Top-Secret Australian Government Files Were Left In Cabinets And Sold At A Secondhand Shop

These are the dodgy filing cabinets which held some of Australia's most sensitive secrets

NPR: Australian Government's Secret 'Cabinet Files' Were Found In ... An Old Cabinet

Australia's government is holding "an urgent investigation" into how hundreds of classified documents about the interior workings of several recent administrations found their way to the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

The ABC says the thousands of pages of documents had been left in two filing cabinets, which the government then sold off at a secondhand shop. The cabinets were bought cheap, the network says, because they were locked and the keys had been lost.

Inside the cabinets were records of five separate governments that spanned nearly 10 years; some of them refer to current members of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's Cabinet.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Someone goofed.

More News On Top-Secret Australian Government Files Being Left In Cabinets And Sold At A Secondhand Shop

Pictured: The dodgy filing cabinets filled with national secrets that were sold off second-hand ... but the Government now wants to jail Aussies for 20 YEARS if they are involved in a security leak -- Daily Mail
Top-secret government files left in cabinets sold at secondhand shop -- Fox News
Australian government secrets revealed after confidential files sold by accident -- CNN
Top Secret Australian Government Files Left in Old Cabinets, Accidentally Sold -- Sputnik International
Aussie media obtain top secret files sold in second-hand shop -- Euronews
ASIO enters ABC offices to secure cabinet files sold at Canberra furniture store -- The Sydney Morning Herald
Asio officers visit ABC to secure cabinet documents -- The Guardian
Australian government cannot handle its own data securely, why give it yours? -- ZDNet

Growing Tensions Between Israel And Lebanon Over Offshore Energy

Reuters: Israel, Lebanon clash over offshore energy, raising tensions

BEIRUT/TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israel described as “very provocative” on Wednesday a Lebanese offshore oil and gas exploration tender in disputed territory on the countries’ maritime border, and said it was a mistake for international firms to participate.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, whose country considers Israel an enemy state, said the comments were one of several “threatening messages” from Israel in recent days.

Lebanese political and military movement Hezbollah vowed to defend the country’s “oil and gas rights” against Israeli threats.

Lebanon is on the Levant Basin in the eastern Mediterranean where a number of big sub-sea gas fields have been discovered since 2009, including the Leviathan and Tamar fields located in Israeli waters near the disputed marine border with Lebanon.

Read more ....

More News On Growing Tensions Between Israel And Lebanon Over Offshore Energy

Israel, Lebanon Clash Over Offshore Energy, Raising Tensions -- Algemeiner
Israel, Lebanon Renew Spat Over Disputed Oil-and-Gas Territory -- Bloomberg
Israeli Defense Chief's Claim on Offshore Gas Field Threaten Lebanon - President -- Sputnik International
Israel, Lebanon argue over offshore energy block, Beirut slams 'threat' -- Reuters
IDF Spokesman warns Lebanon of war with Israel if Iranian presence grows -- The Jerusalem Post
Israeli Defense Chief: Lebanon Will Pay for Iranian Meddling -- Voice of America
If Israelis are forced into bomb shelters, all of Beirut will be too, Lieberman says -- Daily Sabah
Is Hamas setting up military force in Golan Heights? -- Al-Monitor
U.S. defends role of Lebanon army as Israel threatens to attack it -- Reuters
US promises continued support for Lebanon's army after Israeli claim it is 'no different from Hezbollah' -- The Independent

U.S. Adds Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh To Terror Blacklist

BBC: Ismail Haniya: US designates Hamas leader as terrorist

The United States has designated the political leader of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas as a terrorist and imposed sanctions on him.

The state department said Ismail Haniya had "close links with Hamas' military wing" and been a "proponent of armed struggle, including against civilians".

Hamas, which dominates the Gaza Strip, is already designated a terrorist group by the US, Israel, the EU and UK.

It denounced as "worthless" the blacklisting of Mr Haniya.

A statement from the group said the decision would "not dissuade us from continuing to hold fast to the option of resisting and expelling the [Israeli] occupation".

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Hamas has responded .... Hamas: US decision on Ismail Haniya 'will not deter us' (Al Jazeera)

More News On The U.S. Adding Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh To It's Terror Blacklist

U.S. State Department designates Hamas leader as terrorist -- Reuters
State Department puts top Hamas leader Ismail Haniya on US terrorist blacklist -- Washington Times
US adds Hamas leader to terror blacklist, imposes sanctions -- The Hill
US designates Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh an international terrorist -- Deutsche Welle
US Designates Hamas Political Leader as 'Global Terrorist' -- Voice of America
US puts Hamas chief Haniyeh on terror blacklist -- The Times of Israel
Hamas leader Ismail Haniya added to US 'terror list' -- Al Jazeera

Latest U.S. Navy Ballistic Missile Intercept Test Has Failed

FILE PHOTO © US. Missile Defense Agency / Reuters

Defense News: Another US Navy ballistic missile intercept reportedly fails in Hawaii

WASHINGTON — A test shoot of the SM-3 Block IIA fired from an Aegis Ashore test site in Hawaii failed Wednesday, CNN has reported. The missile is designed to intercept ballistic missiles.

