“I am Professional Revolutionist! I am Ilich Ramírez Sánchez a.k.a. Carlos the Jackal and my sphere of influence encompasses the entirety of the planet!”

Many members of the police force and members of the general public recognise Ramirez as a contract killer who participated in the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics, attempted to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle, and carried out an attack on OPEC in Vienna in 1975.

According to the findings of security specialists, Carlos was a “revolutionary fighter” for both the Palestinian Liberation Movement and the Soviet camp.

Both of these groups received financial support from Arabs and Russians.

He continued to fight until the fall of communism in 1989.

On August 14, 1994, he was taken into custody by agents of the French intelligence service in the city of Khartoum.

Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez, who was 62 years old at the time, made a brazen proclamation when the trial of the most famous terrorist of the twentieth century began in Paris’s special anti-terrorist court. He said:

“I have years of experience as a revolutionary! My sphere of influence encompasses the entirety of the planet!”

Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez was once a playboy, mercenary, and “professional revolutionary” in addition to being a former militant.

His nom de guerre during the conflict was Carlos, and his journalistic pseudonym was Jackal.
Carlos the Jackal is another of his nicknames.

The 12th of October, 1949 found Ramirez Sanchez being born in the city of Caracas, Venezuela.

Ilyich Lenin was the name given to him by his Marxist lawyer father.

In 1959, when Ramirez was still in school, he became a member of the National Communist Party’s youth wing.

Following the separation of his parents in 1966, his mother relocated him and his brother to London so that they may complete their education there.

In 1968, their father made an application for his kids to attend the Sorbonne, but ultimately decided to send them to Patrice Lumumba’s institution in Moscow instead.

In 1970, Ramirez was kicked out of the institution for his disruptive behaviour.

As a language aficionado, Ramirez is fluent in other tongues in addition to his mother tongue of Spanish, including Arabic, Russian, English, and French.

Following his departure from Moscow, he made his way to Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, in order to become a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

Around the middle of the 1970s, he was moved to a PFLP foreign volunteer training camp on the outskirts of Amman in the country of Jordan.

Because of this, people started calling him Carlos.

During an expulsion operation that was conducted by the Jordanian government in 1970, he fought alongside the NFOP against the Jordanian army in Jordan. This campaign was against the Jordanian army.

It would appear that after his time in Jordan, he made his way back to London, where he was employed by the NFOP and attended the London School of Economics.

A journalist gave Karolos the nickname “The Jackal” after finding Frederick Forsyth’s novel “Days of the Jackal” among his things. Karolos was the subject of the story.

Despite the fact that the book was actually someone else’s property, the nickname continued to be used.

In 1973, Carlos participated in his first NFOP operation, which involved an attempt to murder Jewish merchant Joseph Siff.

It was planned to be an act of vengeance for the murder of Mohammed Boudi, the director of the Paris theatre who was believed to have been working with the NFOP and was killed by the Mossad because of this suspicion.

Ramirez also claimed responsibility for an unsuccessful bombing attempt against the premises of the Hapoalim Bank in London, as well as three attempts to detonate vehicle bombs at offices of pro-Israeli French newspapers.

He also asserts that he was responsible for the grenade attack on a restaurant in Paris, which resulted in the deaths of two people and injuries to thirty more.

Later, on January 13 and 17, 1975, he took part in two unsuccessful rocket attacks against El Al flights at the Orly Airport in Paris. These attacks were launched from Paris.

During a party that was being held in a house in Paris, three police officers attempted to arrest Carlos. Carlos shot and murdered two of the officers before fleeing the scene and making his way to Beirut via Brussels.

In December of 1975, he was the leader of a six-man group that carried out an assault on a meeting of OPEC and kidnapped sixty individuals.

On December 22, the terrorists were provided with an aeroplane and transported to Algeria, where they were responsible for the release of thirty hostages.

After that, the terrorists and the other hostages were transported by helicopter to Libya, where some of them were eventually set free.

Following the plane’s landing in Algeria, the remaining hostages were freed, and the hijackers were granted refuge for their political activities.

In spite of the fact that Ramirez led the life of a playboy and a communist James Bond, he was more elusive than Osama bin Laden. Ramirez lived extravagantly and stayed in the costliest hotels in the world.

He was known as a master of fleeing the scene of a crime, disguising himself, and using fictitious identities, and he got active logistical aid from agents of communist bloc countries located all over the world.

September of 1976 was the month in question.

In Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Carlos was held for questioning for a short period of time.

In 1975, the well-known terrorist was being interrogated in Belgrade, and during that time he talked openly the operations of Palestinian bases in Serbia and Belgrade.

With Tito’s blessing, the PLO constructed training bases in Avala, which is located close to Belgrade, and Jastrebac, which is located close to Kruevac.

Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez was the one who led the class.

Carlos was employed by both the former East German Stasi and the Yugoslav State Security Service throughout his time in the intelligence community.

Because of his close relationship with the PLO and Yasser Arafat, he was Tito’s personal favourite.

During the 1970s, non-aligned Yugoslavia provided support for liberation movements in Africa and the Middle East, and Carlos was involved in some capacity with these movements.

On the other hand, Carlos was swiftly freed and taken to Iraq under the guise of an employee of a Yugoslav construction business, in accordance with the directives of the highest authority.

The anti-terrorist policy of the SFRY can be described as “non-aligned,” which means that the country does not take sides in the wars that are raging between the Western and Eastern blocs.

Allegedly, the German secret police known as the BND wanted Carlos to be captured in Belgrade so that Tito’s Yugoslavia could be publicly presented as a protector of international terrorists. As a result, they provided intelligence regarding Jackal’s movements to the security services of the SFRY.

According to archives from the former State Security Service of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), Carlos returned to Yugoslavia following Tito’s death in 1982 with lofty goals in mind.

After then, according to the allegations, his terrorist organisation made the decision to set up a permanent base in the SFRY in order to make operations in Western Europe easier.

