China Says Interpol Chief Meng Hongwei Under Investigation

Interpol President Meng Hongwei walks toward the stage to address the Interpol World Congress in Singapore on July 4, 2017. /AP

 

China said on Sunday it was investigating Meng Hongwei for suspected wrongdoing after the head of the global law enforcement organization Interpol and Chinese vice minister for security was reported missing in France.

The statement by a Chinese anti-graft body was the first official word from China about Meng since his disappearance was reported in France on Friday. Meng had been reported missing by his wife after travelling last month from France, where Interpol is based, to China.

Report Says Dissident Under Cyber, Information Attack from China

Guo Wengui / Ellen Dubin Photography

 

Commission calls disinformation campaign ‘unprecedented’

China is engaged in an unprecedented campaign of cyber attacks and information operations aimed at discrediting Beijing critic Guo Wengui, according to a congressional report.

The campaign was outlined in the annual report of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review commission, made public on Wednesday.

Palestinians gain membership of Interpol

A general assembly of the international police organization (Interpol) meeting in Beijing Wednesday voted to accept as a member the “State of Palestine” – against Israeli opposition. The Palestine Liberation Organization said on Twitter that more than 75 percent of Interpol members voted to approve its membership. US and Israel efforts to prevent this failed.

Cyprus helping Russia to counter US sanctions

Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades with Putin in Moscow in 2015 (Photo: kremlin.ru)

 

Cyprus is helping Russia to attack US sanctions against human rights abusers, a leading activist has warned.

The accusation, by Bill Browder, a British campaigner, comes after Cypriot authorities honoured Russia’s request to question Browder’s law firm, Georgiades & Pelides, in Nicosia, for a second time.

Browder told EUobserver that the Russian investigation was designed to smear his name.

Sources: SWIFT System Under Constant Cyber Attack

Sources: SWIFT System Under Constant Cyber Attack

 

(LONDON) Cyber attacks targeting the global bank transfer system have succeeded in stealing funds since February’s heist of $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank as hackers have become more sophisticated in their tactics, according to a SWIFT official and a previously undisclosed letter the organization sent to banks worldwide.

• The messaging network in a Nov. 2 letter seen by Reuters warned banks of the escalating threat to their systems, according to the SWIFT letter.
• The attacks and new hacking tactics underscore the continuing vulnerability of the SWIFT messaging network, which handles trillions of dollars in fund transfers daily.
• “The threat is very persistent, adaptive and sophisticated – and it is here to stay,” SWIFT said in the November letter to client banks, seen by Reuters.

NSA Spying in Germany: How Much Did the Chancellor Know?

What everyday people don’t understand is that countries spy on other countries on a routine basis, even allies. Matter of fact, in the real geopolitical world there is no such thing as an ally, only ‘interests’ — especially to the United States. England has regularly spied on the US, and vice-versa. Much like the NSA/CIA/FBI, Interpol (European CIA equivalent) has even been given nearly full authority (with immunity) to act as they please on American soil, by this very same US administration.

In addition, the NSA spying had to have been known long ago and approved by these same foreign governments complaining and making a scandal out of it. In summary, this is only being turned into a ‘scandal’ to make sure the politicians don’t lose popularity among their respective voters. This is not to whitewash what’s going on, but to point out that the real scandal is that the politicians in such countries as France and Germany allowed it to happen, have been caught red-handed and are only putting on a show for public consumption.

While the Chancellery appears to be outraged by the NSA’s spying tactics in Germany, the opposition doubts the revelations came as a surprise to Angela Merkel. Just how much could she have known?

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will have to be pretty clear with US President Barack Obama the next time she has him on the line. At least that’s a reasonable assumption, based on the anger she has expressed about American spying operations in the European Union and Germany.