Saturday 21 February 2015

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Rights groups call for action over reported US-UK phone hack

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LONDON (AP) -- Rights organizations on Friday called for urgent steps to be taken to protect private calls and online communications after allegations that U.S. and British agencies hacked into the networks of a major SIM card maker.The World Wide Web Foundation, founded by Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee, said the alleged hacking by the National Security Agency and its British counterpart, GCHQ, was another worrying sign that these agencies think they are above the law.The claims of the hack into Netherlands-based company Gemalto came from documents given to journalists by whistleblower Edward Snowden. A story about the documents posted Thursday on the website The Intercept said the agencies hacked into Gemaltos networks to steal codes that allow both governments to seamlessly eavesdrop on mobile phones worldwide.In an email to The Associated Press on Friday, GCHQ said it does not comment on intelligence matters. However, it said all of its work was legal and its interception regime fully complies with the European Convention on Human Rights.Privacy International, which recently won an unprecedented court victory against GCHQ in the wake of the Snowden revelations, said that the electronic eavesdropping agency had lost its way.In stealing the SIM card encryption keys of millions of mobile phone users they have shown there are few lines they arent willing to cross, Privacy International Deputy Director Eric King said in a statement.Hacking into law-abiding companies, spying on their employees and stealing their data should never be considered fair game, he added. Their actions have undermined the security of us all.Yet hacking into law-abiding companies, and inducing foreigners to commit treason by spilling secrets, are standard practices of spy agencies throughout the world. The U.S. and Britain happen to be more proficient than most. There is no international treaty laying out the rules of espionage, cyber or otherwise.The NSA hacks into companies in friendly nations for all sorts of reasons, say former intelligence officials who declined to be quoted discussing classified operations. The CIA, and its Russian, Chinese, French and British counterparts, pay foreigners to supply information in violation of the laws of their countries.One question being raised by some of the Snowden leaks is whether the public in the U.S. and Europe are willing to reign in their digital spying services if it means rendering them less effective. Another question is whether the benefits of a particular surveillance method are worth the fallout in the event it is disclosed.White House spokesman Josh Earnest said he could not comment on the contents of the documents disclosed by Snowden. But asked whether the technology industry could trust the U.S. government, Earnest said government and the industry can cooperate in a way that finds a balance between civil liberties and security.There are certainly steps that the United State has taken in the name of national security that some members of private industry havent agreed with, but I do think that there is common ground, Earnest said. It is hard for me to imagine that there are a lot of technology executives that are out there that are in a position of saying that they hope that people who wish harm to this country will be able to use their technology to do so.In Germany, opposition lawmakers have called for a parliamentary hearing on the reported hacking. An aide to Green Party lawmaker Konstantin von Notz said the hearing would likely take place Wednesday and could call on witnesses from Germanys domestic and foreign intelligence agencies to testify.Germany is the only country that has launched a parliamentary inquiry into the activities of the NSA and GCHQ in the wake of the Snowden revelations.

