Ace Worldwide News Group 16:00 on 30/07/2021
Tags: #AceDailyNews ( 235 ), #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), Beijing ( 102 ), China ( 262 ), Chinese ( 53 ), Hong Kong ( 53 ), sanctions ( 18 ), United States, Washington ( 413 )

(BEIJING) Sanctions Report: The ‘counter-sanctions’ are in response to Washington’s actions and are the first under China’s new anti-foreign sanction law #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – July.30: Barely 48 hours before the arrival in China of one of Biden’s most-trusted diplomats, Beijing has announced its decision to impose counter-sanctions on seven American citizens and entities, including former commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, in retaliation against Washington’s earlier sanctions on Chinese officials over Hong Kong crackdowns….

#AceDailyNews reports that China retaliates with sanctions on former commerce secretary Wilbur Ross after the Biden administration announced sanctions on seven Chinese officials on 16 July and warned US businesses of the “growing risks” posed by Beijing & Hong Kong.

The Guardian by Vincent Ni

Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory

Updated Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory

On July 13, 2021, the U.S. Department of State, alongside the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the U.S. Department of Labor issued an updated Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory to highlight the heightened risks for businesses with supply chain and investment links to Xinjiang, given the entities complicit in forced labor and other human rights abuses there and throughout China. This updates the original Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory issued by U.S. government agencies on July 1, 2020.

It is not the first time Washington and Beijing have imposed mutual sanctions, but the latest round marks the first time China has done so using its new anti-foreign sanction law, which was passed in June.

Others affected in Beijing’s “reciprocal counter-sanctions” are the current or former heads of a range of US organisations, including the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, the International Republican Institute, Human Rights Watch (HRW), and the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council.

In response to Beijing’s counter sanctions, one of the affected US citizens, HRW’s China director Sophie Richardson tweeted, sarcastically: “thanks, for the extra motivation!” She added in another tweet, in reply to Jo Smith Finley, a British Xinjiang expert who was sanctioned by Beijing in March: “Seriously: so much work to do! And this ain’t about us.”

Since the enactment of the anti-foreign sanctions law last month, Beijing’s decision to impose counter-sanctions has been expected, but the timing of it is indicative of the deteriorating US-China relations. It also comes just less than 48 hours before US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman’s China visit on Sunday.

“Washington has reiterated that Sherman’s visit and talk with the Chinese side will be from ‘a position of strength’, but Beijing may want to remind [the Biden administration] that they are equals,” said Ma Ji, a senior CV Starr lecturer at Peking University’s school of transnational law.

Ma added: “Of course, none of those targeted are in Biden’s inner circle, which means that Beijing still wants to continue the conversation with Washington. But by issuing this list shortly before Sherman’s visit, Beijing clearly intends to reduce her expectations.”

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: July.30: 2021:

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#beijing, #china, #chinese, #hong-kong, #sanctions, #united-states, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 14:00 on 30/07/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), CoronavirusNewsDesk ( 67 ), COVID19 ( 180 ), Facebook ( 53 ), Fox News ( 3 ), United States, Washington ( 413 ), WhatsApp ( 5 )

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) The Real Facebook Oversight Board Report: Body bags claiming that “disinformation kills” line the streets today in front of Facebook’s headquarters #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – July.30: Disinformation about the vaccines is certainly contributing to their slow uptake in various parts of the U.S. as well as other countries: This disinformation is spreading through a variety of ways: Local communities, family WhatsApp groups, FOX television hosts, and yes, Facebook.

#CoronavirusNewsDesk says EFF REPORT: Disentangling Disinformation: Body bags claiming that “disinformation kills” line the streets today in front of Facebook’s Washington, D.C. headquarters….

A group of protesters, affiliated with “The Real Facebook Oversight Board” (an organization that is, confusingly, not affiliated with Facebook or its Oversight Board), is urging Facebook’s shareholders to ban so-called misinformation “superspreaders”—that is, a specific number of accounts that have been deemed responsible for the majority of disinformation about the #COVID19 vaccines Jillian C. York July. 28, 2021…..Here’s why?

The activists pushing for Facebook to remove these “superspreaders” are not wrong: while Facebook does currently ban some COVID-19 mis- and disinformation, urging the company to enforce its own rules more evenly is a tried-and-true tactic: But while disinformation “superspreaders” are easy to identify based on the sheer amount of information they disseminate, tackling disinformation at a systemic level is not an easy task, and some of the policy proposals we’re seeing have us concerned.

1. Disinformation is not always simple to identify.

In the United States, it was only a few decades ago that the medical community deemed homosexuality a mental illness. It took serious activism and societal debate for the medical community to come to an understanding that it was not. Had Facebook been around—and had we allowed it to be arbiter of truth—that debate might not have flourished.

Here’s a more recent example: There is much debate amongst the contemporary medical community as to the causes of ME/CFS, a chronic illness for which a definitive cause has not been determined—and which, just a few years ago, was thought by many not to be real. The Centers for Disease Control notes this and acknowledges that some healthcare providers may not take the illness seriously. Many sufferers of ME/CFS use platforms like Facebook and Twitter to discuss their illness and find community. If those platforms were to crack down on that discussion, relying on the views of the providers that deny the gravity of the illness, those who suffer from it would suffer more greatly.

2. Tasking an authority with determining disinfo has serious downsides.

As we’ve seen from the first example, there isn’t always agreement between authorities and society as to what is truthful—nor are authorities inherently correct.

In January, German newspaper Handelsblatt published a report stating that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was not efficacious for older adults, citing an anonymous government source and claiming that the German government’s vaccination scheme was risky.

AstraZeneca denied the claims, and no evidence that the vaccine was ineffective for older adults was procured, but it didn’t matter: Handelsblatt’s reporting set off a series of events that led to AstraZeneca’s reputation in Germany suffering considerably.

Finally, it’s worth pointing out that even the CDC itself—the authority tasked with providing information about COVID-19—has gotten a few things wrong, most recently in May when it lifted its recommendation that people wear masks indoors, an event that was followed by a surge in COVID-19 cases. That shift was met with rigorous debate on social media, including from epidemiologists and sociologists—debate that was important for many individuals seeking to understand what was best for their health. Had Facebook relied on the CDC to guide its misinformation policy, that debate may well have been stifled.

3. Enforcing rules around disinformation is not an easy task.

We know that enforcing terms of service and community standards is a difficult task even for the most resourced, even for those with the best of intentions—like, say, a well-respected, well-funded German newspaper. But if a newspaper, with layers of editors, doesn’t always get it right, how can content moderators—who by all accounts are low-wage workers who must moderate a certain amount of content per hour—be expected to do so? And more to the point, how can we expect automated technologies—which already make a staggering amount of errors in moderation—to get it right?

The fact is, moderation is hard at any level and impossible at scale. Certainly, companies could do better when it comes to repeat offenders like the disinformation “superspreaders,” but the majority of content, spread across hundreds of languages and jurisdictions, will be much more difficult to moderate—and as with nearly every category of expression, plenty of good content will get caught in the net.

