Threat Assessment: December 19th-23rd
December 19th-23rd
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WITH US
Thousands of women march for justice in Cairo
After images of women being beaten and stripped by soldiers were splashed across the front pages of Egyptian newspapers, thousands of women marched through Cairo in protest. Renewed clashes in Tahrir Square over the military rulers' leadership have resulted in at least 14 deaths. The women's protests, however, seemed to have an effect, as the military council issued an apology before the march even ended. “The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces expresses its utmost sorrow for the great women of Egypt, for the violations that took place during the recent events,” the council said in a statement. “It stresses its great appreciation for the women of Egypt.” [New York Times]
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AGAINST US
October was top month for plagiarism in 2011
Journalism in October 2011 was marred by more incidences of plagiarism and fabrication incidents than any other month this year, according to Craig Silverman at the Poynter Institute. There were nine incidents in October, coming from sources ranging from wire services to student newspapers, making it the worst month on record since Silverman started collecting data in 2005. For example, the Irish Examiner suspended its international affairs columnist after it was revealed that he lifted work from publications like Spiked and Salon. [Poynter]
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Al Jazeera wins big-deal journalism award
In what is something of a media milestone, Al Jazeera English just won a prestigious Alfred I. duPont award for journalistic excellence, the Columbia School of Journalism announced Wednesday. The network won for "Fault Lines," a program that examines America's role in international events. The duPont win is "an indication of how things have shifted in the way that we’re perceived in the U.S.,” said Jazeera correspondent Sebastian Walker. [Poynter]
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AGAINST US
Homeless people die younger
The average homeless person in the U.K. has an life expectancy of 47, a startling 30 years lower than the country's national average, according to a new report. Among the study's other findings: homeless people are nine times more likely to commit suicide than the general population and three times more likely to die as a result of a car accident. "It is shocking, but not surprising, that homeless people are dying much younger than the general population,"the chief executive of the charity Crisis told reporters. "Life on the streets is harsh and the stress of being homeless is clearly taking its toll." [BBC]
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The queen goes green
Britain's Windsor Castle, residence of the UK's Queen Elizabeth will now be powered by a $2.7 hydroelectric turbine system, which will not only be cheaper than conventional electricity, but stands to save 871 tons of carbon a year. The installation will power the royal residence and 300 nearby homes. [Grist]
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AGAINST US
U.S calls for killer flu study to be censored
America's National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity has called on the authors of an important Dutch flu study to withhold details of the research from the public. The work involved creating a highly dangerous H5N1 flu that could go pandemic, and the US government is concerned about the risk that the "recipe" might get into the wrong hands. The study's lead author, Ron Fouchier, responded, "We will respect the advice and try to publish in censored form." [New Scientist]
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AGAINST US
Prized manuscripts destroyed in Egypt violence
Over the weekend in Cairo, fighting between protesters and soldiers resulted in the loss of thousands of the country's oldest manuscripts and books. The Institut d'Egypte, near Tahrir Square, was set on fire during the clashes, and only 30,000 of the institute's 200,000-plus documents – some dating as far back as the early 1800s – were saved. "Priceless manuscripts and irreplaceable books are lost," tweeted the director of Institut affiliate Library of Alexandria. [Nature]
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Major FBI probe collars insider traders
Targeting an apparent epidemic of insider trading at hedge funds, FBI agents ran a five-year investigation called "Perfect Hedge," deploying the same techniques deployed against the Mafia: wiretaps, informants, and cooperative witnesses. The investigation has been the most successful insider trading probe to date, having resulted in at least 56 insider trading charges. [Bloomberg]
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AGAINST US
U.S. intelligence on North Korea next to zero
The death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has heightened national security concerns in the U.S., not least because Washington has next to no knowledge of the country's transition process or the status of its nuclear or foreign policy plans. Until the country ends its traditional mourning period – which could last for weeks or months – the administration is left waiting for further action out of North Korea. "It is scary how little we really know," a U.S. official told reporters. "I don't think you can overstate the concern."[Washington Post]
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Seattle bans plastic bags
Seattle's City Council voted unanimously Monday to ban plastic grocery bags, as well as to charge a 5-cent fee on paper bags. In 2008, the city was the first in the nation to approve a fee on paper and plastic bags, but the 20-cent charge was considered too high by voters after the plastic industry brought it to a vote with a ballot initiative. Now, Seattle is the fourth city in Washington state to approve a ban, along with other cities such as San Francisco and Portland. [New York Times]
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AGAINST US
Nearly half of oil regulators have industry ties
Of the 95 oil and gas regulators in the top 27 drilling states, a staggering 40 percent, have a background in the industry, according to a study by Greenwire. The laws that create governing panels for the industry often require a background in the field, rather than counting it as a conflict of interest. "I knew the cards were stacked against us," said Robert Finne, who works against gas drilling in Arkansas, "but I had no idea how badly." [EENews]
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Palin fails to rule out 2012 run
The Iowa caucuses are in just a few weeks and the GOP field, however underwhelming, appears to be set. But, according to (we thought) non-candidate Sarah Palin, "it's not too late for folks to jump in" to the 2012 presidential nomination race. "I don't know," Palin said on a Fox Business Network appearance Monday. "Who knows what will happen in the future?" [Politico]
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Blago judge rejects lawyer's "harebrained" motion
The federal judge who sentenced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich blasted the former Illinois governor's lawyer Monday, denying a motion to throw out his convictions on the basis of a juror's alleged misconduct. "I intend to deny this motion, which I regard as harebrained," said Judge James Zagel. "This motion was prepared without any adequate thought." [AP]
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AGAINST US
What, Lil' Kim died?!
Thanks to Buzzfeed, we now know that at least 25 people on Facebook and Twitter were under the impression that Lil' Kim died over the weekend. Bill Maher may be partly to blame: the comedian joked on Twitter, "First Hitchens, now Lil' Kim – bad week for atheists!" [BuzzFeed]
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Last U.S. convoy leaves Iraq
The last convoy of American troops left Iraq on Sunday morning, marking the end of over eight years of U.S. involvement in the country. The war cost nearly $1 trillion and 4,500 American lives. “I just can’t wait to call my wife and kids and let them know I am safe,” said Sgt. First Class Rodolfo Ruiz just before crossing the border. “I am really feeling it now.” [New York Times]
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AGAINST US
Feds OK Arctic drilling by Shell Oil
On Friday, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management conditionally approved a plan by Shell to drill oil wells in the water off Alaska's northwest coast. [ThinkProgress]
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Republican Sen. Scott Brown Blasts GOP Obstructionism
Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts issued a statement Monday slamming the GOP-controlled House for rejecting a Senate bill to extend payroll tax cuts and unemployment benefits for two months. "During this time of divided government, both parties need to be reasonable and come to the negotiating table in good faith." [Scott Brown for Senate]
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AGAINST US
1 in 3 Americans arrested by 23
Nearly one-third of Americans have been arrested for a crime by the age of 23, according to a new government study. (For comparison: the figure stood at 22 percent in 1965.) Importantly, 30.2 percent of the 23-year-olds in the study said that they were arrested for an offense other than a small traffic violation. [New York Times]