India's National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval is in Srinagar to review security measures in the Kashmir valley and to hold meetings with security agencies. Watch this video to know.

NSA Ajit Doval in Kashmir to review security

The US Justice Department on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/snowden-says-he-hopes-france-will-grant-him-asylum-249728"> Edward Snowden </a>seeking to prevent the former CIA employee and National Security Agency contractor from profiting from his new book.

The civil lawsuit against Snowden, who is living in Russia after leaking information about the US government's mass surveillance program, accuses him of violating non-disclosure agreements he signed with the CIA and NSA.

Snowden retorted on Twitter that "Permanent Record," which went on sale on Tuesday, is "the book the government doesn't want you to read."

The suit alleges that Snowden published his book without first submitting it to the two government agencies for pre-publication review.

In a statement, the Justice Department said it was not trying to block publication but is seeking to recover any book proceeds earned by Snowden, who is facing espionage charges that could send him to prison for decades.

The publisher of the book, Macmillan Publishers, was also named in the lawsuit "to ensure that no funds are transferred to Snowden," the Justice Department said.

"Edward Snowden has violated an obligation he undertook to the United States when he signed agreements as part of his employment by the CIA and as an NSA contractor," assistant attorney general Jody Hunt said.

"The United States' ability to protect sensitive national security information depends on employees' and contractors' compliance with their non-disclosure agreements," Hunt said.

"We will not permit individuals to enrich themselves, at the expense of the United States, without complying with their pre-publication review obligations."

G. Zachary Terwilliger, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, where the lawsuit was filed, said the suit was intended to "ensure that Edward Snowden receives no monetary benefits from breaching the trust placed in him."

"Intelligence information should protect our nation, not provide personal profit," Terwilliger said.

'Stamp of authenticity'?

Snowden countered,&nbsp;"It is hard to think of a greater stamp of authenticity than the US government filing a lawsuit claiming your book is so truthful that it was literally against the law to write."

The former NSA contractor has been living in Russia since leaking thousands of classified documents to the press in 2013 which revealed the scope of US government surveillance after 9/11.

Praised as a whistleblower and a privacy advocate by his defenders, the United States accuses Snowden of endangering national security and filed charges against him under the Espionage Act.

In an interview with "CBS This Morning" broadcast Monday, he said he would like to return home -- if he can get a fair trial.

The US Justice Department on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Edward Snowden seeking to prevent the former CIA employee and National Security Agency contractor from profiting from his new book.

The US Justice Department on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Edward Snowden seeking to prevent the former CIA employee and National Security Agency contractor from profiting from his new book. The civil lawsuit against Snowden, who is living in Russia after leaking information about the US government's mass surveillance program, accuses him of violating non-disclosure agreements he signed with the CIA and NSA. Snowden retorted on Twitter that "Permanent Record," which went on sale on Tuesday, is "the book the government doesn't want you to read." The suit alleges that Snowden published his book without first submitting it to the two government agencies for pre-publication review. In a statement, the Justice Department said it was not trying to block publication but is seeking to recover any book proceeds earned by Snowden, who is facing espionage charges that could send him to prison for decades. The publisher of the book, Macmillan Publishers, was also named in the lawsuit "to ensure that no funds are transferred to Snowden," the Justice Department said. "Edward Snowden has violated an obligation he undertook to the United States when he signed agreements as part of his employment by the CIA and as an NSA contractor," assistant attorney general Jody Hunt said. "The United States' ability to protect sensitive national security information depends on employees' and contractors' compliance with their non-disclosure agreements," Hunt said. "We will not permit individuals to enrich themselves, at the expense of the United States, without complying with their pre-publication review obligations." G. Zachary Terwilliger, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, where the lawsuit was filed, said the suit was intended to "ensure that Edward Snowden receives no monetary benefits from breaching the trust placed in him." "Intelligence information should protect our nation, not provide personal profit," Terwilliger said. 'Stamp of authenticity'? Snowden countered, "It is hard to think of a greater stamp of authenticity than the US government filing a lawsuit claiming your book is so truthful that it was literally against the law to write." The former NSA contractor has been living in Russia since leaking thousands of classified documents to the press in 2013 which revealed the scope of US government surveillance after 9/11. Praised as a whistleblower and a privacy advocate by his defenders, the United States accuses Snowden of endangering national security and filed charges against him under the Espionage Act. In an interview with "CBS This Morning" broadcast Monday, he said he would like to return home -- if he can get a fair trial.

US Justice Department sues American whistleblower Snowden over new book

President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that the exit of his hawkish <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/i-asked-nsa-john-bolton-to-resign-tweets-us-president-donald-trump-248901">national security advisor</a> won't bring a softening of the US position on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/left-behind-venezuelas-kids-growing-up-without-parents-247914">Venezuela</a>.

Bolton, a prominent hardliner in Washington's attempt to pressure Venezuelan strongman President Nicolas Maduro from power, was sacked Tuesday.

This sparked speculation in some media outlets that Trump might seek a more conciliatory line.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/colombias-armed-forces-on-alert-over-venezuela-military-exercises-249164">Colombia's armed forces on alert over Venezuela military exercises</a>

However, the president indicated on Twitter that his policies could instead harden.

"In fact, my views on Venezuela, and especially Cuba, were far stronger than those of John Bolton. He was holding me back!" he said.

The United States already imposes sanctions on Venezuelan officials and its oil industry.

Washington has also recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate president, but with little success in shifting Maduro's grip on power.

Millions of Venezuelans have left the country as a result of political unrest and economic collapse, with food and medicinal supplies often scarce.

More than 50 countries recognise Guaido. However, Maduro still enjoys support from Russia, China and Cuba. 
&nbsp;

President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that the exit of his hawkish national security advisor won't bring a softening of the US position on Venezuela. Bolton, a prominent hardliner in Washington's attempt to pressure Venezuelan strongman President Nicolas Maduro from power, was sacked Tuesday.

President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that the exit of his hawkish national security advisor won't bring a softening of the US position on Venezuela. Bolton, a prominent hardliner in Washington's attempt to pressure Venezuelan strongman President Nicolas Maduro from power, was sacked Tuesday. This sparked speculation in some media outlets that Trump might seek a more conciliatory line. Also read: Colombia's armed forces on alert over Venezuela military exercises However, the president indicated on Twitter that his policies could instead harden. "In fact, my views on Venezuela, and especially Cuba, were far stronger than those of John Bolton. He was holding me back!" he said. The United States already imposes sanctions on Venezuelan officials and its oil industry. Washington has also recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate president, but with little success in shifting Maduro's grip on power. Millions of Venezuelans have left the country as a result of political unrest and economic collapse, with food and medicinal supplies often scarce. More than 50 countries recognise Guaido. However, Maduro still enjoys support from Russia, China and Cuba.

Trump says national security advisor restrained him on Venezuela

America's next National Security Adviser: Who'll replace John Bolton?

U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly fired his national security adviser John Bolton amid disagreements with his hard-line aide over how to handle foreign policy challenges such as North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan and Russia.

US President Donald Trump fires NSA John Bolton

During an interaction with the group of journalist, Doval said that restrictions have been lifted from J&K

NSA Doval on Army presence in J&K

National Security Advisor&nbsp;Ajit Doval is expected to visit Jammu and &nbsp;Kashmir on Monday after the Central government moved a resolution to scrap Articles 370 and 35A.

According to reports, NSA Ajit Doval will visit Kashmir&nbsp;along with other senior security officials, to review the situation on the ground.&nbsp;

Doval had&nbsp;visited Srinagar&nbsp;last week&nbsp;ahead of the Centre's announcement on its decision to revoke Article 370.

Doval also met&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah&nbsp;at PM's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.

Announcing the decision in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Home Minister Amit Shah said there should be no delay in implementing the decision.

"I am presenting the resolution to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir except the first clause 370 (1)," Amit Shah said in the Parliament.

Meanwhile, Centre has asked states and Union Territories to keep security forces on "maximum alert" following decisions related to Jammu and Kashmir to "pre-empt" and "prevent any breach of security", a communique issued by Home Ministry said.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is expected to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Monday after the Central government moved a resolution to scrap Articles 370 and 35A.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is expected to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Monday after the Central government moved a resolution to scrap Articles 370 and 35A. According to reports, NSA Ajit Doval will visit Kashmir along with other senior security officials, to review the situation on the ground. Doval had visited Srinagar last week ahead of the Centre's announcement on its decision to revoke Article 370. Doval also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah at PM's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. Announcing the decision in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Home Minister Amit Shah said there should be no delay in implementing the decision. "I am presenting the resolution to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir except the first clause 370 (1)," Amit Shah said in the Parliament. Meanwhile, Centre has asked states and Union Territories to keep security forces on "maximum alert" following decisions related to Jammu and Kashmir to "pre-empt" and "prevent any breach of security", a communique issued by Home Ministry said.

NSA Ajit Doval is expected to visit Jammu and Kashmir today, forces on alert

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday chaired a 'high level' meeting with Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Kashmir at Parliament complex in New Delhi.

The meeting was also attended by Intelligence Bureau Chief Arvind Kumar, RAW chief Samant Kumar Goel and senior Home Ministry officials.

"The Government is reviewing the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir as terror threats are looming over the Amarnath Yatra", an official in the Home Ministry said.

The evacuation of the Amarnath Yatris and tourists from the valley is a major challenge for the Government as of now, the official said.

Also, tomorrow Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 in Rajya Sabha.

The bill was passed in Lok Sabha on July 1. This bill, if passed by Upper House of Parliament, will provide up to 10 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in educational institutions and public employment alongside existing reservations in the state.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday chaired a 'high level' meeting with Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Kashmir at Parliament complex in New Delhi.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday chaired a 'high level' meeting with Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Kashmir at Parliament complex in New Delhi. The meeting was also attended by Intelligence Bureau Chief Arvind Kumar, RAW chief Samant Kumar Goel and senior Home Ministry officials. "The Government is reviewing the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir as terror threats are looming over the Amarnath Yatra", an official in the Home Ministry said. The evacuation of the Amarnath Yatris and tourists from the valley is a major challenge for the Government as of now, the official said. Also, tomorrow Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 in Rajya Sabha. The bill was passed in Lok Sabha on July 1. This bill, if passed by Upper House of Parliament, will provide up to 10 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in educational institutions and public employment alongside existing reservations in the state. (With inputs from Agencies)

Home Minister Amit Shah conducts high-level meeting with NSA, IB and RAW chiefs amid Kashmir terror threat

NSA Ajit Doval on Monday was given another term to serve for the same position. His appointment will be for five years. The very crucial person in terms of national security is concerned, Ajit Doval played every possible role in his latest term to serve it to the fullest.

