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Number of searches on Americans in FBI foreign intelligence database fell in 2023, report shows
The number of searches about Americans conducted by the FBI in a controversial foreign intelligence database fell by almost half in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to a new report released Tuesday by the U.S. intelligence community.
The FBI’s searches, some of which were deemed to be improper in the past, were a flashpoint in a months-long fight in Congress over the reauthorization of a surveillance program referred to as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA.
The number of FBI queries of what the report terms “U.S. persons” from December 2022 to November 2023 fell to 57,094 from 119,383 in the previous year, according to the Annual Statistical Transparency Report, which is issued by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
“These reductions occurred following a number of changes FBI made to its systems, processes, and training relating to U.S. person queries,” the report said.
A senior Department of Justice official who briefed reporters on Tuesday said this year’s total figure did not specify how many queries may have been improper, but said the Justice Department was conducting regular audits of the bureau’s queries.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers raised objections to elements of the surveillance program that they argued infringed on Americans’ privacy and civil liberties, and cited past misuse by the FBI. In its push for reauthorization, the Biden administration argued that Section 702 was a vital tool for protecting U.S. national security.
President Biden signed the bill into law on April 20, reauthorizing Section 702 for another two years.
Issued every year since the unauthorized disclosures of domestic surveillance programs by National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden in 2013, the report offers an accounting of the intelligence community’s use of surveillance authorities, some of which can affect Americans.
The overall number of targets under Section 702 — all of which are categorized as “non-U.S. persons” —- rose to 268,590 from 246,073 in 2022, continuing a steady pattern of year-to-year growth.
Rebecca Richards, chief of ODNI’s Office of Civil Liberties, Privacy and Transparency, said Tuesday that the total number of targets “has increased over time as the [intelligence community] continues to address both its customers’ traditional and emerging foreign intelligence requirements.”
The report also notes a significant increase in the number of U.S. persons “unmasked” by the NSA in response to specific requests by government agencies. In 2023, that number rose to 31,330 from 11,511 in 2022.
“Unmasking” refers to the disclosure of identities that are redacted in classified materials, which certain government agencies and officials can request.
A senior intelligence official explained that the term “U.S. person” could refer to “technical” and “machine” identifiers, including IP addresses associated with U.S. companies, and said this year’s marked increase in unmasking requests was related to a single intelligence report on attempts by a foreign cyber actor to compromise American critical infrastructure.
“‘U.S. person means more than just a human being,'” Richards added. “It was related to the critical infrastructure in those U.S. companies. And so that is still U.S. person information, even though it’s not about … an individualized human being.”
Officials who briefed reporters Tuesday would not offer additional details about the foreign actor or the type of infrastructure in question.
U.S. officials have warned in recent months of a sprawling campaign by Chinese hackers targeting American infrastructure in an operation known as “Volt Typhoon,” and have said malicious actors from Russia and Iran continue to pose a risk to key sectors.
CBS News
Heat wave blamed for death in California, record temperatures in Las Vegas and high electric bills across U.S.
Dangerous heat across the U.S. has impacted millions of people, with temperatures breaking records in some areas and even causing death. Electric bills are also expected to increase this summer as Americans fight to stay cool at home. Here is how the extreme heat is affecting the country.
California heat wave temperatures
In California’s Death Valley on Sunday, temperatures reached 129 degrees Fahrenheit, tying the area’s daily heat record set in 2007, according to the service.
At least one person in Death Valley died and another was hospitalized in Las Vegas for heat exposure on Sunday. The person who died was not identified but the pair was part of a group of six motorcyclists. The other four were treated at the scene. Emergency helicopters could not respond because they cannot safely fly at temperatures higher than 120 degrees.
Most of Los Angeles County is under an excessive heat warning or heat advisory on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
Preliminary reports on Sunday showed daily heat records were broken in two cities just northeast of Los Angeles. Palmdale reached 114 degrees, and Lancaster got up to 115 degrees, breaking the city’s record.
NWS Los Angeles also warned that high wind gusts and hot and dry conditions could exacerbate wildfires in the mountains, deserts and interior valleys, with small fires at risk of growing.
At least 21 wildfires are burning in California, forcing evacuations in some parts.
Even Northern California and the Pacific Northwest are experiencing extreme heat, with the city of Redding, California, reaching a record 119 degrees this weekend and several cities in Oregon, including Portland, breaking daily heat records with temperatures expecting to persist, according to the National Weather Service Portland.
Las Vegas breaks heat record
Las Vegas shattered a daily heat record on Sunday with 120 degrees degree temperatures, according to the National Weather Service. The previous daily record was 116 degrees set in 2017. Several other cities, including Kingman, Arizona, and Death Valley, California, set or tied heat records on Saturday and Sunday and more daily heat records were expected to be set on Monday.
The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for the Las Vegas valley and several surrounding areas.
