Monday, August 6, 2018

11,000 Wikileaks Twitter DMs Have Just Been Published For Anyone To Read - Forbes

Jul 30, 2018, 12:08pm
11,000 Wikileaks Twitter DMs Have Just Been Published For Anyone To Read

Thomas Fox-Brewster
Forbes Staff
Cybersecurity

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange remains couped up inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, as thousands of private Twitter messages sent to and from the organization leak out. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Ever wondered what's going on behind closed doors at Julian Assange's pro-transparency outfit Wikileaks? Thanks to journalist Emma Best, you can now rifle through 11,000 direct, private messages sent to and from Wikileaks' Twitter account.

Best released the messages Monday, saying they came from the "Wikileaks + 10 chat," a private group for the organization's more active supporters. She claimed many of the messages contained offensive material. "At various points in the chat, there are examples of homophobia, transphobia, ableism, sexism, racism, antisemitism and other objectionable content and language." Wikileaks hadn't responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

More obviously, the messages show a strong Republican favoritism. Previous reports had already revealed portions of the Wikileaks' Twitter chats. They included messages allegedly sent by Assange himself, one saying, "it would be much better for the GOP to win." He later described Hillary Clinton as "a bright, well-connected, sadistic sociopath."

Wikileaks' antipathy toward Clinton stretched back to at least 2015, and the organization didn't have much love for President Obama. "Obama is just a centralizer. He’s bad because representionally he does not look or act like that which he represents. Hillary has similar representation confusion, but she will actively lead the machine to a dark place," read one message dated November 19 2015. On the same day, Wikileaks wrote that "Hillary has so muc hslime [sic] on her shirt it is now hard to make dirt stick."

A leak from Wikileaks

Best told Forbes in Twitter direct messages the leaked Wikileaks DMs showed it was biased against Clinton. "Those DMs just show more of their bias and desire to get the Democrats in general and Clinton in particular."

New Regional Advisors Help Ensure It’s On Us Is A Campaign For Everyone
The messages briefly touch on the Russian campaign to influence the 2016 election that saw Donald Trump come to power, though they don't reveal any obvious signs of collaboration on behalf of Wikileaks. But U.S. intelligence agencies have said Wikileaks was at the very least a vessel for Russians to spread leaked files that the Kremlin's online spies had stolen. "Whether or not Assange sought to collude with [Russia], he was willing to," Best added.

Wikileaks simply pointed Forbes to its Twitter feed, where it had one post related to Best's release, claiming some tampering may have taken place.

WikiLeaks

@wikileaks
 Alleged chatlogs from WikiLeaks' supporter group to correct Twitter misinformation : https://www.pastefs.com/pid/65845

Note that the logs appear to have been modified as can be seen by coversational holes (e.g search for 'Norton') but are useful in other ways.https://www.newsweek.com/wikileaks-secret-chats-exposed-11000-twitter-messages-leak-online-1047509 …

2:41 AM - Jul 31, 2018

WikiLeaks suffers its own leak as 11,000 private Twitter chats are exposed online
The secretive cabal—populated with around 11 close supporters—was a “low security” Twitter group.

newsweek.com

Assange remains in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Reports last week indicated talks are taking place between the U.K. and Ecuador on Assange's future.

NRA: The right-wing gun advocacy group is in trouble so people are sending their thoughts and prayers - Independent

NRA: The right-wing gun advocacy group is in trouble so people are sending their thoughts and prayers
Posted August 4, 2018 by Jake Hall in news 
UPVOTE 

Earlier this week, Rolling Stone obtained an updated lawsuit filed by the NRA.

In the lengthy complaint, the notoriously powerful US non-profit organisation outlined its lack of access to financial services and its recent loss of insurance coverage.

The complaint continued that this coverage is necessary for its off-site meetings, rallies and assemblies, and that this overall lack of funding could lead to disastrous consequences; in fact, the NRA claims that if the financial difficulties continue “it will be unable to exist as a not-for-profit or pursue its advocacy mission.”

When Rolling Stone broke the news, Twitter users were quick to share the article – alongside a sarcastic response, of course.

In fact, several chose to repurpose the hollow, meaningless “thoughts and prayers” often shared by politicians in the wake of mass shootings. And there have been a lot – recent reports collated from Gun Violence Control data estimate that 154 US mass shootings have taken place in 2018 alone.

Naturally, the politicians sharing their “thoughts and prayers” are often reluctant to push for any tangible change or donate money to survivors – a fact which social media users have clearly picked up on by sarcastically regurgitating the go-to response to tragedy.

dylan

@dyllyp
 Thoughts and prayers.

