NASA - leaked memo cutting ties with Russia's space program

From: O'Brien, Michael F (HQ-TA000) 
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2014 9:33 AM
To: [Deleted]
Cc:  [Deleted]

Subject: Suspension of NASA contact with Russian entities

Dear Colleagues,

Given Russia's ongoing violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, until further notice, the U.S. Government has determined that all NASA contacts with Russian Government representatives are suspended, unless the activity has been specifically excepted.  

This suspension includes NASA travel to Russia and visits by Russian Government representatives to NASA facilities, bilateral meetings, email, and teleconferences or videoconferences.  At the present time, only operational International Space Station activities have been excepted.  In addition, multilateral meetings held outside of Russia that may include Russian participation are not precluded under the present guidance.  

If desired, our office will assist in communication with Russian entities regarding this suspension of activities.  Specific questions regarding the implementation of this guidance can be directed to Ms. Meredith McKay, 202.358.1240 or meredith.mckay@nasa.gov, in our office.

We remain in close contact with the Department of State and other U.S. Government departments and agencies.  If the situation changes, further guidance will be disseminated.

Obie

Michael F. O'Brien

Associate Administrator for International and Interagency Relations

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Director of National Intelligence: NSA spied on Americans without warrants

Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. acknowledged that the National Security Agency has searched for Americans’ communications without warrants in massive databases that gather e-mails and phone calls of foreign targets.

Although recently declassified documents made clear that the NSA had conducted such searches, no senior intelligence official had previously acknowledged the practice. Clapper did so in a letter to Sen. Ron Wyden released Tuesday.

The program targets foreigners abroad for surveillance but captures potentially large volumes of the communications of Americans in contact with those foreigners. According to declassified court documents, the NSA harvests about 250 million Internet communications a year under the program.

The program, which does not require individual warrants for targets, is being challenged in federal court as unconstitutional. The government contends it does not need a warrant to perform queries within a database of communications it has collected lawfully.

“This is unacceptable,” Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) said in a statement. “It raises serious constitutional questions, and poses a real threat to the privacy rights of law-abiding Americans.”

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