Putin claims Hillary Clinton has ‘psycho-emotional' issues
Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) suggests Ms Clinton was suffering from 'intensified psycho-emotional problems', including uncontrolled fits of anger, aggression, and cheerfulness.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly chose not to release the information because he believed Ms Clinton would win the 2016 presidential election.
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Perth Now
5 hours ago
- Perth Now
ASIO boss reveals huge cost of espionage
Foreign espionage is costing the Australian economy at least $12.5bn a year, with the ASIO boss warning against complacency against the 'real, present and costly danger'. The director-general of security agency Mike Burgess has for the first time publicly put a dollar figure on what foreign spies are costing Australia and espionage remains one of the country's principal security concerns. 'This is critical because I believe that we need to wake up to the cost of espionage – which is more than just financial,' he said in the annual Hawke Lecture at the University of Adelaide on Thursday night. 'We need to understand espionage is not some quaint, romantic fiction; it's a real, present and costly danger.' ASIO director-general Mike Burgess issued his warning delivering the annual Hawke Lecture at Adelaide University. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Burgess released a new report that ASIO developed with the Australian Institute of Criminology, to try to count the cost of espionage. The report found espionage cost the Australian economy at least $12.5bn in the 2023-2024 financial year, an estimate Mr Burgess called 'conservative'. 'This includes the direct costs of known espionage incidents, such as the state-sponsored theft of intellectual property, as well as the indirect costs of countering and responding,' he said. 'As just one example, the Institute estimates foreign cyber spies stole nearly $2bn of trade secrets and intellectual property from Australian companies and businesses in 2023-24. 'The report includes a case study where spies hacked into the computer network of a major Australian exporter, making off with commercially sensitive information. 'The theft gave the foreign country a significant advantage in subsequent contract negotiations, costing Australia hundreds of millions of dollars.' Mr Burgess said too many were complacent about the cost of espionage and urged 'all parts of our system – public and private, federal, state and local – to recognise the threat'. 'I've lost count of the number of times senior officials and executives have privately downplayed the impacts of espionage,' he said. 'I've watched corporate leaders literally shrug their shoulders when told their networks are compromised. 'I've heard sensible security measures such as taking burner phones to high-risk countries described as unreasonable inconveniences. 'Most recently, a trade official told ASIO there's no way the Chinese intelligence services would have any interest in his organisation's people and premises in China.' Russia, led by President Vladimir Putin, was singled out by ASIO boss Mike Burgess. NewsWire / POOL / AFP / Mikhail Metzel Credit: NewsWire He again listed China, Russia and Iran as three of the main nations behind espionage in Australia and said Russia remained 'a persistent and aggressive espionage threat'. 'Last year, two Russian-born Australian citizens were arrested and charged with an espionage-related offence,' Mr Burgess said. 'Separately, I can confirm in 2022 a number of undeclared Russian intelligence officers were removed from this country. 'But Russia is by no means the only country we have to deal with. 'You would be genuinely shocked by the number and names of countries trying to steal our secrets. 'The obvious candidates are very active … but many other countries are also targeting anyone and anything that could give them a strategic or tactical advantage, including sensitive but unclassified information.' Mr Burgess revealed ASIO had disrupted 24 'major espionage and foreign interference' operations in the past three years alone. 'Nation states are spying at unprecedented levels, with unprecedented sophistication,' he said. 'ASIO is seeing more Australians targeted – more aggressively – than ever before.' While AUKUS and military technology secrets were targets, Australia's intellectual property and cutting edge research was also in the sights of foreign agents. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said spies were targeting Australia's cutting edge research and technology as well as defence secrets. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia He said an overseas delegation visiting a 'sensitive Australian horticultural facility' snapped branches off a 'rare and valuable variety of fruit tree' in order to steal them. 'Almost certainly, the stolen plant material allowed scientists in the other country to reverse engineer and replicate two decades of Australian research and development,' he said. He said foreign intelligence services are 'proactive, creative and opportunistic' in their targets. 'In recent years, for example, defence employees travelling overseas have been subjected to covert room searches, been approached at conferences by spies in disguise and given gifts containing surveillance devices. 'Defence is alert to these threats and works closely with ASIO to counter them.'
