October 16th
Africa: New AU Chief Takes Office, Vows to Tackle Continent’s Crises
Tesfa-Alem Tekle/Sudan Tribune in AllAfrica
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has been inaugurated as the first female chief of the 54-member African Union. Speaking after the inauguration, Dlamini-Zuma pledged to meet the peace and security challenges Africa currently faces, including the conflicts in Mali and the Sahel region.
Radovan Karadzic begins Bosnia war crimes defence
BBC News – Europe
A former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, began his defense in the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY) claiming he was a “tolerant man.” Karadzic was apprehended in 2008 after 13 years on the run; his war crimes trial at the ICTY began in 2009.
More Say There is Solid Evidence of Global Warming
Pew Research Center
The percentage of Americans who believe global warming is occurring and is caused by man is on the rise. This trend also cuts across party lines.
German employers slam cost of energy switchover
Boston.com
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday defended her government’s decision to phase out nuclear power and switch to renewable energies within a decade, but acknowledged the need to overhaul and speed up the transition plan. Business leaders have criticized the way the switchover has been managed, saying the costs are spiraling and hurting some companies.
Sea Change Awaits Asia’s Gas Market
Eric Yep / Wall Street Journal
Asia’s natural-gas market is heading for an overhaul that threatens to upset long-established pricing systems and could reduce prices in the region. Demand is rising, but more and more producers are entering the market.
Climate change research gets petascale supercomputer
Patrick Thibodeau / Computerworld.com
Scientists studying Earth system processes, including climate change, are now working with one of the largest supercomputers on the planet. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has begun using a 1.5 petaflop IBM system, called Yellowstone, that is among the top 20 supercomputers in the world.
Fusion: Maybe Less Than 30 Years Away, but This Year Unlikely
Bill Chameides / The Great Energy Challenge, National Geographic
Fusion energy holds the promise of all the benefits of nuclear fission, without the downsides. Research at the National Ignition Facility is progressing, but the NIF failed to meet a fiscal year deadline. Despite the setback, scientists believe they are on the right path.
Reports
Small Modular Reactors
Nick Cunningham
One way forward for nuclear power is to pursue small modular reactors (SMRs). SMRs offer a variety of benefits over conventional large reactors, which may go a long way to addressing the chronic problems facing the industry. Enhanced flexibility, cost advantages and safety features offer up SMRs as a viable path forward
In the News
New ASP Report – Small Modular Reactors: A Possible Path Forward for Nuclear Power
Today, The American Security Project released a report on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and the opportunity for nuclear power in the coming years.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
What lessons from Somalia for an African-led intervention in Mali?
Matt Freear
As the new chair of the African Union’s political and security commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, took up her post yesterday, she vowed to tackle the growing ills of Mali and Islamic extremism in the Sahel . In large part, she was responding to last week’s United Nations Security Council resolution which empowered Africa’s regional institutions to come up with a solution, amid growing concern from the United States and others, about the convergence of crises in the west of the continent.
A Loss of Svoboda (Liberty)
Matthew Wallin
The closing down of Radio Svoboda’s Russian broadcasting is emblematic of exactly why it is still needed. The Russian law is nothing more than an effort to stifle the intrusion of Western democratic viewpoints and information into the greater political discussion.
The Presidential Debate Series-A Climate Change Question for the Second Presidential Debate
Xander Vagg
The second Presidential Debate of 2012 will feature President Barack Obama and Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney discussing a variety of issues in a town hall-style forum. Here’s what should be asked on climate change.
The Nuke Review, October 9 – October 15
Mitchell Freddura
Read about Iran’s nuclear program, new laser enrichment technology, the future of Nunn-Lugar, the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and much more!
About the American Security Project: The American Security Project is a non-profit, non-partisan public policy and research organization dedicated to fostering knowledge and understanding of a range of national security issues, promoting debate about the appropriate use of American power, and cultivating strategic responses to 21st century challenges.
For more information, visit www.americansecurityproject.org. info@americansecurityproject.org
