An empire of lies

 

An empire of lies

 

GT investigates: US, primary spreader of disinformation, manipulates propaganda machine for own gains under guise of 'freedom, human rights'

 

 

The so-called "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act," which maliciously denigrates the human rights situation in China's Xinjiang while disregarding facts and truth, will come into effect on June 21.

The act is the latest example of how the US launches disinformation campaigns against China. Experts noted that starting from funding anti-China think tanks and scholars to authoring malicious, false reports, the hyping up of relative topics in the media, and interference from US politicians, the US government enacts such evil laws. In its mastery of creating disinformation, the US, on April 27, announced the creation of the Disinformation Governance Board under the US Department of Homeland Security. However, the board was shut down after just three weeks after serious concerns were raised.

"The US government itself is the primary spreader of disinformation. German writer Michael Lüders pointed out in his book The Hypocritical Superpower that the US government is very adept at selecting and distorting facts, limiting the source of information, and polarizing public opinion in order to blur facts and influence people's judgment. When the waters are muddied, it is certainly easier to fish for geopolitical and economic gains," said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian at a media briefing on June 8, in response to a question related to the Disinformation Governance Board.

Last month, former US President Barack Obama's speech on disinformation and democracy sparked heated discussions. While what he tried to say was that disinformation is harmful to US democracy, many netizens pointed out that his words actually exposed how the US had launched disinformation campaigns in other countries, including meticulous propaganda operations designed to mislead citizens and result in a lack of confidence in their leaders.

"Large-scale propaganda is an important part of the US global strategy to establish, maintain, and consolidate its global dominance. The institutionalized US foreign communication strategy was accelerated after World War II," Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

Cuban Ambassador to China, Carlos Miguel Pereira, told the Global Times that the US likes to fuel its powerful propaganda machine to present a distorted world view that does not correspond to reality to protect its political interests.

Lüders told the Global Times in a previous interview that the US is "hypocritical because while it always cites higher values, in reality, it pursues a kind of power politic that is tough and cold-blooded. Its reference to 'higher values' is being manipulated."

Experts noted that the US employed "white", "black" and "gray" propaganda, and the latter two are mostly carried out by agencies such as the CIA and Defense Department in a covert manner. It is estimated that 40 percent of the CIA's covert operations are propaganda programs.  

Three types of propaganda

In 1951, the US government set up the Psychological Strategy Board (PSB), a committee comprised of the State Department, the Department of Defense, and the CIA. In 1953, the Operations Coordinating Board (OCB) under the command of the National Security Council was formed to further propose the US government's information and psychological warfare programs while the PSB was abolished.

In 1961, former US President Kennedy abolished the OCB as it was believed that secret wars should not be publicly overseen by so many officials. Since then, the agency in charge of psychological warfare became a mystery.

However, based on the analyzed related materials and US government documents, we can still have a broad understanding of how the US conducts information and psychological war abroad, Lü said.

After more than a century of practice, the US formed a complete set of international communications mechanisms. That is, the NSC led inter-department cooperation, to conduct either covert or overt communications operations. They use "idealism" as a cover to achieve their "realistic" interests in their international communication disclosures. This strategic communication, to a great extent, helps maintain US global dominance, Lü noted to the Global Times.

According to Lü, an important characteristic of US national and international communication is that it pursues "ideological thrust" and "weaponized information." That is to say, all the conveyed messages must serve US national strategic interests and goals.

Lü listed three types of propaganda that the US adopts in its strategic communication.

The "white" propaganda refers to osmotic propaganda based on the government's public activities, including public diplomacy led by the US State Department and the state-owned media represented by Voice of America.

The "black" propaganda refers to propaganda activities carried out through covert action. Many propagandist activities carried out by the CIA, the Department of Defense, and other agencies fall in this category, which includes a large number of infiltration activities such as secretly controlling domestic and foreign media and buying off politicians.

The CIA has a long history of manipulating media outlets worldwide for its secret propaganda purposes. According to an article in The New York Times in 1977, dozens of English and foreign language publications have been owned, subsidized, or influenced by the CIA over the past three decades. To shape world opinion, the CIA was able to call upon many news outlets in its worldwide propaganda campaign.

Some of its officials admitted to The New York Times that they were concerned about the possibility of "blow-back" - that is - some of the purposely misleading or downright false information spread by the CIA abroad may be picked up by US reporters overseas and included in their dispatches to publications at home.

The "gray" propaganda refers to engaging "opinion leaders" and workers in the media industry in relevant countries to act as spokespersons for US interests by means of behind-the-scenes bribes and inducements, so as to promote the interests of the US and influence the decisions of relevant governments, Lü said.

