Can You Keep a Secret?
| PNUT GALLERY |
Breaking up is hard to do. It’s even harder when one person has to move out. How about a house you can just break in two? At an apartment building in Seoul, Korea, you can do just that. In some cases, the occupants can move individual units around by themselves to reconfigure their space. The complex was built just last fall, and architect Jinhee Park doesn’t know if any of the households have broken up yet, but “when that time comes, it will be very interesting to see what happens.” Indeed. |
| IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ |
Assange Takes a Giant Leak: On Tuesday, in what is being called the “biggest leak ever” (a term that seems to be all the rage in cybersecurity nowadays), WikiLeaks published 8,761 CIA documents detailing, among others things, wiretapping protocols of the agency and efforts to turn personal electronic devices into remotely activated spy devices. The documents also focus on the loving relationship between the CIA and its UK counterpart GCHQ and how the agencies partnered to turn ‘smart televisions’–a well-established standard in living rooms around the world–into provisional surveillance devices. Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary and epitome of calm and composure Sean Spicer declined to comment on the reports, citing a lack of evaluation of the leaked data. Having also made previous leaks of this magnitude, whistleblower-turned-movie-star-turned-recluse Edward Snowden seemed confident in the authenticity of the leak, confirming this on his Twitter account. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange released a short but familiar statement from his abode in London exile, citing the “exceptional [form of] political, legal and forensic perspective” taken by his publication. While 1984-esque methods of intelligence gathering have become synonymous with the CIA, this leak carries with it more potentially troubling political aspects. The documents reveal that the CIA, in addition to its US headquarters in Langley, Virginia, also runs a secret cyber-intelligence center on the grounds of the US consulate in Frankfurt, Germany. In 2014, Germany was the target of repeated and unsanctioned US intelligence gathering. That and the new leaks (if confirmed) could make the meeting between Chancellor Merkel and President Trump later this month terribly awkward. Not that it wasn’t already awkward enough. |
| NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ |
Yankee Money in European Elections: During recent elections in the West, namely the United States as well as smaller nations such as Austria, the presence of Russia and President Vladimir Putin loomed large. However, with elections in the Netherlands, France, and Germany fast approaching, it is American money that is causing quite the stir. Far-right Dutch nationalist leader and acclaimed hair-model Geert Wilders warned prior to the election of Trump that US intervention would weaken the sovereignty of smaller nations like the Netherlands. Keeping with tradition, Wilders then failed to mention that his party had been receiving funds from US donors, most from Republicans close to then-candidate Trump. The donations to his party totalled around $120,000 per year, and in 2015 that amount constituted the single largest donation within the political system of the Netherlands. However, such quirks aren’t limited to the Netherlands, given the various sightings of leading European populists reported in and around Trump Tower in New York City, including French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen. As leader of the far-right Front National party, Le Pen could be a strong asset for the Trump administration should she be elected, a fact that holds true for almost all the populist parties vying for power in Europe. But at least one thing is for sure: Russian money ain’t the only one in town anymore. Israel Issues its Own Travel Ban: On Monday, Israel’s parliament passed a law banning foreigners entry into the country if they have publicly supported boycott movements against the country. Most supporters of the BDS Movement (“Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions”) are American and European academic groups, artists, churches, and companies that boycott or divest from Israel proper or from the occupied territories in the West Bank. The ban received little notice in Israel but alarmed both Israel’s critics and its supporters in the US, who warned that the ban would only serve to further isolate Israel. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, the largest Jewish movement in North America, said of the new law: “It’s going to be a giant sign up by the door of the Jewish state: ‘Don’t come unless you agree with everything we’re doing here.’ I don’t know what kind of democracy makes that statement.” He also noted that the ban could damage the relationship and ongoing debate between Israelis and diaspora Jews on the future of Israel. |
| KEEPING OUR EYE ON |
ISIS Battered, Bruised and in Retreat: In Mosul, ISIS’ last urban stronghold, Iraqi forces have been making steady gains against the militant group. The Iraqi Army’s offensive to retake Mosul started on October 17th, and at least a third of ISIS militants in the city have since been killed. Meanwhile, Syrian forces are also making advances against ISIS positions, capturing a critical water pumping station in Aleppo. |
| LOOSE NUTS |
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