Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on U.S., WHA, Taiwan, aviation management
News (1)
If China invades Taiwan during his term, Trump: I will bomb Beijing
Reporter : Chen Chengliang / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/breakingnews/4689216 / Image : According to the Washington Post, Trump said that if China invades Taiwan during his term, he will bomb Beijing. (AP file photo)
Former US President Trump recently made shocking remarks at a fund-raising event, saying that if China invades Taiwan or Russia invades Ukraine during his term, he will bomb Beijing and Moscow. This statement aroused shock and widespread concern among donors at the scene.
According to a report by the Washington Post on 28 May 2024, Trump mentioned this suggestion in a speech during a nationwide fundraising tour. Trump's remarks often touched on foreign policy as well as other issues he discussed at rallies, such as inflation and immigration. This shocking statement reflects his consistent aggressive style and hard-line stance.
"At one event, Trump shocked some donors by mentioning that he would bomb Moscow and Beijing if Russia invaded Ukraine or China invaded Taiwan," the report said.
In response to this comment, Trump's campaign team only responded with a statement "supporting his efforts" without elaborating on his specific policies and plans.
This report attracted widespread attention and caused many people to question: How will the situation in the Taiwan Strait change if Trump is re-elected?
Some pro-Beijing experts and media pointed out that Trump had said that if allies such as NATO did not pay, they would have to bear the responsibility for their own defense. Therefore, if Trump is elected in the future, he may give up on Taiwan. However, H.R. McMaster, Trump’s national security adviser, pointed out in Nikkei Asia earlier this month that if Trump returns to the White House, the United States will still be committed to defending Japan and Taiwan.
Reuters reported that James Gilmore, the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) under Trump, told the media in Taiwan in April that Trump was not an isolationist and his purpose was to promote the United States' Allies pay more attention to their own defense. Gilmore believes that if Trump is re-elected, he will support Taiwan as he did during his first term.
Shortly after Trump won the election in 2016, he had a phone call with then-Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. During his term, Trump approved more arms sales to Taiwan than any other U.S. president since the U.S. severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan. In addition, in December 2020, he also signed and passed the "Taiwan Assurance Act", calling for the normalization of arms sales to Taiwan, supporting Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations, and reviewing the State Council's guidelines for exchanges with Taiwan.
In the face of the Chinese Communist Party’s increased pressure on Lai’s government, Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State during the Trump era, has repeatedly spoken out in support of Taiwan, saying that regardless of the outcome of the U.S. election, Taiwan should have confidence in the United States. If the CCP invades Taiwan, the United States will definitely intervene. (We will be there).
Pompeo also mentioned that although the strategic ambiguity adopted by the United States on the Taiwan Strait issue in the past had a buffering effect, it also encouraged the Chinese Communist Party’s aggressive posture against Taiwan. Now is the time to embrace strategic clarity and recognize Taiwan as a sovereign country. This is not only a moral necessity, but also a strategic necessity. It is also an acknowledgment of Taiwan's democratic process.
Image : Former US OSCE Ambassador Gilmore (pictured) said that he believes that Trump will support Taiwan again when he becomes president. (AP file photo)
News (2) to (4) / Reporter : Chen Ting / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/5/30/n14260452.htm
News (2)
Trump hush money case, jury deliberations ended inconclusively on the first day
Image : On 29 May 2024, in Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, former U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to the media when the jury in the hush money case ended its first day of deliberations. (Curtis Means-Pool/Getty Images)
On Wednesday (29 May 2024), the jury in Trump's hush money case ended its first day of closed-door deliberations, but did not reach a verdict. At 9.30 am on Thursday, they will return to the New York court to decide the fate of the former U.S. president.
It is unclear when they might reach a verdict.
Trump, 77, is accused of falsifying business documents before the 2016 presidential election to cover up a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep her affair from Trump.
Prosecutors argue that the payment, made through former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, should not be classified as a "legal fee" and meant Trump tried to illegally interfere with the 2016 election.
Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies having an affair with Daniels.
News (3)
Jury requests transcripts of testimony from two witnesses
On Wednesday, the jury asked Judge Juan Merchan to provide transcripts of testimony from two witnesses, former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and tabloid publisher David Pecker.
Cohen is a key witness for prosecutors who testified that Trump knew about the hush money agreement and worked to cover it up. Pecker testified that he worked to cover up other reports that could have affected Trump's campaign.
The jury also told the judge they wanted him to give them legal guidance again on Thursday.
The judge gave the jury instructions on Wednesday morning, informing them of legal knowledge about sentencing, principles of evidence law, procedures required to reach a verdict, etc. It is not clear whether the jurors want to hear all the instructions again or just some of them.
Any verdict requires unanimous agreement from all 12 jurors. If they cannot resolve their differences, the judge will declare a mistrial.
News (4)
Trump: Nobel Prize winners can't beat these charges
As a Republican presidential candidate, Trump believes that the four criminal charges he has recently faced, including the hush money case, are all aimed at hindering his campaign and preventing him from returning to the White House.
"Mother Teresa (the late Nobel Peace Prize winner) couldn't beat these charges either. The whole thing is rigged," Trump told reporters outside the court on Wednesday. He also said that if Judge Melchand dismissed the case, he could "save his reputation."