According to the Los Angeles Times, in 2005, the US military secretly paid newspapers in Iraq to run stories written by US military information operations troops with help from a defense contractor to "burnish the image of the US mission in Iraq." Nearly $1,500, for instance, was paid to Addustour newspaper to run an article titled "More Money Goes to Iraq's Development." The Los Angeles Times also found out that the Pentagon had contracted a Washington-based firm named the Lincoln Group to plant these stories.

The "gray propaganda" and "black propaganda" are mostly carried out by agencies including the CIA and the US Defense Department and the secrecy of these plans is hard to uncover, Lü said.

Scholar Loch Johnson estimated that a full 40 percent of CIA secret operations are propaganda programs. "Whatever foreign policies or slogans the White House may be pushing" at the time, the CIA "will likely be advancing these same ideas through its covert channels," he said.

Newscasters work on their broadcast at Radio and TV Marti headquarters on Jan 24, 2007 in Miami, Florida. The anti-Castro broadcasting network is overseen by the US Broadcasting Board of Governors. Photo: AFP

US' harm to the world

Ambassador Pereira told the Global Times that the destabilization campaigns and subversion programs from the US government against Cuba are nothing new.

According to the ambassador, in 2021, the Joe Biden administration asked Congress for $20 million for so-called "democracy in Cuba" programs, and almost $13 million for illegal radio and television broadcasts.

The ambassador said that in 2021, they found that the federal agency USAID granted 12 organizations based in Florida, Washington, and Madrid dedicated to the anti-Cuban campaign, more than $6.6 million, in the month of September alone.

"The US has unleashed a media offensive aimed at discrediting the management of the Cuban government, through the manipulation and politicization of issues such as human rights and the fight against terrorism, as well as generating mistrust around the Revolution, for which it deploys today with full intensity, its subversive component to try to influence sensitive and strategic sectors for the future of the country, such as our youth, through social networks, in which private US platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are known to predominate," he said.

Such methods include creating Facebook groups, the use of robots and fake accounts on Twitter, or trying to recruit Cuban residents in Miami to spread falsehoods about Cuba as though they were in the country.

During the violent July 11 unrest in 2021 in Cuba, an account based in Spain and managed by US institution posted more than 1,000 tweets a day to fuel the unrest, according to the diplomat.

From 1996 to 2021, the US Congress allocated around $404 million for supposed democracy programs under the Helms-Burton Act, an act seeking international sanctions against the Castro government. Likewise, between 1984 and 2021, the US Congress had allocated nearly $945 million for illegal broadcasts on Radio and TV Martí.

Radio and TV Martí is a Miami-based radio and television international broadcaster financed by the US federal government which transmits news to Cuba.

In November, the Ethiopian government urged the US government and relevant organizations to stop spreading falsehoods about the country.

Ethiopia's state minister of communication, Kebede Dessisa, said the US government should "refrain from disseminating shameful fake news and defamation regarding Ethiopia," state broadcaster EBC reported.

The US likes to claim that it acts in the name of freedom, democracy, and human rights but there is a huge gap between this idealism and reality. Their disinformation causes great harm which ordinary citizens have to bear, experts said.

The US used white powder as so-called evidence of possession of weapons of mass destruction then waged war on Iraq, killing about 200,000 to 250,000 Iraqi civilians. Citing a staged video by the "White Helmet" and the false intelligence it provided as "evidence", the US launched the so-called "most precise air campaign in history" against Syria, claiming more than 1,600 innocent civilian lives in a single strike.

Info war on China

Since the normalization of China-US relations, the US has not abandoned its use of ideological weapons and US intelligence agencies' rumor mill capabilities to contain China's development and undermine political stability, Lü said.

Since 2018, the US has incessantly hyped "human rights" topics in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Its modus operandi, as Lü pointed out, includes letting the media first create ambiguous topics, followed by intelligence agencies selecting suitable candidates and presenting them as "fugitives" to accept interviews in the media, followed by so-called research reports by anti-China think tanks. After that, the US government usually mobilizes several "human rights organizations" that it either secretly or openly supports to proliferate the topic and call for "sanctions." Thereafter, the US government follows the suit.

Zhao Lijian also listed how the US launched a disinformation campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic at the June 8 media briefing.

"You may still remember that the US downplayed the threat and speed of the coronavirus disease's transmission at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and kept spreading disinformation about the origins of the virus. Disinformation about COVID-19 was rated by a certain US website as "2020 Lie of the Year." As a result, more than one million innocent American lives have been lost to the virus, making the US the country with the highest COVID-19 death toll as well as the most confirmed cases," Zhao said.

"The more lies the US government tells, the greater the reputational damage and its credibility deficit," he said. "The US needs to stop fabricating and disseminating false information, and stop taking pride in being "an empire of lies."

According to the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer, only about 39 percent of American respondents said they trusted their country's government, which is nearly the lowest level ever recorded. 

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When you have insufficient magnesium, mineral for relaxation; Clearing up your brain fog

A lack of this important mineral could be causing you health problems without you even knowing it.

