House, Senate release bipartisan agreement on government funding as shutdown deadlines loom
House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement on a government funding topline Sunday, taking a critical step toward avoiding a shutdown later this month. The bipartisan deal will set the federal government’s discretionary spending at a maximum level of $1.59 trillion, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., wrote in a letter to colleagues. It would include $886 billion for defense and $704 billion for nondefense spending, Johnson said. The $1.59 trillion figure was part of an agreement mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) last year, a compromise reached during debt limit talks between President Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Johnson suggested that the updated deal would see some additional cuts to discretionary spending to offset side deals made at the time for extra funding. HOUSE LEAVES FOR THE YEAR WITH CRITICAL BATTLES STILL ON HORIZON “As has been widely reported, a list of extra-statutory adjustments was agreed upon by negotiators last summer. The agreement today achieves key modifications to the June framework that will secure more than $16 billion in additional spending cuts to offset the discretionary spending levels,” Johnson’s letter said. “As you know, the Senate marked up their appropriations bills $14 billion above the FRA levels and the adjustments. The agreement reached today thus allows for none of that funding, and combined with the additional savings described above, results in an overall $30 billion total reduction from the Senate’s spending plans.” WHERE NO CONGRESS HAS GONE BEFORE: FACING GALACTIC-SCALE FISCAL CLIFF AND BORDER SECURITY THREATS Johnson conceded that “these final spending levels will not satisfy everyone, and they do not cut as much spending as many of us would like” but added, “his deal does provide us a path to: 1) move the process forward; 2) reprioritize funding within the topline towards conservative objectives, instead of last year’s Schumer-Pelosi omnibus; and 3) fight for the important policy riders included in our House FY24 bills.” Democrats also took a victory lap when announcing the deal. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., released a statement on Sunday touting that the agreement “clears thew way for Congress to act over the next few weeks in order to to maintain important funding priorities.” But there is still a showdown looming on the horizon – Johnson made clear that he still wants conservative policy riders included in the final spending agreement. SENATE HAS ONLY PASSED 3 OUT OF 12 SPENDING BILLS AS DEADLINE LOOMS Schumer and Jeffries took a shot at Johnson’s effort in their statement, “we have made clear to Speaker Mike Johnson that Democrats will not support including poison pill policy changes in any of the twelve appropriations bills put before the Congress.” President Biden took a similarly hostile posture toward House Republicans even while holding the deal up as a win. “It reflects the funding levels that I negotiated with both parties and signed into law last spring. It rejects deep cuts to programs hardworking families count on, and provides a path to passing full-year funding bills that deliver for the American people and are free of any extreme policies,” he said of the deal. “Now, congressional Republicans must do their job, stop threatening to shut down the government, and fulfill their basic responsibility to fund critical domestic and national security priorities, including my supplemental request. It’s time for them to act.” Current government funding levels expire partially on Jan. 19, with remaining agencies and offices funded through Feb. 2. Meanwhile, a growing contingent of GOP hardliners is calling on House Republican leaders to block government funding progress altogether until Democrats make conservative policy concessions to deal with the border crisis.
What’s behind Antony Blinken’s latest visit to the Middle East?
US secretary of state has made at least five trips to the region since war on Gaza began. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is back in the Middle East – for his fifth visit since Israel began its war on Gaza. His previous trips did not bring any respite for Palestinians under bombardment. So, what’s the purpose of this latest visit? Presenter: Adrian Finighan Guests: Trita Parsi – Executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft Hafsa Halawa – independent consultant who works on political, social and economic affairs across the Middle East, North Africa and the Horn of Africa Gawdat Bahgat – Professor of National Security Affairs at the National Defense University’s Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Study Adblock test (Why?)
UEFA set to ‘lose power’ but will football’s Super League take off?