Melchan told the jury to examine Cohen's testimony with extra care because he was an accomplice in paying hush money in this case. Cohen served as Trump's personal lawyer and middleman for about 10 years before his relationship with Trump broke down.
Cohen said he paid $130,000 out of his own pocket to stop Daniels from speaking publicly about her affair with Trump. Daniels claims that his sexual encounter with Trump occurred in 2006.
Cohen said Trump approved the hush money agreement and developed a plan after the election to repay Cohen in the name of "legal fees" through monthly installments.
However, defense lawyers questioned Cohen's statement and cited communication records to point out that the call in which Cohen claimed to have finalized the hush money agreement with Trump actually lasted only 96 seconds, and Cohen first discussed with Trump's bodyguard Keith Schiller how to deal with several harassing calls.
The lawyer believes that it is reasonable to doubt that Cohen could not discuss two things with Schiller and Trump in a 96-second call.
The content and timing of this call are of great significance. It is one of the main evidences that prosecutors believe Trump knew about the hush money agreement.
Trump's defense attorneys told the jury that Cohen is a felon with a record of perjury and even stole $30,000 from the Trump Organization, and he can't be expected to tell the truth.
On Tuesday, defense attorney Todd Blanche told jurors: "He is simply the biggest liar in history."
Prosecutors said that voice messages, emails and other evidence all support Cohen's testimony.
According to U.S. regulations, prosecutors have an obligation to "exclude reasonable doubt" and prove the defendant's guilt.
In his closing statement, attorney Blanche also listed a list of top ten reasonable doubts for the jury, including: the local prosecutor did not fulfill the burden of proof, could not provide evidence that Trump used illegal means to influence the election, and Trump may never have reviewed the checks he signed for Cohen because "he was running the country in 2017."
If Trump is convicted, will it affect the U.S.election?
Trump faces 34 felony charges. If found guilty, Trump will face up to 4 years in prison, but the first offender of such crimes is unlikely to be imprisoned, only fined or suspended.
In other words, even if convicted, it would not prevent Trump from participating in the November 5 election. If he wins, it would not prevent him from taking office.
However, the verdict could still affect the outcome of the U.S. election.
Polls show that the competition between Trump and Biden is very fierce. In polls by Decision Desk HQ and The Hill, Trump leads Biden in six key states that may determine the outcome of the election, but according to polls by Reuters and Ipsos, a guilty verdict may cause Trump to lose the support of some voters.
If he is acquitted, it means that Trump has successfully overcome a legal obstacle and Trump does not have to travel back and forth between court appearances and campaign activities. If convicted, he is expected to appeal. Trump's other three criminal charges are not expected to go to trial before the November election.
News (5)
News: If Trump returns to the White House, he may hire Musk as an advisor
Reporter : Chen Ting / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/5/30/n14260489.htm / Image : Elon Musk. (Saul Martinez/Getty Images)
Sources said that if Trump regains the White House in the U.S. election in November, he may consider hiring billionaire Elon Musk as a policy advisor.
However, the insider also added that Musk's specific role has not yet been determined and may not happen, but Musk has had many discussions with Trump on issues such as US borders, immigration and economic policies.
On Wednesday (29 May 2024), the Wall Street Journal quoted several people familiar with the matter as saying that Musk and Trump have been talking on the phone several times a month since March this year.
Sources said that Musk and Trump established contact at the estate of billionaire Nelson Peltz in March this year. Since then, the two have discussed various policy issues including immigration and the economy.
In recent months, Musk has spoken out many times about immigration and criticized the Democratic Party for overly condoning illegal immigration.
The report also stated that Musk also told Trump that he planned to use his influence to persuade American business leaders to ask them not to support Democratic President Biden who is seeking re-election.
Musk also considered funding a "data-driven project to prevent election fraud."
Trump and Musk did not immediately make a public statement on the report. Representatives of the Biden campaign team did not immediately respond to requests for comment from various media.
In March this year, Musk said after meeting with Trump in Florida that he would not donate to Trump or Biden. However, the Wall Street Journal quoted a person familiar with Musk's thinking as saying that Musk's goal is to "use his influence... to help Trump defeat Biden by inspiring the support of influential allies."
In recent years, Musk has begun to fully support the Republican Party.
In March of this year, Musk posted on X: "A few years ago, I still voted 100% for the Democratic Party. Now, I think we need a red wave or America is toast." In the United States, red represents the Republican Party and blue represents the Democratic Party.
I voted 100% Dem until a few years ago.
Now, I think we need a red wave or America is toast.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 24, 2024
Musk has also publicly criticized Biden's policies on immigration, electric vehicles and tariffs.
In fact, more and more Silicon Valley technology tycoons have recently begun to change their political positions, allowing the Republican Party to gradually make progress in the technology donor community dominated by the Democratic Party.
Next month, two well-known technology investors will hold a fundraising event for Trump in San Francisco.
According to the invitation obtained by Reuters, the dinner with Trump on June 6 will be hosted by venture capitalists David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya and Sacks' wife Jacqueline.
Sacks and Palihapitiya co-host the "All-in" podcast, in which they talk about many inside stories in the technology world, which is very popular.
In recent years, the two podcast hosts have expressed more conservative views and criticized what they see as the increasingly liberal Silicon Valley culture. Sacks is a close friend of Musk. Sacks said he hopes to invite Trump to the show.
