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  • ✇The Guardian World news
  • US Congress passes short-term renewal of Fisa warrantless spying powers Sanya Mansoor
    Lawmakers agree 45-day extension but Republican and Democratic critics urge reform of surveillance programThe US Congress has passed a 45-day extension of a law that grants US intelligence agencies warrantless spying powers.Bitter infighting over section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in the Republican wing of Congress has repeatedly tanked conservative leaders’ plans to renew the controversial surveillance law for multiple years. The deadlock continued on Thursday, as the Repu
     

US Congress passes short-term renewal of Fisa warrantless spying powers

30 April 2026 at 23:24

Lawmakers agree 45-day extension but Republican and Democratic critics urge reform of surveillance program

The US Congress has passed a 45-day extension of a law that grants US intelligence agencies warrantless spying powers.

Bitter infighting over section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in the Republican wing of Congress has repeatedly tanked conservative leaders’ plans to renew the controversial surveillance law for multiple years. The deadlock continued on Thursday, as the Republican House speaker Mike Johnson refused to include key reforms pushed by hardliners in his party and progressive Democrats.

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© Photograph: Kevin Carter/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kevin Carter/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kevin Carter/Getty Images

  • ✇The Guardian World news
  • Maryland becomes first state to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores Sanya Mansoor
    Critics say Maryland’s new law banning rapidly change product costs based on consumer data is full of carveoutsMaryland has become the first state in the US to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores.Maryland’s law bans grocers and third-party delivery services from using a person’s personal data to set higher prices. Wes Moore, the governor, signed the measure into law on Tuesday. “At a time when technology can predict what we need, when we need it, when we’ll pay for it and also – when we’l
     

Maryland becomes first state to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores

29 April 2026 at 15:05

Critics say Maryland’s new law banning rapidly change product costs based on consumer data is full of carveouts

Maryland has become the first state in the US to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores.

Maryland’s law bans grocers and third-party delivery services from using a person’s personal data to set higher prices. Wes Moore, the governor, signed the measure into law on Tuesday. “At a time when technology can predict what we need, when we need it, when we’ll pay for it and also – when we’ll pay more for it, and at a time when we’re watching how big companies are then using these analytics against us to make record profits, Maryland is not just pushing back. Maryland is pushing forward because we are going to protect our people,” Moore said at the bill signing ceremony.

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© Photograph: Sha Hanting/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

© Photograph: Sha Hanting/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

© Photograph: Sha Hanting/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

  • ✇The Guardian World news
  • US supreme court hears whether smartphone location data warrants infringe users’ privacy Sanya Mansoor
    Lawyer for DoJ argued actions taken in public while in possession of a smartphone afforded no expectation of privacyThe US supreme court is considering whether sprawling warrants for smartphone location data infringe on Americans’ privacy rights and violate the constitution.Justices heard opening arguments in Chatrie v United States on Monday that concerned law enforcement’s reliance on so-called “geofence warrants” in difficult cases. The case was originally brought by Okello Chatrie, whose pho
     

US supreme court hears whether smartphone location data warrants infringe users’ privacy

27 April 2026 at 22:28

Lawyer for DoJ argued actions taken in public while in possession of a smartphone afforded no expectation of privacy

The US supreme court is considering whether sprawling warrants for smartphone location data infringe on Americans’ privacy rights and violate the constitution.

Justices heard opening arguments in Chatrie v United States on Monday that concerned law enforcement’s reliance on so-called “geofence warrants” in difficult cases. The case was originally brought by Okello Chatrie, whose phone location data helped police in Richmond, Virginia, track him down after he robbed a bank at gunpoint and escaped with $195,000 in 2019. Chatrie pleaded guilty to armed robbery and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but his lawyers argue none of the evidence against him should have been admissible in court.

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© Photograph: Steve Helber/AP

© Photograph: Steve Helber/AP

© Photograph: Steve Helber/AP

  • ✇The Guardian World news
  • US Congress passes 10-day extension of surveillance law amid Republican infighting Sanya Mansoor
    Trump repeatedly demanded that Republicans unify to pass a longer extension of the Fisa warrantless spying lawBoth chambers of Congress voted in quick succession on Friday to pass a brief 10-day extension of a controversial warrantless surveillance law after Republican infighting tanked plans for a much longer renewal of the law with no changes.Donald Trump had repeatedly demanded that Republican holdouts “UNIFY” behind Mike Johnson, the US House speaker, in favor of an extension of section 702
     

US Congress passes 10-day extension of surveillance law amid Republican infighting

17 April 2026 at 16:34

Trump repeatedly demanded that Republicans unify to pass a longer extension of the Fisa warrantless spying law

Both chambers of Congress voted in quick succession on Friday to pass a brief 10-day extension of a controversial warrantless surveillance law after Republican infighting tanked plans for a much longer renewal of the law with no changes.

Donald Trump had repeatedly demanded that Republican holdouts “UNIFY” behind Mike Johnson, the US House speaker, in favor of an extension of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa) without changes. But chaos ensued on Thursday evening and into the early hours of Friday as Republican leadership tried and failed twice in votes attempting to reauthorize the surveillance program, before resorting to a stopgap measure.

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© Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

© Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

© Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Senate passes short-term extension of surveillance law – as it happened

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In more CDC news, Donald Trump has selected Erica Schwartz to lead the troubled health agency, bringing to an end a months-long search for a permanent director.

Schwartz served as the deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term. But before she can officially take over, the president’s pick will require confirmation by the Senate.

IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!

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© Photograph: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

© Photograph: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

© Photograph: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

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