United States

The White House disclosed on Thursday that American development expert Warren Weinstein and Italian aid worker Giovanni Lo Porto were killed in a US-led operation in January to destroy an al-Qaeda compound.

President Barack Obama said that intelligence had led the United States to believe that the compound only sheltered senior militants that would be impossible to capture and that it was free of civilians.

“I take full responsibility for all our counterterrorism operations, including the one that inadvertently took the lives of Warren and Giovanni,” said President Obama. “I profoundly regret what happened. On behalf of the United States government, I offer our deepest apologies to the families.”

It is unclear as to who the strike was intended for, how the White House learned that Weinstein and Lo Porto were killed and how much time had passed before their families were notified of their deaths.

“We hope that my husband’s death and the others who have faced similar tragedies in recent months will finally prompt the U.S. Government to take its responsibilities seriously and establish a coordinated and consistent approach to supporting hostages and their families,” said Elaine, wife of Warren Weinstein.

Nepal

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 rocked Nepal on Saturday, killing thousands and destroying homes and centuries-old temples. A major aftershock hit the country on Sunday.

In what the US Geological Survey calls one of the most seismically hazardous regions on Earth, the quake struck in an area approximately 50 miles northwest of the capital Katmandu. There were multiple aftershocks, including one registering at a magnitude of 6.7.

More than 2,500 people have been confirmed dead, and the death toll is expected to rise as aid and excavation efforts continue to improve. At least 18 people were killed and many more were injured on Mount Everest, where an avalanche was caused by the earthquake.

Neighboring countries have also reported casualties and damage from the earthquake – at least 61 people have died in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Tibet.

It may take several weeks or months, or longer, to realize the full extent of the damage and the final death toll. The country’s resources, including hospitals, have been overwhelmed, but numerous countries and non-profit organizations have immediately pledged aid in the form of funds, personnel and supplies.
Belgium

Belgium’s senior Roman Catholic cleric, Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard, was ordered on Thursday to pay 10,000 euros in damages for failing to act on allegations of sexual abuse in the 1990s.

The original civil case was brought by Joel Devillet, who was abused by a Catholic priest while he was a choirboy when he was 14 years old in the late 1990s.

Devillet later became a priest himself and informed the Church of the abuse he suffered as an adolescent, but the Church did little to help him and did not take his complaints to the proper authorities for justice.

The court said that Leonard bore some blame for not investigating the situation further. “At no moment at the church court was Joel Devillet recognized as a victim…the way in which Bishop Leonard treated the case of Joel Devillet constituted misconduct,” said the court.

A report in 2010 found child abuse was widespread in the Belgian Church, and had driven at least 13 victims to suicide.

Leonard has been criticized before for expressing that prosecuting retired priests is just vengeance and that there is no need for the Church to compensate victims.

Read more stories from: The Retriever Weekly

by Richard Elliott

Career Opportunities in Cybersecurity and
the Information Assurance Directorate

Neal Ziring
Technical Director, Information Assurance Directorate
National Security Agency

1:00pm-2:00pm Friday, 15 May 2015

ITE-325b (CSEE Dept Conference room)

Mr. Ziring will discuss career opportunities in cybersecurity and what NSA's Information Assurance Directorate does.

Neal Ziring is a technical director in the Information Assurance Directorate (IAD) at NSA. The IAD provides cryptographic, network, and operational security to protect and defend national security systems. Previously, Mr. Ziring was a technical director for the Vulnerability Analysis and Operations Group, which provides technology evaluations, defensive operations, and secure configuration guidance for the DoD and the IC. During that time, he served as security architect for two major NSA mission systems programs, collaborated with NIST on the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP), and led analyses of cloud computing and IPv6. Before joining the NSA in 1989, he worked at AT&T Bell Labs. He has a BS in EE and an MS in Computer Science from Washington University.

Career Opportunities in Cybersecurity and
the Information Assurance Directorate

Neal Ziring
Technical Director, Information Assurance Directorate
National Security Agency

1:00pm-2:00pm Friday, 15 May 2015

ITE-325b (CSEE Dept Conference room)

Mr. Ziring will discuss career opportunities in cybersecurity and what NSA's Information Assurance Directorate does.

Neal Ziring is a technical director in the Information Assurance Directorate (IAD) at NSA. The IAD provides cryptographic, network, and operational security to protect and defend national security systems. Previously, Mr. Ziring was a technical director for the Vulnerability Analysis and Operations Group, which provides technology evaluations, defensive operations, and secure configuration guidance for the DoD and the IC. During that time, he served as security architect for two major NSA mission systems programs, collaborated with NIST on the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP), and led analyses of cloud computing and IPv6. Before joining the NSA in 1989, he worked at AT&T Bell Labs. He has a BS in EE and an MS in Computer Science from Washington University.

Career Opportunities in Cybersecurity and
the Information Assurance Directorate

Neal Ziring
Technical Director, Information Assurance Directorate
National Security Agency

1:00pm-2:00pm Friday, 15 May 2015

ITE-325b (CSEE Dept Conference room)

Mr. Ziring will discuss career opportunities in cybersecurity and what NSA's Information Assurance Directorate does.