Tickets for the All-In fundraiser cost at least $50,000 each, and becoming a member of the hosting committee costs $300,000 per person or $500,000 per couple, with priority seats for the dinner and photos with Trump.
These signs indicate that Trump is trying to expand his alliance and find new sources of fundraising. Although Silicon Valley has long been considered a bastion of liberalism, its internal culture may be changing.
News (6)
Exclusive interview with Lara Trump: The Republican National Committee will be reorganized
Reporters : Janice Hisle and Lawrence Wilson/Translated by Wu Xianglian / Editor : Ren Zijun / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/3/15/n14202615.htm / Image : On 8 March 2024, in Houston, Texas, Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of former US President Donald Trump, attended the Republican National Committee (RNC) Spring Meeting. On the same day, she was elected as co-chair of the RNC and Michael Whatley was elected as chairman. (Cécile Clocheret/AFP via Getty Images)
Lara Trump, the new co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) and daughter-in-law of former President Trump, said that she began to reorganize the committee with other new leaders from the first day she took office.
On 12 March 2024 (Tuesday), Lara Trump said in an exclusive interview with The Epoch Times: "This is the dawn of a new day for the Republican National Committee. I think people will feel like they are breathing fresh air when they see a lot of things we do."
She did not disclose how many RNC employees were fired when she took office. She said the final number has not yet been determined because "some people will come back and some people won't."
She pointed out that the new leadership's quick action shows that "we are really serious" and that "the Republican Party's top priority is to help President Trump and other Republicans win elections. That means raising money, spending money wisely, attracting voters, and making sure voters' votes count."
She is the wife of President Trump's son Eric Trump. She and other senior RNC leaders, including North Carolina Republican leader and new chairman Michael Whatley, have taken a tough stance on the RNC's restructuring.
"We are not here to make friends, we are here to win," she said. "If you are really focused on this goal, you have to say 'no' to people; you have to have difficult conversations."
Her attitude represents a major shift. Politicians told the Epoch Times that for many years, the RNC operated like a "good old guys club" full of people who are willing to help others.
In response to the situation, Lara Trump said: "I think this is how too many people feel about the RNC. That's why my father-in-law is calling for reforms to this leadership."
The rise of her and Watley, along with Chris LaCivita, the RNC's chief operating officer and longtime Trump campaign manager, has solidified Trump's position as the de facto leader of the Republican Party.
"This change in leadership marks a complete integration between the RNC and the Trump campaign," said J. Matthew Wilson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University.
"It's clear that the MAGA faction now has a firm grip on the Republican Party," he said.
Whether these changes benefit the entire Republican Party remains to be seen, but Lara Trump said she is determined to work for the benefit of the entire Republican Party, not just her father-in-law.
On March 13, she posted on social media that the weekend after she and Watley were elected was the Republican Party's "biggest digital fundraising weekend of 2020... and we're just getting started!" She did not disclose the total amount raised.
Then and Now
Ronna McDaniel, who had served as RNC chair since 2017 with Trump’s support, resigned on March 8, citing a long history of poor leadership, poor fundraising, and a series of losses and missed opportunities. The most important thing, of course, is the failure of the Republican Party to win a Senate majority in November 2022.
According to Trump’s advice, Republican National Committee members voted for Laura Trump and Whatley at the spring meeting in Houston on March 8, and no one objected when the vote was held. They were unanimous in their election.
At the meeting, Alaska Republican National Committee member Cynthia Henry told The Epoch Times that she believed people were “very happy about the change in leadership.” She believes that people are “grateful for the past leadership and are also inspired by the new leadership.”
Some observers are also concerned about Laura Trump’s close relationship with President Trump, in addition to the heavy baggage Trump carries: 91 criminal charges and numerous civil cases, including a $355 million fine case that he is appealing. Trump and his supporters denounced the legal attacks on him as “legal warfare” and “election interference.”
Meanwhile, Democrats are reeling from the upheaval within the Republican Party and the nearly empty treasury, as well as the ongoing legal battles against President Trump.
In contrast, many Republican loyalists are pleased with the party’s transformation. They envision a stronger, rejuvenated Republican National Committee after years of stagnation and foolish decision-making.
“We need to conduct the largest legal ballot harvesting operation this country has ever seen,” Lara Trump said in an interview with The Epoch Times before she became co-chair of the Republican National Committee.
Ballot harvesting is legal in many states and allows people to hand over other voters’ absentee or mail-in ballots to election officials. But there are concerns that the practice will facilitate election fraud. Republicans have long disdained the practice, and Democrats have taken advantage of it. “Whether they (Democrats) are doing this legally is up for debate,” Lara Trump said.
In any case, she said, it’s time for Republicans to “start attacking the game differently.”
Past priorities are misaligned
In an interview before McDaniel’s exit, Arizona Republican National Committeeman Tyler Bowyer told The Epoch Times that change “can’t come fast enough.” He said McDaniel was “seriously using Trump’s name” to raise money, “which any smart chair would do.”
But the debates McDaniel later approved “just provided fodder for attacking Trump,” he said: “The Republican Party can no longer tie fundraising to President Trump’s name for fear of favoritism when President Trump faces other Republican challengers.” He said this left him and other like-minded Republicans with “we told you so.”