It is believed that Carlos was in Belgrade at the time, posing as the Syrian ambassador, Mike Haddad. The security authorities of the former state were supposedly unaware that the most wanted terrorist in the world was on their territory.

At the end of the 1970s, they were responsible for the dissolution of their very own terrorist organisation, which was known as the Organization of Arab Armed Struggle and was composed of rebels from Syria, Lebanon, and Germany.

Additionally, he was in contact with the East German intelligence agency known as the Stasi.

Even the Romanian secret service hired him to kill Romanian dissidents in France and to take down the offices of Radio Free Europe in Munich. He was successful in both of those endeavours.

After Haddad passed away, Carlos once more offered his assistance to the NFOP on a voluntary basis, but this time with the assistance of the Baghdad administration.

The terrorist organisation led by Carlos didn’t get off the ground until 1982, when they attempted but failed to take over a nuclear power station.

In retaliation for the arrest of two members of the organisation in Paris, including Carlos Kopp’s wife, Magdalena Kopp, the gang carried out other bombings across France.

Throughout his career, Western sources asserted that Carlos was a KGB spy, despite the fact that his connections to Russian intelligence were quite insignificant.

As a consequence of these attacks, pressure from the international community was exerted on the governments of European countries, which allowed Carlos’ activities to continue.

At the end of 1985, he fled Hungary, but Iraq, Libya, and Cuba all refused to provide him with assistance. Finally, he was able to find sanctuary in Syria.

Damascus became the new home for him, his wife, and their daughter.

After being ordered by the Syrian government to cease his involvement in terrorist operations, Carlos was removed from the list of individuals regarded as a risk.

Despite this, the Iraqi government sent an appeal to him in the year 1990. As a result, he was expelled from Syria in September 1991 and resettled for a short time in Jordan.

He moved his base of operations to Khartoum, Sudan, because the security there was superior.

The French and American intelligence services have presented the Sudanese government with an advantageous proposition in exchange for Carlos’s extradition.

This settlement was most likely awarded because Sudanese Islamic fundamentalists were annoyed by Carlos’s continuous behaviour as a playboy despite his religious beliefs prohibiting such behaviour.

On the 14th of August, 1994, he was turned over to the police in France and transported to Paris.

In 1975, he was arrested in Paris and accused of the killings of two police officers as well as Michel Mukarbal. Following his arrest, he was transported to the La Sante de Paris jail, where he remained until the beginning of the trial.

The proceedings of the trial began on December 12, 1997, and lasted until December 23, 1997, when he was found guilty and given a life term in jail.

Do you remember the phrase “too good to be true?”

Then you know this is a red flag and you should not engage someone online who offers you salvation, great ROI, and the list goes on, and all you have to do is provide your banking details, credit card, or setting up direct deposit, and voila, you are the richest person on the planet, educated overnight, and unstoppable entrepreneur.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 13.2 million Australians are exposed to the internet and online scams/fraud that is 50% of Australian population – please don’t be one of victims.
 

So, what exactly is the deception fraud and scam?

A scam is a false invitation, request, notification, or offer intended to obtain personal information or money or to obtain a financial benefit through deception.

People may not always be aware that they have been exposed to or responded to a scam due to the deceptive nature of scams.

The internet has evolved into a powerful tool for learning and accessing various services in today’s interconnected world.

However, as online platforms and content providers have grown in popularity, so has the number of unregistered individuals offering education and services without proper terms and conditions or business details.

This article investigates the potential risks associated with engaging with such online providers and emphasises the importance of protecting oneself when seeking education and services online.
 

Lack of Transparency and Unregistered Providers:

One of the major risks of dealing with unregistered online providers is a lack of transparency.

These individuals may not be governed by a legal framework or have clearly defined terms and conditions, making it difficult to establish their credibility or hold them accountable for their actions.

Their motivations, qualifications, and intentions are unknown in the absence of a registered business entity, potentially leaving consumers vulnerable to fraudulent practises.

 

Identity Verification and Privacy Concerns:

Dealing with unregistered online providers raises identity verification and privacy concerns.

Personal information shared with these providers runs the risk of being mishandled or misused with no recourse or legal protection.

This lack of accountability raises the risk of identity theft, fraud, or unauthorised disclosure of sensitive data.

So please ask that provided for their business details, ABN, T&C’s etc. Ask, and if they don’t provide, then you know what the next step is; don’t engage with them.
 

Quality of Education and Services:

The quality of education or services provided by unregistered providers is another significant risk.

There is no guarantee of the quality or accuracy of the content provided without proper accreditation, certification, or established standards.

Learners may invest their time and money in courses or services that lack substance or fail to deliver the promised results, resulting in disappointment and wasted resources.
 

Consumer Protection and Legal Recourse:

Dealing with registered providers provides consumers with certain safeguards and legal recourse in the event of a dispute or fraudulent activity.

When dealing with unregistered individuals, however, these safeguards may be non-existent or severely limited.

In the event of any misconduct or breach of trust, consumers may find it difficult to seek compensation, resolve issues, or hold the provider accountable.
 

Risk Mitigation:

To protect themselves while engaging with online providers, individuals should take certain precautions.

First and foremost, it is critical to conduct extensive research on the provider’s background, qualifications, and reputation.

Checking for valid business details, verifying credentials, and seeking reviews or feedback from previous clients can all aid in establishing credibility.

Individuals should also prioritise working with registered entities or individuals who have clearly defined terms and conditions.

To ensure a transparent and fair engagement, these terms should outline refund policies, data protection measures, and clearly defined responsibilities.

Seeking out reputable online platforms, established educational institutions, or well-known industry professionals can also help reduce the risks of dealing with unregistered providers.

These platforms typically have robust systems in place to verify the credentials and track the performance of their instructors or service providers.

While the internet offers numerous opportunities for learning and accessing services, it is critical to use caution when dealing with unregistered online providers.

