1. U.S. looks at ways to prevent spying on its spying
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government is looking at ways to prevent anyone from spying on its own surveillance of Americans’ phone records.
As the Obama administration considers shifting the collection of those records from the National Security Agency to requiring that they be stored at phone companies or elsewhere, it’s quietly funding research to prevent phone company employees or eavesdroppers from seeing who the U.S. is spying on, The Associated Press has learned.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has paid at least five research teams across the country to develop a system for high-volume, encrypted searches of electronic records kept outside the government’s possession. The project is among several ideas that would allow the government to no longer store Americans’ phone records but still search them as needed.
Under the research, U.S. data mining would be shielded by secret coding that could conceal identifying details from outsiders and even the owners of the targeted databases, according to public documents obtained by the AP and AP interviews with researchers, corporate executives and government officials.
2. Farm bill deal would cut food stamps by 1 percent
WASHINGTON (AP) — A House plan to make major cuts to food stamps would be scaled back under a bipartisan agreement on a massive farm bill, a near end to a more than two-year fight that has threatened to hurt rural lawmakers in an election year.
The measure announced by the House and Senate Agriculture committees preserves food stamp benefits for most Americans who receive them and continues generous subsidies for farmers. The House could vote on the bill as soon as Wednesday.
The compromise was expected to cut food stamps by about $800 million a year, which is around 1 percent. The House in September passed legislation cutting 5 percent from the $80 billion-a-year program.
The Democratic-controlled Senate had passed a bill with $400 million in annual food stamp cuts.
3. Egyptian military backs army chief for president
CAIRO (AP) — Army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who led the coup ousting Egypt’s Islamist president, moved closer to declaring his candidacy to replace him, securing the military’s backing
Monday for a presidential run, due by the end of April.
Though he’s riding on a wave of nationalist fervor touting him as the nation’s savior to bring stability, his candidacy is certain to enflame a violent backlash from Islamists.
A run by the 59-year-old el-Sissi, a U.S.-trained infantry officer, would be a new twist in Egypt’s tumultuous transition, which began with 2011 revolt against autocratic President Hosni Mubarak — a veteran of the military who ruled for nearly 30 years — in the name of bringing civilian rule, reform and greater democracy.
The elections that followed were the country’s first democratic vote and brought the Islamists to power, installing Muslim Brotherhood figure Mohammed Morsi as president, only for a large portion of the population to turn against them, accusing the Brotherhood of trying to monopolize power. Massive protests prompted el-Sissi to depose Morsi on July 3.
4. Attacks by extremists kill about 75 Nigerians
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Suspected Islamic extremists used explosives and heavy guns to attack a village in one state and a church in another in Nigeria’s northeast, killing about 75 people and razing hundreds of homes, officials and witnesses said Monday.
The attack on Kawuri village in Borno state, which killed 52 people, resulted in one of the highest death tolls in recent attacks by militants who are defying an 8-month old military state of emergency in three states in northern Nigeria designed to halt an Islamic uprising there.
The attackers set off several explosions in Kawuri after launching their assault near the village’s weekly market as vendors were packing up Sunday night, the security official said.
He said 52 people died and the entire village was burned down, including 300 homes. He also said two improvised explosive devices that were left behind went off Monday morning, narrowly missing security personnel who were collecting bodies in Kawuri. The official blamed suspected Boko Haram militants for the attack.
5. Marijuana contests join county fair in Colorado
DENVER (AP) — Pot at the county fair? Why not?
Colorado’s Denver County is adding cannabis-themed contests to its 2014 summer fair. It’s the first time pot plants will stand alongside tomato plants and homemade jam in competition for a blue ribbon.
There won’t actually be any marijuana at the fairgrounds. The judging will be done off-site, with photos showing the winning entries. And a live joint-rolling contest will be done with oregano, not pot.
But county fair organizers say the marijuana categories will add a fun twist on Denver’s already-quirky county fair, which includes a drag queen pageant and a contest for dioramas made with Peeps candies.
“We thought it was time for us to take that leap and represent one of the things Denver has going on,” said Tracy Weil, the fair’s marketing and creative director.
Read More
Over 3,000 Cardinals join the Ball State family of alumni following commencement
By Ella Howell / 14 hours agoThe Quad filled with approximately 3,000 graduating Cardinals and their loved ones the morning of May 4 in preparation for the 198th Ball State University Commencement.
Board of Trustees approves new Ball State Athletics Performance Center during May meeting
By Olivia Ground / YesterdayThe Board of Trustees met May 3, revealing plans for an upcoming renovation of the College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) building, plans for an upcoming sports performance training center, changes in the university core curriculum and many hiring and human resources developments being made in the upcoming months.