European football’s governing body UEFA is set to “lose a lot of power” in the wake of a recent court ruling on a breakaway league, experts have said, as the continental body’s long-standing monopoly on the running of the sport faces a new challenge. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and global governing body the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) violated European Union laws by preventing the formation of the Super League in 2021, when 12 of Europe’s premier football clubs including Manchester United and Bayern Munich announced they had signed up for the planned league, sending shock waves through the sport. UEFA and FIFA were deemed to have abused their dominant position by prohibiting clubs from participating in the “closed” league, as per the initial proposal. Following protests from fans, widespread condemnation and a stark warning from UEFA that clubs and players who took part in it would be barred from competitions like the World Cup, the project crashed. Within 48 hours, nine of the 12 rebel clubs – including six from England’s Premier League – backed down and the project collapsed. The league’s promoters, A22 Sports Management, launched a legal challenge through Spanish courts, which referred the question to the Luxembourg-based ECJ. [embedded content] Judgement on UEFA’s ‘abuse of power’ Sports management and economic experts believe the court’s “very strong judgement” proves that UEFA’s long-standing monopoly on the running of the game on the continent can be challenged, but the fate of the breakaway project remains uncertain. “It’s a judgement on the abuse of power by UEFA,” JD Tena, a senior lecturer in sports business and management at the University of Liverpool, told Al Jazeera. “It’s difficult to forecast what will happen in the future, but it’s not difficult to figure out that UEFA will lose a lot of power in terms of organising and taking the reigns of competitions.” UEFA, which has organised pan-European competitions for nearly 70 years, considers the Super League as a threat to its flagship Champions League and has launched a major reform of the competition. From 2024-25 onwards, the Champions League will include 36 teams instead of 32. The clubs will play in a single league competition, replacing the current group stage and guaranteeing at least eight matches for each team. UEFA has said ECJ’s ruling does not signify an endorsement or validation of the Super League, but addressed a “pre-existing shortfall” in UEFA’s framework, which it said it had subsequently corrected in June 2022. “UEFA remains resolute in its commitment to uphold the European football pyramid, ensuring that it continues to serve the broader interests of society,” UEFA said in a statement. pic.twitter.com/yKJSXByR1n — UEFA (@UEFA) December 21, 2023 ‘Reputational damage’ While Super League organisers were excited about the unexpected reprieve by the ECJ, major leagues and clubs moved to support the status quo. Premier League club Manchester United were one of the first to say they remained committed to playing in competitions run by UEFA, as did Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. France’s Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said it “unequivocally supports” competitions organised by UEFA, while the European Club Association, which represents nearly 500 clubs across the continent, said the football world had “moved on from the Super League years ago”. Spanish La Liga’s Real Madrid and Barcelona are the only clubs that have shown strong support for the proposed league, which analysts say suffered considerable “reputational damage” in 2021. “For the Super League or any other breakaway league to be alive, there needs to be a legal and financial case for it. And I think the financial case is starting to look slightly shaky,” Christina Philippou, who teaches accounting, economics and finance at the University of Portsmouth, told Al Jazeera. Philippou believes that despite interest from several big clubs, the league’s image has taken a blow. “Potential partners will need big reassurances and will weigh up the risk,” she said. Sports management expert Tena believes the Super League proposal is “very interesting”, but it is difficult to predict which clubs would be interested in joining it. “This is like a poker game. You don’t know what is the real feeling about it,” Tena said. “Many of these clubs that now are against the Super League were involved in the initial process – they suddenly moved out when they were threatened by UEFA. So we don’t know if, in a free environment, they will freely choose to join the Super League.” Real Madrid and Barcelona are the only clubs that have shown strong support for the proposed league [File: Nacho Doce/Reuters] New format After ECJ’s ruling, A22 announced a rebooted version of the Super League, introducing promotion and relegation that was missing in its initial proposal. It also attempted to win over fans by promising free-to-watch matches. The proposed format for the men’s competition includes 64 teams in three leagues – Star, Gold and Blue. The Star and Gold Leagues will have 16 clubs each while the Blue League has 32 clubs. The women’s competition would have two leagues of 16 clubs each. However, the revamped structure and lure of free matches may not be enough to enthuse football fans. “It does feel a bit like flogging a dead horse in terms of pursuing the European Super League idea,” Mark Middling, a senior lecturer in accounting at Northumbria University, said of the new proposals. “The new format, still, seems too much of a trade-off compromise. If you’re in that Star League at the top, it is still going to be very difficult for that team to be relegated from European football. “So even though a team might be doing poorly in their domestic league, they could still be at the upper echelons of the European league as far as I can work out. It almost takes away the romanticism of football.” Tena, on the other hand, believes the Super League could attract fans and sponsors, as the format would
