Tag Archive for: General

National security wrap

The beat

Police clash with protesters in Catalonia

The Catalan independence struggle erupted into violence again this week as riot police clashed with pro-independence protesters and arrested 51 people. Protesters took to the streets in Barcelona after the Spanish supreme court sentenced nine Catalan separatist leaders to jail for their roles in the 2017 independence referendum. The Spanish government warned that police would take a ‘firm, proportional and united response’, that saw officers charge at protesters with batons and fire rubber bullets into crowds.

Philippine police chief resigns over drug scandal

The chief of the Philippine National Police, Oscar Albayalde, has resigned amid a drug scandal just weeks before he was due to retire. Albayalde has been accused of protecting police officers involved in ‘recycling’ confiscated narcotics and profiting from their actions when he was a provincial police chief. It’s alleged that he prevented the dismissal of police officers under his command who had been found with more than 100 kilograms of confiscated methamphetamine.

South African police march against gender-based violence

More than a thousand police officers in Pretoria marched against gender-based violence on Monday as part of the South African Police Service’s ‘men for change’ campaign. The march was organised in response to the recent surge in murders and sexual violence against women across the country. Around 3,000 women were murdered in South Africa in 2018.

Checkpoint

Vietnamese traveller deported under tightened biosecurity rules

Australian officials have deported a Vietnamese woman after finding undeclared food items in her luggage, including raw pork, eggs, quail and squid. The woman has become the first traveller to be deported under new quarantine laws that allow authorities to cancel visitors’ visas if they’re caught importing prohibited goods. The new laws are part of the government’s efforts to keep African swine fever out of the country.

Denmark restarts border checks

Denmark is set to introduce temporary border checks at its border with Sweden, which will start next month and take place at all crossings at least once a week. The new measures will include road and rail checks over the Oresund bridge as well as ferry checks at various ports. Denmark’s government has taken action in response to recent bomb attacks in Copenhagen and gang-related shootings, which police suspect are connected to Swedish citizens.

British family arrested in US

US border authorities have arrested a British family after they crossed the border from Canada. The family was driving near the border south of Vancouver when they veered into the US in what they say was an attempt to avoid hitting an animal. Customs officials, however, stated that the family was spotted ‘slowly and deliberately driving through a ditch’ between parallel roads on the US and Canadian sides. The seven family members are now being held in an immigration detention centre in Pennsylvania, after Canada refused to take them back. The UK Foreign Office says it is providing assistance in the case

CT scan

Syrian camp breakout sparks terrorism fears in Southeast Asia

A weekend breakout of about 800 detainees from the Ain Issa camp, a Kurdish camp in northeastern Syria where hundreds of Islamic State–linked prisoners are being held, has sparked fears of a resurgence of terrorism in Southeast Asia. Around 700 Indonesians and 50 Malaysians were detained in the camp. An Indonesian counterterrorism expert said the chances of the escapees returning to Indonesia was high, which would increase the overall threat to the region.

Pakistan faces blacklisting

In what would be a serious blow to Pakistan’s faltering economy, the Financial Action Task Force could blacklist Islamabad over terrorism financing and money laundering when it meets in France this week. A report released by the task force earlier this month says Pakistan has fully implemented only one of the 40 measures that it should be taking to avoid being blacklisted. Currently, only Iran and North Korea are on the list.

No-deal Brexit could be a rallying cry for terrorists in Northern Ireland

A senior police official in Northern Ireland has warned that a no-deal Brexit could open up opportunities for terrorist crimes by dissident republican groups in Northern Ireland. He said that UK police operations could become ‘sub-optimal’ if they lose access to the European arrest warrant system and criminal data-sharing. In the lead-up to 31 October, the number of officers assigned to the five border counties has risen from 200 to 300.

First responder

Typhoon Hagibis slows bullet trains

East Japan Railway said on Tuesday that full service of the Hokuriku shinkansen between Tokyo and Kanazawa won’t resume for a while due to the damage caused by Typhoon Hagibis. Severe flooding partially submerged 10 bullet trains worth roughly $440 million. Floodwater would likely ruin components stored underneath the carriages that control functions like braking, power and air-conditioning.

