Domestic Glance
The long-simmering battle over teaching evolution in Texas boiled over at a late-night meeting, as the Board of Education extended preliminary approval of new science books for use in classrooms across the state but held up one biology text because of alleged factual errors.
With midnight looming, some of the state education board members singled out a textbook by Pearson Education, one of America's largest publishers, on Thursday. Many of the 20 concerns pertained to the theory of evolution. After a lengthy debate that got testy at times, the board voted to have three of its members pick a trio of outside experts to further scrutinize the book.
Unable To Agree On Evolution, Texas Textbook Battle Rages On
Most of NSA’s data collection authorized by order Ronald Reagan issued
The National Security Agency’s collection of information on Americans’ cellphone and Internet usage reaches far beyond the two programs that have received public attention in recent months, to a presidential order that is older than the Internet itself.
Approved by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, Executive Order 12333 (referred to as “twelve-triple-three”) still governs most of what the NSA does. It is a sweeping mandate that outlines the duties and foreign intelligence collection for the nation’s 17 intelligence agencies. It is not governed by Congress, and critics say it has little privacy protection and many loopholes. What changes have been made to it have come through guidelines set by the attorney general or other documents.
Illinois Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage, Legal Battles Loom in 10 More States
In the latest of nationally sweeping pro-LGBTQ legislation, Illinois governor Pat Quinn signed marriage equality into law today at University of Illinois-Chicago, making his state the 16th to legalize same-sex marriage.
“Marriage equality is coming to Illinois,” Quinn said in a Nov. 7 press release. “I look forward to signing this landmark legislation on November 20 and celebrating a big step forward with the people of Illinois.”
Texas Abortion Restrictions Allowed by U.S. Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court let Texas enforce a law requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a local hospital, a measure that prompted at least a dozen clinics to close.
Voting 5-4 to reject calls from abortion clinics, the justices left intact a federal appeals court decision that said the law could go into effect during a legal fight over its constitutionality.
Big retailer is watching you: stores seek to match online savvy
The next time you walk into a shop, consider this:
You may not be using your phone, but it is giving out a unique signal that the retailer may be monitoring. A face scanner may check your age and gender while sensors pick up your body heat to help locate popular parts of the store.
Consumers have become used to players like Amazon closely following their shopping habits online, triggering targeted product recommendations, advertising and offers.
Report: CIA collecting international money transfer data
The CIA is getting international money transfers data under the laws the National Security Council uses to collect Americans' phone records, officials said.
The spy agency's financial records program, which past and current officials said was authorized under the Patriot Act and overseen by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, does not include solely domestic transfers or interbank transactions, The New York Times reported Friday.
Hawaii Senate passes gay marriage bill
The state Senate passed a bill Tuesday legalizing gay marriage, putting Hawaii a signature away from becoming a same-sex wedding destination.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who called lawmakers to a special session for the bill and has vocally supported gay marriage, has said he would sign the measure. It will allow thousands of gay couples living in Hawaii and even more tourists to marry in the state starting Dec. 2.
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