Bowyer said the former Republican leadership was not necessarily against Trump, but they “had other interests in mind.” In his view, the old leadership team was only interested in appeasing entrenched Republican politicians. And these politicians lacked the “courage to make difficult decisions” and the courage to build the right foundation for the party.
He said Republican leadership should tell Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that they would not provide $10 million to Sen. Lisa Murkowski's reelection campaign because she is almost certain to win. Instead, the money should be used to support Republican candidates who are working to unseat the Democrats.
He believes that if the efforts of then-Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker were more funded by the party, his chances of winning in 2022 would be great.
Bowyer believes that if the leaders of a party are unwilling to make decisions based on smart strategies and instead blindly please McConnell and others, "you will lose." "It's very rare when our Republican leadership is willing to do this. (So) it's unpopular," he said. "When you leave office, you don't have more friends than when you took office."
"Every penny" spent on winning
A potential early test for the new Republican leadership is whether the party should cover Trump's legal costs.
Some Trump supporters believe it is only fair to cover Trump’s legal expenses; they agree with Trump’s assertion that Democratic President Joe Biden’s allies have targeted Trump for political purposes in state and federal courts.
Others bristle at the idea of using donations for legal proceedings.
Earlier this month, at an RNC meeting, Mississippi Congressman Henry Barbour tried to introduce a motion to ban such donations. But the motion failed to gain enough support and was not included on the agenda.
Subsequently, two members of the RNC declined to comment on the use of party funds to pay Trump’s legal fees, and the media could not reach Barbour.
For now, it seems that the Republican Party has not directly banned the payment of legal fees for Trump. Recently, Trump won enough votes to become the Republican presidential nominee.
Laura Trump told the Epoch Times that the use of all funds will be carefully considered. "I think a big focus for us is cutting spending and making sure every penny is spent wisely and on things that help us win and nothing else," she said.
Raising more money and distributing it is one of the most important tasks facing the new Republican leadership, said Wilson, a professor at Southern Methodist University. "The RNC is significantly behind the Democratic National Committee in fundraising, and there are divisions within the Republican Party in many states," he said.
"In addition, the party has lost election after election since 2018. New leaders need to reverse that trend and show that they can bring votes to Republican candidates, not just serve as a tool to advance Donald Trump's personal interests," Wilson said.
Laura Trump also said the victory the new RNC seeks is "not just a victory for President Trump," although he is "extremely important." "We also want to focus on the next cycle of elections that really matter," she said. "We want to extend our lead in the House, and we want to take back the Senate."
It's 'Trump's show'
Aaron Dusso, a professor of political science at Indiana University Indianapolis, noted that Laura Trump has been "a vocal player for many years" in her father-in-law's campaigns.
"With her official position in the party, her influence may increase. People expect her to be the front person, while Watley works behind the scenes," Dusso said. "But it's not that Watley will be some kind of figurehead. Obviously, this is Donald Trump's show, and they both will be accountable to him."
Dusso said Laura Trump's new role "solidifies Trump's real control over the Republican Party." The Trump-centric evolution of the Republican Party can be traced back to Trump's first presidential campaign, which began in 2015.
"Before the 2020 Republican National Convention, the party chose to simply re-adopt the 2016 party platform rather than write a new one," Dusseau said. "It was clear then, and even clearer now, that the Republican Party is Trump's party."
News (7) to (8) / Reporter : Li Jing / Editor : Fang Xiayun / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/5/29/n14260368.htm
News (7)
The EU and 26 countries support Taiwan's joining the WHO, and the number of countries supporting it exceeds that of previous years
Image : On 27 May 2024, representatives from various countries attended the opening ceremony of the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) held in Geneva, Switzerland. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)
The 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) was held in Geneva, Switzerland from 27 May to 1 June 2024, and Taiwan has been excluded for many consecutive years. However, the number of countries that spoke for Taiwan at this conference increased significantly compared to last year, and the voices supporting Taiwan exceeded that of previous years.
At the 1,000-person walk held before the opening of this conference, Juan Pablo, head of the WHO's nutrition and food security agency, held a sign that read "I walk with Taiwan" in his hand to respond to the support of Taiwanese militia groups on the roadside.
In an interview with the media, Juan Pablo said, "If (Taiwan) is still not invited, I think it's a pity, because Taiwanese talents have been cooperating (with the WHO), but this is beyond my ability."
News (8)
Representatives of many EU countries publicly spoke in support of Taiwan
At this World Health Assembly, a total of 26 member states and EU representatives with observer status publicly spoke in support of Taiwan, including 10 in Europe, 5 in the Asia-Pacific region, and Israel in the Middle East. Taiwan's diplomatic allies, except the Vatican, all continued to support it.
According to a report by the Central News Agency on the 29th, compared with last year, the number of non-diplomatic allies who spoke in support of Taiwan this year has increased to the Netherlands, New Zealand, Latvia, Israel and the European Union. A total of 15 countries and the European Union used the national speaking time of the plenary discussion on the 27th and 28th to speak for Taiwan, a significant increase from last year's 11 countries.
Among them, the health ministers and representatives of the United States, Luxembourg, and Japan all called for Taiwan to be included in the World Health Organization (WHO), and emphasized that Taiwan's successful experience in public health should be learned.
The health ministers and government representatives of Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic also spoke in support of Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly.