Ajit Doval gets another term as India's National Security Advisor

US&nbsp;National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Saturday North Korea's recent missile launches violated a UN&nbsp;Security Council resolution and urged leader Kim Jong Un to return to denuclearisation talks.

It was the first time a senior US&nbsp;official has described the tests as a violation of UN&nbsp;resolutions aimed at halting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/north-korea-missile-tests-does-diplomacy-still-have-a-chance-218607">North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes</a> and came ahead of a four-day visit to Japan by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump who arrives later in the day.

"The UN&nbsp;resolution prohibits the launch of any ballistic missiles," Bolton said at a press roundtable. North Korea's test firings included short-range ballistic missiles and so there was "no doubt" it was a violation, he added.

Earlier this month, Kim Jong Un oversaw the first flight of a previously untested weapon - a relatively small, fast missile experts believe will be easier to hide, launch and manoeuvre in flight.

Bolton said that the United States was still open to talks with Kim's regime but that it had not changed its position from the one outlined at the last <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-blames-us-for-failed-summit-urges-new-calculation-221306">summit between the United States and North Korea</a> in Hanoi.

"Trump has held the door open for Kim, the next step is for Kim to walk through it," he said.

Bolton also urged Kim to agree to a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which he said could help restart dialogue on North Korea's weapons programmes.

An Abe Kim summit "could be substantive assistance to that", he said.

Trump, who will play golf with Abe on Sunday before watching Sumo wrestling, is expected to discuss topics ranging from North Korea to China and two-way trade when they sit down for a summit on Monday.

The two leaders will also discuss rising tensions with Iran, Bolton said. Abe is considering a visit to Iran as early as mid-June, public broadcaster NHK said on Friday, the first such trip in four decades.

Washington has said it will stop waivers for countries buying Iranian oil and has designated Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organisation.

The <a href="http://wionews.com/world/north-korea-says-biggest-issue-in-us-ties-is-impounded-ship-220662http://wionews.com/world/north-korea-says-biggest-issue-in-us-ties-is-impounded-ship-220662">United States&nbsp;</a>is also deploying a carrier strike group and bombers to the Middle East in response to what the Trump administration described as troubling “indications and warnings” from Iran.

Bolton, who has spearheaded an increasingly hawkish US&nbsp;policy on Iran, described recent attacks on tankers off the United Arab Emirates and a pipeline pumping station in Saudi Arabia, as well as a rocket attack in Baghdad’s Green Zone in Iraq, as "manifestations of concern".

The United States has "deep and serious" intelligence on the threat posed by Iran, said Bolton, who declined to provide details.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Saturday North Korea's recent missile launches violated a UN Security Council resolution and urged leader Kim Jong Un to return to denuclearisation talks.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Saturday North Korea's recent missile launches violated a UN Security Council resolution and urged leader Kim Jong Un to return to denuclearisation talks. It was the first time a senior US official has described the tests as a violation of UN resolutions aimed at halting North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes and came ahead of a four-day visit to Japan by US President Donald Trump who arrives later in the day. "The UN resolution prohibits the launch of any ballistic missiles," Bolton said at a press roundtable. North Korea's test firings included short-range ballistic missiles and so there was "no doubt" it was a violation, he added. Earlier this month, Kim Jong Un oversaw the first flight of a previously untested weapon - a relatively small, fast missile experts believe will be easier to hide, launch and manoeuvre in flight. Bolton said that the United States was still open to talks with Kim's regime but that it had not changed its position from the one outlined at the last summit between the United States and North Korea in Hanoi. "Trump has held the door open for Kim, the next step is for Kim to walk through it," he said. Bolton also urged Kim to agree to a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which he said could help restart dialogue on North Korea's weapons programmes. An Abe Kim summit "could be substantive assistance to that", he said. Trump, who will play golf with Abe on Sunday before watching Sumo wrestling, is expected to discuss topics ranging from North Korea to China and two-way trade when they sit down for a summit on Monday. The two leaders will also discuss rising tensions with Iran, Bolton said. Abe is considering a visit to Iran as early as mid-June, public broadcaster NHK said on Friday, the first such trip in four decades. Washington has said it will stop waivers for countries buying Iranian oil and has designated Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organisation. The United States is also deploying a carrier strike group and bombers to the Middle East in response to what the Trump administration described as troubling “indications and warnings” from Iran. Bolton, who has spearheaded an increasingly hawkish US policy on Iran, described recent attacks on tankers off the United Arab Emirates and a pipeline pumping station in Saudi Arabia, as well as a rocket attack in Baghdad’s Green Zone in Iraq, as "manifestations of concern". The United States has "deep and serious" intelligence on the threat posed by Iran, said Bolton, who declined to provide details.

North Korean missile test violated UN resolution: John Bolton

The Imran Khan-led Pakistan government is actively considering appointing a National Security Advisor to revive backchannel diplomacy with India to iron out issues hindering the resumption of peace talks between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Pak to appoint NSA for talks with India

With the Lok Sabha elections 2019 over, Pakistan is considering backchannel options to open talks with India. According to reports, Islamabad is considering the appointment of a retired military officer as national security advisor to revive the cold diplomatic ties with New Delhi.

Pakistan planning to appoint NSA to resume back-channel talks with India

India's NSA Ajit Doval talks tough on terror

The United States has asked Pakistan to take "meaningful steps" against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). US National Security Adviser John Bolton who spoke with Pakistani Foreign Minister SM Qureshi in a tweet said&nbsp;encouraged "meaningful steps against JeM and other terrorist groups operating from Pakistan."

Adding further that the Pakistani Foreign Minister assured "me that Pakistan would deal firmly with all terrorists and will continue steps to deescalate tensions with India."

The readout of the same conversation between Bolton and Qureshi from Pakistani Foriegn Ministry, on the other hand, makes no mention of US NSA asking Pakistan to act on JeM.

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Spoke with Pakistani FM Qureshi to encourage meaningful steps against JeM and other terrorist groups operating from Pakistan. The FM assured me that Pakistan would deal firmly with all terrorists and will continue steps to deescalate tensions with India.
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmbJohnBolton/status/1105188397541408768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The development comes even as Indian Foreign Secretary is in US and met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. A read out from the US State Department said, "Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Secretary Gokhale discussed the importance of bringing those responsible for the attack to justice and the urgency of Pakistan taking meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil."

It is important to note that US NSA and Indian NSA Ajit Doval have spoken three times since the Pulwama terror attack whose responsibility was taken by UN-listed terror group JeM emanating from Pakistan.

The first time when the US NSA spoke with Indian NSA was February 15, just a day after Pulwama terror attack and tweeted "Pakistan must crack down on JeM and all terrorists operating from its territory" adding "Countries should uphold UNSC responsibilities to deny safe haven and support for terrorists".

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I expressed condolences to NSA Doval yesterday for the reprehensible terrorist attack on India. Pakistan must crack down on JeM and all terrorists operating from its territory. Countries should uphold UNSC responsibilities to deny safe haven and support for terrorists <a href="https://twitter.com/nsaajit?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nsaajit</a>
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmbJohnBolton/status/1096743998625062912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The Ministry of External Affairs readout of the Bolton-Doval talks of February 15 had mentioned that Ambassador Bolton supports India's right to self-defence against cross-border terrorism.

He also offered "all assistance" to India to bring the perpetrators and backers of the Pulwama terror attack promptly to justice.

India on February 26 launched strikes against JeM terror camp in Balakot, Pakistan. United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the strikes as a "counter-terrorism action". In a statement, he said," following Indian counter-terrorism action on February 26, I spoke with Indian minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj to emphasise our close security partnership and shared goal of maintaining peace and security in the region". 
&nbsp;

The United States has asked Pakistan to take "meaningful steps" against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). US National Security Adviser John Bolton who spoke with Pakistani Foreign Minister SM Qureshi in a tweet said encouraged "meaningful steps against JeM and other terrorist groups operating from Pakistan.

The United States has asked Pakistan to take "meaningful steps" against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). US National Security Adviser John Bolton who spoke with Pakistani Foreign Minister SM Qureshi in a tweet said encouraged "meaningful steps against JeM and other terrorist groups operating from Pakistan." Adding further that the Pakistani Foreign Minister assured "me that Pakistan would deal firmly with all terrorists and will continue steps to deescalate tensions with India." The readout of the same conversation between Bolton and Qureshi from Pakistani Foriegn Ministry, on the other hand, makes no mention of US NSA asking Pakistan to act on JeM. Spoke with Pakistani FM Qureshi to encourage meaningful steps against JeM and other terrorist groups operating from Pakistan. The FM assured me that Pakistan would deal firmly with all terrorists and will continue steps to deescalate tensions with India. — John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) March 11, 2019 × The development comes even as Indian Foreign Secretary is in US and met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. A read out from the US State Department said, "Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Secretary Gokhale discussed the importance of bringing those responsible for the attack to justice and the urgency of Pakistan taking meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil." It is important to note that US NSA and Indian NSA Ajit Doval have spoken three times since the Pulwama terror attack whose responsibility was taken by UN-listed terror group JeM emanating from Pakistan. The first time when the US NSA spoke with Indian NSA was February 15, just a day after Pulwama terror attack and tweeted "Pakistan must crack down on JeM and all terrorists operating from its territory" adding "Countries should uphold UNSC responsibilities to deny safe haven and support for terrorists". I expressed condolences to NSA Doval yesterday for the reprehensible terrorist attack on India. Pakistan must crack down on JeM and all terrorists operating from its territory. Countries should uphold UNSC responsibilities to deny safe haven and support for terrorists @nsaajit — John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) February 16, 2019 × The Ministry of External Affairs readout of the Bolton-Doval talks of February 15 had mentioned that Ambassador Bolton supports India's right to self-defence against cross-border terrorism. He also offered "all assistance" to India to bring the perpetrators and backers of the Pulwama terror attack promptly to justice. India on February 26 launched strikes against JeM terror camp in Balakot, Pakistan. United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the strikes as a "counter-terrorism action". In a statement, he said," following Indian counter-terrorism action on February 26, I spoke with Indian minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj to emphasise our close security partnership and shared goal of maintaining peace and security in the region".

US National Security Adviser Bolton asks Pakistan to take steps against JeM

The Bulandshahr district administration on Monday invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against seven people arrested in connection with the alleged cow slaughtering incident in Siyana tehsil last month, officials said.

