June 2018 Security News

Russia outraged at U.S. reducing participation in UN counter-terrorism confab People's Daily 29 Jun 2018 -- Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said on Thursday he was "indignant and outraged" by the United States lowering its participation in a counter-terrorism conference underway at UN Headquarters.
'We must fight terrorism together' without sacrificing legal and human rights, declares UN chief UN News 29 Jun 2018 -- With new solutions proposed, and new partnerships established, the United Nations Secretary-General told delegates from Member States attending the first ever High-Level Conference on Counter-Terrorism, that he was committed to meeting the challenge of "keeping your citizens safe".
Pakistan Pulls Sunni Extremist From Terror Watch List VOA 29 Jun 2018 -- Pakistan's government has lifted a ban on extremist religious leader Mohammad Ahmed Ludhianvi, at a time when the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has placed the country on its terror watch list for its alleged failure to curb terror financing.
Trident Shield 18 Tests Mississippi's Domestic Operations Response AFPS 28 Jun 2018 -- In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina swept through the entire state of Mississippi, finally decreasing to a tropical storm as it entered Tennessee. Its passing left 238 Mississippians dead, all 82 counties were officially declared disaster areas, and many coastal towns were simply obliterated.
DHS Requests DoD House Up to 12,000 Migrants AFPS 28 Jun 2018 -- The Defense Department has received a request for assistance from the Department of Homeland Security to house and care for an alien family population of up to 12,000 people, defense officials announced yesterday. DHS requests that DoD identify any available facilities that could be used for that purpose.
Army fields disaster comms systems to National Guard as 2018 hurricane season begins Army News 28 Jun 2018 -- June marks the start of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, and U.S. states and territories are keeping an eye to the sky as they continue to rebuild in the wake of last year's string of devastating storms.
Pakistan Added To Watch List On Global Terror Financing RFE/RL 28 Jun 2018 -- A global money-laundering watchdog will place Pakistan back on its terrorism financing "grey" monitoring list to pressure Islamabad to halt alleged support for militant groups, Pakistani officials say.
Pakistan Confirms Place on Terror-Financing Watch List VOA 28 Jun 2018 -- Pakistan on Thursday confirmed it had been placed on the Financial Action Task Force's "gray list" over its alleged failure to choke off terror financing, although the global financial watchdog has not yet announced the decision.
U.S. Reportedly Withholding Funding For New UN Counterterrorism Office RFE/RL 28 Jun 2018 -- The United States is withholding $2 million in promised funding for the United Nations Counterterrorism Office in the latest move by the White House to push for reform of the world body, media reports say.
'Agile', multilateral response vital to combat terrorism - UN chief Guterres UN News 28 Jun 2018 -- The complex and evolving nature of terrorism necessitates a response that is as agile and multifaceted as the threat itself, the United Nations Secretary-General said on Thursday.
Ukraine Cyberpolice Chief Alleges Russian Hackers Preparing Massive Strike RFE/RL 27 Jun 2018 -- The head of Ukraine's cyberpolice has claimed that Russian hackers are infecting computer systems of Ukrainian firms with malware to establish "back doors" for a large-scale coordinated attack.
US judge orders migrant families to be reunited Press TV 27 Jun 2018 -- A US judge has blocked the administration of President Donald Trump from separating immigrant parents and children at the US-Mexico border.
US Supreme Court Upholds Trump's Travel Ban VOA 26 Jun 2018 -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the Trump administration's travel restrictions on citizens from five Muslim countries, handing President Donald Trump a victory in enforcing one of his most controversial policies.
US Supreme Court upholds Trump's travel ban against Muslims Press TV 26 Jun 2018 -- The US Supreme Court has upheld President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries, handing one of the biggest victories of his presidency.
Readout of the Meeting in Morocco of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS US Dept. of State 26 Jun 2018 -- Senior diplomatic representatives from the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS met today in Morocco to review the global campaign. Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition Brett McGurk provided an update on progress in Iraq and Syria and outlined the Coalition's increasing focus on defeating ISIS's global networks.
UN global counter-terrorism strategy review an 'overarching vision for the future': Assembly President UN News 26 Jun 2018 -- While there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to address the challenges posed by terrorism worldwide, international cooperation is key to counter the scourge, the President of the United Nations General Assembly said on Tuesday, as the body adopted a review of the UN's global counter-terrorism strategy.
