The Guardian reported yesterday that the NSA has been collecting Americans' e-mail information for over a decade. We'll talk about that program dubbed "Stellar Wind," the former Marine General who's being investigated for leaking information, the latest on Edward Snowden and more in our roundup of U.S. intelligence news. Then we'll discuss the rising interest rates for student loans and why the Senate has been dragging it's feet in coming up with a deal to help students. On Filmweek, our critics will review "White House Down," "The Heat," "I'm so Excited" and more.
Intelligence roundup: Stellar Wind, StuxNet leak, Edward Snowden and more
The National Security Agency collected Americans' email records -- account information and IP addresses -- for over a decade, the Guardian has reported. The collection did not include content of emails. Nicknamed Stellar Wind, the email-tracking program began after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 under President George W. Bush. The Obama Administration inherited the program and cancelled it in 2011.
"The Internet metadata collection program authorized by the FISA court was discontinued in 2011 for operational and resource reasons and has not been restarted,' Shawn Turner, director of communications for national intelligence, told the Guardian. "The program was discontinued by the executive branch as the result of an interagency review.”
NBC News reported yesterday that retired Marine General and former vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff James Cartwright is apparently being investigated for leaking information on the Stuxnet virus, which sabotaged Iran’s nuclear enrichment plants in 2010, to New York Times reporter David Sanger.
Also, the Washington Post is reporting that USIS, the outside firm in charge of conducting background checks for the government and which gave top-secret clearance to PRISM leaker Edward Snowden, hasn’t been as thorough as it claimed it has been. A federal watchdog is going to recommend that the company be fired if it doesn’t shape up.
Guests:
Kim Zetter, senior reporter at Wired covering cybercrime, privacy, security and civil liberties
Gordon Lubold, national security reporter at Foreign Policy magazine.
Congress in no rush to pass student loan relief
On Monday, July 1st, interest rates on federally subsidized Stafford student loans are scheduled to double from 3.4% to 6.8%. Senate leaders tried to strike a deal that would mitigate the costs to students, but they broke for a weeklong recess without making a deal and so for now the interest rate is set to go up. The Senate will have an opportunity to pass a deal retroactively, but there’s still no consensus on the best way to move forward.
Senators have yet to decide whether to establish a specific number that would put some of the debt burden on taxpayers, or perhaps to tether the interest rate to treasury notes and allow them to rise and fall with market forces. Another option, considered most likely by some Senators, is to freeze the current interest rates and revisit the issue in the next year.
What’s been the thorn that’s kept the Senate from coming up with a plan? What would be the impact of tying the interest rate to the treasury? What if the interest rates do indeed double? What would be the impact on current and future students? Will this lead to a major shift in the amount of people that opt for college?
Guest:
Mark Kantrowiz, Student loan expert and publisher of FinAid.org
Filmweek: White House Down, The Heat, Byzantium and more
Larry and KPCC critics Claudia Puig and Henry Sheehan review this week’s releases, including White House Down, The Heat, Byzantium and more. TGI-Filmweek!
White House Down
The Heat
Byzantium
I’m So Excited
Plus, have you ever needed to go to the bathroom during a movie? A new app, RunPee, suggests “PeeTimes” so you won’t miss the best plot points when the going gets tough.
Guests:
Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and criticsagogo.com
Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA Today