Latest news with #Cia
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's CIA director details strategy using Mandarin videos to tap Chinese dissent for intelligence gains
CIA Director John Ratcliffe detailed the reasoning behind the agency's strategy of releasing two Mandarin-language videos aimed at encouraging Chinese nationals to reach out through the dark web, part of a broader effort to gather intelligence from inside America's top adversary. In an interview on "My View with Lara Trump," Ratcliffe said the initiative was designed to tap into dissatisfaction among Chinese citizens and collect key information on the Chinese Communist Party [CCP] and its operations. "We released two Mandarin-speaking videos to the Chinese people, inviting them to contact us through the dark web because a lot of the people in China are not happy with what's happening," he shared on Saturday. Cia Videos Aim To Turn Chinese Officials And 'Steal Secrets' "They can be great sources of intelligence for us." The campaign was part of a larger strategy to counter threats from foreign and domestic adversaries and bolster U.S. leverage in high-stakes negotiations, including President Donald Trump's efforts to secure deals with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Read On The Fox News App Cia Director Says China Is #1 Priority, Poses Biggest Challenge From Adversary In Us History Ratcliffe also emphasized his commitment to depoliticizing the CIA and returning the agency to its core mission of intelligence-gathering – not political interference. He cited the use of the Steele dossier and attitudes that dismissed the Hunter Biden laptop as "Russian disinformation" as evidence. "Those were the types of politicization that really tarnish what the intelligence community is supposed to do," he said. "We're supposed to be apolitical, and that's what President Trump wants me to be. We're going to be better. We're gonna get back to what made the CIA great."Original article source: Trump's CIA director details strategy using Mandarin videos to tap Chinese dissent for intelligence gains
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Wilting willy? Waning wetness? No worries. Spicing up sex after 60
Skin to skin. Physical intimacy is as nice at age 75 as it is at 25. But here's the rub: As many - if not nearly all - older people know, sex life with your partner isn't as arousing as it used to be. Maybe it's even dead, although your sexual needs aren't. Maybe you moan now out of frustration, and not with pleasure, because your body no longer performs as it once did. So is that it? May your sex life rest in peace? Not at all, says journalist and author Andrea Micus in her book "Sex After 60: How to Preserve Libido and Love," as the title translates from the German. "Older people often have the advantage of time, of not being distracted by children, job and other things," she says. "They can experiment afresh." Where can couples start? Here are three common problems - and how to solve them: Problem 1: You're self-conscious about your body Embarrassment is hardly conducive to sex. When your body has visibly and palpably aged, with its wobbly bits and wrinkles, it can be difficult to feel comfortable in your own skin. Could another person find that body sexy? Unthinkable, your mind tells you. The body ideals promoted by the media - "young, slim and smooth," Micus says - exacerbate these feelings of inadequacy. Though it's easier said than done, it helps to let go of societal images of sexual attractiveness and work with what you've got. "You have to embrace a realistic picture," says Micus. For starters, you can give your body more attention, take good care of it. "If you feel well in your own body, if you make it more presentable, you'll be more confident when it comes to sex," she says. "Couples I see that look after themselves are probably more [sexually] interested in each other." Just how you do this is up to you. Perhaps you could get more exercise and shed a kilogram or two, treat yourself to a manicure or simply spruce yourself up for no particular reason. Problem 2: Sex doesn't 'work' like it used to The penis is supposed to go into the vagina: Without the act of penetration it's not really sex - this is a stubborn notion that can be especially demoralizing to older people. After all, one in three men over age 60 suffer from erectile dysfunction, according to the Munich Municipal Hospital Group in Germany. This means that, in more than two-thirds of their attempts over a period of six months, they're unable to get or maintain an erection long enough to have sexual intercourse. And many older women suffer from vaginal dryness caused by a decrease in oestrogen levels that reduces blood flow to mucous membranes in the vagina. This can make penetration unpleasant for them. Painful sex can also occur as a result of gynaecology surgery, says Micus. Age-related physical hindrances can be a problem as well, such as an achy hip that makes certain positions for intercourse impossible, or heart problems that cause you to worry it may not stand up to the strain. Some physical problems can be dealt with. PDE5 inhibitors such as tadalafil (generic Cialis) or sildenafil, sold under the brand name Viagra, can be used to treat erectile dysfunction. Lubricants can remedy vaginal dryness. As for what can't be changed, there's only one thing that helps: acceptance. "He can say, 'I can't get it up anymore!' She can say, 'I had knee