NATO scrambles fighter jets after Russian military planes spotted over Baltic Sea

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FILE - In this Friday, May 9, 2014 file photo Russian bombers Tu-22M3 fly in formation during a Victory Day Parade in Moscow commemorating the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)

STOCKHOLM The Swedish Air Force and NATO jets on Tuesday tracked four Russian combat aircraft flying with their transponders turned off over the Baltic Sea, officials said.

The Russian planes two long-range, nuclear-capable Tu-22M3 bombers and two Sukhoi Su-27 fighters were flying in international airspace, according to Sweden's Armed Forces and alliance sources.

NATO said it scrambled Danish jets and Italian jets based in Lithuania early Tuesday to identify the Russian aircraft which it said were heading to the Russian Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad.

"The Russian military aircraft did not use their onboard transponder; they were not in contact with civilian Air Traffic Control and they were not on a pre-filed flight plan," a NATO military officer said on condition he not be identified by name in keeping with alliance practice.

Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said it was "unacceptable" for the Russian planes to be flying with shut-off transponders that are necessary for identifying aircraft on radar, calling it violation of international aviation rules.

"This has happened now on a number of occasions and in a very challenging way," Wallstrom told reporters in Stockholm. "We are tired of always having to protest against this kind of ... breach of rules."

NATO and Sweden, which is not a member of the alliance, have reported an increase in Russian air maneuvers over the Baltic Sea in recent years.

Tuesday's sighting comes as Finnish and Swedish military aircraft are preparing to train with U.S. fighters over the Baltic Sea, and American and NATO forces continue military exercises in the Baltic countries.

The Swedish military said the threat against Sweden had not grown but that the armed forces were watching the "increased activity" in the region.

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NATO scrambles fighter jets after Russian military planes spotted over Baltic Sea

NATO scrambles jets after Russian bombers spotted over Baltic Sea

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Russian Tu-22M3 bombers fly in formation during a Victory Day Parade, which commemorates the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 9, 2014. AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

STOCKHOLM -- The Swedish Air Force and NATO jets on Tuesday tracked four Russian combat aircraft flying with their transponders turned off over the Baltic Sea, officials said.

The Russian planes - two long-range, nuclear-capable Tu-22M3 bombers and two Sukhoi Su-27 fighters - were flying in international airspace, according to Sweden's Armed Forces and alliance sources.

NATO said it scrambled Danish jets and Italian jets based in Lithuania early Tuesday to identify the Russian aircraft which it said were heading to the Russian Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad.

"The Russian military aircraft did not use their onboard transponder; they were not in contact with civilian Air Traffic Control and they were not on a pre-filed flight plan," a NATO military officer said on condition he not be identified by name in keeping with alliance practice.

Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said it was "unacceptable" for the Russian planes to be flying with shut-off transponders that are necessary for identifying aircraft on radar, calling it violation of international aviation rules.

"This has happened now on a number of occasions and in a very challenging way," Wallstrom told reporters in Stockholm. "We are tired of always having to protest against this kind of ... breach of rules."

NATO and Sweden, which is not a member of the alliance, have reported an increase in Russian air maneuvers over the Baltic Sea in recent years.

Tuesday's sighting comes as Finnish and Swedish military aircraft are preparing to train with U.S. fighters over the Baltic Sea, and American and NATO forces continue military exercises in the Baltic countries.

The Swedish military said the threat against Sweden had not grown but that the armed forces were watching the "increased activity" in the region.

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NATO scrambles jets after Russian bombers spotted over Baltic Sea

Mobile Cell Towers spy planes spy choppers spy drones NSA CIA HACKERS NWO – Video

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By: Frederick Wst Jr.

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Mobile Cell Towers spy planes spy choppers spy drones NSA CIA HACKERS NWO - Video

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Tech firms and privacy groups press for curbs on NSA surveillance powers

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The nations top technology firms and a coalition of privacy groups are urging Congress to place curbs on government surveillance in the face of a fast-approaching deadline for legislative action.

A set of key Patriot Act surveillance authorities expire on June 1, but the effective date is May 21 the last day before Congress breaks for a Memorial Day recess.

In a letter to be sent Wednesday to the Obama administration and senior lawmakers, the coalition vowed to oppose any legislation that, among other things, does not ban the bulk collection of Americans phone records and other data.

The status quo is untenable and ... it is urgent that Congress move forward with reform, said the letter, whose signatories include the Reform Government Surveillance industry coalition. Members of the group include Apple, Google, Microsoft and Twitter.

We know that there are some in Congress who think that they can get away with reauthorizing the expiring provisions of the Patriot Act without any reforms at all, said Kevin Bankston, policy director of New America Foundations Open Technology Institute, a privacy group that organized the effort. This letter draws a line in the sand that makes clear that the privacy community and the Internet industry do not intend to let that happen without a fight.

At issue is the bulk collection of Americans data by intelligence agencies such as the National Security Agency. The NSAs daily gathering of millions of records logging phone call times, lengths and other metadata stirred controversy when it was revealed in June 2013 by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

The records are placed in a database that can, with a judges permission, be searched for links to foreign terrorists. They do not include the content of conversations.

