Archive for December, 2014
Did CIA Torture Violate Nuremberg Ban on Human Experimentation?
December 18th, 2014Via: McClatchyDC: CIA health professionals may have committed war crimes by collecting and analyzing data on brutally interrogated detainees in potential violation of U.S. and international bans on research on human subjects without their consent, a human rights organization said Tuesday. Physicians for Human Rights called on President Barack Obama and Congress to establish a […]
EFF in Court to Argue NSA Data Collection from Internet Backbone Is Unconstitutional
December 18th, 2014Via: Electronic Frontier Foundation: The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) will argue on Friday before a federal court that the National Security Agency (NSA) is violating the Fourth Amendment by copying and searching data that it collects by tapping into the Internet backbone. The hearing on a motion for partial summary judgment in Jewel v. NSA […]
Russians Flock to Stores to Pre-Empt Price Rises
December 17th, 2014Via: AP: Russian consumers flocked to the stores Wednesday, frantically buying a range of big-ticket items to pre-empt the price rises kicked off by the staggering fall in the value of the ruble in recent days. As the Russian authorities announced a series of measures to ease the pressure on the ruble, which slid 15 […]
Sony Loses Cyberwar, Cancels Theatrical Release for ‘The Interview’ on Christmas
December 17th, 2014Via: Variety: With theater chains defecting en masse, Sony Pictures Entertainment has pulled the planned Christmas Day release of “The Interview.” In announcing the decision to cancel the holiday debut, Sony hit back at the hackers who threatened movie theaters and moviegoers and who have terrorized the studio and its employees for weeks. “Those who […]
Obama to Announce Easing in U.S.-Cuba Relations
December 17th, 2014Via: Bloomberg: President Barack Obama will end the U.S. isolation of Cuba that has persisted for more than a half century, initiating talks to resume diplomatic relations, opening a U.S. embassy in Havana and loosening trade and travel restrictions on the nation. The steps effectively end an embargo that has been one of the most […]
Most Politically Active Corporations Receive $760 from U.S. Government for Every Dollar Spent on Influencing Politics
December 17th, 2014Via: Sunlight Foundation: Between 2007 and 2012, 200 of America’s most politically active corporations spent a combined $5.8 billion on federal lobbying and campaign contributions. A year-long analysis by the Sunlight Foundation suggests, however, that what they gave pales compared to what those same corporations got: $4.4 trillion in federal business and support. That figure, […]
Russia Tries Emergency Steps for Second Day to Stem Ruble Plunge
December 17th, 2014Via: Bloomberg: Russia tried for a second straight day to reverse a rout in the ruble with emergency measures, narrowing President Vladimir Putin’s options in confronting the country’s deepest financial crisis since 1998. The ruble rose after the Finance Ministry announced that it bought the currency. The rebound came after a plunge yesterday in the […]
Verizon’s “End to End” Encryption Includes Backdoor for Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies
December 17th, 2014Via: Businessweek: Verizon is the latest big company to enter the post-Snowden market for secure communication, and it’s doing so with an encryption standard that comes with a way for law enforcement to access ostensibly secure phone conversations. Verizon Voice Cypher, the product introduced on Thursday with the encryption company Cellcrypt, offers business and government […]
Helicopters Flying Over Dallas Part of Special Operations Training
December 17th, 2014Via: Dallas Morning News: Curious about the helicopters flying over Dallas on Monday night? Many people took to social media posting about the helicopters saying they were flying low to the ground and close together. That was part of preparedness training for U.S. Special Operations Forces so they can get a feel for “realistic urban […]
What Is It?
December 17th, 2014Via: Daily Camera: Officials from Lockheed Martin say this cylindrical object seen pointed toward Boulder this week off Colo. 128 was part of a sensor-technology test.
