Donald Trump just unleashed an attack on any and all Americans who have a problem with his cozy relationship with Putin. Sure, Russia in an effort directly spearheaded by the Russian dictator hacked our election with the intent of effectively installing Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Sure, this has been confirmed by more than a baker s dozen intelligence agencies. Sure, Trump, who very publicly asked Russia to hack his opponents, has been informed of this himself. But according to him, all that matters is that we kiss Vladdy Poot s (we imagine this to be his cute little nickname for his Russian sugar daddy) ring and you re stupid if you feel otherwise. Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only stupid people, or fools, would think that it is bad! We .. Trump tweeted, still failing to grasp the intracacies of the use of ellipses (It s three dots, not four or twelve, Donald!), have enough problems around the world without yet another one. When I am President, Russia will respect us far more than they do now and . He added in a third tweet, both countries will, perhaps, work together to solve some of the many great and pressing problems and issues of the WORLD! Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only "stupid" people, or fools, would think that it is bad! We .. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2017have enough problems around the world without yet another one. When I am President, Russia will respect us far more than they do now and . Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2017both countries will, perhaps, work together to solve some of the many great and pressing problems and issues of the WORLD! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2017Of course, one of the world s problems is that Russia directly interfered with a sovereign nation s election at an unprecedented level, according to the report Trump received. Naturally, Americans who have a problem with a foreign power interfering especially at this level in our election don t exactly enjoy the President-elect calling them stupid for caring about the integrity of the electoral process:@realDonaldTrump Russia just made a mockery of the US election. Only a "fool" would think that's the sign of a good relationship. Letters of Note (@LettersOfNote) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump So now you are calling Americans stupid. Fannnntastic! Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump Only someone without real friends (you!!!) would solicit the friendship of a dictator like Putin. Ben Berkon (@BenBerkon) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump Donald, they hacked the US. The only reason you re cheerleading for Putin is because he gave you the win. Emma Kennedy (@EmmaKennedy) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump a good relationship is one thing. Being in the pocket of, is quite another. What do they have on you? Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump We've come to the conclusion that you'd be better off w a pacifier, blankie and straitjacket. Certifiably batsh*t CRazY?? ErinHazel??#RESIST (@ErinRHazel) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump Yeah, yeah. We get it. You're besties with Putin. pic.twitter.com/yHraRUHYkQ Jordan Uhl (@JordanUhl) January 7, 2017.@realDonaldTrump Do two countries have "a good relationship" when one country tries to influence the free and fair elections in the other? Simon Hedlin (@simonhedlin) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump Most of my good relationships don't involve the other person HACKING INTO MY PRIVATE DATA AND SABOTAGING MY FUCKING LIFE. pic.twitter.com/dVfI8RbhHA Kristina Wong (@mskristinawong) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump Lets see, who else might applaud the idea that Americans who stand up for their sovereignty are "stupid" people or fools? pic.twitter.com/FeDrxi8KEB Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) January 7, 2017Look, we get it. Your love for Russia and disdain for our intelligence agencies is clear. But why constantly reminded us? @realDonaldTrump Big Lee ?? (@RejectTrump) January 7, 2017.@realDonaldTrump they interfered in our election. Why would we want 2 have a good relationship w/them? Kelly Herself ? (@Kelly_Herself) January 7, 2017.@realDonaldTrump also, calling Americans who disagree with you "stupid" is not awesome. Kelly Herself ? (@Kelly_Herself) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump We want a good relationship with Russia, you idiot. Part of that is them not interfering in our elections! Tom Coates (@tomcoates) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump The Russians interfering with our election defines a terrible relationship. Only a fool fails to see this. Keith Fitzgerald (@Oldfitz) January 7, 2017Mr. Trump, I want you to stop insulting me and my family. And my fellow patriots. #MAGA @realDonaldTrump Greg Laden (@gregladen) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump You want to get in bed w/ Putin a murderous thug? Is that so he won't spill the beans about your Russian business dealings? Not Maureen Dowd (@MaureenDowdTwit) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump There's a difference between diplomacy and sleeping with the enemy! You're still in Putin's bed. Auntie B (@b_auntie) January 7, 2017@realDonaldTrump You sure are working hard clutching your ankles for Putin. Shameful traitor. Kay (@karleenflem) January 7, 2017Yes, ideally, we should want a good relationship with every country, but Trump somehow doesn t consider it a problem that Putin directly ordered an interference in our election that likely helped him win. To Trump, his personal benefit is more important than the good of our nation. And we re stupid, right?