Predicting Ebola outbreaks

A team of researchers from the UK and US have designed a mathematical model that could help predict the next Ebola outbreak. The model captures the impacts of various environmental factors and tracks how changes in climate and human society can affect the virus’s spread. The model could help policymakers decide where to target future vaccination efforts. The study also warns that continued climate change will raise the risk of Ebola spreading further and reaching previously unaffected areas.

ANU researchers develop test for drought resilience of crops

Researchers at the Australian National University have developed a new method to help farmers identify drought-resilient wheat that can produce a high yield with less water. This type of research is important for Australian farmers in areas affected by severe drought that have seen reduced food production and farm incomes in recent years. Co–lead researcher Arun Yadav says he believes the work will be ‘instrumental for farmers to maximize food production in the face of increasingly severe drought’.

The five-domains update

Sea state

The 2019 Pacific International Maritime Expo was held in Sydney last week. The new vessel designs unveiled at the conference included Navantia Australia’s joint support ship, which was conceived with the needs of the Royal Australian Navy in mind, and Austal’s offshore patrol vessel, which it’s currently pitching to the Philippine Navy. Lockheed Martin also showcased a scale model of a control room that could be used in Australia’s future Attack-class submarines. The company building those submarines, Naval Group, signed an agreement with ASC to have the latter train selected welders under its existing apprenticeship program. Naval Group Pacific, meanwhile, joined 16 governments, universities and other firms in signing onto a research hub for naval industry to be called the Australian Maritime Development Centre.

France and Cyprus have conducted naval drills off Cyprus’s coast, with France sending two frigates to take part in ‘routine exercises’ in Cypriot waters. French Defence Minister Florence Parly said the exercise was aimed at enabling Cyprus to ‘assume its responsibilities in its sovereign waters’. This comes as Cyprus is engaged in a tense dispute with Turkey over offshore gas drilling, with the EU urging Turkey to stop ‘illegal drilling’ within Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone.

Flight path

China has unveiled the naval configuration of its Z-20 helicopter, the Harbin Z-20F, at an expo in Tianjin. The model bears an uncanny resemblance to the US Black Hawk and contains attachments similar to those used by the US Navy’s Seahawks to counter small boat swarms. Once in service, the helicopter will provide a boost for the People’s Liberation Army Navy, which currently doesn’t have a helicopter that can fill the same role as the Seahawk. China tested the ship-based model on its destroyers earlier this year.

The US Air Force’s XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned combat aerial vehicle has sustained damage during its third flight test. The mishap was caused by ‘high surface winds and a malfunction of the vehicle’s provisional flight test recovery system’. The drone is part of an Air Force Research Laboratory project to develop a low-cost unmanned aircraft capable of performing strike, electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. A fourth flight has been delayed until a safety investigation can be completed.

The Pentagon has authorised the deployment of two F-15 fighter squadrons, an air expeditionary wing, two Patriot batteries and a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system to Saudi Arabia. This will bring the total number of US troops deployed to the kingdom to 3,000 since a mid-September attack on Saudi oil facilities.

Rapid fire

Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed in a locker room speech at the Prime Minister’s XIII rugby league match in Suva that Australian and Fijian troops will be deployed on a joint peacekeeping mission to the Golan Heights as early as this week, as part of a ‘longstanding commitment’ to UN operations in the Middle East. Morrison talked up prospects of closer military ties between the two nations and said that Australian troops will be training and supporting the Fijian troops on the mission.

Defence company BMT has offered its Caimen 90 landing craft to the Australian Army, which is looking to improve its amphibious capability under the LAND 8710 program. Phase one of the program will replace the army’s Vietnam War–era Mark 8 landing craft to provide greater flexibility in shallow waters. The Caimen 90 will have a bow ramp and will be able to operate at up to 30 knots while carrying heavy payloads.

The Iranian Army has released pictures of its Heidair-1, a small, cheap robot designed to be an expendable battlefield platform that can be driven under larger vehicles and detonate an explosive payload. Pictures show what appears be a proof of concept that looks very similar to a remote-controlled car. Iran claims that it will eventually deploy an autonomous network of the vehicles, though they are still human-controlled for now.

