Seven countries join US in arming Iraqi Kurds against ISIL
The Indian Express
Seven countries, including Italy, France and the UK, have joined the American effort to arm the Kurdish forces in northern Iraq against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a terrorist outfit that has gained control of large parts of Syria and Iraq.
Syria conflict: Islamic State ‘committed war crimes’
BBC News
Islamic State (IS) militants have committed “mass atrocities” in Syria and have recruited children as fighters, the United Nations says.
ISIS is forcing a ‘moment of truth’
CNN
The U.S. must build a coordinated regional response — diplomatic, economic and military — with ground troops from our regional allies and friends, and with possible U.S. support with intelligence, logistics and airstrikes. But we cannot fight this war for our Islamic friends in the region.
Ebola outbreak: Nigeria closes all schools until October
BBC News
All schools in Nigeria have been ordered to remain shut until 13 October as part of measures to prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.
Global warming is already here and could be irreversible, UN panel says
The Guardian
Global warming is here, human-caused and probably already dangerous – and it’s increasingly likely that the heating trend could be irreversible, a draft of a new international science report says.
Obama Pursuing Climate Accord in Lieu of Treaty
Coral Davenport / NY Times
The Obama administration is working to forge a sweeping international climate change agreement to compel nations to cut their planet-warming fossil fuel emissions, but without ratification from Congress.
Tech investor ranks Musk high with Jobs, Edison
Drew Sandholm / CNBC
Today, it seems Elon Musk is poised to join the pantheon of America’s all-time greatest industrialists, technology investor Steve Jurvetson told CNBC on Tuesday.
Egypt’s President Will Head to US in September
Associated Press
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will visit the United States in September to attend a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, his first trip there as the country’s head of state.
Study: How Pakistan’s recent protests failed
Tim Craig / Washington Post
Thousands of protesters have been camped out for more than a week within earshot of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s house in Islamabad demanding that he resign from office. Yet an extensive new survey of public sentiment in Pakistan reveals that the ongoing demonstrations are hardly reflective of the views of most Pakistanis.
Afghanistan Presidential Vote Audit Hampered by Abdullah No-Show
Nathan Hodge / Wall Street Journal
Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah forced a pause in a United Nations-supervised vote audit Wednesday, nearly upending the country’s historic political transition less than a week before a planned presidential inauguration.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Delegitimizing a Vicious Terrorist Group
Naman Jain
Recently, Sarah El Deeb of the Associated Press wrote an article that illustrated the role that Dar el-Ifta is playing in seeking to prevent the acceptance of “an extremist group in Syria and Iraq” as the “Islamic State.”
Theresa Shaffer
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is slated to meet with the European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Brussels on Monday, September 1st to discuss Iran’s nuclear program.
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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.
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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.
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September 30 @ 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
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