Content

EnergySource

Aug 28, 2020

Microgrids: The NDAA’s crucial investment for energy resilience

By Katie Wimsatt

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) sets the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) annual budget, but it has also become a key platform for implementing military climate resilience and emission reduction measures. By investing in microgrid systems, the military will increase its ability to maintain operations in a variety of adverse circumstances, lower carbon emissions, and spur widespread adoption of clean, resilient energy infrastructure across the United States.

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions

New Atlanticist

Aug 28, 2020

National Security Advisor says US must ‘confront the Chinese across all spectrums’

By David A. Wemer

US National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien said the United States must be prepared to push back against Chinese aggression militarily, diplomatically, and economically, asserting that China continues to threaten its neighbors and attack US interests.

China Indo-Pacific

MENASource

Aug 28, 2020

How attacks on US forces in Iraq became a new normal

By Seth Frantzman

The resulting posture of the US in Iraq looks to be a presence concentrated more in the autonomous Kurdistan region—where US forces have never been targeted by rocket attacks—with a very limited presence in Al-Assad base and Baghdad.

Iraq Politics & Diplomacy

The future is here

Aug 28, 2020

UK urges workers to get back to the office; Germany’s Merkel warns of tough transition in fall

By Atlantic Council

Germany extended a program to help keep workers on companies’ books, while France hinted at details of a 100 billion euro stimulus plan next week. Educators in Germany, the United Kingdom, Myanmar, and the United States contended with how to keep students safe as classes start again.

Coronavirus

BelarusAlert

Aug 27, 2020

Is Putin about to make a costly mistake in Belarus?

By Steven Pifer

Vladimir Putin says Russian forces are in place and ready for deployment to Belarus to prop up dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka - but direct intervention risks turning a generation of Belarusians into enemies.

Belarus Conflict

GeoTech Cues

Aug 27, 2020

Building a collaborative ecosystem for AI in healthcare in Low and Middle Income Economies

By Abhinav Verma, Krisstina Rao, Vivek Eluri, and Yukti Sharma (GeoTech Guest Authors)

For AI-enabled technologies to truly transform healthcare and improve national and global health outcomes, it is imperative that cross-cutting challenges like data availability, business model sustainability, and lack of enabling infrastructure and other building blocks are addressed.

Africa Americas

The future is here

Aug 27, 2020

Europe faces “tricky moment” in transition to fall; US unemployment increases by one million

By Atlantic Council

Germany extended a program to help keep workers on companies’ books, while France hinted at details of a 100 billion euro stimulus plan next week. Educators in Germany, the United Kingdom, Myanmar, and the United States contended with how to keep students safe as classes start again.

Coronavirus

New Atlanticist

Aug 27, 2020

Russia and Turkey may fill in the diplomatic vacuum on Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

By Matthew Bryza

In the absence of US or EU leadership, it may be up to Turkey and Russia to redirect Azerbaijan and Armenia away from the battlefield and toward the negotiating table.

Conflict The Caucasus

BelarusAlert

Aug 27, 2020

Belarus crisis: Can Lukashenka survive a collapsing currency?

By Anders Åslund

Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka has spent the past few weeks fighting for his political life as a pro-democracy uprising threatens to end his 26-year reign. But could a currency crash prove his downfall?

Belarus Democratic Transitions
gtc phases of the moon at night

GeoTech Cues

Aug 27, 2020

Making sense of sensemaking: What it is and what it means for pandemic research

By Richard J. Cordes

We are often blind to our incredible, expansive, awe-inspiring ability to make sense of our environment—until we no longer can. R.J. Cordes dives into sensemaking and its role in pandemic research.

Disinformation Internet