A federal judge today ordered the Department of Justice to hand over key opinions by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (also known as the “FISA court”) so the judge can directly review whether information about mass surveillance was improperly withheld from the public.
Daily Archives: 13. Juni 2014
Tor Is For Everyone: Why You Should Use Tor
EFF recently kicked off our second Tor Challenge, an initiative to strengthen the Tor network for online anonymity and improve one of the best free privacy tools in existence. The campaign—which we‘ve launched with partners at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, the Tor Project, and the Free Software Foundation—is already off to a great start. In just the first few days, we‘ve seen over 600 new or expanded Tor nodes—more than during the entire first Tor Challenge.
Murmeltiertag im Drogenkrieg
Als ich den Artikel las, bekam ich das ausgeprägte Gefühl, am „Murmeltiertag“ zu leben, denn diese Art von Artikel war in Laredo schon gang und gebe, als ich in den späten 1960ern an der High School war und auch später, als ich 1975 für mein Rechtspraktikum nach Laredo zurückkehrte.
Russia on Iraq: ‘We told you so’
As the situation in Iraq begins to looks more and more like a complete state meltdown, Russia has stepped in with a familiar refrain: „We told you so.“
„We are greatly alarmed by what is happening in Iraq. We warned long ago that the affair that the Americans and the Britons stirred up there wouldn‘t end well,“ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday, according to Voice of Russia. He also described the Iraq war as a „total failure“ and said Russia was sorry that its forecasts had come true.
Jamaica government announces major changes to drug laws
The Justice Minister Mark Golding said the cabinet was supporting a proposal to allow possession of up to two ounces (57 grams) of marijuana, known locally as „ganja.“.
US contractors evacuate Balad air base in Iraq
Islamic militants are quickly advancing on Baghdad after claiming a huge stretch of predominantly Sunni Arab territory in northern and north-central Iraq. Iraqi foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari acknowledged the security forces which Washington invested billions in training and equipping before withdrawing its own troops in 2011 had simply melted away.
First images from the CSIRO‘s ASKAP radio telescope
In preparation for the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) radio telescope project set to start construction in 2018, the CSIRO’s recently unveiled Australia SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope array has been used to demonstrate and prove the technology involved. With the images it has captured so far, it has also shown its ability to operate as a fully-fledged radio telescope in its own right.
Australia agrees to step up defence co-operation with US as Tony Abbott meets Barack Obama
It comes on top of new arrangements to rotate thousands of US marines through bases in the Northern Territory, agreed to by the Gillard Labor government in 2011. Prime Minister Tony Abbott met US President Barack Obama on Thursday morning.
Afghans Vote in Election Clouded by Taliban and Fraud Fears
The run-off election will decide whether former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah or ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani leads the country into a new era with declining international military and civilian assistance.
Verizon Says It Wants to Kill Net Neutrality to Help Blind, Deaf, and Disabled People
Verizon lobbyists are canvassing Capitol Hill with a curious new argument against net neutrality—it hurts disabled people.
Students and Researchers: Take a Stand Against Patent Trolls
Earlier this month, the Senate took patent reform off the table for this legislative session. The Senate leadership did this despite the fact that a strong bill passed in the House with overwhelming support. And thousands of constituents have called for meaningful reform to finally put an end to patent trolling. Instead of listening to innovators and entrepreneurs across the country, the Senate followed marching orders from big biotech, pharmaceutical, and trial lawyer lobbyists.
End Abuse for Profit in Immigration Detention
Private prisons have found yet another way to waste hundreds of millions of our taxpayer dollars: locking up immigrants, sometimes for years, before the U.S. deports them. Their crime? Most often just crossing the border.
Neue Studie: Dinosaurier waren weder warm- noch kaltblütig
Neuer Diskussions-Stoff für Dino-Experten und Fans: Eine Studie, die im Science Journal erschien, hat die Behauptung aufgestellt, dass die Dinosaurier weder warm- noch kaltblütig waren. „Mesotherm“ ist der Fachausdruck, der erfunden wurde dieses Mittelding zwischen ektotherm und endotherm zu beschreiben.
