Germany's Volkswagen (VW) under fire for massive data collection scandal

Germany’s Chaos Computer Club (CCC) has revealed that Volkswagen systematically collects and stores movement data from hundreds of thousands of vehicles, including VW, Audi, Skoda, and Seat models.

Shockingly, this data, tied to vehicle owners, was accessible online without protection.

The collected data offers insights into drivers’ everyday and private lives, even sensitive information tied to intelligence and military activities.

Examples include records from the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) parking garage and the U.S. Air Force base in Ramstein.

Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) neutralized Kurtay Batman, alias Nusrettin Demir, a high-ranking PKK/KCK figure in Iraq’s Gare region.

Demir was under close surveillance by MIT's field agents.

Agents uncovered that Demir, acting on orders from the PKK leadership, was preparing attacks in the Pençe-Kilit operation zone with other militants.

Following meticulous planning, Demir and his associates were neutralized in a precision operation in Iraq’s Gare region.

Another first: Ukrainian Magura V5 USV, armed with R-73 air-to-air missiles, destroyed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter and damaged another near Crimea’s coast.

Sudanese Army rescues civilians from RSF militias in Bahri, using armored vehicles.

Sudanese Army claims it destroyed an Emirati (UAE) plane accused of supplying weapons to the RSF in South Darfur.

The plane reportedly crashed during takeoff after the army struck RSF positions, including Nyala airport.

The army also reported destroying drones and killing foreign nationals in an attack near Nyala Technical College.

Photo: Archive

Ukrainian Humvee has been fully encased in a protective cage, not to prevent escape but to enhance defense against FPV drones, including fiber-optic drones that now attack from both above and ground level.

Ukrainian Bradley uses its TOW missile to destroy a house sheltering Russian soldiers, then fires its 25mm Bushmaster gun at close range.

Passenger seating chart for crashed Jeju Air Flight 2216.

Only two flight attendants survived.

Both were located in the tail section.

Syrian General Command appoints Major General Eng. Merhaf Abu Qasra as the new Minister of Defense.

Russian billionaires fuel the war machine.

Reuters investigation reveals that companies linked to Russian billionaires like Roman Abramovich and Vagit Alekperov supplied over 75% of chemicals for explosives used by Russia’s military from 2022 to 2024.

Despite Western sanctions, these firms, producing civilian goods like fertilizers, indirectly support military production, exposing gaps in sanctions enforcement.

Sources of weapons for terrorist organizations in Africa by Clash Report

Arms trafficking in Africa is a complex and multi-faceted challenge, fuelling violence, instability and growing terrorism across the continent.

The diverse and interconnected sources of weapons perpetuate armed conflict and terrorism in Africa, undermining efforts to establish peace and stability.

US CENTCOM:

We conducted multiple precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets in Sana’a and coastal locations within Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen, Dec. 30 and 31.

We targeted a Houthi command and control facility and advanced conventional weapon (ACW) production and storage facilities that included missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV).

The Israeli army will work on closing Kamal Adwan Hospital to prevent its use in any way.

Source: Al Jazeera