Individuals can mitigate risks and protect themselves from potential harm by prioritising transparency, conducting due diligence, and seeking out reputable platforms and providers.

As the digital landscape evolves, it is critical for consumers to remain vigilant and prioritise their online safety and well-being.

Too good to be true?

Since the foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949, Germans have been suspicious of the events of the early 1930s – the breakdown of the Weimar Republic and the emergence of Nazism.

Everyone should learn from that period now, when democratic countries around the world are facing major challenges and authoritarianism is on the rise.

The very First lesson
To begin, economic shocks (such as spiral inflation, depression, banking crisis, and, more recently, wars) are a source of concern for any government, at any time and in any location.

Because of economic insecurity and misery, people believe that any other government would be better than the current one.

The following is the Second lesson
In difficult economic times, the proportional representation system may exacerbate the problem.

If the country’s political situation is fractious, the proportional representation system will almost certainly result in the emergence of a shaky electoral majority, usually comprised of parties from the extreme wings, left or right, who want to destroy the “system,” but it is the only thing that unites them.

The general consensus on the Weimar experience boils down to the first two lessons.

And, far too often, each of these lessons is viewed in isolation, which can lead to dangerous complacency.

The first argument reassures people, leading them to believe that only a severe economic disaster can bring the political system to its knees.

The second, incorrect, reason convinces them that a democratic system without proportional representation is fundamentally more stable.

The lessons of the Weimar Republic will help us break out of our trance.

The Third lesson
Referendums are dangerous, especially when they are held infrequently and people are unfamiliar with them.

The National Socialists had all but vanished from the Weimar Republic by 1929.

However, thanks to a successful campaign during the difficult post-World War I reparations referendum, the party was resurrected that year.

The Fourth lesson
To put it another way, premature dissolution of parliament in cases where it is not required by law is a risky decision.

Even voting, which provides justification for more elections, could be interpreted as an acknowledgement of democracy’s demise.

In July 1932, the Nazis won the majority of votes (37%) in free elections, the conduct of which did not meet legal requirements: the previous election had taken place less than two years before, and the next one was scheduled for 1934.

The Fifth lesson
Constitutions are not always successful in protecting the system.

The Weimar Constitution was nearly flawless, written by the most lucid and moral experts (including Max Weber).

However, if unexpected occurrences (such as international political dramas or internal problems) are regarded as extraordinary circumstances necessitating mechanisms not contemplated by law, constitutional protection may soon be lost.

Such disasters can be manufactured artificially by democracy’s adversaries.

The Sixth lesson
Business lobbyists can play a shadowy, behind-the-scenes role in destabilising parliamentary arrangements.

And we all know that lobbyists are important today.

The Seventh lesson
When leaders disparage their opponents, democracies suffer.

Foreign Minister Walter Rathenau was assassinated in 1922, after being the target of a vicious, often anti-Semitic campaign by right-wing nationalists.

The Eighth lesson
The president’s family has the potential to be harmful.

Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg was elected president of the Weimar Republic in 1925 and re-elected in 1932, despite his advanced age.

In the early 1930s, he developed dementia after a series of heart attacks, and access to him Oskar was limited to his frail, elderly son, Oskar.

Finally, the president stated that he was willing to sign any agreement presented to him.

The Ninth lesson
An insurgent faction does not need an absolute majority to control politics, even in a proportional representation system.

In July 1932, the Nazis received the highest percentage of votes ever (37%).

In the following elections, held in November of the same year, their popularity plummeted to 33%.

Unfortunately, the Nazis’ demise caused other parties to underestimate them and view them as potential coalition partners.

The Tenth lesson
Incumbent leaders can maintain power by bribing disgruntled masses, but this formula does not last.

The German state generously distributed community housing, provided communal services, agricultural and production subsidies, and maintained a large number of civil personnel during the Weimar period; however, all of these expenses were financed on credit.

Yes, the Weimar Republic initially appeared to be an economic miracle.

However, as the administration began to seek external assistance, Germany’s political situation deteriorated.

Other countries found it difficult to believe the German government’s warnings that if emergency aid was not provided, a political disaster would occur.

Even more difficult was convincing his supporters of the importance of defending Germany.

Countries that use a majority electoral system, such as the United States or Great Britain, are thought to be more stable than those that use a proportional system.

Democracy has been practised for longer in the United States and the United Kingdom, and there is a deeply ingrained culture of political correctness.

The lessons of the Weimar Republic will help us break out of our trance.

Story about FBI counterintelligence head Robert Hanssen’s cover name was “Ramon Garcia.”

FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) agent turned legendary double agent for Soviet and then Russian intelligence is Robert Philip Hanssen.

He seemed to be one of the most dangerous spies to ever break into the “FBI,” and his infiltration could have resulted in the biggest intelligence disaster in American history.

On April 18, 1944, he entered this world in Chicago, Illinois.

His father, a detective for the Chicago police department, frequently abused him emotionally and physically.

The abuse he suffered throughout his life ruined not only his childhood, but his entire way of life.

After finishing high school at William Howard Taft in 1962, he went on to Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, to study chemistry. He graduated from Knox in 1966.

He choose to study the Russian language.

His candidature for a cryptographer position at the “National Security Agency” was rejected due to budgetary constraints.

Bernadette “Bonnie” Wauck, a devoted Catholic, became his wife in 1968.

His wife taught religion at Oakcrest University.

Later in life, he abandoned Lutheranism in favour of Catholicism.

Hanssen was a member of the Opus Dei, a Catholic fraternal organisation.

His six kids all went to Opus Dei-affiliated schools.

When Bonnie found out he was a spy, he pretended to be a Catholic priest from the group “Opus Dei,” gave money to a church, and vowed never to spy again.

Hanssen attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois intending to study dentistry but changed his major to business after the first three years.

He completed graduate work in accounting and computer systems at the master’s level in business administration in 1971.

After a year of working for an accounting firm, he ran for and was elected to the Chicago Police Department.

