US v North Korea Cyber-Wars Part 2 - Score - Obama 2 - Kim Jong-Un 1 - love this "NK's primary arms dealer is, quote "The Korea Mining Development Trading Corp"

Sony cyber-attack: North Korea faces new US sanctions

The White House said the cyber-attack was an attempt by North Korea to restrict free expression

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The US has imposed new sanctions on North Korea in response to a cyber-attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment.

President Barack Obama signed an executive order on Friday allowing sanctions on three North Korean organisations and 10 individuals.

The White House said the move was a response to North Korea's "provocative, destabilising, and repressive actions".

US sanctions are already in place over North Korea's nuclear programme.

But Friday's actions are believed to be the first time the US has moved to punish any country for cyber-attacks on a US company.

Among those named in the sanctions were:

• The Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea's primary intelligence organisation.
• North Korea's primary arms dealer, the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (Komid).
• Korea Tangun Trading Corporation, which supports North Korea's defence research.
• Jang Song Chol: Named by the US Treasury as a Komid representative in Russia and a government official.
• Kim Yong Chol: An official of the North Korean government, according to the US, and a Komid representative in Iran.
• Ryu Jin and Kang Ryong: Komid officials and members of the North Korean government who are operating in Syria, according to the US.

White House officials told reporters the move was in response to the Sony hack, but the targets of the sanctions were not directly involved.

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Speaking before Christmas, President Obama said the Sony hack was "an act of cyber-vandalism"

Instead, the sanctions are designed to further isolate North Korea's defence industry as deterrent for future cyber-attacks.

The FBI and President Obama have previously said they believe North Korea was behind the cyber-attack.

North Korea denies involvement in the hack, and some cyber-security experts have also cast doubt on its guilt.

However, a senior White House official said it was extremely rare for the US to attribute cyber-attacks, and it was only done so because of the destructive nature of the attack, and because the White House saw it as "crossing a threshold".

Hack effect

Sony was embarrassed after a group calling itself Guardians of Peace leaked data from its computers, exposing emails and personal details.

The group later threatened cinema chains planning to screen Sony's satirical North Korea comedy, The Interview.

Oblique references to the 9/11 terror attacks prompted the cancellation of the film's nationwide release. A small number of independent cinemas did screen the film, and it was released online.

The Interview was later distributed online

Announcing Friday's sanctions, the US said the apparent effort to stifle the movie release was part of the justification for the new restrictions.

"We take seriously North Korea's attack that aimed to create destructive financial effects on a US company and to threaten artists and other individuals with the goal of restricting their right to free expression," the White House said in a statement.

"Today's actions are the first aspect of our response."

North Korea has blamed the US for lengthy internet outages in the country last week.

Officials would not say whether the statement that sanctions were the "first aspect" of US rebuttal was a denial of responsibility for the recent North Korean internet outages, but suggested Pyongyang could have orchestrated the outages.

Sony hack: The Interview saga

The Interview features James Franco and Seth Rogen as two journalists granted an audience with Mr Kim. The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him.

• 22 November: Sony computer systems hacked, exposing embarrassing emails and personal details about stars
• 7 December: North Korea denies accusations that it is behind the cyber-attack, but praises it as a "righteous deed"
• 16 December: "Guardians of Peace" hacker group threatens 9/11-type attack on cinemas showing film; New York premiere cancelled
• 17 December: Leading US cinema groups say they will not screen film; Sony cancels Christmas Day release
• 19 December: FBI concludes North Korea orchestrated hack; President Obama calls Sony cancellation "a mistake"
• 20 December: North Korea proposes joint inquiry with US into hacks, rejected by the US
• 22 December: North Korea suffers a severe internet outage
• 23 December: Sony confirms a limited Christmas Day release for The Interview
• 2 January: The US imposes sanctions on North Korea in response to the cyber-attack.

Breaking News - US launches air strikes on Syria Islamic State militants - what is the USA getting itself into now?