US signals likely delay in troop exit from Afghanistan

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KABUL (AFP) - President Barack Obamas new Pentagon chief said Saturday the United States was seriously considering slowing the pace of a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, as the country battles a resilient Taliban insurgency.US Defense Secretary Ashton Carters comments in Kabul offered the clearest sign yet that Washington was ready to delay the closure of some bases and retain more troops after appeals by Afghanistans new President Ashraf Ghani and advice from commanders.To safeguard hard-won progress, Obama is considering a number of options to reinforce our support for President Ghanis security strategy, including possible changes to the timeline for our drawdown of US troops, Carter said after talks with Afghan leaders.That could mean taking another look at the timing and sequencing of base closures to ensure we have the right array of coalition capabilities, he said at a joint news conference with Ghani.Apart from troop numbers, the United States and its allies would need to make long-term commitments in resources, equipment and other support to ensure the success of the Afghan forces, he said.Carters visit comes amid a sharp rise in Afghan casualties from the 13-year conflict, with the UN recording a 22 percent increase in the number of civilians killed and injured in 2014 due to a spike in combat between government and insurgent forces.It also comes as Obama faces a decision about the timetable for a troop drawdown in Afghanistan. Under the current plan, the 10,000-strong US force is due to drop to about 5,500 by the end of 2015 and then pull out altogether by the time Obama leaves office in two years.But the Obama administration already has delayed the pace of the withdrawal, allowing 1,000 additional American forces to remain this year.Afghan leaders and some lawmakers have urged Obama to reconsider the withdrawal timetable, warning that an early US exit could jeopardise security and international aid.- Troops to counter Qaeda, IS -===============================As part of the review of the pullout plan, Carter said Washington also was rethinking the details of the counter-terrorism mission that currently targets Al-Qaeda militants with raids by US and Afghan special forces and drone strikes.US General John Campbell, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, said the reassessment was taking into account the potential threat posed by the Islamic State group in the country.The IS group had only a nascent presence, but the group was something on Ghanis mind and the US military was tracking it closely, Campbell told reporters at a briefing late Saturday.We have to be able to adapt with the threat, he said.Campbell has suggested he favours slowing the drawdown further, which could include keeping forces at Kandahar airfield in the south -- a key location for special forces and drone aircraft.The general left the door open to pushing the final pullout of US forces beyond 2016, but said right now were comfortable looking at 15 and 16.In a two-day visit to Afghanistan, Carter said the single most important factor that had prompted the review of the troop withdrawal timetable was the formation of a unity government last year led by Ghani, which he said had introduced certainty and predictability.Thats something we couldnt have counted on a few months ago, he said, calling it major change.His trip coincides with a concerted effort by Ghani to promote peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban, with Pakistan voicing strong support for the initiative.Ghani declined to confirm whether Taliban leaders were now ready to enter into direct negotiations with his government, but he said the conditions were ripe for a potential breakthrough.The grounds for peace have never been better in the last 36 years, Ghani said.He said he was hopeful and the direction is positive. But he added: We cannot make premature announcements.The United States first launched military action in Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001 attacks, toppling the Taliban regime that had refused to break ties with Al-Qaeda.A US-led NATO force eventually swelled to 130,000 troops, but last year the mission wrapped up its combat operations against Taliban insurgents. A contingent of 12,500 foreign troops has remained to back up Afghanistans 350,000 soldiers and police.

US border agents wearing body cameras to test technology

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Some U.S. border agents have started wearing body cameras in a test of the technology in the field, officials said on Friday.Roughly three dozen cameras are being worn by personnel on a volunteer basis during a 90-day test period at locations in New Mexico, Texas, Florida, Michigan and Washington state, said U.S. Border Patrol Assistant Chief Donna Twyford.The test aims to help Customs and Border Protection determine whether cameras can be used in the field. Authorities previously tried out the equipment during training, said Twyford, who heads the agencys working group on the cameras.The agency tasked with manning the countrys borders, ports and airports announced the plan to test out cameras after fielding complaints about the use of force.After the test, the working group will analyze legal issues, privacy concerns and any other policy issues, Twyford said. The cameras can be mounted on the head or chest and can record for between four and six hours, she said.Testing began in January. Test sites include a checkpoint in Texas and a border patrol station in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.Benjamine Huffman, deputy chief of the Border Patrols El Paso sector, said the cameras give agents an opportunity to show what a good job theyre doing and will allow the American public to look over our shoulder while were working.The agency has been discussing the use of cameras with employee unions. Union officials have raised concerns about whether the cameras could be used to look for administrative violations.A message was left for the union representing other CBP employees.Last year, Customs and Border Protections new internal affairs head Mark Morgan said an initial review of cases involving use of force and alleged misconduct by agents and inspectors since 2009 found 155 that merit further investigation.The American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the use of cameras. Vicki Gaubeca, director of the ACLU of New Mexico Regional Center for Border Rights, said they will help protect abuse victims, and if used appropriately these cameras will help ensure that CBPs interaction with community members is fair and lawful.

