Latest news with #Franco
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Britain's national decline has just reached a new low
It's probably for the best that the Cypriot government has shown no interest in getting its hands on Akrotiri and Dhekelia, the United Kingdom's two 'sovereign base areas' from which the RAF flies for operations in the Middle East. For judging by the conduct of this Government, it is currently open season on our overseas possessions. Fresh from bending over backwards to hand the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius – with a dowry – the Government is now preparing to hand Spain a 'special role' in Gibraltar. This will reportedly include 'new powers over the issuance of residency permits, visas and asylum', according to the Independent, as part of 'an accord to settle the post-Brexit border arrangements for the British overseas territory.' How far we have fallen. When General Franco closed the border with Gibraltar in 1969 as part of his effort to besiege the Rock into submission, both it and we stood firm. The blockade was eventually lifted in 1982, after Spain's return to democracy. Today, faced with a far less menacing prospect, we have simply folded. This is not merely a collection of objectionable new procedures, either. If this deal is passed, Madrid will now control who is and is not allowed to settle in Gibraltar, whilst Spaniards – because it is part of the Schengen area – have freedom of movement. It isn't difficult to imagine how this could erode the Rock's British character over time, especially if a future Spanish government was playing an active role in the process. Because we should not forget that Spain absolutely wants its hands on the territory and is not shy about flexing its muscles; Spanish ships not infrequently violate Gibraltar's sovereign waters. As over Northern Ireland, we have once again allowed the EU to insist that the interests of its common market trump the political and territorial integrity of the British state and its dependencies. It is very difficult to imagine many European countries doing the same. Consider Madrid's steely refusal to compromise on its own Gibraltars, the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on the Moroccan coast; or France, which proudly staged parts of the French Olympics in that most lovely part of their country – Tahiti. Indeed, watching Britain get bullied from pillar to post over our overseas territories it is sometimes difficult to remember that Paris has quietly got away with holding on to French Guiana; France's longest land border is with Brazil. Gibraltar's British status would be vastly more secure had we taken the French approach. But when the Integration With Britain Party won the 1969 Gibraltarian elections – held in the shadow of Franco's belligerence – Westminster said no. Perhaps what we're seeing today, then, is simply the final triumph of the Foreign Office mindset which refused Gibraltar then, and Malta in the 1950s; a mindset which views overseas possessions not as assets but as expensive and vaguely embarrassing entanglements. What a pity we can't muster the same national self-belief as the French. Or, indeed, the Spanish.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Camera lens behind Israel–Iran conflict: How Iran's missiles are finding their mark
Israeli footage blacked out, Iran turns to hacked cameras Live Events Farmers, homes and streets: Cameras become blind spots A global trend with local consequences Cheap cameras, expensive mistakes Experts push for better standards (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Iranian hackers are actively targeting internet-connected security cameras across Israel to track where their ballistic missiles have landed, Israeli officials have confirmed. These live breaches, now playing out in real time, are helping Iran improve the precision of its strikes as the Israel–Iran conflict Monday, Refael Franco, former deputy director general of Israel's National Cyber Directorate, issued a stark public warning: 'We know that in the past two or three days, the Iranians have been trying to connect to cameras to understand what happened and where their missiles hit to improve their precision.' Franco now leads the cyber crisis firm Code development comes after Israel's recent strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and Iran's retaliation with over 300 drones and missiles, according to Israeli defence sources. Iran's government reports over 200 deaths from Israeli attacks. In Israel, 24 people have died, and more than 800 have been Israel enforces a media blackout on the damage caused by Iranian missile strikes, Tehran appears to be filling the information gap through hacked footage from homes, traffic cameras, and business premises. A spokesperson for Israel's cyber directorate confirmed the targeting of connected surveillance systems: 'We've seen attempts throughout the war, and those attempts are being renewed now.'Iran is not alone in this playbook. In October 2023, Hamas used similar methods to gather intelligence for its surprise invasion. Gaby Portnoy, who served as Israel's top cybersecurity official until recently, revealed: 'The intelligence gathering that Hamas did from private cameras in the Gaza periphery was a disaster. Thousands of cameras were hacked over the years, both public and private, and were used to collect intelligence.'Many of the hacked devices were never designed with war in mind. Farmers installed them to prevent theft. Families placed them outside homes and kindergartens for safety. But the same cameras ended up broadcasting military activity near the Gaza fence. 'You try to protect yourself and meanwhile you are exposing yourself,' Franco the Hamas attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis and saw 250 abducted, Israel was granted legal authority to disable private and traffic-facing cameras showing sensitive areas. Yet according to Portnoy, 66,000 personal cameras still used default passwords in 2022 — a number that may have barely changed isn't just an Israeli problem. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Moscow 'likely used access to private cameras at key locations, such as near border crossings, military installations, and rail stations,' according to a joint advisory by the US National Security Agency and its allies. Ukraine responded by banning public webcams in 2022 and urging owners to stop broadcasting online. 