Clashes Erupt as Liberia Imposes Quarantine to Curb Ebola

Norimitsu Onishi / NY Times

Liberia’s halting efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak spreading across parts of West Africa quickly turned violent on Wednesday when angry young men hurled rocks and stormed barbed-wire barricades, trying to break out of a neighborhood that had been cordoned off by the government.

 

White House: Video Of Beheading Of U.S. Journalist Is ‘Authentic’

Dylan Scott / TPM

The White House’s National Security Council confirmed Wednesday that an online video of U.S. journalist James Foley being executed by a member of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria was authentic.

 

Twitter Is Struggling to Block Video of James Foley’s Death

Dustin Volz / National Journal

Twitter raced to stop the spread of violent images of journalist James Foley’s death Tuesday, but its attempts often weren’t fast enough.

 

Kurdish ministers rejoin Iraqi government: foreign minister

Michael Georgy / Reuters

Kurdish ministers who suspended their participation in the government of outgoing Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki have rejoined the administration.

 

British extremists among ‘most vicious’ in Isis, expert says

Press Association  

British extremists are among the “most vicious and vociferous fighters” in Islamic State (Isis) ranks in Syria and Iraq.

 

World’s Aid Agencies Stretched To Their Limits By Simultaneous Crises

NPR

For the first time, the United Nations is handling four major humanitarian crises at once: refugee crises in Syria and Iraq as well as civil wars in the Central African Republic and South Sudan, where millions are at risk of famine. Meanwhile, West Africa is experience a devastating Ebola outbreak.

 

U.S. government’s nuclear watchdog victim of cyber attacks: report

Jim Finkle / Reuters

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was “successfully hacked” three times in recent years in attacks involving tainted emails, according to an internal investigation on cyber-attacks at the agency, Nextgov.com.

 

Four beheaded corpses found in Egypt’s Sinai: security sources

Yusri Mohammed and Mahmoud Mourad / Reuters

Four beheaded corpses were found by residents of a town in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on Wednesday, security sources said, blaming Islamist militants waging an insurgency against Cairo.

 

Egypt suffers regular blackouts due to worst energy crisis in decades

Patrick Kingsley / theguardian

Egypt is experiencing one of its most serious energy crises for decades, with parts of the country facing around six power cuts a day for up to two hours at a time.

 

How to Talk About Climate Change So People Will Listen

Charles C. Mann / The Atlantic

Environmentalists warn us that apocalypse awaits. Economists tell us that minimal fixes will get us through. Here’s how we can move beyond the impasse.

 

 

ASP Recent Reports

Free Trade and National Security – 5 Key Issues

Dan Day

As the world’s largest economy and the home to many of the most resourceful and innovative industries in the world, it is essential that the US take the lead in setting the standard for global trade practices.

 

 

On Our Flashpoint Blog

US Countermeasure to IS Social Media Presence

Thomas Campbell

Controlled by State Department’s CSCC, the #ThinkAgainTurnAway public diplomacy initiative challenges advocates of extremist groups over social media.

 

Private Sector Contributions to International Development

Maggie Feldman-Piltch

Government programs play a significant role in international development, but represent only a portion of ongoing projects and potential opportunities. Public-private partnerships (PPPs), and private sector initiatives, are increasingly prevalent and necessary to support the complex nature of human development.

 

 

Upcoming Events

INVITE – Under Secretary Richard Stengel: American Public Diplomacy in 2014 and Beyond

September 16 @ 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

The United States faces many challenges abroad. In a time when the actions of foreign publics are changing political and security landscapes, the need for effective public diplomacy is becoming more urgent. Understanding this need, how should the U.S. best build relationships and influence with target audiences overseas? Join us to hear from Richard Stengel, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, as he discusses his plans for America’s public diplomacy.

 

INVITE –Future of the Middle East and America’s Role

September 18 @ 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

The Middle East is currently brimming with violence – bringing into question the future of the region and the role of the United States. The panel of experts will discuss the possible outcomes of the present turbulence in the Middle East. They will also discuss what options the United States has, and if it should be engaged in the region in the first place.

 

What’s Next? Fostering the Next Generation of Energy Security Conference

September 30 @ 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

The next steps in building a cleaner, more resilient energy system and economy will not be easy. The American Security Project intends to build on its years of research into energy security and climate policy by initiating a study into the next generation of energy policy. Join ASP and our panelists as we discuss the next generation of energy technology and climate policy.

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