Dutch dual nationals in Mogadishu hotel suicide bombings

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MOGADISHU (AFP) - Twin suicide bombings at a Mogadishu hotel popular with government ministers and officials that killed 25 people were carried out by Dutch-Somali nationals, Somali intelligence sources said Saturday.Somali intelligence believe both bombers -- a man and a woman -- were Dutch-Somali citizens who infiltrated the Central Hotel close to the presidential palace to carry out the attack on Friday.Sources within the Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said the man, identified as Ismail Muse, detonated a bomb in a car parked at the hotel while the woman, Lula Ahmed Dahir, set off her explosive vest inside the hotels prayer room.The woman worked part-time in the hotel for up to four months, according to an intelligence report seen by AFP.Her relationship to the male attacker... is not yet known but is thought to be very close, if not husband, said the report.The attack left 25 people dead including two MPs, the deputy mayor of Mogadishu, the prime ministers private secretary and the deputy prime ministers chief of staff.Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Arte as well as the ministers of transport and of port and marine resources were among dozens injured in the blasts.Heavy gunfire followed the two explosions as nervous security forces searched the hotel compound.The building was badly hit, the explosion was very big, said police officer Abulrahman Ali.There were very many wounded people too, many of them seriously.Thick clouds of black smoke were seen pouring from the hotel as the injured were rushed to hospital.There were people covered in blood, I counted 10 dead bodies but that was only in one area, said Ali Hussein, who was close to the hotel at the time.Shebab militants claimed responsibility for the attack.Our fighters attacked the Central Hotel, Shebab spokesman Abdulaziz Abu Musab told AFP. The aim is to kill the apostate officials.The United States said the attack highlighted the groups lust for death and destruction.Shebab rebels have staged a string of assaults in their fight to overthrow Somalias internationally-backed government. They have targeted hotels, the international airport, Villa Somalia, a UN compound and restaurants.The last most deadly attack targeting government was in December 2009 when Shebab gunmen went room-to-toom in the Shame Hotel killing 25 people, including three ministers.

Politics being played by promoting fake cases against me: Musharraf

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KARACHI (Dunya news) – Pakistan’s former President General (Retired) Pervaiz Musharraf on Saturday stated that politics is being played out by promoting fake cases against him. Musharraf admitted that he was not completely honest but questioned that were those sitting in the Assembly completely truthful. The former President of Pakistan stated that the constitution is a paper that is written by us which can be changed for country’s betterment. He stated that Pakistan’s purpose is not status-quo but unifying those parties that can implement changes and to move forward.Musharraf expressed these views while addressing participants of an event.Musharraf strongly criticized the current government. He stated that the current rulers are not ruling for the first but for the 4th time. Musharraf said a leader who cannot provide happiness and prosperity to its nation should resign from his post. He said they want to rid Pakistan of looters and plunderers bringing prosperity to the country.

Argentina's Kirchner accuses lawmakers of joining opposition rally

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BUENOS AIRES (AFP) - Argentine President Cristina Kirchner criticized lawmakers Saturday for participating in a massive march over the controversial death of a prosecutor, accusing them of joining the opposition to protest her administration.Tens of thousands of people gathered last week to mark one month since the suspicious death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who was found dead before he planned to accuse the Argentine president of a massive cover-up.In a letter published on her personal website, Kirchner said the gathering was not a silent march to honor Nisman, but a rally coordinated by lawmakers against her government.She wrote the gathering was decidedly an opposition march called by prosecutors and judges and supported by the entire political opposition.You could see it live and direct, political leaders ridiculing, and protesters carrying signs with offensive and insulting messages against the government.It involved several members of a branch of government -- the judiciary -- against another branch: the Executive, she added.Nisman was found in his Buenos Aires apartment with a bullet through his head on January 18, the day before he was to go before a congressional hearing to air his finding that Kirchner and her foreign minister plotted to shield Iranian officials implicated in the bombing of the AMIA Jewish-Argentine charity federation.Eighty-five people were killed and more than 300 injured in the attack, the deadliest in Argentinas history -- and one that has yet to be solved 21 years later.Investigators initially said the 51-year-olds death appeared to be suicide, though that theory is widely disbelieved in Argentina.In her letter, Kircher also accused big business of supporting opposition members, and slammed some local media for what she called biased coverage of the march.Kirchner last week slammed the rally as golpista -- seeking to destabilize the government, and dismissed conspiracies surrounding Nismams death.Nismans ex-wife, Judge Sandra Arroyo Salgado, has rejected claims he killed himself and called for independent oversight of the probe into his death.