As magnesium regulates neurotransmitters in the body, a lack of it can cause symptoms ranging from brain fog and anxiety to insomnia and migraines. — AFP

 

In the human body, magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral.

It plays a role in over 300 physiological processes.

Many metabolic processes require this nutrient, as well as many other bodily functions, including the production of energy and building of proteins.

Without it, your body cannot function properly.

Unfortunately, the lack of magnesium is one of the most widespread deficiencies in our society today.

This deficiency can drastically affect your health as it has been linked with hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, palpitations, and even sleep disorders.

How magnesium helps

If you have difficulty meeting your magnesium needs through food, or if you have a deficiency, then taking a magnesium supplement may be helpful.

Here are some of its benefits:

> Reduce blood pressure

Magnesium supplements may help reduce blood pressure levels.

A review of 34 studies concluded that taking around 350mg per day of magnesium for an average of three months significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (the top number for blood pressure readings) by 2mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by 1.78mmHg.

> Improve sleep

It has been shown that magnesium supplements can greatly improve sleep in people with low magnesium levels.

A review of three studies among older adults found that supplementing with 320-720mg of magnesium daily for up to eight weeks decreased the time it took them to fall asleep and increased total sleep time, compared with a placebo.

> May help improve mood

Depression has been linked to low levels of magnesium, leading researchers to study whether supplementing with this mineral could help treat this condition.

A six-week randomised controlled trial including participants with depression found that 500mg of magnesium daily alleviated anxiety and depressive symptoms in as little as two weeks.

> Help with blood sugar management

Magnesium is crucial to insulin and glucose metabolism.

Type 2 diabetics, who have high blood sugar, are also prone to magnesium deficiency.

The reason for this is because high blood sugars and insulin levels can cause you to lose more of this nutrient through your urine.

Taking magnesium supplements may help improve insulin resistance – a metabolic disorder in which your cells don’t respond to insulin properly.

In a review of 25 studies, people with or at risk for type 2 diabetes who took 250-600mg of magnesium per day for up to 24 weeks experienced significant reductions in fasting and post-meal blood sugar levels, compared with the placebo group.

> Reduce heart disease risk

There is a link between low magnesium levels and an increased risk of heart disease.

Perhaps low levels of this mineral have a negative effect on blood sugar and blood pressure, which are two risk factors for heart disease.

Recent reviews of 28 studies found that taking magnesium supplements decreased blood pressure, cholesterol levels and fasting blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

> May improve migraine

Magnesium deficiency has been linked to migraines – a painful condition characterised by intense, recurrent headaches.

A 12-week study found that taking a daily magnesium supplement containing 600mg resulted in 42% fewer migraine attacks, coupled with less intense attacks.

A lack of magnesium

 

You may experience muscle cramps more frequently if you lack magnesium as it plays an important role in muscle movement. — FilepicYou may experience muscle cramps more frequently if you lack magnesium as it plays an important role in muscle movement. — Filepic

If your body lacks enough magnesium, you may experience the following conditions:

> Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and constipation

Magnesium actually softens stools by drawing water into the bowels, which helps support healthy defecation.

When stools become too hard, they move through the colon more slowly and become problematic.

Moreover, magnesium regulates muscle contractions in the intestines, which is why constipation is often caused by a magnesium deficiency.

This is why magnesium can be very helpful in relieving discomfort and cramping related to IBS or other similar conditions.

> Mood disorders

Magnesium regulates the balance of neurotransmitters.

Neurotransmitters govern many processes in our bodies, including motivation, sleep and focus.

In particular, magnesium is important for the production of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in the brain, which is a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation.

Not having adequate amounts of GABA may result in ADD/ADHD (attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), anxiety, irritability and general mood imbalances.

> Poor cognitive processing

It is possible that you have a magnesium deficiency if you frequently suffer from brain fog, poor concentration or memory problems.

In every cell of the body, there are structures called mitochondria, which produce the energy that the body needs to function.

Mitochondria rely heavily on magnesium for energy production.

Therefore, a deficiency can hamper your brain performance.

> Heart arrhythmia

The heart is a muscle that constantly contracts inside our bodies without needing to be consciously controlled.

A large amount of magnesium is required for the heart to contract properly, just as it is for other muscles.

It is believed that this is due to the fact that magnesium regulates calcium and potassium concentrations in the muscle tissues.

If you notice that your heart beats irregularly, you may want to look into magnesium supplements.

> Insomnia

Your sleep may be affected if you don’t have enough magnesium to produce adequate amounts of GABA.

Despite the fact that there are other nutrients that play a part in GABA production, magnesium is an essential nutrient for sleep quality.

With magnesium supplements, your sleep quality may improve.

> Fibromyalgia and chronic pain

Conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic pain are related to tension carried in the body.

It is possible that this tension is purely physical, but it can also be aggravated by emotional stress.

