construction with Chinese President Xi Jinping
In September 2019, the president of Belarus stated that he would take steps towards cooperating with his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky in order for Minsk to create its own rocket.
The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, expressed his desire to discuss possible cooperation in rocket construction with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Having previously suggested the possibility of building Chinese missiles in Belarus, Lukashenko insisted that there should be "no dependence" on foreign actors.
"Let me then negotiate that on my level, I'm ready to negotiate that with Xi Jinping, I don't think that will be a problem", the president said.
The statement came after Lukashenko was updated on the state of missile development in Belarus and the construction of Chinese rockets. In particular, he was told that there have been successful moves towards the development and eventual deployment of the country's own missiles, that could destroy targets up to 300 kilometres away.
Earlier, Lukashenko said that Russia did not want to work with Belarus on missile development and had refused to provide a range, comments that were slammed by Moscow as "groundless accusations", as Russia said it does not have such ranges, and instead rents them in Kazakhstan.
The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, expressed his desire to discuss possible cooperation in rocket construction with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"Let me then negotiate that on my level, I'm ready to negotiate that with Xi Jinping, I don't think that will be a problem", the president said.
The statement came after Lukashenko was updated on the state of missile development in Belarus and the construction of Chinese rockets. In particular, he was told that there have been successful moves towards the development and eventual deployment of the country's own missiles, that could destroy targets up to 300 kilometres away.
Earlier, Lukashenko said that Russia did not want to work with Belarus on missile development and had refused to provide a range, comments that were slammed by Moscow as "groundless accusations", as Russia said it does not have such ranges, and instead rents them in Kazakhstan.
Heavy gun fire in minembwe as FARDC clashed with Rebels on sunday
The have been reported clashes from Minembwe between FARDC and the rebels, on Sunday, May 2020, 23 for 13 hours.
According to local sources, the exchange of heavy weapon's fire was heard in the village of Kakenge located in the eastern part of the city of Minembwe, Basimuniaka-Sud group.
These clashes have been against the Congolese army, FARDC and the Ngumino militiamen.
No record is available yet, but the population of Minembwe centre are engulfed in panic.
International, national and local humanitarian agents, present in Minembwe, had taken refuge in the camps.
According to other sources, mentioned by the radio Tanganyika Hope, the last position of FARDC would be towards the Ugeafi office, which is less than a mile from Madegu centre / Minembwe.
It should be noted that, as of 23 May 2020, there was exchanges of fire between FARDC and the inhabitants in the village of Ilundu which located north of Minembwe.
These Banyamulenge people are telling FARDC that rebels steal products from their corn fields.
Military sources have promised to bring details about this clash in the following hours,today.
According to local sources, the exchange of heavy weapon's fire was heard in the village of Kakenge located in the eastern part of the city of Minembwe, Basimuniaka-Sud group.
These clashes have been against the Congolese army, FARDC and the Ngumino militiamen.
No record is available yet, but the population of Minembwe centre are engulfed in panic.
International, national and local humanitarian agents, present in Minembwe, had taken refuge in the camps.
According to other sources, mentioned by the radio Tanganyika Hope, the last position of FARDC would be towards the Ugeafi office, which is less than a mile from Madegu centre / Minembwe.
It should be noted that, as of 23 May 2020, there was exchanges of fire between FARDC and the inhabitants in the village of Ilundu which located north of Minembwe.
These Banyamulenge people are telling FARDC that rebels steal products from their corn fields.
Military sources have promised to bring details about this clash in the following hours,today.
DRC WarLord and rebel leader Mihonya has been comfirmed as arrested few hours ago, 24/05/2020
The news is confirmed this Sunday, May 2020, 24 by Hubert Mulongoy, communication manager of Kahuzi Reserves National Park.
He says that this militiaman leader has been made available to the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
" It was around 14 pm that he was arrested by the ecogardes at the level of the Nyaweza river where he was mining the ore. He is now in the dungeon of the Loyalists forces ", he explains.
He says that this lord of geurre, who carried out illegal activities, including the destruction of the park and mining of ore, will be presented to the governor of the province on Monday, May 25th.