Nasdaq gains for eighth straight day, nearing dot-com high

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NEW YORK (AP) -- The Nasdaq composite rose for an eighth straight day Friday, pushing the index closer to its all-time closing high.The index climbed with the overall stock market after Greece and its creditors in the eurozone reached an agreement on the countrys request to extend its bailout. The news was seen as positive by investors because it reduces the risk of Greece leaving the euro, a move that has the potential to send shockwaves throughout global financial markets.After gaining nearly 7 percent in February, the Nasdaq is now less than 2 percent from its record close of 5,048.62, a benchmark set during the frenzy of the dot-com era in March 2000.On Friday, the Nasdaq added 31.27 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,955.97. Its eight-day win streak matches its longest stretch of gains since February 2014.The technology-heavy index, which tracks the 2,500-plus stocks that are listed on the Nasdaq stock market, has advanced 4.6 percent this year, and is up 16 percent in the last year.Almost half the companies in the index are technology stocks, and the Nasdaq is outperforming both the Dow Jones industrial average and the Standard & Poors 500 index this year, as the technology sector is coming back in favor. The S&P 500 is up 2.5 percent since the start of 2015, and has risen 15 percent over the last year.One stock in particular is giving the Nasdaq a lift: Apple.The technology giant has gained 17 percent this year, pushing its market value over $750 billion. The surge means that the stock now accounts for about 10 percent of the Nasdaqs market value. That compares with its 4 percent share for the S&P 500.

French minister meets with Google, Facebook, Twitter

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The French interior minister said Friday he asked Google, Facebook and Twitter to work directly with French officials during investigations and to immediately remove terrorist propaganda when authorities alert them to it.We emphasized that when an investigation is underway we dont want to go through the usual government to government channels, which can take so long, said French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve after a meeting with representatives from the U.S. tech giants.Its important to have full cooperation and quick reaction he added.Cazeneuves one-day visit to San Francisco and Silicon Valley comes weeks after terrorist attacks in Paris left 20 people dead, including three gunmen.On Jan. 7, two gunmen killed 12 people and injured 11 more during an attack on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. A third gunman killed a policewoman Jan. 8 and then killed four more people a day later after taking hostages at a kosher supermarket in Paris. Police killed the three gunmen.Twitter and Facebook spokespeople said they do everything they can to stop material that incites violence but didnt say whether they would heed the ministers request for direct cooperation with French authorities.We regularly host ministers and other governmental officials from across the world at Facebook, and were happy to welcome Mr. Cazeneuve today, a Facebook spokesperson said. We work aggressively to ensure that we do not have terrorists or terror groups using the site, and we also remove any content that praises or supports terrorism.When asked whether Twitter would work closely with French investigators, a spokesperson said their website outlines the guidelines for law enforcement to request information.We review all reported content against our rules, which prohibit direct, specific threats of violence against others, the spokesperson wrote in an email.An email to Google requesting comment was not immediately answered.Cazeneuve said he called on the tech companies to join in the fight against terrorist propaganda disseminated on the internet and to block terrorists ability to use websites and videos to recruit and indoctrinate new followers.The pace of foreign fighters joining the Islamic State and other extremist groups has not slowed and at least 3,400 come from Western nations among 20,000 from around the world, U.S. intelligence officials say.I told them we can figure this out together, we can come up with counter-terrorism speech and block these sites that are enticing the most vulnerable members of our society to commit terrorist acts, he said.France also is pushing to treat jihadi material on the Internet like child porn, a task that before the attacks in Paris was getting scant traction but now seems to have caught the attention of Europes top security officials.Cazeneuve said the meeting Friday is a first step in building a strong relationship between the tech companies and the French government. He said he invited them to go to Paris in April to continue the conversation.

