In The News

Key US-EU Trade Pact Under Threat After More NSA Spying Allegations

Ian Traynor, Louise Osborne, Jamie Doward July 1, 2013
A new release of documents from Edward Snowden, a low level contract employee for the US National Security Agency, suggests that the US bugged EU offices in Washington, New York and Brussels, including one operation directed from NATO headquarters. Europe is stunned by the disclosure of intercepted phone calls and compromised fax machines of key officials, which if true, appear to have no...

NSA Surveillance: The US Is Behaving Like China

Ai Weiwei June 14, 2013
Many are shocked by reports on the scope of the US National Security Agency’s PRISM operation, and comparisons to the monolithic security apparatus in China may not be far off. Both US citizens and foreigners are left wondering about the targets. Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who has both lived in the US for 12 years and been in detention in China, expresses surprise and disappointment....

US Snooping Revelations Cause Trouble for Allies

Andrew Osborn June 11, 2013
Exposure of the US National Security Agency’s vast intelligence collection program through the use of internet companies like Google and Facebook is creating headaches for allied governments across the world. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague attempted to assure Britons that privacy laws were respected, while the opposition in Germany expressed displeasure and urged Merkel to demand answers from...

Chinese Hackers Linked to Attack on Australian Spy Agency

Neil Hume May 29, 2013
Secrets are not secure on the internet, with hackers intent on prying into every online nook and cranny. An Australian Broadcasting Corporation documentary claims that Chinese hackers have stolen the blueprint for Australia’s new intelligence agency before it even opens, reports Neil Hume for the Financial Times. China is Australia’s largest trade partner. “The report also claimed several...

US Embassy in Cairo Scrubs Twitter Feed of Link to Daily Show Commentary on Egypt

Robert Mackey, Liam Stack April 10, 2013
Internet users can close down Facebook pages, correct blog entries or scrub Twitter logs, but global observers take notice of prominent censorship. Jon Stewart of the Daily Show came to the defense of Bassem Youssef, an Egyptian comedian under investigation for mocking Egypt’s president and Islam. Youssef’s show in Egypt adopts Stewart’s format of a mock news show, exposing hypocrisy and...

Egypt Arrests as Undersea Internet Cable Cut Off Alexandria

April 5, 2013
The pleasures and business of immediate global communications could have been threatened in Egypt. Authorities there have arrested three divers accused of cutting an underwater internet cable, which reduced connection speeds for Egypt and some other countries. Other cables were reported damaged during the previous week, though there is no evidence that the incidents are linked, reports the BBC...

Saudi Arabia “Threatens Skype Ban”

March 28, 2013
Skype, WhatsApp and Viber offer an array of free messaging and telephone calls. All are cross-platform internet services with widely popular free plans that reach out to numerous nations. Demanding the right to monitor the applications, the government has given the three companies a week to respond. Reports have emerged that the telecommunications regulator may block the services and may have...