Chinese journalist Shi Tao released

A Chinese journalist jailed for eight years for leaking government restrictions on reporting is now free.

Shi Tao's early release was announced by the writers' organization PEN International on Saturday -- 15 months before he was scheduled to be freed. Shi is a member of Independent Chinese PEN Center, which advocates for freedom of speech.

Shi made headlines in 2004 when he sent the media restrictions to a human rights group -- an act that China said amounted to "leaking state secrets," PEN said.

What's more, Internet giant Yahoo played a part in his conviction.

In a widely criticized move, Yahoo handed over Shi's e-mail account information, which the Chinese government used in the case against Shi, according to court documents.

The reporting restrictions were over the coverage of the 15th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, in which hundreds of pro-democracy protesters were killed in a government crackdown. Chinese soldiers followed orders to open fire on unnarmed civilians.

Official Chinese government figures said the death toll was 241, including soldiers, with 7,000 injured. Rights groups have said the number of dead was likely in the thousands.

Early release

Shi was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2005. It's not clear why he was let go early.

The U.S. Congress led a probe into the case after his conviction.

Source: http://www.wdsu.com/news/national/Chinese-journalist-Shi-Tao-released/-/9853500/21836752/-/w3riid/-/index.html?absolute=true

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U.S. counterintelligence targets Israel with Iran and China, secret budget reveals

September 4, 2013

JTA

The $52.6 billion ?black budget? for fiscal 2013 for the 16 U.S. spy agencies was obtained by The Washington Post from former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, the newspaper reported on Aug. 29.

The budget summary, formally known as the Congressional Budget Justification for the National Intelligence Program, revealed that counterintelligence operations ?are strategically focused against [the] priority targets of China, Russia, Iran, Cuba and Israel,? according to The Washington Post.

Snowden, who has been granted temporary asylum in Russia, was a former technical contractor for the National Security Agency and employee of the Central Intelligence Agency who revealed the existence of mass surveillance programs by the United States and Britain against their own citizens and citizens of other countries.

The budget summary also revealed that the CIA and NSA became more aggressive in efforts to hack into the computer networks of other countries to steal information or to sabotage the computer systems of enemy countries.

It also showed that the NSA planned to investigate at least 4,000 personnel with high security clearance suspected of compromising sensitive information. In addition, terrorism is shown in the budget to be considered the most serious threat to U.S. national security.

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Source: http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/article/u.s._counterintelligence_targets_israel_with_iran_and_china_secret_budget_r

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