Former FBI agent revealed that every phone conversation a US citizen engages in is recorded. “We certainly have ways in national security investigations to find out exactly what was said in that [phone] conversation. It’s not necessarily something that the FBI is going to want to present in court”

Original post on cnn.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Former Wheatland hog farm employees convicted of animal abuse

Five former Wyoming Premium Farms employees were each placed on six months’ probation after they were convicted on multiple counts of cruelty to animals.   Original post on gazette.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Details Come Out On US Attorneys Withholding Evidence In Aaron Swartz Case

Last week, we wrote about Aaron Swartz’s girlfriend, Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman, releasing a statement accusing the DOJ of a variety of things that hadn’t really been covered before, including lying, seizing evidence without a warrant and…   Original post on techdirt.com    Comments on reddit.com   

BBC News – Microsoft fined by European Commission over web browser

The EU’s competition regulator fines Microsoft 561 million euros ($731m; £484m) after it failed to keep a promise that it would promote a choice of rival web browsers.   Original post on bbc.co.uk    Comments on reddit.com   

Vatican admits secretly bugging its own clergy

The Vatican admitted on Thursday that it had secretly bugged clergy within the Holy See as part of the investigation into the Vatileaks scandal, which resulted in the Pope’s butler being imprisoned for stealing confidential pontifical documents.   Original post on telegraph.co.uk    Comments on reddit.com   

Man’s death ruled a homicide

The Frederick News-Post is a Frederick, MD based newspaper that has been delivering local news, sports, classifieds, food, obituaries, entertainment, and community events to Frederick, MD for more than 100 years.   Original post on fredericknewspost.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Bruce Friedrich: Anti-Whistleblower (AgGag) Laws Threaten Human Health, the Environment and Animals

The industry’s response to years of evidence of egregious, and often criminal, animal cruelty and of diseased and adulterated meat entering the market is to attempt to outlaw undercover investigations.   Original post on huffingtonpost.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Insight – Poland’s investigation into secret CIA prisons loses steam

WARSAW (Reuters) – Lawyers for two men who say they were held illegally in a secret CIA jail on Polish territory argue that a landmark criminal investigation into the black site is being stalled because   Original post on reuters.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Prosecutor in Aaron Swartz ‘hacking’ case comes under fire – Politics and Law

Carmen Ortiz was being talked about last month as the next Massachusetts governor. Now she’s being investigated for threatening the late Aaron Swartz with decades in prison. Read this article by Declan McCullagh on CNET News.   Original post on cnet.com    Comments on reddit.com   

FBI’s Scientology investigation: Balancing the First Amendment with charges of abuse and forced labor

The untold story of two dogged FBI agents, witnesses on the lam, and the surrender of self inside the Church of Scientology. Editor’s note: This is Part 1 of a special report on an investigation by the FBI into the Church of Scientology. Read Part 2 and previous coverage at our special report page.   Original post on tampabay.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Another TSA Agent Accused of iPad Theft

A TSA agent was arrested this week and charged with stealing from passengers traveling through New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, adding to the long list of TSA officers accused of theft of passenger belongings. TSA baggage screener Sean Henry, 32, was arrested on Tuesday after a sting operation conducted jointly by the TSA and the Port Authority Police Department caught Henry leaving the airport with two iPads that had been planted as part of the sting, as well as numerous other electronics devices he had allegedly stolen from passengers.   Original post on abcnews.go.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Alleged shoplifter dies after being subdued by Walmart workers – www.ajc.com

The Black Friday shopping weekend apparently took a tragic turn early Sunday morning when an alleged shoplifter died while being apprehended by employees and a contract security officer outside a Lithonia Walmart.   Original post on ajc.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Ind. home explosion now homicide investigation

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Hundreds of people have turned out in Indianapolis for the funeral of a couple killed in a house explosion earlier this month. According to the Indianapolis Star, Monsignor Tony Volz told   Original post on usatoday.com    Comments on reddit.com   

FBI’s abuse of the surveillance state is the real scandal needing investigation – Glenn Greenwald – Comment is free

Glenn Greenwald: That the stars of America’s national security establishment are being devoured by out-of-control surveillance is a form of sweet justice   Original post on guardian.co.uk    Comments on reddit.com   

Banks that foreclosed on Georgians owe taxpayers millions – www.wsbtv.com

Lenders have taken over hundreds of thousands of north Georgia homes because the owners couldn’t pay, but a Channel 2 Action News investigation exposed some of those same banks have skipped out on millions of tax dollars owed to local counties.   Original post on tv.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Pirate Bay Founder Remains Locked Up Without Charges

Gottfrid Svartholm will be kept in detention for at least two more weeks on suspicion of hacking into a Swedish IT company connected to the country’s tax authorities. According to Prosecutor Henry Olin the extended detention is needed   Original post on torrentfreak.com    Comments on reddit.com