Latest news with #NSA
Tokyo Weekender
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
Taichi Kokubun of Tokio To Be Suspended for Compliance Violation
In this week's news roundup we report on Taichi Kokubun, who is expected to be fired by the group Tokio. Nippon Steel finally completes the acquisition of US Steel. Shinjiro Koizumi is now the people's choice to be the country's next prime minister. Foreign visitors continue to flock to Japan in record numbers. Shohei Ohtani makes his pitching return. And, on the same day, his former interpreter reports to federal prison in Pennsylvania. List of Contents: Taichi Kokubun To Be Fired by Tokio Nippon Steel's Acquisition of US Steel Includes Trump Pact Shinjiro Koizumi Tops Poll for Japan's Next Prime Minister Japan sees record number of foreign visitors for May, But Hong Kong Figure Falls Mixed Bag for Shohei Ohtani on Pitching Return Ippei Mizuhara Reports to US Prison Related Posts Taichi Kokubun To Be Fired by Tokio On Thursday, Sankei Sports reported that Taichi Kokubun, 50, keyboardist for the popular group Tokio, is set to be suspended. At the time of writing, the reason is unknown. Nippon Television, which broadcasts his regular program, The Tetsuwan Dash , is believed to be in the process of making arrangements to hold an emergency press conference on June 20 regarding a compliance violation. According to reports, Kokubun will be fired by Tokio Co., Ltd. As well as playing music, he also serves as vice president for the company. Formed by Johnny & Associates, Tokio debuted in 1994. The group consisted of five members: Shigeru Joshima, Masahiro Matsuoka, Tomoya Nagase, Taichi Kokubun and Tatsuya Yamaguchi. Hiromu Kojima left just before the band debuted. In 2018, Yamaguchi's contract was terminated after he was referred to prosecutors for allegedly kissing a girl against her will at his home. Two years later, Nagase announced that he was leaving the band to pursue his own endeavors. Tokio Co., Ltd. was established in 2021. Nippon Steel's Acquisition of US Steel Includes Trump Pact On Wednesday night, Nippon Steel announced that it had completed the acquisition of US Steel. News of the transaction was confirmed a few days after United States President Donald Trump overturned the decision by his predecessor, Joe Biden, to block the deal on national security grounds. The two companies have subsequently entered into a National Security Agreement (NSA) with the US government, which gives the Trump administration the power to veto significant management decisions. 'We have secured the necessary management flexibility and profitability essential for business investment, and we recognize this agreement as fully satisfactory for our company,' said Nippon Steel Chair person and CEO Eiji Hashimoto, at a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday. The acquisition is valued at $55 per share, or $14.1 bill ion . It's the largest investment Nippon Steel has ever made. The company first announced a plan to buy out US Steel in December 2023. Shinjiro Koizumi Tops Poll for Japan's Next Prime Minister According to a joint opinion poll conducted by the Sankei Shimbun and FNN (Fuji News Network) on June 14 and 15, Shinjiro Koizumi is the people's choice to be Japan's next prime minister. The current Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister finished at the top of the poll with 20.7% of the vote, 4.3% ahead of the former Minister of State for Economic Security Sanae Takaichi . Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba finished third with 7.9% of the vote. It's been quite a turnaround for Koizumi, who finished third in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race last September. Away from the spotlight for several months, he made his political return in May, with Ishiba appointing him as Agriculture Minister. Replacing Taku Eto, whose position became untenable after he said that he 'never had to buy rice' as he got it free from supporters, Koizumi's appointment has brought immediate results with the price of rice decreasing three weeks consecutively. Japan Sees Another Record Number of Foreign Visitors for May According to data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on Wednesday, Japan welcomed 3,693,300 foreign visitors in May, a record high for the month and an increase of 21.5% from a year earlier. The cumulative number of visitors from abroad in the first five months of the year came to a record 18,140,100. That's significantly higher than the previous record of 14,641,780 for the same period that was set last year. 