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Ukraine moves to restore power of anti-graft agencies
Ukraine's parliament has overwhelmingly approved a bill presented by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that restores the independence of two of the country's key anti-corruption watchdogs, reversing his contentious move last week that curbed their power and brought an outcry. Last week's measure by Zelenskiy to place the watchdogs under the oversight of the prosecutor-general prompted rebukes from Ukrainians, the European Union and international rights groups. It raised fears the government could meddle in investigations and potentially shield its supporters from scrutiny. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars of vital Western aid in the nearly three-and-a-half year all-out war. It's also an effort that enjoys broad public support. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who called last week's legislative changes "a serious step back", welcomed approval of the bill, saying MPs had "corrected last week's damaging vote". "Today's law restores key safeguards, but challenges remain," Kos, who monitors the record of countries that are candidates to join the bloc, wrote on X. Backlash against Zelenskiy's measures brought street protests across the country that were the first major demonstrations since Russia's full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. Though the protests did not call for the president's removal, the controversy threatened to undermine public trust in their leaders at a critical time. Russia's bigger army is accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine's frontline defences and is escalating its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. There is also uncertainty over how much additional weaponry Ukraine's Western partners can provide and how quickly. The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International also criticised last week's legislation, saying it weakened one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014. Zelenskiy said his goal had been to speed up prolonged investigations, ensure more convictions and remove Russian meddling in investigations, which he did not detail. He said he had taken note of the protests and decided to present a new bill to parliament underscoring that the prosecutor-general and his deputies could not give orders to anti-graft agencies or interfere in their work. MP in Kyiv approved Zelenskiy's new proposal with 331 votes and nine abstentions on Thursday. Ukraine's parliament has overwhelmingly approved a bill presented by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that restores the independence of two of the country's key anti-corruption watchdogs, reversing his contentious move last week that curbed their power and brought an outcry. Last week's measure by Zelenskiy to place the watchdogs under the oversight of the prosecutor-general prompted rebukes from Ukrainians, the European Union and international rights groups. It raised fears the government could meddle in investigations and potentially shield its supporters from scrutiny. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars of vital Western aid in the nearly three-and-a-half year all-out war. It's also an effort that enjoys broad public support. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who called last week's legislative changes "a serious step back", welcomed approval of the bill, saying MPs had "corrected last week's damaging vote". "Today's law restores key safeguards, but challenges remain," Kos, who monitors the record of countries that are candidates to join the bloc, wrote on X. Backlash against Zelenskiy's measures brought street protests across the country that were the first major demonstrations since Russia's full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. Though the protests did not call for the president's removal, the controversy threatened to undermine public trust in their leaders at a critical time. Russia's bigger army is accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine's frontline defences and is escalating its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. There is also uncertainty over how much additional weaponry Ukraine's Western partners can provide and how quickly. The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International also criticised last week's legislation, saying it weakened one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014. Zelenskiy said his goal had been to speed up prolonged investigations, ensure more convictions and remove Russian meddling in investigations, which he did not detail. He said he had taken note of the protests and decided to present a new bill to parliament underscoring that the prosecutor-general and his deputies could not give orders to anti-graft agencies or interfere in their work. MP in Kyiv approved Zelenskiy's new proposal with 331 votes and nine abstentions on Thursday. Ukraine's parliament has overwhelmingly approved a bill presented by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that restores the independence of two of the country's key anti-corruption watchdogs, reversing his contentious move last week that curbed their power and brought an outcry. Last week's measure by Zelenskiy to place the watchdogs under the oversight of the prosecutor-general prompted rebukes from Ukrainians, the European Union and international rights groups. It raised fears the government could meddle in investigations and potentially shield its supporters from scrutiny. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars of vital Western aid in the nearly three-and-a-half year all-out war. It's also an effort that enjoys broad public support. