Network Archives

Former Mexico president calls for marijuana legalization

"Ex-president Vicente Fox says Mexico should legalize marijuana to steal business back from violent drug cartels — and when it’s legal, he’s in (as a grower). 'Once it is legitimate and legal, of course, I do some farming. I can do it myself,' the conservative former leader said from his ranch in San Francisco del Rincon. Fox, a former Coca-Cola executive who was president from 2000-2006, surprised many when he was among early voices in Mexico calling for illegal drugs to be legalized, seeing it as the only way to break the cycle of violent crime. 'Mexico should become an authorized producer, and export marijuana to places where it is already legal,' argued Fox." Continue reading →

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New York ‘soccer mom’ accused of $3 million marijuana operation

"Andrea Sanderlin was described by friends and neighbours in the upmarket town of Scarsdale as a 'soccer mom' who drove a Mercedes SUV and competed in horse riding competitions. But the federal drug enforcement agency alleges that the 45-year-old was in charge of a 'sophisticated operation to grow and process marijuana', according to the criminal complaint. Investigators linked Sanderlin, who has two daughters aged 3 and 13, to a warehouse that was using 'an unusually high amount of electricity'. In a separate raid on her Scarsdale home authorities found books on how to grow marijuana and how to launder money, according to the DEA." Continue reading →

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What telephone metadata can tell the authorities about you

"The phone number of every caller and recipient; the unique serial number of the phones involved; the time and duration of each phone call; and potentially the location of each of the participants when the call happened. All of this information is being collected on millions of calls every day – every conversation taking place within the US, or between the US and a foreign country. The government has long argued that this information isn’t private or personal. It is, they say, the equivalent of looking at the envelope of a letter. Because it’s not personal information, but rather 'transactional' or 'business' data, there’s no need to show probable cause to collect it." Continue reading →

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NSA is collecting phone records of millions of Verizon customers under secret court order

"The U.S. National Security Agency is collecting telephone records of millions of Verizon Communications customers, according to a secret court order obtained and published by the Guardian newspaper’s website. The order marked 'Top Secret' and issued by the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court directs Verizon’s Business Network Services Inc and Verizon Business Services units to hand over electronic data including all calling records on an 'ongoing, daily basis' until the order expires. Signed at the request of the FBI, the order covers each phone number dialed by all customers and location and routing data, along with the duration and frequency of the calls." Continue reading →

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Iowa City Council Votes To Ban Traffic Cameras And Drones

"Rather than allow residents of Iowa City, Iowa to decide whether to impose a permanent ban on red light cameras, speed cameras and drones, the city council unanimously decided Tuesday to directly adopt the proposed initiative with some modification. This marks the first time that a city council with a strong pro-camera majority has repealed an automated ticketing ordinance in response to a public petition. The ordinance states no drone, red light camera, speed camera or license plate recognition system can be used in the city without a police officer operating the device personally handing the traffic citation to, or arresting, the alleged offender." Continue reading →

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Turkey’s Garanti Bank losing customers in anti-government protest

"Tens of thousands of people have staged protests in cities across Turkey and many have complained that domestic broadcasters and newspapers are not adequately covering their action out of fear of government reprisals. Dogus Holding, which owns a major stake in Garanti, also controls the NTV television station, which has angered the protesters with its coverage. 'Some customers have cancelled their cards and accounts, but it has been limited,' Chief Executive Ergun Ozen told Reuters. He said 35-40 million lira in funds had been withdrawn in the past week, from total accounts of 95 billion, while around 1,500 of Garanti's 8.5 million credit cards had been cancelled." Continue reading →

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Costa Rica Probes Liberty Reserve Founder Marriage

"The man who allegedly founded currency transfer firm Liberty Reserve may have paid a Costa Rican woman to marry him so he could get citizenship in this country, which lacks an extradition treaty with the United States, authorities said Wednesday. Deputy director of judicial investigations Gustavo Vega said officials were still investigating the 2010 marriage between millionaire Arthur Budovsky and a woman who local media identified only by her last names of Valerio Vargas." Continue reading →

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