Anxiety, anger and worry are all emotions that contribute to physical tension.

These chronic tensions eventually lead to pain.

Magnesium supplements may have a calming effect on the mind and body, while resulting in the soothing and relaxation of the muscles.

> Chronic migraines

Chronic migraine sufferers have been found to have lower levels of magnesium in their bodies.

Magnesium’s key role in regulating neurotransmitter production could influence the occurrence of migraines.

> Tingling and numbness

Because of its role in healthy nerve transmission, magnesium deficiency may play a role in numbness and tingling sensations in the body.

> Cramping and muscle spasms

Magnesium is important for proper nerve transmissions, so it also plays a vital role in muscle contraction.

When magnesium is depleted, muscle contractions can become weak and uncoordinated, leading to involuntary spasms and painful cramps.

> Fatigue

Magnesium supports the adrenal glands, which play a major role in producing energy.

Magnesium can be a powerful energy booster, especially if you have chronic fatigue.

If you are deficient in magnesium, increasing your intake will improve your energy levels drastically.

Consuming enough magnesium

While magnesium is found in many foods, particularly nuts, legumes and whole grains, supplements may be beneficial to those with low magnesium intake.

It isn’t always easy to choose a magnesium supplement from the wide variety of forms and dosages available.

Though magnesium is easily obtained through diet alone – 400-420mg for men and 320-360mg for women – our modern diets often don’t include enough magnesium-rich foods.

If you can’t get enough magnesium through your diet, consider taking a supplement.

Recommended doses of magnesium supplements are 200-400mg per day, which means that a supplement can supply you with the full daily recommended intake and more.

The Food and Nutrition Board of the US Institute of Medicine has determined a tolerable upper limit of 350mg per day for supplemental magnesium.

You are unlikely to experience any digestive side effects if you consume supplements below this level.

Some types of magnesium supplements can be absorbed more easily by your body than others.

These include:

Magnesium chloride

Magnesium citrate

Magnesium aspartate

Magnesium taurate

Magnesium malate

Magnesium lactate

Supplements can be delivered in a variety of forms, such as tablets, gummies, powders and liquids.

In terms of absorption, the deli-very system makes little difference, provided you choose a form that is well-absorbed, such as magnesium citrate, so choose whichever form that is most convenient for you.

In summary

Magnesium is essential for the proper functioning of your body.

It has been reported that adequate magnesium intake reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other conditions.

If your diet does not provide enough of this important nutrient, you can take a supplement.

It is unlikely that there will be any side effects with doses below 350mg a day.

When selecting a supplement, choose one that contains a form of magnesium that is easily absorbed, such as magnesium citrate.

Always discuss with your doctor or nutritionist the right type of supplements and the dosage required before you buy your supplements.

Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, and a functional medicine practitioner. For further information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information. 

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Mineral for relaxation

 

The fourth most abundant minerals in the body, magnesium is naturally present in many foods.

 

THE hectic pace of daily living and pressures of juggling a demanding job, family and social life can leave you physically and emotionally drained.

At some point in your life, you may experience tight muscles and anxious or disrupted sleep at night.

These issues often come and go but if they persist for long periods, your body may be missing out on one of the most essential minerals – magnesium.

Are you getting enough magnesium?

Despite its role in over 300 biochemical reactions in your body, magnesium remains one of the most overlooked minerals.

Modern life robs you of magnesium. Stress is a big magnesium thief, in addition to your woeful magnesium-deficient diets.

Magnesium deficiency can cause a range of symptoms such as:

– Irritability

– Headaches

– Muscle tension

– Sleeping problems

– High blood pressure – Fatigue

– Irregular heartbeat – Weakened immunity

Why magnesium matters

Magnesium is highly associated with stress levels. Stress increases magnesium loss and can lead to a deficiency, and in turn, magnesium deficiency enhances the body’s susceptibility to stress, resulting in a vicious circle.

The fourth most abundant mineral in the body, magnesium is naturally present in many foods such as whole grains, leafy vegetables, beans, seeds and nuts. Yet, magnesium deficiency is relatively common. Modern diets tend to be high in processed and refined foods which contain scant amounts of this mineral.

Excessive consumption of alcohol, stress, ageing, intense physical activities, certain medical conditions and prescription medications can also deplete your body of magnesium.

How does magnesium help?

Think of magnesium as the relaxation mineral that relaxes tight, tense and stiff body parts or even moods.

> Fights anxiety: Magnesium helps lower levels of stress-causing cortisol naturally. The mineral also helps lift mood by raising levels of the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin.

> Relieves headaches:

Headaches are more likely to occur when you are stressed. Magnesium has been widely used to reduce the frequency, intensity and duration of headache or migraine attacks.