'Russia is exploiting vulnerability of modern webcams to launch missile attack at Ukraine and adjust them in real time,' a government statement the US, the Federal Communications Commission banned Chinese-made cameras from several vendors that same year, citing security private surveillance market is expected to grow from $54 billion in 2024 to $89 billion by 2030, according to MarketsandMarkets Research. But many of these systems are weakly secured. Some cameras still stream footage live online by default. Many retain factory-set passwords like '1234'. A study by BitSight Technologies this month found that 40,000 security cameras worldwide were exposed on the internet — 14,000 of them in the US.'Most people don't look at the security features of the device they're buying. So for the vendor there is no incentive to beef up security of such systems,' said Peleg Wasserman, a cybersecurity architect at a global energy added: 'Consumers need to remember that they're not the only ones who may have access to this camera. I've seen people that put a camera outside the home without knowing that they're also filming their neighbours, or a sensitive object, or even giving a panoramic view of a city which may be useful for targeting.'Cybersecurity professionals stress that higher-end systems with regular firmware updates and strong configuration settings are crucial. 'Higher-grade security camera systems from vendors that take cybersecurity seriously will offer extensive configuration settings allowing for more device and communications customisation,' said Geoff Kohl of the Security Industry Association, as reported by the same time, he warned users to assume their cameras may be attacked: 'Presume your security video systems could be targeted.'Despite numerous red flags and official advisories, many users continue to favour cost over security. And in war, that choice has digital dimension of the Israel–Iran conflict is intensifying. Pro-Israel hacking group Predatory Sparrow has claimed responsibility for recent cyberattacks on Iranian financial institutions, including a major bank and a crypto exchange. In turn, Iran's state media reported that Israeli forces launched a broad cyberattack against Iran's the missile war makes headlines, the cyberwar runs quietly — embedded in homes, farms, shops, and streets. Unsecured cameras, once intended for peace of mind, are now part of the people living in conflict zones — or anywhere with vulnerable tech — the message is blunt but clear: update your passwords, lock your devices, or risk turning your camera into someone else's eyes.(With inputs from Bloomberg)
See - Sada Elbalad
5 hours ago
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Iran Hacks Israeli Surveillance Cameras
Israa Farhan An Israeli cybersecurity official has revealed that Iran has successfully hacked private surveillance cameras across Israel in a bid to gather real-time data on missile strikes, including impact timing and accuracy of targets inside the country. The warning follows a wave of Iranian ballistic missile attacks earlier this week, which struck high-rise buildings in Tel Aviv in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Iranian territory. The cyber threat has prompted urgent alerts to Israeli citizens regarding the security of internet-connected home cameras. Rafael Franco, former deputy director-general of Israel's National Cyber Directorate, urged residents via public radio to either disable their security cameras or update their passwords immediately. Speaking to Bloomberg News, Franco explained that Iranian operatives had attempted to access footage in the days following the attacks to assess the exact locations and effectiveness of their missile strikes. Franco, who now leads the Israeli cybersecurity firm Code Blue, emphasized that Tehran intends to enhance its targeting precision by utilizing Israeli video data. This revelation comes amid a sharp escalation in cyber warfare between the two regional rivals. In parallel with the missile exchanges, pro-Israeli hacking group Predatory Sparrow claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on a major Iranian bank and a breach that disrupted the country's cryptocurrency exchange systems. Iran's state media reported a large-scale cyber offensive from Israel, targeting critical infrastructure across the Islamic Republic. An Israeli National Cyber Directorate spokesperson confirmed that internet-connected surveillance systems are increasingly being targeted as part of Iran's military strategy. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
NHK
12 hours ago
- Business
- NHK
Swiss National Bank cuts interest rate to zero as inflation slows
Switzerland's central bank has cut its interest rate to zero, a move that reflects a steady easing of inflationary pressure in the country. The Swiss National Bank said in a statement on Thursday that its policy rate will be lowered from 0.25 percent after inflation dipped to minus 0.1 percent in May. It's the bank's sixth consecutive cut since March 2024. The rate is now at the lowest since September 2022, when the bank ended a negative rate policy. The central bank added in the statement that the outlook for the global economy faces high uncertainty. It said developments abroad represent the main risk for the Swiss economy. The additional import tariffs imposed by the US this year triggered selling of the dollar and buying of Swiss francs as a safe haven asset. This has further lowered the cost of Switzerland's imports.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Spain's top court orders Franco family to hand back Romanesque statues
MADRID (Reuters) -Spain's Supreme Court has ruled that the descendants of dictator Francisco Franco must return two valuable Romanesque statues to the northwestern city of Santiago de Compostela, according to a court statement released on Thursday. The statues were once part of the 12th-century "Door of Glory", a portico marking the entrance to Santiago's cathedral, which is widely considered a masterpiece of mediaeval art and which is where the famed pilgrim Camino (Way) ends. The works were removed during restoration works on the cathedral's facade and purchased by the city in 1948. Franco's wife, Carmen Polo, expressed interest in them during a 1952 visit to the city, after which they were sent to the Meiras palace - the dictator's summer residence. "Motivated by a desire to please the wife of the head of state", Santiago's then-mayor facilitated their transfer to Meiras, the ruling said. The court decided that despite Franco's family possessing the statues for a long time, they still belonged to the city of Santiago. Franco's descendants argued that the purchase by the city was never completed and claimed the statues were acquired through an antiquarian, citing an oral account passed down within the family. Francis Franco, the dictator's grandson, did not reply to a request for comment when contacted by Reuters. Franco rose to power through a military coup against the Republican government in July 1936 and ruled the country for almost 40 years, until his death in 1975. Fifty years later, his legacy still divides Spanish society.