Cattle carcasses were found strewn in the fields outside village Mahaw in Siyana on December 3 after which a mob went on the rampage, attacking the local Chingrawathi police post.&nbsp;

Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, 44, and civilian Sumit Kumar, 20, of Chingrawathi village were killed of gunshot injuries in the ensuing violence.

Two separate FIRs were registered, one for the violence in which nearly 80 people including 27 named and the other for cow slaughter, at the Siyana police station.

"Yes,"&nbsp;District Magistrate Anuj Jha said in response to a PTI query on whether the stringent NSA was invoked against those arrested in the cow slaughter case.&nbsp;

The Bulandshahr district administration on Monday invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against seven people arrested in connection with the alleged cow slaughtering incident in Siyana tehsil last month, officials said.

The Bulandshahr district administration on Monday invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against seven people arrested in connection with the alleged cow slaughtering incident in Siyana tehsil last month, officials said. Cattle carcasses were found strewn in the fields outside village Mahaw in Siyana on December 3 after which a mob went on the rampage, attacking the local Chingrawathi police post. Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, 44, and civilian Sumit Kumar, 20, of Chingrawathi village were killed of gunshot injuries in the ensuing violence. Two separate FIRs were registered, one for the violence in which nearly 80 people including 27 named and the other for cow slaughter, at the Siyana police station. "Yes," District Magistrate Anuj Jha said in response to a PTI query on whether the stringent NSA was invoked against those arrested in the cow slaughter case.

Bulandshahr violence: National Security Act invoked against those arrested

Sounding an alarm for those who aid and abet cheating during board exams, the Uttar Pradesh government said Tuesday it might use the stringent National Security Act (NSA) to save the future of thousands of children who take the test.

"We will take stringent action against those who run gangs that aid the use of unfair means during board exams, change answer sheets, leak question papers and resort to other mass-copying antics. We will take stringent action against them and not hesitate in imposing the NSA on them," Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma told PTI here.

The state board examinations will begin on February 7 and will be conducted over 16 working days.

The NSA is a stringent law that allows preventive detention for months if the authorities are satisfied that the person is a threat to national security or law and order.

Sharma, who holds the portfolio of secondary and higher education, said examination centres in the state, which reported maximum cases of cheating in the past, would be strictly monitored.

"At sensitive exam centres, Aadhaar of students has been linked with registration. However, not every centre across the state has been linked to Aadhaar. A district-wise list of suspicious centres has also been prepared," he said.

"The intention of the UP government is to curtail use of unfair means by students, while making efforts to improve quality of education. Owing to efforts of the UP government, use of unfair means has stopped, and the number of students studying in government schools has increased by 18-20 per cent," he said.

The Adityanath government, he said, had taken a lot of steps to check cheating in exams.

"Before the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, the prevailing atmosphere in the state prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to say that tenders were floated in UP for copying. After the BJP came to power in UP, steps&nbsp;have been taken to curtail the evil practice," the deputy chief minister said. Sharma said the use of unfair means was so rampant in the past that students from specific states were kept together at one exam centre.

"At these centres, stringent measures were initiated to ensure that use of unfair means does not take place. Last year, strict vigil was maintained on suspicious centres. As a result, 67 persons were arrested from a place. A press, printing answer sheets, was unearthed in Jaunpur, while a gang involved in leakage of question paper was busted in Hardoi. Impersonators were caught in Kaushambi and Aligarh," he said.

The state government held out the NSA threat in the past while mentioning efforts to deal with cow slaughter, power theft, an insult to the national anthem and circulation of fake currency.

Recently, the Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration invoked the law against the alleged-sand mining kingpin for building an illegal dam on the Yamuna.

Among the cases where the NSA has been invoked in the state is that of Dalit leader and Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar Azad, who was arrested in June 2017 for his alleged role in the Saharanpur caste clashes.&nbsp;

The NSA is a stringent law that allows preventive detention for months if the authorities are satisfied that the person is a threat to national security or law and order.

Sounding an alarm for those who aid and abet cheating during board exams, the Uttar Pradesh government said Tuesday it might use the stringent National Security Act (NSA) to save the future of thousands of children who take the test. "We will take stringent action against those who run gangs that aid the use of unfair means during board exams, change answer sheets, leak question papers and resort to other mass-copying antics. We will take stringent action against them and not hesitate in imposing the NSA on them," Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma told PTI here. The state board examinations will begin on February 7 and will be conducted over 16 working days. The NSA is a stringent law that allows preventive detention for months if the authorities are satisfied that the person is a threat to national security or law and order. Sharma, who holds the portfolio of secondary and higher education, said examination centres in the state, which reported maximum cases of cheating in the past, would be strictly monitored. "At sensitive exam centres, Aadhaar of students has been linked with registration. However, not every centre across the state has been linked to Aadhaar. A district-wise list of suspicious centres has also been prepared," he said. "The intention of the UP government is to curtail use of unfair means by students, while making efforts to improve quality of education. Owing to efforts of the UP government, use of unfair means has stopped, and the number of students studying in government schools has increased by 18-20 per cent," he said. The Adityanath government, he said, had taken a lot of steps to check cheating in exams. "Before the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, the prevailing atmosphere in the state prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to say that tenders were floated in UP for copying. After the BJP came to power in UP, steps have been taken to curtail the evil practice," the deputy chief minister said. Sharma said the use of unfair means was so rampant in the past that students from specific states were kept together at one exam centre. "At these centres, stringent measures were initiated to ensure that use of unfair means does not take place. Last year, strict vigil was maintained on suspicious centres. As a result, 67 persons were arrested from a place. A press, printing answer sheets, was unearthed in Jaunpur, while a gang involved in leakage of question paper was busted in Hardoi. Impersonators were caught in Kaushambi and Aligarh," he said. The state government held out the NSA threat in the past while mentioning efforts to deal with cow slaughter, power theft, an insult to the national anthem and circulation of fake currency. Recently, the Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration invoked the law against the alleged-sand mining kingpin for building an illegal dam on the Yamuna. Among the cases where the NSA has been invoked in the state is that of Dalit leader and Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar Azad, who was arrested in June 2017 for his alleged role in the Saharanpur caste clashes.

Cheating mafia to be booked under National Security Act: UP Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma

An Imphal-based journalist, who was detained last month under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), will remain in custody for 12 months, according to a Manipur government order which said his activities were "prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order".

The District Magistrate of Imphal West had ordered the&nbsp;detention of Kishorechand Wangkhem, a 39-year-old journalist who works for a local TV channel, on November 27 allegedly after he uploaded videos criticising the BJP-led governments in Manipur and the Centre <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/how-will-the-hindutva-blues-play-out-169751">for observing Rani Jhansi's birth anniversary</a>.

The videos which he had uploaded on November 19 in both English and Meitei were not related to his official work, officials had said.

According to a state home department statement issued on December 14, the Advisory Board of the National Security Act (NSA), in its sitting held on December 11, had examined the allegations levelled against the journalist, Kishorechand Wangkhem.

On December 13, the board recommended that there were "sufficient grounds" to detain Wangkhem under the provisions of the NSA, the statement said, without elaborating on the allegations against him .

Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla has approved the advisory board's recommendation on detention of the journalist under the NSA, according to the statement.

"The Governor of Manipur after considering the proximate past activities of the detenu and potential danger of his activities which are prejudicial to the security of the State and maintenance of public order and there is apprehension of his continuing to act in similar prejudicial activities, the moment he is released from detention, ....The said person should be detained for the maximum period of 12 months as provided under Section 13 of the said Act," the statement said.

In consonance with the opinion of the Board and exercise of power under Section 12 (1), the Governor has, therefore, ordered that his detention will be for a period of 12 months, it said.

According to the provision, in any case where the Advisory Board has reported that there is, in its opinion, sufficient cause for the detention of a person, the government may confirm the detention order and continue the detention of the person concerned for such period as it thinks fit.

Under section 13 of the Act, the maximum period of detention under the NSA is 12 months.

In the video clips posted by him, Wangkhem had purportedly said he was saddened and shocked to learn that the present government in Manipur was observing the birth anniversary of Rani of Jhansi, according to media reports.

He reportedly said Rani of Jhansi's deeds had nothing to do with Manipur and the state was observing her birth anniversary because the Centre had asked it to. In this context, he allegedly called Chief Minister Biren Singh a "puppet of the Centre" and a "puppet of Hindutva".

The chief minister had said that the Rani of Jhansi had played a role in the unification of India. 
November 19 is the birth anniversary of Laxmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, who was one of the leading figures in the 1857 mutiny.

Wangkhem's wife Ranjita Elangbam told PTI on Wednesday that she has appealed to the MHA to "cancel" the charges against him under the NSA but has not received any reply till now.&nbsp;

An Imphal-based journalist, who was detained last month under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), will remain in custody for 12 months, according to a Manipur government order which said his activities were "prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order".

An Imphal-based journalist, who was detained last month under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), will remain in custody for 12 months, according to a Manipur government order which said his activities were "prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order". The District Magistrate of Imphal West had ordered the detention of Kishorechand Wangkhem, a 39-year-old journalist who works for a local TV channel, on November 27 allegedly after he uploaded videos criticising the BJP-led governments in Manipur and the Centre for observing Rani Jhansi's birth anniversary. The videos which he had uploaded on November 19 in both English and Meitei were not related to his official work, officials had said. According to a state home department statement issued on December 14, the Advisory Board of the National Security Act (NSA), in its sitting held on December 11, had examined the allegations levelled against the journalist, Kishorechand Wangkhem. On December 13, the board recommended that there were "sufficient grounds" to detain Wangkhem under the provisions of the NSA, the statement said, without elaborating on the allegations against him . Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla has approved the advisory board's recommendation on detention of the journalist under the NSA, according to the statement. "The Governor of Manipur after considering the proximate past activities of the detenu and potential danger of his activities which are prejudicial to the security of the State and maintenance of public order and there is apprehension of his continuing to act in similar prejudicial activities, the moment he is released from detention, ....The said person should be detained for the maximum period of 12 months as provided under Section 13 of the said Act," the statement said. In consonance with the opinion of the Board and exercise of power under Section 12 (1), the Governor has, therefore, ordered that his detention will be for a period of 12 months, it said. According to the provision, in any case where the Advisory Board has reported that there is, in its opinion, sufficient cause for the detention of a person, the government may confirm the detention order and continue the detention of the person concerned for such period as it thinks fit. Under section 13 of the Act, the maximum period of detention under the NSA is 12 months. In the video clips posted by him, Wangkhem had purportedly said he was saddened and shocked to learn that the present government in Manipur was observing the birth anniversary of Rani of Jhansi, according to media reports. He reportedly said Rani of Jhansi's deeds had nothing to do with Manipur and the state was observing her birth anniversary because the Centre had asked it to. In this context, he allegedly called Chief Minister Biren Singh a "puppet of the Centre" and a "puppet of Hindutva". The chief minister had said that the Rani of Jhansi had played a role in the unification of India. November 19 is the birth anniversary of Laxmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, who was one of the leading figures in the 1857 mutiny. Wangkhem's wife Ranjita Elangbam told PTI on Wednesday that she has appealed to the MHA to "cancel" the charges against him under the NSA but has not received any reply till now.