#AceNewsDesk report …….Published: July.30: 2021:

#facebook, #fox-news, #united-states, #washington, #whatsapp

Ace Worldwide News Group 15:00 on 20/07/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), AceSecurityDesk ( 9 ), Australia ( 46 ), Five Eyes ( 3 ), Microsoft ( 18 ), U.K. ( 62 ), United States, Washington ( 413 )

(WASHINGTON) Microsoft Report: Biden administration together with 39-countries accuse China of Cybersecurity attack as they have slammed “groundless” claims that it carried out a major cyber-attack against tech giant Microsoft #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – July.20: A group of Western countries had accused China of hacking Microsoft Exchange – a popular email platform used by companies worldwide…..

#AceSecurityDesk reports that Microsoft Exchange: Cyberattack was China taking advantage of the email vulnerability in January but Chinese authorities slam ‘groundless’ hacking claims…..but ‘Five Eyes’ says they provide a ‘Clear & Present Danger’ …….

The Five Eyes – The Intelligence Alliance of the Anglosphere bringing together the group brings the UK, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand into the world’s most complete and comprehensive intelligence alliance.

Five Eyes (FVEY) Report: April 14, 2020

The Five Eyes (FVEY) is widely regarded as the world’s most significant intelligence alliance. The origins of it can be traced back to the context of the Second World War and by its necessity of sharing vital information mainly between Britain and the United States so both countries could enhance their close war effort.

The Five Eyes was formally founded in the aftermath of the Second World War, through the multilateral agreement for co-operation in signals intelligence (SIGINT), known as the UKUSA Agreement, on 5 March 1946.

Initially, compromising only the UK and the United States, it expanded to also include Canada in 1948 and Australia and New Zealand in 1956, all of these last three English-speaking countries, members of the Commonwealth of Nations and with similar political systems when compared to Britain. Thereby, the ‘Five Eyes’ term was created from the lengthy ‘AUS/CAN/NZ/UK/ Eyes Only’ classification level that included the ‘eyes’ that could have access to high profile papers and information.

The Microsoft hack affected at least 30,000 organisations globally

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-57898147

The joint statement accused the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) of undermining global stability and security.

China has always maintained that it opposes all forms of cyber-crime.

On Monday, New Zealand joined the group of countries including the UK, US and Australia in blaming Chinese state-sponsored actors for “malicious cyber activity” in the country, including the Microsoft attack.

The Chinese Embassy in Wellington called the accusations “groundless and irresponsible”.

“The Chinese government is a staunch defender of cyber security,” said a statement published by the embassy in response to a question from reporters.

“Making accusations without [proof] is malicious.”

The Chinese embassy in Australia echoed these remarks, describing Washington as “the world champion of malicious cyber attacks”.

A scaled up attack

The Microsoft hack affected at least 30,000 organisations globally.

The Exchange system powers the email of major corporations, small businesses and public bodies worldwide.

Microsoft blamed a Chinese cyber-espionage group for exploiting a vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange – which allowed hackers to remotely access email inboxes.

The group, known as Hafnium, was found by Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Centre to be state-sponsored and operating out of China.

Western security sources believe Hafnium obtained advance knowledge that Microsoft intended to patch or close the vulnerability, and so shared it with other China-based groups to maximise the benefit before it became obsolete.

“We believe that cyber-operators working under the control of Chinese intelligence learned about the Microsoft vulnerability in early January, and were racing to exploit the vulnerability before [it] was widely identified in the public domain,” a security source told the BBC and China accused of cyber-attack on Microsoft

The hack signalled a shift from a targeted espionage campaign to a smash-and-grab raid, leading to concerns Chinese cyber-behaviour is escalating, according to Western security services.

The UK Foreign Office said the Chinese government had “ignored repeated calls to end its reckless campaign, instead allowing state-backed actors to increase the scale of their attacks and act recklessly when caught”.

The White House said it reserved the right to take additional action against China over its cyber activities.

US President Joe Biden told reporters that the Chinese government may not have been carrying out the attacks themselves, but were ” protecting those who are doing it. And maybe even accommodating them being able to do it.”

The US Department of Justice has also announced criminal charges against four MSS hackers which it said were linked to a long-term campaign targeting foreign governments and entities in key sectors in a least a dozen countries.Nato warns cyber attacks could result in a military land incursion from allies

#AceNewsDesk report ……….Published: July.20: 2021:

#australia, #five-eyes, #microsoft, #u-k, #united-states, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 11:00 on 20/07/2021
Tags: #AceDailyNews ( 235 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), China ( 262 ), Hong Kong ( 53 ), United States, Washington ( 413 )

(WASHINGTON) JUST IN: The Biden administration issued a blanket warning Friday to U.S. firms about the risks of doing business in Hong Kong as China continues to clamp down on political and economic freedoms in the territory #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – July.20: Four Cabinet agencies — the departments of State, Treasury, Commerce and Homeland Security — released the nine-page advisory that alerts companies about the shifting legal landscape in Hong Kong and the possibility that engaging with Hong Kong business could incur reputational and legal damages.

#AceDailyNews says that Biden has warned US companies about doing business in Hong Kong as control by China over political and economic freedoms

China News: July: 17, 2021

People visit the annual book fair in Hong Kong

At the same time, Treasury announced sanctions against seven Chinese officials for violating the terms of the 2020 Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which calls for asset freezes and other penalties against those who participate in the crackdown.

President Joe Biden had previewed the new advisory Thursday, telling reporters at the White House that the business environment in Hong Kong is “deteriorating” and could worsen.

“Businesses, individuals, and other persons, including academic institutions, research service providers, and investors that operate in Hong Kong, or have exposure to sanctioned individuals or entities, should be aware of changes to Hong Kong’s laws and regulations,” said the notice, which is titled “Risks and Considerations for Businesses Operating in Hong Kong.”

“This new legal landscape … could adversely affect businesses and individuals operating in Hong Kong. As a result of these changes, they should be aware of potential reputational, regulatory, financial, and, in certain instances, legal risks associated with their Hong Kong operations,” it said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted the advisory in a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the passage of China’s new national security law that he said had a profoundly negative effect on Hong Kong.

Blinken said the risks to business include “potential electronic surveillance and lack of data privacy, reduced access to information, and potential retaliation against companies for their compliance with U.S. sanctions.”

“The business advisory outlines these emerging risks to inform U.S. individuals and businesses and recommends increased awareness and due diligence,” he said.

Hong Kong’s government responded with a statement calling the U.S. advisory “totally ridiculous and unfounded fear-mongering” driven by ideology. “The main victims of this latest fallout will sadly be those U.S. businesses and U.S. citizens who have taken Hong Kong as their home,” the statement said.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, meanwhile, responded to the advisory by acknowledging the business environment “is more complex and challenging” but saying that it would continue its work.

“We are here to support our members to navigate those challenges and risks while also capturing the opportunities of doing business in this region,” it said in a statement. It added that “Hong Kong remains a critical and vibrant facilitator of trade and financial flow between the East and West.”

The United States under both the Trump and Biden administrations has determined that since the passage of the national security law, Hong Kong no longer enjoys the significant autonomy from mainland China that Beijing had pledged to respect for 50 years when it assumed control of the former British colony in 1997.

As such, Hong Kong no longer enjoys preferential U.S. trade and commercial privileges and certain officials in Hong Kong have been hit with U.S. sanctions for their actions in cracking down on democracy.

China is one of the rare areas in which the Biden administration has largely hewed to Trump’s policies.