Hubert Mulongoy, communication manager of Kahuzi Reserves National Park, reports that 33 elements of militiaman leader Chance Mihonya have been arrested two weeks ago in the territory of Kalehe.
Military sources also confirm the arrest of this rebel leader.
For his part, Delphin Birimbi, president of the framework for territorial dialogue of civil society in Kalehe, says that the arrest of this war lord is a big step for peace in the territories of Kalehe and Kabare.
He calls on the security forces to pursue these elements while wandering in the territory of Kalehe and Kabare.
It should be remembered that 4 militiamen from his armed group were killed on Tuesday, April 28, in clashes with the game rangers in the Reserves National Park.
Sunday, May 24, 2020
DRC army neutralize 17 elements of the CODECO militia during a series of offensive 24.05.2020,
This, in 3 axes where the tracking and neutralization operations of these attackers continue in the territory of Djugu (Nyangarayi axis, Linga axis and Logo-Jiro axis).
" On the Nyangarayi axis, the sokdiers of the 112 Rapid Reaction Battalion have neutralized 13 CODECO attackers. The guns and ammunitions recovered by these brave military. On the FARDC side, 1 dead and 6 light wounded explains Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, military spokesperson in Ituri.
The same source says that, 4 more militias were killed on the Linga axis. During these operations, the villages Dhebu, Chulu, Ndalo, Dhendo in the of Pitsi sector were conquered and passed under FARDC control. Same for Logo and Jiro locations.
In addition, Lieutenant Jules Ngongo reveals that the strong military delegation, led by the Commander of the 3th Assistant Defense Zone, has already left the territory for Aru since Saturday, May 23, 2020.
Deputy Commander of the DRC's army 3rd Defense Zone on a mission to check allegations of South-Sudan military presence
The Deputy Commander of the 3rd Defense Zone, in charge of operations and intelligence, General Smith Gihaga, has been staying in Aru (Ituri) since Saturday. He co-ordinates a security situation assessment mission following the attacks of the Codeco militia.
This expedition is also aimed at strengthening military presence in some problem areas. He will make it to Kengezi base, at the border with southern Sudan.
According to our source in ITURI,his mission also aims to check allegations of the presence of the South Sudan military on Congolese soil, especially in Berunda.
On Friday, 23 May, the government had reported incursions by the South-Sudanese army into Congolese territory, precisely in the Ituri and Haut-Uele provinces. "Our services have been educated to react strongly to these movements", said the government in its report of the Council of Ministers.
United kingdom's Coronavirus Contact Tracing App Assists 'Surveillance State'
Campaign groups have written an open letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson warning GCHQ and its digital arm, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), will have the capacity to re-identify the phones of people who install the country’s coronavirus contact-tracing app.
They also note the legal framework underpinning the software, which is currently being trialled on the Isle of Wight, is believed to be inadequate to protect people from misuse of their data by the Joint Committee on Human Rights.
“Parliament has to quickly issue an adequate legal framework that guarantees users’ human rights protection. In addition, contrary to some recommendations, the app the Government is trialling uses a centralised model for the collection, processing and storage of users’ data. The centralised recording of data could facilitate mission creep; there is no guarantee that the Government will not add additional tracking features or later use the data for purposes other than Covid-19 tracking…Based on the UK Government’s track record on surveillance, we consider these risks to be real,” the letter states.
Files marked secret on the plans for the IOW app were left unsecured on Google Drive and Wired had a look. We already know the data collected goes to JHub, GCHQ etc to “anonymise” it, now it gets worse. Is there anything right about it ?
https://t.co/Kdx9Egg0WR
— Ian collins (@Iancoll94354676) May 21, 2020
The groups are particularly concerned that scope for scrutiny of government use of contact-tracing app data is restricted - in April, the Information Commissioner's Office, the UK data watchdog, said it would be "flexible” around enforcing Freedom of Information obligations and has told requesters they might experience delays when making information requests during the pandemic.