surgery and can't have sex like that anymore!' Or they can accept reality and make the best of it. There are so many variations," says Micus. Having communicated with many older couples for her book, she knows that the sexual logjam often breaks when couples accept their physical limitations. An important step, she says, is to "free yourself from penetrative sex." There are many other intimate practices that are very pleasurable: smooching, naked cuddling, sensual massages, re-exploring each other's bodies - and your own. The key is to tell your partner what makes you feel good. "It's all a matter of openness and mutual understanding," Micus says. Problem 3: The flame has gone out in your relationship Your bedroom is dead - you can hardly recall the last time you had sex together. It's not uncommon in long-term relationships. "After 40 or 50 years of marriage, your partner may no longer fire your carnal desires," Micus says. You know their body inside out - you rarely experience anything new and exciting. As an antidote, she suggests taking your cue from newly married couples, who "put their relationship at centre stage." The focus typically shifts in decades-long relationships: "You had children and grandchildren, stressful years at the workplace - there was little room left for your relationship." Well, it's high time to reclaim lost opportunities. Micus recommends sharing new experiences, which restrengthen your bond and rekindle physical intimacy. It could be a short holiday in the mountains, a romantic dinner, or a night in a hotel in your own city. But what if one of the partners remains sexually withdrawn? While researching her book, Micus repeatedly heard the remark, "My wife doesn't want sex anymore." In cases like this, a frank reckoning of the cause can help. "Often it's not that the woman doesn't want sex in general, but that she finds sex with this man boring. Many men have never taken care that the woman gets something out of it too," Micus says. This is something that can also be remedied - by the woman openly communicating her desires.
Bloomberg
05-05-2025
- Bloomberg
Mining Murders Show Peru's Struggles With an Illegal Gold Rush
The bodies of 13 workers at a Peruvian gold mine were discovered over the weekend as criminal groups step up a wave of terror over control of the precious metal in the country's northern highlands. The deceased — found in a mine shaft after being kidnapped several days earlier — were working as guards at a small operation that is a contractor to Cia. Minera Poderosa SA, one of Peru's largest gold producers. At least 39 workers have been killed in recent years in the gold-rich area of Pataz, the Lima-based metals producer said Sunday in a statement.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's Zelenskyy skeptical of Putin's Easter ceasefire, says previous truce proposal by US was ignored
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed skepticism over Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement Saturday that Russia would observe a temporary ceasefire during the Easter holiday. After the announcement, Zelenskyy posted on X that air raid alerts were ringing out across Ukraine, adding that Russian attack drones were detected in the skies. "Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin's true attitude toward Easter and toward human life," he wrote. The Kremlin on Saturday shared a video in which Putin said, "Guided by humanitarian considerations, today from 18:00 to 00:00, from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side declares an Easter truce.'" Trump Says Us Will 'Take A Pass' On Ukraine Peace Efforts If Russia Refuses To Play Ball He later added that Russia had "ignored" the United States' proposal for a 30-day truce after Ukraine "responded positively." Read On The Fox News App "If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly — mirroring Russia's actions," Zelenskyy said. "Silence in response to silence, defensive strikes in response to attacks." He said if an Easter ceasefire actually takes hold, he proposes extending it. "That is what will reveal Russia's true intentions, because 30 hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures," he said. "Thirty days could give peace a chance." Former Cia Station Chief Says He Doesn't See Putin Stopping 'Onslaught' Against Ukraine Zelenskyy later added on X, "As of now, according to the Commander-in-Chief reports, Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided. Therefore, there is no trust in words coming from Moscow. We know all too well how Moscow manipulates, and we are prepared for anything. "Ukraine's Defense Forces will act rationally — responding in kind. Every Russian strike will be met with an appropriate response." Late Saturday, Zelenskyy wrote that the "Easter statements by Putin did not extend to" the Kursk and Belgorod regions of Ukraine, where he said "hostilities continue, and Russian strikes persist. Russian artillery can still be heard in certain directions of the front, regardless of the Russian leader's promise of silence. Russian drones are in use." He acknowledged, "In some areas, the situation has become quieter." Zelenskyy said the "proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day silence remains on the table — the answer to it must come from Moscow. Ukraine, together with our partners, is ready to move toward peace as constructively as possible, but same readiness is required from Russia." The war has raged for more than three years and cost the lives of tens of thousands of people on both sides after Russia invaded the sovereign country in February 2022. The announcement of a temporary ceasefire comes after President Donald Trump on Thursday said an 80-page minerals deal will be signed with Ukraine in one week. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later said it would likely be signed April 26. Details on the agreement still remain relatively unknown, though recent reporting by Bloomberg has suggested the U.S. has eased back its demands for repayment for its aid in Ukraine's fight against Russia from $300 billion to $100 billion. On Friday, Trump said the U.S. will "just take a pass" at peace efforts for Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to agree to ceasefire terms. "If, for some reason, one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say, 'You're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people,' and we're going to just take a pass," Trump told reporters. "But hopefully we won't have to do that." Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this article source: Ukraine's Zelenskyy skeptical of Putin's Easter ceasefire, says previous truce proposal by US was ignored
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'John Brennan, Gina Haspel era is over': Ratcliffe, allies promise workforce changes at CIA
EXCLUSIVE: CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned his agents of "changes" to come under his leadership in a memo obtained by Fox News Digital. "There will be changes during my tenure as director," the new leader of America's top spy agency wrote in an agency-wide workforce message. Ratcliffe is currently reviewing all top staff and planning to put his own fingerprints on the senior level of the agency, Fox News Digital has learned. "We will collect intelligence in every corner of the globe, no matter how dark or difficult. We will produce insightful, objective, all-source analysis, never allowing political or personal biases to cloud our judgment or infect our products," Ratcliffe went on in his email. "And we will conduct covert action at the direction of the President, going places no one else can go and doing things no one else can do." New Cia Boss Ratcliffe Says Biden-era Report Backing Lab-leak Theory Released To 'Restore' Trust As agents conduct work in what Ratcliffe defined as the "most challenging national security environment in our nation's history," he promised the CIA would be the "ultimate meritocracy." Read On The Fox News App "Our shared mission will bind us together." A source familiar with Ratcliffe's thinking said, "This was a message to Agency's workforce that the John Brennan era, the Gina Haspel era, the eras of promoting leftwing political agendas or subverting the President — those days are over." Haspel was President Donald Trump's CIA director from 2018 to 2021 – while Ratcliffe was Trump's director of national intelligence. Brennan headed up the agency under former President Barack Obama. "I'm sure it'll rub some of the political activists burrowed in there the wrong way, but there are a lot of red-blooded, mission-focused agency officers reading this and cheering him on," the source added. Ratcliffe Says Us Faces 'Most Challenging Security Environment' Ever In Confirmation Hearing Ratcliffe is also looking for ways to streamline the agency's many tech-focused offices – the directorate of digital innovation; directorate of science and technology; transnational and technology mission center; office of the chief technology officer; and directorate of analysis, which has been developing AI-powered tools – to stake out clear lines of authority and tasks. "Nobody comes to CIA to be somebody. Our successes remain hidden. Even our medals are presented behind closed doors, our sacrifices memorialized by stars on a marble wall. But each one of those stars represents somebody who wanted to do something, regardless of whether history would know their name," Ratcliffe continued. "That's what makes this place special. That's what we must preserve." Ratcliffe was confirmed by the Senate last Thursday in a 74-25 vote. Under its new director, the CIA released a new assessment of the COVID-19 origin which favors a lab origin with "low confidence." The review was ordered by former President Joe Biden's national security advisor Jake Sullivan toward the end of Biden's time in office. John Ratcliffe Confirmed As Next Cia Director The agency has maintained for years it did not have enough intelligence to conclude whether COVID-19 originated in a lab or a wet market in Wuhan, China. Ratcliffe recently told Breitbart News he no longer wanted the CIA to sit "on the sidelines" of the debate over the origins of COVID-19. He has long said he believes the virus originated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology. "I had the opportunity on my first day to make public an assessment that actually took place in the Biden administration, so it can't be accused of being political," he told "Sunday Morning Futures" host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday. "And the CIA has assessed that the most likely cause of this pandemic that has wrought so much devastation around the world was because of a lab-related incident in Wuhan, so we'll continue to investigate that moving forward."Original article source: 'John Brennan, Gina Haspel era is over': Ratcliffe, allies promise workforce changes at CIA