If confirmed, it would mark the second unsuccessful test of the Raytheon missile in the past year. It also deals a setback to U.S. missile defense efforts as North Korea makes seemingly daily progress on it goal of striking the U.S. mainland with nuclear-armed missiles.

When reached for comment, U.S. Missile Defense Agency spokesman Mark Wright declined to comment on the outcome of the test.

“The Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Navy sailors manning the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex (AAMDTC) conducted a live-fire missile flight test using a Standard-Missile (SM)-3 Block IIA missile launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii, Wednesday morning,” Wright said.

Read more ....

More News On The Latest U.S. Navy Ballistic Missile Intercept Test

U.S. Missile Defense Test Unsuccessful: Official -- Reuters
Officials: US missile defense test failed in Hawaii -- CNN
US defence intercept test fails to shoot down dummy missile from Hawaii, official says -- ABC News Online
Navy missile defense test in Hawaii reportedly fails -- The Hill
New $30M defense missile fails in test off Kauai -- Honolulu Star-Advertiser
US Navy ballistic missile intercept reportedly fails in Hawaii for 2nd time in a year -- Business Insider
North Korea Threat: Ballistic Missile Defense Test Failed In Hawaii, Report Says -- International Business Times
A US ballistic missile defense test just failed. Here's what it means -- Washington Examiner
US missile defense test fails in Hawaii – officials -- RT
US Missile Interceptor Test in Hawaii Fails -- Sputnik

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 31, 2018

Afghan men carry the coffin of one of the victims of a car bomb attack at in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 28, 2018. (Omar Sobhani/Reuters )

Anna Maria Tremonti, CBC: 'Chaos benefits the Taliban': Why the war in Afghanistan is getting worse

Afghanistan has declared a national day of prayer after a string of attacks in Kabul left 130 people dead over the course of 10 days.

It's an escalation of tensions in a country that has already seen 17 years of conflict.

"It's very tense," journalist Jennifer Glasse told The Current's Anna Maria Tremonti from Kabul. "People are very nervous. People are very suspicious."

The attacks happened in areas of the city previously considered among the safest. The Taliban claimed an ambulance bomb attack in the city centre that killed 100 people, and a siege at the Hotel Intercontinental that killed 20.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 31, 2018

16 Years of Presidents Talking About the War in Afghanistan: And the war keeps going -- Krishnadev Calamur, The Atlantic

Are Turkey and Russia at odds in northern Syria? -- Diana Hodali, DW

Yemen’s war within a war: What does new fighting mean? -- Maggie Michael, AP

Iran is threatening stability in the Middle East -- Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Financial Times

Iran threat not enough to bring Israel, Gulf states together, experts say -- Noa Amouyal , Defense News

Lebanon: About to Blow? -- Janine di Giovanni, New York Review Of Books

Wanted: A Strategy to Limit China's Grand Plans for the South China Sea -- Dean Cheng, National Interest

Fears of US ‘bloody nose’ attack on North Korea on the rise -- Andrew Salmon, Asia Times

North Korea Is Not the Threat Trump Would Have You Believe -- Isaac Stone Fish, The Atlantic

Jihad decree triggers demands for holy war on Kashmir -- Kunwar Khuldune Shahid, Asia Times

No checks, no balances in the Philippines -- Jason Castaneda, Asia Times

Europe's Migration Crisis is Anything but over -- Rachel Rizzo, National Interest

How We Got Donald Trump: A History of the Post-Cold War Era -- Andrew Bacevich, RCW

We have entered the post-American era -- Stan Grant, ABC News Online

What did Trump say — and not say — about foreign policy in Tuesday’s speech? -- Larisa Epatko, PBS

World News Briefs -- January 31, 2018 (Evening Edition)

Reuters: France's Macron warns Turkey over Syrian operation

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron warned Turkey that its operation against Kurdish militias in northern Syria should not become an excuse to invade the country and said he wanted Ankara to coordinate its action with its allies.

Turkey last week launched an air and ground offensive in northwest Syria, targeting the Kurdish YPG militia in the Afrin region. That has opened a new front in the seven-year-old civil war and strained ties with Turkey’s NATO allies.

“If it turns out that this operation takes a turn other than to fight a potential terrorist threat to the Turkish border and becomes an invasion operation, (then) this becomes a real problem for us,” Macon said in an interview with Le Figaro newspaper published on Wednesday.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Defying U.S., Russia says no case for U.N. action against Iran.

Separatists advance on presidential palace in southern Yemen. Yemen separatists surround presidential palace in Aden. South Yemen separatists pin down govt in de facto capital.

Turkey's Afrin offensive enters second week. Turkey ramps up Syria incursion despite criticism.

Turkey lashes out at French President over warning against 'invasion' of Syria.