Yashar Ali 🐘

@yashar
The NRA Says It’s in Deep Financial Trouble, May Be ‘Unable to Exist’ https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/nra-financial-trouble-706371/ …

2:08 AM - Aug 4, 2018


Steve Kerr

@SteveKerr
 Don't send money......thoughts and prayers should suffice.

SpeedReads

@SpeedReads
The NRA 'will be unable to exist' due to financial losses, group argues in legal filing: http://bit.ly/2M1E5s8

View image on Twitter
1:46 PM - Aug 4, 2018


Lily Herman

@lkherman
 Well I hear thoughts and prayers go far.

Tim Dickinson
@7im
BANG: The NRA Says It’s in Deep Financial Trouble, May Be ‘Unable to Exist’ https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/nra-financial-trouble-706371/ …

4:24 AM - Aug 4, 2018

emilia
@PoliticalEmilia
 Apparently the NRA is going broke.

Womp womp. In this time of tragedy for them, all I can give are my thoughts and prayers.

7:59 AM - Aug 4, 2018

Even 'God' got in on the action.

God 🌈
@TheGoodGodAbove
 The NRA is going bankrupt.

Thoughts and prayers! 🙏

8:47 AM - Aug 4, 2018

Others were quick to point out the extremely generous donations made by the NRA to influential Republican politicians.

Chelsea Handler

@chelseahandler
 Thoughts and prayers to the NRA who is saying they’re in a deep financial crisis and may be unable to exist. Maybe they could ask some of the Republicans they donated millions to for a loan:
Richard Burr -  $7M
Roy Blunt -  $4M
Cory Gardner -  $3M
Marco Rubio - $3M

7:20 AM - Aug 4, 2018

Whether you think the claim is a ploy for more donations or a surefire sign that America's collective stance on gun control could finally be challenged, it's clear that the Internet has one collective reaction to news of the NRA's struggles:

US futures pull back amid trade concerns, fresh earnings - CNBC News

US futures pull back amid trade concerns, fresh earnings
Investors will be paying close attention Monday to earnings released by Tyson Foods, SeaWorld, Sotheby's, Marriott, Brighthouse Financial, Etsy, Hertz Global and Weight Watchers.
The Labor Department announced Friday that nonfarm payrolls rose by 157,000, below the 190,000 expected by economists polled by Reuters.
Alexandra Gibbs | @alexgibbsy
Published August 6, 2018.
CNBC.com
U.S. stock index futures hovered around the flatline ahead of Monday's open.

Around 5:55 a.m. ET, Dow futures rose 17 points, indicating a relatively flat open of +0.42 points, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures fluctuated above and below the flatline, ahead of the market open.

Investors will be paying close attention Monday to earnings released by Tyson Foods, SeaWorld, Sotheby's, Marriott, Brighthouse Financial, Etsy, Hertz Global and Weight Watchers.

In addition, Softbank published earnings before the bell, and over the weekend, Berkshire Hathaway saw its quarterly operating profit jump 67 percent in its latest corporate report, beating analyst expectations.

No major economic data is due out on Monday.

Investors will likely be mulling over the latest jobs number released Friday. The Labor Department announced that after two strong months of U.S. job growth, payrolls for July came in below market expectations, with total nonfarm payrolls rising by 157,000, below the 190,000 expected by economists polled by Reuters.

With WTI down over 7 percent in July, in what price range will it trade at the end of August?
$65 to $70
$70 to $75
$75 or higher
Below $65
Concerns over a trade dispute between the U.S. and China continue to intensify. Late last week, China said it was ready to retaliate with tariffs of around $60 billion on U.S. goods, amid a mounting trade war. Beijing added that import taxes would be within the range of 5 percent to 25 percent in rates, with many of the goods listed linked to agriculture.

The U.S. administration revealed last Wednesday that President Donald Trump had spoken with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and asked him to consider increasing the proposed levies on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods up to 25 percent, from 10 percent.

Markets in Asia and Europe came under pressure on Monday morning, as investors awaited more news on the retaliatory tariffs.

—CNBC's Michael Sheetz contributed to this report

Saudi Arabia freezes Canada trade ties, recalls envoy - BBC News

August 6, 2018.

Saudi Arabia freezes Canada trade ties, recalls envoy

Ms Badawi, pictured here with Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton, received an International Women of Courage Award in 2012
Saudi Arabia has said it is freezing all new trade and investment with Canada over its "interference" in the Gulf Kingdom's internal affairs.

In a series of tweets, the Saudi foreign ministry said it was expelling the Canadian ambassador and recalling its own envoy in Canada.

The move comes after Canada said it was "gravely concerned" about the arrest of several human rights activists.