Friday’s warning came on the heels of a similar advisory issued earlier this week reminding American companies about potential sanctions liability if they engage in business with Chinese entities that operate in the western Xinjiang region, where China is accused of widespread repression of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities.

The seven officials targeted for sanctions are Chen Dong, He Jing, Lu Xinning, Qiu Hong, Tan Tieniu, Yang Jianping and Yin Zonghua. All seven serve as deputy directors of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, an agency the U.S. accuses of repeatedly undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy.

#china, #hong-kong, #united-states, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 08:00 on 16/07/2021
Tags: #AceDailyNews ( 235 ), #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), Arms ( 6 ), Kyiv ( 7 ), NATO ( 109 ), Poland ( 41 ), Turkey ( 105 ), United States

(POLAND) JUST IN: U.S Selling 250 Abram-Tanks as well as the necessary logistics package for their operation. The value of the deal will be more than 23 billion zlotys (about 6 billion dollars) #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – July.16: Earlier, Poland also announced plans to buy 24 drones from Turkey.Poland to buy hundreds of “Abrams” / armyrecognition.com

#AceDailyNews says POLAND: To purchase 250 Abrams-Tanks from the United States to deter Russia and according to Reuters , this was announced today by Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak.

veth July.14, 2021

Poland to buy hundreds of "Abrams" / armyrecognition.com

It is noted that Poland, like many EU countries, is concerned about Russia’s aggressive behavior.

“Of course, this is a response to the challenges in the field of national security that we have faced … Our task is to deter a potential aggressor. We all know where this aggressor is,” Blaszczak said.

In May, Poland announced plans to buy 24 combat drones from Turkey. This will make it the first NATO country to purchase Turkish-made UAVs.

Earlier, the United States began working to increase the number of American instructors to train the Ukrainian military as part of the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine (JMTG-U).

During the visit of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Kyiv, the issues of expanding military aid to Ukraine were discussed.

(c)UNIAN 2021

#AceNewsDesk report …….Published: July.16: 2021:

#arms, #kyiv, #nato, #poland, #turkey, #united-states

Ace Worldwide News Group 09:30 on 04/07/2021
Tags: AceHistoryDesk, America ( 18 ), History ( 7 ), Independence Day, United States, USA ( 40 )

TRIBUTE: 🇺🇸Happy Independence Day ALL our Friends, Readers & Followers God Bless America #AceHistoryDesk says …Amen

This Day in History: July 4: The Declaration of Independence is adopted by delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia

Bryan Robinson4 hours ago

On this day, July 4 …

1776: The Declaration of Independence is adopted by delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

Also on this day:

1802: The United States Military Academy officially opens at West Point, New York.
1817: Ground is broken for the Erie Canal in Rome, N.Y. The middle section of the waterway takes three years to complete; the entire canal would be finished in 1825.
1826: Fifty years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted, former presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both die.
1831: James Monroe, the nation’s fifth president, dies in New York City at age 73.

1910: In what is billed as “The Fight of the Century,” black world heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson defeats white former champ James J. Jeffries in Reno, Nevada.
1929: Al Davis, longtime owner of the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, is born in Massachusetts.
1930: George Steinbrenner, longtime owner of MLB’s New York Yankees, is born in Ohio.

NEW YORK - JULY 4, 1939. Lou Gehrig, first baseman for the New York Yankees, is shown at the microphone during Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day, a farewell to the slugger, at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939. (Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lou Gehrig

1939: Lou Gehrig delivers his famous farewell speech in which he called himself “the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”
1987: Klaus Barbie, the former Gestapo chief known as the “Butcher of Lyon”, is convicted by a French court of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life in prison.
1997: NASA’s Pathfinder spacecraft lands on Mars, inaugurating a new era in the search for life on the red planet.
2009: The Statue of Liberty’s crown is reopened to tourists for the first time since the Sept.11, 2001 attacks.
2017: The United States confirms that North Korea had launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, as the North had boasted and the U.S. and South Korea had feared.

2019: With the Lincoln Memorial in the background and flanked on both sides by camouflaged Bradley fighting vehicles, President Trump uses his “Salute to America” celebration to praise the men and women of the Armed Forces and American exceptionalism.

#AceHistoryDesk report ……Published: July.04: 2021:

#america, #history, #independence-day, #united-states, #usa

Ace Worldwide News Group 17:00 on 29/06/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), Anti-Virus ( 2 ), McAfee, Spain ( 32 ), United States

(SPAIN) LATEST A judge has ordered an autopsy for John McAfee, creator of the McAfee antivirus software, a gun-loving antivirus pioneer, cryptocurrency promoter after his seeks investigation #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – June.29: He was an occasional politician who died in a cell pending extradition to the United States for allegedly evading millions in unpaid taxes:

John McAfee’s Widow says he was not suicidal, seeks ‘thorough’ investigation into his death after his wife Janice leaves the Brians 2 penitentiary center in Sant Esteve Sesrovires, near Barcelona, northeast Spain, Friday, June 25, 2021.

McAfee’s Spanish lawyer, Javier Villalba, said the entrepreneur’s death had come as a surprise to his wife and other relatives, since McAfee “had not said goodbye.” (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

SANT ESTEVE SESROVIRES, Spain (AP) — The widow of John McAfee, the British-American tycoon who died in a Spanish prison this week while awaiting extradition to the United States, on Friday demanded a “thorough investigation” of his death, saying her husband did not appear suicidal when they last spoke.

Authorities in Spain are conducting an autopsy on McAfee’s body but have said that everything at the scene in his cell indicated that the 75-year-old killed himself.

An official source familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press that a suicide note had been found in McAfee’s pocket. The source, who was not authorized to speak about an ongoing judicial inquiry, refused to comment on the content of the note.

McAfee’s Spanish lawyer, Javier Villalba, said that the family had not been informed by authorities about the note.

In her first public remarks since the software entrepreneur’s death on Wednesday, McAfee’s widow Janice McAfee said she wanted a “thorough investigation” to provide “answers about this was able to happen.”

“His last words to me were ‘I love you and I will call you in the evening,’” the 38-year-old told reporters outside the Brians 2 penitentiary northwest of Barcelona where she recovered her late husband’s belongings. She said they spoke earlier on the day he was found dead.

“Those words are not words of somebody who is suicidal,” she added.

John McAfee was arrested at the Barcelona airport in October last year on a warrant issued by prosecutors in Tennessee who were seeking up to three decades of imprisonment for allegedly evading more than $4 million in taxes.

The day before he was found dead, Spain’s National Court had announced that it was agreeing to his extradition to the U.S. but the decision was not final.

“We had a plan of action already in place to appeal that decision,” Janice McAfee told reporters. “I blame the U.S. authorities for this tragedy: Because of these politically motivated charges against him my husband is now dead.”

The National Court judge said John McAfee had provided no evidence to back his allegations that he was being politically persecuted. “On the contrary, according to his own testimony, he took part in primaries of a certain party to defend his convictions with a result little favorable to him,” the judge wrote in the ruling seen by AP.

In an e-mailed statement, the U.S. State Department confirmed for the first time the tycoon’s death, offering the family condolences. It said: “We are closely monitoring local authorities’ investigation into the cause of death. We stand ready to provide all appropriate assistance to the family. Out of respect to the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment.”

Results of McAfee’s autopsy could take “days or weeks,” authorities have said.