Final frontier

Boeing’s new spacecraft, the Starliner, is scheduled to take its first orbital flight in December. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine signalled concerns with the program, however, revealing that his agency is in talks with Russia’s Roscosmos to secure an additional seat on a Soyuz spacecraft. Both Boeing’s and SpaceX’s commercial vehicles have suffered from long delays in development. Bridenstine said the deal was an ‘insurance policy’ to ensure that the US sustains a presence on the International Space Station.

A four-legged robot is set to be the first payload from the UK to reach the moon’s surface. Built by UK company Spacebit, the 1-kilogram robot has secured a place on Astrobotic Technology’s Peregrine moon lander, which is scheduled for launch in 2021. This will also be the first time that a four-legged robot has explored the moon’s surface, as space rovers have traditionally been equipped with wheels. If successful, the UK will become the fourth country to land on the moon.

Northrop Grumman launched the first commercial satellite-servicing spacecraft, MEV-1, atop a Russian Proton rocket last Wednesday. The spacecraft is expected to latch onto Intelsat 901, a communications satellite that has been orbiting the earth since 2001. It will then use its onboard thrusters to gain control of the satellite’s pointing and orbit-maintenance duties. MEV-1’s work will extend the life of the satellite by five years.

Wired watchtower

The organisers of the Australian Cyber Conference in Melbourne reportedly asked speaker Ted Ringrose to edit his speech on Australia’s anti-encryption legislation. Ringrose has said that the organisers considered the speech to be ‘biased’ and disagreed with the comparison he made between Australia’s encryption laws and China’s. While Ringrose resisted the changes and gave his speech as planned, the attempt is likely to add to the controversy surrounding the conference following the last-minute removal of US whistleblower Thomas Drake and researcher Suelette Dreyfus from the list of speakers.

Saudi Arabia has hired Instagram influencers in an attempt to rehabilitate its image in the West. Gateway KSA, a non-government organisation of which Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud is an executive member, has been enlisted to provide luxury and all-expenses-paid, supervised trips. The influencers, some of whom are Australian, have unsurprisingly not mentioned Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses in their posts.

It’s been revealed that Apple is sharing a portion of users’ web browsing history with the Chinese company that owns WeChat, Tencent. The data is being shared as part of the company’s ‘fraudulent website warning’, which uses Google’s safe browsing technology. The data-sharing setting appears to be ‘on’ by default on Apple’s iOS 13, which could mean millions of users’ information has been unknowingly shared with Tencent.

The month in women, peace and security: September 2019

Wargaming needs more female strategists

Becca Wasser, a senior policy analyst at the RAND Corporation, has penned an article for The New York Times Magazine on her experience as a female defence strategist and wargamer. The article outlines the hurdles faced by women wanting to get involved in wargaming, noting that they’re often sidelined into administrative roles instead of learning to design and participate in the games. Wasser writes that female wargamers ‘exist in spite of the system, not because of it’, and are often discounted on the basis of their gender. The article highlights the need for more women in the field, noting the differences that emerge when the design or running of a game isn’t dominated by men and the benefits of diversity for strategic thinking.

Gender equality as a security issue

Despite increasing awareness of issues facing women’s rights today, Joan Johnson-Freese claims that gender equality is still isn’t taken seriously in the US as a security issue and the WPS agenda remains largely unknown to the public as well as to government officials and security practitioners. Because of this, even after the US implemented the WPS Act in 2017, a gendered perspective that considers women is still missing from America’s security institutions, resulting in inaccurate assessments of both the domestic and international security environments. Johnson-Freese warns that the lack of recognition of gender equality and the sustaining of prejudices against women will harm the US’s strategic influence and endanger global security.

Towards a feminist foreign policy in the US

Some actionable recommendations for the US government are detailed in a new policy brief by Stephenie Foster, Susan Markham and Sahana Dharmapuri, which sets out how to incorporate a feminist perspective in US foreign policy.