Among those arrested was Saudi-American women's rights campaigner Samar Badawi.

Ms Badawi had been calling for an end to Saudi Arabia's male guardianship system.

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The foreign ministry said it "will not accept any form of interfering" in its internal affairs.

It referred to last week's statement by the Canadian foreign ministry, which urged Riyadh to "immediately release" civil society and women's rights activists.

Foreign Policy CAN

@CanadaFP
 Canada is gravely concerned about additional arrests of civil society and women’s rights activists in #SaudiArabia, including Samar Badawi. We urge the Saudi authorities to immediately release them and all other peaceful #humanrights activists.

12:10 AM - Aug 4, 2018

The Saudi ministry described Canada's position as "an attack" on the kingdom, saying it would now:

Freeze all new trade and investment transactions between the two countries
Consider the Canadian ambassador persona non grata and order the envoy to leave within 24 hours
Recall the Saudi envoy in Canada
Reserve the right to take further action
Canada's government has so far made no public comments on Saudi Arabia's diplomatic measures.

The arrests are at odds with the progressive image the government has projected this year under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

He drew widespread praise last year when they announced that the decades-old ban on women driving would end on 24 June.

Saudi women's rights activists, including those who have been imprisoned for defying the ban, had celebrated the decision.

But they also vowed to continue campaigning for the end of other laws they consider discriminatory.

Women must adhere to a strict dress code, be separated from unrelated men, and be accompanied by or receive written permission from a male guardian - usually a father, husband or brother - if they want to travel, work or access healthcare.

The Saudi crown prince has also spearheaded a sweeping anti-corruption drive which resulted in dozens of princes, government ministers and businessmen being detained in November and generated an estimated $107bn ($80bn) in settlements.

Trump admits son met Russian for information on opponent - BBC News

August 6, 2018

Trump admits son met Russian for information on opponent

Controversy surrounds Donald Trump Jr's meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya in June 2016
US President Donald Trump has admitted his son met a Russian lawyer in June 2016 "to get information on an opponent", but argues it was legal.

It is his most direct statement so far on the reason for Donald Trump Jr's meeting with Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya at Trump Tower.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating US intelligence findings that Russians conspired to sway the election in Mr Trump's favour.

President Trump denies any collusion.

He has called the ongoing investigations in the US "the greatest political witch hunt in history".

Russia has repeatedly denied claims it interfered in the November 2016 presidential elections, where Mr Trump defeated Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

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What did President Trump say?
On Sunday, US media including the Washington Post, CNN and AP reported that Mr Trump was worried Donald Trump Jr could be in legal trouble because of the 9 June 2016 meeting with Ms Veselnitskaya in New York. They cited multiple unnamed sources.

Mr Trump tweeted: "Fake News reporting, a complete fabrication, that I am concerned about the meeting my wonderful son, Donald, had in Trump Tower.

"This was a meeting to get information on an opponent, totally legal and done all the time in politics - and it went nowhere.

"I did not know about it!"

Why does his tweet matter?
Mr Trump's latest tweet appears to contradict a previous statement from the Trump camp about the meeting.

When the meeting was first reported by the New York Times, Donald Trump Jr said in a statement that he and Ms Veselnitskaya had mostly discussed a suspended programme for Americans to adopt Russian children.

However, he subsequently admitted he had agreed to the meeting after being told he would be offered information that would prove detrimental to Mrs Clinton. He also released the email exchange that brought about the meeting.

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US media then reported that the US president had been involved in the initial statement his son issued on the meeting.

This was initially denied by Mr Trump's team, but his lawyers later confirmed that he had in fact dictated his son's statement.

US commentators have argued that Mr Trump's new admission that the meeting was to gain information about Mrs Clinton shows that the earlier statement was misleading.

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption
The meeting involved Mr Trump's son, his son-in-law, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort
Why is the Trump Tower meeting controversial?
It is common for US politicians to research their opponents during a campaign.

However, legal experts say that Mr Trump Jr could fall foul of campaign finance laws, which prohibit accepting anything of value from a foreign government or foreign national.

His apparently enthusiastic response to the offer of information about Mrs Clinton could also breach conspiracy laws.

The Trump team has argued that Mr Trump Jr ultimately did not receive any damaging information about Mrs Clinton at the meeting.

One of Mr Trump's lawyers, Jay Sekulow, said on Sunday that the meeting had not broken any laws.

"The question is what law, statute or rule or regulation's been violated? Nobody's pointed to one," Mr Sekulow told ABC News.

US media reported last year that some of the president's advisers feared the extent of the president's intervention could place him and some of his inner circle in legal jeopardy.