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Friday, March 21, 2014

Cheat Sheet - Russian Spies Infiltrate Ukraine

Cheat Sheet: Morning

March 21, 2014
SETTING UP SHOP
The Kremlin claims it hasn't invaded anyone, but that's because Russia is secretly slipping special units of spies and saboteurs into Ukraine, Eli Lake reports. U.S. intelligence officials now say that Russia's Spetsnaz--the special operations units attached to the military and intelligence agencies--are expanding into eastern and southern Ukraine, while provocateurs are looking to instigate "skirmishes in those parts of the country.
DEADLIEST CATCH
When it was announced that possible debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 was found off the coast of Australia, the country's prime minister warned that "it's about the most inaccessible spot that you can imagine on the face of the Earth." Even more relevant to the success of the search, says Clive Irving, is that it is taking place in a part of the world where the U.S. and China are devoting their most secret resources to watching each other.
DEMOCRACY?

Just hours after Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan threatened to shut down Twitter, the government appears to have indeed restricted access to the social media site in most of the country. Earlier on Thursday, the prime minister told a rally in Bursa that "we will eradicate Twitter." He added "I don't care what the international community says. Everyone will witness the power of the Turkish Republic." It appears Erdoğan utilized a recently passed and controversial law that allows the government to shut down sites due to "privacy violations." Last month, he said Twitter bots, what he calls the "robot lobby," targeted the government, and he has also threatened to block Facebook and YouTube. Twitter is currently investigating the claims that it has been banned and told users alternative ways to tweet via SMS.

SEARCH HISTORY

This could turn up some awkward material. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Thursday announced he has ordered the Senate sergeant-at-arms to begin a forensic analysis of the Senate Intelligence Committee's computer equipment in response to what he believes are "absurd" claims by the CIA that Senate staffers hacked into the agency. That's the reason, the CIA claims, it infiltrated Senate computers. Both the Senate and the CIA have sent accusations about the other to the Justice Department, which so far is reluctant to intervene due to separation of powers. CIA Director John Brennan, in a January 27 letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein, said CIA documents relating to its torture report "may have been improperly obtained and/or retained" by Senate staffers. Last week, Feinstein shook D.C. by accusing the CIA of spying on her committee.

FALSE ALARM

Mt. Gox, once the world's biggest exchange for the digital currency Bitcoin, says it has found 200,000 bitcoins in a "wallet" (digital file), which was no longer used by the company. That represents about a quarter of the Bitcoins that the company had announced were lost when it filed for court protection in February. We believed there were no bitcoins left in old wallets, but found 199,999.99 bitcoins on March 7," CEO Mark Karpelès said Thursday. The company still has not said how exactly the Bitcoins, worth roughly $470 million, went missing, but did say it was possibly a technical issue allowing users to make fraudulent withdrawals.


STEP FORWARD
UN: Iran Doing Its Part on Nukes
Keeping in line with deal negotiated in January.
THAT STINGS
S&P Cuts Russian Credit Outlook
After U.S. sanctions.
HOUSE OF HORRORS
Pistorius To Sell Crime Scene Home
To cover his legal fees.
AMERICA'S MOST WANTED
Anita Baker Wanted by Police
Warrant for "Sweet Love" singer.
BRACKET-BUSTERS
Dayton, Harvard Upset Foes
As does North Dakota State.

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