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who called last week's legislative changes "a serious step back", welcomed approval of the bill, saying MPs had "corrected last week's damaging vote". "Today's law restores key safeguards, but challenges remain," Kos, who monitors the record of countries that are candidates to join the bloc, wrote on X. Backlash against Zelenskiy's measures brought street protests across the country that were the first major demonstrations since Russia's full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. Though the protests did not call for the president's removal, the controversy threatened to undermine public trust in their leaders at a critical time. Russia's bigger army is accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine's frontline defences and is escalating its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. There is also uncertainty over how much additional weaponry Ukraine's Western partners can provide and how quickly. The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International also criticised last week's legislation, saying it weakened one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014. Zelenskiy said his goal had been to speed up prolonged investigations, ensure more convictions and remove Russian meddling in investigations, which he did not detail. He said he had taken note of the protests and decided to present a new bill to parliament underscoring that the prosecutor-general and his deputies could not give orders to anti-graft agencies or interfere in their work. MP in Kyiv approved Zelenskiy's new proposal with 331 votes and nine abstentions on Thursday. Ukraine's parliament has overwhelmingly approved a bill presented by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that restores the independence of two of the country's key anti-corruption watchdogs, reversing his contentious move last week that curbed their power and brought an outcry. Last week's measure by Zelenskiy to place the watchdogs under the oversight of the prosecutor-general prompted rebukes from Ukrainians, the European Union and international rights groups. It raised fears the government could meddle in investigations and potentially shield its supporters from scrutiny. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars of vital Western aid in the nearly three-and-a-half year all-out war. It's also an effort that enjoys broad public support. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who called last week's legislative changes "a serious step back", welcomed approval of the bill, saying MPs had "corrected last week's damaging vote". "Today's law restores key safeguards, but challenges remain," Kos, who monitors the record of countries that are candidates to join the bloc, wrote on X. Backlash against Zelenskiy's measures brought street protests across the country that were the first major demonstrations since Russia's full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. Though the protests did not call for the president's removal, the controversy threatened to undermine public trust in their leaders at a critical time. Russia's bigger army is accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine's frontline defences and is escalating its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. There is also uncertainty over how much additional weaponry Ukraine's Western partners can provide and how quickly. The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International also criticised last week's legislation, saying it weakened one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014. Zelenskiy said his goal had been to speed up prolonged investigations, ensure more convictions and remove Russian meddling in investigations, which he did not detail. He said he had taken note of the protests and decided to present a new bill to parliament underscoring that the prosecutor-general and his deputies could not give orders to anti-graft agencies or interfere in their work. MP in Kyiv approved Zelenskiy's new proposal with 331 votes and nine abstentions on Thursday.
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Lax Aussies making themselves easy spy targets: ASIO
Australia's intelligence boss has warned that people who boast about their access to sensitive information are openly painting themselves as targets for foreign spying operations. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess revealed details of multiple espionage operations as he used a keynote speech to warn officials, businesses and the general public about interference threats and the impact of lax security. Russian spies were deported in 2022 after an ASIO investigation found they were "recruiting proxies and agents to obtain sensitive information, and employing sophisticated tradecraft to disguise their activities", he said on Thursday. Russia, China and Iran were singled out as adversaries but "you would be genuinely shocked by the number and names of countries trying to steal our secrets", he said at the annual Hawke lecture at the University of South Australia. ASIO, the nation's domestic intelligence agency, disrupted 24 major espionage and foreign interference operations in the last three years, more than the previous eight years combined. Mr Burgess said spies used a security clearance-holder to obtain information about trade negotiations and convinced one state bureaucrat to log into a database to obtain details of people a foreign regime considered dissidents. The director-general also detailed how a foreign intelligence service ordered spies to apply for Australian government jobs, including at national security institutions, to access classified information. Another example included a visiting academic linked to a foreign government breaking into a restricted lab with sensitive technology and filming inside, he said. "They are just the tip of an espionage iceberg," Mr Burgess said. Foreign companies tied to intelligence services had also tried to access private data, buy land near military sites and collaborate with researchers developing sensitive technology. "In recent years, for example, defence employees travelling overseas have been subjected to covert room searches, been approached at conferences by spies in disguise and given gifts containing surveillance devices," Mr Burgess added. Hackers had also broken into the network of a peak industry body to steal sensitive information about exports and foreign investment, as well as into a law firm to take information about government-related cases, he said. The director-general chided people who held security clearances or who had access to classified information openly promoting