Tag: winners’
Jack Teixeira Pentagon leak arrest brings up haunting memories for Reality Winner’s family after Espionage Act sentence
THE arrest of a 21-year-old U.S. Air National Guardsman suspected of leaking classified Pentagon files has called to mind another case that haunts an ex-NSA translator’s family.
Reality Winner, 31, was given the longest-ever prison sentence for the unauthorized release of government information around five years before Jack Teixeira was detained for allegedly sharing sensitive documents on a Discord server.
Footage shows the moment Jack Teixeira was taken into custody by armed tactical agents on Thursday, April 13[/caption]
Reality Winner served in the Air Force between 2010-2016 and was jailed on June 3, 2017, for unauthorized release of government information[/caption]
It is alleged that Jack Teixeira leaked classified national defense information[/caption]
Teixeira was enlisted in the 102nd Intelligence Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.
The FBI had been zeroing in on Teixeira for several days before arresting him at a home in North Dighton, Massachusetts, on Thursday.
It’s alleged that Teixeira oversaw an online Discord group called Thug Shaker Central where approximately 30 people – mostly young men and teens – shared a love of guns, offensive memes, and games.
The federal probe into Teixeira centered on leaked documents containing sensitive information about the support the United States is providing Ukraine amid its war with Russia.
He’s being investigated for “alleged unauthorized removal, retention and transmission of classified national defense information.”
While little is known about Teixeira so far, his arrest brought back haunting memories for the family of Winner, who was convicted under the Espionage Act in 2018.
REALITY WINNER’S CONVICTION
Winner, who served in the Air Force between 2010 and 2016, was jailed on June 3, 2017, after she admitted to printing off a classified intelligence assessment about a Russian phishing attack targeting election support companies during the 2016 presidential election.
At the time, she was working with NSA contractor Pluribus International Corporation translating documents from Persian related to Iran’s aerospace program.
Winner admitted to coming across the election assessment through her translation work. She claimed she became “frustrated” that proof of Russian interference was not made available to the public.
She printed the report off and smuggled it out of the NSA office in Augusta, Georgia, in her pantyhose.
Winner shared the report with The Intercept, which published the story without redacting key clues that led officials back to the whistleblower.
Winner pleaded guilty to transmitting national security information in 2018 and was sentenced to five years and three months, a record for the crime.
She has since been branded as an American traitor who put the U.S. at risk by leaking information on election safety.
She apologized for her actions in 2018, stating that they were a “cruel betrayal of my nation’s trust in me.”
‘KEPT IN THE DARK’
Winner’s sister Brittany told The U.S. Sun in an exclusive interview on Thursday that the family was “incredibly shocked” when Winner was arrested.
“At first, we were really kept in the dark about everything. It seemed like the news reporters who were talking to us knew more than we did at the time because of how quickly things just kind of unfolded,” Brittany said.
Brittany didn’t know much about Teixeira’s arrest but shared her own family’s experience of seeing their loved one tried and convicted.
“I hope that [Teixeira] has a good support system to get them through this because it is a very jarring, difficult process where the government has all the power once they’ve arrested you,” she said.
“And once they’ve charged you with something like the Espionage Act, which they charged Reality under, you don’t really have very much of a defense.
“You can’t really say much in defense of yourself. And it’s really not advised to speak out and tell your story.”
Brittany said that being in the spotlight usually leads to an in-depth evaluation of your personal life.
“I saw how it played out in the public trial of my sister – kind of like a trial on her lifestyle or her personality or her internet posts.”
“[It] played a role in denying her bail, so that she was imprisoned for over a year before her trial.”
Winner was released from prison for good behavior in June 2021 and sent to a half-way house, according to her lawyer.
SAFEGUARD CONCERNS
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said on Thursday that the Department of Defense would continue to review the national security implications of the latest unauthorized disclosure.
He said “intelligence access, accountability and control procedures within the department” would be re-examined to prevent further leaks.
Brittany said of the situation: “It certainly appears that the safeguards or the security surrounding some of these classified documents are not potentially strict enough.”
Brittany added of Teixeira’s case: “The motivations of the person should also be kind of carefully considered.
“It doesn’t seem like anybody knows what the motivations of this person are, other than the person themselves.”
Teixeira will have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, Attorney General Merrick Garland said.
The investigation into the leaked documents is ongoing.
Reality Winner (center) after her release to house arrest with mom Billie Jean (left), sister Brittany (right), and niece Indigo[/caption]
Reality Winner was given the longest-ever sentence for the unauthorized release of government information[/caption]
Many stood with Reality Winner and her decision despite her being convicted[/caption]
Florida Mayhem won the first Overwatch League pro-am tournament, but the amateurs were the bigger winners
Yesterday, the first round of Overwatch League play in 2023 concluded with the league’s first-ever pro-am tournament. Seven amateur teams from the North American and EMEA regions qualified for the right to play against the professional Overwatch teams of the west.
I love me some Tier 2 Overwatch (better known as Overwatch Contenders). Some of the most exciting games in all of competitive Overwatch’s history have been Contenders matches. For years now, the competitive Overwatch community has been asking for more recognition and support for the teams and the league that act as the foundation for the Overwatch League proper.
Most Contenders teams are sorely under-resourced. They’re usually made up of teens and young adults who practice and…
Unity unveils Humanity Grant winners for 2023
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BAFTA Winners Include GOTY Award For Vampire Survivors
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, aka BAFTA, has announced its winners for its 2023 Game Awards. Games such as God of War Ragnarok, Vampire Survivors, and Tunic are all walking away with awards.
Vampire Survivors was able to secure the win for the Best Game, beating out other titles such as Cult of the Lamb, Stray, and Elden Ring. Other games, such as God of War Ragnorok, left the show with six awards in categories such as Animation and Audio Achievement. Meanwhile, Elden Ring earned its team a pair of rewards for Multiplayer Game and Original Property.
Late last year in December, during The Game Awards, Elden Ring won Game of The Year, Best Game Direction, and a handful of other awards. In comparison, God of War Ragnorok won awards such as Best Narrative, Best Music and Score, and a few others.
WWDC 2023 Includes Swift Student Challenge, Some Winners Able to Attend Apple Park Special Event
Submissions are open starting today, with Apple to accept projects through April 19 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Entrants must be at least 13 years old (in the U.S.) and need to be registered as a member of the Apple Developer Program. There’s also an academic requirement, so those who enter must be students in some capacity.
Students will need to create an interactive scene in an app playground that can be experienced within three minutes. Entries are judged on technical accomplishment, creativity of ideas, and content of written responses explaining the project and other app development experience.
Winners will receive exclusive WWDC 2023 outerwear (which has been a jacket in past years), AirPods Pro, a customized pin set, and a one year membership in the Apple Developer Program.
There will also be a random selection process among winners to choose students to attend the special event that Apple plans to hold at Apple Park on June 5. Students can opt-in to this selection process when uploading their projects, and this lottery is separate from the main developer lottery for the event. Travel and accommodations will not be included.
Apple will inform students about their status by the end of the business day on Tuesday, May 9. Entries can be submitted through Apple’s developer website. The full terms and conditions of the challenge are also available for those who have questions.
This article, “WWDC 2023 Includes Swift Student Challenge, Some Winners Able to Attend Apple Park Special Event” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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