Neal Ziring is a technical director in the Information Assurance Directorate (IAD) at NSA. The IAD provides cryptographic, network, and operational security to protect and defend national security systems. Previously, Mr. Ziring was a technical director for the Vulnerability Analysis and Operations Group, which provides technology evaluations, defensive operations, and secure configuration guidance for the DoD and the IC. During that time, he served as security architect for two major NSA mission systems programs, collaborated with NIST on the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP), and led analyses of cloud computing and IPv6. Before joining the NSA in 1989, he worked at AT&T Bell Labs. He has a BS in EE and an MS in Computer Science from Washington University.

Job description

When I was in high school I started becoming aware of how much we produce and also waste in America. The average American trashes nearly 65 pounds of textiles each year. Almost half of the U.S also trashes perfectly usable textiles instead of donating them.  I wanted to reduce my eco-footprint and also be mindful of the conditions of which much of the clothing in our mainstream malls and stores are made.

The idea came to me that I could shop at thrift stores instead, thus reducing textiles that would be thrown away and giving them a new life, supporting some local businesses, and not directly contributing further to human sweatshops.

My new shopping places became goodwill, salvation army, local thrift stores, and consignment shops. Going out of your way to be mindful of our practices and habits, can usually get you rewarded. Thrift stores have prices on clothing that are half cheaper than items you can find at mainstream stores. You can realize how F*ing awesome it is popping those tags.

Word to note, consignment stores I find often a lot nicer and higher quality than thrift stores, but the consignment stores also have a client base of which they sell people’s stuff for a percentage. Thrift shops tend to have a lot more donated clothes which you can still find awesome things.

If you aren't cramming for finals and need a new wardrobe for summer. Here are some second hand stores accessible by UMBC transit.

Catonsville Line:

Doris’ Closet: get off at Mellor and Fredrick Road walk a few minutes back the way you came, past Peace A Pizza

Objects Found (antique store): Get off at Mellor and Frederick, turn and walk a little left and you should see it :)

Rolling Road Line:

Goodwill: Get off at Nuwood Dr. & Power’s Lane. It should be straight ahead and down the road a little. Arbutus Line:

Thrift Stores of Baltimore: Get off at Frederick Rd. & S. Chapel Gate Rd. Walk to Collins Avenue and turn left.

If you have any questions or ever want to carpool to a thrift store, drop me (Emily Anderson) a line at ande4@umbc.edu

Collaboration between the institutions to immediately begin with rollout of five unique projects

UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski and the Superintedent of the US Naval Academy Ted Carter have signed a partnership agreement to support future collaborations, beginning with five cybersecurity projects.

On Tuesday April 21, UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski and United States Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Admiral Ted Carter signed a Cooperative Research Acquisition and Development Agreement (CRADA) on UMBC’s campus.

The agreement, which began to take root during Carter’s initial visit to UMBC in February of 2014, stated that UMBC and the US Naval Academy will begin to collaborate on cybersecurity research efforts.

Already, five such collaborative cybersecurity research efforts have been outlined to begin immediately now that the partnership has been established. These five collaborative projects involve faculty from both universities.

The collaborations range from subjects focusing on using policy-based approaches to secure cloud services to tactile authentication for mobile devices to “detecting anomalies in cyber-physical systems,” according to the United States Navy’s website.

Although Carter’s office did not respond for direct comments from The Retriever Weekly, according to the UMBC Computer Science and Electrical Engineering website, Carter said that he has wanted to establish this cybersecurity research partnership since becoming superintendent of the US Naval Academy last year. Carter said that he firmly believes that 30 years from now, this partnership “will be vital to national defense.”

The partnership between UMBC and the US Naval Academy comes on the heels of the announcement that the US Navy has named UMBC as the first university in Maryland to host a Naval ROTC unit.

The Naval ROTC unit has been taking applications for its first class of cadets since April 1, and the unit itself will begin operating on UMBC’s campus beginning in the fall of 2016. The unit will be offering four-year full-ride scholarships for select UMBC cadets, and all graduates of the Naval ROTC program will become commissioned officers in the US Navy.

Released photo courtesy of US Navy:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g5-DsOqjbls/VTaFtpaV2SI/AAAAAAAAA8M/8dDiNcXembw/s1600/crada2.jpg

sources: http://www.csee.umbc.edu/2015/04/naval-academy-and-umbc-to-collaborate-on-cyber-projects-and-education/

Read more stories from: The Retriever Weekly

Name: Marie Oliverio

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: iHeart Media | Title of Your Position: Kane Show Intern

Major(s)/Minor(s): Media and Communication Studies

Expected Graduation Year: May 2016

Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service-learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

I interned at "The Kane Show", a popular morning radio program on HOT 995 in DC, and 104.3 in Baltimore. I worked directly with the show's producer, Erick, as well as the cast, including Kane, Danni, and Intern John. I edited broadcasts to be syndicated around the country, online podcasts and segments for iHeart Radio, and helped produce segments alongside Erick and my fellow interns. Also I grabbed a few coffees and breakfasts, which is fine because I got some too.

Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.

I got in touch with Erick through the station's website, and had known him prior to starting my internship in the fall.

Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience?

HOT995 website

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?

Having fun. Being with a group of creative, fun-loving, and out-going people was probably a much more loose working environment than most internships college students can have. The radio industry is full of characters, and they encourage you to be friendly, confident, and make connections. I left The Kane Show with friends, memories, as well as professional connections. And a job! I now work in the promotions department.

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