Latest news with #nationalsecurity
CNN
9 minutes ago
- Politics
- CNN
Palestine Action's co-founder wins bid to challenge UK terror group ban
The Middle East UK National security TerrorismFacebookTweetLink Follow The co-founder of a pro-Palestinian campaign group on Wednesday won her bid to bring a legal challenge against the British government's decision to ban the group under anti-terrorism laws. Huda Ammori, who helped found Palestine Action in 2020, asked London's High Court to give the go-ahead for a full challenge to the group's proscription, which was made on the grounds it committed or participated in acts of terrorism. Earlier this month, the High Court refused Ammori's application to pause the ban and, following an unsuccessful last-ditch appeal, Palestine Action's proscription came into effect just after midnight on July 5. Proscription makes it a crime to be a member of the group, carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Judge Martin Chamberlain granted permission for Ammori to bring a judicial review, saying her case that proscription amounted to a disproportionate interference with her and others' right to freedom of expression was 'reasonably arguable.' This is a developing story and will be updated.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Schumer urges FBI counter intelligence threat assessment on Epstein files amid 'blackmail' risk
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on the FBI to conduct an immediate counter intelligence threat assessment on the Jeffrey Epstein files, claiming potential national security risks.
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Schumer calls on FBI to conduct counterintelligence threat assessment on Epstein files
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has called on the FBI to conduct a counterintelligence threat assessment on the Jeffrey Epstein files. Schumer said on the Senate floor on Tuesday that the FBI assessment should accomplish three things: determine if foreign intelligence agencies could gain access to the information "the president does not want to release in the Epstein files, through methods that include cyber intrusion;" identify any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by foreign intelligence agencies with access to non-public information in the Epstein files, "including being able to gain leverage over Donald Trump, his family, or other senior government officials;" and result in the FBI publicly showing that the bureau is "developing mitigation strategies to counter these threats and safeguard our national security." At his weekly Democratic leadership press conference afterward, Schumer condemned what he categorized as the Epstein "cover-up," further taking aim at President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. "Trump promised he'd release the Epstein files while he was on the campaign trail, yet he has yet to do it," Schumer told reporters. "Speaker Johnson quite literally preferred to shut down Congress, sending everyone home on an Epstein recess to avoid the topic. Americans are right to be angry over the lack of transparency, but there are also some very real questions about risks to national security." "Given Trump's total about-face on releasing files and given what we know from the FBI whistleblowers, it's natural to ask, what happens if our adversaries use cyberattacks and other means to access files and materials into Epstein that are damaging or worse for President Trump and or those around him?" Schumer continued. "What happens if the Epstein files end up in the hands of Russia or North Korea, or Chinese governments? Unless the Epstein files are fully released to the public, could our adversaries use that, Epstein, to use that information to blackmail someone like the president? Last Thursday, Schumer noted, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services were among several government agencies hacked as part of a breach to Microsoft SharePoint system. "This was confirmed that it was Chinese actors. So we don't need this happening again," Schumer said. "We have to ensure that it can't happen. National security is not and should never be a partisan issue. We need to do everything we can to make sure we protecting the U.S. and American families. This report is vital in doing that. Beyond that, there is one more thing Donald Trump could do to quell people's anger, confusion, frustration, and/or deep fears. That is, release the files." Last week, Johnson ended the House legislative session a day early, averting a potential vote on a resolution by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., that would have compelled the Justice Department and the FBI to release the Epstein files. Johnson asserted on Sunday that House Republicans supported "maximum disclosure" but argued that the resolution was "reckless" and poorly drafted, arguing that it ignored federal rules protecting grand jury materials and "would require the DOJ and FBI to release information that they know is false, that is based on lies and rumors and was not even credible enough to be entered into the court proceedings." Johnson said he supported the Trump administration's stance that "all credible evidence and information" be released, but emphasized the need for safeguards to protect victims' identities. During a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland on Monday, Trump was asked why he kicked Epstein out of his Mar-a-Lago club in West Palm Beach, Florida, years ago. "That's such old history. Very easy to explain, but I don't want to waste your time by explaining it. But for years, I wouldn't talk to Jeffrey Epstein. I wouldn't talk because he did something that was inappropriate," Trump told reporters. "He hired help, and I said, 'Don't ever do that again.' He stole people that worked for me. I said, 'Don't ever do that again.' He did it again, and I threw him out of the place, persona non grata. I threw him out and that was it." Trump said he turned down an invitation to Epstein's notorious island in the Caribbean and claimed former President Bill Clinton and former Harvard University President Larry Summers had gone. "I never went to the island and Bill Clinton went there, supposedly 28 times. I never went to the island, but Larry Summers, I hear, went there. He was the head of Harvard and many other people that are very big people. Nobody ever talks about them," Trump said. "I never had the privilege of going to his island. And I did turn it down. But a lot of people in Palm Beach were invited to his island. In one of my very good moments, I turned it down."