“This has consequences for transparency at a time when it is most needed. For example, an FOI request made on April 3 for more information about patient data-sharing deals between the UK Government and tech companies has not received a substantive reply. During a public health emergency, it is vital the Government publishes and shares official data in order to encourage public debate, promote transparency and ensure accountability. However, a lack of transparency around public procurement means that there is no information publicly available about, for example, which businesses are being supported by the Government and which companies are getting subsidies or loans,” the letter explains.
The campaigners also expressed concern about state efforts to combat ‘fake news’ and ‘disinformation’ related to COVID-19. In March, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport launched a "Counter Disinformation Cell" to counter "false and misleading narratives” online. Under the initiative’s auspices, UK officials are working with social media platforms to remove "harmful content”.
“We need to ensure freedom of expression is not disproportionately restricted during this time. The sharing of information, analysis and ideas is vital for public engagement and trust. The Government must be transparent about any initiatives in this respect and ensure that any restrictions on freedom of expression are narrowly drawn and strictly necessary and proportionate to [the] legitimate aim of protecting public health,” the letter concludes.
United kingdom on Huawei's 5G:Boris is too hesitant on huawei's 5G network due to massive allegations of Spying
Boris Johnson is to “look again” at his decision to allow Chinese tech giant Huawei to build more than a third of Britain’s 5G broadband network, amid fresh concerns by spy agencies and growing rebellion on the Conservative backbenches.
New US sanctions imposed on the firm outlaw any intellectual property from being used in the production of Huawei equipment - chips manufactured for use in Huawei products use US technology, but British spies warn future Chinese alternatives cannot be trusted, scuppering plans to use the tech in 35 percent of Britain’s new 5G network.
“We think the new sanctions slapped on Huawei by the US basically mean no US intellectual property can be used in the manufacture of Huawei’s chips. This means bits of kit they get from Taiwan and elsewhere, which we think are full of good US stuff, will be cut off from them from the autumn. They’re likely to turn to cheaper, less secure, local stuff instead. There’s next to no chance we could say it’s safe enough to use in 5G. It changes the calculation completely,” an anonymous Whitehall source told The Daily Mail .
Steve, now if you’d said:
1. End the Lockdown
2. Return to normal
3. Stop HS2
4. Drop Net Zero targets
5. Dump Huawei
6. Stop victimising car drivers
7. Sack Hancock & Cressida Dick
8. Remove Hate Speech laws
9. Destroy Common Purpose
Then ‘Steve Baker PM!’
But as it is... https://t.co/6DLHjYWfZk
— Zero to Here...Oh (@zero_to_here_oh)
May 24, 2020
On 19th May, Johnson held the first meeting of the National Security Council since February to discuss the reliance of British supply chains on foreign states. It was in January Huawei was granted permission by the Prime Minister to supply equipment for ‘non-core’ elements of future broadband infrastructure. There was international outcry over the decision, with US President Donald Trump threatening to ban Britain from intelligence sharing if they let the firm in.
Huawei has argued against any U-turn, with vice-president Victor Zhang insisting the firm is “private” and “100 percent owned by employees”.
“[Having] operated in the UK for 20 years, our priority has been to help mobile and broadband companies keep Britain connected, which is more vital than ever in this health crisis,” he added.
Nonetheless, the prospect of a Downing Street rethink has been received warmly by Conservative MPs, with Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, warning any continuing relationship with Huawei would be “extremely problematic” because the company is “actually owned by the Chinese Communist Party”.
France's intelligence chief seeks to recruit technology geeks to the countries' spy agency
In a rare public intervention, Pailloux told Agence France-Presse he believed there was a danger many tech-savvy young French citizens didn’t consider themselves suitable spies given stereotypes of the country’s intelligence services, such as those popularised by smash-hit TV drama Le Bureau des Legendes (known as Le Bureau outside France).
“We need people who are very connected to new technologies – thus young people. We have to bring them into the DGSE, it’s essential. [Young people] have James Bond and the special forces in their heads. They think, 'I am not Rambo, I am a geek’, and it doesn’t occur to them to enter the DGSE. But it’s not only supermen who are supercharged. If you are supercharged in science then you can also serve your country. Cybersecurity is the alpha and omega of global security in the world we live in. If we’re not able to make our systems safe then all other security is useless,” he said.
