By Steve Rhodes
I’m working on a lot of different posts right now so Papers today or not, be patient. Resources are stretched thin here at Beachwood HQ.
Meanwhile:
* Beachwood Photo Booth: Window Shade.
* The Cub Factor: Rotten To The Core.
* The Weekend In Chicago Rock: Wavefront vs. Marilyn Manson.
* The White Sox Report: Waiting For Zapata.
* SportsMonday: Cubs On A Relative Roll.
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The Weekend Desk Report
“In more than a dozen classified rulings, the nation’s surveillance court has created a secret body of law giving the National Security Agency the power to amass vast collections of data on Americans while pursuing not only terrorism suspects, but also people possibly involved in nuclear proliferation, espionage and cyberattacks, officials say,” the New York Times reports.
“The rulings, some nearly 100 pages long, reveal that the court has taken on a much more expansive role by regularly assessing broad constitutional questions and establishing important judicial precedents, with almost no public scrutiny, according to current and former officials familiar with the court’s classified decisions.
“The 11-member Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, known as the FISA court, was once mostly focused on approving case-by-case wiretapping orders. But since major changes in legislation and greater judicial oversight of intelligence operations were instituted six years ago, it has quietly become almost a parallel Supreme Court, serving as the ultimate arbiter on surveillance issues and delivering opinions that will most likely shape intelligence practices for years to come, the officials said.”
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We all have Edward Snowden to thanks for spurring reporting like this. And this. And this.
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Europe owes Snowden a debt, too; and yet they reject him.
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“Attempts by the US to close down intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden’s asylum options are strengthening his case to seek a safe harbour outside of Russia, legal experts claim,” the Guardian reports.
“Snowden, who is believed to be in the transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, has received provisional offers of asylum from Nicaragua and Venezuela, and last night Bolivia also offered him sanctuary. He has applied to at least six other countries, says the Wikileaks organization providing legal support.
“Michael Bochenek, director of law and policy at Amnesty International, said the American government’s actions were bolstering Snowden’s case. He said claims that the US had sought to reroute the plane of Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales, amid reports that the fugitive former analyst for the National Security Agency was on board, and suggestions that vice-president Joe Biden had phoned the Ecuadorean leader, Rafael Correa, to block asylum for Snowden, carried serious implications.
“‘Interfering with the right to seek asylum is a serious problem in international law,’ Bochenek said. ‘It is further evidence that he [Snowden] has a well-founded fear of persecution. This will be relevant to any state when considering an application. International law says that somebody who fears persecution should not be returned to that country.'”
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See also: NSA Recruitment Drive Goes Horribly Wrong.
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The Weekend Desk Tip Line: You only live twice.
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The Sound Opinions Weekend Listening Report: “Danish electro-pop act Indians is live in the Sound Opinions studio. Plus, Black Sabbath are back. Jim and Greg review the nineteenth studio album from the original masters of darkness.”
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The CAN TV Weekend Viewing Report: CAN TV brings you local, relevant issues from Chicago’s neighborhoods and communities. See what’s happening around the city in education, the arts, government, cultural events, social services and community activities.
Aerial Dance Chicago’s Gravity
Catch the performance of Aerial Dance Chicago’s newest work from the best seats in your house.
Sunday at 9 a.m. on CAN TV21.
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Human Rights Awards
The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression’s 40th Annual Human Rights Awards acknowledge individuals who “have made outstanding contributions to the cause of justice and human rights.”
Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on CAN TV21.
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Heritage Matters: Women, Immigration & Culture
Immigrant women are more likely to become citizens or be employed, yet they also are more likely to live in poverty. The Chicago Cultural Alliance hosts a look at the origins of these differences and the experiences of immigrant women from different cultures.
Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on CAN TV21.
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Taste of Theatre: The Circle
Local playwright Tina Lifford previews her new play The Circle, sharing a scene from the work and its origins. In writing the play, Lifford drew from more than 100 interviews conducted with women about living positively despite life’s difficulties.
Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on CAN TV19.
Posted on July 8, 2013