Venezuela’s President Maduro Moves Nearer to Decree Powers
BBC News
Venezuela’s National Assembly has paved the way to granting special powers for President Nicolas Maduro. Under the measures, the leader would be able to govern by decree for 12 months. Although the bill needs to be revised and debated for a second time, changes are not expected.
Ukraine Suspends Preparations for Signing EU Deal
Maria Danilova / Associated Press
Ukraine said Thursday it was suspending preparations to sign a landmark agreement with the European Union and would focus instead on restoring ties with Russia, appearing to yield to pressure from its powerful neighbor and hindering plans for the nation to integrate further with the West.
American vet, 85, detained in North Korea
Associated Press
North Korean officials detained an 85-year-old American veteran of the Korean War last month as he sat in a plane set to leave the country. It wasn’t clear what led to the detention, and North Korea’s official state-run media have yet to comment.
Pope bemoans plight of Mid-East Christians
BBC News
The Pope has told Church leaders from Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt that the Vatican “will not resign itself to a Middle East without Christians.” Millions of Christians have left the region in recent years, fleeing attacks by Islamist extremists and growing tensions since the Arab spring.
France, Iran trade barbs but ministers may come for nuclear deal
John Irish, Parisa Hafezi, and Justyna Pawlak / Reuters
France and Iran traded tough words on Thursday as major powers struggled to finalize an interim deal to curb Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, with Paris urging the West to remain firm and Tehran deploring a loss of trust.
Pact May Extend to U.S. Troops’ Stay in Afghanistan
Thom Shanker and Rod Nordland / The New York Times
Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Wednesday that the U.S. and Afghanistan had finalized the wording of a bilateral security agreement that would allow for a lasting American troop presence through 2024 and set the stage of billions of dollars of international assistance to keep flowing to the government in Kabul.
Iraq attacks kill 41 as 2013 death tolls tops 5,800
Haidar Khaled / Yahoo News
A bombing at a market north of Baghdad was the deadliest in violence that killed 41 people Thursday, as the year’s death troll topped 5,800 amid a surge in unrest.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Event Invite – Egypt: Past, Present, and the Future – A Conversation with Dr. Makra-Ebeid
Monday, December 2nd, 2013 1230 – 1330 at the American Security Project, 1100 New York Ave., 7th Floor West Tower. To gain a thorough understanding of Egyptian politics, Dr. Mona Makram-Ebeid will discuss the recent changes, the upcoming constitution, and the rights of women and Christians in the country.
Kustra: What We’ve Won in Afghanistan
Mark Kustra
ASP’s Adjunct Fellow Mark Kustra wrote an oped in this morning Wall Street Journal regarding the discussions in Kabul on the US-Afghan security agreement and key other issues to take forward.
The Future of Nuclear Power
Farhad Mirzadeh
The end of the “megatons-to-megawatts” agreement between the United States and Russia poses some questions about the future of nuclear power.
The Future of Nuclear Power: A Conversation with Christine Todd Whitman
Brendan Zehner
ASP Board Member, former New Jersey Governor, and former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman spoke at the American Security Project on Tuesday, November 20 on the topic of nuclear power.
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