Wie die britische Zeitung „Guardian“ berichtet, wurden bei zwei G20-Treffen in London im Jahr 2009 die Handys von Politikern und Funktionären anderer teilnehmender Staaten vom britischen Geheimdienst abgehört. Auch sollen E-Mails mitgelesen worden sein.

I hate to do this but I feel obligated to share, as the story unfolds, my creeping concern that the NSA leaker is not who he purports to be, and that the motivations involved in the story may be more complex than they appear to be. This is in no way to detract from the great courage of Glenn Greenwald in reporting the story, and the gutsiness of the Guardian in showcasing this kind of reporting, which is a service to America that US media is not performing at all. It is just to raise some cautions as the story unfolds, and to raise some questions about how it is unfolding, based on my experience with high-level political messaging.

From Enemy of the State to Eagle Eye to Minority Report, US films have accustomed us to the idea that we are constantly being watched

David Cameron discusses the crisis in Syria at a joint press conference with president Vladimir Putin at 10 Downing Street on Sunday.

„Mehr noch: Ich teile voll und ganz die Meinung des britischen Premiers, dass dies offenbar eines der wahrscheinlichsten, der zweckmäßigsten und der annehmbarsten Mittel für die Lösung des Syrien-Problems ist“, fügte Putin hinzu.

Russian president says backing ‚those who kill their enemies and eat their organs‘ flouts Europe‘s humanitarian values

David Cameron and Russian President Vladimir Putin have held talks on the Syrian crisis amid fears that differences between Moscow and the West are pushing the two sides towards a new Cold War.

Ecuador‘s foreign minister is due to arrive in the UK for talks with his British counterpart over the situation of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

“It was 19 guys with box cutters and airplane tickets,” but the next time it could have been a “nuclear attack,” the 72-year-old Cheney said.

The former No. 2 in the Bush administration defended the NSA‘s ability to monitor phone and email data, and labeled as a „traitor“ the analyst who has admitted to having leaked details about the classified program.

McDonough would not say, however, that the government is entirely in the right in its collection of phone records and mining of data from the servers of nine major Internet companies: „If there‘s problems, we‘re gonna get to the bottom of them,“ he said.

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Sunday dismissed talk of an early election over the abrupt closure of the state broadcaster, which brought protests from viewers, workers, the opposition and his coalition partners.

So far, Assad‘s forces have not made a major sweep into rebel areas, but given the size of the city and its position near Turkey allowing supplies to the opposition, it would be a major victory for the government if it were to regain Aleppo.

Nick Clegg discusses the conflict in Syria on Sunday, in the wake of the US announcing its intentions to arm Syrian rebels.

Über das Nachrichten(dienst)magazin “Spiegel” fordern diejenigen Kollaborateure, die den Ausbau des Polizeistaats seit Kriegsausbruch in 2001 stets unterstützt haben – namentlich Hans-Peter Uhl und Dieter Wiefelspütz – jetzt genau die Alternative zu den in den U.S.A. basierten Internet-Magnaten, deren Erfindung und Entwicklung sie selbst in Deutschland durch ihren Kontrollwahn, korrupte, unfähige, bräsige, neidische Unfähigkeit und verlogene, heimtückische Zerstörungswut gegenüber unabhängigen Medienmachern und nicht am Tropfe irgendwelche “Sponsoren” hängenden Unternehmen nichts als sabotiert haben. Und als Begründung für ihre glänzende Idee (wie sind die bloß da drauf gekommen?) führen diese Leuchttürme des Parlamentarismus – die noch jedes Attentat bzw dessen Androhung zur Ermächtigung derjenigen benutzten die es hätten verhindern müssen – genau die “Überwachung” des Internets (z.B. durch den Bundesnachrichtendienst) an von der sie angeblich nichts wussten.

Wenn die NSA flächendeckend das Netz überwacht, dann muss man sie einfach vor Kritik in Schutz nehmen, dachte sich wohl unser Bundesüberwachungsminister Hans-Peter Friedrich und dankte zugleich für die “gute Zusammenarbeit”

…

It’s as if the United States has two governments, one open and one very much not. President Barack Obama leads both, trying not to butt heads with himself.

ACLU Files Lawsuit Challenging NSA‘s Patriot Act Phone Surveillance

Deputy prime minister says it would be fanciful to think Britain can provide solution to conflict

1938 Britain Offers to Suspend Bombings

LONDON — In response to the pressure of public opinion in the United States and other countries, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announced today [June 16] that Britain would abandon its “humane” aerial bombing in India, Palestine, Southern Arabia and Irak if such practices stood in the way of a general agreement to abolish bombing from the air as exemplified at its worst in Spain and China.