ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

North Korea's state-run media reported Sunday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the country's top security officials to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," which has been widely interpreted to mean that North Korea is planning its third nuclear test . Kim said the orders were retaliation for the U.S.-led push to tighten U.N. sanctions on Pyongyang following North Korea's missile test in October. A few days before Kim's statement emerged, the North Koreans said future tests would target the United States, which North Korea regards as its key adversary along with Washington's tool, South Korea. North Korea has been using the threat of tests and the tests themselves as weapons against its neighbors and the United States for years. On the surface, threatening to test weapons does not appear particularly sensible. If the test fails, you look weak. If it succeeds, you look dangerous without actually having a deliverable

In the two decades since the dissolution of the USSR, Russian and Western experts, human rights activists, and journalists have become accustomed to the political violence of the North Caucasus. Terrorist bombings and acts of sabotage in Dagestan, Ingushetia, and Chechnya are perceived as somehow intrinsic to the region. But a recent tragedy in the Volga region suggests that this sort of violence—and the Islamist terrorists who perpetrate it—may not be confined to the Caucasus. On the morning of July 19, 2012, simultaneous terrorist attacks wounded the Tatarstan chief mufti, Ildis Faizov, and killed Valiulla Yakupov, the former deputy chairman of the Tatarstan Spiritual Board of Muslims (TSBM), a well-known Islamic theologian and public figure and one of the most consistent opponents of what Russian politicians and media refer to as Wahhabism. For the first time, official Islamic religious leaders from outside the North Caucasus became victims of Islamist terrorism. Three months late

Malian and French troops enter the ancient city of Timbuktu, but one northern town remains in rebel hands French and Malian troops have taken control of the historic Malian city of Timbuktu, after rebel occupiers fled the ancient Sahara trading town and torched several buildings, including a priceless manuscript library. The French-led coalition troops were welcomed by residents of the town, AFP news agency reported with some residents saying that the rebel fighters had left the city several days ago. "The Malian army and the French army are in complete control of the town of Timbuktu. Everything is under control," a colonel in the Malian army told AFP on condition of anonymity. A French military source said there were fears they could have dotted the city with mines, adding that they were in the process of "securing" it. Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland, reporting from Timbuktu said that the streets were almost empty when the coalition troops arrived. "As we g

WEEKLY UPDATE JANUARY 28, 2013   Uncertainty and complacency   Yesterday  The New York Times  published an  editorial  criticising UK Prime Minister David Cameron for the  speech  he gave last week on the  future of the UK-EU relationship . The basic argument is that  the United Kingdom will find it hard to renegotiate the terms of EU membership  and that Cameron's referendum pledge "presages four or five years of costly uncertainty for potential investors". The first part of this criticism has merit. The United Kingdom's European partners may indeed resist any effort at renegotiation. However, the second part of the criticism is more open to question. There is no doubt that Cameron made a big gamble with this speech. His goal is to silence eurosceptics within his Conservative Party without shedding votes to the UK Independence Party (UKIP). Cameron also hopes to  keep the Liberal Democrats inside the coalition  while at the same time catching Labour leader

January 28, 2013 - In a recent interview with the London Telegraph, Bill Gates has now claimed that his Foundation's massive push for vaccination is not just an exercise in philanthropy but that it is, in fact, "God's work." Gates, who, according to the Telegraph, is worth an estimated $65 billion, is now dedicating his life to the "eradication of poliomyelitis," or, at least he is dedicating himself to the vaccination program allegedly aimed at achieving these ends. As reported by the Telegraph, "My wife and I had a long dialogue about how we were going to take the wealth that we're lucky enough to have and give it back in a way that's most impactful to the world," he says. "Both of us worked at Microsoft and saw that if you take innovation and smart people, the ability to measure what's working, that you can pull together some pretty dramatic things. "We're focused on the help of the poorest in the world, which really d

The Pentagon has approved a major expansion of its cybersecurity force over the next several years, increasing its size more than fivefold to bolster the nation’s ability to defend critical computer systems and conduct offensive computer operations against foreign adversaries, according to U.S. officials. The move, requested by the head of the Defense Department’s Cyber Command, is part of an effort to turn an organization that has focused largely on defensive measures into the equivalent of an Internet-era fighting force. The command, made up of about 900 personnel, will expand to include 4,900 troops and civilians. Details of the plan have not been finalized, but the decision to expand the Cyber Command was made by senior Pentagon officials late last year in recognition of a growing threat in cyberspace, said officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the expansion has not been formally announced. The gravity of that threat, they said, has been highlighted by a string

Egyptian president declares state of emergency in Port Said, Ismailia and Suez, scenes of major protests in recent days. Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has declared a 30-day state of emergency and a night-time curfew in three cities along the Suez Canal that have seen deadly clashes in recent days. In a televised address late on Sunday, Morsi said the emergency measures in Port Said, Ismailia and Suez would take effect on Monday from 9:00pm local time (19:00 GMT) to 6:00am (04:00 GMT), warning that more action would be taken to stem the latest eruption of violence across much of the country. "I have said I am against any emergency measures but I have said that if I must stop bloodshed and protect the people then I will act," Morsi said. He also called for dialogue with top politicians starting on Monday to resolve the situation. Deadly clashes across the country between protesters and police have killed at least 48 people since Friday, when Egyptians commemorated the two-

The US Marine Corps (USMC) is moving forward with plans to increase the range and accuracy of its 120 mm Expeditionary Fire Support System (EFSS) by developing a new mortar round. 1340094 The USMC's ITV, also known as the Light Strike Vehicle, can also be used beyond the EFSS mission profile. It is shown here providing security and over-watch during a training exercise. (US Marine Corps) The Precision Extended Range Munition (PERM), to be used with the EFSS' M327 rifled towed mortar, is being developed as an extended-range precision-guided round that could provide accuracy of within at least 20 m at ranges around 17 km. Contracts for PERM's 24-month engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase were awarded to Raytheon teamed with Israel Military Industries, as well as to ATK teamed with EFSS' lead contractor General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS). Raytheon announced its contract on 22 January 2013 and ATK revealed its cont