Key Reads
Europe gives Greece five days to save the euro
Mark Thompson / CNN Money
The stark warning followed what were described as serious and candid talks Tuesday in Brussels between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and other European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Greek leader seeks new bailout aid amid scramble to avert bankruptcy
Anthony Faiola and Michael Birnbaum / The Washington Post
Greece asked European partners Wednesday for a new three-year bailout, pledging to make reforms but leaving blank how far it was willing to go to meet cost-cutting demands as the country flirts with bankruptcy.
Congress all but powerless to block Iran deal
Burgess Everett / Politico
If President Barack Obama announces a nuclear containment deal with Iran this week, an army of critics led by Republican hawks in Congress will leap into action to kill it. That’s very unlikely to happen. The law that Congress passed in May allowing lawmakers to weigh in on a nuclear agreement will do just that — give them a say.
American Competitiveness
China stocks hammered as market crash continues
Charles Riley / CNN Money
China stocks plunged again on Wednesday, even as regulators worked to contain a crisis that has wiped trillions of dollars off the country’s stock markets.
European Parliament backs compromise in step towards U.S. trade deal
Barbara Lewis / Reuters
European lawmakers on Wednesday backed a compromise plan designed to spur negotiations on a trade pact between the European Union and the United States and overcome deep divisions within the European Parliament.
Obama, Vietnam leader discuss South China Sea in landmark meeting
Jeff Mason / Reuters
U.S. President Barack Obama and the head of Vietnam’s ruling communist party discussed concerns over China’s activities in the South China Sea during a historic White House meeting on Tuesday marking two decades of engagement between the former foes.
National Security & Strategy
Iran says makes new proposal in nuclear talks, West unimpressed
John Irish and Arshad Mohammed / Reuters
Iran has offered “constructive solutions” to resolve disputes in nuclear talks with six major powers, the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) reported on Wednesday, but Western officials suggested they had heard nothing new from Tehran.
Asymmetric Operations
US behind on training Syrians for ISIL fight
Kevin Lamarque / Aljazeer America
The United States said on Tuesday it was falling far behind plans to build a Syrian opposition force to battle Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), disclosing that just 60 fighters were in training after U.S. vetting thinned the number of recruits.
Civilian death toll in Yemen conflict rises above 1,500, U.N. says
Jethro Mullen / CNN
The grinding conflict in Yemen has killed more than 1,500 civilians, the United Nations says, warning that millions of people in the impoverished country are at risk of famine because of the unrest.
Climate Security
Climate Change: Identifying Future Makers And Future Takers
David Richardson / Huffington Post Business
For those investors wondering whether and how climate change might affect their investment portfolios, Mercer, the global consulting firm, has an answer.
World Suffering Surge in Extreme Rainfall Due to Climate Change
Stefan Nicola / Bloomberg Business
Extreme rains, like those that led to flooding and a cholera outbreak that killed hundreds in Pakistan in 2010, are happening 12 percent more often globally and 56 percent more frequently in Southeast Asia than if the world wasn’t warming, according a study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
Energy Security
Energy companies meeting with Obama officials; EPA spending bill sparks an outcry.
Steven Overly / The Washington Post
Energy companies and trade groups have been storming Washington in recent weeks for meetings with Obama administration officials, hoping to soften the power plant regulations that the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to finalize this summer.
Fusion Energy
Helion Energy takes in $10.6M for fusion energy
Rachel Lerman / The Seattle Times
Helion Energy has raised $10.6 million in a new funding round to develop technology that aims to create a fusion reactor to generate power.
Nuclear Security
India to renew contract with Kazakhstan for uranium supply
The Economic Times
To fulfill the requirement of nuclear power reactors, India will sign a contract with Kazakhstan to procure 5,000 metric tons of uranium. India and Kazakhstan already have civil nuclear cooperation since January 2009 when NPCIL and Kazakh nuclear company KazAtomProm signed an MoU under which KazAtomProm supplies uranium for Indian reactors.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Mahmood Abu-Rubieh
Last Monday marked a year since the declaration of a caliphate in Iraq and Syria by the extremist group Daesh (Islamic State, ISIL, ISIS). Despite maintaining and even expanding their territorial claims over the past year, some argue that their greatest accomplishment is their social media campaign
What Ex-Im Means to American Competitiveness
Clark Derrington
On June 30th the Export-Import Bank’s charter expired. Ex-Im is an essential part of American economic policy. At a net gain to taxpayers, Ex-Im ensures American small businesses are competitive in the global market by securing loans to buyers of their products, and helps American businesses of all sizes keep up against heavily-subsidized foreign competitors
ASP Board Member Alejandro Brito on Bloomberg TV discussing Puerto Rico’s Debt Crisis
Steven Eisen
Alejandro Brito is President of Brito Development Group (BDG), LLP, and current ASP board member. In the last twenty years, Mr. Brito has overseen the design, construction, development and management of over 1,500 luxury housing units in Puerto Rico.
After the Referendum, What Next in Greece?
Clark Derrington
Greeks overwhelmingly voted “No” in the July 5th austerity referendum. The referendum asked whether the government should accept the conditions attached to the final EU offer of financial assistance to the indebted nation. Critics of the referendum complained that the text of the question was overly technical, and that it asked citizens about an offer that had expired.
Dante Disparte on International Development for the 21st Century Corporate Leader
Julia Maloof
Dante Disparte, Chairperson of ASP’s Business Council for American Security, was recently featured in a brief interview with DCG Speakers Bureau. Disparte discussed international development from the perspective of a 21st century business leader.
ASP Recently Published
Perspective: Potential Areas of Cooperation Between the U.S. and Cuba
American Security Project
Latin America and the Caribbean are critical regions for U.S. security, but the lack of open communication between the U.S. and Cuba weakens America’s ability to operate in these areas. Open dialogue with Cuba will help the U.S. maintain security, and could also bring potential economic opportunities. Understanding that the isolation of Cuba has not proven to be an effective policy, this paper examines a variety of possibilities for cooperation between the United States and Cuba.
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