The European Union was represented by Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve, the permanent representative of Belgium. He said that the WHO must promote coordination and inclusive cooperation among international participants, leaving out no one and no region in the world.
German Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach even urged the WHO to "reduce bureaucracy and use Taiwan's expertise."
Lithuania and Estonia continue to speak out firmly for Taiwan, and Latvia also spoke this year to say that the WHO should not leave anyone out. The three Baltic countries all support Taiwan's participation in the WHO.
Compared with last year, New Zealand and Israel have joined the team that speaks out for Taiwan this year, emphasizing that the WHO should strengthen its inclusiveness and include Taiwan's experience and expertise. This year, the public support for Taiwan's participation in the WHO has increased significantly among democratic countries with similar ideas.
Representatives from 11 countries, except the Vatican, which is Taiwan's diplomatic ally, came to the stage to call for support for Taiwan's participation. The Vatican is an observer at the WHO and has maintained the principle of not touching on individual countries' issues for many years.
The health ministers of the Marshall Islands, Saint Lucia, Belize and Saint Vincent, four of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, held a "2-on-2 debate" with China and its vassal countries in the "General Committee" and "Plenary Session" respectively. In their debate speeches, the four countries listed Taiwan's substantial contributions to global public health and stated that Taiwan is currently unable to obtain complete medical information in a timely manner. The information gap not only poses a threat to the lives of the Taiwanese people, but also has an adverse impact on the global disease prevention and public health network.
Other friendly countries of Taiwan - Paraguay, Guatemala, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Haiti, Swaziland, Tuvalu, and Palau - continued to speak up for Taiwan in the general agenda of the General Assembly, using their precious speaking time to prove the importance of Taiwan's participation in the international public health system and urging the WHO to include Taiwan.
After the World Health Assembly refused to include a proposal by Taiwan's allies to "invite Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly as an observer" on the agenda, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed that "the one-China principle cannot be challenged."
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a press briefing on Tuesday (May 28), "We have repeatedly made it clear that we believe Taiwan should be able to participate in WHO meetings. When they participate in meetings, they bring meaningful expertise and enrich discussions and debates, and we hope that they will be allowed to participate in future meetings."
U.S. officials said that UN Resolution 2758, adopted in 1971, does not prevent Taiwan from meaningfully participating in the UN system and other multilateral forums.
According to Voice of America, on 25 October 1971, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, replacing the Republic of China (Taiwan's official name) with the People's Republic of China as a permanent member of the Security Council but the resolution did not mention Taiwan's sovereignty.
News (9)
The U.S. Department of Justice destroyed the world's largest botnet and arrested the Chinese main culprit
Reporter : Wang Junyi / Editor : Li Muen / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/5/30/n14260486.htm
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Wednesday (29th) that it had destroyed what may be the "world's largest botnet" and arrested a Chinese main culprit. The suspect sold the botnet to criminals and made a profit of nearly $100 million.
According to comprehensive media reports, the three Chinese suspects include the main culprit Wang Yunhe (Yunhe Wang, transliteration) and two accomplices, Jingping Liu (Jingping Liu, transliteration) and Yanni Cheng (Yanni Cheng, transliteration).
In early 2011, Wang Yunhe and his accomplices implanted malware on many users' devices by distributing VPN applications with hidden backdoor programs, including MaskVPN, DewVPN, PaladinVPN, ProxyGate, ShieldVPN and ShineVPNn.
Once users downloaded these VPN applications, they would unknowingly become victims of the 911 S5 botnet. Using the botnet, criminals were able to carry out crimes such as bomb threats, financial fraud, identity theft, child exploitation, etc. through the victim's device. And these criminal activities all appeared to come from the victim's device.
From 2014 to 2022, they launched and ran this botnet called "911 S5" from about 150 dedicated servers around the world. The botnet hacked into more than 19 million IP addresses in 190 countries and regions around the world. Among them, about 614,000 IP addresses were located in the United States. These hacked IP addresses were also involved in a series of bomb threats that occurred across the United States in July 2022.
The losses of confirmed victims so far amounted to billions of dollars. In addition, the botnet submitted about 560,000 false unemployment insurance applications to the federal government's Covid-19 relief program, stealing $5.9 billion.
The main culprit, Yunhe Wang, sold hijacked proxy IP addresses to cybercriminals and made about $99 million. He used the money to buy luxury cars, watches and real estate around the world.
The Department of Justice has arrested the 35-year-old main culprit, Yunhe Wang. He faces up to 65 years in prison on four counts, including conspiracy to commit computer fraud, actual computer fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued financial sanctions against the three suspects and activities related to 911 S5, and imposed sanctions on three companies owned or controlled by the main culprit.
The operation was a multi-agency coordinated operation jointly conducted by law enforcement agencies in the United States, Singapore, Thailand and Germany. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that the botnet "facilitated cyber attacks, large-scale fraud, child exploitation, harassment, bomb threats and other crimes."
The joint operation "dismantled what may be the largest botnet in the world," FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement. "We arrested administrators, seized infrastructure and assets, and imposed sanctions on co-conspirators."
"The conduct alleged here is like something edited out of a script," said Matthew S. Axelrod, assistant secretary for export enforcement at the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security. "What the film doesn't show is the hard work that domestic and international law enforcement, working closely with industry partners, put in to thwart such a brazen conspiracy."