themselves on social media, making it easier for them to be targeted by foreign agents. More than 35,000 Australians indicated they had access to classified or private information on a single professional networking site, he said, adding 7000 referred to working in the defence sector and critical technologies. Nearly 2500 boasted about having a security clearance, he said. "All too often we make it all too easy," he said. Almost 400 people explicitly said they worked on the AUKUS project, under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines as the keystone of its military power. Mr Burgess put the cost of espionage - including the theft of intellectual property resulting in lost revenue and responding to incidents - at $12.5 billion in 2023/24. This included cyber spies stealing nearly $2 billion of trade secrets and intellectual property from Australian companies. The number came from a conservative Australian Institute of Criminology analysis that took into account details for ASIO investigations, he said. Hackers stealing commercially sensitive information from one Australian exporter gave a foreign country a leg up in a subsequent contract negotiation, "costing Australia hundreds of millions of dollars", Mr Burgess said. Australia's intelligence boss has warned that people who boast about their access to sensitive information are openly painting themselves as targets for foreign spying operations. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess revealed details of multiple espionage operations as he used a keynote speech to warn officials, businesses and the general public about interference threats and the impact of lax security. Russian spies were deported in 2022 after an ASIO investigation found they were "recruiting proxies and agents to obtain sensitive information, and employing sophisticated tradecraft to disguise their activities", he said on Thursday. Russia, China and Iran were singled out as adversaries but "you would be genuinely shocked by the number and names of countries trying to steal our secrets", he said at the annual Hawke lecture at the University of South Australia. ASIO, the nation's domestic intelligence agency, disrupted 24 major espionage and foreign interference operations in the last three years, more than the previous eight years combined. Mr Burgess said spies used a security clearance-holder to obtain information about trade negotiations and convinced one state bureaucrat to log into a database to obtain details of people a foreign regime considered dissidents. The director-general also detailed how a foreign intelligence service ordered spies to apply for Australian government jobs, including at national security institutions, to access classified information. Another example included a visiting academic linked to a foreign government breaking into a restricted lab with sensitive technology and filming inside, he said. "They are just the tip of an espionage iceberg," Mr Burgess said. Foreign companies tied to intelligence services had also tried to access private data, buy land near military sites and collaborate with researchers developing sensitive technology. "In recent years, for example, defence employees travelling overseas have been subjected to covert room searches, been approached at conferences by spies in disguise and given gifts containing surveillance devices," Mr Burgess added. Hackers had also broken into the network of a peak industry body to steal sensitive information about exports and foreign investment, as well as into a law firm to take information about government-related cases, he said. The director-general chided people who held security clearances or who had access to classified information openly promoting themselves on social media, making it easier for them to be targeted by foreign agents. More than 35,000 Australians indicated they had access to classified or private information on a single professional networking site, he said, adding 7000 referred to working in the defence sector and critical technologies. Nearly 2500 boasted about having a security clearance, he said. "All too often we make it all too easy," he said. Almost 400 people explicitly said they worked on the AUKUS project, under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines as the keystone of its military power. Mr Burgess put the cost of espionage - including the theft of intellectual property resulting in lost revenue and responding to incidents - at $12.5 billion in 2023/24. This included cyber spies stealing nearly $2 billion of trade secrets and intellectual property from Australian companies. The number came from a conservative Australian Institute of Criminology analysis that took into account details for ASIO investigations, he said. Hackers stealing commercially sensitive information from one Australian exporter gave a foreign country a leg up in a subsequent contract negotiation, "costing Australia hundreds of millions of dollars", Mr Burgess said. Australia's intelligence boss has warned that people who boast about their access to sensitive information are openly painting themselves as targets for foreign spying operations. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess revealed details of multiple espionage operations as he used a keynote speech to warn officials, businesses and the general public about interference threats and the impact of lax security. Russian spies were deported in 2022 after an ASIO investigation found they were "recruiting proxies and agents to obtain sensitive information, and employing sophisticated tradecraft to disguise their activities", he said on Thursday. Russia, China and Iran were singled out as adversaries but "you would be genuinely shocked by the number and names of countries trying to steal our secrets", he said at the annual Hawke lecture at the University of South Australia. ASIO, the nation's domestic intelligence agency, disrupted 24 major espionage and foreign interference operations in the last three years, more than the previous eight years combined. Mr Burgess said spies used a security clearance-holder to obtain information about trade negotiations and convinced one state bureaucrat to log into a database to obtain