Matthieu Lequesne of the National Research Institute for Digital Science and Technology (INRIA), and one of the co-organisers of the competition, said “behind the maths, logic, computer science, the stakes are political”.
“If we want to take advantage of artificial intelligence, for big data to work it has to deal with tonnes of data that belong to individuals,” he said. “And we have to make sure that the platforms that handle this data don’t learn anything about us. So the way to respond is good cryptography,” he explained.
Digitally savvy is likely to be even more crucial in the changed, post-coronavirus world in which communication would be increasingly virtual, and less ‘in-person’. However, DGSE has more generally failed to attract high quality applicants in recent years - in May, it was announced a large recruitment drive intended to grow the agency’s size to 8,500 by 2022 had foundered as the quality of respondents was abysmal, with cndidates’ grasp of geopolitics and espionage alike said to be “markedly limited”, spelling and grammatical errors rampant, and “critical shortcomings” identified in a vast number of areas - some candidates even appeared for interviews severely under-prepared, their level of knowledge “unacceptable for someone wishing to join the ranks of the DGSE”.
The new phishing scam redirects users multiple times and also uses CAPTCHA before stealing credentials.
Since the advent of phishing in itself, different types of scams have existed ranging from one-fits-all emails to targeted spearphishing campaigns. One such type happens to fall into the category of subpoena themed emails in which the attacker claiming to be an authority, tries to convince the victim into falling for their trap.
These although not so common have occurred from time to time. An
example is of November last year when malicious actors targeted users posing as the UK’s Ministry of Justice and tried to infect them with a malware named “Predator the Thief .
Similarly, just a couple of days ago, Armorblox – an email protection company – has released a report on how this time threat actors are sending fake emails purportedly from the UK’s supreme court.
Here is a screenshot of the phishing email:
Image: Armorblox
To make sure, it evades regular security filters, the attackers only send the email to specific users instead of bulk-messaging which ensures that it isn’t “caught in the bulk email filters of Exchange Online Protection (EOP).”
For the unacquainted, EOP is Microsoft’s own email protection service aimed towards removing malicious content from email messages & even filtering spam. Therefore, by employing this low quantity technique, the phishers are able to stay under the radar.
Coming to the emails themselves, they contain a “ zero-day link ” that redirects the user through a series of steps in a bid to increase the apparent legitimacy of the message. This first involves going through a typical captcha.
According to an in-depth blog post published Armorblox,
"The inclusion of CAPTCHA also makes it harder for security technologies relying just on URL redirection abilities to follow the URL to its final destination."
A few anomalies are present in the captcha here but nonetheless, no user really has the time to scrutinize them which lowers its detection rate. For example, the text above the captcha states, “Kindly verify you human” which being grammatically wrong would clearly not be the work of a Supreme court-based page.
Moreover, the researchers add by stating that the “master domain of the pages is ‘docketsender[.]com’ that, while not malicious, doesn’t seem like a legitimate domain.”
Then moving on, at the very end, a
Microsoft Office 365 page is presented which asks the user of their credentials. Located at an attacker owned domain name, invoicesendernow[.]com, it would be discernible to any user paying attention but again, quite a lot of times, users seldom care to double-check.
Here are the screenshots of the phishing scam:
How Armorblox detected this campaign was through a series of monitoring techniques which include analyzing the tone of email messages, the frequency of the email addresses’ communication in the past with the receiver, and if only specific users instead of the entire company were being emailed which would ring some spearphishing alarms.
To conclude, as a user to remain safe from such attacks, no rocket science is needed. A few simple precautions would suffice:
Carefully check the sender’s email address once you receive an email as the name can be easily impersonated as it was done in this case.
If it seems necessary to open a link contained within the email, check the domain names of the redirected pages carefully.
If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of a certain email, don’t take risks. It is better to consult an IT professional in your organization or perhaps an outside one.