New York AG office, ex-NRA official reach settlement days before trial against gun advocacy group’s leadership
Former National Rifle Association official Joshua Powell admitted wrongdoing in a settlement with New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office that was announced just days before Monday’s trial seeking to dissolve the gun advocacy nonprofit group. Powell, who once served as NRA executive director of operations and chief of staff to recently resigned NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, had already turned his back on the powerful gun rights group, writing of “staggering” waste and corruption in his 2020 book “Inside the NRA,” before his $100,000 settlement with James’ office was announced on Friday. He agreed to testify at the trial, pay the NRA $100,000 and forgo further nonprofit involvement. Along with Powell, James had sued LaPierre, NRA general counsel John Frazer and retired NRA finance chief Wilson Phillips in 2020, alleging they cost the organization tens of millions of dollars from questionable expenditures, including lucrative consulting contracts for ex-employees, and gifts for friends and vendors. Frazer and Phillips have denied wrongdoing. NEW YORK AG CASE AGAINST NRA LEADER FACES TRIAL AFTER COURT AGAIN REJECTS GUN GROUP’S CLAIM OF POLITICAL PROBE Powell’s settlement announcement was made Friday, the same day LaPierre said he was resigning from the NRA. It comes just days before the start of a civil trial over allegations that LaPierre treated himself to millions of dollars in private jet flights, yacht trips, African safaris and other extravagant perks at the powerful gun rights organization’s expense. As part of the agreement, Powell has admitted to failing in his fiduciary responsibilities and misusing charitable funds, James’ office said. “Joshua Powell’s admission of wrongdoing and Wayne LaPierre’s resignation confirm what we have alleged for years: the NRA and its senior leaders are financially corrupt,” James said in a statement. “More than three years ago, my office sued the NRA and its senior management for financial abuse and mismanagement. These are important victories in our case, and we look forward to ensuring the NRA and the defendants face justice for their actions.” The NRA has long alleged the case was politically motivated, arguing that James violated the group’s First Amendment rights and executed selective enforcement of state laws governing nonprofits because she disagrees with the group’s gun advocacy. Both while still campaigning for attorney general and after she was elected, James had notably publicly condemned the NRA as “an organ of deadly propaganda masquerading as a charity for public good,” a “terrorist organization,” and as “nothing more than a criminal enterprise.” In one September 2018 interview, she said she was “waiting to take on all of the banks that finance them, their investors,” the NRA noted to Fox News Digital last week. LaPierre said his departure from the NRA is effective Jan. 31. The trial is scheduled to start Monday. LaPierre was in court last week for jury selection and is expected to testify at the trial. The NRA said it will continue to fight the lawsuit, which could result in a further shake-up of its leadership and the appointment of an independent monitor to oversee its finances. WAYNE LAPIERRE ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION AS NRA CHIEF “With pride in all that we have accomplished, I am announcing my resignation from the NRA,” LaPierre said in a statement released by the organization, which said he was leaving for health reasons. “I’ve been a card-carrying member of this organization for most of my adult life, and I will never stop supporting the NRA and its fight to defend Second Amendment freedom. My passion for our cause burns as deeply as ever.” James, a Democrat, confirmed that the trial will go on as scheduled. LaPierre’s exit “validates our claims against him, but it will not insulate him or the NRA from accountability,” James said in a statement. Andrew Arulanandam, a top NRA lieutenant who has served as LaPierre’s spokesperson, will assume his roles on an interim basis, the organization said. The NRA remains a strong political force, with Republican presidential hopefuls flocking to its annual convention last year. In recent years, though, the organization has been beset by financial troubles, dwindling membership and infighting among its 76-member board, and lingering questions about LaPierre’s leadership and spending, according to the Associated Press. After reporting a $36 million deficit in 2018, fueled mostly by misspending, the NRA cut back on longstanding programs that had been core to its mission for decades, including training and education, recreational shooting and law enforcement initiatives. In 2021, the organization filed for bankruptcy and sought to incorporate in Texas instead of New York – where it was founded as a nonprofit charity in 1871 – but a judge rejected the move, saying it was a transparent attempt to duck James’ lawsuit. LaPierre, 74, has led the NRA’s day-to-day operations since 1991, acting as the face and vehement voice of its gun rights agenda and becoming one of the most influential figures in shaping U.S. gun policy. He once warned of “jack-booted government thugs” seizing guns, brought in movie star Charlton Heston to serve as the organization’s president, and condemned gun control advocates as “opportunists” who “exploit tragedy for gain.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