Strategies for increasing female representation in the tech industry

In this Scientific American article, Nahal Shahidzadeh explains how to increase gender equality in the technology field, which has traditionally been dominated by men. She notes that women are under-represented at the executive level in tech, particularly when it comes to cybersecurity. Shahidzadeh argues that gender stereotyping in primary and secondary school often discourages young women from participating in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and is a key cause of the imbalance. The solution, she says, involves not only investing in STEM, but presenting it as gender-neutral. That needs to include providing young women entering the field with scholarships, role models and opportunities.

Remaining vigilant on WPS in the US

In their joint article, Sahana Dharmapuri and Hans Hogrefe argue that the US Congress must stay engaged with the WPS agenda if it’s to further promote women’s participation and agency in conflict regions. They note that the US published its WPS strategy in June and warn that it’s in danger of failing its first ‘real-life test’ in Afghanistan. US engagement with the Taliban, who have committed horrific crimes and violence against women, not only excludes Afghan women from the narrative, but also jeopardises the US’s commitment to protecting women’s rights under the new strategy. They argue that elected representatives must remain vigilant in upholding the WPS agenda.

Role of WPS in ASEAN

The WPS agenda can provide ASEAN countries with the guidance they need to achieve sustainable development and prosperity, according to Noeleen Heyzer. She argues that countries will require women’s leadership to ‘identify those attributes and assets that have sustained social cohesion, inclusive development, human rights and human security … that together contribute to a sustainable, peaceful and just society’. ASEAN recently held a multi-sectoral dialogue on WPS issues in the region to support its 2017 statement recognising the importance of women’s participation in the ‘political, security and justice sectors and … in peace processes as negotiators, mediators, and first responders’.

Women’s place in counterterrorism considerations

King’s College London launched Joana Cook’s new book, A woman’s place: US counterterrorism since 9/11. Cook examines women’s changing roles in US counterterrorism considerations after the September 2001 terror attacks, focusing on how different administrations integrated women into their understanding of peace and security in the context of the war on terror. The book analyses the role of women as agents, partners and targets of terrorists, and examines how and why women’s roles have changed in al-Qaeda and Islamic State, and the impact that those changes have had on conceptions of and responses to counterterrorism. Cook argues that to effectively understand and respond to counterterrorism, the role and experience of women must be considered.

Taking stock of the WPS agenda

The International Peace Institute published an assessment of the state of the WPS agenda ahead of the 20th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325. The global pushback on women’s rights: the state of the women, peace and security agenda examines the challenges for women’s rights presented by recent geopolitical shifts, such as the changing nature of conflict and trend towards populism. The authors, Sarah Taylor and Gretchen Baldwin, argue that to be effective in the current geopolitical context, the WPS agenda needs to ‘move beyond rhetoric and be woven into actionable policy’, requiring more resources and improved accountability from the international community.

Using the WPS agenda to protect the ecosystem

In this article, Mohbuba Choudhury and Louise Arimatsu consider the applicability of the WPS agenda to the protection of the ecosystem. Recognising that the consequences of mass displacement are gendered, the authors argue that the ‘relief and recovery’ pillar of the WPS agenda provides an ‘entry point’ for the protection of the ecosystem.

The nexus between feminist research and climate change

This article by Maria Tanyag explains the role of feminist research in solving the climate crisis. Tanyag identifies the three key analytical, ethical and methodological tools of feminist research—intersectionality, ethics of care and situated knowledge—and explains how they can help with conceptualising and responding to the climate crisis. Similarly, an article published as part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit acknowledges the importance of women’s knowledge and understanding of how to adapt to changing environmental circumstances and their role in supporting practical solutions to tackle climate change.

ASPI suggests

The world

Turkey has begun ‘Operation Peace Spring’, its military offensive in northern Syria against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), following the US withdrawal from the area. The SDF is composed primarily of fighters from the Kurdish YPG, a long-time US ally that, according to Turkey, is a terrorist organisation. See two articles by Al Jazeera, one for the latest developments and another for how the world has reacted to Turkey’s offensive. The ABC looks at the impact on civilians living in the affected area. Will Todman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies answers questions on the implications of Turkey’s operation and the shift in US policy in the region.