Russia-backed Syrian peace talks agree deal on new constitution. Rocky Syria talks in Russia end, ignore key opposition demands.

Iran rejects Benjamin Netanyahu's warning to leave Syria.

US ready to work with Qatar to 'deter' external threats.

UN appeals for emergency funds for Palestine, Syria.

EU pledges €42.5 million in aid to Palestinians.

Hamas leader dead after 'accidental' gunshot to head.

Israeli Defense Chief: Lebanon will pay for Iranian meddling.

ASIA

N. Korea would see blanket ban of oil supplies as declaration of war – Russian envoy.

North Korea hits back at U.S., calls Trump administration 'racist'.

Uzbekistan reforms: President Mirziyoyev sacks security chief.

Kabul residents in shock after wave of violence.

Afghan spy chief visits Pakistan in wake of Kabul attacks.

Taliban assail Trump's rejection of talks, vow to fight on.

Deadline looms for Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

China urges Trump to drop 'Cold War mentality'.

South Korean skiers arrive in North for joint training event.

Russia to send home tens of thousands of North Korean laborers.

China's economy loses momentum as factory activity cools.

Vietnam marks 50 years since launch of Tet Offensive.

Vietnam names US-based exile group a terrorist organization.

AFRICA

Cameroonian troops enter Nigeria seeking separatists: defense agency.

Congo electoral commission finishes registering 46 million voters.

Letter from Trump prompts African leaders to refrain from criticizing him. African leaders nearly demanded public apology from Trump.

Kenya TV stations to remain off-air after Odinga 'inauguration.

Somalia: 34000 left homeless after army destroys camps.

UN blames Uganda, Kenya for fueling conflict in South Sudan.

Former Kenyan VP: Home attacked in ‘assassination attempt’.

Egyptian opposition calls for boycott of 'absurd' poll.

Egypt’s leader serves opposition parties with stern warning.

Algeria in oil-for-doctors deal with Cuba.

France's Macron visits Tunisia to 'support transition'.

South Africa’s president under growing pressure to leave.

EUROPE

Exclusive: 5-Star leader says could back broad Italy government - source.

EU says US needed for Mideast peace but can't do alone.

Russia’s Communist nominee for president shuns party dogma.

Theresa May looks to China for post-Brexit future.

Catalonia's Puigdemont denies giving up after 'defeat' texts.

German parliament commemorates Holocaust.

Poland president to review Holocaust bill after Israel outcry.

Pope to send envoy to investigate Chile sex abuse claims.

UN negotiator due in Macedonia in drive to end name dispute.

Lord Bates's resignation over lateness rejected by PM.

AMERICAS

Brazil's presidential race up for grabs with Lula out, poll shows.

FBI warns it has 'grave concerns' about omissions in Nunes memo. FBI has 'grave concerns' about controversial Republican memo. FBI expresses 'grave concerns' over Republican memo's accuracy.

FEMA denies any cutoff of food, water to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

One person killed when Amtrak train carrying GOP lawmakers to retreat collides with truck.

Trump's powerful State of the Union laid out 2018 vision: Prosperity, borders, security.

Second Trump-Russia dossier being assessed by FBI .

UN refers Guyana-Venezuela border dispute to ICJ.

Venezuela government-opposition talks 'advance', no deal yet.

Venezuela crisis fuels crime wave in Colombia.

Peru's Fujimori family feud deepens as Kenji expelled from opposition party.

Hawaii official who sent false missile alert has been fired.

Canada's BC submits new rules to restrict oil shipments.

Truck drives over Peru Nazca Lines damaging UNESCO World Heritage Sit.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

US designates Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh an international terrorist.

How the U.S. is using terrorists' smartphones and laptops to defeat them.

Trump orders U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay kept open indefinitely. Trump signs order to keep Guantanamo Bay prison open.

Interpol circulates list of suspected Isis fighters believed to be in Italy.

US officials estimate Taliban strength at a minimum of 60,000 fighters.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Wall St. ends off day's highs as Fed sees inflation rising.

Apple faces stock market probe over slowed down iPhones: reports.

Facebook: Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies' ads banned.

Bitcoin plunges below $10,000 as cryptocurrency sell-off continues .

Fujifilm takes ownership of Xerox in $6.1B deal.

A Look At Afghanistan's Special Forces

VICE News: The Afghan commandos trying to beat back the Taliban

Today in Kabul, five gunmen attacked a military academy, killing 11 soldiers and injuring 15. It was the fourth major terrorist attack in Afghanistan in just the last 10 days.

On Saturday, more than 100 people died when an ambulance packed with explosives detonated on a crowded street in the capital.

Both the Taliban and ISIS are ramping up the pace of their attacks — and the Afghan National Army isn’t effective enough to do anything about it. So President Ashraf Ghani is betting on a different strategy: drastically increasing the number of special forces troops who might stand a better chance.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: These soldiers will have their work cut-out for them.