These although not so common have occurred from time to time. An
example is of November last year when malicious actors targeted users posing as the UK’s Ministry of Justice and tried to infect them with a malware named “Predator the Thief .
Similarly, just a couple of days ago, Armorblox – an email protection company – has released a report on how this time threat actors are sending fake emails purportedly from the UK’s supreme court.
Here is a screenshot of the phishing email:
Image: Armorblox
To make sure, it evades regular security filters, the attackers only send the email to specific users instead of bulk-messaging which ensures that it isn’t “caught in the bulk email filters of Exchange Online Protection (EOP).”
For the unacquainted, EOP is Microsoft’s own email protection service aimed towards removing malicious content from email messages & even filtering spam. Therefore, by employing this low quantity technique, the phishers are able to stay under the radar.
Coming to the emails themselves, they contain a “ zero-day link ” that redirects the user through a series of steps in a bid to increase the apparent legitimacy of the message. This first involves going through a typical captcha.
According to an in-depth blog post published Armorblox,
"The inclusion of CAPTCHA also makes it harder for security technologies relying just on URL redirection abilities to follow the URL to its final destination."
A few anomalies are present in the captcha here but nonetheless, no user really has the time to scrutinize them which lowers its detection rate. For example, the text above the captcha states, “Kindly verify you human” which being grammatically wrong would clearly not be the work of a Supreme court-based page.
Moreover, the researchers add by stating that the “master domain of the pages is ‘docketsender[.]com’ that, while not malicious, doesn’t seem like a legitimate domain.”
Then moving on, at the very end, a
Microsoft Office 365 page is presented which asks the user of their credentials. Located at an attacker owned domain name, invoicesendernow[.]com, it would be discernible to any user paying attention but again, quite a lot of times, users seldom care to double-check.
Here are the screenshots of the phishing scam:
How Armorblox detected this campaign was through a series of monitoring techniques which include analyzing the tone of email messages, the frequency of the email addresses’ communication in the past with the receiver, and if only specific users instead of the entire company were being emailed which would ring some spearphishing alarms.
To conclude, as a user to remain safe from such attacks, no rocket science is needed. A few simple precautions would suffice:
Carefully check the sender’s email address once you receive an email as the name can be easily impersonated as it was done in this case.
If it seems necessary to open a link contained within the email, check the domain names of the redirected pages carefully.
If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of a certain email, don’t take risks. It is better to consult an IT professional in your organization or perhaps an outside one.
Be careful with job applications over the internet! Indian job seekers data is being downloaded by threat actors worldwide.
The trove of Indian job seekers data is being downloaded by threat actors worldwide.
India has a huge job market and the same goes for those seeking jobs. Now, hackers have taken advantage of the opportunity and leaked a treasure trove of data belong to millions of Indian job seekers.
The data was identified by Cyble, a cyber threat intelligence company, and noted personal details of around 29 million job-seeking Indians from different states dumped on the dark web and hacker forms for anyone to download.
Screenshot of the leaked data (Image: Cyble)
The original leak, according to Cyble, appears to be from a resume (CV) aggregator service that collects data from different job portals in India.
In its official press release , Cyble stated that a threat actor has posted approximately 2.3 GB of data in a zipped file on a hacking forum operating on the dark web, and this particular file belongs to the resume aggregator service.
According to the company, the data contains sensitive data of Indian job seekers including personal details like educational qualification, email IDs, phone numbers, work experience, and home address, etc. Here are some of the screenshots acquired from the leaked data:
Threat actors playing around Indian data is nothing new. In October 2019, more than 1.3 million credit and debit cards were dumped online. The data almost entirely (98%) belonged to Indian banking customers while the rest of the data belongs to banks in Columbia.
In February 2020, hackers were offering more than 461,976 payment card records stolen from some of the largest banks in India. Each card was being sold for just $9.
As for the current story, the incident is developing news and an in-depth investigation of the matter is ongoing. This article will be updated with new information.