The couple reportedly met in 2012 in Miami and married the following year. John McAfee had several children from previous relationships, Janice McAfee said.

The entrepreneur had not been connected with the companies that took over the antivirus software he built after he sold his shares in the 1990s. That early success had made McAfee rich and followed him in his troubled biography.

In 2012, he was sought for questioning in connection with the murder of his neighbor in Belize, but was never charged with a crime. The controversy didn’t stop him from making long-shot runs for the U.S. presidency starting in 2016.

But it was his more recent tax problems that kept him away from the U.S., the country where the British-born entrepreneur was raised and had built his early success.

The Tennessee prosecutors’ indictments from 2020 showed that the tycoon allegedly failed to declare income made by promoting cryptocurrencies, attending speaking engagements and selling the rights for a documentary on his eventful life.

“Even though he was born in England, America was his home,” Janice McAfee said. “He came there when he was a child. He had his first girlfriend there, his first case, you know, his first job. He made his first millions there and he wanted to be there. But, you know, politics just wouldn’t allow for that to happen.”

John McAfee’s social media postings indicated that he had chosen a northeastern Spanish coastal resort town as his base in Europe at least since late 2019.

“All John wanted to do was spend his remaining years fishing and drinking,” his widow said on Friday. “He had hope that things would work out. We knew that there would be an uphill battle to continue to fight this situation. But he’s a fighter … And anybody that knows John, that knows him even a little bit, knows that about him.”

“He was just so loving. He had a big heart and he just loved people and he just wanted to have peace in his life,” Janice McAfee added. “My prayers are that his soul has found the peace in death that he could not find in life.”

Parra reported from Madrid.

Source: Associated Press

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: Jun.29: 2021:

#anti-virus, #mcafee, #spain, #united-states

Ace Worldwide News Group 16:00 on 25/06/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), Cartels, Contraband, Mexico ( 39 ), United States

(MEXICO/U.S BORDER) JUST IN: Mexican cartels are ramping up efforts to use civilians to smuggle illegal contraband into US with adverts on social media #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – June.25: With ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border largely closed to non-essential travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mexican drug cartelshave turned to more creative ways to smuggle illegal contraband into the United States.

Cartels are increasingly advertising jobs on social media platforms and one of those ways has been the increased use of Facebook to advertise money courier jobs for money service businesses, according to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement according to Bradford Betz of Fox News

El Paso won’t show Harris the ‘true picture’ of the border crisis: Rep. Cuellar — **EVEN LIBERAL LA TIMES CALLS KAMALA HARRIS INEFFECTIVE IN HER ROLE AS VICE PRESIDENT**

One Facebook ad spotted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was seeking individuals who could transport money from El Paso to Ciudad Juarez. Recruiters will request an “interview” with the job seekers in Ciudad Juarez.

In actuality, cartel members will conceal narcotics in the job seeker’s vehicle during the interview. The unsuspecting individual will then be instructed to cross through one of the El Paso ports of entry. Once in the U.S., they must call the recruiter to pick up the vehicle.

Mexican authorities said Thursday they have arrested four more suspects in weekend shootings in the northern Mexico border city of Reynosa that killed 19 people – 15 of whom appeared to be innocent bystanders.

Another suspect was detained earlier after being wounded during the apparently random gun attacks Saturday.

Mexico recorded nearly 3,000 homicides in May – higher than the same month last year, and well above the numbers that prevailed when President Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office in December 2018.

The government says homicides declined 2.9% in the first five months of 2021, compared to 2020, but that may be because those months were marked by Mexico’s worst coronavirus wave, when public activities were curtailed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

#AceNewsDesk report …………Published: Jun.25: 2021:

#cartels, #contraband, #mexico, #united-states

Ace Worldwide News Group 11:55 on 24/06/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), DOJ ( 85 ), IRGC, Islamic Radio, United States, Washington ( 413 )

(WASHINGTON) Justice Dept Court Report: Seizure of 33-websites used by ‘Iranian Islamic Radio & TV Union and three websites operated by Kata’ib Hizballah (KH), in violation of U.S. sanctions #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – June.24: On Oct. 22, 2020, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated IRTVU as a Specially Designated National (SDN) for being owned or controlled:

DOJ: Today, pursuant to court orders, the United States to Seize Websites Used by the Iranian Islamic Radio and Television Union and Kata’ib Hizballah that are Owned and Controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC). SDNs are prohibited from obtaining services, including website and domain services, in the United States without an OFAC license. OFAC’s announcement explained that components of the government of Iran, to include IRTVU and others like it, disguised as news organizations or media outlets, targeted the United States with disinformation campaigns and malign influence operations.

Thirty-three of the websites seized today were operated by IRTVU. The 33 domains are owned by a United States company. IRTVU did not obtain a license from OFAC prior to utilizing the domain names.

Three additional websites seized today were operated by KH. On July 2, 2009, OFAC designated KH an SDN, and the Department of State designated KH a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The announcements described KH as an Iraqi terrorist organization that committed, directed, supported or posed a significant risk of committing acts of violence against Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces. OFAC further explained that the IRGC provides lethal support to KH and other Iraqi Shia militia groups who target and kill Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces. The three domains operated by KH were owned by a United States company. KH did not obtain a license from OFAC prior to utilizing the domain names.

These website seizures were investigated by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement and the FBI. The National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the seizure.

Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Special Agent in Charge J.C. (Chris) Hacker, of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Ariel Joshua Leinwand, of the Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement’s Atlanta Office, made the announcement.

The National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section is investigating this matter in coordination with the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division and Atlanta Field Office.

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: Jun.24: 2021:

#doj, #irgc, #islamic-radio, #united-states, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 11:00 on 16/06/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), #Russia ( 243 ), China ( 262 ), Moscow ( 331 ), United States

(MOSCOW) Conflict & War Report: Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov doesn’t see war breaking out between China, Russia and the U.S., but if it did, it would “exterminate all mankind.” #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – June.16: As the United States’ relationship with Russia and China deteriorated, the two countries grew closer. Russia and China have denied that there are any current plans for a military alliance, although both have kept the door open to the possibility of one, raising concerns that a pact between Moscow and Beijing could disrupt the world order.

MOSCOW: Russian Official Warns Conflict Between China, U.S. Would ‘Exterminate All Mankind’………..Denisov told the Global Times, a Chinese state-run outlet, that he wouldn’t answer the hypothetical question as to whether Russia would back China in a war with the U.S.

By Jenni Fink On 6/14/21 at 12:13 PM EDT

russia china us war biden putin — Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov doesn’t foresee a war breaking out between the countries, but if it did it would “exterminate all mankind.” Here, President Joe Biden speaks at a rally during commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre on June 1 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.Brandon Bell/Getty Images

“I am convinced that there will be no armed conflict between China and the U.S., just as there will be no armed conflict between Russia and the U.S. because such a conflict would exterminate all mankind, and then there would be no point in taking sides,” Denisov said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in October 2020 that it was “quite possible to imagine” a military alliance between Russian and China, but that it was unnecessary at the time. The two countries have participated in war games and Russia has shared sensitive military technologies with China.

Chinese officials are also potentially open to forming a military alliance with Russia and in January, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said there is “no limit” to “how far this cooperation can go.”

