International News Coverage
ISIS, Middle East, Terrorism and Counter Terrorism
Islamic State seizes large areas of Syrian town despite air strikes
Daren Butler and Oliver Holmes | Reuters
Islamic State fighters seized more than a third of the Syrian border town of Kobani, a monitoring group said on Thursday, as U.S.-led air strikes failed to halt their advance and Turkish forces nearby looked on without intervening.
Turkey Rules Out Unilateral Land Operation in Syria
RFE/RL
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says his country will not get involved in a unilateral land operation against Islamic State militants in northern Syria because such a move “is not a realistic approach.”
Deadly Attack in Yemen Adds to Fears over Sunni Extremists
Shuaib Almosawa and Kareem Fahim | New York Times
A suicide bomber attacked a crowded square here in the capital on Thursday, killing more than 40 people and adding to fears that Sunni extremists were mobilizing new attacks against a Shiite rebel group that took control of Sana last month.
Turkey Faces Worst Kurdish Insurgency in 22 Years
Burak Ege Bekdil | DefenseNews
Tens of thousands of Kurds turned several Turkish cities into flames in order to protest the Ankara government’s reluctance to save their kinship in Kobani, a northern Syrian city bordering Turkey and beseiged by Islamic radicals.
Egypt Needs More Investments, Not Aid
Nikhil Lohade | Wall Street Journal
Egypt is still slowly recovering from a tumultuous past few years that left its economy in tatters and FX reserves sharply depleted. Even though foreign reserves ticked up to $16.87 billion at the end of September, the Arab country still faces some stiff challenges in the coming months.
Ebola
UN Chief: 20 Times More Ebola Aid Needed
Associated Press | New York Times
The presidents of three Ebola-stricken West African nations sought an immediate outpouring of money, doctors and hospital beds, and representative nations gathered at a World Bank meeting Thursday promised to send more aid quickly, including a pledge of medical evacuations for health care responders who catch the virus.
Newly Vigilant, U.S. Will Screen Fliers for Ebola
Sabrina Tavernese | New York Times
Federal health officials will require temperature checks for the first time at five major American airports for people arriving from the three West African countries hardest hit by the deadly Ebola virus.
Asia
India and Pakistan trade warnings over heavy Kashmir fighting
Sanjeev Miglani and Abu Arqam Naqash | Reuters
Pakistan said on Thursday it was capable of responding “befittingly” to Indian border shelling, and warned against an escalation of the worst fighting between the nuclear-armed rivals in more than a decade.
Hong Kong Government Calls off Student Talks
BBC
Hong Kong’s government has called off a meeting on Friday with student leaders of the pro-democracy movement. Chief Secretary Carrie Lam said it would be “impossible to have a constructive dialogue” after protest leaders called for an increase in efforts to occupy main protest areas.
China angered after FBI head says Chinese hacking costs billions
Michael Martina | Reuters
China accused the United States on Thursday of faking facts, after the head of the FBI said that Chinese hacking likely cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars every year, increasing tensions between the two countries.
Europe
Ukraine: “Frozen Conflict” Could Destabilize Europe
RFE/RL
Ukraine has urged the European Union not to accept pro-Russian rebels carving out a de facto state in the east of the country, warning it could destabilize Europe.
Syria, Iraq conflicts spark street clashes in Germany
Frank Zeller | Associated French Press
Street clashes pitting Kurds against radical Muslims left 23 people wounded in Germany, police said Wednesday amid fears that fighting in Syria and Iraq could further inflame passions.
Science and Technology, Energy Security
Don’t expect energy boom to uproot global oil politics
Zak Colman | Washington Examiner
The U.S. energy boom has caused crude oil prices to fall over the last month, but its effect on broader geopolitics — such as waylaying the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries — is expected to be far more muted over the long term.
UK Cleared to Heavily Subsidize $39B Nuclear Plant
Jeurgen Baetz | Associated Press
The European Union has approved Britain’s bid to heavily subsidize a new nuclear power plant, overriding opposition from environmentalists and questions over the project’s 24.5 billion pound ($39 billion) price tag.
As Energy Boom Ends, a Political Identity Crisis in Alaska
Kirk Johnson | New York Times
Economic anxiety amid a dwindling oil and gas industry is raising difficult questions about the future. It is also shaping a Senate race in which a Democrat is seeking re-election in a state long dominated by Republicans.
Nuclear Security
No breakthrough in IAEA-Iran talks on nuclear bomb inquiry
Fredrik Dahl | Reuters
Talks between the U.N. nuclear watchdog and Iran this week appear not to have substantively advanced an investigation into suspected atomic bomb research by Tehran, potentially dimming chances for a broader deal between the Iranians and big powers.
Iran refused to let in U.S. member of U.N. nuclear team: sources
Fredrik Dahl | Reuters
A United Nations atomic agency official recently denied entry into Iran as part of a team investigating suspected bomb research is believed to be an American nuclear weapons expert, diplomatic sources said.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
EUROFusion: European Fusion Programme Launched
Caroline Julia von Wurden
On October 9th a consortium of all national fusion research institutes in the EU, plus Switzerland, launched a joint programme on fusion energy called EUROfusion.
National Security – Trade, Not Aid
Sophia Dahodwala
ASP’s timely conversation on “Extending America’s National Security through Private Sector Investments,” discusses how America can promote economic growth, development, and security in Africa while simultaneously advancing US national security.
“When the country does well, the business does well”
Giancarlo Lima
Far from targeting profits as the only goal of investing in Africa, all of the panelists agreed that in order to maintain the growth that the region has experienced in recent years, African economies will have to continue to create jobs for their young populations which should be driven by the private sector.
Managing Risk during the “African Century”
Giancarlo Lima
While Africa has emerged as one of the most robust economic regions in recent years, doing business in the region has historically carried substantial risk from a variety of factors.
Upcoming Events
Security Jam: Brainstorming Global Security
October 14 @ 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM
To be held over 54 hours, from October 14-16, 2014, the Security Jam will be a catalyst for creative thinking by national, UN, NATO, and EU policymakers, experts, NGOs, industry representatives, soldiers, journalists, scholars and opinion-leaders.
INDIANAPOLIS EVENT – Climate Change: Risks for National Security
October 14 @ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Butler University
Join us for a discussion with senior flag officers as they discuss the steps the US military has taken and future implications for our national security.
INDIANAPOLIS EVENT – Climate Change: Risks for National Security
October 15 @ 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Anderson University
Join us for a discussion with senior flag officers as they discuss the steps the US military has taken and future implications for our national security.
Geography 2050: Mounting an Expedition to the Future
November 19, Columbia University
Join the Earth Institute on November 19th as they host Geography 2020. They will seek to understand how our world will change geographically over time, and the challenges that we face as we seek to navigate an uncertain future.
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