The service conducted several demonstrations to show people how hot it was. In one, they attempted to bake cookies on top of a car dashboard that was registering at 215 degrees. In about 40 minutes, the cookies began to bake.
They also tested if they could melt crayons outside. Sure enough, their art project worked — the crayons ran down a blank canvas, creating a rainbow from the melted wax.
Electrical bills expected to increase due to heat
Families are likely to see their electrical bills increase 7.9% from June to September this year to an average cost of $719, compared with $661 during the same period last year, according to projections from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association and the Center for Energy Poverty and Climate.
Over the last 10 years, as summer temperatures have increased and the U.S. has experienced more extreme heat events, the cost of cooling homes during the summer has gradually increased from an average of $476 in 2014, according to NEADA, a nonprofit that works to provided energy to low-income households.
This will impact low-income families the most, especially in states that have no summer-shut off protects for electricity, NEADA says. Only 17 states and the District of Columbia have protections for low income households, but families in the other states could face dangerous heat if they cannot pay their bills.
According to the association, nearly 20% of low-income households have no air conditioning. And on top of this, the federal funding for Low Income Home Energy Assistance was decreased by $2 billion this year. Nearly 80% of the program’s funds are used for heating, so only 20% is left over to ensure low-income families stay cool during heat.
Extreme weather coast-to-coast
The National Weather Service has also issued a heat advisory for all of Florida and parts of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Parts of the Northeast, including most of New Jersey and New York City and parts of Pennsylvania, the D.C. metro area, Connecticut and Massachusetts are also under a heat advisory.
Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas on Monday morning, bringing with it heavy rain and wind and an increase in tornado threats, according to The Weather Channel. Parts of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Southern Illinois are under a flood watch, according to the National Weather Service.
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LeBron James re-signs with Lakers to make him and Bronny first father-son duo on same NBA team. But they aren’t the only family members to play together.
LeBron James and his son, Bronny, are making history as the first father-son duo to not only play in the NBA simultaneously but also on the same team. The elder James re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, CBS Sports reports. This comes after the younger James was drafted to the team as the 2nd round, 55th overall pick.
LeBron, who made his NBA debut in 2003 at age 19, has played on the Lakers since 2018 after two long stints with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers and a stint on the Miami Heat in between. The four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA MVP reportedly re-signed with the Lakers for about $101.35 million, ESPN’s Bobby Marks first reported. This is a pay cut considering his max salary is around $104 million.
Bronny, 19, was drafted by the Lakers last month after playing one season at the University of Southern California.
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Ahead of the draft, LeBron, 39, said he was hoping to play alongside his son.
“I need to be on the floor with my boy, I got to be on the floor with Bronny,” he said.
The pair may be the first of their kind, but several other family members have played in the NBA together, even on the same team. Here are some of the other famous duos of the league.
NBA father-son duos
Dell Curry, father of Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry and Charlotte Hornets member Seth Curry, played in the NBA from 1986 to 2002. His oldest son, Steph entered the league in 2009, just seven years after his father’s retirement.
Athletics runs deep in that family. Seth married Callie Rivers, the daughter of his former head coach, Doc Rivers. Callie is a professional volleyball player.
Doc’s son, Austin Rivers, also played in the NBA, making them another father-son duo of the league. Austin became the first person in the NBA to be coached by his father, who was coaching the Los Angeles Clippers.
Several other NBA players have seen their sons enter the league: Mychal Thompson’s sons, Klay and Mychal, played, as did Rick Barry’s three sons Jon, Brent and Drew.
Some other duos include Arvydas and Domantas Sabonis, Bill and Luke Walton, Tim Hardaway and Tim Jr., Larry Nance and Larry Jr. and Gary Payton and Gary II.
Late Lakers great Kobe Bryant’s father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, also played in the NBA for several years.
Stephen Dunn / Getty Images
NBA brothers
In 2024, there are fourteen sets of brothers playing in the NBA, including the Currys and Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who play on the Milwaukee Bucks together.
The Bucks roster includes another set of brothers, twins Brook and Robin Lopez. Evan and Isaiah Mobley play together on the Cavaliers and Franz and Moritz Wagner play on the Orlando Magic.
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Justin, Jrue and Aaron Holiday all play in the league – Justin and Aaron played together on the Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers during their careers.
There are also several sets of twins in the NBA: Caleb and Cody Martin, who both played on the Charlotte Hornets at the same time; Amen and Ausar Thompson, who were both drafted in 2023; and Keegan and Kris Murray and Marcus Morris Sr. and Markieff Morris, who were both drafted in 2011.
Other brothers currently in the league include Tre and Tyus Jones, Jalen and Jaden McDaniels, LaMelo and Lonzo Ball and Jaden and Cody Williams.
There have been more than 70 sets of brothers who have played in the NBA over the years, according to FanSided.