> Improves sleep quality: Magnesium increases the production of GABA, a neurotransmitter in the brain which is responsible for calming the nervous system and encouraging sleep. Healthy magnesium levels help improve sleep quality and shorten the time it takes to fall asleep.

> Relieves muscle tension: When your body is stressed, your muscles tense up. As a superb relaxation mineral, magnesium relaxes your muscles and controls their contractions. Increasing magnesium in the body is a great way to reduce twitches, spasms, tremors and muscle cramps.

> Regulates blood pressure and heartbeat: Chronic stress, if left untreated, can also lead to higher blood pressure and palpitations. Getting enough magnesium may help regulate your blood pressure and heartbeat. It aids in blood vessel relaxation and keeps your heart rhythm steady.

> Increases energy levels: A prolonged stress response can drain your energy. Magnesium is required for energy production. It generates energy by activating adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the fundamental unit of energy within the body’s cells.

This informational article is brought to you by Vitahealth.

For more information, call 1800 183 288. 

 

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Magnesium: The Relaxation Mineral - VitaHealth Malaysia

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Clearing up your brain fog

HAVING trouble recalling things, taking longer than usual to complete simple tasks, feeling mentally fatigued, easily distracted or confused?

If any of these sounds familiar, you are most likely dealing with brain fog. It feels like having a constant cloud over your brain that keeps you from thinking straight.

Also known as mental fatigue, brain fog is not a medical condition but rather a cognitive dysfunction involving:

> Inability to focus

> Poor concentration

> Forgetfulness

> Confusion

> Irritability

> Headaches

Brain fog can come and go over a period of time, commonly triggered by stress, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, nutrient deficiencies or medications.

More than just a nuisance, these challenges can damper your mental clarity and interfere with your ability to complete daily tasks to varying degrees.

If left unaddressed, it can snowball into chronic fatigue which ultimately leads to burnout.

How to sharpen your mind

Sharpen your mind with nootropics or “smart pills”, which have been gaining popularity in today’s competitive society.

They can help boost your brainpower so you can perform at your fullest potential, whether you are a student aiming to ace your exams, a working professional striving to excel at your duties or a senior looking to preserve your grey matter.

Acetyl-l-carnitine is an amino acid produced naturally in your body. It supports cellular energy production to fuel your brain for better focus and concentration.

As an antioxidant, it helps protect the brain cells from oxidative stress. Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin for the proper development and functioning of the brain and nervous system.

It supports the formation of myelin sheath which protects the nerve cells, ensuring the fast and effective transmission of nerve impulses. It is also required to produce mood-enhancing dopamine and serotonin.

Often called simply PS, phosphatidylserine is an essential building block of cell

membranes, with high concentrations in the nerve cells of the brain.

It increases the production of acetylcholine, an abundant neurotransmitter in the brain, which plays important role in alertness, learning and memory.

Together, these nutrients work synergistically to give you an extra boost to get you through the busy day.

This informational article is brought to you by Vitahealth.

For enquiries, call 1800 183 288. 

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Exclusive: Report reveals how US spy agencies stole 97b global internet data, 124b phone records in just 30 days

 

Photo: headquarter of NSA in Maryland

 

The US military and government cyber agencies have remotely stolen more than 97 billion pieces of global internet data and 124 billion phone records in the last 30 days, which are becoming a major source of intelligence for the US and other "Five Eyes" countries, a latest cybersecurity report showed.

The report the Global Times obtained from Anzer, a cybersecurity information platform, on Monday, once again revealed the "black hand" operations of Tailored Access Operations (TAO), the cyber warfare intelligence agency under the US National Security Agency (NSA), which has been using advanced cyberattack weapons to indiscriminately "grab" data from internet users around the world.

An exclusive report published by the Global Times in May  disclosed that China captured a spy tool deployed by the NSA, which is capable of lurking in a victim's computer to access sensitive information and was found to have controlled global internet equipment and stole large amounts of user information. The Trojan horse, "NOPEN," is a remote control tool for Unix/Linux computer systems. It is mainly used for stealing files, accessing systems, redirecting network communication, and viewing a target device's information.

According to internal NSA documents leaked by hacking group Shadow Brokers, "NOPEN" is one of the powerful weapons used by the TAO to attack and steal secrets.

Anzer's report revealed another weapon platform, "boundless informant," which is the NSA's exclusive big data summary analysis and data visualization tool system capable of colleting, managing and analyzing data around the world illegally obtained by NSA's remote control system.

According to terminal screenshots from the platform, the NSA has remotely stolen more than 97 billion pieces of global internet data and 124 billion phone records in the last 30 days.

A cybersecurity analyst told the Global Times on condition of anonymity on Monday that TAO is the largest and most important part of the intelligence division of the NSA.

Founded in 1998, the main responsibility of the TAO is to use the internet to secretly access insider information of its competitors, including secretly invading target countries' key information infrastructure to steal account codes, break or destroy computer security systems, monitor network traffic, steal privacy and sensitive data, and access to phone calls, emails, network communications and messages.