As an in-house forensic accountant investigator, Hanssen was tasked with questioning law enforcement officials on suspicion of misconduct.

He joined the FBI in January of 1976, so around five years later.

He joined the FBI in 1977 and was initially assigned to the Gary, Indiana office before being transferred to the New York office the following year.

He was moved to the counterintelligence unit the following year and given responsibility for cataloguing Soviet intelligence information.

His first contact with the Soviet military intelligence GRU was in 1979, when he offered his services as a spy.

He informed the GRU about FBI monitoring activities and possible Soviet intelligence agents.

The most important details he revealed concerned the Soviet Army officer Dmitri Polyakov, who had been spying for the American CIA while serving in the Soviet Army.

He was transferred to the FBI’s “budget unit” in 1981, when the bureau had its headquarters in Washington.

His job in Vienna’s suburbs permitted him to conduct electronic monitoring and wiretapping, giving him greater insight into “FBI” activities.

After serving for three years, he was transferred to the “Soviet Analytical Unit,” which was responsible for tracking down and arresting Soviet agents in the United States.

He continued his counterintelligence duties after moving to the New York field office in 1985.

At least three KGB agents who were secretly helping the FBI were exposed in a letter he addressed to “the KGB” on October 1, 1985.

He was rewarded with $5,000,000 in cash and jewellery.

He was trusted with sensitive information due to his prominent position in counterintelligence.

Through coded chats, “dead drops,” and other covert means, he passed on information to the KGB and its successor, the SVR.

His expertise put at risk a wide range of sensitive resources, including human informants, counterintelligence methods, investigations, dozens of secret US government documents, and important technical work.

Due to his years of experience and training as a counterintelligence agent, Hanssen managed to remain unnoticed despite the fact that some of his odd actions occasionally raised suspicion. However, no one suspected him of being a spy.

The FBI and CIA discovered that a mole within the intelligence community was still transmitting secret information to the Russians in the 1990s, after the arrest of Aldrich Ames.

At first, the agencies looked into the whereabouts of a veteran CIA case officer who had been under scrutiny for almost two years.

In 2000, the FBI and CIA obtained authentic Russian paperwork regarding a man called Hanssen who was thought to be a spy for the United States.

The ensuing probe corroborated this impression.

Hanssen’s looming resignation meant that detectives had to work quickly.

Their plan was to catch Hanssen red-handed in his snooping ways.

Hanssen was a detailee for the Department of State’s Office of Foreign Missions when the charges surfaced.

Hanssen was reportedly demoted back to FBI headquarters after being told he couldn’t continue in his interim role.

In order to entice Hanssen back to FBI Headquarters, where he could be constantly observed, the Assistant Director of the National Security Division at the time, Neil Gallagher, called him and told him he had been assigned as a special assistant for a technological project on his staff.

Around 300 people were working on the probe and keeping tabs on Hanssen by February 2001.

Hanssen’s movements were tracked from the time he left his Fairfax County, Virginia home in the morning until he returned in the evening, and the intelligence community concluded that he was still actively spying.

On July 6, 2001, Hanssen entered a guilty plea to 15 counts of espionage.

On May 10, 2002, he was given a life sentence without the possibility of release.

It’s apparent that Hansen was motivated by more than just financial gain when he accepted the most challenging of all espionage jobs—that of a double agent.

Hansen was not your stereotypical Russophile like his illustrious British forerunner Kim Philby.

He just wants to make good on a wish from his youth.

According to letters he wrote to people he’d never met, Hansen “betrayed his fatherland” not so much because of the couple as a result of a specific longing for emotional pleasure.

Most of his letters were addressed simply to “Dear Friend,” even though he had never met the recipients in person.

The Robert Hansen case taught the FBI several important lessons in counterintelligence and safeguarding national security:

1. Insider Threats: The case highlighted the significant risk posed by insider threats within intelligence agencies. It emphasized the need for robust vetting procedures, background checks, and continuous monitoring of personnel with access to sensitive information.
2. Security Protocols: The incident exposed vulnerabilities in security protocols within the FBI. It prompted a comprehensive review and strengthening of internal controls, including stricter access controls, improved information sharing practices, and enhanced security measures to protect classified information.
3. Counterintelligence Measures: The Hansen case emphasized the importance of proactive counterintelligence efforts. The FBI recognized the need for better detection and prevention of espionage activities, leading to the implementation of advanced surveillance techniques, intelligence analysis, and more comprehensive investigations into potential security breaches.
4. Culture of Vigilance: The case highlighted the need for a culture of vigilance and awareness within intelligence agencies. It underscored the importance of reporting suspicious activities, fostering an environment where employees are encouraged to be vigilant, and promoting a strong sense of loyalty to national security.
5. Continuous Evaluation: The Hansen case demonstrated the necessity of continuous evaluation and monitoring of personnel with access to sensitive information. It led to the development of more stringent policies for reviewing and reevaluating employees’ security clearances, as well as ongoing monitoring of potential red flags or behavioral changes.

Overall, the Robert Hansen case prompted the FBI to reassess and strengthen its counterintelligence practices, including personnel security, information sharing, and detection and prevention of insider threats. It served as a catalyst for implementing stricter protocols and creating a culture of vigilance within the organization to safeguard national security.

Democracy is not something that should be taken for granted.

The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, at 3:50 p.m., thereby ending World War I.

The agreement, which was signed outside of Paris at the Palace of Versailles, included 440 stipulations that economically and morally decimated Germany, the war’s victor.

Germany suffered significantly as a result of the Treaty of Versailles, which required it to admit its “war guilt” and pay war reparations. The wording also changed the map of Europe. Germany lost all of her colonies, as well as around 10% of its inhabitants and 15% of its territory. Germany was made to seem terrible, and the terms of the agreement outraged the German people.

Following World War I, Germany abolished the empire. The Weimar Republic was founded. It was fourteen years long. It was a time of hedonism and sexual emancipation, as well as anxiety and uncertainty.