It’s been an absolutely packed week in US politics. Despite both the White House and Republicans attempting to pressure Speaker Nancy Pelosi into holding a vote to formalise the House of Representatives impeachment inquiry into the president, it’s well underway. Earlier in the week, Donald Trump’s White House announced it would not be cooperating with the inquiry at all. The implications of this move were unpacked in an article by Vox. Overnight, two associates of Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, were arrested over alleged violations of campaign finance laws connected to both Ukraine and Russia. In light of all these developments, the ABC’s Huw Parkinson’s  take on the state of US politics, ‘Trump and the Giant ImPeach’, is worth a watch.

What started as a single tweet has sparked an uproar of gargantuan proportions. Of course, we’re talking about the China–NBA saga. On Sunday, Houston Rockets manager Daryl Morey tweeted in support of the Hong Kong protests, an act which before long caused a huge backlash in China and put the NBA—which is expanding its footprint in China—in the middle of a public relations nightmare. The ABC has published an excellent piece looking at the use of outrage culture by the Chinese government to pressure companies and individuals into apologising and complying with its  censorship guidelines.

At long last, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar have announced that they’re close to finding a solution to the problem posed by Brexit to the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It remains to be seen what the agreement is, but as we near the 31 October deadline for Brexit, more details are sure to emerge shortly.

There’s been plenty of debate on The Strategist this week over current and future capabilities of the Royal Australian Navy. Starting on the surface, Malcolm Davis argues Australia’s new Hobart-class air warfare destroyers aren’t fit for long-distance warfare and suggests the possibility of purchasing smaller surface ships with long-range weapons. Michael Shoebridge takes us down to Davy Jones’ Locker to look at whether our Attack-class submarines will be future-fit when they enter service. Australian Defence Magazine discusses the importance of submarines to Australia’s national security but acknowledges the challenges involved with our future force. And back to The Strategist, Brendan Nicholson looks at how the RAN is expanding its responsibilities in the region and discusses the future of the navy’s workforce with its chief, Vice Admiral Mike Noonan (here and here).

And for an extra read, see here for a deep dive into North Korea’s testing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile on 2 October.

Tech geek

China’s 70th anniversary military parade showed that the communist party has put a significant amount of effort in developing advanced weaponry and state-of-the-art aircraft. That hardware was on show once again this week at the fifth China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin, where a mock-up of a new rotorcraft concept was unveiled. Dubbed the ‘Super Great White Shark’, the concept looks like a flying saucer, and while it’s described as an ‘armed helicopter’, it’s unclear what it would be used for. Russia and the US have never successfully built a fully functioning flying saucer.

For a glimpse of what China’s future stealth fighter might look like, The Diplomat has a piece which explores China’s future fighter capabilities beyond its J-20 fifth-generation aircraft.

A big theme this week has been the acquisition and development of new missile systems in the Indo-Pacific region. The Philippine Navy has announced that three more of its vessels will be equipped with the Israeli Spike missile system in another positive development for the Philippines’ military modernisation. In less positive news, Reuters reports that Japan may have to pay an extra US$500 million for additional tests of its US-built ballistic-missile interceptor system that haven’t been budgeted for. And in the US, a video taken from a plane suggests the US is making strides in the development of its new W76-2 nuclear warhead. However, back in June the House Armed Services Committee rejected a bill allowing the deployment of US low-yield nuclear weapons, throwing some doubt on exactly what was launched.

Away from missiles and flying saucers, the ABC has looked at the impact 5G technology may have on Australia’s national broadband network. And finally, Sebastiaan Nijhuis and Iris Herrman have an interesting article which looks into the consequences of the fourth industrial revolution on agriculture.

This week in history

On 7 October 1949, East Germany was officially formed. See here for 43 facts you may not have known about Deutsche Demokratische Republik and here for 10 of the greatest escape stories across the Berlin Wall after it was built in 1961.

Multimedia

See the first images of Turkey’s military offensive with Al Jazeera as soldiers and machinery move into Syria to combat Kurdish forces in the region.

