By Kayla Carr

Local

FOREST SERVICE AND LOCAL TRIBE TO BEGIN WILD HORSE REMOVAL

Starting as soon as mid-July, the United States Forest Service and the Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe plan to remove 2,000 horses owned by the tribe from federal lands located just south of the Nevada- Oregon border according to the Reno Gazette-Journal.

The horses that graze on the land have long been a source of frustration to the government, the tribe and local ranchers.

The RGJ reports that a new environmental review has confirmed that the summer roundup will have no considerable environmental consequences. During the operation, the Forest Service and tribe will work with experts to ensure that they avoid capturing wild mustangs. Once the horses are collected, the tribe will decide whether to auction or keep them.

Wild horse advocates remain unconvinced. They foresee significant environmental impacts, mistaken capturing of mustangs and future slaughtering for the auctioned animals.

According to the latest data from the Bureau of Land Management, over 23,000 wild horses currently reside on Nevada’s federal lands.

National

NEWLY RELEASED NSA REPORT DETAILS LACK OF SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM SUCCESS 

Following a lawsuit filed by the New York Times under the Freedom of Information Act, The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a 2009 report that provides new information about the National Security Agency’s Stellarwind program.

Released Friday, April 24, the redacted report describes how Stellarwind allowed the NSA to wiretap Americans’ international calls and collect their phone and email data without adhering to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

The report also notes that only a few government officials outside of the NSA were aware of the program and goes on to suggest that Stellarwind’s secrecy was to blame for its ineffectiveness.

According to the report, the FBI found that between 2001 and 2004, only 1.2 percent of tips from Stellarwind proved useful in combating terrorism, and between August 2004 and January 2006, no leads from warrantless wiretapping were “significant.”

International

EARTHQUAKE HITS NEPAL, KILLS THOUSANDS 

A 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal Saturday, April 25. As of Monday, state officials say at least 4,000 were killed. It originated 48 miles north of the country’s capital, Kathmandu, and tremors were felt in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. Aftershocks included 6.6 and 6.7 magnitude earthquakes, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The Guardian reports that the earthquake also caused an avalanche that struck the Mount Everest base camp and killed at least 18 people, including four Americans. Over 300 climbers and hundreds of Sherpas were estimated to be on the mountain when the avalanche occurred.

The U.S. State Department has deployed a disaster response team and authorized the immediate release of $1 million in relief aid. According to The Guardian, the United Kingdom, Australia, China and India have also promised assistance.

Kayla Carr can be reached at rhernandez@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrush.