House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffDems unlikely to subpoena Bolton Trump tells Republicans he won’t extend surveillance law without FISA reforms Hillicon Valley: Democrats in talks to bridge surveillance divide | DHS confident in Super Tuesday election security | State pledges M cyber help to Ukraine | Facebook skipping SXSW amid coronavirus MORE (D-Calif.) says Democrats are making progress in their negotiations over the reauthorization of a key surveillance bill, stating Tuesday that they are working to include more privacy protections. 

Intraparty rifts have emerged in recent weeks as some progressive Democrats and libertarian Republicans push to include additional privacy protection amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), while others argue that a clean reauthorization bill has a better chance of making it through the Senate.

Schiff says he and his staff have been working the House Judiciary Committee as well as Reps. Zoe LofgrenZoe Ellen LofgrenTrump tells Republicans he won’t extend surveillance law without FISA reforms Hillicon Valley: Democrats in talks to bridge surveillance divide | DHS confident in Super Tuesday election security | State pledges M cyber help to Ukraine | Facebook skipping SXSW amid coronavirus Schiff says Democrats are negotiating to include more privacy protections in key surveillance bill MORE (Calif.) and Pramila JayapalPramila JayapalTrump tells Republicans he won’t extend surveillance law without FISA reforms Hillicon Valley: Democrats in talks to bridge surveillance divide | DHS confident in Super Tuesday election security | State pledges M cyber help to Ukraine | Facebook skipping SXSW amid coronavirus Schiff says Democrats are negotiating to include more privacy protections in key surveillance bill MORE (Wash.) — two Judiciary Democrats who have pushed for more protections — in an effort to get the bill passed by March 15. That’s the deadline to extend three expiring provisions of the USA Freedom Act that touch on roving wiretaps, lone wolf surveillance and a controversial program that allows the U.S. government to request access to phone metadata.

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“We’re trying to find as much common ground as we can,” Schiff told The Hill. “We are trying to incorporate even more privacy protections in the hopes that we can get to an agreement in a timely way.”

Schiff said some of Lofgren’s amendments are being considered, including an amicus provision that would add an outside advocate for every FISA case in which an American is targeted as well as make it illegal for the government to collect a U.S. citizen’s metadata.

“We’re looking at expanding the amicus provisions. We are looking at limiting the period of attention to business records, what the business records provision can be used for, making sure that you can’t use the business records to get things you would need a court order for in the criminal context, limiting the use of geolocation data or their usage of location information,” Schiff said.

House Democrats last week were forced to pull their bill in the Judiciary Committee and postpone a markup after Lofgren threatened to force votes on several FISA-related amendments. So far, a new markup has not been announced.

Schiff indicated an understanding has been reached on the issue of metadata but said they are still figuring out other issues like the amicus provisions.

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“We’re trying to figure out what’s the capacity of the amicus but also how to weed out those cases that are truly routine that don’t present any novel issues, making sure that that’s a real distinction,” he said.

He said one area of disagreement is whether some provisions could overly constrain the gathering of intelligence. 

“Part of the issue is whether we use the FISA process to impose constraints that are not even present in the criminal law process, and that is a philosophical difference that may be driving some of the division on particular provisions,” he said.

Jayapal, when asked about the state of negotiations, also said there’s more work to be done.

“So far, we are just not there, but we are continuing to talk and hope to see new proposals that address the areas we have raised,” Jayapal said, adding that she too hopes to reauthorize by the deadline.

The debate has also engulfed Republicans, with GOP members clashing as well on whether they should have a clean reauthorization bill or overhaul it to include new protections.

Libertarian Republicans such as Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) are pushing for sweeping reforms.

Still, most Republicans are also pushing for additional protections, pointing to the use of a wiretap on former Trump campaign aide Carter Page during the 2016 election. 

Federal officials suspected Page of working as an unregistered foreign agent for Russia during the 2016 presidential election, particularly after he made a trip to the Kremlin in July of that year — when questions were already swirling about the campaign’s ties to Moscow.

They say the extensive review of the 2016 FISA process by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz aids their case. While he did not find evidence to suggest political bias impacted the FBI’s decision to open the counterintelligence probe and concluded that the FBI had an “authorized purpose” for the inquiry, he did find 17 “significant errors or omissions” in the surveillance warrant applications for Page, dating back to 2016.

Trump is also involved. He is expected to meet with key Republican allies in the House and Senate Tuesday afternoon to discuss the matter. It is unclear where Trump will stand on it.

