[aggregation-styles] Axios A suspected Chinese intelligence operative developed extensive ties with local and national politicians, including a U.S. congressman, in what U.S. officials believe was a political intelligence operation run by China’s main civilian spy agency between 2011 and 2015, Axios found in a yearlong investigation. Why it matters: The...
Germany Says Soviet-Era Nerve Agent Used on Russia’s Navalny
BERLIN — Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with the same type of Soviet-era nerve agent that British authorities identified in a 2018 attack on a former Russian spy, the German government said Wednesday, citing new test results. The Berlin hospital treating Navalny said he remains in a serious...
American Convicted of Spying in Russia, Gets 16 Years
MOSCOW — A Russian court convicted an American corporate security executive Monday of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in prison after a closed trial that the U.S. denounced as a “mockery of justice,” and it angrily said his treatment in jail was “appalling.” Paul Whelan, a former Marine...
Beware of the Smart Device: Ways to Stay Private and Safe
NEW YORK — Did someone invite a spy into your home over the holidays? Maybe so, if a friend or family member gave you a voice-controlled speaker or some other smart device. It's easy to forget, but everything from internet-connected speakers with voice assistants such as Amazon's Alexa to television...
US: Saudis Recruited Twitter Workers to Spy on Critics
SAN FRANCISCO — Saudi Arabia, frustrated by growing criticism of its leaders and policies on social media, recruited two Twitter employees to spy on thousands of accounts that included prominent opponents, prosecutors alleged Wednesday. The complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco detailed a coordinated effort by Saudi government officials...