Afghan Interior Minister And Intelligence In Pakistan Holding Talks On The Growing Violence In Afghanistan

VOA: Afghan Spy Chief, Interior Minister Make Surprise Pakistan Visit

ISLAMABAD — Top Afghan security officials have made a surprise visit to Pakistan, to discuss mutual cooperation with civilian and military leaders following a series of deadly Taliban and other militant attacks in Afghanistan.

The visit Wednesday took place hours after U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan urged Afghan leaders to engage in bilateral discussions with Pakistani counterparts.

Increased militant violence in Afghanistan has fueled Kabul’s tensions with Islamabad amid accusations insurgents used sanctuaries in Pakistan to plot recent suicide bombings, with the help of the country’s spy agency, ISI.

Pakistani authorities condemned the terrorist attacks and rejected the Afghan charges as unfounded and emphasized the need for “a credible investigation” into the attacks.

Read more ...

Update #1: Afghan spy chief visits Pakistan in wake of Kabul attacks (Reuters)
Update #2: Afghan interior minister, intelligence chief in Pakistan for talks: FO (GEO TV)

WNU Editor: Afghan - Pak relations are truly in the "toilet" .... Ghani Refuses To Take Pakistan PM’s Phone Call (Tolo News)

Pentagon Back-Tracks On Banning The Release Of Afghanistan War Data

Task & Purpose: The Pentagon Doesn’t Want You To Know Just How Well The Taliban Are Doing

The federal watchdog responsible for tracking how American tax dollars are being spent in Afghanistan claimed in a new report that the Department of Defense is deliberately attempting to obscure the extent to which the Taliban and other insurgent groups in the country are flourishing even amid the intensifying U.S.-led military campaign to batter them into submission.

In its January 2018 quarterly report to Congress, the Office of the Special Inspector General Investigator for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) indicated that the massive amount of ordnance deployed — October 2017 saw more American bombs dropped in Afghanistan during any month since 2012, when there were more than five times the number of U.S. service members in the country than there are now — and expanding the U.S. military footprint in Afghanistan, have done little, if anything, to break the stalemate.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Pentagon has reverse this policy .... Pentagon: Gag order on Afghan data was a mistake (Defense News/AP)

More News On Reports That The Pentagon Blocked The Release Of Afghanistan War Data

Watchdog: Pentagon blocks information on insurgent strength in Afghanistan -- Stars and Stripes
Inspector general accuses Pentagon of censoring Afghanistan data -- NBC
Auditor says Pentagon is censoring key data on the war in Afghanistan -- Los Angeles Times
Pentagon Muzzles Afghanistan Watchdog as Situation Worsens -- Bloomberg

'Human error': US military says it made 'mistake' by banning release of Afghanistan war data -- RT

Taliban Threaten 70% of Afghanistan With A Minimum Of 60,000 Fighters

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Threat Matrix: US officials estimate Taliban strength at a minimum of 60,000 fighters

NBC News reports that US and Afghan officials estimate the Taliban’s strength in Afghanistan to be a minimum of 60,000 fighters. This updated figure is significant, because as the report notes, for years the only previous estimate was approximately 20,000:

In 2014, US officials told NBC News that the number of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan was about 20,000. Four years later, one US defense official said the current Taliban strength is at least 60,000. Another senior U.S. official said 60,000 “passes the sniff test,” while a third official said 60,000 is “a place to start.”

An Afghan official told NBC News earlier this month that the Afghan estimate of Taliban strength is also 60,000. That marks a significant increase from the estimate of 35,000 that Afghanistan’s TOLOnews attributed to an Afghan defense official in 2011.

Given all of the information available to FDD’s Long War Journal, I believe this latest assessment to significantly more accurate. I am quoted in the above-referenced article that 60,000 would be my low-end estimate. In fact, with the amount of territory up for grabs and fighting taking place, that number could easily be doubled.

Read more ....

More News On Reports That The Taliban Are Threatening 70% of Afghanistan With A Minimum Of 60,000 Fighters

The Taliban is gaining strength and territory in Afghanistan -- NBC
Taliban control of Afghanistan on the rise, US data reveals -- CNN
Taliban threaten 70% of Afghanistan, BBC finds -- BBC
Alarmingly High Percentage of Taliban Affected Areas in Afghanistan: BBC -- Eurasian Times

Amtrak Train Carrying GOP Congress Lawmakers Hits Truck, One Killed

NBC: Train carrying GOP Congress members hits garbage truck, one dead

A chartered train carrying Republican lawmakers to a retreat collided with a trash truck Wednesday morning and left at least one person dead.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders there was one confirmed fatality and one person seriously injured.

"There are no serious injuries among members of Congress or their staff," she said in a statement.

The victim's identity was not immediately released.

Read more ....

