Topic: Espionage and Intelligence

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China's growing military might: top 4 concerns for the Pentagon

In a report issued this week, the Department of Defense for the first time directly accused China’s military of using cyberattacks to spy on US networks. In this arena and others, “China’s military buildup shows no signs of slowing,” said David Helvey, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for East Asia, who presented the report.Here are Pentagon officials’ top four concerns as they carefully monitor the growth of China’s military.
Briefing
Chemical weapons 101: Six facts about sarin and Syria’s stockpile

President Obama said Assad's use of chemical weapons would be a 'red line' for US. Did he use sarin or any other chemical weapon against his own people?
George H. W. Bush in his own words: 10 stories from the updated 'All the Best, George Bush'

"All the Best, George Bush" is a collection of the personal correspondence of George H. W. Bush from his first years in the Navy in 1942 all the way to 2011. Here are 10 excerpts from the book.
Top 3 threats to the United States: the good and bad news

The annual Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community is out this week, a widely-anticipated report compiled by the nation’s intelligence agencies. Here is the good and bad news about the top three threats facing the United States, according to an unclassified version of the report.
Hugo Chavez: Global reactions to the Venezuelan leader's death

While he was alive, Hugo Chávez – the longest ruling democratically elected leader in Latin America – inspired people who loved him as often as he inflamed those who didn’t. That polarization seemed to follow him in death.

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Who faces tougher nomination: John Brennan at CIA or Chuck Hagel at defense?

Early Monday afternoon, President Obama will nominate John Brennan to head the CIA and Chuck Hagel to be secretary of defense. But both Hagel and Brennan may face an uphill nomination process.
Top 10 richest Americans

The 100 richest people in the world gained $241 billion in net worth last year, according to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index. Americans dominated the list, occupying five of the top 10 spots. This countdown of the top 10 wealthiest Americans features a casino mogul, software tycoons, and a lot of Wal-Mart money.
Secret US cybersecurity program to protect power grid confirmed

The National Security Agency is spearheading a program, dubbed Perfect Citizen, to develop technology to protect the power grid from cyberattack. The project worries privacy rights groups.
Terrorism & Security US drone strike in Pakistan kills influential Taliban commander

US strikes in northwest Pakistan reportedly killed Maulvi Nazir, a Pakistani Taliban commander known for fighting US forces in Afghanistan. Some in Pakistan's military viewed him as a 'good' Taliban.
Judge dismisses case involving targeted killing of Americans overseas

The ACLU and New York Times had sought access to government documents explaining the legal justification for a US drone strike that killed Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen and suspected Al Qaeda operative in Yemen.
CIA: ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ not a realistic portrayal of hunt for Osama bin Laden

The CIA says scenes of torture in the new film 'Zero Dark Thirty' are not an accurate portrayal of the hunt for Osama bin Laden. This follows similar criticism from three senior US senators who say the film is 'grossly inaccurate and misleading'.
'Zero Dark Thirty': Top 3 controversies from the Osama bin Laden film

"Zero Dark Thirty," which tells the story of the hunt and capture of Osama bin Laden, is already garnering critical accolades – and plenty of criticism, too. Here are the top three controversies currently surrounding the film.
'Zero Dark Thirty' stirs controversy over torture scenes

'Zero Dark Thirty,' directed by Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow, follows the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
Jessica Chastain stars in the troubling, infuriating 'Zero Dark Thirty' (+trailer)

'Zero Dark Thirty' avoids political bias too conscientiously.
CIA rendition case: European court holds Macedonia partly responsible

The decision is important because it suggests that US allies that helped the CIA undertake its secret detention and interrogation program may face liability for their role supporting such operations.
9/11 trial: Any mention of torture is classified, military judge rules

The military judge in the 9/11 trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and others granted a government request to make all mention of alleged torture in the court classified. The defense called the ruling 'shameful.'
As North Korea celebrates surprise rocket launch, alarm mounts abroad (+video)

North Korea went ahead with a rocket launch despite international pressure to call it off. Critics say the launch masks a weapons development effort and is a clear violation of UN sanctions.
'Cyber Pearl Harbor': Could future cyberattack really be that devastating?

Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure like the power grid ‘could be a cyber Pearl Harbor,’ Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned in October. Some others say the concept is overblown.
Opinion: How to protect Americans from anti-terrorism data sharing

Across the United States, dozens of 'fusion centers' pool and share information in an effort to prevent another September 11. But these centers have not been effective anti-terrorism tools and have violated Americans' rights. Here's how they can be fixed.
Former sailor arrested after allegedly attempting to pass secrets to Russia

If convicted, Robert Patrick Hoffman II, who retired from the US Navy last year, faces up to life in prison. According to the indictment, the FBI was conducting an undercover operation.
Colombia's narco-sub 'museum' gives a peek into drug trafficking tactics

For years, smugglers have been using semi-submersibles to traffic drugs. As the US wages the war on drugs, Colombia’s Pacific coast is the Silicon Valley of narco-innovation.
Can lessons from Iraq be applied to US-Iran tensions?

A declassified CIA report on Iraq says numerous intelligence lessons have been learned from the search for WMD. But the political dynamic around Iran's nuclear program is a different matter.
Swiss spy warning sent to CIA, MI6 after secret data theft

Swiss spy warning: A disgruntled IT technician at the Swiss intelligence service stole terabytes of secret data from computers. The Swiss spy agency sent a warning to the CIA, MI6 and other intelligence services about the breach of security.
Cover Story Inside the mind of Iran's Khamenei (+video)

Why Iran's iron ayatollah distrusts the US and what that means for nuclear talks and the possibility of war with the West.
How will the US deal with Syrian use of WMDs? (+video)

President Barack Obama, in a speech at the National Defense University on Monday, pointedly warned Syrian President Bashar Assad not to use his arsenal.
U.N. pulls staff from Damascus, as fighting in Syria escalates (+video)

Over the past few weeks the fighting in the Syrian capital of Damascus has steadily grown worse as the rebels continue their assaults on the government-held city.
Bradley Manning to testify again Friday over 'harsh' conditions in jail

In his first public comments since 2010, Bradley Manning testified that the security measures included forcing him to surrender all of his clothes at night and being locked up 23 hours a day. Military prosecutors will question Manning Friday.
Controversy over Susan Rice's Benghazi comments continues (+video)

On Tuesday, U.S. United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice met with Republican senators who have accused her of misleading the public following the attack on the US Embassy in Benghazi. The White House is searching for a replacement for Hillary Clinton, who plans to leave her job as secretary of state in January.
In Pakistan, big perks and big risks to being a journalist

A bomb was found under the car of prominent journalist Hamid Mir, highlighting the difficulties facing journalists in Pakistan.
Wikileaks GI Bradley Manning to argue harsh detention merits release

Pfc. Bradley Manning was expected to testify about his treatment during a pretrial hearing set to begin Tuesday and run through Sunday in a military court at Fort Meade.