Ebola Outbreak in Democratic Republic Congo is 'largely contained': WHO UN News 26 Jun 2018 -- Almost two months after the start of the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), United Nations health experts announced on Tuesday that the deadly disease has "largely been contained".
Cocaine and opium production worldwide hit 'absolute record highs' - major threat to public health says UN study UN News 26 Jun 2018 -- The scourge of opium-based drugs and cocaine are a bigger global threat to public health and law enforcement than ever before, according to the latest World Drug Report, released on Tuesday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Initiative To Address Homegrown Terrorism: Meeting in Rabat, Morocco US Dept. of State 25 Jun 2018 -- The United States and the Kingdom of Morocco, under the auspices of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) – and in partnership with the International Institute for Justice and Rule of Law (IIJ) – held a final coordination meeting to review the good practices document developed as part of the Initiative to Address Homegrown Terrorism in Rabat, Morocco on June 25, 2018.
Uzbek-Born Man Charged In New York Killings Touts Islamic State RFE/RL 23 Jun 2018 -- An Uzbek immigrant who was charged with mowing down and killing eight people with a truck in New York City has spoken out about the Islamic State (IS) extremist group at a court hearing.
Navy Could Build Detention Centers for Illegal Migrants at Military Bases VOA 22 Jun 2018 -- The Navy is prepared to construct massive detention centers on military bases for tens of thousands of immigrants caught illegally crossing the southern U.S. border, should the Department of Homeland Security request help, a U.S. official told VOA.
Indonesia Issues Death Penalty to Cleric for IS Ties VOA 22 Jun 2018 -- A court in the capital Jakarta on Friday sentenced an Indonesian Islamist leader to death for inciting terrorist attacks in support of the Islamic State (IS).
Pakistan Adopts Rules to Fight Terrorism Financing VOA 21 Jun 2018 -- Pakistan's national financial authority has adopted new regulations to fight money laundering and terror financing and to comply with Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) guidelines, a global financial watchdog that recently placed Pakistan on its gray list for its inability to choke terror financing.
Trump, facing backlash, orders halt to family separations at border People's Daily 21 Jun 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump, facing domestic and international backlash, signed an executive order Wednesday to end the administration's controversial practice of separating migrant children from parents crossing the U.S. border illegally.
Nine EU Members Plan 'Rapid-Response' Cyberforce In Lithuania-Led Initiative RFE/RL 21 Jun 2018 -- Nine member states of the European Union will establish "rapid-response teams" to counter cyberattacks, according to project leader Lithuania, which has issued warnings about what it calls Russia-directed "hostile cyberactivities."
Trump Signs Executive Order on Immigration Amid Fierce Political Backlash Sputnik 21 Jun 2018 -- US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that he said is designed to prevent the separation of children from their parents who illegally cross the US-Mexico border after facing fierce criticism from across the entire political spectrum.
The 5th U.S.-Republic of Korea Bilateral Cyber Consultations US Dept. of State 21 Jun 2018 -- The 5th United States-Republic of Korea Bilateral Cyber Consultations were held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on June 21, 2018, to strengthen our joint commitment to an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure cyberspace.
First-ever global conference of national counter-terrorism chiefs will strengthen cooperation, build 'resilient' States, says top UN official UN News 21 Jun 2018 -- Heads of counter-terrorism agencies from across the world will be meeting at UN Headquarters in New York next week for the first time, to pool expertise, resources and ideas to fight back against the growing scourge of international terrorism.
Pentagon Confirms It Will House Up to 20,000 Migrant Children VOA 21 Jun 2018 -- The Pentagon has agreed to house on military bases as many as 20,000 unaccompanied migrant children who illegally crossed the U.S. southern border.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS US Dept. of Justice 20 Jun 2018 -- Parveg Ahmed, 22, of Queens, New York, pleaded guilty today to attempting to provide material support or resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Trump ends family separations by executive order Press TV 20 Jun 2018 -- US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to halt family separations at the country's southern border.
Trump Signs Order to End Migrant Family Separation on US Border VOA 20 Jun 2018 -- In what is being viewed as the most significant policy reversal of his 17-month administration, President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order ending the policy of separating migrant children from their parents who illegally crossed the southern border with Mexico into the U.S.
Children should not be snatched from their migrant parents: UNICEF chief People's Daily 20 Jun 2018 -- Children should not be snatched from their migrant parents, Henrietta Fore, executive director of UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), said on Tuesday, in reference to the controversial U.S. practice on the Mexico border.
