The man faces charges after secretly streaming footage of his roommate sleeping with another man on the internet. His 18-year-old roommate took his own life after learning about what had happened.
AN INVESTIGATION INTO America’s intelligence network says it is now so big that its effectiveness is compromised. The Washington Post conducted a two-year investigation into the intelligence services put in place by the US government after the 9/11 attacks.
Among the developments documented by the newspaper are the 33 building complexes set aside for top-secret intelligence work which have been built or are being built since 11 September, 2001. Over three-quarters of a million people currently have top-secret security clearance, “nearly 1.5 times as many people as live in Washington, DC,” the report writes.
The volume of reports produced by people engaged in intelligence work is so high that it many are simply ignored. The Washington Post writes that it was lack of focus, not lack of resources, which allowed the Fort Hood shooting in Texas last year and the Christmas Day attempted plane bombing to happen.
The CIA had been warned about the attempted bombing when the bomber’s father alerted the US embassy in Nigeria about his sons inclinations.
Today’s article suggests that the intelligence system has grown so big and unwieldy, no one really knowns how many people are involved – or how much it all costs. But US Defence Secretary Robert Gates told the Post he didn’t believe the system had grown too large too manage, but conceded that accessing specific information can sometimes be difficult.
US AUTHORITIES have detained a 12th person in connection with the Russian spy ring recently broken on the east coast of the States, the Wall Street Journal reports. Ten people found guilty of operating as foreign agents in the US were deported to Moscow last week in an apparent spy swap deal between the US and Russia. This 12th person may follow suit.
A NEW STUDY has claimed that the number of deaths caused by smoking in the home could be comparable to the number of road deaths recorded in Ireland.
According to the NUI Galway-led research, the concentration of particulate pollution in the homes of smokers (who smoke indoors) is six-times higher than the World Health Organisation’s recommendation for general outdoor air quality, 10 times the allowable level for healthy breathing in homes and up to 17 times greater than levels actually found outdoors.
Smoking at home causes greater levels of air pollutants than using solid fuels such as coal, wood, peat and gas, says Dr Marie Coggins.
Since the introduction of the smoking ban in Ireland, many people have found it easier to stop people smoking in their own homes. So, in today’s poll we ask: Do you allow smoking in your home?
Clouds and sun
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Min: 4 °C
Some sun with a couple of showers; cool
Max: 10 °C
Min: 4 °C
Partly sunny
Max: 13 °C
Min: 3 °C
