Germany's highest court has ruled that police can only deploy spy software to monitor phones and computers in investigations involving serious crimes.
The Federal Constitutional Court’s decision narrows the scope of a 2017 law that limits the government's ability to use covert surveillance tools on platforms such as WhatsApp.
Digitalcourage, a German digital rights group, brought the legal challenge, warning that the law could infringe on the privacy of people not suspected of any wrongdoing.
Judges said the law's broad wording left too much room for interpretation and allowed serious intrusions without sufficient justification.
The ruling means authorities cannot monitor phone calls, emails, or other digital communications when investigating crimes that carry a relatively minor sentence - a sentence that is under three years or less.
The ruling emphasized that surveillance is a significant intrusion and should be reserved for serious offenses - longer than a three years sentence.
Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery and a key port in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region overnight (13-14 March), local authorities ...
A widening conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel has triggered escalating military strikes across the Middle East, disrupted shippi...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, coveri...
North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile on Saturday (14 March), Japanese and South Korean off...
Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees has said a U.S. travel ban is preventing him from attending the 2026 Academy Aw...
Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery and a key port in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region overnight (13-14 March), local authorities said, causing injuries and damage. In separate action, Russian air attacks on Ukrainian territory killed and wounded civilians near Kyiv, officials reported.
A widening conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel has triggered escalating military strikes across the Middle East, disrupted shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz and raised concerns over global energy supplies. This live report tracks the latest developments.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile on Saturday (14 March), Japanese and South Korean officials said. The development comes amid the joint annual U.S.-South Korea "Freedom Shield" military drills and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visit to Washington.
Israel and Iran continued to exchange strikes on Friday (13 March), as the U.S. and French militaries reported deaths in Iraq, and the U.N. launched a $325 million appeal to help Lebanon, where a seventh of the population have left their homes since fighting began.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued veiled threats to Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and Hezbollah on Thursday (12 March), during his first press conference since the conflict with Iran began.
The U.S. should shut down its military bases in the Middle East, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday (12 March). His words were read out by a broadcaster on state Iranian television.
At least 64 people have been killed in southern Ethiopia following recent landslides and floods, the regional government’s communications office said on Thursday (12 March), citing local police
Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen born in Lebanon, crashed his truck into the hallway of a Detroit-area synagogue on Thursday (12 March) while children attended preschool. Security personnel shot him dead during the confrontation, and authorities said no one else was seriously injured.
Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery and a key port in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region overnight (13-14 March), local authorities said, causing injuries and damage. In separate action, Russian air attacks on Ukrainian territory killed and wounded civilians near Kyiv, officials reported.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile on Saturday (14 March), Japanese and South Korean officials said. The development comes amid the joint annual U.S.-South Korea "Freedom Shield" military drills and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visit to Washington.
NATO air defence systems intercepted a third Iranian ballistic missile over Türkiye early on Friday morning. The incident occurred at approximately 03:30 local time over the southern province of Adana.
The European Commission will instruct governments to be flexible in enforcing EU rules on gas imports, diplomats told Reuters on Thursday (12 March), a move likely to benefit imports from Azerbaijan.
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