Rep. Chris StewartChristopher (Chris) Douglas StewartSchiff says Democrats are negotiating to include more privacy protections in key surveillance bill Trump shakes up Justice Department, intelligence community John Ratcliffe back under consideration by Trump for top intel job MORE (R-Utah), a senior Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, also said he wants to outside advocates as well as a transcript of the court proceedings. If Democrats include such provisions, among a few others, then he believes Republican will also support the bill.

“The question is, will the White House support it? I think we’ll know later on this afternoon,” Stewart added.

Trump has told congressional allies that he will not accept a clean reauthorization bill, as Attorney General William Barr and GOP leadership are said to support — a position that is at odds with what Barr is said to have told senators earlier this month.

As the debate continues, some senators have stated their support for a short-term extension to iron out the rest of the differences.

Schiff, meanwhile, indicated that he believes some Republicans are taking their push too far. 

“We’re open to any general policy proposals for reform. We are not open for politicizing this or using the bill to make partisan statements, and that’s sort of where many Republicans are at the moment,” Schiff said.

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The White House has formally withdrawn its nomination for Pentagon budget chief after the nominee questioned President TrumpDonald John TrumpSanders poised for big Super Tuesday 5 things to watch on Super Tuesday Congress scrambles to finalize coronavirus funding, surveillance deals MORE’s hold on Ukraine military aid that was at the center of the president’s impeachment.

Two Senate aides confirmed to The Hill Monday afternoon that Elaine McCusker’s nomination to be Pentagon comptroller has been withdrawn, news that was first reported by Politico. The White House sent a notice confirming the withdrawal later in the evening.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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McCusker has been acting comptroller since the summer and was officially nominated to the position in November.

Her role as acting comptroller put her in the center of Trump’s decision to withhold $250 million in military aid to Ukraine, a decision that ultimately led to his impeachment. 

In emails published by Just Security after a Freedom of Information Act request, McCusker expressed concerns about the legality of withholding the funds.

One exchange showed her at odds with White House Office of Management and Budget official Michael Duffey. When Duffey told her that it would be the Pentagon’s fault, not the White House’s, if funds weren’t spent by the legally mandated deadline, McCusker replied: “You can’t be serious. I am speechless.”

The Government Accountability Office later determined that withholding the aid violated the law. 

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The Senate acquitted Trump last month on charges that he abused his power and obstructed Congress.

The New York Post reported last month that McCusker’s nomination was in trouble over the Ukraine row. At the time, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim InhofeJames (Jim) Mountain InhofeBipartisan senators say Pentagon’s effort to improve military housing falls short Lobbying World GOP chairman after Africa trip: US military drawdown would have ‘real and lasting negative consequences’ MORE (R-Okla.) dismissed the report, saying the White House and Pentagon hadn’t told him of a change in the nomination and that he didn’t plan to follow up on an anonymously sourced report.

On Monday Sen. Jack ReedJohn (Jack) Francis ReedWhite House withdraws nomination for Pentagon budget chief who questioned Ukraine aid hold Bipartisan senators say Pentagon’s effort to improve military housing falls short Overnight Defense: Lawmakers tear into Pentagon over .8B for border wall | Dems offer bill to reverse Trump on wall funding | Senators urge UN to restore Iran sanctions MORE (D-R.I.), the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, in a statement said McCusker was “another casualty of the Trump Administration’s efforts to purge public servants who put country before fealty to the President.”

“The termination of her nomination is collateral damage by a President who has vindictively purged career national security professionals caught up in the impeachment inquiry. Ms. McCusker is a dedicated civil servant with decades of experience at the Department of Defense,” he added.

McCusker’s withdrawn nomination is the latest personnel shakeup following Trump’s acquittal.

Lt. Col. Alexander VindmanAlexander VindmanWhite House withdraws nomination for Pentagon budget chief who questioned Ukraine aid hold Juan Williams: Will the GOP ever curb Trump? House wants documents on McEntee’s security clearances MORE, who testified in the House’s impeachment inquiry, and his twin brother, who did not, were removed from their jobs on the National Security Council months ahead of schedule.

Trump also recalled U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon SondlandGordon SondlandWhite House withdraws nomination for Pentagon budget chief who questioned Ukraine aid hold Juan Williams: Will the GOP ever curb Trump? House wants documents on McEntee’s security clearances MORE, who also testified.