Manipur journalist Kishorechand Wangkhem held under NSA to remain in detention for 12 months: Govt

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is expected to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US National Security Advisor John Bolton at the White House on Tuesday, reports said.

Qureshi arrived in the US on Sunday for bilateral talks with the officials after his trip to New York for the United Nation's General Assembly session. &nbsp;

His first stop is expected to be the White House where he will meet Bolton for talks on untangling Pakistan's ruffled relations with the US.&nbsp;

He will then proceed to the US State Department for his second meeting with the Secretary of State.

On Monday, Qureshi will meet Pakistani diplomats and experts to prepare for the crucial talks that are to be held on Tuesday.

Pompeo and Qureshi first met in Islamabad in September when the US approached the new Pakistani government to discuss key issues that have strained decades-old ties between the two countries.

It was during his Islamabad visit that Pompeo invited the Pakistani foreign minister to visit Washington for further talks.

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is expected to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US National Security Advisor John Bolton at the White House on Tuesday, reports said.

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is expected to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US National Security Advisor John Bolton at the White House on Tuesday, reports said. Qureshi arrived in the US on Sunday for bilateral talks with the officials after his trip to New York for the United Nation's General Assembly session. His first stop is expected to be the White House where he will meet Bolton for talks on untangling Pakistan's ruffled relations with the US. He will then proceed to the US State Department for his second meeting with the Secretary of State. On Monday, Qureshi will meet Pakistani diplomats and experts to prepare for the crucial talks that are to be held on Tuesday. Pompeo and Qureshi first met in Islamabad in September when the US approached the new Pakistani government to discuss key issues that have strained decades-old ties between the two countries. It was during his Islamabad visit that Pompeo invited the Pakistani foreign minister to visit Washington for further talks.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi expected to meet Pompeo, NSA over US-Pak relations 

Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the country's National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Saturday.

He was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference in Singapore, where he was asked if the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state, where most Rohingya live, could trigger use of the Responsibility to Protect framework of the United Nations.

The so-called R2P framework was adopted at the 2005 U.N. World Summit in which nations agreed to protect their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and accepted a collective responsibility to encourage and help each other uphold this commitment.

"If you can send back 700,000 on a voluntary basis, we are willing to receive them," Thaung Tun said. "Can this be called ethnic cleansing?

"There is no war going on, so it's not war crimes. Crimes against humanity, that could be a consideration, but we need clear evidence. These serious charges should be proved and they should not be bandied about lightly."

Since August 2017, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, U.N. and other aid organisations have said.

The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", an accusation Myanmar rejects.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years.

Myanmar signed an agreement with the United Nations on Thursday aimed at eventually allowing the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice.

It also said it would set up an independent commission to investigate "the violation of human rights and related issues" in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts.

Thaung Tun said that the narrative of what happened in Rakhine was "incomplete and misleading".

"Myanmar does not deny that what is unfolding in northern Rakhine is a humanitarian crisis," he said. "There is no denying that the Muslim community in Rakhine has suffered. The Buddhist Rakhine, Hindu and other ethnic minorities have suffered no less."

He said that while the military had the right to defend the country, if investigations showed they had acted illegally, action would be taken.

The claim was made by the country's National Security Adviser Thaung Tun at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Tun said Myanmar would take back the 700,000 Rohingya who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return

Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the country's National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Saturday. He was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference in Singapore, where he was asked if the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state, where most Rohingya live, could trigger use of the Responsibility to Protect framework of the United Nations. The so-called R2P framework was adopted at the 2005 U.N. World Summit in which nations agreed to protect their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and accepted a collective responsibility to encourage and help each other uphold this commitment. "If you can send back 700,000 on a voluntary basis, we are willing to receive them," Thaung Tun said. "Can this be called ethnic cleansing? "There is no war going on, so it's not war crimes. Crimes against humanity, that could be a consideration, but we need clear evidence. These serious charges should be proved and they should not be bandied about lightly." Since August 2017, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, U.N. and other aid organisations have said. The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", an accusation Myanmar rejects. Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years. Myanmar signed an agreement with the United Nations on Thursday aimed at eventually allowing the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice. It also said it would set up an independent commission to investigate "the violation of human rights and related issues" in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts. Thaung Tun said that the narrative of what happened in Rakhine was "incomplete and misleading". "Myanmar does not deny that what is unfolding in northern Rakhine is a humanitarian crisis," he said. "There is no denying that the Muslim community in Rakhine has suffered. The Buddhist Rakhine, Hindu and other ethnic minorities have suffered no less." He said that while the military had the right to defend the country, if investigations showed they had acted illegally, action would be taken.

Myanmar says it is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya refugees

The United States on Sunday threatened to impose sanctions on European companies that do business with Iran, as the remaining participants in the Iran nuclear accord stiffened their resolve to keep that agreement operational.

White House National Security adviser John Bolton said US&nbspsanctions on European companies that maintain business dealings with Iran were "possible," but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he remained hopeful Washington and its allies could strike a new nuclear deal with Tehran.

Bolton struck a more hawkish tone with his comments in an interview with CNN's "State of the Union" program than Pompeo did when he was interviewed on "Fox News Sunday."

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-withdrawal-from-iran-deal-wasnt-aimed-at-the-europeans-136612">Withdrawal from Iran deal 'wasn't aimed at the Europeans'</a>

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump on May 8 announced that the United States was withdrawing from a 2015 deal negotiated by the Obama administration.

So far, China, France, Russia, Britain, the European Union and Iran remain in the accord, which placed controls on Iran's nuclear program and led to a relaxation of U.S. economic sanctions against Iran and companies doing business there.

Also read:&nbsp<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-lift-sanctions-on-north-korea-if-it-meets-demands-says-pompeo-136599">US to lift sanctions on North Korea if it meets demands, says Pompeo</a>

Despite the US&nbspexit, Britain and Iran on Sunday expressed their commitment to ensuring that the accord is upheld, according to a statement released by British Prime Minister Theresa May's office.

And Germany said it will spend the next few months trying to persuade Washington to change its mind.

When asked whether the United States might impose sanctions on European companies that continue to do business with Iran, Bolton told CNN: "It's possible. It depends on the conduct of other governments."

Pompeo said he was "hopeful in the days and weeks ahead we can come up with a deal that really works, that really protects the world from Iranian bad behaviour, not just their nuclear program, but their missiles and their malign behavior as well."

'REGIME CHANGE'

The US&nbspwithdrawal from the Iran deal has upset Washington's European allies, cast uncertainty over global oil supplies and raised the risk of conflict in the Middle East.

Germany's minister for economic affairs, Peter Altmaier, said on Sunday that Berlin will try to "persuade the US&nbspgovernment to change its behaviour."

In an interview with ZDF public television, Altmaier noted the United States has set a 90-day deadline for foreign firms to comply with the return of sanctions and that this period can be used to convince Washington to change course.

Israel and Iran engaged in an extensive military exchange on the heels of Trump's decision to leave the deal. On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron told Trump in a telephone call that he was worried about stability in the Middle East, according to Macron's office.

As a private citizen, Bolton in the past has suggested that the United States push for a change in Iran's government. But in an interview aired on the ABC's "This Week" program, Bolton said, "That's not the policy of the administration. The policy of the administration is to make sure that Iran never gets close to deliverable nuclear weapons."

In the CNN interview, Bolton did not respond directly when asked whether Trump might seek "regime change" in Iran, or whether the U.S. military would be ordered to make a preemptive strike against any Iranian nuclear facility.

"I'm not the national security decision-maker," Bolton said, adding that Trump "makes the decision and the advice that I give him is between us."

When pressed by CNN on whether the Trump administration would sanction European firms that continue to do business with Iran, Bolton said, "I think the Europeans will see that it's in their interest ultimately to come along with us."

Bolton said Europe was still digesting Trump's May 8 move.

"I think at the moment there's some feeling in Europe - they're really surprised we got out of it, really surprised at the reimposition of strict sanctions. I think that will sink in we'll see what happens then," Bolton said.

The US threatened to impose sanctions on European companies that do business with Iran even as the remaining participants in the Iran nuclear accord stiffened their resolve to keep the agreement operational

The United States on Sunday threatened to impose sanctions on European companies that do business with Iran, as the remaining participants in the Iran nuclear accord stiffened their resolve to keep that agreement operational. White House National Security adviser John Bolton said US&nbspsanctions on European companies that maintain business dealings with Iran were "possible," but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he remained hopeful Washington and its allies could strike a new nuclear deal with Tehran. Bolton struck a more hawkish tone with his comments in an interview with CNN's "State of the Union" program than Pompeo did when he was interviewed on "Fox News Sunday." Also read: Withdrawal from Iran deal 'wasn't aimed at the Europeans' US&nbspPresident Donald Trump on May 8 announced that the United States was withdrawing from a 2015 deal negotiated by the Obama administration. So far, China, France, Russia, Britain, the European Union and Iran remain in the accord, which placed controls on Iran's nuclear program and led to a relaxation of U.S. economic sanctions against Iran and companies doing business there. Also read: US to lift sanctions on North Korea if it meets demands, says Pompeo Despite the US&nbspexit, Britain and Iran on Sunday expressed their commitment to ensuring that the accord is upheld, according to a statement released by British Prime Minister Theresa May's office. And Germany said it will spend the next few months trying to persuade Washington to change its mind. When asked whether the United States might impose sanctions on European companies that continue to do business with Iran, Bolton told CNN: "It's possible. It depends on the conduct of other governments." Pompeo said he was "hopeful in the days and weeks ahead we can come up with a deal that really works, that really protects the world from Iranian bad behaviour, not just their nuclear program, but their missiles and their malign behavior as well." 'REGIME CHANGE' The US&nbspwithdrawal from the Iran deal has upset Washington's European allies, cast uncertainty over global oil supplies and raised the risk of conflict in the Middle East. Germany's minister for economic affairs, Peter Altmaier, said on Sunday that Berlin will try to "persuade the US&nbspgovernment to change its behaviour." In an interview with ZDF public television, Altmaier noted the United States has set a 90-day deadline for foreign firms to comply with the return of sanctions and that this period can be used to convince Washington to change course. Israel and Iran engaged in an extensive military exchange on the heels of Trump's decision to leave the deal. On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron told Trump in a telephone call that he was worried about stability in the Middle East, according to Macron's office. As a private citizen, Bolton in the past has suggested that the United States push for a change in Iran's government. But in an interview aired on the ABC's "This Week" program, Bolton said, "That's not the policy of the administration. The policy of the administration is to make sure that Iran never gets close to deliverable nuclear weapons." In the CNN interview, Bolton did not respond directly when asked whether Trump might seek "regime change" in Iran, or whether the U.S. military would be ordered to make a preemptive strike against any Iranian nuclear facility. "I'm not the national security decision-maker," Bolton said, adding that Trump "makes the decision and the advice that I give him is between us." When pressed by CNN on whether the Trump administration would sanction European firms that continue to do business with Iran, Bolton said, "I think the Europeans will see that it's in their interest ultimately to come along with us." Bolton said Europe was still digesting Trump's May 8 move. "I think at the moment there's some feeling in Europe - they're really surprised we got out of it, really surprised at the reimposition of strict sanctions. I think that will sink in we'll see what happens then," Bolton said.