More News On An Amtrak Train Carrying GOP Congress Lawmakers Hitting A Truck Outside Of Washington

Train carrying GOP lawmakers to policy retreat hits truck -- ABC News/AP
GOP lawmakers help people injured in train crash -- The Hill
Train carrying members of Congress hits truck, driver reported dead -- Politico
Train carrying lawmakers to GOP retreat hits truck on tracks, 1 killed -- FOX News
Amtrak train carrying GOP lawmakers crashes into truck -- UPI

President Trump Tells Lawmaker That He Will Be Releasing The FBI/Justice Department Memo

FOX News: Trump overheard saying he is '100 percent' behind releasing surveillance memo

President Donald Trump was overheard telling a GOP lawmaker Tuesday night that he’s “100 percent” behind releasing a classified Republican intelligence memo detailing alleged surveillance abuses.

"Don't worry," the president reportedly told U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., on the House floor after delivering his first State of the Union address. “One hundred percent."

Duncan asked Trump to “release the memo,” a controversial document drafted by U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: President Trump's Chief of Staff has just confirmed that this memo will be released soon .... Trump's chief of staff says he's seen controversial classified intelligence memo about 2016 surveillance abuses and the White House will release it 'pretty quick' (Daily Mail). More here .... Kelly: Nunes memo to be released ‘pretty quick’ (Politico). The Democrats have their own memo, which I expect will be leaked in the next day or two (if not already) .... Democrats' rebuttal memo criticizes Nunes as part of response (CNN).

More News On Reports That The House Intelligence Committee's GOP FBI Memo Will Soon Be Released

Trump says he’s ‘100 percent’ for releasing GOP memo -- AP
Trump tells Republican he's '100 percent' for releasing Nunes memo -- The Hill
So much for speech: Trump on hot mic says he’ll release memo -- AP
Trump promises '100 percent' to release memo, as White House insists it will follow national security process -- Washington Post
Trump to release controversial Republican 'memo' -- BBC
Trump favors release of memo White House wants reviewed -- AP
FBI Director Opposes Memo Release Because of Inaccuracies, Source Says -- Bloomberg
Democrats turn up the pressure over Nunes memo as Trump weighs release -- CNN

President Trump Signs Executive Order To Keep Guantanamo Prison Open

Politico: Trump orders Guantanamo prison to remain open

President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered the controversial U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to remain open.

Trump announced the executive order, initially reported by POLITICO, during his first State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress. It directs the prison stay open and allows the possibility Trump could send new enemy combatants there.

"I just signed, prior to walking in, an order directing [Defense] Secretary [Jim] Mattis ... to re-examine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities in Guantanamo Bay," Trump said.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: In the current international environment coupled with current U.S. law .... no U.S. President and Congress will sign-off and close Guantanamo.

More News On President Trump Signing An Executive Order To Keep Guantanamo Prison Open

Trump orders Guantanamo detention center to stay open -- Reuters
Trump signs order to keep Guantanamo Bay prison open -- AP
Trump signs order to keep Guantanamo Bay prison open -- BBC
Gitmo to Stay Open and Take in More Prisoners: Trump -- Military.com
Trump signs order to keep Guantanamo open -- CNN
Trump signs order to keep Gitmo open -- The Hill
Guantanamo Bay to remain open, Trump says: 'I am keeping another promise' -- Fox News
Trump just signed an executive order that will keep Guantanamo open -- Vox

News, Analysis, And Commentary On President Trump's State Of The Union Speech

Reuters: Trump fixes gaze on Republicans during speech to U.S. Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said in his speech to Congress on Tuesday that he wanted to extend an “open hand” to work with both parties on issues like immigration but he spent most of the address facing Republicans while seldom glancing at Democrats.

In the House of Representatives chamber where Trump delivered his first “State of the Union” speech, Republicans, who sat to Trump’s left, showed their enthusiasm as he touted tax cuts and boasted of the economy’s performance.

From the Republican side of the room, Trump received around 70 standing ovations.

But Democrats, who sat to Trump’s right, were mostly silent. Many wore black, an expression of solidarity with victims of sexual misconduct that added to the funereal mood on their side of the room.

Read more ....

News, Analysis, And Commentary On President Trump's State Of The Union Speech

Trump calls for optimism in spite of warnings of danger -- AP
State of the Union: Trump hails 'new American moment' -- BBC
Trump: 'Together we are building a safe, strong and proud America' -- UPI
Trump urges Congress to help stimulate $1.5 trillion in infrastructure spending -- The Hill
Dems boo, hiss at Trump immigration remarks -- The Hill
State of the Union: The North Korean defector at Trump's side -- BBC
Crutches, tears humanize North Korean threat in Trump speech -- AP
Trump’s clapping draws amusement, derision on social media -- AP
Why did Melania wear white? Some see hidden meanings -- AP
No, that wasn’t drool on his lips, Rep. Joe Kennedy says -- AP
Trump preaches cooperation, but can he follow through? -- James Oliphant, Reuters
Trump State of the Union address promised unity but emphasized discord -- The Guardian
State of the Union: A smoother Trump with same hard edge -- Anthony Zurcher, BBC
State of the Union: Trump calls for unity but divides media -- BBC News
Analysis: Trump speech puts emotion ahead of problem-solving -- Jonathan Lemire, AP
Trump’s time, Democrats’ grumbles, Melania’s white pantsuit -- AP
Five things we learned from Trump's first State of the Union -- The Guardian
Donald Trump's State of the Union: What you need to know -- DW
Five Takeaways from Trump’s State of the Union -- The Hill
Donald Trump's State of the Union address contained some alternative facts -- ABC News Online

