BRAZIL   –   A regional judge on Monday ordered all telephone operators in Brazil to block WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Facebook, for failing to turn over data as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation.

Starting yesterday the app ceased to function, a move that was sure to frustrate and anger Brazilians who use the messaging and free-calling functions regularly. According to the Sergipe state tribunal’s website, the app will be blocked for 72 hours. Jan Koum, CEO and co-founder of the messaging service, posted a statement on his Facebook page in response to the blocking: “Yet again millions of innocent Brazilians are being punished because a court wants WhatsApp to turn over information we repeatedly said we don’t have,” it said. (CNN.COM/photo: www.huffingtonpost.com)…[+]