International News Coverage
Middle East, Terrorism and Counterterrorism
Terrorism Suspects are Detained in Police Sweeps Across Europe
James Kanter and Alan Cowell / The New York Times
European investigators moved on a broad front Friday to sweep up suspected militants, with the police announcing that 13 Belgians had been detained in this country and two in France, a day after two other Belgians believed to be planning an attack on police officers were killed in a shootout.
Kerry, Iran’s Zarif Meet Again in Paris to Narrow Nuclear Gaps
John Irish and Arshad Mohammed / Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian counterpart Mohammad Jawad Zarif met in Paris on Friday to try to narrow gaps over Iran’s nuclear program, their second session in three days with broader negotiations due to resume soon.
Eleven More Air Strikes Hit Islamic State in Syria, Iraq- U.S. Military
Reuters
France’s lower house of Parliament approved extending French airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq. France quickly joined the United States in conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State last year. French law requires a vote on extending such operations after four months.
The Americas
Pope’s U.S. Visit a Chance to Mend Fences with Conservatives
Scott Malone / Reuters
Pope Francis has electrified Roman Catholics in the United States with the open, accepting tone he has brought to the role, and his first visit later this year is expected to draw more than a million followers eager to set eyes on him.
Barack Obama and David Cameron are Going to Play a Cyber Attack War Game
Sarah Begley / TIME Magazine
MI5 and the FBI will team up in a series of practice runs to combat cyber attacks, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced Thursday during a two-day visit to the White House.
New U.S.-Cuba Travel and Trade Rules Come Into Effect
BBC
New travel and trade rules between the US and Cuba have come into effect in the biggest policy shift between the two countries in more than 50 years.
Asia
Beijing Moves to Halt Crime Spilling Out of North Korea
Andrew Jacobs / The New York Times
Indonesian divers pulled out the cockpit voice recorder from the sunken wreckage of an AirAsia passenger jet on Tuesday, a key step towards determining the cause of the crash that killed all 162 people aboard.
Japan Approves Record Defense Budget
Al-Jazeera
Japan’s cabinet has approved the country’s largest defense budget, with plans to buy surveillance aircraft and F-35 fighter jets to improve defenses of disputed islands amid China’s increasing assertiveness in the region.
PM Narendra Modi Promises Reforms ‘At Top Speed’
PTI / The Financial Express
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today promised reforms “at top speed” with positive regulatory framework, tax stability and boost to infrastructure to help take the economy to USD 20 trillion from USD 2 trillion.
Energy Security, Science and Technology, Climate Change
2014 Proves Hottest on Record, Driven in Part by Climate Change
Michael Casey / CBS News
It’s official: 2014 was the hottest year ever. Two separate analyses by NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that temperatures across the globe last year were the warmest since 1880. The 10 warmest years, with the exception of 1998, have occurred since 2000.
Global Warming Raises Tensions in Boko Haram Region
Megan Darby / RTCC
As more evidence of destruction wrought by Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria emerged on Thursday, experts highlighted the role of climate change in fomenting extremism.
Economic Diplomacy
A Bit of IPR Protection Needed: U.S.
Narayan Lakshman / The Hindu
Speaking at an event hosted by the American Security Project, Charles Rivkin, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, linked the BIT and IPR when he explained that if BIT negotiations moved forward, “it would form the framework for U.S.-India investment and trade. With the BIT would come a discussion on IPR protection.”
U.S. Looking to Deepen Economic Relations with India
PTI / The Economic Times
“We are looking to deepen our economic relationship with India, as Secretary (of State, John) Kerry emphasised in his recent visit,” Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Charles H Rivkin, said in his address to the American Security Project.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Noah Skillin
As companies emerged from the financial crisis over the last five to 10 years, a new executive-level position began to rise in prominence across diverse industries. Once a position specific to the banking industry, chief risk officers (“CROs”) are now considered to be a vital member of any c-suite.
ASP’s Von Wurden and Holland in: “U.S. Fusion Program Must Have Energy Mission”
American Security Project
ASP’s Fusion Energy Research Intern Caroline Von Wurden and ASP’s Senior Fellow for Energy and Climate Andrew Holland wrote an Op-Ed published on January 13 in The Hill citing the need for strong political leadership and clear policy goals in developing a fusion energy program in the U.S.
CENTCOM Hack- A Big Deal? Yes, but not in the way you think.
Paul Hamill
Today CENTCOM’s twitter and YouTube accounts were hacked by an ISIL affiliated group. The hack, claimed by the ISIL affiliated group CyberCaliphate, resulted in offensive messages, distribution of already published documents that the hackers dubbed as “secret” and postings of office contact details of several generals. During the same time of the hack, the President was speaking on the need for stronger cyber-security.
Taking Action on Infrastructure
Luke Lorenz
Don’t call it traffic. Call it congestion. An excessive accumulation consolidating in one artery with no possibility of swift passage. At a minimum, we are subjected to this malady of the American causeway twice daily regardless of mode of transportation.
Threat of Disease Could Rise with Climate Change
Philip Rossetti
As global temperatures rise, disease vectors are changing. While it is still too early to predict how bad future disease patterns will be, the WHO claims that, “changes in infectious disease transmission patterns are a likely major consequence of climate change.”
President Obama Speaks at Auto Plant Idled by Low Gas Prices
Andrew Holland
One would hope that the American consumer wouldn’t be so short-sighted as to base a major purchase – one that could affect their personal economic health for five years or more – on short term fluctuations in gas prices.
Upcoming Events
Conference – Energy Security in the Caribbean: Unique Challenges
February 4 @ 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Join ASP as we host a conference on February 4, 2015, discussing the challenges facing the Caribbean in securing their energy future and
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