Europe races to influence US ahead of Trump-Putin talks
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Perth Now
29 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Russian hackers suspects in Norway dam sabotage: police
Russian hackers are likely behind suspected sabotage at a dam in Norway in April which affected water flows, police officials have told Norwegian media. The director of the Norwegian Police Security Service Beate Gangås warned cyber attacks are increasingly being carried out against European countries to stoke fear and unrest. During the April incident, hackers gained access to a digital system which remotely controls one of the dam's valves and opened it to increase the water flow, NRK said. The valve was open for about four hours but did not pose a danger to the surrounding area, NRK reported. A three-minute long video showing the dam's control panel and a mark identifying a pro-Russian cybercriminal group was published on Telegram in April, police lawyer Terje Nedrebø Michelsen told NRK. Similar videos have previously circulated on social media but the announcement by Norwegian police marked the first time since 2022 that officials have publicly suggested that pro-Russian hackers may have successfully targeted critical water infrastructure in Europe. Gangås told NRK that state actors typically use other groups to hack into facilities to show "look what we can do if we want to," before bragging about it afterwards. She spoke on Wednesday alongside the head of Norway's intelligence agency at a briefing titled: "Hybrid attacks against Norway: are we at war?". NRK said Gangås warned such activity is only likely to increase in Norway and other European countries. The Russian embassy in Oslo said Gangås' declarations were "unfounded and politically motivated". "It is obvious that the PST is unsuccessfully trying to substantiate the mythical threat of Russian sabotage against Norwegian infrastructure this year, which it itself invented in its February (annual) report," it said in an emailed statement to Reuters. After her speech, Gangås told Reuters that she was going public with the attribution to warn the general population and to try to prevent Russia from launching further attacks. "I want Norwegians to be prepared," she said in an interview. NATO-member Norway shares a border with Russia in the Arctic. with Reuters
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Trump names Strait, Stallone in Kennedy Center honours
Country musician George Strait, action movie star Sylvester Stallone and rock band Kiss will be celebrated with the 2025 Kennedy Center honours, one of the country's highest accolades in performing arts, US President Donald Trump has announced. English stage actor Michael Crawford, known for The Phantom of the Opera, and I Will Survive singer Gloria Gaynor will also be honoured at the event later this year. Trump said he was asked to host the event, which will air on CBS in December, and reluctantly accepted. "I didn't want to do it. OK?" Trump said. "They're going to say he insisted. I did not insist. But I think it will be quite successful." Trump arrived at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday to unveil its 2025 honorees for artistic excellence and tout a major renovation as lawmakers push to rename the venue for the Republican president. In a post on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, Trump teased the announcement, saying, "GREAT Nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER, AWARDS." Trump also hinted at a physical overhaul of the centre in Washington DC, saying he planned to restore it to the "absolutely top level of luxury, glamour, and entertainment". Trump on Wednesday said he will "fully renovate" the entire infrastructure of the Kennedy Center to make it a "crown jewel" of arts and culture in the United States. "We're going to bring it to a higher level than it ever hit," he said, adding the venue would be featured in next year's celebrations of the country's 250th anniversary. Since returning to power in January, Trump has sought to put his stamp on US culture and institutions to align them closer with his political and personal preferences. His administration has ordered a review of some Smithsonian museums and exhibitions to "remove divisive or partisan narratives". At the White House, Trump has added gold leaf to the Oval Office, paved over the Rose Garden and embarked on plans for a $US200-million ($A306 million) ballroom. Trump did not attend events at the Kennedy Center during his first term but has taken a keen interest in it during his second, vowing to overhaul an institution he and his "Make America Great Again" supporters view as too progressive. He pushed out its chairman in February and took on the role himself, fired its longtime president, and installed his former ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, as interim president. In a post on X, the Kennedy Center said its building - which opened in September 1971 - would undergo renovations thanks to Trump's advocacy aimed at restoring its "prestige and grandeur". with AP
Canberra Times
2 hours ago
- Canberra Times
Trump names Strait, Stallone in Kennedy Center honours
Trump did not attend events at the Kennedy Center during his first term but has taken a keen interest in it during his second, vowing to overhaul an institution he and his "Make America Great Again" supporters view as too progressive.