US launches air strikes on Syria Islamic State militants

Islamic State fighters in Syria

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The US and allied nations have launched the first air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria, the Pentagon has said.

Spokesman Rear Adm John Kirby said fighter and bomber jets and Tomahawk missiles were used in the attack.

The strikes were expected as part of President Barack Obama's pledge to "degrade and destroy" IS, which has taken huge swathes of Syria and Iraq.

The US has already undertaken 190 air strikes in Iraq since August.

The group has taken control of portions of a vast area between Syria and Iraq, executed captive soldiers, aide workers and journalists, and threatened the mass killing of religious minorities in Iraq.

On Monday, Rear Adm Kirby confirmed "US military and partner nation forces" were undertaking military action in Syria but did not give details.

"Given that these operations are ongoing, we are not in a position to provide additional details at this time," he said in a statement.

BBC - US and UK Spy on virtual games like World of Warcraft

US and UK 'spy on virtual games like World of Warcraft'

National security officials are said to have extracted World of Warcraft account data to identify terrorist activity (file photo)

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US and British spies have reportedly infiltrated online games such as World of Warcraft in an effort to identify terrorist threats, according to media reports.

The undercover agents reportedly operated in virtual universes to observe messaging and payment systems.

The NSA allegedly warned that such online games could allow intelligence targets to hide in plain sight.

Virtual universe games draw millions of players from around the globe.

News of the operation was broken by the New York Times, the Guardian and ProPublica on Monday using leaked confidential government information obtained by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The media reports allege US and UK spies spent years investigating online games including Second Life for potential terrorist activity.

One leaked document published by the New York Times claims such video games could be used for recruitment or to conduct virtual weapons training.

'Without our knowledge'

The NSA is said to have extracted World of Warcraft account data and attempted to link it to Islamic extremism and arms deals, according to the Guardian.

The popular online fantasy game, which at one point boasted upwards of 12 million subscribers, has reportedly attracted users such as embassy employees, scientists and military and intelligence officials.

At one point during the investigation, so many national security agents were reportedly playing video games that a "deconfliction" group was created to ensure they were not inadvertently spying on one another.

However, the documents obtained by former NSA contractor Mr Snowden and cited by the media did not specify if any terrorist plots had been foiled by the effort.

A spokesman for World of Warcraft's parent company Blizzard Entertainment told the Guardian they were not aware any surveillance had been conducted.

"If it was, it would have been done without our knowledge or permission," the spokesman said.

US bugged Merkel's phone from 2002 until 2013 - secret report

US bugged Merkel's phone from 2002 until 2013, report claims

Angela Merkel is known for her avid mobile phone use

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US spy leaks

• US revelations
• Upset, not surprised
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• Profile: Edward Snowden

The US has been spying on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone since 2002, according to a report in Der Spiegel magazine.

The German publication claims to have seen secret documents from the National Security Agency which show Mrs Merkel's number on a list dating from 2002 - before she became chancellor.

Her number was still on a surveillance list in 2013.

Meanwhile Washington has seen a protest against the NSA's spying programme.

Several thousand protesters marched to the US Capitol to demand a limit to the surveillance. Some of them held banners in support of the fugitive former contractor Edward Snowden, who revealed the extent of the NSA's activities.

'No-spy deal'

The nature of the monitoring of Mrs Merkel's mobile phone is not clear from the files, Der Spiegel says.

For example, it is possible that the chancellor's conversations were recorded, or that her contacts were simply assessed.

Germany is sending its top intelligence chiefs to Washington in the coming week to "push forward" an investigation into the spying allegations, which have caused outrage in Germany.

On Friday, Germany and France said they want the US to sign a no-spy deal by the end of the year.

As well as the bugging of Mrs Merkel's phone, there are claims the NSA has monitored millions of telephone calls made by German and French citizens.