The FBI has released a user guide on how to identify if their device was targeted by the 911 S5 attack and how to remove the malware.
News (10) to (12) / Editor: Fang Xun / Source: VOA / https://www.aboluowang.com/2024/0530/2060741.html
News (10)
"The United States can intervene" If the shooting really starts, it may be a full-scale war
Image : As the Chinese Communist Army held military exercises around Taiwan, Taiwanese military vehicles drove through the streets of Kinmen Island. (24 May 2024)
WASHINGTON — Taiwan’s top security official said Wednesday (29 May 2024) that the Chinese Communist Party’s military exercises around Taiwan last week were mainly aimed at propaganda and intimidation of Taiwan, not to start a war. Former U.S. military intelligence officials pointed out that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People’s Liberation Army are using the military exercises around Taiwan to test the bottom line of Taiwan, the United States, and even Japan at the same time. They said the United States should increase its war preparedness to deter or, if necessary, defeat the Chinese Communist Party’s attempt to occupy Taiwan.
The latest round of “punitive” military exercises held by the People’s Liberation Army of China against Taiwan from May 23 to May 24, “Joint Sword-2024A”, has attracted widespread attention in the United States.
The U.S. State Department said in a press release on Monday (May 27) Eastern Time on the video conference on the second round of maritime affairs consultations with the Chinese Communist Party that "the United States reiterates the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and expresses great concern about the (Chinese Communist Party) People's Liberation Army conducting joint military exercises in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan."
Michael McCaul, chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, who is visiting Taiwan, called on Taiwan to strengthen its naval and air forces to make it difficult for the Chinese Communist Party's military forces to land in Taiwan. He also said that the United States must help Taiwan build deterrence to resist external force coercion and ensure the safety of the Taiwanese people.
However, former U.S. military intelligence officials pointed out that the Chinese Communist Party is testing the bottom line of Taiwan and the United States at the same time. The United States must significantly increase its military and combat readiness efforts to effectively deter the Chinese Communist Party and use military power when necessary.
News (11)
China is testing the bottom line of the United States, Taiwan and Japan
James E. Fanell, a retired senior U.S. Navy intelligence officer and former head of the Seventh Fleet's intelligence department, told VOA that China's military exercise around Taiwan is closer to the mainland of Taiwan than the missile exercise in 2022 and the Joint Sword Operation in 2023. China is testing where the red lines of Taiwan, Japan and the United States are.
Fanell said: "In doing so, the (CCP) Central Military Commission/People's Liberation Army is testing how far they can actually operate from Taiwan before Taiwan, Japan or the United States reacts strongly. This is valuable information they can obtain, which will provide Beijing with a huge advantage if they decide to invade."
The PLA's closed area this time is within the Taiwan contiguous zone (24 nautical miles), including Kinmen, Wuqiu, Matsu and Dongyin around the main island of Taiwan. In addition, on May 23, the Chinese Fujian Coast Guard organized a fleet of ships to conduct a so-called "comprehensive law enforcement" exercise in the waters near Taiwan's Wuqiu Island and Dongyin Island. The exercise was only 2.8 nautical miles away from Da Wuqiu Island at its closest point, and only 3 nautical miles away from Xiao Wuqiu Island at its closest point. According to reports from the Chinese media, Dongyin Island and Wuqiu Island are two "nails" in Taiwan's defense, and "it's time to pull them out."
Fannell also said that the signal this military exercise gave to Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te is that he will spend every day of his term under the threat of possible invasion, regardless of whether the Chinese Communist Party will invade Taiwan by force.
"Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party expect that this will put great psychological pressure on the new Taiwanese president, and they expect him to be unable to bear such pressure and then succumb, or make a wrong decision, and then give Beijing an excuse to invade Taiwan," he said.
In addition, Fannell believes that China's military exercise is also a signal to the United States, especially the new US Indo-Pacific commander, Admiral Samuel Paparo, and US allies, that the United States cannot stop China's strategic attempt to take Taiwan.
"Beijing knows that among those who advocate for engagement with China in the United States, they have their own representatives, and these people will also amplify the message of 'we can't beat the CCP' within the U.S. national security system," he said.
Grant Newsham, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and former director of intelligence for the Asia-Pacific region of the Marine Corps, told VOA on Tuesday when assessing the situation in the Taiwan Strait that frequent military exercises not only hone the strength of the Chinese Communist Army, but also allow China to take the opportunity to further evaluate and understand Taiwan's defense capabilities and the response of the U.S. government, and even wear down the opponent's strength.
"It is also part of the CCP's strategy to make Taiwan's armed forces feel tired and to make not only the Taiwanese army and people, but also Americans to a certain extent, lose sensitivity," he said.
Newsham, who is also the author of "When China Attacks," also mentioned that actual combat is almost always much more difficult than exercises; because during actual combat, the opponent fires back in real time. Once a real war breaks out, unpredictability will almost certainly be certain.
News (12)
The United States must build combat capabilities
In this situation, how can and should the United States respond? Fanell believes that the United States has no choice but to build combat capabilities.
"First, we must move existing armed forces to the Pacific region," he said. "For example, we should move at least two aircraft carriers west of the international date line so that at least two aircraft carrier battle groups can operate at sea in the first and second island chains."
