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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

What's going on in the World Today 101227

Hopefully over the weekend you got to see that family Christmas classic, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

As an entourage of suits - lead by Clark's boss - passes by single file:

Clark: Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, kiss my ass. Kiss his ass. Kiss your ass. Happy Hanukkah.


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USA
NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

EUROPE
U.K.: Recognition Of Palestinian Diplomats Under Consideration December 27, 2010

U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is considering the possibility of upgrading the delegation from the Palestinian Territories in London to the status of a diplomatic mission, YNet News reported Dec. 27. An FCO spokesman said the matter was being examined thoroughly.

U.K.: U.S. Embassy Was A Target n Terror Plot December 27, 2010

A group of men arrested the week of Dec. 20 in Britain planned to target the U.S. Embassy in London, among other locations, the U.S. State Department said Dec. 27, Reuters reported. U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said department personnel in London were aware of the threat. The suspects were charged with conspiracy to cause explosions and preparing acts of terrorism.

Germany: Probe Launched Into Possible Poisoning Of Russian Dissidents December 27, 2010

German prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into the possible poisoning of two Russian dissidents in Berlin, a spokesman for the public prosecutors’ office said Dec. 27, AFP reported. The probe is being conducted by a department that deals with politically motivated crimes, the spokesman said. Dangerously high levels of mercury were detected in former KGB Col. Viktor Kalashnikov and his historian wife, Marina Kalashnikov, Germany’s Focus reported earlier in December.

ASIA

RUSSIA
Dispatch: A Case Study of Russian Influence in the Baltics

IRAN
Iran: Fuel Consumption Down After Subsidy Cuts December 27, 2010

Iran’s fuel consumption has declined since the government launched its subsidy removal plan Dec. 19, Iranian Deputy Economy Minister Mohammad Reza Farzin said Dec. 27, AFP reported. Gasoline consumption has fallen from about 60 million liters (nearly 16 million gallons) per day to 55 million liters, Farzin said. Diesel consumption has dropped from 54 million liters to around 40 million liters, according to the Oil Ministry, while cooking gas consumption has fallen 6 percent and water consumption 5 percent, Farzin said. A planned privatization drive will help curb inflation, according to Farzin, who also said transport sector price hikes in various provinces have been implemented to a maximum of 15 percent, ensuring that inflation stays below that level.

IRAQ
Iraq: 10 Percent Of Al Qaeda In Iraq Foreign - Report December 27, 2010

Around 10 percent of Al Qaeda in Iraq is composed of non-Iraqi citizens, most of whom are young, according to a confidential report from the Iraqi Interior Ministry, AKnews reported Dec. 27. A ministry official quoted the report as saying the majority of the insurgents are young unemployed people, while others suffer from mental illness. Al Qaeda uses beggars and people with mental health disorders to plant bombs in vehicles, the report said.

ISRAEL
NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan: Provincial Haqqani Network Leader Captured December 26, 2010

Afghan and NATO-led troops captured a Haqqani network leader and three suspected insurgents during a Dec. 25 operation in Khost province, according to a Dec. 26 NATO statement, Xinhua reported. The detained had been responsible for recruiting suicide bombers to attack Afghan schools, district centers, Afghan security forces and coalition troops in Sabari, Terayzai and Bak districts in Khost, the statement said.

Afghanistan: Medvedev Signs Into Law Transit Pact With French December 27, 2010

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev signed into law ratification of an agreement with the French on the transit of military equipment and personnel to Afghanistan through Russia, RIA Novosti reported Dec. 27, citing the Kremlin. Aircraft with French weapons and military equipment will make a stopover on Russian territory, but personnel transiting Russian airspace will not have to land, according to the agreement.

MIDDLE EAST
NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

SOUTH OF THE BORDER
Mexico: Rebranding the Cartel Wars | STRATFOR

Mexico Security Memo: Dec. 27, 2010 | STRATFOR

MISC
Intelligence Guidance: Week of Dec. 26, 2010 | STRATFOR

December 21, Help Net Security – (International) Worm blocks access to Facebook. A relatively new worm Symantec named “W32.Yimfoca” presents a never before seen modus operandi. A variant of the worm spreads via Yahoo! Messenger and, once installed, downloads and installs W32.Yimfoca on the target system. Lately, it has been noticed it specifically targets Facebook users by denying them access to their accounts if they do not complete a survey. Every time a user lands on the Facebook homepage, a window offering the surveys pops up. Also, while the victim fills out the survey, a progress bar is shown accompanied by a “threat” — “You have only 3 minutes to fill out the selected survey or you will not have access to your account.” Once the user has completed a survey he/she can access his/her account. If the user does not complete the survey within 3 minutes, the worm will not allow him/her to access the account while it is running — and it resets even after a reboot of the infected computer. The worm blocks access to Facebook only if Internet Explorer is being used. Using any other browser fails to trigger the worm and a user can access his/her Facebook account without being sidetracked by pop-ups. Source: http://www.net-security.org/malware_news.php?id=1575


Except where noted courtesy www.stratfor.com

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