The Daily Populous

Wednesday January 17th, 2018 night edition

image for 5 Senators Are Filibustering an Attempt to Expand Warrantless Surveillance of Americans

Update (1/17/2018, 2:25pm ET): The Senate broke the filibuster by a vote of 60-38 after just two-and-a-half hours of discussion Tuesday evening.

This limits the debate on the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act to a maximum of 30 hours.

According to Rand Paul's press liaison it is "highly likely" the vote will occur Wednesday night or sometime on Thursday.

On Tuesday afternoon, a bipartisan coalition of 3 Democrats and 2 Republicans committed to filibustering the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017, a bill that effectively expands the warrantless surveillance of American citizens.

This gives Congress about three months to reach a compromise on a new FISA reauthorization bill that will hopefully protect the electronic communications of Americans from warrantless surveillance.

This practice was voluntarily abandoned by the NSA in 2017 after it came under scrutiny by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

The FISA Amendment Reauthorization Act passed by the House and under consideration by the Senate removes legal barriers to this practice. »

Koreas to march under single 'united' flag in Olympic Games

Authored by bbc.co.uk

North and South Korea have agreed to march together under a single "unified Korea" flag at next month's Winter Olympics in the South.

They also agreed to field a joint women's ice hockey team in rare talks at the truce village of Panmunjom.

The two countries have also agreed to field a joint team for the sport of women's ice hockey. »

Brad Pitt says 'Interview with the Vampire' was a 'miserable' experience

Authored by nola.com

"Interview," of course," is the 1994 movie based on Rice's New Orleans-set literary phenomenon, in which the actor co-starred with Tom Cruise.

Or, for that matter, an entire Hollywood film crew setting up camp down in Vacherie or at Jackson Barracks.

It all starts with a comment from EW interviewer Jeff Giles, covering Pitt's career movie by movie, that the actor looks miserable in "Interview.". »

Denver considers allowing marijuana at a coffee shop, a first in the US

Authored by gazettenet.com

And tourists, who also are barred from using marijuana in rental cars or hotel rooms, face a buy-it, don’t-use-it paradox.

Denver officials last month accepted an application from a coffee shop that plans to allow social marijuana use — the first of its kind in the country.

In Massachusetts, the state’s Cannabis Control Commission approved a policy in December allowing for pot cafes — establishments where people can buy and use marijuana in public. »

North Korean 'Army of Beauties' Cheer Squad and Athletes Will Attend the Olympics Games, Pyongyang Promises

Authored by newsweek.com

Read more: Only one woman is taking part in the inter-Korean talks and she's the leader of Kim Jong Un's favorite band.

President Moon has long seen the Olympics as a way to re-establish dialogue with Pyongyang after relations cooled during his conservative predecessor’s government and North Korean missile and nuclear tests intensified.

The South Korean delegation led by unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon came prepared to discuss an agenda going beyond the participation in the games. »