Fanell said that the U.S. president should immediately launch a military mobilization at home and quickly build various preparations to deter and defeat the Chinese Communist Party's military invasion of Taiwan. He said that part of the overall operation of the Chinese Communist Party's military invasion of Taiwan is likely to include an attack on the US armed forces in Asia.
He also called on the United States to conduct joint military exercises with Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and other treaty allies.
The former intelligence chief of the Seventh Fleet also said that in terms of real preparations for war, leaders of the United States and its allies need to begin planning to lock on some key targets on the Chinese mainland. Fanell also suggested that Japan, South Korea and Taiwan should all have tactical nuclear missiles to effectively check and balance the Chinese Communist Party.
"Beijing must understand that we are not kidding, and must understand that we will not allow the CCP to invade Taiwan by force without paying a huge price."
However, Fanell admitted that what he said "may seem to give the impression of escalation to some people, but the fact is that China has been constantly escalating its conventional and nuclear weapons over the past 25 years."
He said that the United States should "stand up" and stand at the forefront of the fight against the illegal Communist regime currently ruled by the CCP.
Sam Niu, a former senior intelligence officer of the U.S. Marine Corps, said that one of the purposes of the Chinese military exercise is to see how the United States will respond to greater pressure from the CCP and the threat of further armed invasion of Taiwan by the CCP. But the measures taken by the United States in recent years have not stopped China's "aggressive posture."
He said: "In the past few years, what the United States has done, whether it is sanctions within a certain range, threats to impose further sanctions, or friendly dialogues, etc., has not stopped China's pace, or slowed down."
He believes that the United States can intervene in the issue of the CCP's armed invasion of Taiwan. "Whether it is from the north, that is, Japan, or from the south, that is, the Philippines, or even from the east of Taiwan."
However, he also warned that if this is done, it means real firing, and the next step may be a full-scale war.
David R. Stilwell, former Assistant Secretary of State for Asian and Pacific Affairs of the U.S. State Department, who also served in the U.S. Air Force for many years and retired with the rank of brigadier general, told VOA that this round of military exercises is clearly an escalation by the Chinese Communist Party. He warned: "Aggressive actions have a price." The Chinese Communist Party cannot threaten Taiwan like this and claim that the Taiwanese people are "compatriots."
News (13)
McCaul promised to improve Taiwan's national defense and hoped that the Legislative Yuan would unite to resist the Communist Party and protect Taiwan
Report by : Chi Qianli, Zeng Yihao and Tang Jiean / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/05/29/a103885475.html
McCaul, Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, led a delegation to visit Taiwan on the fourth day and visited the Legislative Yuan on Wednesday (29 May 2024). At a time when the Congressional Powers Act caused controversy, McCaul called on the Legislative Yuan to uphold the spirit of unity and jointly protect Taiwan.
Giving a thumbs up in front of the Legislative Yuan, McCaul, Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, led a delegation to meet with Legislative Yuan Speaker Han Kuo-yu. He promised to strongly support Taiwan in improving its national defense capabilities and hoped that the Legislative Yuan would be able to uphold the spirit of unity to defend Taiwan in the future, just like the U.S. Congress.
McCaul, Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee: "President Han, you have the power to review (the defense budget) to defend Taiwan and resist the invasion of the Chinese Communist Party. I sincerely hope here today that your parliament can unite like the U.S. Congress and work together to support Taiwan's national defense."
The day before, 70,000 people gathered outside the Legislative Yuan to oppose the Congressional Powers Amendment Bill passed by the opposition Blue and White parties. McCaul believes that seeing the spirit of democracy in Taiwan and shouting to the Chinese Communist Party, the people's struggle is a display of strength.
McCaul: "People can gather and protest to prove that Taiwan is a beacon of democracy. Chairman Xi, I tell you, this is not a sign of weakness, but a display of strength. We have a common enemy, and this requires all of us, including the Republicans and Democrats, the Kuomintang and the Democratic Progressive Party, to work together to protect the democracy you depend on."
McCaul, Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, also visited the Legislative Yuan Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, setting a precedent. DPP Convener Wang Dingyu and KMT Ma Wenjun warmly greeted them and took photos with the delegation to record this historic moment.
News (14)
Singapore Airlines flight hit by turbulence, 1 dead and multiple injured, investigation report released
Reporter : Li Yan / Editor : Lin Yan / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/5/29/n14260241.htm / Image : On 22 May 2024, Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 can be seen on the tarmac of Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakan. The Boeing 777-300ER passenger plane made an emergency landing in Bangkok due to severe turbulence on its way from London to Singapore. (Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP via Getty Images)
A Singapore Airlines flight was hit by severe turbulence last week. The preliminary investigation results released on Wednesday (29 May 2024) showed the cause of the casualties in this incident.
On 21 May 2024, Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 encountered severe turbulence on its way from London Heathrow Airport to Singapore and was forced to make an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand, killing one person and injuring many others.
The Singapore Ministry of Transport said in a statement: "The aircraft experienced a rapid change in G (gravity)... This may cause passengers who were not wearing seat belts to be thrown into the air."
The 777-300ER aircraft was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members. Under the impact of turbulence, passengers and crew members were thrown to various corners of the cabin, and some of them hit the ceiling. The plane then diverted to Bangkok for an emergency landing.
