TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2015 TECHNOLOGY AT&T helped US NSA in spying on Internet traffic WASHINGTON: Telecommunications customer. network hubs in the United States. and I.S.P.s,” or Internet service providers, access to contents of transiting email powerhouse AT&T Inc has provided The documents date from 2003 to AT&T installed surveillance equip- according to another NSA document. traffic years before Verizon started in extensive assistance to the US National 2013 and were provided by fugitive for- ment in at least 17 of its US Internet AT&T started in 2011 to provide the March 2013, the Times reported. Security Agency as the spy agency con- mer NSA contractor Edward Snowden, hubs, far more than competitor Verizon NSA more than 1.1 billion domestic cell- Asked to comment on the Times ducts surveillance on huge volumes of the Times reported. The company Communications Inc, the Times report- phone calling records daily after “a push report, AT&T spokesman Brad Burns told Internet traffic passing through the helped the spy agency in a broad range ed. AT&T engineers also were the first to to get this flow operational prior to the Reuters by email: “We do not voluntarily United States, the New York Times of classified activities, the newspaper use new surveillance technologies 10th anniversary of 9/11,” referring to provide information to any investigat- reported on Saturday, citing newly dis- reported. invented by the NSA, the Times report- the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United ing authorities other than if a person’s closed NSA documents. The documents describe how the ed. States, the Times reported. life is in danger and time is of the The newspaper reported that the NSA’s working relationship with AT&T “This is a partnership, not a contrac- AT&T’s providing of foreign-to-for- essence. For example, in a kidnapping company gave technical assistance to has been particularly important, tual relationship,” according to one NSA eign Internet traffic has been especially situation we could provide help track- the NSA in carrying out a secret court enabling the agency to conduct surveil- document describing the link between important to the NSA because large ing down called numbers to assist law order allowing wiretapping of all lance, under various legal rules, of inter- the agency and the company. amounts of the world’s Internet com- enforcement.” Burns said AT&T would Internet communications at the head- national and foreign-to-foreign Internet AT&T’s “corporate relationships pro- munications pass across U.S. cables, the have nothing further to say on the quarters of the United Nations, an AT&T communications that passed through vide unique accesses to other telecoms Times reported. The company gave report.—Reuters Malaysia seeks help to stem ‘false’ online content KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will ask three from 1MDB. Authorities are investigating social media and Internet companies to allegations of graft and financial misman- curb content in the interest of public safety, agement at 1MDB, a fund with debts of the communications minister said yester- more than $11 billion. Najib chairs the day. fund’s advisory board. The request is the latest attempt by The prime minister sacked his deputy Malaysia’s embattled government to quell and other ministers last month after they dissent after Prime Minister Najib Razak questioned him publicly about the 1MDB became embroiled in controversy over big affair. The government has suspended two debts at state fund 1Malaysia Development newspapers and a website that were Berhad (1MDB). reporting on 1MDB. The Malaysian Communications and Pro-democracy activist Mandeep Singh Multimedia Commission will meet Karpall said the government was trying to Facebook, Google, and Twitter “soon to control freedom of expression by clamping seek their cooperation to stem the increas- down on social media where many ing tide of false information and rumours”, Malaysians express political views, especial- Communications Minister Salleh Said ly younger people. Keruak wrote on his blog. “They’re doing it to create a climate of “The online environment is not a lawless fear,” said Karpall, acting manager of the space and action can be taken against any- pro-democracy group Bersih that is organ- one found to have breached the law, ising an anti-government rally in the capital including in the online space,” he added, this month. without elaborating. A Google spokesman in Kuala Lumpur Najib, 62, has been under pressure since said the Internet giant was “always in con- reports emerged that nearly $700 million versation with” the Malaysian were transferred into his personal accounts. Communications and Multimedia Reuters has not verified those reports. Commission but he declined to comment The prime minister has denied wrong- on the request from the government on doing and the anti-graft