Center for Strategic Communication

Key Events in Egypt’s Uprising and Unrest

The Associated Press

Here are some key events from more than two years of turmoil and transition in Egypt.

Egyptian Voters Brave the Polls, Saying ‘No to Terrorism’

Louisa Loveluck / Global Post

Undeterred by a bomb in Cairo and clashes in several governorates, citizens turned out in force to vote on a constitutional referendum. Meanwhile, security forces arrested at least 140 people as the military-backed crackdown on Morsi supporters continues.

Cyber Command Budget More Than Doubles

Aliya Sternstein / Defense One

The House approved a fiscal 2014 spending package late Monday that includes $447 million for the Pentagon component that launches cyber weapons and deflects hacks against civilian and military networks. That’s more than a two-fold increase over Cyber Command’s fiscal 2013 budget of $191 million. The Senate was expected to clear the bill shortly.

Scores Die as Militants in Iraq Unleash Attacks

Kareem Fahim and Duraid Adnan / New York Times

At least seven car bombs detonated across Baghdad on Wednesday, in lethal and apparently coordinated attacks by militants that killed at least 30 people, according to police and health officials.

China Confirms Hypersonic Missile Carrier Test

Sui-Lee Wee / Reuters

China has flight-tested a hypersonic missile delivery vehicle in a move that was scientific in nature and not targeted at any country, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

It’s Becoming Too Expensive for the Military to Go Into Space

Kedar Pavgi /Defense One

Launching military assets into space – a “core element of national security” – is becoming too expensive and bureaucratic and could render the Pentagon’s space program “ineffective,” warns the director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Syria Conflict: Half Population Urgently Needs Aid – UN

BBC News

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says that half of Syria’s population, some 9.3 million people, now “urgently needs humanitarian aid”.

Massive Hole Discovered Under Antarctica, Bigger Than The Grand Canyon

William Pentland / Forbes

A giant valley deeper than the Grand Canyon is buried beneath several miles of glacial ice in West Antarctica, according to a new study by British scientists.

Japan Approves Fukushima Operator’s Revival Plan

Mari Saito and Kentaro Hamada / Reuters

Japan’s trade ministry on Wednesday approved a revival plan for the utility responsible for the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Tokyo Electric Power Co (9501.T), its second attempt at restoring its battered finances.

South Sudanese in Central African Republic Fear For Their Lives

Krista Larson and Rebecca Blackwell / Huffington Post

Ibrahim Abakar sleeps with a machete at his side, terrified the darkness will bring death or disappearance as it did for his wife and young sons when armed Christian fighters showed up at their door in the capital of Central African Republic.

EVENTS:

­America’s Energy Choices for 2014

American Security Project

The way America uses and produces energy remains a hotly debated issue in Washington and around the country. We will discuss the various energy choices available to the United States currently and in the years to come.

Defense Budget in 2014: A Conversation with Russell Rumbaugh

American Security Project

Since sequestration and passage of the new budget, the Defense Department has been adjusting to a reduced funding environment – and 2014 won’t be much different. The speaker will discuss the outlook for Pentagon spending in 2014.

FLASHPOINT BLOG:

Congratulations to the Egyptian People on a Successful Constitutional Referendum

BGen Stephen A. Cheney USMC (Ret.)

Congratulations to the Egyptian people on a successful Constitutional referendum!  As I personally witnessed last month in Cairo, they are optimistic and embracing a new era for their democratic nation.  I look forward to seeing the official turnout numbers and the results.

5 Reasons Why More Sanctions Should Not be Imposed at This Time

Nathan Daniels

There is one thing that everyone wants: the successful dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program. Here are 5 reasons why more sanctions should not be imposed right now.

PODCAST – Egypt, the Referendum and What’s Next

American Security Project

Today we are joined from Cairo by former Egyptian Senator and Civil Society leader Mona Makram Ebeid, and from DC. just back from his fact-finding visit to Egypt, BGen Stephen A. Cheney USMC (Ret.).

ASP’s Cheney: Congressional Budget deal is a “Step in the Right Direction for Fusion”

Andrew Holland

On Monday evening, January 13, Congressional Appropriators announced an agreement on the fiscal year 2014 consolidated appropriations bill. Passage of this bill will fund the government through Sept. 30, 2014… The agreement (Energy and Water Appropriations is here) includes $305,677,000 for the domestic fusion program, with an additional $200,000,000 slated for the U.S. contribution to the ITER project, for a total funding of $505,677,000 for fusion.  Importantly, this budget will allow important research to continue at all the major research labs currently operating, including MIT’s Alcator C-mod, which had been threatened with closure by the Department of Energy.

ASP Podcast- Report from Cairo – the Referendum and Egypt’s Future

Paul Hamill spoke with Gladys Haddad, a civil society leader in Egypt, about the mood in Cairo, the referendum process, and what she expects next in Egypt.

U.S. Critical Infrastructure Protection is Paramount

Nathan Alvarado-Castle

Nathan Alvarado- Castle shares his thoughts about attending the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), CSIS’s Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Program hosted by Dr. Dane S. Egil, a Senior Advisor for National Security Strategies at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory… Egil’s, “Beyond the Storms: Strengthening Homeland Security and Disaster Management to Achieve Resilience“, provides the foundation for critical infrastructure protection at the structural, informational, and policy level.

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