Citing information extracted from flight data and the cockpit voice recorder, the ministry said, "The rapid change in G (gravity) in 4.6 seconds resulted in a 178-foot drop in altitude from 37,362 feet to 37,184 feet. This series of events may have caused injuries to the crew and passengers."
Singapore Airlines acknowledged the report and said it would fully cooperate with the investigation.
The investigation team consists of Singapore investigators and U.S. representatives from Boeing, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Singapore's Ministry of Transport said the investigation is still ongoing.
Chaos
Frightened passengers on Flight SQ321 described a chaotic scene in the first few minutes of the accident: turbulence threw people upwards and into the aisle, many with head injuries and bleeding.
Photos from inside the cabin showed cracks in the overhead cabin panel, oxygen masks and panels hanging from the ceiling, and luggage scattered on the floor. One passenger said some people's heads hit the lights above their seats, causing the panels to crack.
During the incident, a 73-year-old British passenger died of a suspected heart attack. Singapore Airlines said late Tuesday that 42 passengers on flight SQ321 were still in Bangkok, 26 of whom were being treated in hospitals.
Among those initially hospitalized, some suffered spinal cord injuries, while others suffered brain and skull injuries, according to Thai medical officials.
Singapore Airlines said it would cover the "medical and hospitalization costs and any additional assistance they may require" for passengers and crew on flight SQ321.
"More cautious" with seat belts
According to the NTSB, turbulence-related incidents are the most common type of accident for commercial airlines, but serious injuries are rare.
The report said the pilots took control during g-force fluctuations to try to stabilize the aircraft, and also said the fasten seat belt sign was on after the incident.
After the incident, Singapore Airlines said it had adjusted its seat belt policy to take a "more cautious approach" to turbulence. This includes no longer serving hot drinks and meals when the seat belt sign is on.
Hong Kong's Greater Bay Airlines said on Wednesday that starting Thursday, it will require passengers to always wear seatbelts during flights, even if the seatbelt sign is off.
Flight data also showed that since the incident, the route between London and Singapore has been slightly adjusted to avoid the area where the incident occurred.
(This article refers to Reuters and CNBC reports)
News (15)
Indian child prodigy's latest prediction points to three countries, warning the world to be more careful
Reporter : Li Zhaoxi / Editor: Lin Qing/ https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/05/29/a103885319.html / Image : On 23 May 2024, at a Buddhist temple in New Delhi, India, believers turned prayer wheels during the Buddha Full Moon Festival (commemorating the birth of Buddha). (Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images)
Indian child prodigy Anand has become famous for accurately predicting many global events and is known as the "greatest prophet of our time." In his latest prediction, Anand named "3 countries" that have problems, and 10 "exploded bombs" will worsen until next year.
Anand (Abhigya Anand) is only 14 years old. He has a talent for astrology since he was a child. He started reading various books at the age of 7 and learned Sanskrit in an Indian temple. At the age of 10, he began to learn Vedic astrology. At the age of 14, he obtained a postgraduate degree in Indian herbal microbiology and is now pursuing a doctorate in Indian astrology.
Anand became famous because of a YouTube video he released on 22 August 2019, saying that there would be a global disaster from November of that year to April 2020, "transportation will be severely affected and the disease will spread widely around the world." As a result, the covid epidemic broke out at the end of the year and the world was in serious danger.
After that, Anand predicted many things, including geological disasters, political events, technological development, etc., some of which were quite accurate, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, the Australian forest fires, and the Japanese earthquake.
In his prediction on 12 May 2024, the Indian prodigy named China, Pakistan, and India, saying that China "looks good, but military spending will increase."
Anand pointed out that the impact of the geopolitical crisis will be worse due to the influence of the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction. He pointed out that from now until the Lunar New Year of 2025, the world will repeat the turbulent history of 1968-1971.
1968 was a year with global political repercussions. The ghost of socialist revolution raged in Beijing, Mexico City, New York, Chicago, Berlin, Warsaw and Prague. Representative events include the Cultural Revolution in China and the May Storm in France, which experienced the most intense social unrest since the 1930s.
Anand warned that the "10 bombs that have exploded" may worsen further, and the world should be more careful:
1. War crisis: Geopolitical tensions, Russia-Ukraine, the United States and China, the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, the Israel-Hamas war, North and South Korea and other regions are relatively unstable.
2. Climate crisis: Natural disasters such as terrifying high temperatures, floods, droughts, volcanoes and earthquakes will continue to occur around the world.
3. Inflation crisis: If economic problems are not handled properly, the inflation crisis will have a comprehensive negative impact.
4. Health crisis: Humans eat too much, and there are constant food safety issues, causing the body to deteriorate unknowingly.
5. Carbon emission crisis: The carbon emission problem is getting worse and is the main cause of global warming.
6. AI crisis: In the era of AI, be careful that humans will become stupider and be replaced by machines.
7. Food crisis: The most serious problem that humans will face within 20 years. Pay attention to land issues and conflicts that are closely related to farmers.
8. Human crisis: The prevalence of consumerism, human greed, bad politicians and leaders will accelerate the deterioration of the world.
9. Earth crisis: Human economic activities have caused serious damage to nature.
10. Karma crisis: The invisible crisis is the most terrifying. Humans are busy and their body, mind and spirit are degraded. We must believe in God, respect invisible forces, do more good deeds, say more good words, value harmony, and be kind to others to eliminate karma.
No comments:
Post a Comment