Top US, Iranian nuke officials joining Iran talks

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GENEVA (AP) -- Top nuclear officials of Iran and the United States joined seven-nation talks Saturday in a move that may help resolve technical disputes standing it the way of a deal meant to curb Tehrans atomic activities in exchange for sanctions relief for the Islamic Republic.Technical experts for Iran and the six nations it is negotiating with have been meeting alongside senior political officials. But Saturday was the first time that Iranian Atomic Energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi and U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz also joined in.Western officials say the U.S. decided to send Moniz only after Iran announced that Salehi will be coming. Still, their presence could improve chances of a deal by fast-tracking complex technical details of constraints on Irans nuclear programs that are acceptable to Tehran.They were expected to discuss the number of centrifuges Iran can operate to enrich uranium; how much enriched material it can stockpile; what research and development it may pursue related to enrichment, and the future of a planned heavy water reactor that could produce substantial amounts of plutonium like enriched uranium, a potential pathway to nuclear arms.Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is also at the talks, with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry scheduled to join Sunday and Monday.For months, the negotiations have been primarily between Washington and Tehran. But in London, Kerry insisted there is absolutely no divergence between the U.S. and the five other powers Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany over what Iran needed to agree to, to prove that its nuclear program is going to be peaceful in the future.World powers and Iran have set an end of March deadline for a framework agreement, with four further months for the technical work to be ironed out. The talks have missed two previous deadlines, and President Barack Obama has said a further extension would make little sense without a basis for continuing discussions.If the talks fail, Obama may be unable to continue holding off Congress from passing new sanctions against Iran. That, in turn, could scuttle any further diplomatic solution to U.S.-led attempts to increase the time Tehran would need to be able to make nuclear arms. Iran denies any interest in such weapons.Skepticism about the negotiations already is strong among congressional hardliners, Washingtons closest Arab allies and Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is expected to strongly criticize them in an address the U.S. Congress early next month.

Myanmar says more than 130 dead in fighting near China border

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NAYPYIDAW (AFP) - Myanmars army Saturday said more than 130 people had died in a deepening battle with rebels in the northeast, declaring it would not rest until stability was restored to the border area which tens of thousands have fled.Fighting raged in the remote Kokang region of Shan state where conflict erupted on February 9 with insurgent attacks on soldiers that triggered a military onslaught, prompting at least 30,000 civilians to escape into bordering China.In the first press conference since clashes began, defence ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Mya Htun Oo said the conflict had killed 61 military and police officers, and around 72 insurgents. More than 100 military members have been injured since fighting broke out.The fighting is strong... Because of serious fighting, our helicopters are helping, he told reporters in the capital Naypyidaw. We will not retreat until we get stability.He did not provide figures on civilian deaths in and around Laukkai town, where the conflict has centred, as efforts to evacuate remaining communities have been hampered by an attack Tuesday on a local Red Cross convoy which wounded two aid workers -- leading relief groups to officially suspend rescue missions.The defence spokesman blamed the convoy attack on the rebels, saying: Our military only provides protection to civilian convoys... We are going to take action against Kokang rebels offence.The ethnically Chinese Kokang rebels or National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), who are fighting for regional autonomy, have denied attacking the convoy.It is unclear how many people remain trapped in the conflict zone, but while the majority of fleeing civilians appear to have crossed into southwest China tens of thousands more are believed to have been displaced on the Myanmar side of the border.Since the conflict began several thousand have passed through a monastery in the town of Lashio, some 140 kilometres (85 miles) south of Laukkai, taking refuge as they travel to other parts of the country.- Myanmar journalists attacked -================================Late Saturday a vehicle ferrying Myanmar national journalists from Laukkai was attacked by unknown assailants, a local government official in the nearby town of Chinshwehal told AFP, leaving the driver and one reporter injured.They were taken to hospital and are in a stable condition, said the official, without providing any further details.Local media reports said the attack on Saturday was launched at a Red Cross convoy, but an official from the organisation in Lashio told AFP its vehicles were not involved.The conflict, the first major unrest in the region since 2009, has renewed doubts over a government attempt to forge a nationwide ceasefire in a country peppered with ethnic insurgencies.In another ominous sign for peace, the Kokang have been joined by other nearby rebel groups, including the Taang National Liberation Army and the powerful Kachin Independence Army.No one from the rebel groups could be reached for comment on Saturday.Myanmars quasi-civilian government has put the ceasefire agreement at the heart of its reforms as the nation prepares for a general election later this year.But the fighting has raised fears those efforts are unravelling.Myanmar has declared a state of emergency in the region in response to the conflict, which has also sparked alarm in Beijing.China says it has stepped up border controls and called on all parties to prevent a further escalation of fighting.

