ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

 - Researchers at the University of Michigan unveiled plans for a Graphene contact lens that could let you see in the dark, providing its wearer infrared ‘night vision’. Graphene is capable of detecting the entire infrared spectrum, the visible and ultraviolet light. But graphene because is only one-atom thick, it can absorb only 2.3 percent of the light that hits it, which is not enough to generate an electrical signal. Without a signal, it can’t operate as an infrared sensor. Zhaohui Zhong, assistant professor at the University of Michigan, in a press release, said: “The challenge for the current generation of graphene-based detectors is that their sensitivity is typically very poor. It’s a hundred to a thousand times lower than what a commercial device would require.” The Michigan researchers find out a new method for generating the electrical signal. Published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology (“ Graphene photodetectors with ultra-broadband and high responsivity at ...

In the aftermath of the March 1 Kunming rail station attacks , allegedly perpetrated by ethnic Uighur militants, China is asking its Southeast Asian neighbors to round up Uighur immigrants living within their borders . Since March 13, Thailand has detained two groups of 218 and 78 Muslim refugees, with many claiming to be "Turkish" although they are thought to be ethnic Uighurs from China (Uighurs are a Turkic people). The refugees were hiding in different locations in Sadao District, Songkhla province, in the deep south bordering Malaysia. Thai authorities have linked these groups with 112 Muslim refugees discovered last year, and a group of 15 discovered earlier this week, in the southeast province of Sa Kaeo, bordering Cambodia. Thai media and Chinese diplomats in Thailand claim these are also ethnic Uighurs from Xinjiang, the Uighur homeland in northwest China. Many details remain unclear about these detainees, though Thai authorities say they were not linked to terrori...

Chinese police inspect the Kunming railway station after the March 2 attacks. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) Summary In the aftermath of the Kunming rail station attacks , allegedly perpetrated by ethnic Uighur militants, China is asking its Southeast Asian neighbors to round up Uighur immigrants living within their borders. This highlights a broader foreign policy issue for China. With the Chinese public increasingly more concerned about terrorism, the government has a liability on its hands that it cannot afford to neglect, but that may require a more coercive diplomacy to prevent its neighbors from leveraging this issue against Beijing. China may not be ready to make such a shift, but if it does it will face greater regional resistance. Analysis Since March 13, Thailand has detained two groups of 218 and 78 Muslim refugees, many of whom claimed to be "Turkish" although they are thought to be ethnic Uighurs from China (Uighurs are a Turkic people). The refugees were hiding in diff...

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspect Russian military exercises in the Pacific Ocean on July 16, 2013. (ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/AFP/Getty Images) Summary Tensions between Ukraine and Russia show no signs of diminishing soon. Following the popular uprising that ousted former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich and installed a Western-leaning government in Kiev, Moscow's annexation of Crimea has strained already-tense relations with Europe and the United States. Russia will be considering its next move following the initial rounds of sanctions from the West . The least probable option for the Kremlin also carries the greatest significance for Kiev and the West: an invasion of mainland Ukraine. The enormous military, economic and political cost of such an action makes it unlikely. Ukraine is in a very different position from Georgia, the last country Russia invaded. Despite Russia's determination to harden its western border with NATO, the U...

Analysis Editor's Note: Occasionally, circumstances demand that Stratfor break from its usual format and examine geopolitical issues in new ways. This essay, reflecting on history and geopolitics through personal experiences in two Eurasian borderland capitals, reveals the distinctions and uniformity that can occupy the same space in defiance of seeming logic. It is drawn from the notes of Eurasian analyst Eugene Chausovsky, who just returned from a trip through the region he describes. As the standoff between Russia and the West continues over the fate of Ukraine, a similar but subtler competition is taking place in two of Ukraine's smaller neighbors in the Eurasian borderlands. Like Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus have long been coveted by Russia and Europe, and the competition over them has never been limited to politics. Russian and European influence touches virtually all aspects of life in each country. As much as today's incarnation of the age-old East-West rivalry is v...

by Anup Shah Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day. At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day. Source1 More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening. Source2 The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income. Source3 According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.” Source4 Around 27-28 percent of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted. The two regions that account for the bulk of the deficit are South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. If current trends continue, the Millennium Development Goals target of...

Global military expenditure stands at over $1.7 trillion in annual expenditure at current prices for 2012. It fell by around half a percent compared to 2011 — the first fall since 1998. (1991 figures are unavailable. Chart uses 2011 constant prices for comparison.) Summarizing some key details from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)’s Year Book 2013 summary on military expenditure : World military expenditure in 2012 is estimated to have reached $1.756 trillion; This is a 0.4 per cent decrease in real terms than in 2011 — the first fall since 1998; The total is still higher than in any year between the end of World War II and 2010; This corresponds to 2.5 per cent of world gross domestic product (GDP), or approximately $249 for each person in the world; The USA with its massive spending budget, has long been the principal determinant of the current world trend, often accounting for close to half of all the world’s military expenditure. The effects of global fi...