Germany adopted the Weimar Constitution around 100 years ago, which ended the empire and officially founded the Weimar Republic as a parliamentary republic. In November 1918, following Germany’s defeat in World War I, German Emperor Wilhelm II abdicated.

The new Constitution was founded on contemporary and liberal ideas such as equal rights for all people, universal suffrage and thus the right to vote for women, the eight-hour workweek, and support for the underprivileged, as well as the separation of church and state.

Neither the Constitution nor the state, however, lasted long. The Nazis ousted the government and formed a dictatorship when they took power in 1933.

For its day, the Weimar Constitution was brilliant and inventive. It was modern, progressive, founded on fundamental rights, emancipatory, and allowed women the right to vote, yet it was ineffective in preventing Hitler from gaining power.

Some historians believe that the Weimar Constitution laid the groundwork for the establishment of a federal, democratic, and socially legal state.

However, adverse circumstances for democratic growth must be addressed, such as the global economic crisis, hyperinflation, and mass unemployment.

Another historian defined the Weimar Republic as an unstable democracy marked by dread and uncertainty, but it was also a period of hedonism, sexual liberation, and artistic experimentation.

Particularly in Germany at the time, there was a considerable level of demoralisation.

Many Germans connected the Weimar Republic with the agony of World War I military losses and the humiliating peace settlement imposed on Germany by the Western Allies.

They were all united in their opposition to the new republic.

The Weimar Republic, named after the location of the inaugural assembly, was always on the verge of collapse. Many opponents of democracy, including monarchists and national socialists, battled against the newly constituted Republic.

Parliamentary democracy has been attacked by both the left and the right. The military hierarchy was conflicted about the Republic. He backed the state in theory and endured democracy with apathy.

The shock in Germany was greater than it would have been if the military defeat had been clear when the Allied demands were disclosed in early May 1919.

Germany lost 13% of its European land, including rich agricultural and industrial areas in the east, as well as around 10% of its pre-war population of 65 million people.

Economic conditions damaged Germany, but the damage was not irreversible. The political and psychological ramifications were the most devastating.

The humiliation was heightened by the compulsory requirement of demilitarisation.

The once-dominant German army was reduced to 100,000 men, and mass conscription was forbidden.

The greatest indignation was focused on the consequences of Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles.

That provision, widely known as the “war guilt clause,” established that Germany and its allies were to blame for the war. Its inclusion in the Treaty of Versailles was widely advocated by

French and British public opinion, and it served as the legal foundation for Germany’s duty to pay war reparations.

The responsibility of calculating compensation was assigned to the Allied Commision, which came up with a sum of 132 billion gold marks in 1923. Whatever amount was borrowed, it could be repaid in smaller sums over time without significantly damaging the German economy. The vast majority of that cash goes unpaid. There was political fallout.

According to an ugly mythology about “stabbing in the back,” the German army did not win because it was sabotaged from within its own country, and the left was to blame.

“It’s not surprising, then, that people prefer to escape into make-believe worlds rather than confront the frequently less rosy truth.”

The true roots of the war’s fiasco were concealed because no one wanted to admit them, and the imperial-German national elite was also partially to blame.

Man-made paradises, in particular, were popular throughout the Weimar Republic. Mind-altering and stupefying drugs were poured over the nascent nation.

Both before and after the war, Germany was the world’s leading manufacturer and supplier of pharmaceuticals, and the production of opiates remained a German specialty. Even today, the Weimar Republic is linked with a decadent period marked by great hardship and destitution.

The rise of Hitler to power resulted in the demise of the republic. Few sympathised with her in Germany.

Unlike Germany, which lost its (although minor) extraterritorial assets as a result of the Treaty of Versailles, France and England were able to obtain natural stimulants such as coffee, tea, vanilla, pepper, and other natural medicinals from their overseas colonies. Creating on purpose, in other words.

Because the country needed incentives, the terrible war left profound scars and a variety of physical and mental afflictions. In the 1920s, drugs grew in popularity among sad individuals living between the East Sea and the Alps. And sufficient professional knowledge was available for its development.

The Weimar Republic was all about creating artificial paradises.

People would rather escape into make-believe worlds than face the often less-than-ideal truth. The true roots of the war’s fiasco were concealed because no one wanted to admit them, and the imperial-German national elite was also partially to blame. Berlin was known as the Harlot of Babylon because it was home to the most wicked underworld that indulged in the most horrible vices imaginable, including intoxicants.

Berlin’s nightlife has never been seen by the rest of the globe! From incredible strength to incredible perversions…

Because the world war was lost, everything is now permitted, and the city has transformed into a European centre of innovation. In 1928, 73 kilograms of morphine were dispensed with a legal prescription in Berlin pharmacies alone.

Cocaine was the most potent weapon for intensifying the present, and those who could afford it loved it.

Coca-Cola symbolised the hedonistic era by spreading everywhere.

However, both the fascists and the communists who clashed in the streets loathed it as a “degenerative poison” in equal measure.

The Nazis gave an ideological cure and their own cure to the public.

The system, which was only designed to be seduced by the Führer, no longer had room for “seductive poisons.” “This fueled nationalism and provided fertile ground for Adolf Hitler’s rising Nazi power, which took power in 1933 and refused to make any additional reparations.”

Europe soon found itself at war again.

One of the most intriguing spy scandals of recent times, and it all revolves around a single woman.

Anna Chapman is a name you’re definitely familiar with. She enjoys and promotes her reputation as a vivacious, supersexy spy. And who exactly is this Anna Chapman?

KGB agent Vasily Kushchenko has a famous daughter, Anna Kushchenko. He served at the Soviet embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, as a senior KGB agent. Kushchenko is a high-ranking officer at the Russian Foreign Ministry (abbreviated MID in the country).

Anna was your typical girl; she majored in economics in college and met her future husband, Alex Champman, on a vacation to England.

