memeorandum: Israeli Spyware Maker Is in Spotlight Amid Reports of Wide Abuses (New York Times)

12:15 AM ET, July 19, 2021

Top Items:

Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists worldwide … Dana Priest, a reporter at The Washington Post for 30 years, covers national security issues. Recently, she has investigated Russian disinformation operations, censorship around the world …

Discussion: CNBC, Gizmodo, Slate, Raw Story, Digby's Hullabaloo, The Verge and The Hill, more at Techmeme »

The Guardian:

Revealed: leak uncovers global abuse of cyber-surveillance weapon — Spyware sold to authoritarian regimes used to target activists, politicians and journalists, data suggests — Human rights activists, journalists and lawyers across the world have been targeted by authoritarian governments …

Discussion: Washington Post, AppleInsider and The Times of Israel

New York Times:

Israeli Spyware Maker Is in Spotlight Amid Reports of Wide Abuses — Data leaked to a consortium of news organizations suggests that several countries use Pegasus, a powerful cyberespionage tool, to spy on rights activists, dissidents and journalists. — TEL AVIV — A major Israeli cyber …

Discussion: NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

David Pegg / The Guardian:

FT editor among 180 journalists identified by clients of spyware firm — Data leak and forensics suggest NSO's surveillance tool used against journalists at some of world's top media companies — David Pegg and Paul Lewis in London, Michael Safi in Beirut, Nina Lakhani in Ciudad Altamirano

Discussion: Radio Free Europe/Radio … and Bloomberg, more at Mediagazer »

Washington Post:

In Orban's Hungary, spyware was used to monitor journalists and others who might challenge the government … BUDAPEST — In communist-era Hungary, citizens were recruited to spy on their neighbors and report any potential threats to the secret police. In the Hungary of Prime Minister Viktor Orban …

Nina Lakhani / The Guardian:

Revealed: murdered journalist's number selected by Mexican NSO client — On 2 March 2017, Cecilio Pineda Birto made a broadcast about alleged corruption. Hours later he was dead — Nina Lakhani in Ciudad Altamirano — The hitmen came for Cecilio Pineda Birto as he swung in a hammock at a carwash …

Amnesty International:
Massive data leak reveals Israeli NSO Group's spyware used to target activists, journalists, and political leaders globally

Discussion: Financial Times, The Register and The Citizen Lab

Washington Post: Jamal Khashoggi's wife targeted with spyware before his death

Shaun Walker / The Guardian:
Viktor Orbán using NSO spyware in assault on media, data suggests

Discussion: Sputnik News, Washington Post and Politico

Stephanie Kirchgaessner / The Guardian:
Saudis behind NSO spyware attack on Jamal Khashoggi's family, leak suggests

Discussion: Washington Post

Haaretz:
Project Pegasus: A new investigation by Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International together with 17 news outlets reveals how Israel's NSO's cyber spy tech …

Discussion: Washington Post, more at Techmeme »

Austin American-Statesman:

2 more Texas Democrats test positive for COVID-19 in Washington, D.C., 5 total cases — Madlin Mekelburg Nicole CoblerAustin American-Statesman — WASHINGTON — Two more Texas Democrats tested positive for the coronavirus Sunday, bringing the total number of cases among the nearly 60 lawmakers in Washington up to five.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, CBS Dallas / Fort Worth, The Western Journal, New York Times, Victory Girls Blog and KXAN-TV

Jon Street / Fox News:
Two more Texas Democrats test positive for COVID after fleeing election vote

Discussion: Ace of Spades HQ, New York Post, HotAir and Austin American-Statesman

Ronn Blitzer / Fox News:
Harris visits Walter Reed for ‘routine’ doctor appointment days after meeting with infected Texas Democrats

Discussion: Breitbart, RedState, Sputnik News and New York Post

Caroline Vakil / The Hill:
Number of Texas state Democrats to test positive for COVID-19 rises to 5

Discussion: CNN, Insider, Political Wire and NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Matthew Brown / USA Today:
Lindsey Graham says he'd ‘leave town’ to stop Democrats' reconciliation bill, citing Texas