In Washington demonstrators marched against the NSA's surveillance

Details

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Analysis

Damien McGuinnessBBC News, Berlin

This scandal has caused the biggest diplomatic rift between Germany and the US in living memory.

A close ally of Mrs Merkel told the BBC that she was personally very hurt by the idea of being spied on by American friends.

The chancellor is said to be shocked that Washington may have engaged in the sort of spying that she had to deal with while growing up in Communist East Germany.

The documents seen by Der Spiegel give further details of the NSA's targeting of European governments.

A unit called Special Collection Services, based in the US embassy in Pariser Platz in Berlin, was responsible for monitoring communications in the German capital's government quarter.

If the existence of listening stations in US embassies were known, there would be "severe damage for the US's relations with a foreign government," the documents said.

Similar units were based in around 80 locations worldwide, according to the documents seen by Der Spiegel, 19 of them in European cities.

The US embassy, near Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, was used to monitor communications, the documents suggest

The US government had a second German spy base in Frankfurt am Main, the magazine reports.

Mrs Merkel phoned the US president when she first heard of the spying allegations on Wednesday.

President Barack Obama promised Mrs Merkel he knew nothing of the alleged phone monitoring, the magazine reports. He apologised to the German chancellor, it said.

The scandal has caused the biggest diplomatic rift between Germany and the US in living memory, reports the BBC's Damien McGuinness in Berlin.

Mrs Merkel - an Americophile who was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 - is said to be shocked that Washington may have engaged in the sort of spying she had to endure growing up in Communist East Germany.

Chase and gunfire in US Capitol - one woman dead - video

Police chase in Washington ends in shooting and crash

Video shot by Alhurra TV shows a part of the chase near the Capitol

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A police chase in Washington DC has ended in gunfire, sparking panic at the White House and US Capitol and leaving a woman dead and two officers injured.

The chase and wreck that preceded the shooting were neither an act of terrorism nor an accident, police said.

A female driver was shot dead by police. A one-year-old girl was taken from the car by the officers.

The shooting happened two weeks after 12 people were killed and three injured in a shooting at nearby Navy Yard.

Chief Lanier: "There were shots fired in at least two locations"

The incident began at 14:12 local time (16:12 GMT) when a suspect in a black Infinity sedan attempted to bypass fencing at the outer perimeter of the White House, police said.

The suspect fled the scene and lead officers on a high-speed chase through Washington DC toward the US Capitol.

The driver, later identified as a woman by authorities, then attempted to bypass barriers along the western front lawn of the Capitol, where the Senate and House of Representatives sit.

News video shows officers surround the black car with guns drawn. The driver then sped away as officers appear to open fire. Police gave chase.

During the chase, a police car struck a barrier and the suspect hit a US Secret Service vehicle.

At that point, the suspect's vehicle crashed near the Capitol.

'We heard pops'

Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier said both Capitol Police and Secret Service officers fired on the vehicle in two different locations during the incident.

Two US Senators 'heard gun shots'

"The suspect was struck by gunfire and... has been pronounced" dead, she said.

A one-year-old child was found in the vehicle after it crashed and taken to a local hospital, and is now in protective custody, police said.

Authorities declined to comment on the suspect. But multiple officials said they believed the incident was not related to terrorism.

Officials have not said whether the driver of the vehicle was armed.

"I'm pretty confident this is not an accident," Ms Lanier said, adding that the suspect attempted to bypass multiple barriers around heavily protected buildings.

A Secret Service officer and Capitol Police officer were injured during the pursuit.

Chief Kim Dine of the Capitol Police said the injured Capitol Police officer, a 23-year veteran of the force, was "doing well" as of Thursday evening.

Senators, congressmen, staffers and journalists reported hearing shots from inside the US Capitol building.

The surrounding buildings were briefly locked down and lawmakers and staffers were instructed to shelter in place.

"We heard pops, three, four, five pops," said Senator Sherrod Brown, who said he was outside the building and ordered to duck behind a car.

Heavily armed officers responded to the scene.