Anna eventually divorced her husband and spent the remainder of her life in the USA. New York City’s Manhattan was the final stop. It’s likely that Anna was, at the time, recruited as a spy.

She belonged to the fresh, inexperienced generation working in Russian intelligence. Due to the nature of on-the-job instruction, her exact start date is unknown.

After arriving in New York, Ana opened a real estate office and dove headfirst into the vibrant Manhattan social scene. If you want to call it an aim, she wanted to associate herself with the wealthy and powerful. She started socialising with wealthy bankers and lawyers.

It is thought that Anna Chapman “spotted and assessed” influential people that the Russian Federation may recruit or bribe.

She was a member of the first generation of Russians to grow up with knowledge of the West. She was raised on Western media, specifically music and television. As a result, she frequented establishments where electronic dance music (EDM), hip-hop, or house music was being played.

Spies of various nationalities congregate at the working clubs and bars that make up Ana’s nightlife scene. To a certain extent, they do offer privacy.

Spies can learn more about their targets’ vices and behaviours in a more casual setting than a business meeting. You can use them without revealing your identity.

Anna Chapman was definitely not a secret agent. She had plenty of opportunities to learn about potential investments during her time spent in New York City’s nightclubs. She was talking to people who had connections in corporate, financial, and legal circles that might help advance Russian objectives.

There were dissatisfied workers from larger companies, people in financial straits, and those with substance abuse problems. It’s a crucial part of the evening setting.

Anna’s real estate business provided enough income to support her, but she was dependent on a series of powerful partners and lovers to maintain the finer things in life.

Anna’s connections with New York’s elite party planners and “nightlife consultants” gave her entry to the city’s most exclusive “velvet ropes.”

One of Anna’s New York City business associates was employed by John Altorelli, a prominent attorney known for his penchant for extravagant spending. He lost a lot of money to those who patronised his business.

So, you have to tag along to their baseball games. One such activity is inviting them to social events. Anna, if the lawyer was successful and had wealthy clients, he would be a prime target for the spy. Different lawyers may have various degrees of access to sensitive data.

Some people thought Anna hung out with wealthy people in lower Manhattan, while others saw her as just another member of the celebrity set. However, wouldn’t it depend on the observer?

Whether or not Anna used her leisure time to aid the CIA is unknown, but they undoubtedly had a mole among Russian spies.

Vice President Aleksandar Potejev of the SVR Administration was the rat. The organisation hired him, and he gave them the identities of eleven spies working in the country without proper documentation. Among them was Anna Chapman.

Anna admitted to planning to become a government spy after she was arrested. As part of a prisoner swap between the US and Russia in 2010, she was sent back to Russia.

Ana Montes, who are you?

Ana Belen Montes, a former US military intelligence specialist convicted of espionage for Cuba more than 20 years ago, was released on January 6 from a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas.

The FBI caught Montes just ten days after the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. Despite the fact that her detention had nothing to do with terrorist acts, it was nonetheless important to protect the nation at a critical juncture in its history.

Montes, however, was more than simply a Cuban spy; she was also “one of the most destructive agents in US history.”

Montes, a senior analyst at the Defence Intelligence Agency- DIA, was discovered to be spying for the Cubans from within the US intelligence establishment.

Furthermore, according to the FBI’s website, the agency was supposed to receive access to classified information about the US’s upcoming invasion of Afghanistan the next month a few days later.

Anna was born in 1957 in Nuremberg, Germany, where her father was stationed. He later moved to Topeka, Kansas, where she grew up. The Montes family hails from Puerto Rico.

Anna’s father worked in mental health and understood the value of a loving home, yet he spanked the kids frequently. Later, CIA officials stated that Anna became “anti-authoritarian” as a result of this type of abuse, which led her to turn against her country.

Another aspect was Anna’s disdain of US foreign policy. She placed Che Guevara posters in her bedroom as a teenager since she was a staunch believer in the Cuban revolution’s principles.

Then, while studying in Spain for a year, she was persuaded by an Argentinean boyfriend that the US military frequently meddled in his country’s politics as well as those of Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Chile, where he claimed the US had supported a coup by the murderous right-wing Augusto Pinochet.

According to the FBI, her career in intelligence began as a conventional recruiting story. In 1984, Montes worked as a secretary at the Department of Justice in Washington.

“Anna had access to a virtually limitless number of secrets prepared by the American intelligence unit.”

Ana, the DIA’s senior Cuban analyst, was well-known across the US intelligence community for her abilities. Few knew, however, how proficient she had become in passing top-secret US military intelligence to Cuban officials.

She repeatedly expressed her dissatisfaction with the US government’s policy to Central America.

Soon after, Cuban “officials” became interested in her perspective, believing she would support their cause. She apparently met with them once and quickly agreed to help Cuba.

She applied to the DIA, a vital organisation that generates intelligence for the Pentagon, because she knew she needed a job in the intelligence sector. By the time she started working there in 1985, she was a highly recruited spy.

Ana avoided carrying any paper or electronic work materials to avoid being discovered. Instead, she mentally jotted it down before typing it up on her MacBook at home. She then transferred data to encrypted discs. According to the FBI’s website, she would meet with her supervisor and pass over the discs after receiving coded instructions from the Cubans through short-wave radio.

People have taken note of her views on US foreign policy throughout her career. During her time at the DIA, security authorities were aware of her foreign policy views and were concerned about her access to sensitive information, but they had no reason to assume she was compromised. Even the detector test was passed.

The Cuban Air Force began to decline after shooting down two humanitarian aircraft that had flown into its airspace in 1996. “We blew his balls off,” the Cuban aviator boasted over the radio. President Bill Clinton was “publicly outraged” after three Americans were assassinated. According to the book, Anna left the office the next day after receiving an upsetting personal phone call.

Then, on a whim, a shrewd DIA colleague called Reg Brown, a counterintelligence analyst for Latin America, alerted a security officer that he suspected Montes was being influenced by Cuban intelligence. The official questioned her, but he made no admissions.

