The Senate Intelligence Committee leader accused the CIA of interfering with its investigation into the agency's old interrogation programs. ● The powerful chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee charged the CIA on Tuesday morning with covertly removing key documents from computers used by her panel's staff to investigate the government's interrogation practices. In an impassioned 40-minute speech on the Senate floor accusing the intelligence agency of possibly violating the Constitution, Dianne Feinstein lacerated the CIA for accessing in January the computer files used by committee staffers to review the CIA's now defunct interrogation programs. By doing so, the intelligence agency violated a clear agreement that it had made with Feinstein's committee that it would refrain from monitoring its review.

VoR: CIA accused of spying on US Congress
RT.com: CIA accused of spying on Congress over torture report
The Guardian: Snowden accuses Senate intelligence chair of hypocrisy over CIA disclosures || NSA whistleblower accuses Dianne Feinstein of double standards, pointing out her lack of concern about widespread surveillance of ordinary citizens

The drone was allegedly surveilling Crimean troop positions over the Turetsky Val block-post, the newspaper quotes a Cossack source as saying. The unsanctioned aircraft had been spotted by Crimean self-defense forces and Berkut policemen. Another, heavier, two-engine drone, has been allegedly shot down and fell outside the block-post’s area.

VoR: NSA fails to get iron grip on Crimea, surveillance agencies shamed

The parliament of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has adopted an independence declaration from Ukraine which is necessary for holding a March 16 referendum. “We, the members of the parliament of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Sevastopol City Council, with regard to the charter of the United Nations and a whole range of other international documents and taking into consideration the confirmation of the status of Kosovo by the United Nations International Court of Justice on July, 22, 2010, which says that unilateral declaration of independence by a part of the country doesn’t violate any international norms, make this decision,” says the text of the declaration, which was published by the Crimean media. The document was adopted during an extraordinary session of parliament. 78 of 100 members of the parliament voted in favor of the declaration.

Ukraine may have to arm itself with nuclear weapons if the United States and other world powers refuse to enforce a security pact that obligates them to reverse the Moscow-backed takeover of Crimea, a member of the Ukraine parliament told USA Today. ● Ukraine may have to arm itself with nuclear weapons if the United States and other world powers refuse to enforce a security pact that obligates them to reverse the Moscow-backed takeover of Crimea. The United States, Great Britain and Russia agreed in a pact "to assure Ukraine's territorial integrity" in return for Ukraine giving up a nuclear arsenal it inherited from the Soviet Union after declaring independence in 1991, said Pavlo Rizanenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament. "We gave up nuclear weapons because of this agreement," said Rizanenko, a member of the Udar Party headed by Vitali Klitschko, a candidate for president. "Now there's a strong sentiment in Ukraine that we made a big mistake." His statements come as Russia raised the possibility it may send its troops beyond the Crimean peninsula on the Black Sea into the eastern half of Ukraine. The Russian Foreign Ministry said lawlessness "now rules in eastern regions of Ukraine as a result of the actions of fighters of the so-called 'right sector' with the full connivance" of Ukraine's authorities.

Jason Ditz: Ukraine Needs New Nuclear Arms, Says Kiev MP

NATO has begun wargames in Poland as recently dispatched US jets are set to take part in the exercises. Poor weather has delayed naval maneuvers in the Black Sea, with the US saying both drills were planned before the outbreak of unrest in Ukraine. The air drills began on Tuesday at the Lask Air Base in central Poland. Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski was present as the exercises commenced, standing by as four Polish F-16s lifted off. A US Hercules transport plane landed with support staff, while at least 12 US F-16 fighter jets and 300 personnel are due to arrive by Thursday. Komorowski, without directly naming Crimea, said "events to the east" provided a reason to protect military spending in an age of austerity.

Thomas Gaist & Barry Grey ■ National Security Agency (NSA) whistle-blower Edward Snowden gave a brief interview Monday via teleconference to a crowd assembled at the South by Southwest festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. The event was hosted by two attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Ben Wizner and Chris Sogohian, who led the discussion and made extended remarks. Documents leaked by Snowden over the past nine months have exposed the existence of a vast state spying apparatus that operates surveillance programs gathering every type of data imaginable, including cell phone locations, video chat streams, emails, text messages, Internet browsing habits and much more. Snowden’s courageous actions in bringing to light these massive and flagrantly illegal operations have made him a hero to millions and his appearance was highly anticipated. The event itself was politically significant—a live broadcast to a US audience made by someone who is being hunted by the US government and has been indicted on espionage charges, demonized by politicians and the media, and threatened with death by intelligence officials. Snowden was greeted with enthusiastic applause as his face appeared on screen against a backdrop of the Declaration of Independence. During the telecast, one of the hosts noted that Snowden’s connection was bounced between seven “proxies” to thwart any attempt to locate him.

The Guardian: Edward Snowden discusses NSA leaks at SXSW
Boing-Boing: Edward Snowden's magnificent testimony to the EU

Family doctors have been ordered to train staff to spot potential terrorists. ● The new policy, issued by NHS England to all health authorities, states that GP practices must train a “lead” member of staff to recognise patients who could become or have become linked to terror groups. Under the new rules, if a GP practice fails to send a member of staff on the “Prevent” counter terrorism course, part of their funding will be cut. The policy, outlined in a letter from NHS England to all clinical commissioning groups, which buy health services, has outraged GP leaders. Doctors have also warned that it could threaten patient trust if doctors are being asked to report back to the authorities.

It’s very rare that international sanctions conferences are held in a city that is likely to be a major target of those sanctions, but that’s how tomorrow’s planned London conference on Russia is expected to go. ● British Premier David Cameron says he is more than willing to do serious damage to the London economy as well as Britain’s domestic defense industry so long as it means punishing Russian President Vladimir Putin. A leaked British document from last week showed the government opposed to sanctions on Russia because of fear that it would unduly harm London, an investment haven for many Russians. Cameron angrily condemned the upcoming Crimean referendum as “illegal and illegitimate,” and says it is vital to show Britain’s opposition to it, no matter how much damage sanctions and asset seizures do to the London economy. [This would make Cameron a traitor, wouldn't it?]

The Guardian: Russia risks consequences over Crimea referendum, Cameron and Merkel say

Government and Top University Studies: Fluoride Lowers IQ and Causes Other Health Problems || We reported last month that a Harvard study found that fluoride can lower children’s IQ by 7 points, and that numerous government reports have shown that fluoride can injure the brain and neurological system. Now, one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals – Lancet – has published a Harvard study showing that fluoride is one of the chemicals which can increase autism and attention deficit disorder.

Johannes Stern ■ On Monday, US ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt declared that the United States would not recognize the results of the “so-called referendum” and threatened further steps against Russia. He said Washington was “not prepared to recognize any result of the referendum,” as it regards Crimea “as an integral part of Ukraine.” He accused Russia of trying to change the status of Crimea “under the barrel of a gun.” Pyatt said President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry had held talks with European leaders over the weekend, and that the US and the European Union were in complete agreement that harsher sanctions could follow the referendum. “There is no daylight between us,” he said. Falling into line behind Washington, European leaders released their own bellicose statements.