NSA electronic surveillance program

Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef, described as Egypt’s version of Daily Show host Jon Stewart, found himself without a TV network after his show was pulled by his own network last week, with no sign he’d be allowed back on. Plus, the Philippines are reeling after the strong storm to make landfall ever recorded slammed into the island nation. Those stories and more in today’s Global Scan.

If you hear a US official invoke 9/11 or say the phrase “connect-the-dots” to defend spying done by the NSA, chances are good those lines were suggested by the NSA.

In the 1970s after Watergate, the Senate held hearings that showed the NSA had been spying on citizens. And Congress enacted laws to control it. Journalist Tim Weiner says that’s the type of openness the US needs now.

If the National Security Agency (NSA) is listening to your phone calls and reading your emails, would you want to know about it?