Latest news with #Brennan
AU Financial Review
17 hours ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Sovereign tech boost as feds urged to prioritise local IT solutions
These frameworks are vital, but complex, requiring specialised knowledge and operational discipline. This shift comes as the federal government's Buy Australian Plan (BAP) and Digital Sourcing Framework is laying the foundations for reshaping the way technology partners are selected. The BAP is designed to support local industry and ensure that taxpayer dollars are reinvested in Australia's economy, while the Digital Sourcing Framework encourages agencies to favour providers that meet criteria around sovereignty, value, innovation and responsiveness. In 2022‑23 alone, the Commonwealth spent $74.8 billion on goods and services, with more than $7 billion of that allocated to computing, software and communications services. There is now a compelling case for a growing share of this spend to be directed to Australian providers who can deliver secure services at scale. That's creating opportunities for firms like Brennan, an Australian systems integrator that has long served the enterprise sector and is now expanding its government footprint. Brennan's acquisition of Canberra-based CBR Cyber in March has significantly strengthened its cyber credentials and opened new doors in the public sector. 'By acquiring CBR, we are now far more accessible to government agencies, and have cleared experts on hand to deliver the secure services they require. It's fast-tracked our ability to serve government,' says Peter Soulsby, head of cybersecurity at Brennan. 'We have since accelerated the build of a sovereign SOC that will be able to deliver the highest levels of protection to the government. This investment will also benefit the hundreds of existing customers we service through our hybrid SOC today.' The integration of Brennan's national infrastructure and CBR Cyber's public sector expertise positions the firm as a viable alternative to global systems integrators – offering scale and sophistication, but with boots-on-the-ground service and governance anchored in Australia. But as Soulsby points out, demand for cyber expertise is rapidly outpacing supply. 'The real issue isn't capability gaps, it's volume,' he says. 'Everyone in cyber is working 30 to 40 per cent harder just to keep up. Demand has outstripped the system's ability to deliver. The only way to catch up is by introducing new cleared, capable talent, which is not an easy task.' The security workforce pipeline remains constrained by slow-moving processes, he says, requiring a co-ordinated effort between federal and state governments, and education providers, to build a domestic talent stream. 'But that's a four- to five-year lead time,' Soulsby adds. Shared services models are gaining appeal as organisations adopt frameworks such as the Essential Eight or ISM. However, the user experience has become essential to implementation - if controls hinder day-to-day workflows, users may resort to workarounds, ultimately undermining security rather than enhancing it. 'Shared models help avoid this by bringing in tested IP and learnings from other implementations, so agencies don't repeat past mistakes.' This pragmatic approach also extends to sovereignty itself. 'Sovereign IT isn't just about location, it's about resilience,' Soulsby says. 'In a future geopolitical scenario where we can't rely on foreign partners, we must be able to support ourselves. Investing in sovereign IT is also an investment in Australian roads, education, and jobs, because tax and spending stay onshore.' That cultural and operational alignment is especially crucial when responding to fast-evolving threats. Agencies need real-time agility – not just paper compliance – and access to cybersecurity experts who understand the local context. Delivering that kind of agility increasingly requires more than just technical fixes. This mindset – of embedding security from the outset – is fast becoming the modus operandi for leading local operators. 'We don't sell dreams. We deliver outcomes,' says Andrew Weir, federal manager at CBR Cyber. 'And increasingly, that means designing systems where cybersecurity is built in from the start – not bolted on after the fact.' As Soulsby notes, demand for locally based expertise will only grow as agencies seek tailored, context-aware support that navigates an increasingly complex cyber landscape. 'We may see a further 10 to 20 per cent spike over the next 12 to 18 months. With global supply chains increasingly unreliable, the safest way forward is to do this locally despite the economic complexity.' As agencies continue to modernise, sovereign partnerships offer a pathway that is not only secure and compliant, but also adaptive, resilient and deeply aligned with Australia's national interests.