Denisov noted that in light of the current “international situation and major issues,” Russia’s position is “clearly much closer to China’s.” The U.S. imposed sanctions on both countries with the alleged “goal” of “crushing the competitor,” he added.

“We clearly cannot accept such an attitude from the U.S. We hope that the Russia-China-U.S. ‘tripod’ will keep balance,” Denisov said.

The Biden administration has expelled diplomats and imposed a number of sanctions on Russia for its alleged hacking of federal agencies and interference in the presidential election. The consequences are meant to deter future attacks, and Russia has pushed back on the sanctions with diplomatic consequences of its own.

The upcoming meeting between Putin and U.S. President Joe Bidenmarks a potential turn for the better and both countries are looking to improve their relationship. However, that’s easier said than done.

Biden, who once agreed that Putin was a “killer,” is expected to raise concerns about Alexey Navalny, a jailed chief political rival to Putin, as well as other dissidents. It’s also possible that Putin and Biden could get into the topic of Russians engaging in cyberattacks in the United States. Recent attacks believed to be the work of Russian hackers disrupted America’s gasoline distribution and meat production.

During an interview with NBC News, Putin denied his government had anything to do with the cyber attacks and accused the U.S. of engaging in “unfounded accusations” that aren’t backed by evidence.

Denisov said the meeting is likely to “resolve important issues” between the two countries, but the goal is to set conditions for resolving future problems. Despite tension-reducing measures being welcomed by the Russians, Denisov denied it would have an impact on its relationship with China.

“This view is too short-sighted. It can’t happen. I think we’re smarter than what the Americans think,” Denisov said when asked if easing tensions between the U.S. and Russia would “alienate” Russia from China.

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: Jun.16: 2021:

Editor says #AceNewsDesk reports by https://t.me/acenewsdaily and all our posts, also links can be found at here for Twitter and Live Feeds https://acenewsroom.wordpress.com/ and thanks for following as always appreciate every like, reblog or retweet and free help and guidance tips on your PC software or need help & guidance from our experts AcePCHelp.WordPress.Com

#russia, #china, #moscow, #united-states

Ace Worldwide News Group 09:00 on 04/06/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), CBP ( 40 ), Guatemala ( 5 ), illegals ( 28 ), Mexico ( 39 ), migrants ( 57 ), Texas ( 55 ), United States

(EDINBURG, Tx.) CBP REPORT: Rio Grande Valley Sector (RGV) Border Patrol agents disrupted two human smuggling events resulting in the arrest of 13 migrants #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – June.04: Authorities responded to the location and encountered six adult subjects and one unaccompanied juvenile, who were determined to be in the United States illegally. The migrants were nationals of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.

CBP Agents have arrested 13 – migrants in ‘Two Failed Smuggling Attempts in South Texas’ Yesterday afternoon, RGV Border Patrol agents received information of a motel in Pharr, Texas, being utilized to harbor illegal migrants: RGV agents requested assistance from the Pharr Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Last night, agents assigned to the McAllen Border Patrol Station responded to a call for assistance from the La Joya Police Department (LJPD) on a vehicle stop in La Joya, Texas. Upon arriving on scene, agents interviewed the driver and passengers, and determined six individuals were illegally present in the United States. LJPD took custody of the driver and vehicle. Agents transported the six noncitizens to a Border Patrol facility for processing.

All subjects were taken into Border Patrol custody and will be processed accordingly.

The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and report suspicious activity at 800-863-9382.

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: Jun.04: 2021:

#cbp, #guatemala, #illegals, #mexico, #migrants, #texas, #united-states

Ace Worldwide News Group 14:00 on 02/06/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), Amazon ( 6 ), Bandwidth, Hardware, United States, WiFi

(USA) Operation Sidewalk Report: Starting June 8, Amazon will automatically enable a feature on its family of hardware devices, including Echo speakers, Ring Video Doorbells, Ring Floodlight Cams, and Ring Spotlight Cams, that will share a small part of your Internet bandwidth with nearby neighbors — unless you choose to opt-out #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – June.02: To that effect, the company intends to register all compatible devices that are operational in the U.S. into an ambitious location-tracking system called Sidewalk as it prepares to roll out the shared mesh network in the country.

US Amazon Devices to Automatically Share Your Wi-Fi With Neighbors: Originally announced in September 2019, Sidewalk is part of Amazon’s efforts to build a long-range wireless network that leverages a combination of Bluetooth and 900 MHz spectrum (FSK) to help Echo, Ring, Tile trackers, and other Sidewalk-enabled devices communicate over the internet without Wi-Fi.

Owners of Echo and Ring devices can elect to opt-out of the device-to-device network either via Alex or Ring apps by following the below steps:

Alexa app: Open More > select Settings > Account Settings > Amazon Sidewalk, and toggle it on/off
Ring app: Tap “three-lined” menu > Control Center > Sidewalk, and tap the slider button

Sidewalk is designed to extend the working range of low-bandwidth devices, and help devices stay connected even if they are outside the range of a user’s home Wi-Fi network. It achieves this by pooling together a small sliver of internet bandwidth from the participating devices to create what’s a shared network.

The mechanism that undergirds Sidewalk is conceptually analogous to how Apple leverages its huge installed base of Apple devices to help locate lost devices using its Find My network. But Sidewalk also extends beyond location tracking for virtually any kind of short-range two-way communication. Besides utilizing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Sidewalk also makes use of long-range wireless technology known as LoRa to help devices stay connected and continue to work over longer distances.

By flipping the switch on Sidewalk in the U.S. for all capable devices by default, the idea is to co-opt millions of smart home devices into the network and provide near-ubiquitous connectivity out of the range of a standard Wi-Fi network.

Sidewalk’s Privacy and Security Protections

Elaborating on the protections baked into Sidewalk, the retail and entertainment behemoth said that packets traversing through the network are secured by three layers of encryption, and that it has safeguards in place to prevent unauthorized devices from joining by using Sidewalk credentials created during device registration process to authenticate their identities.

“Sidewalk protects customer privacy by limiting the amount and type of metadata that Amazon needs to receive from Sidewalk endpoints to manage the network,” the company said in a white paper, while stressing that Sidewalk has been implemented with security protocols to prevent disclosure of private information and any commands that may be transmitted over the network.

Each transmission between an endpoint (say, leak sensors, door locks, or smart lights) and its respective application server is also identified by a unique transmission-ID (TX-ID) that changes every 15 minutes to prevent tracking devices and associating a device to a specific user.

That said, Sidewalk does need to know a third-party Sidewalk-enabled device’s serial number to route the message to its respective application server. “The routing information that Amazon does receive for operating the network components of Sidewalk is automatically cleared every 24 hours,” it added. Amazon also noted in the whitepaper that endpoints reported as lost or stolen will blocklisted.

While the security guarantees of the undertaking are without a doubt a step in the right direction, it’s been established repeatedly that wireless technologies like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are prone to critical flaws that leave devices vulnerable to a variety of attacks, and a proprietary communication protocol like Sidewalk could be no exception. This is setting aside the possibility that the technology could be abused as surveillance tools to discreetly track a partner and encourage stalking.

How to Opt-Out and Turn Off Amazon Sidewalk?

A matter of more concern is that Sidewalk is opt-out rather than opt-in, meaning users will be automatically enrolled into Sidewalk unless they choose to explicitly turn it off.