World News Briefs -- January 31, 2018

The Guardian: Russia-backed Syrian peace talks agree deal on new constitution

UN special envoy defends presence at Sochi talks after criticism from Syrian opposition

A 50-strong commission representing most strands of Syrian society will draft a new constitution for the country, the UN and Russia have agreed at the end of a peace conference put together by Vladimir Putin in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

The UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura faced intense criticism from the Syrian opposition for attending the conference, which the opposition boycotted on the basis that it was an attempt to supplant the UN peace process and marginalise their role in ending Syria’s seven-year civil war.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Separatists advance on presidential palace in southern Yemen. Yemen separatists surround presidential palace in Aden. South Yemen separatists pin down govt in de facto capital.

Turkey's Afrin offensive enters second week. Turkey ramps up Syria incursion despite criticism.

Turkey lashes out at French President over warning against 'invasion' of Syria.

Russia-backed Syrian peace talks agree deal on new constitution. Rocky Syria talks in Russia end, ignore key opposition demands.

Iran rejects Benjamin Netanyahu's warning to leave Syria.

US ready to work with Qatar to 'deter' external threats.

UN appeals for emergency funds for Palestine, Syria.

Hamas leader dead after 'accidental' gunshot to head.

ASIA

Afghan spy chief visits Pakistan in wake of Kabul attacks.

Taliban assail Trump's rejection of talks, vow to fight on.

Deadline looms for Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

China urges Trump to drop 'Cold War mentality'.

South Korean skiers arrive in North for joint training event.

Russia to send home tens of thousands of North Korean laborers.

China's economy loses momentum as factory activity cools.

Vietnam marks 50 years since launch of Tet Offensive.

Vietnam names US-based exile group a terrorist organization.

AFRICA

Somalia: 34000 left homeless after army destroys camps.

UN blames Uganda, Kenya for fueling conflict in South Sudan.

Former Kenyan VP: Home attacked in ‘assassination attempt’.

Egyptian opposition calls for boycott of 'absurd' poll.

Egypt’s leader serves opposition parties with stern warning.

Algeria in oil-for-doctors deal with Cuba.

France's Macron visits Tunisia to 'support transition'.

South Africa’s president under growing pressure to leave.

EUROPE

EU says US needed for Mideast peace but can't do alone.

Russia’s Communist nominee for president shuns party dogma.

Theresa May looks to China for post-Brexit future.

Catalonia's Puigdemont denies giving up after 'defeat' texts.

German parliament commemorates Holocaust.

Poland president to review Holocaust bill after Israel outcry.

Pope to send envoy to investigate Chile sex abuse claims.

UN negotiator due in Macedonia in drive to end name dispute.

AMERICAS

Trump's powerful State of the Union laid out 2018 vision: Prosperity, borders, security.

Second Trump-Russia dossier being assessed by FBI .

UN refers Guyana-Venezuela border dispute to ICJ.

Venezuela crisis fuels crime wave in Colombia.

Peru's Fujimori family feud deepens as Kenji expelled from opposition party.

Hawaii official who sent false missile alert has been fired.

Canada's BC submits new rules to restrict oil shipments.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Trump orders U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay kept open indefinitely. Trump signs order to keep Guantanamo Bay prison open.

Interpol circulates list of suspected Isis fighters believed to be in Italy.

US officials estimate Taliban strength at a minimum of 60,000 fighters.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Apple faces stock market probe over slowed down iPhones: reports.

Facebook: Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies' ads banned.

Bitcoin plunges below $10,000 as cryptocurrency sell-off continues .

Fujifilm takes ownership of Xerox in $6.1B deal.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 31, 2018

© REUTERS/ KCNA

The Hill: Top general: US would have 'minutes' of warning time if North Korea launched missile

The U.S. would likely only have a warning time of a "dozen minutes or so" if North Korea launched a missile in its direction, the military's second highest-ranking official said Tuesday.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Gen. Paul Selva said Pyongyang had cut the warning time down from an hour thanks to its use of mobile launch trucks, so much so that the U.S. would likely not be able to get an early warning "other than if we got lucky and saw the movement of the launch mechanism to the launch platform."

