Storing Energy From Solar and Wind Isn’t Always the Best Idea

Dave Levitan / IEEE Spectrum
Energy storage is often considered an ideal scenario when it comes to renewable energy. However, flexible grid technologies can also consume significant amounts of energy too; there is no guarantee that building and deploying them will represent energy savings in all scenarios.

 

Somali Islamic Scholars Denounce al-Shabab in Fatwa

BBC News
Some 160 Somali religious scholars have issued a fatwa denouncing al-Shabab, saying the group had no place in Islam. The announcement comes as residents of central Somalia say al-Shabab executed a young man in a small town and amputated on another in front of a large crowd.

 

North Korea’s Yongbyon Reactor ‘Nearing Operation’

BBC News
Steam has been seen rising from North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear facility, suggesting that the reactor has been restarted, as US institute says. Analysts say the reactor can produce 6kg of plutonium a year – enough to add one to two nuclear bombs to North Korea’s arsenal.

 

A World First! Success at Complete Quantum Teleportation

DigInfo TV
Furusawa group at the University of Tokyo has succeeded in demonstrating complete quantum teleportation of phototonic quantum bits by a hybrid technique for the first time worldwide. The group looks to increase the transport efficiency which would help in furthering advances toward quantum computing.

 

BMW Recognized as Climate Change Champion

The Financial Times
Luxury carmaker BMW and four other large auto companies have been named climate change champions in one of the most closely watched rankings of how businesses are tackling their greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Iran Diplomacy Through the Syrian Debate

The Huffington Post
Joel Rubin, Director of Policy and Government Affairs of the Ploughshares Fund, discusses the three strategic themes present in the current Washington debate about Syria that are relevant to Iran policy.

 

On Our Flashpoint Blog

Event Recap: Prospects for a Diplomatic Solution in Iran

Joshua Miller
Iranian experts, Greg Thielmann, Joel Rubin, and Alireza Nader weigh in on the prospects of a diplomatic solution in Iran in light of the recent events with the conflict in Syria. Utilizing their different approaches, the panelists come to a consensus that now is the perfect opportunity for the U.S to engage Iran.

 

ASP in the News

U.S. Diplomats Need Disciplined Message From Home

Brian Cullin and Matthew Leatherman discuss the issues surrounding how the State Department and Pentagon communicate with foreign publics in reference to the anniversary of Ambassador Chris Steven’s death.

Andrew Holland in E&E News PM: Climate Change is a “Threat Multiplier”

E&E News covered Wednesday’s Democratic Steering Committee Meeting on climate change. The group was briefed on national security by Andrew Holland, a senior fellow at the American security Project; he noted that climate change is a “threat multiplier and an accelerant of instability.”

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