Cyber attack techniques used by the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State could also be used by other countries, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said on Wednesday. Speaking in California, Carter told reporters that the U.S.-led coalition used electronic techniques to disrupt and degrade the jihadist force's ability to organize and said an unspecified number of other countries could do the same in other conflicts. "These are not capabilities that only we have," Carter said at a news conference at the Santa Clara headquarters of Intel Corp's security wing. "That is why good, strong cyber defenses are essential for us." The remarks add more detail to a campaign that has only recently been acknowledged. The conference was also attended by the U.S. Secretaries of Homeland Security and Commerce. The cabinet secretaries had gathered for a day-long presidential security advisory board meeting that was the first to be held in Silicon Valley since the group's inception more than 35 years ago. The officials used their remarks at the event to call for greater cooperation between the government and private sector, especially to confront rising cyber security threats. Carter said he was expanding the Pentagon's technology innovation unit by adding an office in Boston and hiring a recruiter to attract tech company leaders to temporary military jobs. The so-called Defense Innovation Unit Experimental was formed to help get ideas and products from Silicon Valley into the Defense Department quickly. National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers told the group that the government's largest intelligence workforce had moved from almost exclusively defending Pentagon networks to protecting the civilian government five years ago and was increasingly assisting the Department of Homeland Security in efforts to help safeguard private companies. "The part that frustrates me is, why are we coming in after the fact," as with the destructive hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a unit of Sony Corp, instead of acting earlier on information gathered about attacks in the works, Rogers said. Tensions between U.S. technology companies and the government continue to flare over President Barack Obama's call for encryption that can be pierced at the government's request. The three cabinet secretaries stood behind the call for flexible encryption during the press conference. The National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee did not address the subject during its public sessions at Intel on Wednesday. Tech and security company officials and prominent venture capitalists said at the meeting they hoped the government would continue to hasten the adoption of private-sector innovation in such areas as robotics and machine learning and the officials said that they would. White House cyber security policy coordinator Michael Daniel said cooperation was critical to avoid the massive economic, social and intelligence benefit of the Internet for the West becoming a liability.


Nepalis vote on Sunday to choose a new parliament and seven state assemblies hoping to end years of fickle coalitions and complete a tumultuous transition, more than a decade after the end of a civil war. The two-phase election is also expected to determine the path the country takes in balancing ties with China and India, both of whom are pushing hard to expand influence in the buffer state. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba s centrist Nepali Congress party faces a tight battle against a left alliance between the main group of Maoist former rebels and the opposition Communist UML party. About 15.4 million eligible voters are tasked to pick a 275-member parliament - 165 through first-past-the-post and 110 through proportional representation - the first under a new constitution agreed after years of wrangling. Simultaneously, voters will choose representatives to seven provincial assemblies for the first time after Nepal turned into a federal republic and abolished monarchy in 2008. These elections will firmly put the country on the path of stability and prosperity, Deuba, the country s tenth prime minister in as many years, told Reuters. Counting of votes will begin after the second round of polling on Dec 7 and complete results may not be known until the middle of December because of cumbersome counting procedures. Political analysts say that the left alliance is likely to open up the country further to Chinese investments if they were to come to power in the election. Already, the UML has said it would hand back the country s biggest hydro-electric project to China after the Deuba-government, seen as more pro-India, canceled the deal citing lapses in the contract. Our government will revoke the decision after the election, UML general secretary Ishwar Pokharel said, adding there was nothing wrong in the $2.5 billion deal with China Gezhouba Group Corporation to build a 1,200 megawatt plant. Soon after the cancellation of the deal, the chairman of Indian state-run power company NHPC Ltd said it could bid for the project, underlining Delhi s attempts to claw back ground in a country which it has long considered its backyard. The performance of the two largest communist parties in the elections could determine the course of Chinese investment in infrastructure projects in Nepal, said Guna Raj Luintel, editor of the Nagarik daily. In March, Nepal received letters of intent worth $8.4 billion from Chinese investors compared with $300 million received from Indian delegates at an investment summit, officials said. Deuba s Nepali Congress has struck a loose-knit alliance with ethnic Madhesi minority groups who live in the southern plains and have long complained of being sidelined by the Kathmandu-based main political parties. Madhesis account for one third of Nepal s 28 million people and Deuba has promised to amend the constitution to address their grievances if the alliance won the election. Aid and tourism dependent Nepal, recovering from a devastating earthquake that killed 9,000 people in 2015, is among the world s poorest. The economy, which saw zero growth last year due to instability and the earthquake, is expected to expand by 6.9 percent this year because of improved power supply and agricultural production, officials said.