That program, placed under federal surveillance court oversight in 2006, was authorized by the court in secret under Section 215 of the Patriot Act one of the expiring provisions.

The public outcry that ensued after the program was disclosed forced President Obama in January 2014 to call for an end to the NSAs storage of the data. He also appealed to Congress to find a way to preserve the agencys access to the data for counterterrorism information.

But in recent months, the political opposition to limiting surveillance has gained strength in part because of growing concerns over the threat of terrorism. Those concerns were exacerbated by the rise of the Islamic State and the attacks that left 17 people dead in and around Paris in January.

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NSA authorisation to collect bulk phone data extended to June 1

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John Ribeiro | March 3, 2015

The FISC court granted the extension pending new legislation blocking bulk collection.

A U.S. secret court has extended until June 1 the controversial bulk collection of private phone records of Americans by the National Security Agency.

The government said it had asked for reauthorization of the program as reform legislation, called the USA Freedom Act, was stalled in Congress. The bill would require telecommunications companies rather than the NSA to hold the bulk data, besides placing restrictions on the search terms used to retrieve the records.

An added urgency for Congress to act comes from the upcoming expiry on June 1 of the relevant part of the Patriot Act that provides the legal framework for the bulk data collections. Under a so-called "sunset" clause, the provision will lapse unless it is reauthorized in some form or the other by legislation.

Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which relates to business records, was used by the government to vacuum telephone metadata from customers of Verizon, according to revelations in 2013 by former NSA contractor, Edward Snowden. The section comes bundled with "gag orders" that prohibit service providers from making such information demands public.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court had previously extended in December the authorization for the program by 90 days after the USA Freedom Act, backed by the administration of President Barack Obama, failed to pass in the Senate. A version of the bill had passed the House of Representatives.

The government has now sought renewal of the current program up to June 1 in order to align its expiry date with the sunset on the same day of Section 215 of the Patriot Act, according to a joint statement by the Department of Justice and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Friday.

In March last year, as part of his reform program for the NSA, Obama had proposed that the data should remain with the telephone companies, and government would have access to that data only through individual court orders. The president, however, said there was need for new legislation to put these changes into effect.

With Section 215 and two other key rules set to lapse on June 1, Congress "has a limited window" before the sunset to enact new legislation "that would implement the President's proposed path forward for the telephony metadata program, while preserving key intelligence authorities," according to a statement by the White House press secretary.

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NSA authorisation to collect bulk phone data extended to June 1

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Arizona Senate committee approves firearms legislation

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Phoenix (AP) - Arizonas stand-your-ground and constitutional-carry laws already make the state a favorite for gun owners. On Tuesday, a Republican-dominated Senate committee passed firearms legislation to further broaden state residents Second Amendment rights.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill expanding gun owners rights to carry concealed weapons in public places and another creating an interstate compact to regulate the transfer of firearms. Both proposals passed on a 5-3 vote and now move to the Senate.

House Bill 2320 by Rep. Brenda Barton, R-Payson, would allow holders of concealed-carry permit to take their weapons into public buildings such as libraries. The bill says that if public institutions do not want to allow conceal-carry holders to come in with their guns, they must establish security guards and metal detectors at their facilities. The bill exempts some buildings, including those with liquor licenses, hospitals and schools.

The whole point of putting this legislation forward is to honor the people who have a CCW permit, Barton said. Its important that we honor that, and allow them to carry their desired weapon, concealed for self-defense.

Advocates from the Salt River Project, the Arizona State Retirement System and the state Supreme Court lobbied for exceptions for their public buildings. But Sen. Don Shooter, R-Yuma, who chairs the committee, refused to offer amendments in committee.

Instead, Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, who supports the bill, said Republicans will offer floor amendment to prohibit concealed carriers from bringing weapons into public buildings where it is forbidden by federal law.

Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, said cities and counties shouldnt have to pay for security so that concealed carriers can keep their guns in public buildings. This bill puts a literal gun to the heads of public bodies and says if you really want to keep your public buildings free from weapons youre going to have to pay for it, Farley said.

Maricopa County found that if it prohibited firearms from all 378 county buildings that dont have security, it would cost $47 million in ongoing costs and $9 million in setup costs, according to legislative analysts.

Brewer vetoed similar legislation three times in four years. In 2014, Brewer cited concerns about the fiscal impact on state and local governments. She called the bill an unnecessary diversion of limited resources.

More than 230,000 Arizona residents have concealed-carry permits, according to a Department of Public Safety report from March.

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Arizona Senate committee approves firearms legislation

US Border Patrol & Tribal Police revoke First Amendment – No Filming from Public Highway, Starlight – Video

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US Border Patrol Tribal Police revoke First Amendment - No Filming from Public Highway, Starlight
U.S. Border Patrol Tribal Police revoke First Amendment - No Filming from Public Highway, Starlight Starbright, Criminal Trespass Citation, 9 November 2014, Santa Rosa, Arizona, Tohono O #39;odham...