Yet Selva said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is still unable to strike the U.S. with an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) as far as the Pentagon has observed.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 31, 2018

US can destroy 'most' of N. Korea's nuclear missile infrastructure, top general says -- Washington Post

North Korea to parade dozens of long-range missiles before Winter Olympics -- CNN

Fitness-Tracker App Exposes Security Flaw at Taiwan’s Missile Command Center -- Daily Beast

Putin emphasizes Russian military ranks high among world’s leading armies -- TASS

Here are the execs from Trump’s so-called Putin List with ties to defense -- Defense News

Pakistan 'Pivots' To Purchase Weapons From China/Russia After Trump Halts Military Aid -- Zero Hedge

Japan base welcomes 1st deployed F-35A, but industry hiccups delay fighter’s supplies -- Defense News

Israel Leaning Toward F-15 Purchase, Away from F-35 - Report -- Sputnik

Canada auditor general prepares new fighter jet report -- Defense News

‘Furious’ program could lead to combat robots for French Army -- C4ISRNet

Top secret Australian government files found in secondhand shop -- The Guardian

US Military Blames 'Human Error' for Refusal to Share Key Data on Afghanistan -- VOA

US military says it didn't mean to hide data showing Taliban's strength, cites 'human error' -- Washington Examiner

Blackhawks Undermining Afghan Air Force Development? -- Alexandra Gutowski, RCD

Air Force Predator crash blamed on crew error, datalink failure -- Air Force Times

The Air Force's struggling tanker program is facing questions about its ability to withstand electromagnetic pulses -- Business Insider

Army Introduces New Night Vision Goggles -- National Defense

Future Vertical Lift poised to get Army out of the acquisition dark ages -- Defense News

Flights In The Western U.S. May Get Delayed By Massive Military GPS Blackout -- Foxtrot Alpha

The latest on the Pentagon’s space warfare center -- C4ISRNet

Cyber Attack Wouldn't Merit Nuclear Strike: Joint Chiefs Vice Chairman -- Military.com/Oriana Pawlyk

Stopping the Next Cyber Conflict -- Dmitri Alperovitch, The Cipher Brief

Trump expected to tap Army cyber warfare chief to lead NSA -- Politico

What a Pentagon Report from the Year 2000 Got Right About Cyber War -- NextGov

CIA director Pompeo met top Russian spies -- CNN

Russia's Spy Chief Visited Washington Amid Publication of 'Kremlin List' -- Moscow Times

Strava CEO responds after the company's heatmap may have compromised secret US military bases worldwide -- Business Insider

Ex-Navy commander pleads guilty in ‘Fat Leonard’ bribery case -- Navy Times/AP

Half of U.S. military facilities vulnerable to extreme weather and climate risks -- Science Magazine

Trump Nuclear Plan Requires Big Fixes In Decaying Warhead Industrial Complex -- Loren Thompson, Forbes

Trump, in State of the Union, seeks full military funding. But how? -- Joe Gould, Defense News

So Much For The Story That Stormy Daniels Had An Affair With President Trump

NBC: Stormy Daniels appears to deny denial of Trump affair

Pornographic film star Stormy Daniels on Tuesday added another twist to the did-they-or-didn't-they saga of whether she had an affair with President Donald Trump several years ago, saying she didn't know where a denial of the alleged affair issued in her name came from.

In a short statement attributed to Daniels and provided by her publicist on Tuesday, the actress was quoted as saying, "I am denying this affair because it never happened."

Late Tuesday, in an appearance on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, remained silent when Kimmel began asking her about the reports. He then pointed out what appeared to be discrepancies between her signature on Tuesday's statement and her signature on a previous statement and promotional materials.

When Daniels agreed that the signature on Tuesday's statement didn't look the same, Kimmel asked her whether she knew where the statement came from. She hesitated and then said, "I do not know where it came from."

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I usually ignore these stories, but the amount of coverage that this story has received is truly amazing. And at the end of the day .... nothing.

More News On Stormy Daniels

Stormy Daniels deflects Kimmel's questions on alleged Trump affair -- Politico
Porn star faces questions during Kimmel interview about alleged affair with President Trump -- ABC News
Amid publicity tour, porn star Stormy Daniels denies having an affair with Trump -- CNBC
Stormy Daniels appears on Kimmel but refuses to confirm or deny alleged Trump affair -- CBS News
'Show me what he did to you': Kimmel uses puppets to try and coax Stormy Daniels into confirming affair with Trump as flip-flopping porn star mocks the President hours after his State of the Union address -- Daily Mail

Hawaii Missile Emergency Report: Employee Fired For Sending False Alert, Emergency Official Resigns

VOA: Hawaii Fires Emergency Official Responsible for False Missile Alert

The Hawaii state employee responsible for launching an erroneous January 13 warning of an incoming missile attack has been fired, following a report stating that the employee had a history of confusing practice exercises with real-life events.

The information was revealed Tuesday in a report by Investigating Officer Bruce Oliveira to the director of Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency.

Vern Miyagi, the administrator for the agency, resigned Tuesday, as the findings became public.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: So the person who had a long history of confusing practice exercises with real-life events was able to still keep his job until this week. I like to know who did he know so that he could keep his job.

