To the Point
NSA Spying Program Puts Secretive Court in the Spotlight
Intelligence leaks by Edward Snowden raised questions about privacy rights of Americans. Now the court that provides oversight says it lacks resources to do the job.
By Warren Olney • • 51m ListenMassive intelligence leaks by Edward Snowden raised questions about the privacy rights guaranteed by the Constitution to all Americans. Now the secret court that provides oversight says it lacks the resources to do the job. Are reforms required? Also, the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader is arrested in Egypt, and the Plutonium Mountain left behind after Cold War nuclear testing.
Banner image: General Keith Alexander, director of the National Security Agency (NSA), talks about NSA monitoring programs during the Black Hat USA 2013 hacker convention at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada July 31, 2013. Photo: Steve Marcus/Reuters
In this episode
3 storiesMuslim Brotherhood Spiritual Leader Arrested
As Egypt's deadly crackdown continues, the military has arrested the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. Former Vice President Mohammed ElBaradei now faces charges for resigning in protest. David Kirkpatrick is Cairo Bureau Chief for the New York Times .
Read the story8 minPersonal Privacy and National Security: Is There a Trade-off?
When Edward Snowden revealed the extent of electronic spying, President Obama assured Americans their privacy was being carefully guarded. But the chief judge of the secret court responsible now says it can't do the job , admitting that only the government knows who's being spied on and why.
Read the story36 minHunting Down Nuclear Waste Leads to a 'Plutonium Mountain'
Sixty years ago, the former Soviet Union started conducting nuclear tests in a remote area of Eastern Kazakhstan. Much of the plutonium residue never disappeared. When the Soviets pulled out it was left behind and went unprotected for years. Only in recent years has there been an effort to secure it.
Read the story8 min