Regierungen ohne Selbstachtung
In der Auseinandersetzung um Russland, die Ukraine, die NSA-Affäre, die europäische Energieversorgung oder das TTIP wird immer deutlicher, dass diese Bereiche eines gemeinsam haben: die BürgerInnen können erkennen, dass europäische Regierungen selten souverän agieren, sondern offenbar keinerlei Selbstachtung an den Tag legen. Es würde zu kurz greifen, nostalgisch Zeiten zu beschwören, in denen andere Persönlichkeiten in der Politik waren, sondern man muss die Rahmenbedingungen betrachten. Diese können niemals eine Ausrede für fehlendes Rückgrat und mangelnde Initiative sein, sind aber der Schlüssel zum Verständnis der Situation.
Grand Ayatollah Sistani calls for Iraq army support against Takfiris
A senior Iraqi Sunni figure has also issued a statement condemning the attacks on Iraqi cities by the ISIL.
Allameh Sheikh Ahmed Al-Kabisi has also issued a Fatwa (religious edict) saying it is a religious duty for all Muslims to fight the ISIL.
Turkey says got prior warning of Mosul consulate attack
Turkey received prior warning of the attack on its consulate in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said Friday, defending Ankara‘s decision not to evacuate, AFP reported.
Turkey was informed about attack on consulate in Mosul
Turkey was informed about the attack on its consulate in Iraqi city of Mosul, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said, Turkish TRT Haber TV channel reported on June 13.
He said Ankara, given the real situation, recommended the consulate employees not to resist.
Exclusive: Alarmed by Iraq, Iran open to shared role with U.S. – Iran official
The idea is being discussed internally among the Islamic Republic‘s leadership, the senior Iranian official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official had no word on whether the idea had been raised with any other party.
U.S. contractors in Iraq relocated due to security concerns
„We can confirm that U.S. citizens, under contract to the Government of Iraq, in support of the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program in Iraq, are being temporarily relocated by their companies due to security concerns in the area,“ State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.
She declined to say how many contractors were being relocated and their location, but said the U.S. Embassy and consulates were still operating normally.
PRESS RELEASE: The brutal assault on detained female students
The Muslim Brotherhood Press Office condemns in the strongest possible terms the assault on the female students by security forces & riot police in Qanater prison.
Inflation drops to 0.5% in May
Italy‘s inflation rate fell from 0.6% in April to 0.5% in March while the trolley of most frequently bought items was virtually unchanged, Istat said Friday, confirming preliminary estimates two weeks ago.
Candidate for new EU special representative for South Caucasus nominated
Herbert Salber will replace Philippe Lefort in the post of EU special representative for the South Caucasus.
Lefort‘s mission ended in early 2014.
Salber‘s candidacy was nominated by the EU High Commissioner Catherine Ashton and was endorsed by all members of the organization.
European Commission, Georgia sign agreement on financial aid
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili signed an agreement on financial aid to Georgia on June 13.
Iran, Malaysia discuss military cooperation
Iranian ambassador and head of the Malaysian Joint Chief of Staff in a meeting in Kuala Lumpur surveyed avenues for the two countries‘ military cooperation on June 13.
Military planes from China & Japan & their close encounters over East China Sea
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Japan F15 fighters planes harass Chinese warplane over East China Sea
Two armed Japanese F15 fighters dangerously interfere with a surveillance plane of China over the skies of East China sea. The People Liberation Army issued a stern warning against Japan´s military provocation.
Japan denies brush with Chinese planes, demands China withdraws footage
Japan on Friday denied Beijing‘s claims that its Self-Defence Force planes came „dangerously close“ to Chinese aircraft in an incident over the East China Sea on Wednesday, demanding China takes down the footage allegedly showing the incident.