'The momentum is strong, and we're on a very good trajectory,' said JNTO Commissioner Naoya Haraikawa at Wednesday's press conference. The only region with a decrease in the number of tourists to Japan was Hong Kong. The figure dropped 11.2% to 193,100. This is believed to be due to rumors circulating on social media about a possible earthquake hitting the country . It's based on separate prophecies by Japanese manga artist Ryo Tatsuki and a famed local feng shui master. Mixed Bag for Shohei Ohtani on Pitching Return After almost two years away from the mound, Shohei Ohtani made his long-awaited pitching return on Monday evening to start the series opener against the Padres. Jogging out with Michael Bublé's 'Feeling Good' playing in the background, he received a huge ovation from the fans. His last MLB appearance on the mound was on August 22, 2023. That was against the Cincinnati Reds, when he retired due to arm fatigue after just 1.1 innings pitched. The two-way superstar allowed back-to-back singles to Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arráez before Manny Machado hit a sacrifice fly to earn Tatis Jr. a run. Ohtani pitched for one inning, throwing 28 pitches, 16 for strikes. He fared better at the plate, tying the score with an RBI double to left-center in the third inning. He then added another two-out hit as the Dodgers took a 6-2 lead in the fourth. The 2024 World Series champions won the game 6-3. Ippei Mizuhara Reports to US Prison On the same day that Ohtani made his pitching debut for the Dodgers, his former interpreter reported to federal prison in Pennsylvania. In February, Ippei Mizuhara was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for stealing close to $17 million from the Dodgers two-way global superstar to repay illegal gambling debts. He was also ordered to pay $18 million in restitution, with the majority going to Ohtani and $1.1 million to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Mizuhara is being held in a low-security prison in Allenwood. As he's not a US citizen, he's likely to be deported to Japan after completing his sentence. Between November 2021 and March 2024, the ex-interpreter misappropriated $16.59 million from one of Ohtani's accounts. He also stole baseball cards with the intention of reselling them and submitted a false tax return for 2022. Prosecutors claimed his motivation was 'greed' and 'not addiction.' Related Posts Japan Ranks 118th Again in Latest Global Gender Gap Report Japan Births Fall Below 700,000 for the First Time Japan Attempts To Ban Outlandish Kirakira Baby Names
Express Tribune
12 hours ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
A strategic huddle
Listen to article An unexpected and emergent huddle between President Donald Trump and Field Marshal Gen Asim Munir has laid a renewed roadmap of cooperation on strategic issues. The interaction – the first of its kind wherein Pakistan's serving military chief met a sitting US president and that too without political aides – summarises the indispensability of Pakistan's geopolitical importance and the role that the security forces can play in counterterrorism efforts in the region along with the US. The audience also brought to the fore the indispensability of Islamabad for Washington as it navigates its policies in Afghanistan and the necessity of sharing notes as Iran and Israel are locked in a conflagration that threatens world peace and security. While minutes of the get-together remain elusive and little is known as to what literally transpired on Iran and Israel, as well as the format to handle the soaring terrorism in Afghanistan, the fact that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Special Representative for Mideast Steve Witkoff and Pakistan's NSA and ISI chief Lt Gen Asim Malik were in session makes it comprehensive enough to assume that some constructive parleys were held, meant to scale down the volatility through diplomacy, and make use of influence Pakistan can assert over Tehran and the Muslim world. The summit reportedly arranged through ''unorthodox efforts" also came as an apt opportunity to debrief each other over the four-day duel that Pakistan fought with India, and the promising mediatory role of Trump in pulling back the nuclear rivals from the brink. Pakistan's military authorities, in a presser, also said that avenues for expanding trade and big-ticket ventures such as mines and minerals, crypto-currency and emerging technologies also figured in the meeting. The debut audience, nonetheless, has also flagged hopes that Trump would have shared his views on furthering democracy and rule of law in Pakistan, and brokering a reconciliation of sorts for a win-win people-centric bilateralism.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Trump-Munir White House meeting signals strategic calculations amid regional tensions
