Cheat Sheet - Bernard-Henri Lévy: Downgrade Moody’s!

Today: Payroll-Tax Spat Threatens Shutdown, Syria Arrests U.S.-Born Blogger, Witness: Corzine Knew December 14, 2011 SHAM 1. Bernard-Henri Lévy: Downgrade Moody's! Ratings agencies like Moody's, with the careless batting of an eye, can bring down entire economies. Yet their decisions are veiled in mystery and cheapened by conflicts of interest. The Daily Beast's Bernard Henri-Lévy on the outrageous control the secretive firms hold—and how they should be held accountable. Read it at The Daily Beast DéJà VU 2. Payroll-Tax Spat Threatens Shutdown Federal workers may be in for a rough holiday: A government shutdown is looming once again as debate over a payroll-tax extension threatens to derail a separate, government-funding compromise. While Republicans and Democrats have mostly agreed to terms on a deal to fund the government through September, Democrats are withholding their signatures until a compromise is made on the payroll tax. Otherwise, Republicans could pack up for the holidays, forcing them to either let the payroll tax expire or to swallow the version the House passed Tuesday, which President Obama has threatened to veto for linking the tax-extension to the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. A few issues also remain to be settled in the government-funding bill: whether to ban Washington D.C. from using taxpayer money to provide abortion services; whether to reverse an Obama administration decision making it easier for Americans to visit family in Cuba; and whether to block new standards for incandescent light bulbs. Read it at The Washington Post MIDDLE EAST 3. Syria Arrests U.S.-Born Blogger The Syrian government has detained Razan Ghazzawi, a U.S.-born blogger, and charged her trying to incite sectarian strife, spreading false information, and weakening national sentiment—charges that could carry a sentence of 15 years. Ghazzawi had been reporting on human-rights abuses and was arrested Dec. 4 at the border while trying to cross into Jordan for a conference on press freedom. Separately, the Syrian government killed at least 28 people Tuesday, at least two of whom were shot during a funeral procession in the city of Idlib. Read it at The Guardian BUSINESS 4. Witness: Corzine Knew It's fourth-hand information, but it's the closest investigators have come to proving former MF Global CEO Jon Corzine knows where $1.2 billion in customer funds went missing: Sean Duffy, the executive chairman of CME Group, said Thursday that one of his auditors took part in a phone call in which an MF Global employee indicated Corzine knew about loans being made from "customer segregated accounts." Duffy said the loan was worth $175 million and made to a European affiliate in the days before MF Global's collapse. Corzine also testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee Tuesday, saying  "I simply do not know where the money is." Read it at Reuters SCANDALS 5. Syracuse Coach Sued for Defamation Former Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine may be protected against sexual-abuse charges, since the statute of limitations has expired. His alleged protectors, however, may still be held accountable. Two of Fine's alleged victims have filed a defamation lawsuit against Syracuse University and Jim Boeheim, its head basketball coach. Boeheim originally stood by Fine, saying the accusations were "patently false in every respect," before he later said, "I misspoke very badly." The men, Bobby Davis and his stepbrother Mike Lang, announced their intentions to sue Tuesday at a press conference with their lawyer, Gloria Allred (of course). The lawsuit alleges that Boeheim once saw Davis lying on a bed in Fine's hotel room. Read it at CNN WHO KNEW? Marriages at All-Time Low Just 51 percent of U.S. adults have tied the knot. KAPUT? Sheriff Joe Battles to Keep His Job Arpaio under fire for botched sex-crimes probe. TECH Facebook Launches Anti-Suicide Tool Friends can flag "suicidal behavior." AUCTIONS Elizabeth Taylor's Jewelry Sets Record Sells for $116 million. CURRENCY U.S. to Cut $1 Coins After low demand. GET The Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of news and must-reads from across the Web. You'll love the featured original stories on politics, entertainment, and more from The Daily Beast's diverse group of contributors. GET The Yes List Weekly cultural recommendations from The Daily Beast. Gingrich's First Stumble as 2012 GOP Frontrunner by Peter J. Boyer Zynga's IPO Will Make Mark Pincus Silicon Valley's Next Billionaire by Gary Rivlin Fashion Trends of 2011: McQueen, China Consumerism, and More by Robin Givhan

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