agency investigat- curbing content. Facebook and Twitter ing the funds transferred into his accounts were not immediately available for com- said the money was a “donation” and not ment. —Reuters ANAHEIM: In this Sunday Aug. 16 2015 photo, Ironman characters appear larger than life at the D23 Expo where John Vignocchi (at left) and John Blackburn talk about Battlegrounds a new name for the Marvel playset for Disney Infinity 3.0. —AP ‘Infinity’ creators have faith in ‘Force Awakens’ edition ANAHEIM: It probably would have been easier “Disney Infinity 3.0” will feature a collection of “We don’t want to show too much because to break into the Death Star. For the video game characters from across George Lucas’ sprawling you need to first see the film,” said Blackburn. makers working on “Star Wars: The Force sci-fi universe, such as Luke Skywalker and Darth “The first time you see these characters should Awakens” content in the forthcoming install- Vader from the original trilogy, Yoda and Anakin not be in our game. That’s just a baseline belief ment of the “Disney Infinity” toys-to-life fran- Skywalker from the prequels and “Clone Wars” because we’re taking it and putting it through a chise, getting their hands on the top-secret animated series, as well as all-new recruits from different lens. The palette we had to choose script involved high-security protocols rivaling filmmaker J.J. Abrams’ “The Force Awakens.” from was basically of things that people had the Galactic Empire. During a presentation at the fan-filled D23 already seen.” It’s uncharted territory for “Infinity.” “We had to go through biometric scanning, Expo on Sunday, actors John Boyega and Daisy Unlike most well-known Disney, Marvel and and there were codenames for everything,” said Ridley unveiled the figures of their “Force Lucasfilm characters, these “Force Awakens” John Vignocchi, vice president of production at Awakens” protagonists, soldier Finn and scav- newbies aren’t arriving with fan clubs or back- Disney Interactive Studios and emperor of the enger Rey. The pair will be featured in a playset stories. Heck, Finn and Rey’s last names are still a “Infinity” franchise. “It was without a doubt the that will serve as the only way for fans to interac- mystery. (Blackburn, however, knows them. most complicated thing we’ve ever worked on in tively experience the plot from the hugely antici- Despite the clandestineness, he read the film the five years I’ve been here.” pated new film. script over a year ago.) That’s probably not hyperbole considering “It’s been a lot of work,” said Vignocchi earlier “There is an awareness challenge because the ambitious “Infinity” has featured a wide vari- this week during a break from the Toy Box people aren’t as familiar with these characters, ety of characters from across Disney’s alliance of Summit, an annual gathering of top “Infinity” but there are other characters from the ‘Star NIAMEY: This January 2, 2015 file photo shows a US made Reaper drone part of intellectual properties. Everyone from Iron Man players. “It’s an honor but also a huge responsi- Wars’ universe that are in the film and other play- Operation Barkhane’s aerial detachment as it flies over the Nigerian military airport of Marvel’s “The Avengers” to Elsa of Disney bility because we’re the only game in town with sets,” said Matt Fillbrandt, executive producer of Diori Hamani in Niamey.—AP Animation’s “Frozen” has appeared as playable ‘Episode VII’ content on consoles. We have to franchise management at Lucasfilm. “There’s characters that can uncharacteristically play deliver a video game experience that’s just as connective tissue that I think will pique fans’ together. great as the film.” interest.” Regardless of the rise of “Star Wars” in Similar to Activision’s “Skylanders” series, When “Infinity” launched in 2013, Disney “Infinity,” it won’t totally choke the toy-game US military to step “Infinity” requires users to place a physical toy dubbed it a platform - not just a game - and series. Disney Interactive announced at D23 that figure on a reader to virtually portray that char- promised it would be a new way to give con- caveboy Spot from Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur,” acter on screen, either in franchise-specific “play- sumers interactive content based on films and as well as rabbit police officer Judy Hopps and up drone flights sets” or in the open-ended “toy box” mode, TV shows, instead of typical stand-alone titles. popsicle-wielding fox Nick Wilde from Disney which allows users to design their own levels That’s never been more apparent than in the Animation’s “Zootopia” are also coming to WASHINGTON: The US military plans to reached for comment. with an array of Disney characters, vehicles and company’s decision not to release a separate “Infinity,” while the Marvel superheroes will widen its surveillance and firepower in con- Unmanned drone flights can be used on props.