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Great Barrier Reef Experiences Its Worst Coral Die-Off (Jeff C.)

High water temperatures, linked to climate change, is cited for causing the third and most severe coral bleaching event in the past 18 years.

Obama Leaving Trump with Broadened War Powers (Reader Pat)

Obama recently expanded the permanent War on Terror by using the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to go after al-Shabaab in Somalia and also greatly expanded the operational reach of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) around the globe.

US Judges Can Now Sign Global Hacking Warrants (Trevin)

The DoJ has defended the move, which is being described by legal experts as “the broadest expansion of extraterritorial surveillance power since the FBI’s inception.”

Wikileaks Latest Document Dump: ‘Year Zero’ – 1979 (Jeff C.)

This week, the site released more than half a million US diplomatic cables from 1979, covering various diplomatic events and incidents such as the Iranian revolution, the siege of Mecca, Saddam Hussein becoming president of Iraq and much more.

While Brazil Mourns… (Dan)

Lawmakers are working on an anti-anti corruption bill that, unsurprisingly, comes at a time when government leaders are under investigation for graft.

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