Paris, France | AFP | Amazon, Google and now Apple — as the list of digital giants hit by the “Spectre” and “Meltdown” computer security flaws grows longer, the race is on to limit the damage. “All Mac systems and iOS devices are affected, but there are no known exploits …
Read More »6,000 IS jihadists could return to Africa, AU warns
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Up to 6,000 Africans who fought for the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in Iraq and Syria could return home, the African Union’s top security official warned Sunday, calling on countries to prepare for the threat. Smail Chergui, the AU’s commissioner for peace and security, said …
Read More »Broke South Sudan spends millions on surveillance drones
Juba, South Sudan | AFP | Cash-strapped South Sudan has spent millions of dollars on Israeli surveillance drones and security cameras aimed at fighting rampant crime in the capital Juba, officials said Monday. The first two drones and 11 cameras will be deployed by Israeli company Global Group, President Salva …
Read More »US, French embassies in Brazzaville step up security over ‘threat’
Brazzaville, Congo | AFP | The US and French embassies in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, said Friday Congolese authorities had beefed up security at their buildings after receiving threats. The French embassy on its website said “a message relating to possible attacks” had been received overnight Wednesday. …
Read More »France says ‘go ahead’ to African security initiatives
Dakar, Senegal | AFP | France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Tuesday encouraged African nations calling for greater autonomy over their security to “go for it”, following the launch of a regional anti-jihad force in the Sahel. France currently has its own a 4,000-strong counter-terror force named Barkhane tackling jihadists …
Read More »Kagame, Senegal’s Sall urge support for new African security doctrine
Dakar, Senegal | AFP | African leaders on Monday used a regional forum to call for extra support as the continent moves to assure its own security after years of Western interventions. The annual Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security this year brings together the presidents of Mali, Rwanda …
Read More »Russia faces ‘very real’ threat of attack at World Cup
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russia says it will take extraordinary measures to combat any terrorist threat when it hosts the World Cup next year, as its military campaign in Syria makes the country a prime target for jihadists. A bombing on the metro in Saint Petersburg in April that …
Read More »US warns diplomatic staff of ‘specific threat’ at Mogadishu airport
Mogadishu, Somalia | AFP | The US mission to Somalia on Saturday urged all of its non-essential staff to leave Mogadishu immediately following a specific threat against them at the capital’s international airport. The warning came just hours after US forces confirmed carrying out their first-ever drone strikes targeting Islamic State …
Read More »Trump won’t go to DMZ during S.Korea visit: White House
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump will not be going to the De-Militarized Zone dividing the Korean peninsula when he visits South Korea next week, a senior administration official said Tuesday. The decision to skip the DMZ at a time of high tensions with nuclear-armed North Korea …
Read More »Security flaw prompts fears on Wi-Fi connections
Washington, United States | AFP | A newly discovered flaw in the widely used Wi-Fi encryption protocol could leave millions of users vulnerable to attacks, prompting warnings Monday from the US government and security researchers worldwide. The US government’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) issued a security bulletin saying the …
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