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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

 What's going on in the World Today 120829

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USA

U.S. Naval Update Map: Aug. 29, 2012

EUROPE

The Netherlands: Schiphol Airport Reopens August 29, 2012 

The Schiphol airport in Amsterdam reopened Aug. 29 after having closed its runways and terminals Aug. 28 because of the discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb and a possible hijacking, Reuters reported. Reports of the hijacking were unfounded, and the unexploded German bomb buried underground near Schiphol's Terminal C was removed so it can be safely disarmed

France: 500 Roma Expelled From Camp August 29, 2012

French police expelled about 500 Roma from a camp in the Paris suburbs Aug. 29, AFP reported.

ASIA

In China, a New Inland Economic Zone

Turkey: Woman Responsible For Pipeline Explosion Was Syrian Citizen - Report August 29, 2012 

The woman who caused an explosion Aug. 26 along the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik oil pipeline from Iraq to Turkey was a Syrian citizen, Hurriyet Daily News reported Aug. 29. The woman died in the blast.

AFRICA

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT

RUSSIA

The Future of Russia's Military: Part 3

Ukraine, Russia: Compromise on the Horizon?

Russia: Kuril Islands To Get New Military Equipment August 29, 2012 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the military position in the Kuril Islands be upgraded and strengthened, Russian Chief of General Staff Nikolai Makarov said Aug. 29, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported. Moscow will not send more troops; rather it will redeploy advanced equipment such as Tor-M2 surface-to-air missile systems, Mi-28N attack helicopters, mobile shore-based missile complexes and communications systems, Makarov said. There will not be tanks because the islands do not offer enough room to maneuver such heavy equipment. The plans also include the construction of two military compounds on the islands, and Makarov is confident everything will be complete by 2015 at the latest.

Russia: Security Bloc To Increase Combat Components August 28, 2012 

The military component of the Collective Security Treaty Organization will be reorganized to increase combat components, Russian Chief of the General Staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov said Aug. 28 in Moscow, Interfax-AVN reported. Makarov added that the reorganization needs to take place as quickly as possible so that the security bloc can strengthen its forces amidst world tensions

Russia: Ruling Party Plans to Regulate Anonymous Internet Speech - Source August 29, 2012 

The ruling One Russia party is planning to introduce legislation this autumn that would allow authorities to punish anonymous criticism on the Internet, daily newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported Aug. 29, citing a source close to the presidential administration. Current media law does not regulate behavior on the Internet, where many violations are being registered, the source said
 
IRAN

The Geography of Iranian Power by Robert D. Kaplan
 
IRAQ

Iraq: Kurdistan Regional Government Threatens To Halt Oil Exports In September August 28, 2012 

Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government threatened to begin halting oil exports again in September due to Baghdad's failure to pay oil companies in the region, an unnamed senior Kurdistan Regional Government official said Aug. 28, Reuters reported. According to Iraqi Deputy Finance Minister Fadhil Nabi, Kurdish authorities have not yet presented receipts with company expenses to Baghdad and more auditing is needed before payments can be approved.
 
Iraq: Kurdistan Region Needs Multilateral Alliance - Official August 28, 2012 

A multilateral agreement should be signed among political parties and forces in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, the region’s vice president, Kosrat Rasul Ali, said to the Awena newspaper, AK News reported Aug. 28. The strategic agreement between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was useful during the period after the civil war, he added. Ali also said the Kurdistan region needs a clear and flexible oil policy.
ISRAEL

Egypt's Diplomacy in Israel
 
AFGHANISTAN

Helmand Province After the Western Withdrawal

Afghanistan: President Dismissed Intelligence Chief - Source August 29, 2012 

President Hamid Karzai has dismissed National Directorate of Security chief Rahmatullah Nabeel, Khaama reported Aug. 29, citing an unnamed Afghan lawmaker. Karzai will introduce Asadullah Khalid as the new intelligence chief, the source said.

MIDDLE EAST

Syria: Rebels Say They Seized 10 Missiles From Regime August 29, 2012 

Syrian rebels have seized 10 missiles from the regime’s arsenal in eastern Damascus province, rebels said Aug. 28, AFP reported Aug. 29. Activists calling themselves the Gathering of Ansar al-Islam Battalions posted a video on YouTube that showed a tank burning, several armed men, and a warehouse the militants said they seized from the army. A Free Syrian Army spokesman said the rebels seized surface-to-surface missiles, four of which were ready to launch at the time of their seizure.

Turkey: 8 Arrested On Charges Of Spying For Iran August 29, 2012 

Turkish police arrested eight Turkish citizens Aug. 29 on charges of spying for Iranian intelligence, according to a statement from the Igdir province governor's office, Today's Zaman reported. These arrests stem from three arrests Aug. 19, 2011, under Article 327 of Turkey's Penal Code, which criminalizes the unauthorized acquisition of information regarding state security.

Libya: New Government To Form Sept. 8 August 30, 2012 

Members of Libya's National Congress decided at a Aug. 29 meeting to allow the nomination of ministers and the formation of the new government Sept. 8, a parliament spokesman said at a press conference in Tripoli, Xinhua reported

SOUTH OF THE BORDER

Mexico Security Memo: New Leadership for Los Zetas

Mexico: Los Zetas Split Confirmed August 28, 2012 

According to Mexican intelligence, Los Zetas is divided between factions supporting either Heriberto "El Lazca" Lazcano Lazcano or Miguel "Z-40" Trevino Morales, the head of Mexico's Attorney General's office said Aug. 28, Milenio reported.

Mexico: Government Green-Lights Non-Hydraulic Shale Oil Extraction August 30, 2012 

Mexico will allow the United States' Chimera Energy Corp. to deploy a new, non-hydraulic shale oil extraction technology in the country's Chicontepec Basin, UPI reported Aug. 29. The company believes its technology can replace hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, as an extraction method
 
MISC

The Grain Market and the State

Malware Campaigns Impersonating U.S. Government Agencies added Tuesday, August 28, 2012 http://www.us-cert.gov/current/#malware_campaigns_impersonating_u_s

US-CERT is aware of multiple malware campaigns impersonating multiple U.S. government agencies, including the United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Once installed on a system, the malware displays a screen claiming that a Federal Government agency has identified the user's computer as being associated with one or more crimes. The user is told to pay a fine to regain the use of the computer, usually through prepaid money card services.

Affected users should not follow the payment instructions. US-CERT encourages users to follow the recommendations in Security Tip ST05-006, Recovering from Viruses, Worms, and Trojan Horses. Users may also choose to file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

August 27, Nextgov – (National) White House plans to regulate contractor computer security. The Presidential Administration has drafted plans to require federal contractors to adopt specific cybersecurity safeguards for company equipment that transmits government information, Nextgov reported August 27. NASA, the Defense Department, and the General Services Administration, which purchases goods and services for agencies across government, released the draft rules August 24. Under the plan, doing business with the government would be contingent on agreeing to protectcorporate-owned devices and federal data on Web sites. The provision calls for only a few computer protections and leaves vendors substantial flexibility, which troubles some computer security experts. A research director for the SANS Institute who frequently advises the Administration said the proviso does not elaborate on the degree to which antimalware software must be ―current and regularly updated‖ or provide a timeline for the ―prompt‖ application of patches. And the clause is silent on limiting administrative privileges, which grant network-wide access, he added.
Source: http://www.nextgov.com/cio-briefing/2012/08/white-house-plans-regulate- contractor-computer-security/57668/?oref=ng-channelriver

 
Except where noted courtesy STRATFOR.COM
 


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