• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

2

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less

3

Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’

1

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

2

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less

3

Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
TechSurveillance

WikiLeaks Just Published ‘Mostly Highly Classified Documents’ About NSA Bugs

By
David Meyer
David Meyer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
David Meyer
David Meyer
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 23, 2016, 6:52 AM ET
SWITZERLAND-BRITAIN-SWEDEN-ECUADOR-US-RIGHTS-ASSANGE
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen on a screen speaking via web cast from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London during an event on the sideline of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council session on March 23, 2015 in Geneva. Assange took refuge in June 2012 in the Ecuadorian Embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faces allegations of rape and sexual molestation, which he strongly denies. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)Photograph by Fabrice Coffrini — AFP/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Julian Assange’s WikiLeaks operation has published a series of secret documents about the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) bugging foreign leaders. It claims some of them are “the most highly classified documents ever published by a media organization.”

The documents, covered in news stories in a range of publications, show the NSA bugged a range of high-level conversations, including talks between German chancellor Angela Merkel and UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon on the issue of climate change. The NSA also spied on the French and Italian premiers and their aides.

The WikiLeaks cache includes a series of redacted phone numbers for the bugging targets, that show up as so-called selectors. This generally denotes the search terms that intelligence analysts will use to find what they want in data that has been intercepted in bulk.

The issue of the NSA spying on Merkel is, of course, not new — in 2013’s flurry of revelations about the agency, it caused great outrage in Berlin and embarrassment in Washington.

“Today we showed that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s private meetings over how to save the planet from climate change were bugged by a country intent on protecting its largest oil companies,” said Assange. “The U.S. government has signed agreements with the UN that it will not engage in such conduct against the UN — let alone its secretary-general.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

The spy agency also reported on 2010 conversations between Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the subject of patching up Israel’s relationship with the U.S.

French prime minister Nicolas Sarkozy is shown in the documents to have pressured Berlusconi in 2011 over Italy’s finances, claiming that its banks could soon “pop” like a champagne cork. As l’Espresso notes, this revelation revisits questions around why Berlusconi had to step down that year.

WikiLeaks also noted that the documents show the NSA spied on the head of the UN refugee agency.

About the Author
By David Meyer
LinkedIn icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Digital transformation technology strategy, IoT, internet of things. Businessman using smart phone with AI and Digital Icons design.
AICFO Daily
Top CFOs warn AI success depends on training employees, not just buying technology
By Sheryl EstradaJune 25, 2026
2 hours ago
Samin Menon (left) Neil Movva (right)
Startups & VentureVenture Capital
Exclusive: A former Apple engineer thinks AI infrastructure is built for the wrong future. Investors just gave him $80 million to fix it
By Lily Mae LazarusJune 25, 2026
3 hours ago
Lux Capital cofounder Josh Wolfe’s limited-odds, high-stakes 2027 predictions
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Lux Capital cofounder Josh Wolfe’s limited-odds, high-stakes 2027 predictions
By Allie GarfinkleJune 25, 2026
4 hours ago
Micron drives global rally tech stock rally as traders abandon their fear of an AI bubble
InvestingMarkets
Micron drives global rally tech stock rally as traders abandon their fear of an AI bubble
By Jim EdwardsJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (left) and Broadcom CEO Hock Tan holding their new AI chip, “Jalapeño.” (Photo courtesy OpenAI)
NewslettersFortune Tech
OpenAI and Broadcom’s AI chip has a name: Jalapeño
By Andrew NuscaJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
What bubble? JPMorgan says the $5.5 trillion AI capex explosion is profitable–for now
AIFinance
What bubble? JPMorgan says the $5.5 trillion AI capex explosion is profitable–for now
By Sheryl EstradaJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago

Most Popular

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Retail
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
24 hours ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
8 hours ago
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
2 days ago
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
Economy
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
By Tristan BoveJune 24, 2026
20 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.