In an FAQ on the Sidewalk page, Amazon says that should users opt to disable the feature, it’s tantamount to “missing out on Sidewalk’s connectivity and location related benefits,” adding “You also will no longer contribute your internet bandwidth to support community extended coverage benefits such as locating pets and valuables with Sidewalk-enabled devices.”

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: Jun.02: 2021:

#amazon, #bandwidth, #hardware, #united-states, #wifi

Ace Worldwide News Group 14:00 on 23/05/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), Beijing ( 102 ), China Sea, United States

(BEIJING) South China Sea Report: China has branded the United States an “out-and-out security risk creator” after a US warship sailed through waters in disputed Islands #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – May.23: It said China opposed the US action, which it said violated its sovereignty and undermined regional peace and stability:

China says US warship illegally entered its territory in South China Sea: In a statement, the Chinese military’s Southern Theater Command said the USS Curtis Wilbur, a guided-missile destroyer, entered the waters near the Paracel Islands without permission, adding that its ships and planes followed the US vessel.

ABC News: China says US warship illegally entered its territory in South China Sea

US actions “increase regional security risks, which easily cause misunderstandings, misjudgments and unforeseen maritime incidents,” People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command spokesman Colonel Tian Junli said in a notice posted on social media.

“This is unprofessional and irresponsible, and fully demonstrates that the US is an out-and-out ‘South China Sea security risk creator’.”

Beijing on Wednesday had chastised Washington for sailing the USS Curtis Wilbur through the Taiwan Strait earlier this week.

The US Seventh Fleet described it as a “routine” transit.

The South China Sea has emerged as one of many flashpoints in the testy Sino-US relations, with Washington rejecting what it has called unlawful territorial claims asserted by Beijing in the resource-rich waters.

US warships have passed through the South China Sea with increasing frequency in recent years, a show of force against the Chinese claims.

The US Navy said later on Thursday the USS Curtis Wilbur “asserted navigational rights and freedoms” near the Paracel Islands, over which China, Taiwan and Vietnam all claim sovereignty.

#AceNewsDesk report ……Published: May.23: 2021:

#beijing, #china-sea, #united-states

Ace Worldwide News Group 11:55 on 18/05/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), Christians ( 18 ), Germany ( 115 ), United States

(USA/GERMANY) Statues are ‘ Beheaded & Hands Cut Off’ and appears to be no connection other they are Christian symbols or icons #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – May.18: There is no telling who is behind these two incidents, which as far as I know have no connection to each other:

Christian statues beheaded and hands cut off in Massachusetts and Germany: ‘The CBS story about the incident in Waltham notes this. The story about the incident in Bühl doesn’t mention it, but it’s clear from the photo of the defaced statue’

Maybe it’s just a coincidence. But large numbers of people who believe these things have entered both the U.S. and Germany in recent years. However, given the political situation and the state of the establishment media in both countries, we will likely never know for sure:

“POL-OG: Bühl – owner wanted,” translated from “POL-OG: Bühl – Eigentümer gesucht,” PressePortal, May 12, 2021 (thanks to Medforth):

Officers of the Bühl police station are looking for the owner of a statue that was found on Monday afternoon in front of a property in Hauptstrasse. According to Christian belief, the damaged sculpture should represent Joseph. How it got there and where it came from is still unclear….

“Statue Of Jesus At Waltham Church Beheaded,” by Mike LaCrosse, CBS, May 5, 2021:

WALTHAM (CBS) – A statue of Jesus outside St. Charles Chapel on the south side of Waltham was beheaded over the weekend.
“It pains me to see any attack on the faith, on the religion of any believers or any church or religion,” Pastor Michael Nolan.
A hand on the statue was also knocked off.
Pastor Michael Nolan is hoping the damage was just an accident.
Either way, he’d like to see someone come forward if they have any information.
“So we’re hoping that if someone did this intentionally, they can come get help and they won’t do it again to another church or any religious institution or place,” said Father Nolan….

#AceNewsDesk report …………Published: May.18:2021:

#christians, #germany, #united-states

Ace Worldwide News Group 14:00 on 13/05/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), Black Sea ( 27 ), NATO ( 109 ), Ukraine ( 562 ), United States, USCG ( 57 )

(NATO) USCG REPORT: The Legend-class national security cutter USCGC Hamilton (WMSL 753) conducted a series of operational exercises with Ukraine, May 9, 2021, in the Black Sea #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – May.13: Hamilton was honored to conduct at-sea operations with the Ukrainian navy,” said Capt. Timothy Cronin, commanding officer of Hamilton, “Because we have shared interests, these events promote our strong partnership in ensuring safe and lawful activity in the Black Sea.”

USCGC Report: ‘Hamilton conducts exercises conducted maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, and ship handling operations with the Ukrainian navy vessel Island-class patrol boat Starobilsk (P 241). These operations were designed to increase interoperability as a part of a regional effort to bolster maritime partnerships with NATO partners’

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 05/11/2021 08:58 AM EDT:

The U.S. Coast Guard has a long and enduring partnership with regional maritime forces, particularly in strengthening maritime forces in Georgia and Ukraine. Hamilton conducted at sea engagements with the Georgian coast guard and a port visit in Batumi, Georgia, last week.

“This was a great opportunity to interact and share best practices with the Ukrainian navy,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Dunsavage, Hamilton crew member. “Both of our crews take pride in being professional mariners, and today, we proved that. We look forward to doing it again.”

Hamilton is the first U.S. Coast Guard cutter to visit the Black Sea since 2008. The last U.S. Coast Guard cutter to visit the Black Sea, USCGC Dallas (WHEC 716), sailed to the Black Sea twice, in 2008 and 1995.

Hamilton is the fourth national security cutter and is the fifth cutter named for the father of the U.S. Coast Guard – Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury and advocate for the creation of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service.

The U.S. Coast Guard remains operational during COVID-19, following all COVID-19 safety precautions and regulations.

The U.S. Coast Guard is conducting a routine deployment in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations, working alongside NATO Allies and partners, building maritime domain awareness, and sharing best practices with partner nation navies and coast guards.

U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

#AceNewsDesk report ……Published: May.12: 2021:

#black-sea, #nato, #ukraine, #united-states, #uscg

Ace Worldwide News Group 11:00 on 13/05/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), ftc ( 12 ), Romance, Scams ( 3 ), United States

(USA) FTC ALERT REPORT: Scammers are using ‘Romance’ to steal YOUR money with fake profiles and ID’s and getting you to trust them #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – May.13: It’s never too late to find love, and lots of dating sites and apps are there to help. But scammers are out to steal your heart, too…and then steal your money. This Older Americans Month, let’s talk about romance scams. These can happen when someone makes a fake profile on dating sites, apps and social media. They then message you to get a relationship going, build your trust, and connect.

SCAM ALERT: No money, honey, Then, they hit you up for money. “Baby, I want to come see you but I’m short on funds. Can you send me $500 for a ticket?” Or, “I love you, honey. But we may not be able to talk anymore because my phone is about to get cut off. I need $300 to pay the bill…” Get the idea?

May 11, 2021by

Lisa Lake

Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

In the name of love, you send money. They come back with other lies to get still more money. Then the messages stop. You can’t reach them. They’ve taken off with a piece of your heart and big chunk of your wallet.