FBI arrests three people linked to Jan. 6 on third anniversary of riot
The FBI on Saturday said it arrested three people for their alleged participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol. The arrest, which the bureau said was at a ranch in Groveland, Florida in Lake County, came on the third anniversary of the Capitol riots. The bureau identified the subjects as Jonathan Daniel Pollock, Olivia Michele Pollock, and Joseph Daniel Hutchinson III. The three defendants are scheduled to appear in Federal Court in Ocala, Florida on Monday, the bureau said. No further details on their capture were released. STEFANIK DECLINES TO COMMIT TO CERTIFYING 2024 ELECTION RESULTS: ONLY ‘IF THEY ARE CONSTITUTIONAL’ More than 1,230 people have been charged with federal crimes connected to the violence, including assaulting police officers and seditious conspiracy. Around 730 people have pleaded guilty to charges, while another roughly 170 have been convicted of at least one charge at a trial decided by a judge or a jury. Washington’s federal courthouse remains flooded with trials, guilty plea hearings, and sentencings stemming from what has become the largest criminal investigation in American history. Authorities, meanwhile, are still trying to identify upwards of 80 people wanted for acts of violence at the Capitol and to find out who placed pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic national committees’ offices the day before the Capitol attack. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Pence says Biden focusing campaign on Jan. 6 riot because of his ‘failed policies’ that ‘weakened’ America
Former Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday argued that President Biden has been using the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol as the focus of his 2024 presidential campaign to distract Americans from his administration’s poor record that has “weakened America at home and abroad.” Pence appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” from Israel, where he was visiting families of those taken hostage by Hamas terrorists in the Oct. 7 attack, and stated that he believed Jan. 6 would not decide the upcoming election. “I actually don’t think the election’s going to be decided on a tragic day three years ago,” Pence said. “I think it’s going to be decided on the failed policies of the Biden administration that have emboldened the enemies of freedom around the world, that launched the worst inflation, that created the worst crisis on our border in American history.” “I understand why President Biden wants to focus his campaign on three years ago, the record of this administration has weakened America at home and abroad,” the former vice president said. BIDEN MARKS THREE YEARS SINCE JAN. 6 BLASTING TRUMP, SAYING HE IS ‘TRYING TO STEAL HISTORY’ Biden’s campaign has doubled down on Jan. 6-related attacks against former President Trump following the poor performance of the White House’s “Bidenomics” messaging. On Friday, Biden attacked his predecessor during a speech in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, saying Trump is “trying to steal history the same way he tried to steal the election.” Pence also criticized attempts to remove Trump from presidential ballots, as happened in Colorado and Maine, arguing that doing so would be “antithetical” to democracy “I think these efforts to take the decision away from the American people are really antithetical to the very democracy that President Biden and many Democrats talk about wanting to defend,” he said. TRUMP FIRES BACK AT JAN.6 CRITICISM, SAYS BIDEN IS A ‘TRUE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY’ Pence also addressed the hospitalization of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, which was kept under wraps for nearly a week. “To think that at a time when we have allies at war in Eastern Europe and here in Israel, that the leader of America’s military at the Pentagon would be out of commission for a number of days and the president didn’t know about it is a dereliction of duty.” Austin was in an intensive care unit for days following elective surgery but is now recovering and resumed full duties Friday night, according to reports. It is still unclear why Austin was hospitalized in the first place, what the elective procedure was or when it occurred. “The handling of this by the secretary of defense is totally unacceptable,” Pence said. “I believe the American people have the right to know about his medical condition, about the reasons for it, and has a right to know who was informed of his incapacity.”