US threatens sanctions on European companies doing business with Iran

North Korea is offering negotiations with the United States in order to buy time to develop its nuclear weapons, the incoming US national security advisor (NSA) John Bolton said on Sunday.

In an interview on the "Cats Roundtable" radio show, Bolton said, "I think we have to look at what North Korea's motivation is here. I think they're very worried that they've got a different president in the White House than Barack Obama. They're worried about the pressure that the president's (Donald Trump) already put on."

"They've got a fairly limited number of things they need to do in North Korea to make their nuclear warheads actually deliverable on targets in the United States. So they want to try and slow roll the negotiations to buy more time. This is something they've done consistently over the last 25 years," he added.

Bolton is known as one of the most hawkish voices in US foreign policy and has recently argued for a preventive strike on North Korea, Yonhap news agency reported.

President Trump picked Bolton as his new NSA on Friday, replacing H.R. McMaster, shortly after he replaced Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with another hawk, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo last week.

Both the decisions came after the US president accepted Kim's invitation to a summit, which the former said would take place before the end of May.

He underscored that sooner the meeting between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will happen, the issue of denuclearisation would be solved in a "concrete manner" and not by "theoretical discussion".

Bolton served as the ambassador to the United Nations under former US President George W. Bush during parts of 2005 and 2006. He will take over as the new NSA on April 9.

US National Security Advisor (NSA) John Bolton underscored that sooner the meeting between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will happen, the issue of denuclearisation would be solved in a "concrete manner" and not by 'theoretical discussion'

North Korea is offering negotiations with the United States in order to buy time to develop its nuclear weapons, the incoming US national security advisor (NSA) John Bolton said on Sunday. In an interview on the "Cats Roundtable" radio show, Bolton said, "I think we have to look at what North Korea's motivation is here. I think they're very worried that they've got a different president in the White House than Barack Obama. They're worried about the pressure that the president's (Donald Trump) already put on." "They've got a fairly limited number of things they need to do in North Korea to make their nuclear warheads actually deliverable on targets in the United States. So they want to try and slow roll the negotiations to buy more time. This is something they've done consistently over the last 25 years," he added. Bolton is known as one of the most hawkish voices in US foreign policy and has recently argued for a preventive strike on North Korea, Yonhap news agency reported. President Trump picked Bolton as his new NSA on Friday, replacing H.R. McMaster, shortly after he replaced Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with another hawk, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo last week. Both the decisions came after the US president accepted Kim's invitation to a summit, which the former said would take place before the end of May. He underscored that sooner the meeting between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will happen, the issue of denuclearisation would be solved in a "concrete manner" and not by "theoretical discussion". Bolton served as the ambassador to the United Nations under former US President George W. Bush during parts of 2005 and 2006. He will take over as the new NSA on April 9.

North Korea buying time to develop nuclear weapons: Bolton

In a rare visit, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval quietly travelled to Bhutan earlier this month where they held extensive talks with the Bhutanese leadership on key strategic issues including the situation in Doklam, government sources said.

The visit came after reports from intelligence agencies that soldiers from China&#39;s People&#39;s Liberation Army (PLA) were seen patrolling areas which are under Bhutan&#39;s control.

According to intelligence agencies, the Chinese Army has been holding intrusive patrolling in areas near Doklam like Lhariong, Sarithang, Sinchulumpa and Pangka La; the PLA has also been conducting fighter and helicopter reconnaissance sorties over the areas.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/why-is-doklam-emerging-as-a-flash-point-between-china-and-india-17553" target="_blank">Why Doklam is emerging as a flashpoint between India and China</a>

Despite the onset of winters, the PLA was continuing with force consolidation in western sector, the intelligence agencies said. Apart from the field defences constructed north of Doklam, the PLA has also erected around 25 small to medium size tents alongside open communication trenches in the area, they said.

A PLA observation post with Chinese flag was been observed in the area, the intelligence agencies said adding that Chinese soldiers continue to ferry troops and logistics supplies towards Doka La cutting past Bhutan&#39;s claim line, the Sinche La ridge.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/doklam-was-a-setback-china-keen-on-teaching-india-a-lesson-19300" target="_blank">Doklam was a setback, China keen on teaching India a lesson</a>

Sources said that during the visit by the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gen-rawats-remarks-on-dokalam-unconstructive-china-29595" target="_blank">Army Chief</a> and top officials on February 6 and 7, India and Bhutan reviewed bilateral security and defence cooperation with focus on China&#39;s increasing military posturing and infrastructure development around the Doklam plateau.

The visit by General Rawat, Doval and Gokhale was the first by top Indian officials from India to Bhutan after the Doklam standoff, and was kept under wraps by the Bhutanese and Indian sides.

The visit came three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay on the sidelines of an investors&#39; summit in Guwahati. The sources said the Bhutanese side apprised the Indians of the status of boundary talks between Bhutan and China, and emphasised that Thimphu wants peace in the Doklam tri-junction.

Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam from June 16 last year after the Indian side stopped construction of a road at the disputed Doklam tri-junction by the Chinese army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off ended on August 28.

China and Bhutan are engaged in talks over the resolution of the dispute in the area.

India has argued that it has a say in the issue, especially in the backdrop of a 2012 agreement between special representatives of the two countries, that have till now held 20 rounds of talks. Bhutan has no diplomatic ties with China. As a close friend and neighbour, Bhutan enjoys diplomatic and military support from India.

The visit came after reports from intelligence agencies that soldiers from China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) were seen patrolling areas which are under Bhutan's control

In a rare visit, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval quietly travelled to Bhutan earlier this month where they held extensive talks with the Bhutanese leadership on key strategic issues including the situation in Doklam, government sources said. The visit came after reports from intelligence agencies that soldiers from China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) were seen patrolling areas which are under Bhutan's control. According to intelligence agencies, the Chinese Army has been holding intrusive patrolling in areas near Doklam like Lhariong, Sarithang, Sinchulumpa and Pangka La; the PLA has also been conducting fighter and helicopter reconnaissance sorties over the areas. Also read: Why Doklam is emerging as a flashpoint between India and China Despite the onset of winters, the PLA was continuing with force consolidation in western sector, the intelligence agencies said. Apart from the field defences constructed north of Doklam, the PLA has also erected around 25 small to medium size tents alongside open communication trenches in the area, they said. A PLA observation post with Chinese flag was been observed in the area, the intelligence agencies said adding that Chinese soldiers continue to ferry troops and logistics supplies towards Doka La cutting past Bhutan's claim line, the Sinche La ridge. Also read: Doklam was a setback, China keen on teaching India a lesson Sources said that during the visit by the Army Chief and top officials on February 6 and 7, India and Bhutan reviewed bilateral security and defence cooperation with focus on China's increasing military posturing and infrastructure development around the Doklam plateau. The visit by General Rawat, Doval and Gokhale was the first by top Indian officials from India to Bhutan after the Doklam standoff, and was kept under wraps by the Bhutanese and Indian sides. The visit came three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay on the sidelines of an investors' summit in Guwahati. The sources said the Bhutanese side apprised the Indians of the status of boundary talks between Bhutan and China, and emphasised that Thimphu wants peace in the Doklam tri-junction. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam from June 16 last year after the Indian side stopped construction of a road at the disputed Doklam tri-junction by the Chinese army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off ended on August 28. China and Bhutan are engaged in talks over the resolution of the dispute in the area. India has argued that it has a say in the issue, especially in the backdrop of a 2012 agreement between special representatives of the two countries, that have till now held 20 rounds of talks. Bhutan has no diplomatic ties with China. As a close friend and neighbour, Bhutan enjoys diplomatic and military support from India.

After Doklam standoff, Army Chief, NSA and Foreign Secretary secretly visited Bhutan. Here's why

Three people have <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/maryland-at-least-1-wounded-after-shooting-near-nsa-headquarters-in-us-32879">been arrested after a car crashed </a>through the entrance of National Security Agency(NSA) building in Washinton.

The FBI said there is no terror link in the case.

&quot;There is no indication that this has a nexus to terrorism,&quot; FBI Special Agent in Charge Gordon Johnson.

&quot;We believe that this was an isolated incident,&quot; Johnson added.

Three people were injured in the crash including the driver as security personnel opened fire. The injured didn&#39;t have any gunshots wounds, FBI said.

FBI is still investigating the incident with the three men who were in the vehicle being taken into custody.

Three people were injured in the crash including the driver as security personnel opened fire.

Three people have been arrested after a car crashed through the entrance of National Security Agency(NSA) building in Washinton. The FBI said there is no terror link in the case. "There is no indication that this has a nexus to terrorism," FBI Special Agent in Charge Gordon Johnson. "We believe that this was an isolated incident," Johnson added. Three people were injured in the crash including the driver as security personnel opened fire. The injured didn't have any gunshots wounds, FBI said. FBI is still investigating the incident with the three men who were in the vehicle being taken into custody.

