1. Vault 7
WikiLeaks has published 8,761 documents it says belong to the CIA's Centre for Cyber Intelligence. [WikiLeaks]
The documents claim to show the CIA's ability to turn computers, smartphones and TVs into surveillance devices or "covert microphones" even when turned off. [AP]
![WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.](/web/20170309203820im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/u/j/5/u/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gur95s.png/1488911919508.jpg)
WikiLeaks claims the CIA has software that enables it to bypass encrypted messaging applications including WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram and Confide.
But that doesn't mean the CIA can break encryption (well not according to these documents), which would be a huge deal. It simply means that the CIA can hack your phone and catch your communications before you send them to the encrypted application. If you're in that situation, you're pretty much screwed no matter what.
And as someone in the middle of Season 4 Homeland (which is the best yet), the revelation that the CIA uses the US consulate in Frankfurt as its hacking base for Europe, the Middle East and Africa is one of those life-meets-art (or art-meets-life?) moments.
WikiLeaks also claims the CIA has been trying to be able to remotely control vehicles so they could carry out "undetectable assassinations." [Rachel Bishop/Daily Mirror]
At the time of publication, authorities had not responded or verified the legitimacy of the documents. An intelligence source told the Wall Street Journal Wikileaks claim matched tools the CIA uses to hack devices and said the revelations were more significant than the Snowden leaks. [Shane Harris, Paul Sonne]
Julian Assange was due to announce the fresh leak in an online press conference but his live streams were attacked and disabled. Can't think who may have done that ...
2. Donald Trump
Did a Murdoch executive trigger US President Donald Trump's weekend tweetstorm claiming he'd been wiretapped by former president Barack Obama?
Why treat Trump like his policies matter? He's going to be impeached. If there's a Trump Tower wiretap he committed a bigly crime leaking it
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) March 7, 2017
A really fascinating read on Louise Mensch, a prominent former Tory MP, who established the online news website Heat Street. Mensch is a Trump critic and claims two intelligence sources told her the FBI obtained a warrant to examine the activities of US citizens in Trump's campaign with ties to Russia. [Karla Adam/Washington Post]
The ex-MI6 officer who prepared the dossier claiming Russia compromised Trump and has been cultivating him for years to cause divisions between Western allies has returned to work. [The Independent]
Trump and Putin have both described the dossier as "fake" or "fake news."
Christopher Steele went into hiding after the media reporting of his dossier had all but identified him.
The president spent the morning as he often does: live-tweeting his favourite Fox News show, Fox & Friends.
For eight years Russia "ran over" President Obama, got stronger and stronger, picked-off Crimea and added missiles. Weak! @foxandfriends
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2017
Don't worry, getting rid of state lines, which will promote competition, will be in phase 2 & 3 of healthcare rollout. @foxandfriends
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2017
American media is focused on the repeal of Obamacare and a comment made by Republican Jason Chaffetz who said Americans "have choices" and "rather than getting that new iPhone ... maybe they should go and invest in their own healthcare."
He attempted to clean up his remarks by saying he believes in "self reliance." Damage done. [CNN]
3. North Korea
China has reacted angrily to the arrival of US components for the a missile defence shield in South Korea. China says it will "resolutely take measures to defend China's security interests." [Kirsty Needham/Fairfax]
The delivery came just one day after North Korea fired at least four missiles into the sea near Japan.
![In this images made from video released by KRT on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, reacts during the launch of four missiles in an undisclosed location North Korea. On Monday, North Korea fired four ballistic missiles in an apparent protest against ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal. (KRT via AP Video)](http://web.archive.org./web/20170309203820im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/s/y/s/z/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1488896171407.png)
Kim Jong-un during the launch of four missiles into the sea near Japan. Photo: KRT via AP
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is said to be pleased with the missiles' progress. They were directed at US bases in Japan, state media said. [CNN]
Pyongyang has had a serious fallings out with one of its few friends, Malaysia. North Korea has banned Malaysians from leaving the country as Malaysian authorities attempt to question three officials in the North Korean embassy over the murder of Kim Jong-nam.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak described it as tantamount to hostage taking and held a meeting of his national security council. This is a serious deterioration in ties between Malaysia and North Korea. Malaysians are the only people in the world able to travel to North Korea for up to one month without a visa. [Lindsay Murdoch/Fairfax]
4. Aust politics
Experts are hitting back at the idea of creating a jumbo Department of Homeland Security. [David Wroe/Fairfax]
AGL Energy says it could be left short of gas this winter unless some of Queensland's exports are quarantined for domestic use. [Financial Review]
![Treasurer Scott Morrison, kicking his announcement off with a quick medley of songs from 'Hello Dolly'.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170309203820im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/n/w/i/f/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1488785007094.png)
Treasurer Scott Morrison. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Budget speculation: the government is considering establishing a new resources tax but this time on the booming LNG sector, setting up another showdown between industry and Canberra. [David Uren/The Australian]
And stories over negative gearing refuse to die. Renee Viellaris – citing "highly placed sources" – reports the negative gearing curbs for the rich are still on the table, despite the coalition mocking Labor's attempts to trim back the tax concessions. [Courier Mail]
Nick Xenophon finally reveals his hand on reforming section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act: he's open to change. [David Crowe/The Australian]
And the South Australian senator wants the Australian parliament to start taking petitions seriously, the way the UK parliament does. [Mark Ludlow/Financial Review]
One Nation's Pauline Hanson supports cutting Queensland's share of the GST for Western Australia, a position the majors should be lining up to condemn today. [Sky News]
5. UK politics
![Colonise or perish: Professor Stephen Hawking](http://web.archive.org./web/20170309203820im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/s/0/a/0/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1487545293243.png)
Professor Stephen Hawking Photo: AP
In a contest between Stephen Hawking and Jeremy Corbyn, who do you choose?
Hawking told The Times that while the Labour leader has his heart in the right place, he regards Corbyn as a "disaster." [Tom Whipple]
Corbyn believes he would win a snap election, if one were called. [BBC]
Not that Prime Minister Theresa May's inclined to call a snap poll, despite the urgings of the former foreign secretary William Hague to scrap the Fixed-term Parliament's Act 2011. [Oped/Telegraph]
May lost an important vote in the House of Lords which voted to give the parliament a "meaningful vote" on whatever deal the PM negotiates with the EU.
Another big defeat.... over to Tory rebel Remain MPs, how determined are they to try to force May to back down?
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) March 7, 2017
But the government stared down an attempt to hold a second referendum. [Rowena Mason/The Guardian]
6. Beaked whales
If you're doing anything water related and see dolphins and or whales, then you've hit the underwater jackpot.
So imagine not only seeing one of the world's most elusive creatures, the beaked whale, and capturing it on camera. [Chelsea Whyte/New Scientist]
As your Number Six today, enjoy the first ever underwater footage – captured by school students – of beaked whales and released today as part of a new study of the animals. [PeerJ]
And that's it from me today – you can follow me on Facebook for more.
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