By: Robert Trudell

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US Border Patrol & Tribal Police revoke First Amendment - No Filming from Public Highway, Starlight - Video

Students Ordered to Remove Flag Shirts Ask High Court to Hear Their Case

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As Supreme Court justices wrestle with a free speech case over specialty-license plates, another high-profile First Amendment dispute may soon reach the court.

On Friday, the justices are scheduled to discuss in private whether to review a ruling against a group of white public high school students from California who sued their school for ordering them to remove their American flag shirts on a day when many other classmates were celebrating their Mexican heritage.

Lawyers for the students are asking the Supreme Court to reverse a ruling last year by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that the school didnt infringe on anyones constitutional rights.

As Law Blog recounted earlier, the suit was brought by three white students who attended Live Oak High School in northern California. On Cinco de Mayo in 2010, they showed up in t-shirts adorned in stars and stripes, outraging Mexican students who perceived the attire as a racist attack, court documents say.

Alerted to a potential fight brewing, an assistant principal asked the students to turn their shirts inside out or take them off. Several students refused to comply with the order and two of them had to go home for the day with excused absences. The next day, according to the Ninth Circuits opinion, those two students received numerous threats from other students and missed school another day out of fear for their safety.

School officials anticipated violence or substantial disruption of or material interference with school activities, and their response was tailored to the circumstances, Ninth Circuit Judge M. Margaret McKeown wrote in last years opinion, which noted that Live Oak had a history of violence among students, some gang-related and some drawn along racial lines.

The students are represented by the American Freedom Law Center, a conservative public interest law firm co-founded by lawyer Robert J. Muise.

[T]here is never a legitimate basis for banning the display of an American flag on an American public school campus, wrote Mr. Muise in a December petition to the high court. And by incentivizing and rewarding violence as a legitimate response to unpopular speech, the Ninth Circuits decision is contrary to our foundational First Amendment principles and provides a dangerous lesson in civics to our public school students.

Attorneys for the school and its district argue that whats at stake isnt the First Amendment but the ability of school officials to protect their students and curb disruptions. In an opposition brief, they invoked some of Americas bloodiest episodes of school violence:

School officials on the scene had ample reason to believe violence and disruption were about to happen. School officials across the Nation act against a backdrop of the need to prevent another Santee, Columbine, Littleton, or any of the hundreds of school shootings that have happened since Tinker was decided. This is a case about school actions to protect students, which had the incidental effect of regulating the dress of two students on one afternoon. Not the expression of any particular opinion, nor regulation of any expression at any other time.

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Students Ordered to Remove Flag Shirts Ask High Court to Hear Their Case

Ziftr Launches ziftrPAY, a Cryptocurrency Payment Platform and Customer Loyalty Program

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Boston, MA (PRWEB) March 24, 2015

New Hampshire-based e-commerce company Ziftr today announced the launch of ziftrPAY, a one-stop cryptocurrency/credit card payment platform and customer loyalty program.

The benefits of ziftrPAY include the following:

As part of ziftrPAYs customer loyalty program, all merchants will receive free ziftrCOIN digital coupons to give to their shoppers to incentivize them to use cryptocurrency, a low-cost, low-risk alternative to credit cards. When spent within Ziftrs network of ziftrPAY merchants, each ziftrCOIN will have a minimum redemption value of $1.

ziftrPAY is more than just a payment platform, its also a customer loyalty program, said Bob Wilkins, CEO of Ziftr. The Ziftr team has been developing e-commerce products for over six years now, so we have a solid understanding of what merchants want and need. We know they need ways to incentivize customers and establish brand loyalty, and the ziftrCOIN digital coupons are there to help them do just that.

Along with the launch of the ziftrPAY website, Ziftr is working to onboard the first group of ziftrPAY merchants, with the goal of reaching a critical mass of ziftrPAY merchants in time for Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2015.

Ziftrs ultimate goal is to bring cryptocurrency into the mainstream by making it easy for consumers to spend and easy for merchants to accept. ziftrPAY is one component of this strategy, along with ziftrCOIN, ziftrWALLET, and ziftrSHOP.

Merchants that are interested in learning more about ziftrPAY can visit http://www.ziftrPAY.com for more information.

About Ziftr

Established in 2008 and based in Milford, New Hampshire, Ziftr is revolutionizing the online shopping experience by bringing cryptocurrency into the mainstream for both consumers and merchants. To accomplish this goal, Ziftr has developed the following tools and applications: ziftrCOIN, a digital coin that functions like a coupon; ziftrPAY, a one-stop cryptocurrency/credit card payment platform and customer loyalty program; ziftrWALLET, a multicoin digital wallet; and ziftrSHOP, a worldwide online marketplace where consumers will be able to conduct transactions using credit cards and cryptocurrency.

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Ziftr Launches ziftrPAY, a Cryptocurrency Payment Platform and Customer Loyalty Program

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