No terror link in car crash in NSA building: FBI

The National Security Advisors (NSAs) of India and Pakistan held a &quot;secret&quot; meeting in Thailand, a senior Pakistani official said on Monday.

A Pakistan&#39;s national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistan&#39;s National Security Advisor retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and India&#39;s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn newspaper reported.

&quot;The meeting was good. Doval&#39;s tone and tenor was friendly and positive,&quot; the official who had been briefed about the meeting disclosed.

He was told the meeting was useful and said it might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well, the report said.

According to the Pakistani official, the meeting came after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad.

While Pakistan termed its decision to allow Jadhav&#39;s family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as a humanitarian gesture, India has accused it of violating mutual understandings, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly- controlled interaction.

India also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security.

Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted.

New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution.

A Pakistan's national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistan's National Security Advisor retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn newspaper reported

The National Security Advisors (NSAs) of India and Pakistan held a "secret" meeting in Thailand, a senior Pakistani official said on Monday. A Pakistan's national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistan's National Security Advisor retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn newspaper reported. "The meeting was good. Doval's tone and tenor was friendly and positive," the official who had been briefed about the meeting disclosed. He was told the meeting was useful and said it might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well, the report said. According to the Pakistani official, the meeting came after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. While Pakistan termed its decision to allow Jadhav's family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as a humanitarian gesture, India has accused it of violating mutual understandings, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly- controlled interaction. India also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution.

NSAs of India, Pakistan secretly met after Jadhav family visit: official

US President Donald Trump attacked the FBI in a series of tweets on Sunday, calling it the &quot;worst in history&quot; and saying that its reputation was &quot;in tatters&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness,&quot; he tweeted.&nbsp;

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Tainted (no, very dishonest?) FBI &ldquo;agent&rsquo;s role in Clinton probe under review.&rdquo; Led Clinton Email probe. <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@foxandfriends</a> Clinton money going to wife of another FBI agent in charge.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/937301085156503552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/937305615218696193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Report: &ldquo;ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE&rdquo; Now it all starts to make sense!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/937314665176207360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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On Friday, former US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn admitted to the FBI that he had lied about his conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition.&nbsp;

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is currently investigating whether Trump should be charged with obstruction of justice for firing former FBI director James Comey.&nbsp;

Comey had said Trump had asked him to drop the Flynn probe.&nbsp;

'After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History!' Trump tweeted

US President Donald Trump attacked the FBI in a series of tweets on Sunday, calling it the "worst in history" and saying that its reputation was "in tatters". "After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness," he tweeted. Tainted (no, very dishonest?) FBI “agent’s role in Clinton probe under review.” Led Clinton Email probe. @foxandfriends Clinton money going to wife of another FBI agent in charge. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017 × After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017 × Report: “ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE” Now it all starts to make sense! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017 × On Friday, former US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn admitted to the FBI that he had lied about his conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is currently investigating whether Trump should be charged with obstruction of justice for firing former FBI director James Comey. Comey had said Trump had asked him to drop the Flynn probe.

Trump says FBI 'worst in history, reputation in tatters'

It was always a mere imagination that flying cars would exist many years from now, however, it might actually happen in the recent future.

Uber and NASA have partnered up to create flying taxis, which was confirmed during the Web Summit conference in Lisbon on November 8 by Uber chief product officer Jeff Holden.

It was also announced that Los Angeles will join two other previously revealed &ldquo;UberAIR&rdquo; pilot schemes in Dallas Fort-Worth, Texas, and Dubai.

Uber plans to start test drives by 2020 in Los Angeles and be set to carry out &ldquo;tens of thousands&rdquo; of rides per day across the city, just in time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

But the planned electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLS) &ldquo;&quot;differ from helicopters in that they are orders of magnitude quieter, safer, more affordable, and more environmentally-friendly,&rdquo; the company said, adding that journeys will be priced competitively with a standard Uber trip.

A promotional video shown at the summit, illustrated how the app would work in a similar way to the current set-up for ordering a car ride.

The video shows a women booking a &lsquo;ride&rsquo; from her Uber app after which she is seen entering the &lsquo;skyport&rsquo; on the roof of a building. After which she scans her phone with the code and enters the Uber flying taxi, a plane-helicopter hybrid aircraft with fixed wings and tilt prop-rotors. The flying taxi makes the journey to the destination and lands at another &#39;roof airport&#39;, where an Uber vehicle taxi is waiting for her. Finally, the end scene is shown where the woman enters her home after the hassle free ride without suffering any stress from daily commute.

Watch the video below:

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Want to experience what it will be like to push a button and get a flight with uberAIR? Keep watching. <a href="https://t.co/rRnj68Vs9j">pic.twitter.com/rRnj68Vs9j</a>
&mdash; Uber (@Uber) <a href="https://twitter.com/Uber/status/928312337207001089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The first demonstration flights are expected in 2020, moving into commercial operations by 2023 ? in plenty of time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

It was always a mere imagination that flying cars would exist many years from now, however, it might actually happen in the recent future. Uber and NASA have partnered up to create flying taxis, which was confirmed during the Web Summit conference in Lisbon on November 8 by Uber chief product officer Jeff Holden. It was also announced that Los Angeles will join two other previously revealed “UberAIR” pilot schemes in Dallas Fort-Worth, Texas, and Dubai. Uber plans to start test drives by 2020 in Los Angeles and be set to carry out “tens of thousands” of rides per day across the city, just in time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. But the planned electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLS) “"differ from helicopters in that they are orders of magnitude quieter, safer, more affordable, and more environmentally-friendly,” the company said, adding that journeys will be priced competitively with a standard Uber trip. A promotional video shown at the summit, illustrated how the app would work in a similar way to the current set-up for ordering a car ride. The video shows a women booking a ‘ride’ from her Uber app after which she is seen entering the ‘skyport’ on the roof of a building. After which she scans her phone with the code and enters the Uber flying taxi, a plane-helicopter hybrid aircraft with fixed wings and tilt prop-rotors. The flying taxi makes the journey to the destination and lands at another 'roof airport', where an Uber vehicle taxi is waiting for her. Finally, the end scene is shown where the woman enters her home after the hassle free ride without suffering any stress from daily commute. Watch the video below: Want to experience what it will be like to push a button and get a flight with uberAIR? Keep watching. pic.twitter.com/rRnj68Vs9j — Uber (@Uber) November 8, 2017 ×

WATCH: Uber and NASA set to develop flying taxis

A US&nbsp;intelligence contractor has been charged with leaking to a news organization classified National Security Agency material about Russian interference in the 2016 American presidential election, the Justice Department and officials said.

The Justice Department on Monday charged Reality Leigh Winner, 25, with removing classified material from a government facility in Georgia. It said she was arrested on Saturday.

It was one of the first concrete efforts by the administration of President Donald Trump to crack down on leaks to the media.

The charges were announced less than an hour after The Intercept published a top-secret document from the NSA that described Russian efforts to launch cyber attacks on at least one US&nbsp;voting software supplier and send &quot;spear-phishing&quot; emails, or targeted emails, that try to trick a recipient into clicking on a malicious link to steal data, to more than 100 local election officials days before the November&nbsp;8 US&nbsp;election.

While the charges do not name the publication, a US&nbsp;official with knowledge of the case said Winner was charged with leaking the NSA report to The Intercept. A second official confirmed The Intercept document was authentic and did not dispute that the charges were directly tied to it.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the case beyond its filing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Winner&#39;s mother also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Intercept report carried details it said supported the conclusion of US&nbsp;intelligence agencies that Russian intelligence services were seeking to infiltrate state voter registration systems as part of a broader effort to interfere in the election, discredit Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and help the Republican Trump win the election.

The new material does not suggest that actual votes were manipulated.

The Intercept co-founding editor Glenn Greenwald did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While partially redacted, the NSA document is marked to show it would be up for declassification on May 5, 2042. The indictment against Winner alleges she &quot;printed and improperly removed&quot; classified intelligence reporting that was dated &quot;on or about May 5, 2017.&quot;

Classified documents are typically due to be declassified after 25 years under an executive order signed under former President Bill Clinton.

The NSA opened a facility in Augusta in 2012 at Fort Gordon, a US&nbsp;Army outpost.

The FBI and several congressional committees are investigating how Russia interfered in the election and whether associates of President Donald Trump may have colluded with Russian intelligence operatives during the campaign.

Trump has dismissed the allegations as &quot;fake news&quot; and sought to focus attention on leaks of information to the media.

Winner graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio in 2011. Investigators determined she was one of only six individuals to print the document in question and that she had exchanged emails with the news outlet, according to the criminal complaint.

The complaint said that on Saturday, Winner told an FBI agent she had intentionally printed classified intelligence and mailed it to a news organization while knowing &quot;the contents of the reporting could be used to the injury of the United States and to the advantage of a foreign nation.&quot;

US&nbsp;intelligence agencies including the NSA and Central Intelligence Agency have fallen victim to several thefts of classified material in recent years, often at the hands of a federal contractor. Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden in 2013 disclosed secret documents to journalists, including Greenwald, that revealed broad US&nbsp;surveillance programs.

