Government officials have concluded that they may never know the full extent of information leaked by the National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, according to a report published on Saturday by the New York Times.
Senior government officials told the newspaper that investigators are unsure of the scope of information Snowden collected, partially because the Hawaii data facility he worked at, as a contractor, did not have employee monitoring software with which other NSA facilities were equipped. Such software is meant to detect unusual behavior among the agency's approximately 35,000 employees.
US 'may never know extent of Edward Snowden NSA leaks' – report
Global cancer cases reach 14 million, World Health Organization says
The number of people being diagnosed with cancer in the world each year has leaped to more than 14 million, the World Health Organization says.
The data for 2012 shows a marked rise on the 12.7 million cases in 2008. In that time the number of deaths has also increased, from 7.6 million to 8.2 million.
The rising burden of cancer is being driven by a rapid shift in lifestyles in the developing world to more closely reflect industrialised countries.
Gaza flooding drives 40,000 from their homes
Flooding from heavy rains forced some 40,000 Gaza Strip residents from their homes, including thousands who were taken to safety in boats and military trucks, officials said Saturday.
The downpour that began late Wednesday was part of a storm that covered parts of Israel and the West Bank with snow, paralyzed Jerusalem and left thousands in Israel without power. Israeli TV stations showed footage of armored personnel carriers rescuing motorists and said it was the most severe snow storm in decades.
USAID moves to leave Ecuador 6 months after being kicked out by Bolivia
The US Agency for International Development says it plans to leave Ecuador amid an impasse with the government, just six months after the agency was kicked out of Bolivia, in what analysts say is another sign of the waning US influence in the region.
In a letter to USAID partners in the country on Thursday, acting Mission Director Christopher Cushing said the decision to leave Ecuador comes “as a result of the Government of Ecuador’s decision to prohibit approval of new USAID assistance programs.”
Florida Supreme Court rules lawmakers must testify in redistricting case
The state Supreme Court ruled Friday that legislators and their staffs must testify in a case that accuses Republicans of redrawing political boundaries for partisan advantage in violation of the state Constitution.
The 5-2 decision means that the League of Women Voters, Common Cause and others can force Republican senators and key staff members to testify under oath about their motives in drawing districts. The plaintiffs claim emails show that the GOP plotted with party officials and political consultants for partisan advantage in the 2012 remapping of Senate and congressional districts.
Life may have originated miles underground
New studies suggest the beginnings of life on this planet could have occurred deep underground, the Independent reports.
Researchers have found microbes up to 3.1 miles below the Earth's surface — tiny organisms that are almost exactly the same on opposite sides of the planet. That points to a possible common ancestor about 3.5 billion years ago, which is when earthly life began, the paper explains.
Newtown quietly reflects on anniversary of shooting
A year after the deadly school shooting in Newtown, Conn., bells tolled across the town at 9:30 a.m. Saturday as the small community planned a day of quiet reflection with private memorial services.
The bells rang 26 times as names of each of the victims were read at St. Rose of Lima church in Newtown, one of several houses of worship that was holding private services Saturday for a community still grieving for the 20 children and six educators killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
China attempts rover's soft landing on the moon
China will attempt the world's first soft landing of a rover on the moon in nearly four decades Saturday, the latest step in the country's ambitious space program.
The Chang'e 3 lander, named after a mythical Chinese goddess of the moon, is scheduled to touch down at 9:40 p.m. (1340 GMT; 8:40 a.m. EST) Saturday, according to state media.
Obama is urged to include gays, lesbians in official Olympics delegation
An American human rights group is urging President Barack Obama to appoint lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community leaders to the official U.S. delegation to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi to show displeasure with a recently passed Russian anti-propaganda law that’s widely viewed as anti-gay.
Human Rights First, in a recent letter to senior Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, said “the selection of the members of the official U.S. delegations for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics is an important opportunity to signal to Russia and the world the priority the Obama administration places on equality and human dignity.”
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