Common Dreams

After 20 Years Of NAFTA Poverty, Lawmakers Move To Fast-Track TPP

‘The Trans-Pacific Partnership would be an unmitigated disaster for everything from the environment to internet freedom and working families’

Common Dreams
By Common Dreams
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On the heals of NAFTA's "20 years of regret" anniversary, U.S. lawmakers are aggressively pushing legislation to fast-track what has been called NAFTA on steroids: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Large sign hanging from the top of Office of US Trade Representative (Photo: Coolrevolution.net / Anne Meador) Three powerful lawmakers —House

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NSA Intercepting Laptops Bought Online To Install Spy Malware

The NSA’s TAO hacking unit is considered to be the intelligence agency’s top secret weapon.

Common Dreams
By Common Dreams

Germany's Der Spiegel is reporting Sunday that the US National Security Agency (NSA), working with the CIA and FBI, has been intercepting laptops and other electronics bought online before delivery to install malware and other spying tools. According to Der Spiegel, the NSA diverts shipping deliveries to its own "secret workshops" to install the

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Greenwald Responds To Accusations Over Snowden

MSNBC host asks journalist if he has ‘crossed the line’ with Snowden, NSA coverage.

Common Dreams
By Common Dreams

“Ludicrous.” This is the best word to describe accusations that former Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald is merely a "spokesman for Edward Snowden," so says the embattled journalist who has taken heat from corporate media and political commentators around the world for working with the NSA whistleblower to expose the vast dragnet surveillance

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Russia Formally Drops All Charges Against ‘Arctic 30’

Until the drilling stops, the Greenpeace campaign will continue.

Common Dreams
By Common Dreams

Russia formally dropped all charges Wednesday against 29 of the 30 Greenpeace 'Arctic 30' activists who were arrested protesting against Russian Arctic oil drilling. Because there was a Christmas day problem finding an Italian translator for the final member of the group, charges won't be officially dropped for him until Thursday. The cases

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Israel Fumes As World Powers Make ‘Historic’ Deal With Iran

Netanyahu claims Israel’s ‘right and the duty to defend itself by itself’ while Iran, world leaders celebrate step towards peace.

Common Dreams
By Common Dreams

  In what is being hailed as a groundbreaking and historic step, Iran and six world powers including the U.S. agreed to a nuclear deal Saturday that will see a portion of crippling sanctions lifted off of Iran in exchange for a reduction of uranium enrichment in the country's energy program. As Reuters reports, the long sought

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As Talks Predictably Fumble, Israel Announces New Border Fences And Settlements

Low expectations follow Secretary of State Kerry as he travels throughout Middle East region.

Common Dreams
By Common Dreams

Ahead of an upcoming visit by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Israel has announced plans to build even more settlement buildings in the Occupied Territories of the West Bank and a new barrier fence along the Jordanian border. Kerry is in the region visiting leaders in Egypt on Sunday and Saudi Arabia on Monday before heading to Jerusalem later

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NSA Critics Hopeful As ‘True Reform Bill’ Introduced To House And Senate

The bipartisan USA FREEDOM ACT takes aim at bulk phone data collection and international spying.

Common Dreams
By Common Dreams
In this June 28, 2010, file photo, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., gestures on Capitol Hill in Washington. Sen. Leahy on April 25, 2013, won passage in the Senate Judiciary Committee of a bill requiring the authorities get a warrant to read your e-mail and cloud-stored data. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

A bill introduced to both the Senate and the House on Tuesday aimed at curbing NSA spying powers was greeted with more hope than skepticism by a spectrum of critics eager for a meaningful overhaul of the secret surveillance dragnet. Penned by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr.

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