TV News LIES

The FBI monitored a prominent anti-war website for years, in part because agents mistakenly believed it had threatened to hack the bureau’s own site.

Internal documents show that the FBI’s monitoring of antiwar.com, a news and commentary website critical of US foreign policy, was sparked in significant measure by a judgment that it had threatened to “hack the FBI website” and involved a formal assessment of the “threat” the site posed to US national security.

A Florida woman whose controversial conviction and 20-year sentence for firing a warning shot at an abusive ex-husband were recently overturned must remain in jail for at least another week, a judge ruled on Thursday.

Marissa Alexander’s supporters had hoped the mother of three would be set free during her first court appearance since an appeals panel set aside the guilty verdict and prison term last month over the August 2010 shooting.

The Federal Aviation Administration Thursday loosened restrictions on use of tables, e-readers and other personal electronic devices on commercial planes.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said the government agency had determined airlines could safely lift restrictions on use of personal electronics throughout flights, but implementation will vary among airlines because of the various types of aircraft in their fleets and their operations.

Passengers soon will be able to use e-readers, play games and watch videos with few exceptions throughout flights.

Each year approximately 500 U.S. children die and 7,500 are injured and hospitalized from gunshot wounds, researchers say.

Lead study author Dr. Arin L. Madenci and colleagues reviewed statistics from the Kids' Inpatient Database from 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009 for a total of 36 million pediatric hospital admissions and estimated state household gun ownership using the most recent Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data.

During that period, hospitalizations from gunshot wounds increased from 4,270 to 7,730, and in-hospital deaths from 317 to 503.

The National Security Agency monitored the phone conversations of 35 world leaders after being given the numbers by an official in another US government department, according to a classified document provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The confidential memo reveals that the NSA encourages senior officials in its "customer" departments, such the White House, State and the Pentagon, to share their "Rolodexes" so the agency can add the phone numbers of leading foreign politicians to their surveillance systems.

The document notes that one unnamed US official handed over 200 numbers, including those of the 35 world leaders, none of whom is named. These were immediately "tasked" for monitoring by the NSA.

Millions of Americans will see their Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits cut ahead of the holiday season, as food stamp stimulus spending is set to expire October 31.

The fiscal stimulus legislation of 2009, followed by further rounds of stimulus, increased the SNAP benefits, first by $20 to $25 per month to spur economic recovery. According to the USDA, the average monthly benefit is about $275 per household, or about $1.40 per meal.