New York Post
a day ago
- Politics
- New York Post
AG Pam Bondi launches ‘strike force' after declassified intel reveals Obama admin's flawed 2016 Trump-Russia probe
WASHINGTON — Attorney General Pam Bondi launched a 'strike force' late Wednesday to investigate newly declassified intelligence findings that the Obama administration's probe of Russian influence on the 2016 election was deeply flawed. Bondi announced that the Department of Justice will review all the evidence compiled by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard about the 'substandard' intelligence in the probe — including 'fabricated' information from the now-debunked dossier peddled by MI6 spy Christopher Steele. 'The Department of Justice is proud to work with my friend Director Gabbard and we are grateful for her partnership in delivering accountability for the American people,' the AG said. 8 Attorney General Pam Bondi launched a 'strike force' late Wednesday to investigate newly declassified intelligence findings that the Obama administration's probe of Russian influence in the 2016 election was deeply flawed. AFP via Getty Images 'We will investigate these troubling disclosures fully and leave no stone unturned to deliver justice.' The FBI earlier this month initiated an investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan and ex-FBI Director James Comey for any potential criminal actions taken as part of the Trump-Russia probe. CIA Director John Ratcliffe previously handed over additional evidence to the DOJ about Brennan's botched assessment, confirming other lapses in intelligence gathering for that probe, which was ordered by former President Barack Obama during a Dec. 9, 2016, Oval Office meeting. 8 Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard accused the Obama administration of having 'fabricated' information put into the 2017 intelligence assessment. Eric Lee / Pool via CNP / On Wednesday, Gabbard released a long-anticipated, 44-page report from the House Intelligence Committee that found 'egregious' errors committed by Brennan in the compiling of an assessment that claimed Moscow preferred a Trump victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. The report, begun by former House intel chair Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and completed in September 2020, showed Brennan disregarded warnings from 'veteran' CIA officers and chose to include a 'scant, unclear, and unverifiable fragment of a sentence from one of the substandard reports constitutes the only classified information cited to suggest [Russian President Vladimir] Putin 'aspired' to help Trump win.' Brennan and Comey also pushed for the Steele dossier — which had been funded by the Democratic National Committee and Clinton's campaign — to be included in the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on the Kremlin's actions amid the presidential contest. 8 The FBI earlier this month initiated an investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan. Corbis via Getty Images When confronted by the senior officers about the dossier failing to meet 'basic tradecraft standards,' the CIA honcho reportedly said, 'Yes, but doesn't it ring true?' Other findings kept out of the ICA assessment also cut against the narrative that Putin wanted Trump to win — and in fact, point to the Russian strongman preparing for a Clinton victory. 'Putin's principal motivations in these operations were to undermine faith in the US democratic process and to weaken what the Russians considered to be an inevitable Clinton presidency,' the report stated. 8 Comey also pushed for the Steele dossier — which had been funded by the Democratic National Committee and Clinton's campaign — to be included in the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA). REUTERS Russia's foreign intelligence service, the SVR, further 'possessed DNC communications that Clinton was suffering from 'intensified psycho-emotional problems, including uncontrolled fits of anger, aggression, and cheerfulness,'' but didn't disclose it. Neither did the SVR leak that the former secretary of state was 'on a daily regimen of 'heavy tranquilizers' and while afraid of losing, she remained 'obsessed with a thirst for power.'' The Kremlin's intel service also held back 'a campaign email discussing a plan approved by Secretary Clinton to link Putin and Russian hackers to candidate Trump in order to 'distract the [American] public' from the Clinton email server scandal.' 8 'It's criminal at the highest level,' Trump erupted Tuesday in the Oval Office after Gabbard disclosed the 44th president's high-level meeting with the spy chiefs in December 2016. AP The 2017 ICA sparked accusations of purported Russian collusion with Trump's presidential campaign to win the White House — with high-profile reports by special counsels Robert Mueller and John Durham ultimately debunking the narrative. 'Not only did CIA Director Brennan, FBI Director Comey, DNI [James] Clapper and others include the Steele Dossier in the 2017 ICA, they overruled senior Intel officials who warned them it was fabricated and should not be used,' Gabbard said. 'In doing so, they conspired to subvert the will of the American people, working with their partners in the media to promote the lie, in order to undermine the legitimacy of President Trump, essentially enacting a years-long coup against him,' she added, calling it 'the most egregious weaponization and politicization of intelligence in American history.' 