U.S. secret court reauthorizes NSA surveillance of phone records in its current form. The order expires on Feb. 27 next year. President Obama announced plan to stop NSA from collecting bulk phone records of Americans from phone companies. A Senate bill to end the program ran into difficulties in the Senate last month, and could delay any reform until next year, officials say. The bill also has a provision for the appointment of a special advocate tasked with promoting privacy interests in closed court proceedings.”]