Migrant children at US border have right to protection and 'be with their families': UNICEF chief UN News 19 Jun 2018 -- Separating children from their families is in no-one's best interest – the head of UN Children's Fund UNICEF said on Tuesday – pointing to "heartbreaking" stories of infants who have been reportedly removed from their parents after entering the US from Mexico illegally.
Congressional Action Urged to Halt Family Separations at US Border VOA 19 Jun 2018 -- U.S. lawmakers of both political parties on Tuesday urged congressional action to halt the separation of migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border, a practice ordered by the Trump administration that has sparked a ferocious outcry on Capitol Hill.
Wanted Terrorist Mokhtar Belmokhtar Said to Still Be Alive VOA 19 Jun 2018 -- Late last week, a report suggested that wanted terrorist leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar, who has been declared dead at least three times, might still be alive.
As DRC Grapples with Ebola, Guinea Keeps Up Its Guard VOA 19 Jun 2018 -- Just after a morning rain, Gourma Mamadou was shopping in this capital city's crowded, open-air Kaloum market. The young man said he was well aware of the current Ebola outbreak simmering some 4,000 kilometers to the southeast in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the World Health Organization reports it has killed 28 people since April.
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen The White House 18 Jun 2018
UN rights chief slams 'unconscionable' US border policy of separating migrant children from parents UN News 18 Jun 2018 -- As part of his final global update, the United Nations human rights chief on Monday voiced his deep concern over recently-adopted United States border protection policies that have seen hundreds of migrant children forcibly separated from their parents.
Trump: US 'Will Not Be a Migrant Camp' VOA 18 Jun 2018 -- "The United States will not be a migrant camp and it will not be a refugee holding facility," President Donald Trump vowed Monday amid growing outrage over his administration forcibly separating children from parents at the U.S. border with Mexico.
U.S. Warns Of 'Terrorism' Risk During World Cup In Russia RFE/RL 16 Jun 2018 -- The U.S. State Department is warning that "terrorists" may target World Cup venues in Russia, which is hosting the monthlong soccer tournament, but it did not point to any specific threat.
Oregon Army National Guard Chinook helicopter unit prepares for homeland missions Army News 15 Jun 2018 -- Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, continue to diversify their skills and add capabilities to their repertoire, becoming one of the most versatile aviation assets in the state. Soldiers in the Pendleton, Oregon, based unit have been busy this spring, training and preparing their CH-47D Chinook helicopters for a variety of domestic missions that could come their way at any time.
New NATO project to help with real-time detection of explosives in public transport NATO 14 Jun 2018 -- A new NATO project, EXTRAS, led by research institutions in Italy and Serbia, will make it possible to detect explosives and prevent terrorist attacks on public transport. The project, funded by NATO's Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme will use laser spectroscopy to identify explosive materials on potential bombers.
Kaspersky To Halt Cooperation With Europe To Fight Cybercrime RFE/RL 14 Jun 2018 -- Russia's Kaspersky Lab says it will no longer cooperate on several European cybercrime-fighting initiatives after the European Parliament moved to ban its antivirus software.
Kaspersky Lab Cuts Ties With Europol Over EU Branding Its Software "Malicious" Sputnik 14 Jun 2018 -- The European institution's action comes in the wake of previous bans on Kaspersky lab by the American and Dutch governments, particularly over the claims of Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 US elections. These accusations have repeatedly been denied by Moscow as baseless, and no evidence of Russia's involvement has ever been provided.
Hawaii National Guard Engineers Build Shelters for Volcano Evacuees AFPS 13 Jun 2018 -- Since June 7, engineers with the Hawaii Army National Guard have been constructing a community of emergency "micro-shelter" housing units here for residents displaced by the ongoing Kilauea eruption.
Terrorism diverts resources from 'much-needed' development to 'costly' security, warns UN envoy for Central Africa UN News 13 Jun 2018 -- The scourge of terrorism and violent extremism continues to affect all of Central Africa and divert government resources from much-needed development programmes to costly security operations, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council on Wednesday.
National Guard Units Train to Defend Against Cyber Attacks AFPS 12 Jun 2018 -- More than 400 eyes stare at a sea of laptops in a series of rooms here. These eyes belong to the participants of Cyber Yankee 2018, an exercise in which National Guard cyber units and civilian agencies train to react and defend some of the area's critical networks against domestic cyberattacks.
Experts Alarmed at Rise of Jihadi Terrorism in Mozambique VOA 11 Jun 2018 -- On Friday, the U.S. embassy in Mozambique issued a security alert, warning all U.S. citizens to avoid visiting the Palma district in Cabo Delgado province, and urging those already there to "consider departing the area immediately."