To make matters worse, Ana’s close relatives unwittingly turned against her: her sister Lucy worked for the FBI’s Miami field office—a task force tasked with tracking down Cuban spies in South Florida—while her brother Tito and his wife joined the FBI’s Atlanta office.

Furthermore, “there is a mole sitting in an unknown intelligence agency in Washington,” according to her sister’s employment in Florida. The Cubans were known to have paid off the double agent’s $2,000 student loan, he owned a certain kind of Toshiba computer, and he visited Guantanamo Bay in the summer of 1996.

“Anna was completely surrounded”

Through physical, electronic, and covert investigations, the FBI was able to gather evidence against Montes. Her arrest was delayed because investigators wanted to identify her Cuban handler and were expecting a face-to-face meeting between the two.

However, external forces grabbed control of the probe since Montes was scheduled to work on US war plans following the 9/11 attacks. She was detained because the Bureau and DIA did not want this to happen.

What drove her to spy?

Simply ideology.

She simply did not agree with American foreign policy. Most intriguingly, Montes was not paid for leaking classified information; instead, just portion of his expenses were repaid.

Furthermore, Montes showed little regret for her life after her imprisonment, arguing that “espionage always hurts someone.”

Montes admitted to revealing the identities of four US secret intelligence agents working in Cuba. She pleaded guilty in 2002 and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. She served 21 years under decent governance until being released on January 6, this year.

I am extremely proud of achieving my first Guinness World Records, at the age of 50. A record that required good mental and physical health and included over 60 hours of no sleep, being surrounded by four walls, and having my throat and voice box in action nonstop for 55 hours and 25 minutes.

It all started with a clear goal. To break the Guinness World Records for the “Longest Audio Only Live-Stream”.

That being said, every success has two sides. One that we celebrate and one that is filled with fears, doubts, and losses.

My Guinness World Records journey did not begin on April 29th, 2023, and end on May 1st, 2023; rather, it began many years ago for a simple reason.

So, what is the reason for this?

We all need real examples in our lives to show us that the impossible is possible, and that is what I learned in the military while in combat.

Leadership to the Finest (front-line leadership), in which the commanding officer demonstrated first how to do what, why, and with what, and we needed to follow, which is why I did it as well.

Anyone who wants to do more need not look any further.
I did it with minimal logistics but with one goal and key objective in mind: to demonstrate that it is possible.

 

The lesson Audrey Hepburn taught me

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible,'” Audrey Hepburn once said.
and it is accurate to the letter.

As a child, I dreamed of competing in a Guinness World Records competition, and that time finally arrived on 29 April 2023. I am grateful for all of the preparation I made, including surrounding myself with people who shared my vision, goal, and desire for success.

After all, no dream can be realised without the help or assistance of others. The same is true for the principle of ‘self-made’ millionaires. It does not work that way, we always need someone besides us who will support us and believe in our dreams.

Dreaming is only permitted until the age of 14, at least in my case, but I continued to dream during the war. On cold, rainy nights while spying on foreign intelligence agents, I often found myself dreaming that one day I would break a World Record,
And I did it.

The lesson is simple: dream and never stop dreaming because it is an engine that will never stop working. The best part is that you get to choose what your dream will look like!

 

What Dwight D. Eisenhower taught me

Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote two letters before D-Day in June 1944. One of which was made public and praised everyone who contributed to D-Day, and the another which was kept secret. That letter contained self-blame and acceptance of responsibility for the failure of D-Day’.

So, what I learned from Dwight D Eisenhower is that leadership necessitates self-sacrifice, and in my case, there were people who worked with me, alongside me, on my goal, my dream, and yes, I was acutely aware of the possibility of failure.

Failing is normal, but it was unacceptable in my case because it does not exist in my vocabulary. I made a clear decision on how I would win and share that victory with those who supported me, but what if I failed?

As with Dwight, I knew I had to accept unequivocally and without reservation that it was my fault and no one else’s.

Dwight D Eisenhower taught many leaders a lesson that I enjoy sharing with my clients and peers.

The following are simplified steps that I used in my overall tactical and strategic planning on how to break a Guinness World Records. I adopted them from my military career as a leader during and after war.

 

What it takes to break the world record

1. Have a clear key objective – knowing what you want to achieve and, more importantly, why

2. Intelligence – it is critical to understand the pros and cons of the event, your own capabilities, the people who will support you, as well as the technical and mechanical aspects.

3. Planning – the best planning is “Pre-Mortem Analysis,” and in my case, all three scenarios were dark and nearly impossible to convert into a ‘win’. So, I approached the challenge with the mindset of winning regardless of what happened.

4. Know the enemy – Time – In my case. I decided to break the World Record in 56 hours and 1 minute, but I called it quits at 55 hours and 25 minutes because I knew time was my biggest enemy.

Time knew me, but I didn’t know time as an opponent. I had to adjust, improvise, and deal with time on a variety of levels.

5. Create a timetable – to win in war, planning is important, and logistics are even more important, but plans are always subject to change. A timetable is necessary to reach milestones and eventually win the war, or in this case, break a Guinness World Records.

COME April 29, 2023 and Western Sydney businessman Mario Bekes will attempt to create history and enter the Guinness Book of World Records.

The 51-year- old is looking at a 56-hour marathon of continuous radio broadcast.

This, Mario says, is his way of challenging life. “I want to set an example, live life to the fullest and inspire people to believe in their abilities,” says Mario who first came to Canberra in Australia in 1998 on an official task.

He took a liking to this country and later moved to Sydney in 2003. This city has been his home since then.

With a background in military and diplomatic affairs, Mario did odd jobs to start off with as a migrant in a new country; and eventually he started his own business called Insigfht Intelligence

A successful businessman now, he took to podcasting as a hobby during lockdown.

