NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ Apple Vs. FBI: Maybe Congress Can Solve This ProblemAs the battle between Apple and American law enforcement continues to escalate, both sides have called on Congress to settle the dispute… since Congress is known for its effective decision-making. The FBI plans to argue in a congressional testimony that legislators should pass a law “requiring tech companies to retain user keys for decrypting customer data.” While the Feds continue to grapple over access to the device, it appears that no plans are underway to legislate gun control, or the device actually involved in the San Bernardino shooting.
Well I’ll Be Damned: Vatican Applauds ‘Spotlight’After taking home the Oscar for Best Picture, “Spotlight” received praise from an unlikely source: the Vatican. The film, which is about The Boston Globe’s discovery of rampant sexual abuse by priests covered up by the city’s Catholic Archdiocese, has brought the conversation about sexual abuse and the clergy back into the fore. While the Catholic Church has been criticized in the past for avoiding the subject, a Vatican newspaper was eager to praise the film for giving a voice to the victims of sexual abuse. Lucetta Scaraffia argued, “It’s by now clear that in the Church too many were worried about the image of the institution and not the gravity of the act.”
Justice Thomas Speaks Up For First Time In 10 YearsWhen Justice Clarence Thomas spoke in court on Monday “for the first time in 10 years” he was met with literal gasps. His booming voice echoed through the halls of the courthouse, proving that his questions were more than just the stuff of legend. Now that Justice Scalia is no longer with us, Justice Thomas will need to do more speaking up on behalf of the conservative side of the bench. He began with a cool, “Mrs. Eisenstein, one question,” but then continued with a whole string of questions, lasting about 10 minutes. There really is no telling what he’ll say next, especially since, during the court’s second argument on Monday, he returned to saying nothing.
Keeping Our Eye On… - Ohio: Four students are injured after a 14-year-old allegedly opened fire in an Ohio school cafeteria. All four victims are expected to survive and the teenage shooter is in custody.
- Argentina: Latin America’s Greece reached an agreement with “vulture funds” after a 15-year battle that involved two defaults, the seizure of an Argentine ship in Ghana and a lot of name calling. Argentina needs to pay the funds back in “Green US Dollars.”
- Google: The tech giants admit to “some responsibility” for its self-driving car crashing into a municipal bus. While there hasn’t been an official determination of fault in the crash, this is the first major case involving autonomous cars and liability.
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