The following is a rundown of the day’s news drawn from other media sources with topics curated just for Money and Markets readers: personal security and freedom, battlefield Ukraine, Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Personal Security and Freedom:
Snowden Documents Reveal Covert Surveillance and Pressure Tactics Aimed at WikiLeaks and Its Supporters
The efforts included a broad campaign of international pressure aimed not only at WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, but at the human network that supports WikiLeaks. The documents also contain internal discussions about targeting the file-sharing site Pirate Bay and hacktivist collectives such as Anonymous.
Journalist Sues Police Who Questioned His Drone Use
A journalist filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging that Hartford police officers violated his free-speech rights by questioning his use of a remote-controlled aircraft to record images of a car wreck.
Brain Implant Lets One Monkey Control Another
The monkey that served as the master had electrodes wired into his brain, while the monkey that served as the avatar had electrodes wired into his spine. The avatar’s hand was placed onto a joystick that controlled a cursor displayed on the master’s screen.
Police Beat, Stun Deaf Man After Confusing Sign Language With Threatening Gestures
The problem began when police reportedly misunderstood his attempts to speak in sign language as threatening gestures. Moreover, officers didn’t realize that when they handcuffed him, they took away his ability to communicate.
Spy Chief: We Should’ve Told You We Track Your Calls
The U.S. government long considered its collection of Americans’ call records to be a state secret. Now the Director of National Intelligence admits it would have been better if Washington had acknowledged the surveillance in the first place.
Battlefield Ukraine:
 
Kiev’s Vicious Cycle of Violence Rages on
Rioters and police in central Kiev are exchanging smoke and stun grenades, as a fresh wave of violence is gripping the Ukrainian capital. While the rioters have no clear demands, the opposition keeps pushing for the president’s resignation.
Ukrainian President Refuses to Call Off Bloody Assault
Embattled Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has told opposition leaders that he will not call off a bloody police assault on the opposition’s main protest camp on Kiev’s Independence Square, opposition leader Vitali Klitschko said.
Fiery Street Battles Mark Deadliest Day for Ukraine Protests
At least 18 people were killed, and the number of injured climbed into the hundreds as police advanced into Kiev’s Independence Square, the heart of the protest movement, with the flash and thud of concussion grenades.
Leaked Phone Call Embarrasses U.S.
A voice resembling that of Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland refers to the EU using a graphic swear word, in a conversation apparently with the US ambassador to Ukraine. The U.S. said Ms Nuland had “apologised for these reported comments”.
The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon:
Jimmy Fallon First ‘Tonight Show’ Rating: Strong, but below Leno farewell
Fallon had a 7.1 rating in the overnight metered-market household ratings Monday night, which was higher rated than all but two of last week’s prime-time non-Olympic programs on NBC’s rivals and up 48 percent from the Feb. 7 finale of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
After the Hype, Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Tonight Show’ is Strangely Muted
Will Smith was the guest star, dutifully joining Fallon to dance the history of hip-hop, and Bono made a pretty hilarious speech about a coffee mug. But it was a surprisingly quiet premiere.
Will Viewers Show Patience?
After decades of anti-comedy from the likes of Steve Martin, Andy Kaufman, and CBS competitor David Letterman, Fallon’s genuine affability may be the secret to success in 21st century late-night broadcasting, says Len Shyles, a communications professor at Villanova University in Philadelphia.
Late Night Comics Protect Obama
The only plausible explanation for their timidity is a fear of being labeled racist. That’s unfortunate. What rankles some Obama critics isn’t the color of his skin. It’s the thinness. Fox News and Rush Limbaugh get under it.
Best wishes,
The Money and Markets Team