Congo Preparing for New Potential Ebola Outbreak - Authorities Sputnik 10 Jun 2018 -- The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has prepared its health services for possible 10th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, the DRC Ministry of Public Health said in a press release on Saturday.
Chinese government hacked US Navy contractor: Official report Press TV 09 Jun 2018 -- Chinese government hackers have reportedly infiltrated the computers of a US navy contractor and stolen a large amount of highly sensitive data on undersea warfare.
North Korea Uses US Tech for 'Destructive Cyber Operations' VOA 08 Jun 2018 -- North Korea's senior leadership has been exploiting loopholes in international sanctions to obtain the U.S. technology that Pyongyang uses to conduct "destructive cyber operations," according to a global cyberthreat intelligence company.
Chinese Hackers Swipe Naval Warfare Secrets from US Firm - Report Sputnik 08 Jun 2018 -- Chinese government hackers have breached the computer networks of a US defense contractor that possesses highly sensitive information on America's undersea warfare plans, it was revealed Friday afternoon.
Report: Chinese Hackers Breach US Navy Computers VOA 08 Jun 2018 -- Chinese government hackers breached the computer system of a Navy contractor and stole large amounts of sensitive data, The Washington Post reports.
WHO Cautiously Optimistic About Halting Ebola Spread in DR Congo VOA 08 Jun 2018 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is cautiously optimistic about containing the spread of the Ebola virus in Democratic Republic of Congo, but warns that much work lies ahead. Thirty eight of 62 suspected cases have been confirmed. Of this total number of confirmed cases, 27 people have died.
Cyber Command Steps Up Recruiting Efforts With Special Hiring Authority AFPS 07 Jun 2018 -- A special authority called Cyber Excepted Service is helping the nation's newest unified combatant command to streamline and expedite its recruitment and hiring processes.
Uzbek Stockholm Truck Attacker Jailed For Life RFE/RL 07 Jun 2018 -- A Swedish court has sentenced Uzbek national Rakhmat Akilov to life in prison for a truck attack that killed five people in Stockholm last year.
Only ?A Matter of Time’ Before Commercial Flights Begin Getting Hacked - DHS Sputnik 07 Jun 2018 -- A unit of US government researchers at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been hacking Boeing commercial airliners’ systems in an effort to determine the viability of such attacks and learn how to mitigate them, as they carry the potential of “catastrophic disaster.”
Department of Defense Hawaii National Guard Press Briefing via Teleconference from Hawaii Army National Guard Army Aviation Support Facility #2, Hilo, Hawaii DoD 06 Jun 2018 -- Command Chief Master Sergeant Ronald C. Anderson, Air National Guard; Sergeant Major Elva Schaben, Hawaii Army National Guard
US Law Enforcement Seeks Authority Over Nonmilitary Drones VOA 06 Jun 2018 -- The proliferation of nonmilitary drones in the United States poses a growing national security threat, top U.S. security and aviation officials warned Wednesday as they pressed Congress to pass legislation that would allow agents to target and potentially take down suspicious drones.
Fleet Cyber Command Conducts New Inspections Focused on Readiness NNS 05 Jun 2018 -- U.S. Fleet Cyber Command's Office of Compliance and Assessment (OCA) launched its Command Cyber Operational Readiness Inspections (CCORI) program earlier this year, marking the first time this type of inspection will be directed and conducted by the Navy as service cyber component of U.S. Cyber Command.
WHO: No Confirmed New Ebola Cases in DRC Since Mid-May VOA 05 Jun 2018 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) reports no new cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been confirmed since May 17. WHO finds of 56 reported cases, 37 are confirmed, 13 are probable and six are suspected. The death toll stands at 25.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS US Dept. of Justice 04 Jun 2018 -- Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
N. Korea Continues Cyberattacks Ahead of Summit VOA 01 Jun 2018 -- Even as it signals a willingness to give up its nuclear arms, North Korea is brandishing another well-known weapon in its arsenal: cyber.
5 New Suspected Ebola Cases Reported in DRC VOA 02 Jun 2018 -- The French news agency AFP is reporting five new suspected cases of the deadly Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Despite Progress, Ebola Danger Remains in DRC VOA 01 Jun 2018 -- There is hope that the world's latest Ebola virus outbreak may be contained in the coming weeks, top experts from the World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders (Medicins San Frontieres) say.

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June 2018 Security News