International News Coverage

France

Suspect in Paris Attack Fought for Al-Qaida in Yemen
Ahmed Al-Haj and Sarah El Deeb | Associated Press
Yemeni authorities suspect that Said Kouachi, one of the brothers involved in the deadly attack on a Paris newspaper, fought for al-Qaida in Yemen at the height of the group’s offensive in the country’s south, a security official said Friday.

French forces kill newspaper attack suspects, hostages die in second siege
John Irish, Emmanuel Jarry and Ingrid Melander | Reuters
Two brothers suspected of a bloody attack on the offices of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo were killed when police stormed their hideout on Friday, while a second siege ended with the deaths of four hostages. 

Hostage-taker at Paris Market Linked to Newspaper Attack
Associated Press
A police official says the man who has taken at least five people hostage in a kosher market on the eastern edges of Paris Friday appears linked to the newsroom massacre earlier this week that left 12 people dead.

As Trauma Grips France, Government Faces Questions Over Intelligence Lapses
Steven Erlanger | NY Times
The government faced gaping questions over the failure to thwart brazen attacks amid the two sieges on Friday.

Africa

Boko Haram may have just killed 2,000 people: ‘Killing went on and on and on’
Terrence McCoy | Washington Post
The goals of the Islamic militant group, which captured international attention through a relentless campaign of brutality, have long been about killing. But last summer, something changed. Its aspirations became as much about territory as terrorism. It no longer wants to just cripple a government. It wants to become one.

Amnesty: Nigeria massacre deadliest in history of Boko Haram
Ibrahim Abdulaziz and Haruna Umar | Associated Press
Hundreds of bodies — too many to count — remain strewn in the bush in Nigeria from an Islamic extremist attack that Amnesty International suggested Friday is the “deadliest massacre” in the history of Boko Haram.

Nuclear Security 

Iran must immunize itself against nuclear sanctions: Khamenei
Parisa Hafezi | Reuters
Iran’s top authority Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday Tehran should immunize itself against international sanctions imposed over its nuclear program, keeping up a confrontational stance as talks over the dispute were due to resume.

The IAEA can’t guarantee any nuclear program is peaceful
Yousaf Butt | Reuters
Having failed to reach an agreement on a comprehensive nuclear accord in November, Tehran and the six world powers set a new deadline — July 1, 2015. The diplomats are to meet again on Jan. 18, though prospects for a rapid breakthrough remain thin. One big roadblock is that the International Atomic Energy Agency has set for itself the impossible goal of verifying the “purely peaceful” nature of Iran’s nuclear program.

Science and Technology, Climate Change

Why the US Needs More Than Just $59 Billion for Cyber Defense
Aliya Sternstein | Defense One
Despite paying $59 billion for data protections since fiscal 2010, the federal government couldn’t stave off hacks against the White House, State Department, Army and dozens of other agencies.

A Cyberattack Has Caused Confirmed Physical Damage for the Second Time Ever
Kim Zetter | Wired
Amid all the noise the Sony hack generated over the holidays, a far more troubling cyber attack was largely lost in the chaos. Unless you follow security news closely, you likely missed it.

Sen. Kirk clarifies view on climate change
Katherine Skiba | Chicago Tribune
After criticism from environmental groups, Sen. Mark Kirk said Thursday that climate change is real and human activity contributes to it.

Op-Eds

Our mistake: Thinking that all countries should be structured like U.S.
Stephen Krasner | LA Times
The United States has the most potent military in terms of firepower and operational capacity in history. Our military overthrew Saddam Hussein and crushed the Taliban in a matter of weeks. Our forces can direct a rocket from Nevada through a window in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and nimbly set up nearly 20 Ebola treatment centers in Liberia.

The United States Will Never Win the Propaganda War Against the Islamic State
Manal Omar | Foreign Policy
To win hearts and minds in the Middle East, America needs to let local allies do the talking.

On Our Flashpoint Blog

Threat of Disease could Rise with Climate Change
Philip Rossetti
As the prevalence of infectious diseases is likely to increase with rising temperatures, this will bring about a key change to the security environment and the threats that the U.S. will be dealing with in the future. 

President Obama Speaks at Auto Plant Idled by Low Gas Prices
Andrew Holland
For decades, it has been touted as Gospel that low gas prices are good for the American economy, high gas prices can ruin it, and the price of gas will affect elections. That is no longer the case. 

What if it happens here? It’s not “if” – it’s “when”
Paul Hamill
We should be under no illusion, no matter how good our police, FBI, military, intelligence and other related security services are, they can never be 100% successful.

Energy Deal the Focus of President’s Trip to India
William George
The U.S. and India could work out a substantial deal on green energy this month when Obama visits New Delhi. 

Why Cheap Oil can Help the U.S. Deal with Climate Change
Philip Rossetti
Cheaper fossil fuel creates less incentive for investment in alternative energy sources and increases reliance on high-emission fuels, but it also spurs economic growth and increases levels of international cooperation and communication.

Small Business Goes Global
Luke Lorenz
Not only has Ex-Im earned more than $2 billion beyond operating costs over the last five years, they can be credited as the single contributing factor that kept countless American small businesses competitive in a global marketplace.

Welcome to 21st Century Warfare
Dante Disparte
As the scale and sovereign culprit behind the attack on Sony were revealed, the world awakens to the specter of an uncomfortable new normal emerging in warfare – cyber terrorism.

Upcoming Events

Economic Diplomacy: How Economic Ties Can Strengthen National Security with Amb. Rivkin
January 15 @ 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Join ASP on January 15, 2015 as we welcome Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs Charles H. Rivkin for Economic Diplomacy: How Economic Ties Can Strengthen National Security.

Conference – Energy Security in the Caribbean: Unique Challenges

February 4 @ 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Join ASP as we host a conference on February 4, 2015, discussing the challenges facing the Caribbean in securing their energy future and how to move forward in the years to come.

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