Karachi: Rangers action, 6 terrorists of TTP's Swati group arrested

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KARACHI (Dunya news) – Rangers on Saturday conducted action in Qasba Colony and Itehad Town of Karachi. 6 terrorists of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) Swati group were arrested during the raid. According to the Rangers Spokesperson the raids were conducted upon receiving information about the terrorists. Huge cache of arms was confiscated from the arrested terrorists. The terrorists have been shifted to an unknown location for interrogation. The terrorists are being questioned about the various incidents of sabotage in the city.According to the details, rangers had previously conducted an operation in Al-Asif Square to free Javed Ameen who was abducted for ransom. 3 suspects were arrested during the action.According to the rangers, Ameen was abducted the previous night for a ransom of Rs. 20 lac.On the other hand, Shah Latif police rescued a kidnapped and arrested 3 kidnappers in Sukhun Nudi area. Vehicle and ammunition was seized from the suspects.Karachi’s Anti-Narcotic Force conducted action at the port and searched a container bound for Malaysia upon being tipped off by an intelligence report. Heroin worth millions of rupees was attempted to be smuggled to Malaysia by hiding it in salt rocks. The smuggling attempt was foiled and 3 suspects were arrested.

Stolen SIM card keys could be powerful spy tool

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - It would be another powerful tool in the arsenal of US and British spy services: encryption keys for a large share of the SIM cards used for mobile phones.A report by the investigative news website The Intercept, citing leaked documents from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, said the US and British agencies hacked into European manufacturer Gemalto to gain these keys.The report, if accurate, could allow the NSA and its British counterpart GCHQ to secretly monitor a large portion of global communications over mobile devices without using a warrant or wiretap.This is a huge deal, said Bruce Schneier, a cryptographer who is chief technology officer at the security firm Resilient Systems, and a fellow at Harvards Berkman Center.The things that are the most egregious are when the NSA hacks everybody to get a few people, Schneier told AFP.Theyre getting encryption keys of everybody, including you and me. Its a scorched earth policy.The report suggests the intelligence services could have access to a wider range of communications than has been previously reported. Other documents have indicated that the NSA can monitor email and traditional phone communications.Schneier said the report is credible and probably indicates other SIM card makers were hacked as well.Do we think this is the only company? Odds are low, he said.David Perry, threat strategist at the security firm F-Secure, called the revelations the biggest story on mobile privacy weve seen so far.The report is troubling, Perry said, because of the methods described.Intelligence services are hacking all the time, he said. What concerns me is that they would go into a factory and spoil the security at the point of origination.The NSA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Gemalto said in a statement that it takes the matter very seriously and will devote all resources necessary to fully investigate the allegations.It added that the intended target was not Gemalto, per se -- it was an attempt to try and cast the widest net possible to reach as many mobile phones as possible. - Unanswered questions -Yet the report leaves many questions unanswered, and some experts were cautious about jumping to conclusions about the documents.One of the reasons Im skeptical is that different governments have been using other methods to grab communications and wireless data which are unsecured to begin with, said Darren Hayes, director of cybersecurity at Pace Universitys School of Computer Science and Information Systems.Im not sure that the US or UK governments would use hackers in the same way that the Chinese or Russians are doing.Schneier said more information is needed to know exactly what the encryption keys would provide, but says it is likely that they would allow access to the phone communications rather than the data transfer, so SMS or voice messages might be accessed but not Skype or other Internet-based services.I think the company should do what Sony did (after being hacked) -- hire a forensics team, Schneier said.We need details on how this was done and what can be done to remedy it.Greg Nojeim, a lawyer for the Center for Democracy & Technology, a digital rights organization, said the revelation suggests privacy of people around the world is at risk.Almost everyone in the world carries cell phones and this is an unprecedented mass attack on the privacy of citizens worldwide, Nojeim said.While there is certainly value in targeted surveillance of cell phone communications, this coordinated subversion of the trusted technical security infrastructure of cell phones means the US and British governments now have easy access to our mobile communications.John Pirc, co-founder of the Virginia-based security firm Bricata, said the report is plausible and, if true, could undermine confidence in mobile communications.If someone had access to the SIM card and put malware on it, that means anyone can get in, Pirc said.He added that the revelations could end up hurting manufacturers or carriers if they fail to take steps to correct any security weaknesses.If this turns out to be true, every consumer should ask for a new SIM card, Pirc said.