Fox News
5 hours ago
- Business
- Fox News
America faces a dangerous future. Our security depends on proven, capable military tech
In May, President Trump highlighted his Golden Dome project, the cornerstone of his administration's efforts to protect the American people from foreign threats and, in his words, "completing the job that President Reagan started 40 years ago, forever ending the missile threat to the American homeland." His vision is big and bold. As Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the project, it's a "generational investment in the security of America and Americans." A project of this scale will require proven and tested partners to achieve the president's vision with the speed and precision that he demands. Over the last few weeks, we've seen exactly that kind of precision in action. When Iran launched a coordinated barrage of drones and ballistic missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar—the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East—the stakes could not have been higher. This was no drill. The strike targeted a strategic hub that houses U.S. Air Force assets, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operations, and critical logistics infrastructure supporting American operations across the region. In most circumstances, the outcome would have been catastrophic. But it wasn't. Thanks to the effectiveness of America's layered missile defense systems—built and deployed by firms like RTX and Lockheed Martin—the attack was intercepted with minimal damage and no loss of life. That result was not a matter of chance or untested innovation. It was the product of decades of experience, technical precision, and forward-deployed capability from trusted U.S. defense partners. Iran's assault included a mix of short and medium-range ballistic missiles. U.S. forces had an advanced, yet limited, warning before the first drone entered Gulf airspace. Despite a narrow window, American radar systems locked on, interceptors were activated, and the threat was handled almost immediately. It was a real-world, high-stakes test of our defensive posture—and the system passed. The success of that response was built on layered architecture. The Patriot PAC-3 system engaged missiles at altitude. AN/TPY-2 radar played a critical role in early detection and fire control. These platforms didn't just work together—they worked in real time, under fire, at scale. These are not theoretical capabilities. They've been tested, fielded, exported, and validated under battlefield conditions from Ukraine and Israel to Saudi Arabia and now Qatar. In the wake of the attack, CENTCOM pointed to "forward-deployed missile defense architecture" as the key to mission success. That architecture came from decades of engineering, refinement, and operational discipline. In recent years, there's been growing interest in emerging tech firms entering the defense space—with compelling ideas and capabilities. Innovation is valuable. But many of these proposed capabilities still need to be tested on the battlefield. When American lives are on the line, systems with track records of success that provide protection will remain invaluable. That's why the outcome in the Middle East carries broader strategic implications. Iran's failure to breach American defenses didn't just protect a base. It reaffirmed U.S. deterrence posture in the region. It reassured allies that the American shield remains credible. And it sent a message to adversaries: if you strike at U.S. forces, we have the ability—and the infrastructure—to strike back or stop you cold. That's where the strategic clarity brought by President Trump's defense agenda comes into full focus. From rebuilding the military to launching the Golden Dome missile shield initiative, President Trump has emphasized deterrence through strength and reliability. His administration has prioritized U.S. defense investment, cut red tape, and accelerated deployments that are now proving critical to our national security. The system held in at Al Udeid because the policy behind it was serious. We're entering a new and dangerous era. America's adversaries are cooperating to a greater degree. China is modernizing. North Korea is testing with increasing frequency. Across the globe, asymmetric threats are rising. Iran's ballistic missile attack was a reminder of why America must continue to prioritize proven, trusted defense capabilities. The next strike won't come with more warning. It won't wait for our acquisition cycles or R&D timelines. We will need what worked several weeks ago, ready and deployed. Support the firms that build this shield. That's how we protect American lives—and how we ensure the next attack fails, just like the last one did.
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
US eyes Philippine rare earths to counter China's ‘chokehold'
When US officials met their Philippine counterparts in Kuala Lumpur this month to discuss critical minerals, few outside industry circles realised the quiet significance of the conversation: a new front in the global contest over resources essential to modern technology and national security. Now, a potential rare earths deal between the United States and the Philippines has drawn attention to the largely overlooked abundance of these strategic resources in the Southeast Asian nation – and to the decades-long flow of Philippine raw materials to China For years, Manila may have been unwittingly supplying China with the vital ingredients for manufacturing items ranging from smartphones and electric vehicles to missiles, satellites and military aircraft, industry insiders say. During the meeting in Kuala Lumpur on July 10, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro that Washington was interested in 'the Philippines' wealth in critical minerals and stressed the need to diversify critical mineral supply chains', according to a State Department statement. US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr at the White House on July 22. Photo: Reuters
