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07 May 2011 15:07

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World: Traditionally-harsh Singapore expands freedom of speech online

  • Social media have lowered the barriers of entry into political discourse everywhere. But that’s particularly significant in Singapore because here the barriers to entry into political discourse and the accompanying risks have been so high.
  • Nanyang Technological University professor Mark Cenite • Discussing the recent changes that Singapore has made to its internet policy, allowing for a larger amount of freedom of speech online. The country, well-known for basically banning any sort of political dissent and creating incredibly harsh punishments for those who break the rules, could prove a breaking point for smaller parties that don’t have the money or influence that the leading People’s Action Party does. It’s already proven itself in the form of large crowds at some opposition rallies. But the real question: Will it translate to actual votes? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 May 2011 14:33

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World: U.S.-leaked Osama bin Laden video proves he was apparently vain

  • Bin Laden watching himself on TV: In case you were wondering, the leader of al-Qaeda could be incredibly meta at times, according to this clip just released by the U.S. government. It’s one of five the government released, and this one seems to scream more than any other video ever made, “parody me, citizens of YouTube!” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 May 2011 12:35

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World: Navy SEALS didn’t have a tape measure during Bin Laden raid

  • However, the heavily-armed, electronically wired SEALs didn’t come with a tape measure to get an accurate height reading. According to reports, a Navy SEAL of about 6-feet laid out next to bin Laden’s corpse to gauge the Al Qaeda leader’s height. The corpse was several inches taller.
  • An article on CBS’ Dan Farber • Noting the fairly awkward way that they measured Osama bin Laden’s height after the raid that led to his death. Could you imagine? These big hulking men just killed Bin Laden, only to have to force one of them to lay the ground next to him to do rough measurements? That’s weird. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 May 2011 11:51

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World: Syria: Did Assad’s brother Maher start firing on unarmed civilians?

  • Is Assad’s brother pulling the trigger here? In one of the more striking videos to come out of the Syrian protests, a guy in a leather jacket pulls out a gun and starts shooting at unarmed civilians. Protesters say that Maher Assad, brother of Bashar, is the man pulling the trigger in this clip, shot in the Syrian suburb of Barzeh. If it’s true, that’s messed up. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 May 2011 16:37

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World: The real question: Was Osama bin Laden smoking marijuana?

  • They were growing pot on his compound: A recent report by our boy Nic Robertson of CNN notes that the slain al-Qaeda leader may have had an interesting crop on his property. Next to the cabbage and potatoes were potent marijuana leaves, which is interesting for a number of reasons. Osama had longstanding kidney problems, which might partly explain it, but if he was smoking recreationally, that adds a new wrinkle to this story. LOOK AT US, SPECULATING! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 May 2011 14:40

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World: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad faces ultimatum from Iran’s Supreme Leader

  • [Khamenei] gave me a deadline to make up my mind. I would either accept [the reinstatement] or resign.
  • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (as quoted by Iranian parliament member Morteza Agha-Tehrani) • Describing the choice that Iran’s president is reportedly up against. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, reportedly has to accept the reinstatement of intelligence minister Heydar Moslehi, who Ahmadinejad had forced to resign. If this is true, it’s a pretty good reminder to everyone that Ahmadinejad holds less power than his title suggests. (By the way, this story is from The Guardian, whom we trust a bit more than Examiner.com, and also largely matches ProducerMatthew’s report from last night.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 May 2011 10:07

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World: Note from al-Qaeda: Osama bin Laden dead, but we’ll retaliate

  • Soon — with help from Allah — their happiness will turn into sorrow, and their blood will be mixed with their tears.
  • A message reportedly from al-Qaeda • Revealing that Osama bin Laden is dead (on their end), and that retaliation was likely in the cards. The statement was posted on notable jihadist forums this morning, and SITE Intelligence Group translated it. “We will not deviate from that or change until Allah judges between us and between our enemy with truth,” the note continues. “Indeed, He is the best of all judges. Nothing will harm us after that, until we see either victory and success and conquest and empowerment, or we die trying.” So, to those doubting Bin Laden’s death: So there’s this. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

05 May 2011 20:37

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World: Libyan rebels get Robin Hood-style help from Gaddafi’s coffers

  • request Libyan rebels asked for a funding to help them continue their military campaign to beat Gaddafi’s forces — they wanted cash from the $40 billion frozen from both the country’s and Gaddafi’s accounts.
  • resultsWhile they got a decent chunk of change — in part thanks to the U.S. agreeing to unfreeze some funds — it reportedly wasn’t the $2 to $3 billion they asked for. Will it be enough to topple Gaddafi? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 May 2011 11:08

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World: Workers reenter Fukushima’s damaged No. 1 reactor for first time

  • Things were so dangerous after a blast at Fukushima Daiichi reactor No. 1 that workers didn’t enter the building at all afterwards. Until today. Nearly two months after the hydrogen explosion that greatly damaged the plant on March 11th, NHK reports that workers re-entered the building housing the reactor for the first time since the initial blast. The workers plan to install an air purifier in the plant, reportedly “aimed at preventing workers from suffering internal radiation exposure when they work on setting up a new cooling system at the No. 1 reactor.” That must be a really good air purifier. (Above: A pic of a robot working in the plant, via TEPCO) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 May 2011 10:25

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World: Some of Gaddafi’s frozen assets could go to Libyan rebels

  • $30 billion in frozen assets; some could go to Libyan rebels source
  • » The need is there: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other officials were in Rome, discussing ways to help the Libyan rebels continue their fight against Gaddafi. The rebel government says it needs about $3 billion to continue its push against Gaddafi and to pay for essential services for military forces. Clinton says the U.S. wants “to tap some portion of those assets owned by Gadhafi and the Libyan government in the United States, so we can make those funds available to help the Libyan people.” Better them than Gaddafi, right?
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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