details of people a foreign regime considered dissidents. The director-general also detailed how a foreign intelligence service ordered spies to apply for Australian government jobs, including at national security institutions, to access classified information. Another example included a visiting academic linked to a foreign government breaking into a restricted lab with sensitive technology and filming inside, he said. "They are just the tip of an espionage iceberg," Mr Burgess said. Foreign companies tied to intelligence services had also tried to access private data, buy land near military sites and collaborate with researchers developing sensitive technology. "In recent years, for example, defence employees travelling overseas have been subjected to covert room searches, been approached at conferences by spies in disguise and given gifts containing surveillance devices," Mr Burgess added. Hackers had also broken into the network of a peak industry body to steal sensitive information about exports and foreign investment, as well as into a law firm to take information about government-related cases, he said. The director-general chided people who held security clearances or who had access to classified information openly promoting themselves on social media, making it easier for them to be targeted by foreign agents. More than 35,000 Australians indicated they had access to classified or private information on a single professional networking site, he said, adding 7000 referred to working in the defence sector and critical technologies. Nearly 2500 boasted about having a security clearance, he said. "All too often we make it all too easy," he said. Almost 400 people explicitly said they worked on the AUKUS project, under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines as the keystone of its military power. Mr Burgess put the cost of espionage - including the theft of intellectual property resulting in lost revenue and responding to incidents - at $12.5 billion in 2023/24. This included cyber spies stealing nearly $2 billion of trade secrets and intellectual property from Australian companies. The number came from a conservative Australian Institute of Criminology analysis that took into account details for ASIO investigations, he said. Hackers stealing commercially sensitive information from one Australian exporter gave a foreign country a leg up in a subsequent contract negotiation, "costing Australia hundreds of millions of dollars", Mr Burgess said. Australia's intelligence boss has warned that people who boast about their access to sensitive information are openly painting themselves as targets for foreign spying operations. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess revealed details of multiple espionage operations as he used a keynote speech to warn officials, businesses and the general public about interference threats and the impact of lax security. Russian spies were deported in 2022 after an ASIO investigation found they were "recruiting proxies and agents to obtain sensitive information, and employing sophisticated tradecraft to disguise their activities", he said on Thursday. Russia, China and Iran were singled out as adversaries but "you would be genuinely shocked by the number and names of countries trying to steal our secrets", he said at the annual Hawke lecture at the University of South Australia. ASIO, the nation's domestic intelligence agency, disrupted 24 major espionage and foreign interference operations in the last three years, more than the previous eight years combined. Mr Burgess said spies used a security clearance-holder to obtain information about trade negotiations and convinced one state bureaucrat to log into a database to obtain details of people a foreign regime considered dissidents. The director-general also detailed how a foreign intelligence service ordered spies to apply for Australian government jobs, including at national security institutions, to access classified information. Another example included a visiting academic linked to a foreign government breaking into a restricted lab with sensitive technology and filming inside, he said. "They are just the tip of an espionage iceberg," Mr Burgess said. Foreign companies tied to intelligence services had also tried to access private data, buy land near military sites and collaborate with researchers developing sensitive technology. "In recent years, for example, defence employees travelling overseas have been subjected to covert room searches, been approached at conferences by spies in disguise and given gifts containing surveillance devices," Mr Burgess added. Hackers had also broken into the network of a peak industry body to steal sensitive information about exports and foreign investment, as well as into a law firm to take information about government-related cases, he said. The director-general chided people who held security clearances or who had access to classified information openly promoting themselves on social media, making it easier for them to be targeted by foreign agents. More than 35,000 Australians indicated they had access to classified or private information on a single professional networking site, he said, adding 7000 referred to working in the defence sector and critical technologies. Nearly 2500 boasted about having a security clearance, he said. "All too often we make it all too easy," he said. Almost 400 people explicitly said they worked on the AUKUS project, under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines as the keystone of its military power. Mr Burgess put the cost of espionage - including the theft of intellectual property resulting in lost revenue and responding to incidents - at $12.5 billion in 2023/24. This included cyber spies stealing nearly $2 billion of trade secrets and intellectual property from Australian companies. The number came from a conservative Australian Institute of Criminology analysis that took into account details for ASIO investigations, he said. Hackers stealing commercially sensitive information from one Australian exporter gave a foreign country a leg up in a subsequent contract negotiation, "costing Australia hundreds of millions of dollars", Mr Burgess said.
