For a high-profile case the system seems to have worked, even though the defendant was hardly sympathetic.

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He also said he had been given the position of immigration minister "to change perceptions" and raise the profile of the new points-based system - which he said was "tougher" and the biggest shake-up of immigration policy in 45 years.

BBC: Woolas defends population pledge

Recent attacks that have hit Apple, Facebook and other high-profile companies often bear similar hallmarks of infiltrating a system via employee computers, and with a straightforward spear-phishing campaign.

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The paper estimates that each new profile added to the US DNA database - the Combined DNA Index System, or Codis - resulted in 0.57 fewer serious offences.

BBC: DNA and individual freedom v crime prevention

In the most high-profile case yet, in June cable thieves disabled the signalling system near Woking in Surrey, causing massive disruption for around 80, 000 passengers in the evening rush hour.

BBC: Rail cable theft: Up to eight cases a day, MPs are told

In the first high-profile decision, Arizona substantially lost its battle to maintain a state immigration enforcement system.

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With device volumetric efficiency a key concern for system makers, WD began shipping 7 mm height hard drives for thin-profile notebooks earlier this year (historically, standard notebook hard drives have been 9.5 mm).

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And in the American system of jurisprudence--as was discovered by the accused in high-profile cases involving L. Dennis Kozlowski's tenure at Tyco International (nyse: TYC - news - people ) and Samuel Waksal's leadership of ImClone Systems (nasdaq: IMCL - news - people )--the defense always gets the final shot at swaying the jury and judge.

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