Stefanik declines to commit to certifying 2024 election results: Only ‘if they are constitutional’
House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., on Sunday declined to commit to certifying the 2024 election results. During an in-studio appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” host Kristen Welker asked Stefanik if she would vote to certify the 2024 results “no matter what they show.” “Well, I voted not to certify the state of Pennsylvania because, as we saw in Pennsylvania and other states across the country, that there was unconstitutional acts circumventing the state legislature and unilaterally changing election law,” Stefanik said, referencing how she responded to the 2020 election. “What about 2024?” Welker pressed. “We will see if this is a legal and valid election,” Stefanik responded, referencing efforts in Colorado and Maine to keep Trump off the 2024 ballot over the Jan. 6 riot. “What we’re seeing so far is that Democrats are so desperate, they’re trying to remove President Trump from the ballot. That is a suppression of the American people. And the Supreme Court is taking that case up in February. That should be a 9 to 0 to allow President Trump to appear on the ballot, because that’s the American people’s decision to make this November.” MORAL ‘FAILURES’ OF ACADEMIC LEADERS WOULDN’T HAVE SEEN ACCOUNTABILITY IF NOT FOR CONGRESS: STEFANIK Interjecting, Welker said, “To be very clear, I don’t hear you committed to certifying the election results – will you only commit to certify the results if former President Trump wins?” “No. It means if they are constitutional,” Stefanik said. “What we saw in 2020 was unconstitutional circumventing of the Constitution, not going through state legislatures when it comes to changing election law. And we’re seeing this in my home state of New York, Kristen, we are seeing Democrats try to steal the election and illegally gerrymander congressional districts that we fairly won and are fair line. So I see this at a very local level, as well as the unconstitutional overreach we saw at the national level in 2020.” Attempting to shift topics, Welker tried to conclude that Trump’s legal teams took their election concerns to court more than 60 times and lost, two independent firms hired to investigate election fraud allegations “came up short,” and the federal agency responsible for overseeing election security, CISA, said “the 2020 election was the most secure in America history.” “Let me make a final point,” Stefanik added, as the NBC host sought to change topics. “I think it’s important because the American people understand that it was not a fair election,” Stefanik said. “We had unconstitutional overreach. And that was why I objected to certain states when it came to my constitutional responsibility. As a member of Congress, I’m going to always stand up for the Constitution and make sure that we have strong election integrity. And the real threat to democracy is Joe Biden and Democrats who are attempting to remove President Trump from the ballot because Joe Biden knows he can’t win at the ballot box.” Stefanik had also pushed back on Welker’s claim of “no coordination” with Joe Biden and the Department of Justice regarding the prosecutions against Trump. “We just saw Hunter Biden defy a congressional subpoena and the White House admitting it was in coordination with Joe Biden the morning of. That is coordination. And I believe that Joe Biden will be found to be the most corrupt president in our nation’s history,” she said. Welker had earlier pressed Stefanik, “Do you still think it was a tragic day? Do you think that the people who stormed the Capitol should be held responsible to the full extent of it?” “I have concerns about the treatment of January 6th hostages. I have concerns. We have a role in Congress of oversight over our treatment of prisoners,” Stefanik said. “And I believe that we’re seeing the weaponization of the federal government against not just President Trump, but we’re seeing it against conservatives. We’re seeing it against Catholics. And that’s one of the reasons why I’m so proud to serve on the Select Committee on the Weaponization of the Government, because the American people want answers, they want transparency, and they understand that.” HARVARD PRESIDENT CLAUDINE GAY RESIGNS AMID ANTISEMITISM, PLAGIARISM CONTROVERSIES “As you look across this country, there seems to be two sets of rules. If your last name is Clinton or it’s Biden, you get to live by a different set of rules than if you’re an everyday, patriotic American,” she said. “If you go back and play the full speech I gave on the House floor, I condemn the violence, just like I condemn the violence of the BLM riots,” Stefanik continued, after ripping NBC and “the biased media” for only playing a small except of her House floor speech made in January 2021 after the Capitol riot. “But I also, importantly, stood for election integrity and security of our elections, which, if we don’t have that, we do not have a