TAO also assumes an important role. When US president issues an order to disable or destroy communications networks or information systems in other countries, TAO will provide relevant cyberattack weapons, and the attacks will be carried out by the US Cyber Warfare Command, the report revealed.

According to the report, the various departments of TAO are composed of more than 1,000 active military personnel, network hackers, intelligence analysts, academics, computer hardware and software designers, and electronics engineers. The entire organizational structure consists of one "center" and four "divisions."

The "center" employs more than 600 people and is responsible for receiving, sorting and summarizing account passwords and important sensitive information stolen from around the world by network information systems controlled remotely by TAO.

"The NSA's global indiscriminate intrusion has long been supported by a vast and sophisticated network of weapons platforms, of which TAO is an important weapon maker. Some of these weapons are dedicated to the products of US internet giants such as Apple, Cisco and Dell, and have been developed with the support and full participation of these internet giants," the expert said.

Media reports showed some US internet giants have set up a special government affairs department to cooperate with the NSA in developing cyber attack weapons and provide the NSA with special backdoors and vulnerabilities. Internal information leaked by Edward Snowden showed these weapons could be used to conduct mass traffic monitoring and hacking on any internet user around the world.

According to publicly available information, most of the cyber attack weapons have already been handed over to the US and other "Five Eyes" countries.

The report also showed more than 500 code names for cyber attacks and data theft operations conducted by TAO have been disclosed, which proves that the US is a developed internet country in the world, as well as a major country in cyber intelligence collection and data theft.

In 2013, the US spent $52.6 billion on global intelligence gathering programs, of which two-thirds went to cyber security operations to carry out cyber attacks on foreign countries and domestic targets in the US.

A large number of TAO's cyber attack weapons have also been shared with some allied countries. Media reports showed that GCHQ, the UK's security and intelligence agency, has used NSA's cyberattack weapons to conduct long-term attack control and communications monitoring in the European Union.

"The US is taking highly engineered cyber weapons as the winning advantage in future cyber warfare, and is investing resources and increasing chips regardless of cost, bringing endless hidden dangers to global cyber security," the expert said. 

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THE Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) would like to remind members of the public to remain vigilant at all times to safeguard personal information. This includes avoiding downloading files or applications from unverified sources onto mobile devices.

ABM would like to draw the public’s attention to the safety measures recommended by the Malaysia Computer Security Response Team’s (MyCERT) security advisory, published recently.

Here are some of the safeguards recommended by MyCERT:

> Do not install any app or Android package kit (.apk) file from unknown sources. This is because it may be malware designed to steal your personal details and your online banking credentials.

> Do not click on adware or suspicious URLs sent through messaging services.

> Do not root or jailbreak your device.

> Verify an application’s permission settings and the application’s author or publisher before installing it.

> Only download apps from official sources.

> Do install antivirus software on your devices and run it regularly.

> Update your device’s operating system and apps regularly.

With cybercriminals and online fraudsters constantly changing their methods, ABM would also like to urge the public to remember the following:

> Never divulge your personal details and/or banking credentials to unknown or unverified parties.

> Never disclose your transaction authorisation code (TAC) or personal identification number (PIN) or your online login username and password to anyone.

> Never click on any links to banks’ websites that are sent from unknown, suspicious or unverified emails. Always key in your bank’s website address directly into the URL bar in your Internet browser or use your bank’s official mobile app.

> Avoid websites offering products at prices that are too good to be true and are littered with spelling mistakes – these tend to be fraudulent sites.

> Avoid using public or open WiFi networks for online banking.

> Always ensure that the banking website or banking app that you are using is genuine and official.

> Always refer to your bank’s official website or contact your bank’s hotlines (stated on the back of your credit card or on the banks’ websites) directly for information, verification and clarification when in doubt.

Bank account holders are also advised to monitor your statements as well as transaction alerts from the banks closely.

If you notice any unusual or suspicious transactions, contact your bank as soon as possible to report it. Next, lodge a report with the police. Thereafter, notify the bank in writing with a copy of the police report and all relevant records and documentation, such as transaction history, etc. Due investigation processes are in place to determine if the reported transaction is indeed unauthorised.

ABM would like to reiterate that member banks are required to adopt high standards of security, including for Internet and mobile banking services. Routine security reviews and advisories are also issued by Bank Negara Malaysia to financial institutions to ensure adequate protection against the latest threats.

The public are advised to keep informed of emerging threats through the advisories issued by financial institutions, Bank Negara Malaysia and other authorities to protect themselves. Information on the latest threats and measures that you can take to protect yourself against cybercriminals and online fraudsters can be obtained from abm.org.my/consumer-information/fraud-alerts.