At the Pentagon, policy chief John Rood submitted his resignation at Trump’s request. Rood had certified that Ukraine had taken necessary anti-corruption steps to merit giving them $250 million, undercutting Trump’s later argument that he held up the aid over concerns about corruption. Rood also reportedly clashed with the administration on several other fronts.

A coalition of 19 states is suing the Trump administration over its new diversion of $3.8 billion in defense funds to the border wall, arguing that the move is unconstitutional and ignores possible environmental impacts. 

“Use of these additional federal funds for the construction of a border wall is contrary to Congress’s intent and in violation of the U.S. Constitution,” said the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in California on Tuesday. 

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President TrumpDonald John TrumpDems unlikely to subpoena Bolton Ratcliffe nomination puts Susan Collins in tough spot Meet the adviser shaping foreign policy for Sanders MORE last year declared a national emergency and announced that he would reallocate Department of Defense (DOD) funds for construction of the border wall after Congress did not allocate as much money as he wanted for the project in the federal budget.

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This month, the Pentagon informed Congress that it would transfer an additional $3.8 billion to be used for the wall, with money coming from weapons programs. 

The 19 states are arguing that the new allocation is unconstitutional because it violates the separation of powers as well as Congress’s power of the purse. 

They also argue that the administration does not sufficiently evaluate the environmental impacts of the project and that this violates a bedrock environmental law called the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

“President Trump is risking the safety of every American by diverting taxpayer dollars from our military to fund the same xenophobic campaign promises he’s made for the last four years,” said a statement from New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of the 19 attorneys general suing the administration. 

Besides New York, the states suing the administration are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The suit says environmental harm will particularly be caused to some of these states where the wall is being built, including “the blocking of wildlife migration, flooding, and habitat loss” in New Mexico.

Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union, Sierra Club and Southern Border Communities Coalition also filed a lawsuit over the funding reallocation.  

WARSAW — Poland has significant work to do to comply with news rules under the EU’s cross-border health directive, with patients still skeptical of lax standards and dodgy quality, key players at a conference on the topic said.

The 2011 measure lets patients cross the bloc’s borders for planned medical care under certain conditions, and requires member states to provide patients with information about the quality of care they would receive if they choose to be treated there. Such information is hard to come by in many member states, but is especially lacking in Poland.

The health ministry has accredited just 203 hospitals out of a total of roughly 800 in the country, according to government data. And the ministry’s standards are somewhat lower than those found in western EU states.

“The biggest challenge for Poland is the availability of information,” said Grzegorz Byszewski, a representative at the Employers of Poland, a business lobby group. “Patients who may want to come here have no idea about the quality of care they will receive.”

He said that Poland is missing out on an opportunity to attract more medical tourists who could provide needed injections of money both into Poland’s cash-strapped health care system and to local economies.

Poland already has a reputation for lower quality care, due to its status as a post-communist country.

Poles themselves don’t think very highly of the quality of their health care system. According to a 2013 Eurobarometer poll, 62 percent of Polish respondents said they believe that their health care system is “very bad.” A meager 22 percent said that Polish hospitals had modern equipment and respected the dignity of their patients.

According to Barbara Kutryba, the chairperson of the EU Patient Safety and Quality of Care Expert Group, one of the key issues Poland must address is a set of standards and a system for reporting undesired medical events.

“Poland doesn’t have the necessary standards like other member states,” she said. Poland also has no supervisory organization for monitoring patient safety and quality of care.

The cross-border initiative sought to clarify patients’ rights to health care services outside their home country, but recent reports suggest it is mostly the wealthy and well-informed that are benefiting. The Commission is due to report on countries’ progress in implementation later this month.

Poland spends about 4.5 percent of its GDP on health care, compared with an average of about 6.5 percent among wealthy countries, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Increasing funding, and hopefully thereby raising the quality of the care, has long been a thorny issue in Poland, since it would likely require hiking the health care “contribution” from worker’s salaries (effectively a payroll tax).

Implementing a system of comprehensive private health insurance, which would take some of the burden off the system, is considered by many to be against the country’s constitution, which guarantees equal access to health care.

With Poles complaining about long lines and the quality of care in their own hospitals, the issue could become important in the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections. The opposition Law and Justice party, which is currently leading the ruling Civic Platform party in the polls, has proposed liquidating the country’s National Health Fund, which controls health spending, and favors funding hospitals and clinics directly from the budget.

