NBC News obtained the classified memo that says President Barack Obama can order the killing of American citizens if they are believed to be “senior operational leaders” of al-Qaeda or “an associated force.” The clearance to assassinate does not require any intel showing the targets have actively plotted to attack the U.S. The memo has formed part of the legal basis for the administration’s expanded drone campaign against al-Qaeda figures in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere.   read more

The new WiFi networks would reportedly be more powerful than existing wireless networks found in most households. “They could penetrate thick concrete walls and travel over hills and around trees. If all goes as planned, free access to the Web would be available in just about every metropolitan area and in many rural areas,” according to Cecilia Kang of The Washington Post.   read more

Three Federal Home Loan Banks and Triaxx, an investment vehicle that bought mortgage securities, have filed court documents claiming the deal, among other things, has shortchanged thousands of investors. The bank also failed to purchase bad mortgages in full once it had lowered the payments and principal on the loan—which is reportedly a violation of its agreements with investors who bought the securities that held the mortgages.   read more

Under heavy pressure from the National Rifle Association (NRA) in 2005, Congress passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which makes licensed manufacturers, distributors, and dealers of firearms immune in state and federal court from civil liability in most negligence and product liability actions. The NRA then launched a “corporate partnership” drive targeting weapons makers that has raked in between $14.7 million and $38.9 million.   read more

Halfway through his presidency, the U.S. is more than halfway toward achieving Barack Obama’s goal, announced at the Copenhagen climate summit in 2009, of cutting carbon emissions that cause global warming by 17% from 2005 levels by 2020, according to a report released last week. America’s greenhouse gas emissions have already fallen 10.7% from the 2005 baseline.   read more

The percentage of those viewing the government as a threat represents a six-point increase from nearly three years ago, when 47% said they felt that way, and a 23% jump from November 2001, when Americans rallied around their government following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Conservative Republicans are the largest group who distrust Washington, with 76% expressing fear for their personal freedoms. A majority (54%) described the government as a “major” threat.   read more

This week, BP agreed to 11 counts of manslaughter for the workers killed during the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, when the Deepwater Horizon oilrig blew up. But no one from the oil giant will serve time for the convictions. Instead, BP will pay a $4 billion fine, which is equivalent to what the company made in revenue every four days last year. Also, BP will have five years to pay the fine. This news left some family members of those killed on the rig feeling bitter.   read more

Cowan, who is African-American, becomes the second black member currently in the Senate, joining Republican Tim Scott of South Carolina. This marks the first time in the upper chamber’s 223-year history that two African-Americans have served simultaneously. If African-Americans were represented in the Senate relative to their proportion of the national population, there would be at least 13 Black senators.   read more

The judge, Army Colonel James Pohl, did not authorize the blackout and said it never should have happened, particularly during what had been an unclassified discussion. As the feed resumed, he remarked that it seemed as “if some external body is turning the commission off.” One of the defense attorneys then asked, “Who is controlling these proceedings?” Pohl would only say that the subject was forbidden for discussion in open court.   read more

The new cyber warriors will go to work under one of three types of missions: “national mission forces” will work to protect computer systems that support electrical grids, power plants and other key infrastructure for the nation’s economic and political security; “combat mission forces” will help military field commanders plan and execute attacks or other offensive operations overseas; and “cyber protection forces” will protect the Defense Department’s computer networks.   read more

Lawmakers in six states have adopted so-called “Ag-Gag” laws that make it a crime to take videos or still photos on industrial farms that reveal illegal or unethical practices towards livestock. The legislation adopted in North Dakota, Montana, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Utah was suggested by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a conservative organization known for promoting corporate agendas.   read more

In the 1970s, however, the Senate changed its rules in ways that had the unintended consequence of fueling an increase in filibusters by no longer requiring senators to physically hold the floor via marathon speeches (also called a silent filibuster). Liberal and progressive critics were disappointed, especially with the retention of the silent filibuster. Senator Bernie Sanders said,"Most Americans grew up believing that in America the majority rules. That is not the case in the Senate.”   read more

The Constitution uses the phrase “the Recess,” only twice, neither time defining it or distinguishing it from “a recess” or from adjournments. Nearly all of the 659 recess appointments made by the five most recent presidents would be invalid under the new ruling, and any government actions that relied on such appointments could be voided.   read more

The investigation was launched after the inspector general (IG) learned that former USAID general counsel Lisa Gomer had helped former chief financial officer David Ostermeyer develop a contract for a “senior government-to-government assistance adviser” that would go to Ostermeyer after he retired. The bidding was later cancelled. The IG’s office was told by Deputy Administrator Donald Steinberg, USAID’s No. 2 official, that the investigation was “inappropriate.”   read more

A lawsuit was filed against a Catholic hospital in Colorado for wrongful death after staff made no attempt to save a set of unborn twins before the mother died. In a turnabout, lawyers for the Catholic hospital argued that the Colorado Wrongful Death Act did not apply to unborn fetuses because they are not persons.   read more

In order to meet the requirements to join the European Union, the Greek government needed to mask the true level of its national debt. In 2001 Goldman Sachs stepped in and provided a secret loan using a fictitious historical exchange rate to convert dollars and yen to Euros. The deal instantly went bad—for Greece, but not for Goldman—leaving the nation owing more money than the loan itself.   read more