A few years down the line and Mario is attempting to enter the Guinness Book of World Records – his proposed schedule would have him in his podcast studio, the ‘Secret Location’ for 56 straight hours and one minute from 11 am that day.

That means he must give up on his sleep and talk continuously for the entire length of time. For him, the longest podcast so far has been a two-hour stint.

“I am mentally setting myself up for the challenge, I want to create a legacy,” says Mario who is in the final stages of preparing my script. He wants to touch on his personal experiences around health, friends, family, business and maybe even his books.

Yes, Mario is a successful author of seven published books too.

At this point in time, he is still working out the nitty-gritty’s of the program, and is certainly hoping to make it as interesting as possible.

Sponsorship opportunities for the attrempt are available. Contcvat Mario at mario@insightintelligence.com.au

The entire broadcast will be available for streaming live through his website: https://mariosworldrecord.au/

 

This article was first published in Access news by Saswati Mukherjee.

The genre of spy films has always been well-liked by viewers.

They provide a glimpse into the world of espionage, with its covert activities, secret agents, and unspoken goals.

But occasionally, actual events can be just as intriguing as those that are portrayed in spy movies.

The enigmatic disease known as Havana Syndrome is one such occurrence.

I’ll talk about the Havana Syndrome report from the CIA and its effects on global security in this piece.

 

What exactly is the “Havana Syndrome” and what do we know about it?

US diplomats and security personnel have experienced Havana Syndrome, a mysterious illness that has also struck China, Cuba, and other nations.

Headaches, lightheadedness, nausea, and hearing loss are some of the signs.

A peculiar, high-pitched sound or pressure was also mentioned by some of the afflicted people.

There are many opinions as to what might be the illness’s cause, but its cause is still unknown.

 

Origins and symptoms of the Havana Syndrome

The Havana Syndrome first came to light in 2016 when unidentified health problems began to affect US diplomats based in Havana, Cuba.

A sudden, high-pitched noise or pressure feeling would occasionally accompany symptoms like dizziness, headaches, cognitive problems, and hearing loss that the affected people experienced (1).

First citation: Stone, R. (2019).

“Sonic assault” or widespread anxiety?

New data fuels discussion surrounding mysterious illnesses that affect ambassadors.

Science.

Retrieved from “sonic attack or mass paranoia: fresh evidence fuels discussion over mysterious diplomats” https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/06

The CIA published a study on Havana Syndrome in December 2020 that provided some insight into the enigmatic disease.

The illness’ origin has not been identified by the CIA, according to the report, but it is doubtful that a hostile foreign actor was to blame.

The study also stated that the Havana Syndrome symptoms are consistent with the results of microwave energy that has been focused.

The task group that the CIA established in 2018 to look into the illness served as the basis for the report’s investigation. The task force did in-depth medical and scientific research while speaking with numerous affected people in interviews.

Although the study did not offer any conclusive solutions, it did offer some understanding of the illness and its potential causes.

 

The Potential Role of Hostile Foreign Actors in the Development of the Havana Syndrome

Despite the CIA assessment, some experts still think that the Havana Syndrome could have been caused by a hostile foreign actor deliberately attacking the country.

They emphasise how the disease’ symptoms are comparable to those of a directed energy weapon.

They also point out that a number of nations, including China and Russia, have been working on creating such weapons.

This theory cannot be entirely ruled out, despite the lack of hard evidence to do so.

The US government has taken precautions to safeguard its personnel from potential threats after considering the chance of a targeted attack carefully.

The Debate Over the Havana Syndrome

Havana Syndrome has generated a lot of debate, with some asking whether it is a genuine illness or a widespread psychogenic condition.

Some medical professionals have hypothesised that worry, anxiety, or other psychological factors may contribute to the illness’ symptoms.

But the fact that so many people have been afflicted by the illness, including highly skilled intelligence agents, indicates that it is a real illness.

Further evidence that the illness could be the result of a planned assault comes from the fact that the illness’ symptoms are consistent with the effects of directed energy.

How Spy Films Represent Actual Events Like the Havana Syndrome

Havana Syndrome is another spy movie that draws inspiration from actual occurrences.

In reality, several films and TV shows, such as Homeland and The Americans, have already featured the illness.

Even though these representations are frequently dramatised and exaggerated for amusement value, they can still affect how the general public views actual events.

For instance, if a spy film implies that Havana Syndrome is the result of a planned attack by a hostile foreign actor, this might raise public concern and call for the government to take action.

 

Examples of Spy Films Based on Actual Events

Argo, which is based on the true tale of the CIA’s rescue of six US diplomats from Iran during the Iran Hostage Crisis, is one of the most well-known examples of a spy film that depicts a real-life event.

The film earned three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and was well-received by critics.

Another illustration is the movie Bridge of Spies, which is based on the real-life Cold War swap of a Soviet spy for an American pilot.

Tom Hanks featured in the Steven Spielberg-helmed film.

The Effects of Spy Films on the Public’s Perception of Actual Events

Spy pictures can significantly alter how the general public perceives actual events.

They have the power to influence how people view international affairs, national security, and intelligence gathering.

But it’s essential to keep in mind that spy films are works of fiction, and they frequently embellish the facts for entertainment.

As a result, it’s critical to distinguish truth from fiction when discussing real-life occurrences like Havana Syndrome.

Although spy films can be a lot of fun, you shouldn’t rely on them to give you correct information.

The Value of Distinguishing Fact from Fiction in Spy Films and Actual Events

In conclusion, the mysterious illness known as Havana Syndrome has struck US diplomats and security personnel abroad.

Although the CIA has not been able to pinpoint the illness’s origin, a hostile foreign player is not likely to be to blame.

However, some specialists continue to think that the illness might be the outcome of an intentional attack.

Havana Syndrome is another spy movie that draws inspiration from actual occurrences.

While these representations may be enjoyable, they may also affect how people view actual occurrences in the real world.

Therefore, it’s critical to distinguish fact from fiction when discussing espionage films and actual events like the Havana Syndrome.