Civic Platform has not yet released its election program.

The Blues defender was delighted to see the teenager’s “fantastic” abilities in training transfer into a fifth-round FA Cup tie on Tuesday night

Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma has praised Billy Gilmour for his maturity and confidence on the ball in the wake of a standout display against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues booked their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a 2-0 victory over the Reds on Tuesday night.

Willian and Ross Barkley grabbed the goals for the hosts, but it was 18-year-old Gilmour who stole the headlines for the way he dictated the pace of the game in the middle of the park.

Karmenu Vella

Portfolio: Environment, maritime affairs and fisheries
Country: Malta
Previous: Tourism minister
Party: Labour (PES)
Age: 64

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Depuis quelques mois, la fille de Johnny a trouvé un soutien sans faille en la personne de sa belle-mère, Laeticia. La jeune femme de 28 ans, qui a traversé ces derniers mois des moments difficiles, s’est rendue en famille à une vente aux enchères au profit de l’Unicef. En exclusivité, Gala vous raconte la complicité inattendue née entre les deux femmes.

Laura Smet revit. Le 13 décembre, l’actrice a présenté un visage souriant au monde, soutenue par Laeticia Hallyday, son nouveau pilier. Si cela n’a pas toujours été simple entre elles, les deux jeunes femmes se sont à présent aujourd’hui apprivoisées et ne se quittent plus. Sortie fragilisée d’une relation tumultueuse avec l’écrivain Frédéric Beigbeder, Laura Smet a reçu de nombreuses visites de sa belle-mère dans son appartement, quand elle allait mal. Le temps passant, des liens forts se sont construits entre les deux femmes, que huit années seulement séparent. A présent apaisée, la tête remplie de projets, la fille de Johnny et de Nathalie Baye a repris goût à la vie, dans laquelle Laeticia, désormais, a toute sa place.

Découvrez dans Gala, en kiosque mercredi 21 décembre, les photos exclusives de Laeticia Hallyday et Laura Smet, lors d’une soirée placée sous le signe de la chaleur et des retrouvailles.

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Alors que le biopic sur Linda Lovelace, une des premières stars du cinéma pornographique, va être un des films les plus attendus de 2012, le casting semble s’étoffer de personnalités incontournables. Et c’est l’actrice Demi Moore qui a été choisie pour incarner la féministe Gloria Steinem.

Est-ce sa fracassante rupture avec Ashton Kutcher pour cause de tromperie qui l’a fait basculer du côté de l’ultra-féminisme, ou un désir de revenir sur grand écran avec des rôles plus profonds? Demi Moore est en tout cas plus décidée que jamais à revoir ses priorités, et à revenir sur le devant de la scène médiatique. Alors que les tabloïds ont fait des gorges chaudes de son divorce d’avec le héros de Mon Oncle Charlie, c’est bien dans le biopic sur la vie de celle que l’on surnomme Gorge Profonde –en référence à son plus célèbre film- qu’elle va refaire surface, avec un rôle sur-mesure: celui de Gloria Steinem, célèbre féministe américaine des années 1970.

Gloria Steinem a joué un rôle clé dans la vie de Linda Lovelace, la cultissime actrice de X. Linda, qui sera incarnée à l’écran par Amanda Seyfried, a été abusée par son mari Chuck Traynor, qui la prostitue pour finalement la faire jouer dans une dizaine de films pornographiques, un genre alors en plein essor. La jeune femme s’extirpe des griffes de son conjoint tyrannique pour rejeter son nom de scène, et devenir une militante du mouvement anti-pornographie.

Gloria Steinem est quant à elle une illustre féministe US, également journaliste et fondatrice du magazine Ms, dans lequel elle publie notamment un article sur la relation toxique entre Lovelace et son mari.

Demi Moore, qui a passé Noël avec ses trois nouveaux compagnons, d’adorables chihuahuas –tandis que son ex passait les fêtes avec une jolie brune en Italie-, doit s’enthousiasmer d’incarner une porte-parole de la cause féminine, elle qui a été trahie par son mari avec une étudiante de 22 ans, à l’aube de leur sixième année de mariage.

Rendez-vous en 2012 pour découvrir Lovelace sur grand écran.

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Sur son dernier album Egomaniac, JoeyStarr a invité la chanteuse Nicoletta à venir chanter avec lui le célèbre titre Mamy Blue. Une rencontre étonnante, un véritable coup de cœur entre deux artistes aux univers si éloignés.