India has a huge job market and the same goes for those seeking jobs. Now, hackers have taken advantage of the opportunity and leaked a treasure trove of data belong to millions of Indian job seekers.
The data was identified by Cyble, a cyber threat intelligence company, and noted personal details of around 29 million job-seeking Indians from different states dumped on the dark web and hacker forms for anyone to download.
Screenshot of the leaked data (Image: Cyble)
The original leak, according to Cyble, appears to be from a resume (CV) aggregator service that collects data from different job portals in India.
In its official press release , Cyble stated that a threat actor has posted approximately 2.3 GB of data in a zipped file on a hacking forum operating on the dark web, and this particular file belongs to the resume aggregator service.
According to the company, the data contains sensitive data of Indian job seekers including personal details like educational qualification, email IDs, phone numbers, work experience, and home address, etc. Here are some of the screenshots acquired from the leaked data:
Threat actors playing around Indian data is nothing new. In October 2019, more than 1.3 million credit and debit cards were dumped online. The data almost entirely (98%) belonged to Indian banking customers while the rest of the data belongs to banks in Columbia.
In February 2020, hackers were offering more than 461,976 payment card records stolen from some of the largest banks in India. Each card was being sold for just $9.
As for the current story, the incident is developing news and an in-depth investigation of the matter is ongoing. This article will be updated with new information.
Misconfigured Elasticsearch server leds to exposure of Facebook user's personal data
The leak came after a misconfigured Elasticsearch server exposed Facebook users’ data involved in a previous breach.
For the last few years I have been complaining about guarantee of the security of personal data of Ugandans/Africans using Facebook and other social media platforms, Facebook has been embroiled in a range of controversies ranging from the social network’s hegemony over the internet to scandals like that of Cambridge Analytica in 2018. Not to forget just a few weeks ago a hacker was found selling personal data of 267 million Facebook users .
To tackle these, the company claims to take certain measures but despite that, slips here and there have continued to occur.
The latest in this episode was reported by Safety Detectives whose research team headed by Anurag Sen discovered that the data of 12 million Facebook users based in Vietnam has been leaked.
According to the researchers, the data was found on an Elasticsearch server and includes records found in a previous breach of Vietnamese users in January 2020.
However, not all of it is from Facebook and multiple sources are believed to be at play. Further, the details of how the perpetrators managed to scrape such a large amount are not known yet.
Amounting to over 3GB, most of the data includes personally identifiable information (PII) with the following records:
Full name
Birthdates
Here is a preview of the leaked data shared by Safety Detectives:
In their blog post , Safety Detectives raised concerns on the data breach saying that,
"Facebook decided to lock down some of its API functions, including data scraping, in order to make this practice more difficult to conduct and blocked users from using its reverse search tool. […] Clearly, there are still data-scraping vulnerabilities that can be exploited, especially where there is a mismatch of security protocols being implemented by third-party websites and Facebook."
All of these can have significant repercussions such as the attackers
blackmailing the victims with personal details, conducting sophisticated phishing attacks aided by social engineering, spamming users with both marketing and malicious messages.
But, that’s not it, even physically endangering someone’s security through the GPS coordinates revealed if they represent enough interest to the attackers.
To conclude, for the time being, the server has been taken down. Currently, we believe that Facebook yet again needs to ramp up its pen-testing capabilities and do a review of the data it allows third parties to access even for legitimate purposes.
As users, we can limit the type of information we share with any website considering that everything is hackable. Moreover, we are yet to hear Facebook’s reaction to these latest revelations and will keep on updating you.
For the last few years I have been complaining about guarantee of the security of personal data of Ugandans/Africans using Facebook and other social media platforms, Facebook has been embroiled in a range of controversies ranging from the social network’s hegemony over the internet to scandals like that of Cambridge Analytica in 2018. Not to forget just a few weeks ago a hacker was found selling personal data of 267 million Facebook users .
To tackle these, the company claims to take certain measures but despite that, slips here and there have continued to occur.
The latest in this episode was reported by Safety Detectives whose research team headed by Anurag Sen discovered that the data of 12 million Facebook users based in Vietnam has been leaked.
