International News Coverage
ISIS, Terrorism and Counter Terrorism
House Votes to Authorize Aid to Syrian Rebels in ISIS Fight
Jonathan Weisman | The New York Times
An unusual but overwhelming coalition in the House voted Wednesday to authorize the training and arming of Syrian rebels to confront the militant Islamic State, backing President Obama after he personally pleaded for support.
Senate Ready to Support Obama On Rebel Aid
David Espo and Donna Cassata | Associated Press
Eager to adjourn for midterm elections, the Senate steamed toward final congressional approval Thursday of President Barack Obama’s request to train Syrian rebels for a war against Islamic state militants in the Middle East.
Isis video shows UK hostage delivering propaganda message
Ian Cobain and Shiv Malik | The Guardian
A British press photojournalist who has been held prisoner by Islamic State (Isis) militants for almost two years has become the latest hostage to be forced to appear in an online video, this time delivering a propaganda message on behalf of the group in what he admits is a desperate gamble to save his life.
Australian Police: Raids Thwarted Beheading Plot
Kristen Gelineau | Associated Press
Police on Thursday said they thwarted a plot to carry out beheadings in Australia by supporters of the radical Islamic State group. They raided more than a dozen properties across Sydney and were holding six people and have identified the suspected ringleader, officials said.
Ukraine
Ukrainian President Poroshenko will visit White House, Congress to seek more aid
Michael Birnbaum | The Washington Post
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko will arrive in Washington on Thursday with a simple request: more economic and military aid for a nation that is reeling from an insurgency in the east.
Winter is Coming: US and its Allies Must Prepare Strategy to Boost Ukraine’s Energy Security
Andrew Holland | Energy Trends Insider
It appears that the war between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists may now be coming to an end, as a cease fire agreed on September 5 looks (increasingly) durable. However, the end of the war does not mean the end of the struggle. Western policymakers must beware of complacency.
Climate Change and the Environment
California Wildfire Shows Explosive Growth
Associated Press
An out-of-control wildfire that is threatening more than 2,000 homes in Northern California is showing explosive growth, consuming tens of thousands of additional acres.
Chevron Meets Shale Drilling Rules
Kevin Begos | Associated Press
Chevron has become the first energy company to meet a new set of voluntary shale gas drilling standards that aim to go beyond existing state laws in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, the Pittsburgh-based Center for Sustainable Shale announced Thursday.
U.S. News
U.S. House Passes Bill to Avert Government Shutdown, Extend Export-Import Bank
Reuters | The New York Times
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a stop-gap spending measure that averts an Oct. 1 government shutdown and extends the U.S. Export-Import Bank’s ability to operate for another nine months.
Border Patrol To Test Wearing Cameras
Elliot Spagat | Associated Press
The U.S. Border Patrol will begin wearing cameras this year at its training academy, a test to see if the technology should be used in the field to blunt criticism about agents’ use of force.
White House Indicates Preference In Scottish Independence Vote
Zeke J. Miller | Time
The United States continues to have concerns about the Scottish independence efforts as Thursday’s vote approaches, the White House indicated Monday.
UN News
UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting on Ebola crisis
UN News Centre
The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the Ebola outbreak that has gripped West Africa, the president of the 15-member body announced today.
UN’s Flight Marks New Era On Israel-Syria Front
Aron Heller | Associated Press
For four decades, a multinational United Nations mission has quietly monitored the sleepy Golan Heights – providing a symbol of stability as it enforced a truce between Israel and Syria. As Syria has plunged into civil war and the peacekeepers themselves have become targets of al-Qaida-linked rebels, the U.N. observer force has begun to fall apart, leaving its future in doubt.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
New Funding Opportunity for Fusion Experiments
Caroline Julia von Wurden
The Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy (ARPA-E) recently announced a new funding stream for intermediate density plasma experiments.
Under Secretary Stengel – Public Diplomacy is a Conversation
Matthew Wallin
Giving his first comprehensive presentation on his view of public diplomacy, Under Secretary Richard Stengel spoke to an audience of prominent practitioners and academics at ASP on Tuesday, and addressed a variety of issues the United States faces in 2014 and beyond.
Fallon: Concerns over ISIL in the Homeland
Naman Jain
On September 12, ASP Board Member Admiral William Fallon, USN (Ret.) was interviewed by Fox Business in regards to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East perpetrated by ISIS.
Upcoming Events
National Security and Climate Change – Perspectives from the Military
September 22 @ 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
The Morgan Library, 225 Madison Avenue, New York City, NY 10016
The American Security Project, the non-partisan national security think tank, will host a panel discussion on the afternoon of Monday, September 22 as a part of the Climate Group’s launch of Climate Week, taking place at The Morgan Library, 225 Madison Avenue.
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.
ASP Conference: Africa – Promoting Investment and Extending America’s Security
October 2 @ 12:00 PM – 4:30 PM
The half-day event will bring together expects from the public and private sector, as well as policy makers and members of the media to discuss the mutually beneficial impacts of US private investment on the African continent, opportunities for practical investment, and how to effectively manage the accompanying risk.
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