Pentagon eyes deep-cover spy network targeting rivals: report
The Pentagon is seeking to build a deep-cover spying program targeting U.S. competitors as part of a broader economic warfare strategy, The Washington Post reported Wednesday, citing six people familiar with the initiative.
Under the new program, U.S. intelligence operatives, the so-called "nonofficial cover officers," or NOCs, would pose as businesspeople or other private-sector personnel without disclosing their government affiliations, according to the report.
Macron calls for halt to demonstrations in coming days
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that the government recommends that no demonstrations be held across the country in the coming days, particularly on Saturday.
Speaking after a security council meeting, Macron said the government intended to prohibit requests to organize gatherings by people "who have no legitimacy to do so." For trade union marches formally notified to local authorities, alternative routes would be proposed to protect city centers, he added.
Putin appoints four deputy PMs in major government reshuffle
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a series of decrees on Thursday appointing four deputy prime ministers, alongside a new minister of transport and a presidential aide.
The appointments took effect on the day of signing, according to the documents.
Irina Okladnikova, former deputy minister of finance, was named deputy prime minister and chief of the government staff. Oleg Kozhemyako, former governor of Primorsky Krai, was appointed deputy prime minister and presidential plenipotentiary envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District. Andrey Nikitin, who previously headed the Ministry of Transport, was also appointed deputy prime minister.
Iran's IRGC says 7 "violating" vessels caught fire in waters around Hormuz Strait
The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said Thursday that it had struck four "violating" ships in the Persian Gulf in recent hours, while three other "offending" vessels exploded after hitting naval mines west of the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday night.
The four targeted ships, which had crossed an "illegal" route in the strait, were detected and hit in the northern central Gulf while engaged in a ship-to-ship transfer of oil cargoes, the navy said in a statement released by the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News.
6 killed, 25 injured as bus hits roadside tree in central India
At least six persons, including two women and a girl, were killed and 25 others were injured when the bus they were travelling in hit a roadside tree in India's central state of Chhattisgarh on Thursday, local police confirmed.
The accident reportedly occurred under the limits of Kelhari police station in the Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district, while the bus was moving from Manendragarh area to Kelhari town at a very high speed.
Palestinian commission records 409 Israeli attacks on Palestinian olive farmers, land in West Bank in 21 days
The Israeli forces and settlers carried out 409 attacks against Palestinian olive farmers, trees, farmland, and agricultural equipment in the West Bank between Oct. 1 and 21, the Palestinian Liberation Organization's Commission Against the Wall and Settlements said Thursday.
In a statement, the commission said settlers carried out 317 attacks, while the Israeli army conducted 92.■