Danny generated AI Image ISLAMABAD: The meeting between US President Donald J Trump and Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, at the White House on Thursday has set the geopolitical grapevine abuzz, with whispers of backroom deals that could reshape the balance of power in South Asia and far beyond. What began as a one-hour lunch in the Cabinet Room turned into a two-hour marathon meeting that continued in the Oval Office, attended by US secretary of state Marco Rubio, special representative Steve Witkoff, and Pakistan NSA and Inter-Services Intelligence chief, Lt Gen Asim Malik. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) handout flags counter-terrorism, trade, and peace, but the real stakes — against the backdrop of Iran-Israel airstrikes and India-Pakistan tensions — reveal a high-wire act with far-reaching implications. Trump, channeling his trademark deal-maker bravado, now sees Pakistan as a strategic prize. As Israel intensifies strikes on Iran's nuclear sites and Washington edges closer to military escalation, Pakistan's shared border with Iran becomes critical. Sources say Trump privately pressured Munir for airspace access and intelligence on Tehran — leveraging Pakistan's backchannel role as the host of Iran's interests section for the US. In return, he offered advanced weaponry and economic incentives, aiming to lure Islamabad away from China's orbit and Russia's Brics alliance. Trump's push to expand trade in critical minerals, cryptocurrency, AI, and energy is part of a broader strategy to anchor Pakistan within US-led markets and curb China's regional influence. He has also claimed credit for defusing the May 2025 crisis between India and Pakistan. As Pakistan's power broker, Munir brings serious leverage. His military's fight against Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) syncs with US aims in Afghanistan. With ties to Iran and a shared border, Munir can offer covert intelligence or logistical support, though Pakistan's pro-Iran rhetoric caps public alignment. Economically, he can unlock Pakistan's mineral and tech potential for US investors, but treading too far risks Beijing's wrath. On India, Munir's role in brokering the May ceasefire – praised by President Trump – has been framed in Islamabad as a direct rebuttal of New Delhi's allegations of Pakistani involvement in cross-border terrorism. With the country facing severe economic challenges, Munir is believed to have sought US military and financial assistance to modernise Pakistan's armed forces and stabilise its economy. Trump's openness to providing drones or missile defence systems could significantly alter the military balance with India. Munir also reportedly urged Trump to de-escalate growing tensions between Iran and Israel, warning of broader regional instability and citing Pakistan's vocal alignment with Tehran. In a bold diplomatic gesture, Munir extended an invitation for Trump to visit Pakistan, an effort seen as central to reshaping bilateral ties and enhancing Islamabad's global relevance. Timed amid Middle East turmoil and South Asian friction, the Trump-Munir summit is a geopolitical pivot. It signals a fragile US-Pakistan thaw, driven by Washington's ally hunt and Pakistan's economic crunch. For India, it's a call to counter a US strategy cosying up to both rivals while eyeing Iran. Trump's deal-making and Munir's strategic charm aim to reposition Pakistan as a US cornerstone, potentially redrawing South Asia's power map at India's expense. Wednesday's White House talks weren't just diplomacy, they were a bold move in a high-stakes regional chess game.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
One more arrested for ‘pro-Pakistan' post in Assam, total 94 since Pahalgam terror attack
One more person has been apprehended for allegedly making "pro-Pakistan and communal posts" on social media, taking the total number of such arrests to 94 so far in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in April, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The person was arrested in Nalbari after constant monitoring, he said. "Crackdown on Anti-national elements continue. @KamrupPolice arrested Safiqul Haque, who was using different SIMs to use Facebook to post pro-Pakistan and communal posts," the Chief Minister wrote on 'X' on Wednesday. Mr. Sarma had earlier said the 'State-wide crackdown on traitors would continue and nobody would be spared'. Under NSA The police have launched action against those people who were allegedly indulging in ''anti-India and pro-Pakistan activities''. The Chief Minister had also said that the National Security Act (NSA) will be clamped on certain people arrested in such cases, but not on all. Opposition AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam was arrested on sedition charges for allegedly defending Pakistan and its complicity in the Pahalgam terror attack, but after he was granted bail in this case, he was booked under the NSA.