More News On Hawaii's Missile Emergency Report

HI-EMA’s Miyagi resigns, ‘button pusher’ fired in aftermath of false missile alert -- Honolulu Star Advertiser
Hawaii worker who sent false alert had problems but kept job -- ABC News
Hawaii emergency chief resigns, officer fired over false missile alert -- USA TODAY
Emergency worker deliberately sent false Hawaii missile alert, believing attack was imminent, FCC says -- Chicago Tribune
The false-alarm missile alert in Hawaii was much more of a disaster than previously thought -- Business Insider
Here's what went wrong with the Hawaii false alarm -- CNN

The Tank Of The Future Will Be 30 Tons, Equipped With Artificial Intelligence That Controls Robots And Lethal Weapon Systems

Warror Maven, Scout Warrior: Future Tanks: 30-Tons, Artificial Intel, Commanding Attack Robots

Dispensing with the heavy cannon, munitions and turret alone removes about 20 tonnes from a modern main battle tank

"A future manned node is more than likely to never operate without a phalanx of unmanned or supporting platforms - from drones for sensors, mine / booby trap hunters, long range / reach weapons like missiles, or traditional “air cover” or traditional infantry support"

The idea of armored fighting vehicles dates from before da Vinci and is the latest iteration of the mounted heavy Cavalry and war elephants. The advent of the internal combustion engine made possible vast increases in energy, which in turn, made practical vehicles with more protection and offensive armament.

Balancing off tradeoffs between firepower, mobility, and protection within the confines of a mass limitation of roughly 70 tonnes (the amount most roads and bridges can carry); a form factor that can be readily transported by rail, road, and ship; that adequately protect the occupants is the task of an AFV designer.

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WNU Editor: A smaller armored vehicle without a heavy cannon and turret ?!?!?! That is not a tank.

The Chinese Military Wants To Increase Its Nuclear Deterrent Capabilities

Members of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) take part in the national flag-raising ceremony to mark the New Year, the first since it took over the duty from paramilitary police, on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China January 1, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer

Reuters: Chinese military paper urges increase in nuclear deterrence capabilities

BEIJING (Reuters) - China must strengthen its nuclear deterrence and counter-strike capabilities to keep pace with the developing nuclear strategies of the United States and Russia, the official paper of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said on Tuesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration may be pursuing the development of new nuclear weaponry and could explicitly leave open the possibility of nuclear retaliation for major non-nuclear attacks, according to a draft of a pending Nuclear Posture Review leaked by the Huffington Post.

This “unprecedented” move by the United States, combined with continuous quality improvements of nuclear arsenals in both the U.S. and Russia, means that both countries place greater importance on deterrence and real combat usability, the commentary in the PLA Daily said.

“In the roiling unpredictability of today’s world, to upgrade the capability of our country’s deterrence strategy, to support our great power position... we must strengthen the reliability and trustworthiness of our nuclear deterrence and nuclear counterstrike capabilities,” it said.

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WNU Editor: There is currently a conventional arms race in Asia .... An Asian Arms Race Is Underway (January 30, 2018). But talk from China about expanding its nuclear capabilities will probably spark in a nuclear arms race with India .... while making other countries in the region wonder if they should also have nuclear weapons.

Will China And Russia Soon BE Able To Have The Capability To Destroy U.S. Satellites?

Washington Free Beacon: Pentagon: China, Russia Soon Capable of Destroying U.S. Satellites

J-2 intelligence report warns of new dangers to low earth orbit satellites.

China and Russia are developing anti-satellite missiles and other weapons and will soon be capable of damaging or destroying all U.S. satellites in low-earth orbit, according to the Pentagon's Joint Staff.

The Joint Staff intelligence directorate, known as J-2, issued the warning in a recent report on the growing threat of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons from those states, according to officials familiar with the assessment.

The report concludes that "China and Russia will be capable of severely disrupting or destroying U.S. satellites in low-earth orbit" in the next several years, said the officials.

The capability to attack low-earth orbit satellites could be in place by 2020, the officials said.

Read more ....

Update: Pentagon Prepares For Next Global Conflict Which Could Start In Outer Space (Zero Hedge)

WNU Editor: No one would win in such a conflict. War in space will probably result in the dispersion of massive amounts of debris  that will make space .... at least at the lower elevations .... impossible to use for decades.

Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: 'Space Secrets Becoming Harder To Keep'

Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Credit: DoD

Space News: Senior military official: Space secrets becoming harder to keep

Gen. Selva: U.S. space capabilities are increasingly easier to track and monitor.

WASHINGTON — The United States is right to be worried about competitors catching up in the race for space supremacy, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Paul Selva said Tuesday.

Defending space is hard because U.S. secrets are out in the open, Selva said during a breakfast meeting with reporters.“We’ve yielded an awful lot of ground to the Russians and the Chinese in space security.”

Space and cyber warfare experts like Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, have warned that China and Russia are developing “counter space capabilities” such as electronic jammers and advanced signal scramblers specifically to target U.S. military satellites.

Selva said he agrees with Hyten about the seriousness of these threats. But even more alarming, he said, is the idea that U.S. space capabilities are becoming easier to track and attack if someone were determined to do it.

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WNU Editor:  I would say that "ALL" secrets are becoming harder to keep.