From the Trenches World Report

Law & Forfeiture – by Rek LeCounte

When most Americans hear the words, “district attorney,” they probably think and the long-running television drama Law & Order. But in Delaware County, Pennsylvania (a suburb of Philadelphia), District Attorney Jack Whelan traded the good-natured heroism of the fictional Jack McCoy for the villainous antics of taking money from private citizens to pay for campaign ads. In a bid to win the judicial nominating primaries for both the Democratic and Republican parties, Whelan spent more than $53,000 advertising his name and likeness, according to City & State Pennsylvania. That money came not from his campaign coffers, but instead from taxpayers and civil forfeiture:   Continue reading “Pennsylvania District Attorney Campaigns With Civil Forfeiture Proceeds”

After the U.S. and its NATO-partners invaded Libya in 2011 and killed its leader Muammar Gaddafi, the country is being into chaos and suffering from political instability and violence by different terrorist groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS and AQIM.

Two opposing forces are currently competing for political power in Libya. The first one is the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) headed by Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli. Another is the House of Representatives (HoR) in Tobruk supported by the Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and elected by popular vote.   Continue reading “Who is in real power in Libya?”

Gizmodo – by Kristen V. Brown

You probably wouldn’t hand out your social security number without having a pretty good idea of how that information was going to be used, right? That would be dumb. It’s extremely sensitive information. And yet, the consumer genetic testing market is booming thanks to people readily giving up another piece of their identity: their genetic code

Ever-cheaper DNA sequencing technology has allowed genetic testing to become far more than a tool for doctors. Genetic testing has become entertainment, with companies offering tests that provide insight into ancestry, athletic ability, sleep habits and much more. The consumer genetic testing market was valued at $70 million in 2015, but estimates expect it to expand to $340 million by 2022.   Continue reading “What DNA Testing Companies’ Terrifying Privacy Policies Actually Mean”

The Telegraph

Universities that use “no platforming” and “safe spaces” to shut down free speech could face action from the new higher education regulator, the Government has announced.

Jo Johnson, the universities minister, said young people and students need to “accept the legitimacy of healthy vigorous debate”as he outlined plans for the Office for Students (OfS).   Continue reading “UK Universities told they ‘must commit to free speech’ under new plans”

CBC News

Canada’s electronic spy agency says it is taking the “unprecedented step” of releasing one of its own cyber defence tools to the public, in a bid to help companies and organizations better defend their computers and networks against malicious threats.

The Communications Security Establishment (CSE) rarely goes into detail about its activities — both offensive and defensive — and much of what is known about the agency’s activities have come from leaked documents obtained by U.S. National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden and published in recent years.   Continue reading “Canada’s ‘super secret spy agency’ is releasing a malware-fighting tool to the public”

Houston Chronicle – by Jordan Blum

The Texas Gulf Coast is leading the way as the nation ships record levels of crude oil and petroleum products to foreign markets, including China, which is buying more American oil as its economy expands and middle class grows

The United States is routinely exporting more than 1 million barrels of oil and 6 million barrels of petroleum products a day, the U.S. Energy Department said in report released Wednesday. More than two-thirds of those petroleum exports are leaving Gulf Coast ports.  Continue reading “U.S. crude and petroleum exports, led by Texas, hit record levels”

NPR

When Hurricane Irma was bearing down on Florida last month, Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency. On Monday, he did the same thing in Alachua County, ahead of a speech by white nationalist Richard Spencer at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

“We live in a country where everyone has the right to voice their opinion, however, we have zero tolerance for violence and public safety is always our number one priority,” Scott said in a statement. “This executive order is an additional step to ensure that the University of Florida and the entire community is prepared so everyone can stay safe.”  Continue reading “Florida’s Governor Declares State Of Emergency Ahead Of Richard Spencer Speech”

Tech Dirt – by Tim Cushing

The Intercept has obtained a leaked asset forfeiture guide for seizures performed by ICE. (It has, unfortunately, chosen not to share the original document. Then again, the last non-Snowden leak it published appears to have helped out the document’s source.)

For those familiar with the process of civil asset forfeiture, the contents of the guide are mostly unsurprising. Despite the document dating back to 2010, ICE did confirm the version seen by The Intercept is its most recent guidance. ICE is allowed to seize property without bringing charges or securing convictions — something still permitted by federal law (your state laws may vary) and greatly encouraged by the new head of the DOJ, Jeff Sessions.   Continue reading “Use A Landline To Talk About Criminal Activity? The Government Can Seize The House Around It”

Reason – by Jacob Sullum

Since 2012 federal prosecutors have been trying to imprison three medical marijuana users in Washington, arguing that they grew cannabis for profit rather than relief of their symptoms. In a startling shift this week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Spokane finally conceded what the defendants—Rhonda Firestack-Harvey; her son, Rolland Gregg; and his wife, Michelle Gregg—have been saying all along: that they grew marijuana in compliance with Washington’s law allowing medical use of the plant. The government also admitted in a brief filed on Monday night that its pursuit of the case has therefore been illegal since December 2014, when Congress first passed a spending rider that prohibits the Justice Department from prosecuting people for conduct permitted by state medical marijuana laws.
Continue reading “Feds Admit Their Prosecution of Medical Marijuana Users in Washington Was Illegal”

USA Today

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — As the clock ticked closer to white nationalist Richard Spencer’s speech at the University of Florida, the campus was on edge amid concerns over potential violence between supporters and counterprotesters.

Students and faculty expressed fear and worry about Spencer’s Thursday appearance and the increased security presence.

“The students are scared, especially our students who are from minority communities,” said Vincent Adejumo, a lecturer in African-American studies. “Many of them have already left town. Parents have great concern.   Continue reading “University of Florida braces for Richard Spencer speech”

RT

Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS, ISIL) and Al-Qaeda terrorists are plotting to take down a plane and carry out a devastating explosion on the scale of 9/11, senior US security official Elaine Duke warns.

“The terrorist organizations, be it ISIS or Al-Qaeda or others, want to have the big explosion like they did on 9/11. They want to take down aircraft, the intelligence is clear on that,” the acting US secretary of homeland security said during a visit to the UK, as cited by British media.   Continue reading “‘Severe threat’: ISIS & Al-Qaeda planning 9/11-style ‘big explosion,’ US security chief warns”

Mail.com

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A judge on Wednesday halted the execution of a man known as the Houston area’s “Tourniquet Killer” so authorities can investigate an alleged scheme in which the inmate says a fellow death row prisoner asked him to confess to another killing.

Anthony Allen Shore was scheduled to be given a lethal injection Wednesday evening, but the judge withdrew the execution warrant at prosecutors’ request just hours before Shore was set to die. His death was rescheduled for Jan. 18.   Continue reading “Texas man’s execution halted amid alleged confession scheme”

Fox News – by Todd Starnes

Back in 1925, the American Legion erected a memorial in Bladensburg, Md., to honor the memory of 49 men who perished during World War I.

The 40-foot tall memorial became known as the “Peace Cross.”

In 2014, the American Humanist Association — a group that believes in “being good without a god” — filed a lawsuit alleging the cross-shaped memorial is unconstitutional and demanding it be demolished, altered, or removed.    Continue reading “Federal court rules World War I memorial cross must be torn down”