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
Your new best friend is your ultimate betrayer
In the summer of 1999 — at the dawn of the digital age — world leaders gathered at the Millennium Assembly on IT and Knowledge with a bold vision: governments must go digital, and wealthy nations would help the rest achieve it. As a member of Oman's delegation, I watched as the idealism of 'global cooperation' overshadowed a darker reality. 'Once we embrace e-government, privacy disappears,' I warned our delegation head. 'Our data won't belong to us anymore.' He dismissed it as paranoia. Two decades later, that warning has become prophecy — and Israel, with its deep ties to Western tech and intelligence, sits at the heart of this surveillance empire. The Backdoor Revolution The post-9/11 era erased any illusions. The U.S. government compelled American tech giants to embed surveillance backdoors in their exports — officially for 'national security,' but effectively a global license to spy. Israel, America's closest intelligence-sharing ally, gained indirect access to this data through agreements like ECHELON and joint cyber units. 'Israel doesn't just benefit from U.S. surveillance — it actively shapes it,' says Avi Meyer, a former Israeli cybersecurity official who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'When the NSA or FBI demand backdoors from Apple or Google, Israel's intelligence agencies are rarely far behind in accessing the same pipelines.' From Pegasus to Exploding Pagers Israel's cyber warfare capabilities reached terrifying new heights in September 2024, when dozens of pagers carried by Hezbollah operatives simultaneously exploded across Lebanon. This unprecedented attack proved that modern surveillance doesn't just monitor — it can physically eliminate targets using their own devices. The pager explosions demonstrated Israel's ability to: * Weaponise ordinary electronics by remotely triggering battery explosions * Compromise supply chains by implanting lethal capabilities during manufacturing * Escalate cyber warfare into the physical realm with deniable precision strikes Combined with Israel's Pegasus spyware — used against journalists and activists worldwide — and AI-powered tracking in conflict zones, this marks a complete evolution of warfare. 'First they read your messages through Pegasus. Then they detonate your devices,' says Avi Cohen (pseudonym), a former cyber defence official. 'The Hezbollah pager attack was Israel showing the world there are no limits anymore.' Hypocrisy in the Tech Cold War While Israel and the West weaponise technology, they wage a relentless campaign against Chinese tech firms, branding Huawei a 'spying tool' and TikTok a 'data pipeline to Beijing.' Yet Western-made operating systems (Windows, iOS, Android) and platforms (Facebook, X, Google, WhatsApp) dominate global infrastructure — with no scrutiny of how Israel exploits them. The 5G rollout exposed the double standard: 2019: Huawei pioneers affordable 5G. Western media floods with warnings of 'radiation risks' and 'Chinese brainwashing.' The U.S. pressures allies to ban it. 2024: Western firms like Ericsson and Nokia deploy 5G. The health warnings vanish. The Stakes: Digital Colonialism or Sovereignty? The 1999 dream of e-government has metastasised into a global surveillance grid controlled by a U.S.-Israel tech-intelligence axis. The Hezbollah pager attacks proved that even basic electronics can be turned against their users. Three steps to reclaim control: 1. Build Sovereign Tech – Develop domestic alternatives to foreign operating systems and hardware. 2. Secure Supply Chains – Create national standards for critical tech components. 3. Assume Compromise – Treat all foreign tech as potentially weaponised until proven otherwise. The Ultimate Spy — and Assassin We stand at a crossroads: Continue to depend on hostile technologies, or follow China's lead in building sovereign digital infrastructure. The pager attacks weren't just a warning—they were a preview of our vulnerable future. But the most dangerous spy isn't a pager. It's the smartphone in your pocket. Your phone, smartwatch, smart ring, or band knows everything about you: * Your habits, routines, and movements * What you eat, when you sleep, and when you wake * Who you meet and what you discuss (via microphone access) * Your health data, financial activity, and biometrics This, I believe, is how Israel assassinated Iran's top officials last week. No human spies — just the targets' phones betraying them. Every foreign-made device in your home isn't just spying — it's a sleeper agent awaiting activation. The pager explosions were merely the opening scene. Tomorrow's assassinations won't be delivered by human hands — but through the glowing rectangle that never leaves your side. Your phone doesn't love you. It's just biding its time.