8 The 2017 ICA sparked accusations of purported Russian collusion with Trump's presidential campaign to win the White House. Getty Images House Intelligence Committee chairman Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) gave the 2020 report to the CIA, ODNI and White House in March, revealing in a statement Wednesday that he and his predecessor had to endure 'untold levels of obstruction by the CIA' to ultimately release the information to the public. It's unclear which officials have been identified in Gabbard's criminal referral to the DOJ, but Clapper told CNN Wednesday night that he's already lawyered up. The Post reached out to reps for Brennan and Comey for comment. 'It's criminal at the highest level,' Trump erupted Tuesday in the Oval Office after Gabbard disclosed the 44th president's high-level meeting with the spy chiefs. 'He's guilty … This was treason, this was every word you could think of. They tried to steal the election. They tried to obfuscate the election.' 8 Hhigh-profile reports by special counsels Robert Mueller and John Durham ultimately debunked the Russian collusion narrative. Getty Images 'Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one,' said Patrick Rodenbush, a spokesman for Obama, in a statement Tuesday. 'These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,' Rodenbush also said. Democrats — including Senate Intelligence Committee ranking member Mark Warner — have dismissed that any of Gabbard's findings revealed a sinister plot by the Obama administration, pointing to a 2020 bipartisan report that concluded Russia intended to help Trump's campaign in 2016. 8 Then-President Barack Obama met with Comey and other officials on Dec. 9, 2016, to order the intel assessment. Getty Images 'Nothing in this partisan, previously scuttled document changes that,' Warner (D-Va.) said Wednesday. 'Releasing this so-called report is just another reckless act by a Director of National Intelligence so desperate to please Donald Trump that she is willing to risk classified sources, betray our allies, and politicize the very intelligence she has been entrusted to protect.' The Senate intel report was unanimously signed off on by every member of the panel, including then-Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), now Trump's secretary of state.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
General Hospital Recap: Brook Lynn Fires Lois
General Hospital Recap: Brook Lynn Fires Lois originally appeared on Daytime Confidential. On today's General Hospital recap: Brennan joins Carly at the pool for some quality alone time. Carly tells him about Sasha and the baby leaving town and how everyone is heartbroken. The two discuss their relationship and how he's never anything long term because of his career. Jack says being near her helps even if he can't share everything about his life. Anna tells Dante she's certain Josslyn is a WSB agent but Dante refuses to believe it. Anna says she was younger than Joss when she was recruited but Dante questions how Brennan reeled her in, and Anna mentions Cyrus. Anna explains how obsessed Josslyn got with Cyrus and how she told her to leave it alone. She tells Dante that Joss had leads no one else had access to, and they had to come from Brennan. Dante isn't happy Brennan used Josslyn's grief to turn her into an asset. The two realize Josslyn's Easter Island trip must have been her training. Anna says she worked hard to become Dalton's assistant and Brennan's interest means he's doing more than animal testing. Dante wonders what Carly would do if she found out Brennan recruited Josslyn and thinks she'd want to know. Anna doesn't want to blow Josslyn's cover if it means messing up the Dalton investigation. She tells Dante they need to back off, but he questions whether she would have wanted someone to get her out when she was that age. The Deception women are back on the set of Home & Heart. Brook Lynn uncomfortably explains to host Flora Garden why Lois won't be joining them. Lucy checks in with Brook Lynn to see if she's ready to take her mother's place on camera. Lucy and Brook Lynn are ready to discuss the newest youth rejuvenating serum when Lois appears on set. Lucy pushes for Brook Lynn and Lois to work together, albeit uncomfortably. Lucy and Flora stand by and watch the numbers climb until the product is sold out. Once the cameras are off, Brook Lynn confronts Lucy, but she wants them to put the rift behind them and move forward. Brook Lynn warns Lucy never to put her in that situation again and fires Lois. Josslyn and Vaughn head back to the bureau. Jack isn't there and Josslyn admits she's annoyed he's dating her mother. Josslyn promises to stay out of it and won't do anything to jeopardize the mission. Vaughn gets a call their female courier took a connecting flight to Dubrovnik. Previous General Hospital (GH) Recap: Jason Thinks He Sees Britt Jason tries to get on the plane he saw "Britt" board, but the doors are closed, and he's not allowed. On his own flight back, Jason has flashbacks to their time together. In Dubrovnik, Croatia, "Britt" gets out of the car, telling the driver it's good to be back. Keep checking back for the latest General Hospital recaps! This story was originally reported by Daytime Confidential on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Who is John Brennan? The CIA mastermind now accused of misleading America on Russia and Trump
