Latest news with #ofNationalIntelligence
9 News
6 days ago
- Politics
- 9 News
Trump bans citizens from 12 countries from travelling to the US
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here BREAKING Trump announces travel ban on a dozen countries US President Donald Trump is resurrecting the travel ban policy from his first term, signing a proclamation preventing people from a dozen countries from entering the United States. The countries include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. In addition to the ban, which takes effect at 12.01am on Monday (US time), there will be heightened restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. President Donald Trump speaks during a summer soiree on the South Lawn of the White House. He has banned the citizens of 12 countries from travelling to the US. (AP) 'I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people,' Trump said in his proclamation. The list results from a January 20 executive order Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to compile a report on 'hostile attitudes' toward the US and whether entry from certain countries represented a national security risk. During his first term, Trump issued an executive order in January 2017 banning travel to the US by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries — Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. It was one of the most chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency. Travellers from those nations were either barred from getting on their flights to the US or detained at US airports after they landed. They included students and faculty as well as businesspeople, tourists and people visiting friends and family. The order, often referred to as the 'Muslim ban' or the 'travel ban,' was retooled amid legal challenges, until a version was upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2018. The ban affected various categories of travellers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, plus North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials and their families. Trump and others have defended the initial ban on national security grounds, arguing it was aimed at protecting the country and not founded on anti-Muslim bias. However, the president had called for an explicit ban on Muslims during his first campaign for the White House. Donald Trump USA World Politics Africa Travel Middle East CONTACT US
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Business Standard
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
What are China's grey zone tactics, and why Taiwan is vary of them?
As regional security leaders gathered at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore from May 30 to June 1, the focus once again centred on Taiwan. Speaking to the South China Morning Post, former Taiwanese defence minister Andrew Yang Nien-dzu expressed concern over the increasing 'grey zone operations' by Beijing, including frequent Chinese coastguard activity near the island. 'Although there have not been accidental conflicts (between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait), this kind of activity has placed immense pressure on us,' he said. What are grey zone tactics? Grey zone tactics refers to the ambiguous space between peace and open conflict. It is characterised by the use of non-kinetic means, such as psychological, informational, and economic tactics, which is often employed in hybrid forms including cyber, military, and diplomatic operations. Unlike regular warfare, which involves open fighting between armies, grey zone tactics are unclear and often hidden. State or non-state actors use these methods to cause trouble or gain power without officially going to war. Because the actions are hard to trace or prove, the attackers can deny they were involved. In recent years, more countries have started using these sneaky strategies instead of direct military force. For example, when Russia took over Crimea in 2014, it used soldiers without uniforms (called 'little green men'), spread false information, hacked into computer systems, and influenced local politics. This strategy helped Russia succeed without starting a traditional war. Hacking and cyberattacks are also common in grey zone warfare. These can damage important systems, steal secrets, or create political confusion. In its 2021 report, the Office of the US' Director of National Intelligence accused China of hacking Western companies and governments to gain an edge in business and politics. Another tool is economic pressure. China has sometimes used trade bans or blocked investments to punish countries that oppose its policies. One example is when South Korea installed a missile defence system in 2017, and China responded by limiting trade. Military drills, economic tools, and coercion Since the election of President Lai Ching-te in May 2024, who asserted that 'Taiwan and mainland China are not subordinate to each other", China has ramped up its campaign of intimidation. Beijing's grey zone activities include deploying the China Coast Guard in disputed waters in March 2024, conducting large-scale military drills near Taiwan, and flying warplanes around the island on a near-daily basis. These actions aim to alter the status quo without crossing the threshold of war. Broader application across the region China's grey zone tactics extends beyond Taiwan. In the South China Sea, Beijing has built artificial islands and militarised them to strengthen its territorial claims, according to a report by US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is another form of grey zone engagement, using economic tools to establish geopolitical leverage. One example is Sri Lanka's Hambantota Port, which was leased to China for 99 years after Colombo defaulted on Chinese loans—an instance of so-called 'debt-trap diplomacy'. Salami slicing and the 'String of Pearls' China's incremental 'salami slicing' strategy enables it to make small territorial or strategic gains that would be harder to achieve through a single overt act. The expansion of artificial islands in the South China Sea and increased patrol activity exemplify this. Another manifestation is the 'String of Pearls' strategy—China's effort to build a network of ports and facilities across the Indian Ocean to secure maritime routes and project influence. Global implications and US response According to Yang, grey zone tactics are not actually military operations but "carry a military message", making them difficult to counter under traditional defence protocols. A Taiwan defence ministry report in March 2024 noted an escalation in grey zone actions, with China deploying balloons, drones, and civilian vessels to 'saturate' areas around the island. In response, the US has ramped up arms sales to Taiwan. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned that China's actions aim to fundamentally alter the regional security environment while avoiding open warfare. China, for its part, has cautioned the US against 'playing with fire' over Taiwan.
Fox News
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Deadline looms for release of JFK assassination files
The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the attorney general are expected to release their proposed plan for the declassification of the JFK files on Friday. Both offices, in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Counsel to the President, have until the end of the day Friday to release their proposed plan. Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to declassify files on the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr. "Everything will be revealed," Trump told reporters as he signed the order in the Oval Office. The executive order came after Trump had previously promised on the campaign trail to declassify the documents upon entering his second term, saying at the time, "When I return to the White House, I will declassify and unseal all JFK assassination-related documents. It's been 60 years, time for the American people to know the truth." Trump had initially promised to release the last batch of documents during his first term, but such efforts ultimately dissipated. Trump then blocked the release of hundreds of records on the assassination following several CIA and FBI appeals. "I have no choice," Trump said in a memo, where he cited "potentially irreversible harm" to national security if he allowed the records to be released. Trump said at the time the potential harm to U.S. national security, law enforcement or foreign affairs is "of such gravity that it outweighs the public interest in immediate disclosure." Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was sworn in on Wednesday, is in New Orleans, Louisiana, for the day to survey Super Bowl LIX security. Bondi's first full day on the job is part of an effort to highlight the administration's broader commitment to crack down on violent crime and acts of terrorism. Bondi has yet to formally address Trump's order to declassify the JFK assassination files and her approach to the task. Fox News Digital learned shortly after she was sworn in that the new AG would be issuing several major directives on her first day, including orders to combat the weaponization of the legal system and making prosecutors seek the death penalty when appropriate. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for DNI, successfully advanced out of the Intel Committee this week, with all Republican members voting in her favor. Gabbard has faced questions during her confirmation process regarding her past meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, her previous FISA Section 702 stance and her past support for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