People reported $304 million in losses to romance scams in 2020. Here’s how you can avoid these heartless imposters:

If someone you’ve never met in person asks you for money, that’s a scam. No matter the story. Never send money or gifts to anyone you haven’t met in person — even if they send you money first.
Only scammers tell you to buy gift cards, wire money, or send cryptocurrency. Once you send that money, you won’t get it back.
Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture. See if it’s associated with another name or with details that don’t match up. Those are signs of a scam.

Talk to someone you trust about your new love interest, and pay attention if they’re concerned. Learn more by watching this video and at ftc.gov/romancescams. And if a scammer tries to charm you out of your funds, report it to the FTC.

#AceNewsDesk report ……Published: May.13: 2021:

#ftc, #romance, #scams, #united-states

Ace Worldwide News Group 17:00 on 23/04/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), Afghanistan ( 164 ), Antiquities, United States, Washington ( 413 )

(WASHINGTON) JUST IN: Precious relics of Afghanistan’s ancient past are being returned home as the nation confronts deepening uncertainty about its future #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – Apr.23: A collection of 33 artifacts seized from a New York-based art dealer who authorities say was one of the world’s most prolific smugglers of antiquities was turned over by the U.S. to the government of Afghanistan this week.

Relics seized from smugglers are returning to Afghanistan: The significance of the material is huge,” Roya Rahmani, the country’s ambassador to the U.S., said Wednesday. “Each one of these pieces are priceless depictions of our history.” According to Associated Press

Rahmani formally took control of the collection in a ceremony Monday in New York with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and Homeland Security Investigations, which recovered the artifacts as part of a larger investigation into the trafficking of antiquities from a number of countries.

Now, after briefly being displayed at the embassy in Washington, the masks, sculptures and other items, some from the second and third centuries, are en route to Kabul, where they are expected to go on display at the National Museum.

It’s the same museum where members of the Taliban destroyed artifacts in 2001 as part of a cultural rampage rooted in a fundamentalist version of Islam in which depictions of the human form are considered offensive.

The Taliban is now out of power. But it controls much of the country outside of Kabul amid stalled talks with the government and the looming withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces after two decades of war. Rahmani concedes it’s a delicate time.

“However, what I know is that our security forces are determined to defend our people,” she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “The government is committed to do its part for peace and stability in a way that would bring durable peace.”

They may get a chance earlier than expected. Germany’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday that discussions are underway among military planners with the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Kabul for a possible withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan as early as July 4.

President Joe Biden has already said the U.S. would remove all its troops by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the attacks that prompted the American invasion to dislodge the Taliban in 2001 for allowing al-Qaida to operate from Afghanistan.

Before the Sept. 11 attacks, the Taliban had already become internationally notorious for enforcing a harsh form of Islamic law that kept women out of public view and for destroying — with rockets, shells and dynamite — the famed giant, sixth century sandstone Buddha statues built into a cliff in Bamiyan province.

The destruction of the statues was on the ambassador’s mind as she prepared to ship the artifacts to her homeland, not only because a mural of the sandstone Buddhas adorns the room at the embassy where visitors gathered this week to see the relics.

Rahmani, her country’s first female ambassador to the United States, recalls that she wept when she first learned what the Taliban had done to the Buddhas. It was an important moment, she says, because she had pledged never to let anyone see her cry as a way to defy the male-dominated culture of her homeland.

“I broke my vow,” she said. “I really cried hard. I wept and wept.”

In contrast, the items are “returning to a government and people who cherish their past” and will make sure they are preserved for future generations, Rahmani said. She doesn’t expect the Taliban, if they return to power, would dare to destroy them.

“Our security forces and our government would not let that happen,” she said. “We are determined not to let that happen.”

Like the statues, some of the recovered antiquities depict Buddha. There’s also a marble statue of Shiva and a Greek mask. The artifacts reflect the multicultural influences on Afghanistan, an important center of trade and commerce, according to Fredrik Hiebert, an archaeologist and National Geographic Fellow who studies the country.

There are at least 2,600 archaeological sites around the country, said Hiebert, who helped authenticate some of the items after they had been confiscated by federal agents and discuss the relics at a gathering Tuesday at the embassy.

“Afghanistan is one of the richest countries in archaeology and history in the world,” he said. And there’s very good reason, of course. For 6,000 years there’s been civilization based in Afghanistan.”

That also makes it an attractive target to looters, which is how the items eventually ended up in the United States.

In 2007, Homeland Security Investigations, an agency that deals with cases of smuggling that traverse international borders, received information about looted artifacts brought to the New York City area from India.

It eventually led to the indictment of a New York art gallery owner, Subhash Kapoor, and seven others as well as the seizure of more than 2,600 artifacts, valued at more than $140 million. He is jailed in India on charges and faces extradition to the U.S. when that case is resolved.

In the meantime, the U.S. government is working to repatriate the looted material, much of which was found in a series of raids on storage units in the New York City area.

They have already returned relics to Nepal and Sri Lanka and soon will turn over artifacts to Thailand, said Stephen Lee, the supervisor special agent in charge of HSI’s cultural property, arts and antiquities unit. The 33 items being sent to Afghanistan, valued at around $1.8 million, are the first to go back there as part of this investigation.

“They belong to the people of Afghanistan,” Lee said. “That’s their cultural history.”

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: Apr.23: 2021:

#afghanistan, #antiquities, #united-states, #washington

Ace Worldwide News Group 13:00 on 18/04/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), Britain ( 139 ), damascus ( 65 ), France ( 124 ), Germany ( 115 ), OPCW ( 20 ), Syria ( 405 ), United States

(DAMASCUS) SANA REPORT: Despite the difficult situation that Syria is going through, we have stood committed to our membership in the Chemical Weapons Convention,” Syria’s official news agency quoted Mekdad as saying in a meeting with ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions on Thursday evening #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – Apr.17: He added, “Syria and many other countries have acknowledged that the states which supported and funded armed terrorist groups in Syria, particularly the United States, France, Germany and Britain, will use the Syrian chemical file and the OPCW to achieve their hostile goals against Syria.”

FM Mekdad: US, allies have turned OPCW into a tool to pursue anti-Syria objectives: BUT Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Mekdad has categorically dismissed the new report by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), stating that the United States and its allies have turned the international watchdog into a tool to pursue their political goals against Damascus’

Friday, 16 April 2021 8:48 AM [ Last Update: Friday, 16 April 2021 11:42 AM ]

US Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) talks with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) during a rally with fellow Democrats before voting on H.R. 1, or the People Act, on the East Steps of the US Capitol on March 08, 2019 in Washington, DC. (AFP photo)

Mekdad noted that Syrian government forces continue to score remarkable victories in their battles against the Takfiri terrorist groups, emphasizing that the troops have never used chemical warfare even in toughest operations against the foreign-sponsored militants.

OPCW likely to repeat claims about chemical weapons use in Syria: Russian diplomat A senior Russian diplomat warns against attempts to incriminate the Damascus government and Syrian army troops at the OPCW over alleged chemical weapons use in the war-ravaged country.

He went on to say that certain Western countries have established the OPCW’s so-called Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) in order to produce reports, which best suit their anti-Syria agenda.

“The French-Western draft resolution, which is to be presented at the 25th meeting of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons later this year, is a new chapter in the series of conspiracies against Syria,” Mekdad pointed out.

