Somali leaders pass constitution as bombers attack
Abdi Guled and Jason Straziuso/Associated Press in The Boston Globe
Despite a failed suicide attack outside its meeting location, Somalia’s National Constituent Assembly voted to approve a new constitution, a significant step towards creating a functioning central government in the nation.
Exclusive Pics: The Navy’s Unmanned, Autonomous UFO
Spencer Ackerman/Danger Room in Wired
The US Navy has revealed a look at its most sophisticated autonomous UAV – the X-47B – expected to be brought into service in 2019 as part of its UCLASS air fleet. In the meantime, the X-47B is provide the Navy an opportunity to better understand the complexities of interacting with autonomous systems.
Putin Pledges to Bolster Sea-Based Nuclear Arms
Global Security Newswire
Russia will bolster its ocean-going atomic capabilities to uphold its status as a pre-eminent naval presence, Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged on Monday
Some in Japan calling for nuclear weapons development
Adam Westlake / The Japan Daily Press
As the 67th anniversary of the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki approach on August 6th and 9th, there is a surprising movement in Japan that is calling for the nation to be able to develop its own nuclear weapons.
In Israel, Panetta Warns Iran on Nuclear Program
Elisabeth Bumiller / The New York Times
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta took a tough tone against Iran on Wednesday as he implicitly threatened the possibility of an American military attack if Iran decides to develop a nuclear weapon.
Climate change underlies growing violence in Nigeria
Climate & Capitalism/ Jack Hamilton
Violence is mounting in Nigeria and Africa’s Sahel region as climate change entices resource scarcity, desertification, and migration. These effects have exacerbated instability in the already troubled region demonstrating how climate change can act as a driver of conflict.
Senate Panel Keeps Navy’s Biofuel Plan Afloat
Robert Beckhusen/ Wired
The Navy’s plans to power warships with biofuels may not be out of gas quite yet. On Tuesday, the Senate defense appropriations subcommittee voted to continue funding the alternative energy program, keeping alive the Navy’s push for an ambitious “Great Green Fleet,” propelled by renewable fuels.
Climate change the cause of summer’s extreme weather, Congress told
Suzanne Goldenburg/ The Guardian UK
IPCC scientists tell Senate committee drought, wildfires and hurricanes are becoming normal because of climate change.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Managing Expectations with Iran
Mary Kaszynski
Both the U.S. and Iran have successfully walked the line in the Gulf. That’s a good sign; it shows that both sides are making calculated signals of their intentions but carefully avoiding a conflict that neither side wants. But this is no time for complacency.
The End of the TFG: An Opportunity for Somalia and the U.S.
Ashley Boyle
As with any shift in political frameworks, the developing transition in Somalia presents challenges and opportunities for the US in its engagement with and operations in the nation.
Big Oil Goes Big in Advanced Biofuels
Robert Gardner
“Recently, BP and Exxon Mobil have announced huge investments in developing advanced biofuels at the commercial level.”
Gangsong Daeguk Driving Recent Events in North Korea
Derek Bolton
Recent events should be interpreted as a highly sophisticated PR ploy, an attempt to distance Kim Jong Un from the hardships experienced under his father Kim Jong Il and show a return to the more prosperous days experienced under Kim Il Sung.
Nuclear Budget Cuts: an Easy Choice
Mary Kaszynski
Respected military leaders, policymakers on both sides of the aisle, and the American public supports trimming the nuclear budget. It’s an easy choice and a smart choice.
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