(Reuters)

Winner, 25, leaked a top-secret NSA document describing Russian efforts to launch cyber attacks on at least 1 US?voting software supplier

A US intelligence contractor has been charged with leaking to a news organization classified National Security Agency material about Russian interference in the 2016 American presidential election, the Justice Department and officials said. The Justice Department on Monday charged Reality Leigh Winner, 25, with removing classified material from a government facility in Georgia. It said she was arrested on Saturday. It was one of the first concrete efforts by the administration of President Donald Trump to crack down on leaks to the media. The charges were announced less than an hour after The Intercept published a top-secret document from the NSA that described Russian efforts to launch cyber attacks on at least one US voting software supplier and send "spear-phishing" emails, or targeted emails, that try to trick a recipient into clicking on a malicious link to steal data, to more than 100 local election officials days before the November 8 US election. While the charges do not name the publication, a US official with knowledge of the case said Winner was charged with leaking the NSA report to The Intercept. A second official confirmed The Intercept document was authentic and did not dispute that the charges were directly tied to it. The Justice Department declined to comment on the case beyond its filing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Winner's mother also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Intercept report carried details it said supported the conclusion of US intelligence agencies that Russian intelligence services were seeking to infiltrate state voter registration systems as part of a broader effort to interfere in the election, discredit Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and help the Republican Trump win the election. The new material does not suggest that actual votes were manipulated. The Intercept co-founding editor Glenn Greenwald did not immediately respond to a request for comment. While partially redacted, the NSA document is marked to show it would be up for declassification on May 5, 2042. The indictment against Winner alleges she "printed and improperly removed" classified intelligence reporting that was dated "on or about May 5, 2017." Classified documents are typically due to be declassified after 25 years under an executive order signed under former President Bill Clinton. The NSA opened a facility in Augusta in 2012 at Fort Gordon, a US Army outpost. The FBI and several congressional committees are investigating how Russia interfered in the election and whether associates of President Donald Trump may have colluded with Russian intelligence operatives during the campaign. Trump has dismissed the allegations as "fake news" and sought to focus attention on leaks of information to the media. Winner graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio in 2011. Investigators determined she was one of only six individuals to print the document in question and that she had exchanged emails with the news outlet, according to the criminal complaint. The complaint said that on Saturday, Winner told an FBI agent she had intentionally printed classified intelligence and mailed it to a news organization while knowing "the contents of the reporting could be used to the injury of the United States and to the advantage of a foreign nation." US intelligence agencies including the NSA and Central Intelligence Agency have fallen victim to several thefts of classified material in recent years, often at the hands of a federal contractor. Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden in 2013 disclosed secret documents to journalists, including Greenwald, that revealed broad US surveillance programs. (Reuters)

Trump-Russia: US intelligence contractor charged with leaks

A software that demands a ransom was the weapon of choice used in a wave of unprecedented global cyber attacks that affected more than 2,00,000 computers around the world over the weekend. &nbsp;

The attacks have raised questions about how this so-called ransomware works, and how to guard against it.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is malicious software which locks computer files and forces users to pay the attackers a designated sum in the virtual Bitcoin currency to regain access to the files.

Ransomware is used on PCs as well as tablets and smartphones. It can affect &quot;at the same time individuals, businesses and institutions,&quot; Amar Zendik, CEO security firm Mind Technologies, told AFP.

How does it work?

Cyber pirates generally take control of computers by exploiting flaws in the internet. That could happen when a user logs onto a website that has been previously infected or opens an email that invites the user to click on a link or download an attachment.

In a few seconds, the malware can be implanted. And when it&#39;s installed, &quot;it can&#39;t be detected,&quot; Laurent Marechal, a cyber security expert at McAfee, told AFP.

It&#39;s only afterwards that it &quot;downloads the &#39;payload&#39;, that is the viral charge,&quot; he said.

From then on the computer work station is blocked. &quot;Most often the user has to send an SMS&quot; - and pay up - &quot;in order to get the unblocking code,&quot; &nbsp;says Marechal, adding that in certain complex cases, the virus can spread &quot;without any human intervention&quot;.

Is it used frequently?

Yes. And ransomware continues to multiply. According to security software Kapersky Lab, 62 new types of ransomware were identified last year.

And the US computer security software company McAfee said the number of &quot;samples&quot; detected increased by 88 percent in 2016, totalling some four million.

&quot;Often the pirates ask for small sums of money. But accumulated, these small amounts add up to big money,&quot; says cyber security expert Zendik.

Another expert Marechal said could be found on the &#39;dark web&#39;, an obscured part of the internet that&#39;s not indexed by classic search engines.

&quot;Individuals can buy ransomware ready to use, sometimes only for $150,&quot; he said.

Why was Friday&#39;s attack so massive?

The culprits behind the cyber attacks apparently took advantage of a flaw in the Windows operating system, which had been divulged in documents leaked from the US National Security Agency (NSA), according to initial findings of the investigation.

Zendik said the attack was based on a previously unknown Windows flaw.

&quot;We&#39;re not talking about classic &#39;ransomware&#39; which generally targets individuals and small businesses,&quot; he said. &quot;Here the hackers attacked big institutions, not likely to be susceptible to paying, especially given the publicity about the operation.&quot;

He added that &quot;in theory, the authors of the attack did not want to make money, but rather to achieve a (cyber) coup.&quot;

How can you protect against ransomware?

There are several simple rules that can be followed to reduce the risks of a ransomware attack.

Among them are regularly updating the computer&#39;s security software which can correct any flaws exploited by the virus. 
In case of a cyber attack, the authorities advise disconnecting the infected equipment immediately from the network, in order to isolate them.

In the case of a virus affecting a business or an institution, the IT experts should be alerted right away.

Authorities also recommend not paying the hackers the ransom demanded - because it&#39;s no guarantee that access to the data will be restored.

(AFP)

The recent WannaCry ransomware attack has raised questions about how it works and how to guard against it

A software that demands a ransom was the weapon of choice used in a wave of unprecedented global cyber attacks that affected more than 2,00,000 computers around the world over the weekend. The attacks have raised questions about how this so-called ransomware works, and how to guard against it. What is ransomware? Ransomware is malicious software which locks computer files and forces users to pay the attackers a designated sum in the virtual Bitcoin currency to regain access to the files. Ransomware is used on PCs as well as tablets and smartphones. It can affect "at the same time individuals, businesses and institutions," Amar Zendik, CEO security firm Mind Technologies, told AFP. How does it work? Cyber pirates generally take control of computers by exploiting flaws in the internet. That could happen when a user logs onto a website that has been previously infected or opens an email that invites the user to click on a link or download an attachment. In a few seconds, the malware can be implanted. And when it's installed, "it can't be detected," Laurent Marechal, a cyber security expert at McAfee, told AFP. It's only afterwards that it "downloads the 'payload', that is the viral charge," he said. From then on the computer work station is blocked. "Most often the user has to send an SMS" - and pay up - "in order to get the unblocking code," says Marechal, adding that in certain complex cases, the virus can spread "without any human intervention". Is it used frequently? Yes. And ransomware continues to multiply. According to security software Kapersky Lab, 62 new types of ransomware were identified last year. And the US computer security software company McAfee said the number of "samples" detected increased by 88 percent in 2016, totalling some four million. "Often the pirates ask for small sums of money. But accumulated, these small amounts add up to big money," says cyber security expert Zendik. Another expert Marechal said could be found on the 'dark web', an obscured part of the internet that's not indexed by classic search engines. "Individuals can buy ransomware ready to use, sometimes only for $150," he said. Why was Friday's attack so massive? The culprits behind the cyber attacks apparently took advantage of a flaw in the Windows operating system, which had been divulged in documents leaked from the US National Security Agency (NSA), according to initial findings of the investigation. Zendik said the attack was based on a previously unknown Windows flaw. "We're not talking about classic 'ransomware' which generally targets individuals and small businesses," he said. "Here the hackers attacked big institutions, not likely to be susceptible to paying, especially given the publicity about the operation." He added that "in theory, the authors of the attack did not want to make money, but rather to achieve a (cyber) coup." How can you protect against ransomware? There are several simple rules that can be followed to reduce the risks of a ransomware attack. Among them are regularly updating the computer's security software which can correct any flaws exploited by the virus. In case of a cyber attack, the authorities advise disconnecting the infected equipment immediately from the network, in order to isolate them. In the case of a virus affecting a business or an institution, the IT experts should be alerted right away. Authorities also recommend not paying the hackers the ransom demanded - because it's no guarantee that access to the data will be restored. (AFP)

WannaCry: What is ransomware and how to protect yourself from it

The White House was warned in January that Donald Trump&#39;s national security advisor Michael Flynn was vulnerable to Russian blackmail, a top former official told lawmakers Monday, as the issue of the president&#39;s ties to Moscow returned to the spotlight.

Trump hit back by dismissing suggestions that his team colluded with Russia as a &quot;hoax,&quot; and calling the congressional investigations into Russia&#39;s interference in the US election a taxpayer-funded &quot;charade.&quot;

Former acting attorney general Sally Yates, a Barack Obama appointee sacked by Trump early in his presidency, took the stand alongside former director of national intelligence James Clapper during Monday&#39;s hotly-anticipated three-hour hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Yates confirmed reports that she had told the White House, six days into Trump&#39;s administration, that Flynn, a former military intelligence chief, had not been honest with Vice President Mike Pence about his discussions with the Russian ambassador to Washington, leaving him vulnerable to leverage from Moscow.

It nevertheless took 18 days before the president, pressed by Pence and others, dismissed the retired army lieutenant general, who had advised him on security issues throughout the 2016 presidential campaign.

&quot;We believed that General Flynn was compromised with respect to the Russians,&quot; Yates told the hearing in her first public comments on the scandal which has dogged the opening months of Trump&#39;s presidency.

&quot;This was a problem because not only did we believe that the Russians knew this but that they likely had proof of this information. And that created a compromise situation, a situation where the national security advisor essentially could be blackmailed by the Russians.&quot;

Yates, who was fired on January 30 after defying Trump over his contested travel ban, did not say what Flynn discussed with ambassador Sergey Kislyak in a number of December 2016 phone calls, which were secretly monitored by US intelligence.

Pence said in January that Flynn denied those calls involved sanctions placed on Russia by the Obama administration in response to its election meddling.

Obama warned Trump 
Trump has repeatedly branded the issue of Russian interference &quot;fake news&quot; despite the US intelligence community&#39;s conclusion that President Vladimir Putin himself was behind the meddling.

In a series of tweets Monday evening, Trump doubled down on that stance.

&quot;The Russia-Trump collusion story is a total hoax, when will this taxpayer funded charade end?&quot; fumed one post, while in a second the president targeted Yates -- claiming she had &quot;said nothing but old news!&quot; after earlier assailing her for allegedly leaking classified information.

Known as a tough and independent prosecutor, Yates has been a target of Trump&#39;s ire since her refusal in January to support his controversial immigration ban on nationals from several Muslim-majority nations -- for which he fired her.

Yates&#39; comments came after former Obama officials revealed that the outgoing president himself firmly warned Trump against naming Flynn as national security advisor, just two days after the November 8 election.

Obama had cautioned against Flynn, whom he fired in 2014 as head of the defense intelligence agency, due to his poor record in administration and personnel management.

In separate testimony Monday, Clapper called Russia&#39;s interference in last year&#39;s election &quot;a clarion call for vigilance and action against a threat to the very foundations of our democratic political system.&quot;

&quot;I believe they&#39;re now emboldened to continue such activities in the future, both here and around the world, and to do so even more intensely,&quot; he said.

The dual testimony by Yates and Clapper returned the spotlight to the simmering controversy over Russia&#39;s meddling in last year&#39;s US election.&nbsp;

Probes by several congressional committees into Russian election meddling have been bogged down for weeks amid accusations by Democrats that Republicans have stalled progress to protect the White House.

