Watching the Shadows
Key provisions of Patriot Act expire
Key provisions of the USA Patriot Act allowing "Bulk Data Collection" and "Roving Wiretaps" expired after a late Senate vote failed to establish an extension.
Tag: surveillance
The Andes
Colombia: convictions in Uribe spying scandal
Colombia's supreme court convicted two close aides of former president Alvaro Uribe for illegal eavesdropping on the communications of the conservative leader's top opponents.
East Asia
China: draft counter-terror law ‘recipe for abuses’
Human Rights Watch calls China's proposed counter-terrorism legislation a "recipe for abuses" that would instate "total digital surveillance," and allow foreign military missions.
Europe
Sweden: Muslims under attack —and Jews
The Christmas night fire-bombing of a mosque in Sweden follows weeks of mounting threats and attacks against Jews in cities across the Scandinavian country.
Watching the Shadows
Net neutrality and the extinction of journalism
The end of "net neutrality," now broached by the FCC, portends an "enclosure" of the Internet—and the marginalization of all perspectives not officially approved.
New York City
NYPD disbands Muslim surveillance program
The new commissioner of the New York Police Department, William Bratton, announced the disbanding of a controversial surveillance unit used to spy on Muslim communities.
The Andes
Colombia: FARC transcripts leaked by military
Transcripts of conversations between the highest leaders of the FARC guerillas were revealed by the Colombian media after being intercepted by the Armed Forces.
The Andes
Colombia: military, CIA spying on peace talks
Colombia’s Defense Ministry opened an investigation into claims of eavesdropping on delegations to ongoing peace talks between the government and FARC rebels.
Watching the Shadows
Obama’s fifth year: a World War 4 Report scorecard
World War 4 Report offers its annual annotated assessment of Obama's moves in dismantling, continuing or escalating the apparatus of the Global War on Terrorism.
Mexico
Mexico: US spied on former president Calderón
In the latest US spying revelations, documents show the NSA considered the Mexican government an “important target” and the president’s office a “lucrative source.”
The Amazon
Brazil: documents expose US industrial espionage
Brazil's president calls off a visit to DC as the US is left trying to explain how spying on Brazil's oil company could be necessary for the war on terrorism.
Mexico
US spied on Brazilian and Mexican leaders
In the latest US intelligence scandal, the NSA is caught bragging about its ability to intercept messages to and from the presidents of Latin America’s two largest countries.