John Brennan , the former CIA Director who once stood at the heart of America's post-9/11 counterterrorism efforts, is now once again in the spotlight, this time, not for what he prevented, but for what he allegedly helped create. A newly declassified report from the House Intelligence Committee alleges that Brennan and other top Obama-era officials misled the public and misrepresented the intelligence used to claim that Russia interfered in favor of Donald Trump . Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Finance Project Management Artificial Intelligence CXO Data Science others Management Design Thinking Public Policy Product Management Healthcare healthcare Digital Marketing Leadership Data Analytics Technology MBA PGDM Others Cybersecurity Data Science Operations Management Degree MCA Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Fintech & Blockchain India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta SEPO - IIMC CFO India Starts on undefined Get Details The controversy resurfaced as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard tweeted: LIE: 'Putin and the Russian government helped Trump win the 2016 election. TRUTH: Obama, Brennan, and others fabricated the Russia hoax… suppressing intelligence showing Putin was preparing for a Clinton victory. Live Events For a man who spent his life mastering the shadows, John Brennan now faces his most public, and perhaps lasting, reckoning. The making of John Brennan Born on September 22, 1955, in North Bergen, New Jersey, Brennan was the son of Irish immigrants. His father, Owen Brennan, worked as a blacksmith and instilled in his son a strong work ethic and deep Catholic values. His upbringing in a modest, working-class neighborhood was disciplined and traditional, laying the groundwork for a life dedicated to public service. Brennan graduated from St. Joseph of the Palisades High School in nearby West New York, New Jersey, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Fordham University in 1977. It was during this time that he studied abroad in Cairo, a year that proved transformative, both personally and professionally. There, Brennan immersed himself in Middle Eastern politics and began studying Arabic, a skill that would become pivotal in his intelligence career. Following Fordham, he pursued graduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin, where he received a Master's degree in Government, specializing in Middle East studies. That same year in 1980, Brennan joined the Central Intelligence Agency. Over the next three decades, Brennan built a formidable reputation inside the intelligence community . He served in multiple senior roles including CIA station chief in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and later as chief of staff to CIA Director George Tenet during the lead-up to and aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Under President George W. Bush, Brennan played a key role in post-9/11 counterterrorism strategies. While his proximity to Bush administration policies on enhanced interrogation techniques later stirred controversy, Brennan always maintained that his focus was on preventing the next attack. When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, Brennan was considered for the top CIA job, but withdrew from consideration amid criticism over his association with CIA detention programs. Instead, Obama appointed him Homeland Security Advisor, giving him sweeping influence over intelligence and counterterrorism policies. Most controversial allegation Brennan's most controversial legacy stems from a document published on January 6, 2017: the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on Russian interference. The assessment concluded that Vladimir Putin personally ordered an influence operation to 'undermine public faith in the US democratic process' and to 'help Donald Trump's election chances when possible.' The report, endorsed by the CIA, FBI, and NSA, was used by both Congress and the press to justify extensive investigations into the Trump campaign's alleged ties to Russia. However, eight years later, the House Intelligence Committee report now challenges the credibility and integrity of the ICA process, putting Brennan squarely in the crosshairs. Trump's most vocal critic After Trump's inauguration, Brennan became one of his most vocal critics, frequently appearing on cable news programs to condemn what he described as the president's 'dangerous affinity for authoritarianism.' He accused Trump of 'treasonous behavior' and said he was 'wholly in the pocket of Putin.' In turn, Trump stripped Brennan of his security clearance in 2018, accusing him of exploiting access to classified material for political commentary. The decision was widely condemned by former intelligence leaders but applauded by many conservatives. Despite being out of government, Brennan continued to write op-eds, give speeches, and portray himself as a guardian of US institutions. He has long maintained that the 2017 ICA was sound, stating in 2019, 'We had multiple streams of intelligence that pointed to the same conclusion.' His Family John Brennan is married to Kathy Pokluda Brennan, a former CIA analyst. The couple has three children, and Brennan has largely kept his family out of the public eye.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Gavin Devlin returns to Louth set-up as manager
Gavin Devlin has been appointed as the new Louth manager on a three-year term, replacing Ger Brennan. Louth GAA confirmed the news this evening, adding that Peter Dooley will be installed as assistant manager, having served as a coach during Brennan's term, which yielded an emotional Leinster title victory this season. Devlin, centre-back on Tyrone's 2003 All-Ireland winning team, was previously head coach in Louth during Mickey Harte's managerial reign between 2020 and 2023. The Ardboe clubman has been a long-time lieutenant of his former manager Harte, having been a coach and selector with Tyrone in the 2010s, before the successful stint in Louth and the ill-fated spell in Derry. After the pair left Derry following the 2024 season, they went their separate ways, with Devlin taking on a role of underage football development co-ordinator in Louth this year. Devlin's predecessor Brennan departed the role earlier this month after a historic second season in charge, in which Louth claimed a first Leinster title in 68 years, subsequently losing at the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final stage to Donegal.