The top Syrian diplomat finally called on the OPCW member states to support Damascus and counter the politicization of the organization’s activities by some Western countries.

A report by the OPCW’s so-called investigative arm claimed on Monday that Syria’s air force had dropped a chlorine bomb on a residential neighborhood in the terrorist-controlled Idlib region.

The report further asserted no one was killed when the cylinder of chlorine gas, delivered in a barrel bomb, hit the al-Talil neighborhood in the city of Saraqib in February 2018.

The Syrian foreign ministry, in a statement published on Wednesday, said the OPCW’s “misleading report,” written by “an illegitimate and incredible team,” fabricates “facts” to incriminate the Damascus government.

Syria rejects ‘fabricated’ OPCW report on alleged 2018 gas attack in Saraqib Syria dismisses as “false and fabricated” the results of a probe by the OPCW into an alleged chemical attack in Saraqib in February 2018.

“This report has included false and fabricated conclusion which represents another scandal for the OPCW and the inquiry teams that will be added to the scandal of the reports of Douma incident in 2018, and Ltamenah in 2017,” it said.

Moscow and Damascus have on many occasions said members of the so-called White Helmets civil defense group stage gas attacks in a bid to falsely incriminate Syrian government forces and fabricate pretexts for military strikes by the US-led military coalition.

The group claims to be a humanitarian NGO but has long been accused of collaborating with anti-Damascus militants.

On April 14, 2018, the US, Britain and France carried out a string of airstrikes against Syria over a suspected chemical weapons attack on the city of Douma, located about 10 kilometers northeast of the capital Damascus.

‘External pressure behind OPCW altering facts on Douma attack’Retired US army colonel Lawrence Wilkerson says international organizations such as OPCW at times come under pressure from certain countries to “alter the facts.”

Washington and its allies blamed Damascus for the Douma attack, a charge the Syrian government rejected.

Western governments and their allies have never stopped pointing the finger at Damascus whenever an apparent chemical attack takes place.

This is while Syria surrendered its stockpile of chemical weapons in 2014 to a joint mission led by the United States and the OPCW, which oversaw the destruction of the weaponry. It has consistently denied using chemical weapons.

#AceNewsDesk report ………..Published: Apr.17: 2021:

#britain, #damascus, #france, #germany, #opcw, #syria, #united-states

Ace Worldwide News Group 10:30 on 18/04/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), Beijing ( 102 ), China ( 262 ), military ( 35 ), Taiwan ( 16 ), United States

(BEIJING, China.) Warns US against interfering into Chinese military activity around incursions into Taiwan airspace after the U.S. State Department has announced it would deepen relations with the self-ruled island #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – Apr.18: In response to the U.S. moves with Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters his country had lodged “stern representations” with the United States.

Daily Chinese incursions cause U.S. to expand ties with Taiwan: ‘Among Chinese military moves has been the almost daily air force incursions into Taiwan’s air defense zone’

Zhao Lijian noted that China urged the United States “not to play with fire on the Taiwan issue, immediately stop any form of U.S.-Taiwan official contacts..and not send wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces, so as not to subversively influence and damage Sino-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”.

Secretary Antony J. Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Director Yang And State Councilor Wang At the Top of Their Meeting

‘Discussed deep concerns with actions by China, including in Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan, cyber attacks on the United States, and economic coercion toward our allies. Each of these actions threaten the rules-based order that maintains global stability. That’s why they’re not merely internal matters and why we feel an obligation to raise these issues here today’

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, good afternoon, and welcome. On behalf of National Security Advisor Sullivan and myself, I want to welcome Director Yang and State Councilor Wang to Alaska, and to thank you very much for making the journey to be with us.

Following the increase in hostile Chinese actions, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the United States was concerned about China’s actions with Taiwan.

In a written response to Reuters on Blinken’s remarks, China’s Foreign Ministry said the government intended to protect the country’s sovereignty.

“Don’t stand on the opposite side of 1.4 billion Chinese people,” it warned the United States.

On Tuesday, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry reported another four Chinese J-16 fighters and an anti-submarine warfare aircraft entered its defense zone.

One day earlier, Taiwan said 25 Chinese military aircraft, including fighters and nuclear-capable bombers, entered its air zone, marking the largest incursion to date.

While Washington recognizes Beijing, rather than Taipei, the United States remains Taiwan’s most important international supporter and arms seller.

Further, by law the United States is required to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has said Taiwan is an independent country and that it will defend its freedom and security.

#AceNewsDesk report ………Published: Apr.18: 2021:

#beijing, #china, #military, #taiwan, #united-states

Ace Worldwide News Group 13:30 on 16/04/2021
Tags: #AceNewsDesk ( 3,772 ), #AceNewsReport ( 3,742 ), FedEx ( 2 ), Indianapolis ( 4 ), shooting ( 44 ), United States

(INDIANAPOLIS) JUST IN: At least 8-people have been killed at a shooting that took place plast night at a FedEX facility U.S police have said #AceNewsDesk report

#AceNewsReport – Apr.16: When police arrived, officers reportedly observed “an active shooting scene at the facility”, according to Indianapolis police spokesperson Genae Cook.

Indianapolis shooting leaves eight people dead at FedEx facility in US: At least eight people have been shot and killed US police have said & multiple people have injuries and the gunman has died, according to authorities.

Posted 4h ago, updated 3h ago

Police officers stand beside a vehicle displaying flashing lights. — The FedEx facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the site of the latest US fatal mass shooting.(Reuters/WRTV)

She said four people were transported to hospitals, one in critical condition with gunshot injuries and three others with various injuries.

Two others were treated at the facility by medical staff. Ms Cook said “multiple” others walked to hospitals in nearby areas.

She added that the gunman had died and the public is not believed to be in immediate danger.

FedEx released a statement saying it was cooperating with authorities and working to get more information.

“We are aware of the tragic shooting at our FedEx ground facility near the Indianapolis airport,” the company said.

“Safety is our top priority, and our thoughts are with all those who are affected.”

Live video from news outlets at the scene showed crime scene tape in the parking lot outside the facility.

A witness who said he works at the facility told US media he saw a man with a gun after hearing several gunshots.

“I saw a man with a submachine gun of some sort, an automatic rifle, and he was firing in the open,” Jeremiah Miller said.

Another man who told media he was a witness said his niece was sitting in her car in the driver’s seat when the gunfire erupted, and she was wounded.

“She got shot on her left arm,” Parminder Singh said.

“She’s fine, she’s in the hospital now.”

He said his niece did not know the shooter.

Family members of workers reportedly gathered at a local hotel to await word on loved ones.

Some said employees were not allowed to have their phones with them while working shifts at the facility, making it difficult to contact them.

People wearing masks sit at tables. — Family members, friends and workmates wait for news after the shooting at the FedEx centre.(Reuters)

The FedEx facility is located close to the Indianapolis International airport.

The attack is the latest in a string of mass shootings across the US in recent months.

Eight people were shot dead by a gunman at massage businesses in Atlanta, Georgia, while another gunman killed 10 people when he opened fire in a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado.

This is the third mass shooting this year in Indianapolis.

Five people, including a pregnant woman, were shot and killed in January, and a man was accused of killing three adults and a child before abducting his daughter during an argument at a home in March.

#AceNewsDesk report ………..Published: Apr.16: 2021:

#fedex, #indianapolis, #shooting, #united-states