ASSOCIATION OF BANKS IN MALAYSIA 

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Indo-Pacific Strategy ‘fanning confrontation’ as US defense chief made ‘most barefaced’ Shangri-La speech attacking China

 

Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said on Sunday that it would be a historic and strategic mistake to insist on taking China as a threat and adversary, or even as an enemy.

 

  

 

 Chinese Defence Minister on Taiwan, Nuke, Hypersonic, India, South China Sea and Vietnam!

 

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Shangri-La Dialogue: Chinese military official calls US Defense Secretary's speech a "confrontation"

 

 

 China will fight to the very end to stop Taiwan independence: Defence minister | Shangri-La Dialogue

China will "fight to the very end" to stop Taiwan from declaring independence, Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe said in a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday (Jun 12).

"We will fight at all cost and we will fight to the very end. This is the only choice for China," General Wei said.

His speech came a day after US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said China was becoming "more coercive and aggressive" in its approach to its territorial claims in the region.

On Sunday, General Wei said Beijing firmly rejects the US' "smearing accusations and even threats" against China.

Global affairs should be handled through consultation by all stakeholders instead of being dictated by just one country or a small group of countries, he said, adding: "No one or no group of countries should impose its will on others or bully others under the guise of multilateralism."

General Wei said the United States' Indo-Pacific strategy is an attempt to build an exclusive small group in the name of a free and open Pacific to "hijack countries in the region and target one specific country". It is a strategy to "create conflict and confrontation to contain and encircle others", he said. 

 Chinese delegation says Indo-Pacific Strategy ‘fanning confrontation’ as US defense chief made ‘most barefaced’ Shangri-La speech attacking China 

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on June 11, 2022. Photo:AFP

After Ukraine, US-led NATO wants to turn Asia Pacific into a new powder keg. Illustration: Carlos Latuff

 

US' Indo-Pacific Strategy is aimed at maintaining US hegemony, creating divisions and fanning confrontation, the Chinese delegation said, refuting US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's speech at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday as Austin took advantage of the stage to propagandize US' Indo-Pacific Strategy and to point finger at China.

Zhang Zhenzhong, deputy chief of the Joint Staff Department in the Central Military Commission, told reporters on Saturday at the 19th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, that the Indo-Pacific Strategy is designed to trap the Asia-Pacific region into a geopolitical game and confrontation as it tries to form a small circle by roping in some countries to incite against others. It seriously impacts the ASEAN-centered regional cooperation architecture and seriously harms the overall and long-term interests of countries in the region, he added.

"The US has already turned the Middle East and Europe into a mess, does it want to mess up Asia-Pacific next?" Zhang asked, adding that this is absolutely not allowed.

Zhang said the US' strategy is designed to destroy peace. The mainstream voice of Asia-Pacific countries is peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, but the US, in contrast, advocates competition between major powers and creates military confrontation, sending warplanes to showcase its military might in the South China Sea, launching military drills with allies, which all created tensions in the region. In conclusion, Zhang said that strategy served US' own interests against the common will of the regional countries, and stressed that for these reasons it must not succeed.

Austin on Saturday gave an hour-long speech themed "Next Steps for the United States' Indo-Pacific Strategy," in which he called the strategy "our priority theater of operations" and "at the heart of American grand strategy."

He also openly criticized China for being "coersive and aggressive."

Austin specifically raised the Taiwan question. "The stakes are especially stark in the Taiwan Strait," he said, adding that US' policy on Taiwan was to remain opposed to any unilateral changes to the status quo. "Our policy hasn't changed. But unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be true for the PRC," Austin noted.

Austin's rhetoric can be translated as the US opposes China's reunification, Song Zhongping, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times.

With this is mind, Song said that Pentagon and the White House are attempting to internationalize and complicate the Taiwan question, which is a matter of China's domestic affairs.

This mentality has been refuted by China in multiple occasions, including during the face-to-face meeting between China's State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and Austin in Singapore on Friday.

There is only one China, and Taiwan is a sacred, inalienable part of China's territory, Wei told Austin, noting that if anyone dares to separate Taiwan island from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate to fight, and will resolutely crush any "Taiwan independence" attempts at all cost to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On Saturday, Zhang also responded to Austin's hype over Taiwan question. Taiwan question is China's domestic affairs, the one-China principle is the political foundation of China-US ties, on which successive US governments have made clear commitments. President Joe Biden also stated that he does not support "Taiwan independence," but the US' words are obviously not matched by its deeds, and Washington has kept playing the Taiwan card, severely obscuring and hollowing out the one-China policy, Zhang added.

Zhang said that the Taiwan question can most likely lead China-US ties to conflict and confrontation. If not handled properly, it will have a subversive impact on the relationship between the two countries. There is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing the whole China. This is the only correct understanding of "one China." The reunification of China is the aspiration of Chinese people, and the national rejuvenation is unstoppable. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) will stand ready to defend the country's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity at all costs.