Cycling: Olympic champ Kenny's worlds end in more misery

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SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES (AFP) - Olympic champion Jason Kennys Parisian nightmare ended in abject failure on Saturday as the Briton was knocked out in the first round of the mens sprint.Having finished 10th in qualifying, he was then beaten by Hersony Canelon of Venezuela.At the national velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, just outside the French capital, he had also lost in the first round of the keirin and finished eighth in the team pursuit.For a three-time Olympic gold medal winner and twice world champion, his competition has been an unmitigated disaster.Reigning champion Francois Pervis had to come through the repechage to keep his sprint repeat hopes alive.Pervis had been beaten in the eighth-finals by French compatriot Quentin Lafargue.But last years silver medallist Stefan Boetticher, was knocked out, beaten by 2014 bronze medallist Denis Dmitriev of Russia in the eighth-final before the German finished behind Pervis in the repechage.World record holder Jack Bobridge of Australia qualified for the evenings individual pursuit final by recording the fastest time in qualifying over the 4km course.Bobridge, the 2011 champion, will meet last years runner-up Stefan Kueng of Switzerland for the gold medal.Australias reigning champion Alex Edmondson had been on course to join Bobridge in the final until the final kilometre when he cracked to finish eighth.Olympic champion Laura Trott and world champion Sarah Hammer both had a slow start to the womens omnium -- the six-discipline event.Trott finished down in 13th in the opening scratch race before winning the individual pursuit to move up to seventh overall.Hammer was eighth in the scratch before a fourth place finish in the pursuit left her in the same position overall.Annette Edmondson, part of Australias world record-breaking team pursuit squad, was the overall leader after two disciplines ahead of Belarussian Tatsiana Sharakova and Kirsten Wild of the Netherlands.The mens omnium was shaping up into a battle between two road sprinters.Young Colombian sensation, Fernando Gaviria, who beat Mark Cavendish twice last month at the Tour of San Juan, held a six-point lead over Italian Elia Viviani, who rides for Britains Team Sky.Viviani has won three of the five events so far with only the points race to come on Saturday evening.Australian 2012 world champion Glenn OShea was third, 12 points behind Gaviria, but 2013 world champion Aaron Gate of New Zealand was 12th and way out of contention after a disastrous 1km time-trial saw him finish last but one.Reigning champion Thomas Boudat has his work cut out to get among the medals, sitting fifth but 20 points behind OShea.

