Tom Gjelten

'Revolutions' Unfold Within Oil Industry

Tom Gjelten — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:04:00 +0000

In the stodgy world of global oil, we don't hear the term revolution tossed around very often. But oil analysts are watching dramatic change take place on the supply side of the industry. Things like where the oil is coming from and who is buying it.

U.S. Turns Up Heat On Costly Commercial Cyber Theft In China

Tom Gjelten — Tue, 07 May 2013 07:03:00 +0000

American companies that do business with China make good money. They also lose a lot of money there to cyberthieves, who routinely hack into the computers of the U.S. firms and steal their trade and technology secrets.

China's theft of U.S. intellectual property has gotten serious enough in recent months to warrant President Obama's attention and prompt a series of visits to Beijing by senior members of Obama's Cabinet.

FBI Criticized For Failing To 'Connect Dots' In Boston Case

Tom Gjelten — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:47:00 +0000

The failure of the FBI and the CIA to keep track of Tamerlan Dsarnaev in the months preceding the Boston Marathon bombing has prompted criticism that U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials ignored important warning signs. The case is reminiscent of criticism leveled at counterterrorism officials after Army Maj. Nidal Hasan's shooting rampage at Fort Hood Texas in November 2009 and after the al-Qaida-directed attempt to blow up a civilian airliner on Christmas Day of that year. In both cases, counterterrorism officials subsequently acknowledged that mistakes had been made.

Clues Suggest Boston Suspects Took A Do-It-Yourself Approach

Tom Gjelten — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:13:00 +0000

As investigators look into the Boston Marathon bombings, one crucial question is whether the suspects, brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, acted alone or had help. The clues might be found in the bombs used.

From what is now known, it appears the brothers assembled a whole arsenal of explosives. Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau told CNN last weekend that the suspects had at least six bombs, including the two used in the attack and one thrown at police during a shootout.

There were three bombs that weren't detonated, including one found at the Tsarnaevs' apartment in Cambridge.

Two Young Men Suspected In Boston Bombing Attack

Tom Gjelten — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:14:00 +0000

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

And I'm Melissa Block.

We begin this hour with what we're told is an imminent news conference out of Boston. Authorities are expected to announce next steps in the Boston Marathon bombing case, and we'll bring that to you live when it begins. And while we wait, let's run through what we do know.

Venezuela's Next Leader Faces Tough Choice On Oil Program

Tom Gjelten — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:23:00 +0000

As Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez thought in grandiose terms, and his country's vast oil riches enabled him to act on his vision. But Chavez died before he had to deal with the flaws in his model, and some hard choices await his successor.

Key to Chavez's notion of "21st Century Socialism" was the redistribution of Venezuela's oil earnings.

Tensions With North Korea A Messaging Balancing Act For U.S.

Tom Gjelten — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 09:13:00 +0000

You might think alarm bells would be sounding in Washington, given the warnings coming out of North Korea. But when they talk about North Korea, U.S. officials are sounding like exasperated parents responding to a child's tantrum.

At the White House on Friday, spokesman Jay Carney said the United States "would not be surprised" if North Korea actually carries out a missile test.

"We have seen them launch missiles in the past, and the U.N.

North Korea Hasn't Matched Angry Words With Meaningful Action

Tom Gjelten — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 08:43:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene. North Korea's apparently hot-headed young leader, Kim Jong Un, has put his rocket forces on standby to target nearby U.S. bases. That was his response this morning to a display of U.S. military power over the Korean Peninsula yesterday.

MONTAGNE: A pair of B2 stealth bombers flew from their base in the United States, dropped some dummy bombs on a South Korean island and then flew back home.

Is All The Talk About Cyberwarfare Just Hype?

Tom Gjelten — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:12:00 +0000

U.S. government pronouncements about the danger of a major cyberattack can be confusing. The director of national intelligence, James Clapper, and the head of the U.S. military's Cyber Command, Army Gen.

Cyber Attacks, Terrorism Top U.S. Security Threat Report

Tom Gjelten — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:25:00 +0000

James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, went before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday in a bit of a sour mood. He led off complaining that he had to speak publicly at all.

"An open hearing on intelligence matters," Clapper said, "is a contradiction in terms." And then, before getting to any international problems Clapper hit a domestic one: the spending cuts mandated under the sequestration package.

"Let me now be blunt for you and for the American people," he said.