Difficile d’imaginer le chanteur de Paris sous les bombes et La fièvre s’associer avec l’interprète de Mamy Blue. C’est pourtant l’une des surprises artistiques que réserve le dernier album solo de JoeyStarr, Egomaniac, puisqu’il a invité Nicoletta à chanter avec lui. Tous les deux en parlent lors d’une interview commune accordée au Parisien.

JoeyStarr raconte qu’il a rencontré Nicoletta en montant sur scène afin de chanter Mamy Blue lors d’une soirée hommage à Ticky Holgado. Un moment qui «a fait des dommages collatéraux», «a touché» le rappeur au point qu’il se dise qu’ils devaient faire «quelque chose ensemble». En l’occurrence, la reprise de ce tube inoubliable de Nicoletta, un morceau que Joey Starr, à l’époque où il était enfant et s’appelait encore Didier, écoutait chez lui. Et puis, l’ancien membre de NTM reconnaît avoir été séduit par cette femme réputée pour son tempérament: «C’est une bombe nucléaire, un avion de chasse. J’ai trouvé mon équivalent en femme».

Une impression largement confirmée lors de l’enregistrement en studio. «Elle a passé trois heures avec nous. Bon, c’est vrai, elle nous a parlé pendant deux heures et demie. Et puis elle a envoyé la pâtée et on était tous bouche bée» raconte un JoeyStarr décidément admiratif: «Les gens qui me laissent sur place, ça me plaît».

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Ils ne devraient d’ailleurs pas en rester là puisqu’ils vont chanter Mamy Blue en duo ce soir sur la scène de l’Olympia, lors de la Fête de la chanson française. Puis ils devraient collaborer à nouveau ensemble comme le raconte Nicoletta, qui le compare à rien moins que… Rimbaud. «Je lui ai demandé d’écrire des textes pour mon prochain album» annonce-t-elle, expliquant qu’elle «trouve que les auteurs de chansons ne sont pas terribles aujourd’hui. Ils écrivent des chansons sans saveur». Ces deux-là étaient vraiment faits pour se rencontrer.

Chanteur très populaire, notamment dans son pays, le Sénégal, Youssou N’Dour a l’intention de se présenter à l’élection présidentielle. Il a déposé officiellement sa candidature mercredi. Le premier tour aura lieu le 26 février.

Il a chanté 7 seconds, il souhaite désormais s’engager pour sept ans. Youssou N’Dour avait déjà annoncé son intention de se présenter à l’élection présidentielle du Sénégal, c’est désormais chose faite. Mercredi, le chanteur a déposé officiellement sa candidature au Conseil Constitutionnel. Un acte qu’il n’a pas souhaité commenter.

En revanche, début janvier, il avait déclaré remplir un «devoir patriotique suprême». «Je pense que je vais créer la surprise, je pense qu’il y a une évolution silencieuse, les gens vont voter Youssou N’Dour» se persuadait-il. L’artiste va devoir affronter une vingtaine d’adversaires, bien décidés à prendre la place du président Wade, élu en 2000 et qui, à l’âge de 85 ans, brigue un troisième mandat.

Comme les autres opposants au chef d’Etat en place, Youssou N’Dour, 52 ans, juge la candidature de Wade anticonstitutionnelle. Le pays craint même des violences suite à sa validation. Les chances de gagner du chanteur sont réelles, même si la partie ne sera pas facile. Un journaliste sénégalais, Landing Diémé, expliquait au Point: «Youssou N’Dour est un leader d’opinion, qui connaît le Sénégal en profondeur et qui présente vraiment une forme de rupture face aux autres candidats issus du système. La population voit en lui une personnalité puissante et intègre, au carnet d’adresses très riche et qui a investi toutes ses richesses dans le pays pour créer de l’emploi». Fadel Barro, un autre journaliste, est plus mesuré, pointant du doigt la proximité à une époque entre Youssou N’Dour et Wade. Il s’interroge: «Si on arrive à une situation où l’on doit élire Youssou N’Dour, c’est qu’il y a vraiment un problème. Non seulement il n’a pas de diplômes, mais je pense qu’à un certain moment chacun doit rester à sa place».

Ce n’est pas l’avis du chanteur qui se lance donc officiellement dans la campagne. Celle-ci sera de courte durée puisque le premier tour de scrutin aura lieu le 26 février prochain.

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