According to the researchers, the data was found on an Elasticsearch server and includes records found in a previous breach of Vietnamese users in January 2020.
However, not all of it is from Facebook and multiple sources are believed to be at play. Further, the details of how the perpetrators managed to scrape such a large amount are not known yet.
Amounting to over 3GB, most of the data includes personally identifiable information (PII) with the following records:
Full name
- Hometown location
- Current location
Birthdates
- GPS coordinates
- Email addresses
- Facebook usernames and IDs
- Profile scores
- Facebook usernames and IDFamily relations with other Facebook users
Here is a preview of the leaked data shared by Safety Detectives:
In their blog post , Safety Detectives raised concerns on the data breach saying that,
"Facebook decided to lock down some of its API functions, including data scraping, in order to make this practice more difficult to conduct and blocked users from using its reverse search tool. […] Clearly, there are still data-scraping vulnerabilities that can be exploited, especially where there is a mismatch of security protocols being implemented by third-party websites and Facebook."
All of these can have significant repercussions such as the attackers
blackmailing the victims with personal details, conducting sophisticated phishing attacks aided by social engineering, spamming users with both marketing and malicious messages.
But, that’s not it, even physically endangering someone’s security through the GPS coordinates revealed if they represent enough interest to the attackers.
To conclude, for the time being, the server has been taken down. Currently, we believe that Facebook yet again needs to ramp up its pen-testing capabilities and do a review of the data it allows third parties to access even for legitimate purposes.
As users, we can limit the type of information we share with any website considering that everything is hackable. Moreover, we are yet to hear Facebook’s reaction to these latest revelations and will keep on updating you.
DRCGovernment reports South Sudan military incursions into Upper Uélé and Ituri
And in this respect, the national executive has reported South Sudan military incursions into the Ituri and Haut-Uélé provinces.
According to the record of the said council signed by the government spokesperson David-jolino Makelele, the services concerned were told to react "strongly" to these movements.
The Government of the Republic has also noted the continued evictions of Congolese from Angola via the city of Tshikapa in the province of Kasai.
With regard to militias at the border with Zambia (KALUBAMBA and KIBANGA), the Government has said that Congolese troops remain alert to deal with the threat in case negotiations under the aegis of the CFDC do not stop ..
The National Executive has also reported that the Southern African Development Community has finally accepted the setting up of an ad hoc committee on this.
When general maheshe of north Kivu surrendered to DRC gorvenment
116 new cases of covid-19 confirmed in the DRC (2141 total)
The of-19 pandemic that shakes the world continues to gain ground in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
116 new cases have been confirmed, including 112 in Kinshasa and 4 in Haut-Katanga for the only day of 23 May 2020 according to the newsletter of the technical secretary of the multisectoral response committee.
Since the official statement of this pandemic in rd Congo on March 10th, 2141 cases have been confirmed, including 2140 confirmed and 1 likely.
In addition, the Technical Secretariat reports that 5 new people have been healed from the-19, bringing the total healings to 317
At least 5 dead in an alleged ADF rebel trap in Irumu
At least 5 civilians killed, a burned vehicle and property looted in a tense ambush on the evening of Friday, 22 May 2020 by alleged ADF rebels at Byane-Mufutabangi, a village located about 4 kilometers of Ndalya on National Route number 4, in the territory of Irumu, Ituri province.
According to John Mabelle president of the civil society of Ndalya who delivers the news to 7,. CD this Saturday, the attackers attacked the village around 17 p. m local time, in heavy rain and barricaded the road.
On the spot, they burned a car leaving Komanda (Ituri) for the city of Beni (North Kivu) before killing civilians.
A woman, alleged to have been captured by FARDC elements that intervened to limit the damage.
" We cannot leave the region to leave space for the enemy, we are determined to accompany the FARDC elements as long as peace returns here. We call on the government to strengthen the military force in the city ", said a civil society actor.
Just before this attack, rebels had just made an foray into the village of Eringeti in Kasana, North Kivu province, during the day in which A civilian was shot.
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