(AFP)

Flynn, the former national security adviser, was asked to go after just 23 days in the job

The White House was warned in January that Donald Trump's national security advisor Michael Flynn was vulnerable to Russian blackmail, a top former official told lawmakers Monday, as the issue of the president's ties to Moscow returned to the spotlight. Trump hit back by dismissing suggestions that his team colluded with Russia as a "hoax," and calling the congressional investigations into Russia's interference in the US election a taxpayer-funded "charade." Former acting attorney general Sally Yates, a Barack Obama appointee sacked by Trump early in his presidency, took the stand alongside former director of national intelligence James Clapper during Monday's hotly-anticipated three-hour hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Yates confirmed reports that she had told the White House, six days into Trump's administration, that Flynn, a former military intelligence chief, had not been honest with Vice President Mike Pence about his discussions with the Russian ambassador to Washington, leaving him vulnerable to leverage from Moscow. It nevertheless took 18 days before the president, pressed by Pence and others, dismissed the retired army lieutenant general, who had advised him on security issues throughout the 2016 presidential campaign. "We believed that General Flynn was compromised with respect to the Russians," Yates told the hearing in her first public comments on the scandal which has dogged the opening months of Trump's presidency. "This was a problem because not only did we believe that the Russians knew this but that they likely had proof of this information. And that created a compromise situation, a situation where the national security advisor essentially could be blackmailed by the Russians." Yates, who was fired on January 30 after defying Trump over his contested travel ban, did not say what Flynn discussed with ambassador Sergey Kislyak in a number of December 2016 phone calls, which were secretly monitored by US intelligence. Pence said in January that Flynn denied those calls involved sanctions placed on Russia by the Obama administration in response to its election meddling. Obama warned Trump Trump has repeatedly branded the issue of Russian interference "fake news" despite the US intelligence community's conclusion that President Vladimir Putin himself was behind the meddling. In a series of tweets Monday evening, Trump doubled down on that stance. "The Russia-Trump collusion story is a total hoax, when will this taxpayer funded charade end?" fumed one post, while in a second the president targeted Yates -- claiming she had "said nothing but old news!" after earlier assailing her for allegedly leaking classified information. Known as a tough and independent prosecutor, Yates has been a target of Trump's ire since her refusal in January to support his controversial immigration ban on nationals from several Muslim-majority nations -- for which he fired her. Yates' comments came after former Obama officials revealed that the outgoing president himself firmly warned Trump against naming Flynn as national security advisor, just two days after the November 8 election. Obama had cautioned against Flynn, whom he fired in 2014 as head of the defense intelligence agency, due to his poor record in administration and personnel management. In separate testimony Monday, Clapper called Russia's interference in last year's election "a clarion call for vigilance and action against a threat to the very foundations of our democratic political system." "I believe they're now emboldened to continue such activities in the future, both here and around the world, and to do so even more intensely," he said. The dual testimony by Yates and Clapper returned the spotlight to the simmering controversy over Russia's meddling in last year's US election. Probes by several congressional committees into Russian election meddling have been bogged down for weeks amid accusations by Democrats that Republicans have stalled progress to protect the White House. (AFP)

White House was warned about Flynn in January: Yates

The New York Times published an article today saying&nbsp;a former contractor&nbsp;of &nbsp;the National Security Agency (NSA) was secretly arrested on August 28 for stealing top-secret information.

The&nbsp;investigation is ongoing into&nbsp;whether or not he stole or disclosed highly classified computer code developed by the agency to hack&nbsp;foreign governments, especially adversaries like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. Though some of the allegedly stolen data is outdated.

The situation recalls the high-profile story of Edward Snowden, another&nbsp;former NSA contractor&nbsp;who stole troves of information&nbsp;about American surveillance&nbsp;programs in the US and abroad, and leaked it to journalists at The Guardian.

This&nbsp;contractor associated&nbsp;has been identified as Harold T Martin III. Both Snowden and Martin worked for the same consulting company, Booz Allen Hamilton.

The Times, citing a neighbour who saw it,&nbsp;says that on August 27&nbsp;two dozen armed&nbsp;FBI agents stormed Martin&#39;s home, and emerged with Martin in handcuffs. The FBI has found thousands of pages of material in his house and car, dozens of computers or other electronic devices, some of it highly classified,&nbsp;as well as &quot;many terrabytes of information&quot;.

It has been more than a month since the arrest, but authorities have not said whether Martin has disclosed the information to any third-parties, or whether he simply downloaded it and kept it to himself.&nbsp;

Martin originally denied taking the documents and digitial files, but later told authorities he knew he wasn&#39;t authorised to possess them.&nbsp;

Some of the documents&nbsp;believed to be stolen by Martin&nbsp;were&nbsp;produced in 2014, before Snowden&#39;s actions became public knowledge, so whether or not Martin&#39;s alleged theft would have been prevented&nbsp;given the reforms put in place since Snowden is hard to know.

One of the officials involved described Martin as a &quot;hoarder&quot;, meaning he believed Martin would simply keep the information in his home. This would be&nbsp;&nbsp;a majorly different category of classified information thief&nbsp;than Snowden, who morally objected to the NSA&#39;s surveillance program and set out to make it public.

There have been several instances of people taking classified information home. There are still many important unanswered questions about Martin, including whether this case has any connection to the leak&nbsp;of NSA code in August by a group called &quot;Shadow Brokers&quot;, or any leaks of NSA intercepts involving foreign governments published by WikiLeaks.

Perhaps it&#39;s fitting&nbsp;that a man was secretly arrested for stealing secrets, and&nbsp;so much about it remains&nbsp;unanswered.&nbsp;

(WION)

The situation is reminiscent of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, except the information and purpose for this theft appears different

The New York Times published an article today saying a former contractor of the National Security Agency (NSA) was secretly arrested on August 28 for stealing top-secret information. The investigation is ongoing into whether or not he stole or disclosed highly classified computer code developed by the agency to hack foreign governments, especially adversaries like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. Though some of the allegedly stolen data is outdated. The situation recalls the high-profile story of Edward Snowden, another former NSA contractor who stole troves of information about American surveillance programs in the US and abroad, and leaked it to journalists at The Guardian. This contractor associated has been identified as Harold T Martin III. Both Snowden and Martin worked for the same consulting company, Booz Allen Hamilton. The Times, citing a neighbour who saw it, says that on August 27 two dozen armed FBI agents stormed Martin's home, and emerged with Martin in handcuffs. The FBI has found thousands of pages of material in his house and car, dozens of computers or other electronic devices, some of it highly classified, as well as "many terrabytes of information". It has been more than a month since the arrest, but authorities have not said whether Martin has disclosed the information to any third-parties, or whether he simply downloaded it and kept it to himself. Martin originally denied taking the documents and digitial files, but later told authorities he knew he wasn't authorised to possess them. Some of the documents believed to be stolen by Martin were produced in 2014, before Snowden's actions became public knowledge, so whether or not Martin's alleged theft would have been prevented given the reforms put in place since Snowden is hard to know. One of the officials involved described Martin as a "hoarder", meaning he believed Martin would simply keep the information in his home. This would be a majorly different category of classified information thief than Snowden, who morally objected to the NSA's surveillance program and set out to make it public. There have been several instances of people taking classified information home. There are still many important unanswered questions about Martin, including whether this case has any connection to the leak of NSA code in August by a group called "Shadow Brokers", or any leaks of NSA intercepts involving foreign governments published by WikiLeaks. Perhaps it's fitting that a man was secretly arrested for stealing secrets, and so much about it remains unanswered. (WION)

US spy agency secretly arrests former contractor for possibly stealing top-secret material

&#39;Snowden&#39;, the movie based on whistleblower Edward Snowden released in Russia on Thursday, a day ahead of the US premiere.&nbsp; 
 
The film is directed by Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone, known for his controversial films, which include &quot;JFK,&quot; &quot;Natural Born Killers&quot; and &quot;Wall Street.&quot; 
 
The movie is based on two books about Snowden, written by The Guardian journalist, Luke Harding and Snowden&#39;s Russian lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, Reuters reported.&nbsp; 
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<h5>Snowden sought asylum in Russia after he was stripped of his US passport while travelling from Hong Kong to Moscow. He was granted asylum after almost a month of stay and this is why Russia was chosen for the global theatre release.&nbsp;</h5>
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The movie follows the story of Snowden, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a former intelligence contractor with US National Security Agency who leaks thousands of classified government documents in 2013, which revealed mass surveillance programmes used by US and British government.&nbsp; 
 
Snowden sought asylum in Russia after he was stripped of his US passport while travelling from Hong Kong to Moscow. He was granted asylum after almost a month of stay and this is why Russia was chosen for the global theatre release.&nbsp; 
 
Victor Michaelson, an associate professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow told Reuters: &quot;Snowden lives here. He is always on the top news, on the cover, whenever he gives interviews, or his public appearances, which are rare, but still he is a very popular figure in Russia.&quot; 
 
Another movie viewer, Yuri, considers him the hero of the 21st century.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;He [Snowden] is right about security, about freedom of the people. Of course, everyone needs to know about it, about the truth,&quot; he said 
 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters) 
 
 
 
 
 
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The movie is based on two books written by The Guardian journalist Luke Harding and whistle-blower Edward Snowden's Russian lawyer

'Snowden', the movie based on whistleblower Edward Snowden released in Russia on Thursday, a day ahead of the US premiere. The film is directed by Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone, known for his controversial films, which include "JFK," "Natural Born Killers" and "Wall Street." The movie is based on two books about Snowden, written by The Guardian journalist, Luke Harding and Snowden's Russian lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, Reuters reported. Snowden sought asylum in Russia after he was stripped of his US passport while travelling from Hong Kong to Moscow. He was granted asylum after almost a month of stay and this is why Russia was chosen for the global theatre release. The movie follows the story of Snowden, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a former intelligence contractor with US National Security Agency who leaks thousands of classified government documents in 2013, which revealed mass surveillance programmes used by US and British government. Snowden sought asylum in Russia after he was stripped of his US passport while travelling from Hong Kong to Moscow. He was granted asylum after almost a month of stay and this is why Russia was chosen for the global theatre release. Victor Michaelson, an associate professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow told Reuters: "Snowden lives here. He is always on the top news, on the cover, whenever he gives interviews, or his public appearances, which are rare, but still he is a very popular figure in Russia." Another movie viewer, Yuri, considers him the hero of the 21st century. "He [Snowden] is right about security, about freedom of the people. Of course, everyone needs to know about it, about the truth," he said (WION with inputs from Reuters)

'Snowden' hits Russian theatres

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