Australian FM calls Indonesia to ease tensions: reports

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop called on Indonesia to give two Australians on death row an indefinite stay of execution as she clarified her Prime Ministers comments linking their fate to aid, media reports said Saturday.Tensions between the two nations have grown after Indonesia confirmed Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, ringleaders of the so-called Bali Nine heroin trafficking group, were among the next group of prisoners to face the firing squad.Prime Minister Tony Abbott last week denied threatening Indonesia when he said the country should remember the aid Australia contributed after the devastating 2004 tsunami.Bishop said she called Vice President Jusuf Kalla to clarify Abbotts comments and emphasise Australias close relationship with Indonesia.I have made it quite clear that the prime minister was simply illustrating the point that Australia has been and remains a supporter, a close friend of Indonesia, Bishop told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Certainly these comments were not any attempt to threaten Indonesia.Relations between the neighbours are only just recovering from a damaging rift in 2014 over spying revelations and people-smuggling.Kallas office said Friday that the latest executions will be delayed for between three weeks to a month from now due to technical reasons, without elaborating further.Bishop expressed her gratitude that there had been a delay in the mens scheduled transfer from Bali to the high-security prison where they are due to be executed, telling the Sydney Morning Herald: I said I hoped we could seek an indefinite stay of execution.However, Indonesias attorney-general Muhammad Prasetyo declared earlier Friday that nothing whatsoever could stop the execution of the two Australians from going ahead.Indonesia executed six drug offenders in January, including five foreigners, prompting a furious Brazil and the Netherlands -- whose citizens were among those put to death -- to recall their ambassadors.

After Copenhagen shootings, Norway's Muslims and Jews link up

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OSLO (AFP) - Hundreds of people were expected at a peace vigil in Oslo Saturday, hosted by young Norwegian Muslims expressing solidarity with Jews a week after fatal shootings in Denmark targeted a synagogue and free speech seminar.The initiative by Norways Muslim youth to link arms with Norwegian Jews in a circle around Oslos synagogue was an effort to denounce recent violence by jihadists striking Jewish communities in France and Denmark.We want to show that we stand with the Jewish people and protect them. We dont want extremists in Norway who think they can do as they wish to ordinary people, 26-year-old Atif Jamil, one of the organisers of the human chain told AFP on Saturday.By Saturday afternoon, nearly to 2,500 people had signed up for the ring of peace event on a Facebook page, though organisers expect about half that number to attend.While that turnout would easily allow the ring to be formed around the synagogue as initially planned, police concerns over safety and control of such a large crowd meant complete encirclement of the building would not be allowed.Still, organisers said the overwhelming response to the effort had made it a success already.This has completely snowballed. Im getting so much positive feedback from people around the globe. I believe that we can live together and make the world a better place -- even if that sounds like some kind of fairy tale, said Jamil.Impetus for the link-up came from the desire by young members of Norways Muslim community -- who represent roughly three percent of the nations total 5.3 million population -- to demonstrate support and solidarity with the countrys estimated 1,300 Jews, following the second Copenhagen attack that killed a 37-year-old volunteer security guard outside the citys synagogue.The gunman, named by police as 22-year-old Omar El-Hussein -- a Dane of Palestinian origin -- was reportedly radicalised by Islamists during a two-year jail term.The Oslo vigil was to take place after the Jewish Shabbat early on Saturday evening.Even before the event began, leaders of Norways Jewish and Muslim communities said it had given them hope for the future.The beautiful thing is that Muslim youth want to stand up against anti-Semitism, and that gives me hope, Norways Jewish community leader Ervin Kohn told news agency NTB.I hope this can be the start of a completely different kind of Muslim-Jewish dialogue both in Norway and internationally.Leaders of Norways Muslim community have condemned the Copenhagen killings.Youssef Bartho Assidiq, a Muslim youth leader, told AFP the event proved that Muslims stand up for freedom of speech, stand up for freedom of religion and stand up for each other.This is the best possible response we can give to the polarisation weve seen in debates after the attacks in France and Denmark, he said.
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