democracy,” she said. “So the real threat to our democracy is these baseless witch hunt investigations and lawsuits against President Trump, whether it’s Tish James or whether we see in the D.C. Circuit Court. And that is undemocratic, and it’s shredding our Constitution. And you know who agrees with me, Kristen? The American people. That’s why President Trump is winning in poll after poll against Joe Biden.” Her remarks echoed former President Trump’s speech in Iowa calling for President Biden to release the “J6 hostages,” adding that those prisoners “suffered enough.” “You know what they oughta do, they oughta release the J6th hostages. I call them hostages. Some people call them prisoners. I call them hostages,” Trump said on Saturday, garnering applause. “Release the J6 hostages, Joe. Release ‘em, Joe. You can do it real easy, Joe.” In a speech ahead of the third anniversary of the Capitol riot, Biden championed how, collectively, Jan. 6 defendants have been sentenced to more than 840 years in prison. The president also said more than 1,200 people have been
Speaker Johnson accuses Mayorkas of ‘intentionally’ creating border crisis: ‘There must be accountability’
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., accused Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of “intentionally” enacting policies that led to the border crisis on Sunday. Johnson made the statement in a lengthy interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” telling host Margaret Brennan that there must be “accountability.” Johnson led a delegation of GOP lawmakers to visit the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas last week. He and his fellow Republicans have vowed to pursue impeachment against Mayorkas in the coming weeks. Johnson listed the crises going on at the southern border, from massive crossings of single adult males to the sex trafficking of women and children. “Anyone with a conscience who came down to see this would demand that it stop,” Johnson said. BIDEN ADMIN EYES MORE DEPORTATION FLIGHTS TO VENEZUELA AS MIGRANT NUMBERS SHATTER RECORDS “But these are very, very real and immediate issues, what you’re talking about,” Brennan said. “It is a crisis, so don’t you need the help of the Homeland Security secretary instead of trying to impeach him?” HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE SETS FIRST MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT HEARING Johnson laughed, responding, “We’ve been asking Secretary Mayorkas to do his job since he gained office, and he’s done exactly the opposite. He’s testified untruthfully before Congress repeatedly.” “But why focus the congressional resources on going ahead with an impeachment when they could be dealing with the actual issues here on the ground?” Brennan asked. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT POPULATION SOARS UNDER BIDEN: GOVERNMENT DATA Johnson responded that the Homeland Security Committee has “methodically” investigated the border crisis and found that Mayorkas should be held accountable. “I believe Secretary Mayorkas is an abject failure, but it’s not because of incompetence,” Johnson said. “I believe he has done this intentionally. I think these are intentional policy decisions that he has made, and I think there must be accountability for that.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment, but they did not immediately respond. U.S. Customs and Border Protection tracked a surge of roughly 240,000 monthly illegal alien encounters per month at the border in late 2023.
Week in pictures: Iowa shooting to Bangladesh elections
[unable to retrieve full-text content] From a US high school shooting to rescue operations after an earthquake in Japan, here is the week in photos.
Fighting for Space: The Low Earth Satellite Race
People & Power investigates the new satellite space race and its implications for the future. Space may be infinite, but the Earth’s orbit is not. Since 2019, the number of satellites circling the planet has more than doubled. Companies like Elon Musk’s Starlink, OneWeb, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, and even entities as large as the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) have launched thousands of satellites in hopes of gaining an upper hand in the lucrative market of orbital space around the Earth. The commercial possibilities of space offer the potential to empower the roughly three billion people who are currently without broadband internet and provide an invaluable tool for researchers. But there is potential peril embedded in the promise. Expanded internet access increases the surveillance capabilities of government and private entities. The military use of satellites has already resulted in sabre-rattling between world powers. Reflected light from satellites could change the way we see the stars in the night sky. And every new satellite increases the chance of a disastrous collision which could set off a chain of events that could render the Earth’s orbit unusable. Adblock test (Why?)