In The News

Phone-Tracking Program Defended in US Government Letter

Larry Neumeister July 23, 2013
The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit on a US intelligence program that collects, tracks and stores telephone-record megadata, The US defended the program in a letter to a federal court by pointing out the program – was “approved” and “rigorously overseen” by the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government – has been successful in preventing terrorist attacks. “The...

India’s NSA Announces Cybersecurity Cooperation With Private Sector

July 22, 2013
India is considering closer collaboration with the private sector and other nations on cybersecurity, reports The Hindu, which covers the report “Recommendations of Joint Working Group on Engagement With Private Sector on Cyber Security.” Indian officials suggest that the internet could be described as a global commons and that requires global cooperation. One official noted that India has “...

Man Without a Country

Alistair Burnett July 16, 2013
Edward Snowden, a former contract worker who exposed secret National Security Agency practices, has been trapped inside Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport for 23 days and counting. The United States, alternately pressuring and pleading with other countries not to offer Snowden asylum, has charged him with unauthorized release of classified intelligence and theft of government property. So far, most...

Rerouted Morales Plane Has South American Leaders Irate

July 5, 2013
Leaders of Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay and Suriname had a special meeting to address broad concerns about US and European regard for Latin America in terms of diplomacy and surveillance. The meeting was occasioned by the rerouting of a plane carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales as he left Russia. European air-traffic controllers reportedly assisted the US in forcing the...

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...

Holder Promises Snowden Will Face Justice

Jamie Smyth, Geoff Dyer, Paul J Davies June 25, 2013
US Attorney General Eric Holder has accused Edward Snowden, the source behind the National Security Agency leaks, of endangering lives of citizens in the US and those in allied nations, and vows to prosecute the computer technician. In the run-up to the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland, EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding has said that an agreement was reached with Holder to form a joint US-EU...

Prism Informant: Moscow Welcomes Snowden With Open Arms

Benjamin Bidder June 25, 2013
Former NSA employee Edward Snowden’s arrival in Russia offers a public relations coup for Moscow after a string of criticisms by the United States on a number of fronts related to rights and freedoms. According to Spiegel Online, some members of the Russian parliament appear delighted with Snowden’s reported presence in their country, amid speculation about his eventual travel to Ecuador in light...