Hyping PLA's intercepts

"We've seen an alarming increase in the number of unsafe aerial intercepts and confrontations at sea by PLA aircraft and vessels," Austin said in his speech.

In response to the remarks, Zhang said at the media briefing that the incident occurred near the maritime and airspace of China's Xisha and Nansha islands, not in the adjacent sea and airspace of US allies. The actions taken by the Chinese military are necessary measures to deal with the provocations, and are reasonable, safe and professional.

Prior to the Shangri-La Dialogue, China has already denounced Australian and Canadian "disinformation" over jet encounters. The two countries, however, turning a blind eye to the warnings from the Chinese side, kept carrying out close-in reconnaissance and provocative activities by surveillance planes in East and South China Seas. "This is a dangerous act against China's national security and the safety of Chinese and Canadian front-line personnel," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a Regular Press Conference on June 6.

These days, there has been analysis that the reason why Canada and Australia have not stopped hyping up the case is to create topics for the ongoing dialogue over Asian security, taking "China threat" theory to a new level.

He Lei, lieutenant general and former vice president of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, who is attending the Shangri-La Dialogue, told Global Times that Austin's accusations against PLA's aircraft interception obviously aimed at endorsing Canada and Australia, reinforcing US-led small circles. Austin talks about "common vision" in Indo-Pacific region, but what Washington has shown is its clear-targeted and exclusive behaviors, He added.

Most barefaced accusations

Austin also hyped up territorial disputes in the Indo-Pacific region, naming East and South China Sea issues, and border disputes with India. "Indo-Pacific countries shouldn't face political intimidation, economic coercion, or harassment," Austin said. "We'll do our part to manage these tensions responsibly," he added.

Lieutenant General He said Austin's speech is the most blatant and most comprehensive slander against China compared to previous US defense chiefs' remarks at the summit, as this is the first time that a Pentagon chief raised Taiwan question, the South China Sea, the East China Sea issue, and China-India border dispute all at the same time.

Zhao Xiaozhuo, a research fellow at the Academy of Military Sciences of the PLA, told the Global Times that US real intention is to boost its alliance system, mobilizing its allies to maintain the US' versions of rules-based international order, shaping China's peripheral environment, piling enough pressure on China and eventually realize the containment of China's emergence.

Observers say Austin's speech mirrors that the US opposes everything China does to safeguard its own national security and interests. And it is largely due to incitement of outside forces, especially the US and its allies, contradictions and disputes in Indo-Pacific region come to where it is today.

By hyping up tensions and so-called China threat, the US is trying to drive a wedge between China and regional countries, while kidnapping more countries to its side to coordinate with its Indo-Pacific Strategy. And the US could paint itself as "entitled" to play the role as an arbitrator of the region, far away from its own soil, and take Asian affairs under its control, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times.

However, most Asian countries do not want to take a side in major power games. During the 2019 Shangri-La Dialogue, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong raised concerns, "Unfortunately, when the lines start to get drawn, everybody asks: Are you my friend or not my friend? And that makes it difficult for the small countries."

On the Taiwan question, the majority of regional countries refuse to dance to the US tune, as they are well aware that the US is an outsider, and has no right to intervene in China's domestic affairs, Wei said.

Hegemonic mentality

During the speech Austin brought up the so-called rules-based international order to cover US intentions. He took the Russia-Ukraine conflict as an example. "The Ukraine crisis poses some urgent questions for us all... And I am here because the rules-based international order matters just as much in the Indo-Pacific as it does in Europe," he said.

This is an arrogant, hegemonic mentality, Wei told Global Times. Wei said the so-called rules are not at all fair and square rules which are accepted by the international community, but a US-dominated one, in which the US is the one and only boss and other has to listen to it.

The Ukraine crisis is a proof that US-led rules have caused great harm to US allies and Europe as a whole. Not to mention the emerging energy and food crisis, increasing European countries are losing their diplomatic independence and autonomy, experts said.

During the ongoing Summit of the Americas, questions toward US-led rules-based orders are surfacing. It signals that be it Indo-Pacific regions or wider range of the international community, hypes of the US over so-called tensions will find fewer countries to join in the chorus, Wei said.

Although the US has this intention to shape events, and it has some followers like Japan, Australia and those who are far from the region like the UK and Canada, it's plan won't be realized, said Lü Xiang, an expert on international relations and US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"Only the countries with enough power and strength, as well as the support from the most regional countries, are able to shape the strategic environment in a specific region. In the Asia-Pacific region, the US is not such a country, but China is," he said.

Although Austin outlined some ambitious plans in his speech, but it's questionable to all regional countries that to what extent the US can make its plan come true, experts said.

The countries named by Austin, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam all have stable and friendly ties with China. Even if there are some differences or disputes, they prefer to solve the problems with China rather than be blindly used by the US to pay for its costly confrontation with China, said analysts. 

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