Discussion: Insider, The Western Journal, Raw Story, The Hill, New York Post, IJR and Mediaite

Carly Roman / Washington Examiner:
Texas Democrats plan weeklong virtual voting rights conference in DC

Discussion: ABC News

Jane C. Timm / NBC News:
Texas Democrats to spotlight national voting rights with week of events

Discussion: MSNBC, Politico and Washington Post

Charlie Warzel / Galaxy Brain:

The Biden/Facebook Fight Is Part Of The Problem — ‘Is Facebook killing people?’ is the wrong question. — 1 hr ago … We're all arguing about Facebook again. — The short backstory is that on Thursday, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy spoke publicly about vaccine misinformation …

Discussion: Twitchy, more at Techmeme »

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:

Biden is right. Purveyors of vaccine disinformation are killing people. — President Biden hit the nail on the head Friday in response to a question about platforms such as Facebook that amplify scientifically false anti-vaccines claims, and deter people from getting lifesaving shots.

Discussion: CNBC, Vanity Fair, NBC News and Mother Jones

Joe Concha / The Hill:
Hypocritical Psaki leads chilling effort to flag ‘misinformation’

Discussion: The Daily Caller, RedState, Twitchy, Slate and Louder With Crowder

Rachel Monahan / Willamette Week:

New York Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof Is Exploring a Run for Oregon Governor — Kristof, a two-time Pulitzer winner, grew up on a Yamhill County farm. — Nicholas Kristof, the two-time Pulitzer winning columnist for the New York Times, is considering a run for Oregon governor.

Discussion: New York Magazine

Curt Anderson / Associated Press:

In blow to DeSantis, court blocks order lifting CDC virus rules on Florida cruise ships — ST. PETERSBURG — A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked a judge's ruling that sided with a Florida lawsuit challenging U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pandemic regulations for cruise ship operation.

Discussion: Axios, Politico, CBS Miami and NBC 6 South Florida

Kelsey Koberg / Fox News:
Gov. DeSantis sounds off on Democrats ‘double standard’ on immigration

Discussion: Townhall, Washington Examiner and IJR

Mark Leibovich / New York Times:

The Ascension of Ron Klain — President Biden's chief of staff worked his whole career to reach the corner office of the West Wing. He says he's just a “staff person,” but Republicans call him “Prime Minister Klain.” — WASHINGTON — Ron Klain, who after a few near misses finally achieved …

Michael Levenson / New York Times:

Nationals Game in Washington Is Halted After Shooting Outside Stadium — Fans poured out of Nationals Park in a scene of fear and confusion. The police said three people had been injured in a shootout. — Three people were shot outside of Nationals Park in Washington on Saturday night during …

Discussion: CNN, NBC4 Washington, Associated Press, IJR, Washington Examiner and ABC7

AWR Hawkins / Breitbart:
D.C. Has Universal Background Checks, Gun Registration, and Shootings Outside Nationals' Park

Discussion: BizPac Review and NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Will Bunch / The Philadelphia Inquirer:

52 years after the moon landing, Republicans reject science and America is unraveling — There is no Democratic or Republican way to land on the moon.I was 10 years old on the Sunday afternoon of July 20, 1969, when Apollo 11 made its more-hairy-than-we-realized touchdown on the lunar surface …

Discussion: Washington Post

Joel Achenbach / Washington Post:

In this summer of covid freedom, disease experts warn: ‘The world needs a reality check’ — Maria Van Kerkhove, a World Health Organization epidemiologist, was in her Geneva office last weekend preparing for a keynote address when a simple phrase came to mind.

Discussion: The Week

Jan Ransom / New York Times:

‘Nobody Believed Me’: How Rape Cases Get Dropped — While the Me Too movement led to greater awareness about the prevalence of rape, prosecutors in New York City still struggle to prove sexual assault accusations. — Cammy Duong woke up in a Manhattan hotel room in July 2017 and, dazed …

Christopher Flavelle / New York Times:

Scorched, Parched and Now Uninsurable: Climate Change Hits Wine Country — If any nook of American agriculture has the means and incentive to outwit the climate crisis, it is Napa Valley. But so far, vineyards here show the limits of adapting to a warming planet.