The Atlantic investigates how water shortages are impacting one of America’s most agriculturally productive regions in California. There are some striking similarities with agricultural regions in Australia. [8:16]

Podcasts

Get the latest on the possible impeachment of Trump and the growing dissent among Republicans on CNN’s The Daily DC: Impeachment Watch. [19:36]

Global Dispatches this week focuses on the Turkish offensive in Syria, explaining the background to the situation and looking at what might happen next. [30:37]

Events

Sydney, 15 October, 6–7.30 pm, Australian Institute of International Affairs: ‘Climate change and international relations: “ecomodernism” and the role of technological innovation’. Tickets here ($25).

Canberra, 15 October, 6.15–7.45 pm, Australian National University: ‘2019 Wilson Dialogue’. More information here.

National security wrap

The beat

French police failed to recognise staffer’s radicalisation

An internal report by France’s anti-terrorist investigators has revealed that colleagues of a police IT worker who killed four people at the Paris police headquarters last week noticed ‘signs of radicalisation’ back in 2015. Questions have been raised about how police failed to formally recognise and respond to the radicalisation of one of their own. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has called for a security review of all the police intelligence units across the country.

First look at new Victoria Police choppers

Melbourne radio host Neil Mitchell has posted the first images of Victoria Police’s new helicopters, showing one in the standard white and blue and the other in military grey. Italian aerospace and defence company Leonardo announced earlier this year that it had been commissioned to build three new helicopters for Victoria Police’s air wing. The helicopters are expected to arrive in Australia at the end of the year.

Alleged drug traffickers rescue police at sea

Spanish police were rescued by four suspected drug traffickers after their boats collided off the coast of southern Spain. The incident was captured by a Guardia Civil helicopter and showed police attempting to intercept the traffickers and then falling out of the boat. The aerial unit used a megaphone to ask the suspects to pick up the police. The rescued officers seized 80 bundles of hashish and arrested the suspects on drug trafficking charges.

Checkpoint

Pilgrimage security at Iran–Iraq border

Iranian media reports the country’s army will deploy drones at its border with Iraq to ensure the safety of pilgrims visiting the country during the Arbaeen season. Around 35,000 people crossed the border this year to visit Iraq’s holy sites, a nine-fold increase compared with last year. The pilgrimage comes amid ongoing anti-government demonstrations throughout Iraq, which have already seen the closure of a key border crossing.

Journalist ‘harassed’ at US airport

A US customs agent has been accused of harassing a journalist at Dulles Airport near Washington DC. Ben Watson, an editor for Defense One, had his passport withheld by the official, who only returned it once he got Watson to admit that he writes ‘propaganda’. Watson has since filed a civil rights complaint with the agency, which is investigating the allegation. The incident is the latest in a series of cases of US border agents harassing or detaining journalists over the past year.

Northern Irish police won’t staff border checkpoints

Northern Ireland’s police chief says officers will not staff border checkpoints with Ireland after Brexit. While the police service will continue to police the border and ‘facilitate normality and day-to-day policing’, Simon Bryne says it won’t ‘carry out [tasks like] custom checks’. Bryne has also requested extra funding for additional officers in preparation for Brexit, having previously stated that his force doesn’t have the resources to effectively control the border.

CT scan

Man kills two in attack on German synagogue

A right-wing terrorist attack targeting a synagogue in the German city of Halle on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in the Jewish calendar, has left two people dead and at least two others injured. The attacker, a 27-year-old German man, tried to use homemade explosives to enter the synagogue but couldn’t get inside and killed two people nearby. Anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise in Germany.

Saudi Arabia wants Sudan removed from US terror list

Saudi Arabia is seeking Sudan’s removal from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism after a meeting in Riyadh between the Saudi king and the head of Sudan’s transitional sovereign council. In August, Sudan’s military overthrew Omar al-Bashir’s government, which was deemed a supporter of terrorism, after months of civilian protests. The US says it will assess the new government, but it is unlikely to change Sudan’s status until free and fair elections are held in the country.

Secret UK database revealed

British counterterror police have been running a secret database containing the private details of thousands of people who have been referred to a controversial anti-radicalisation program called Prevent. Individuals are reportedly unaware that their details are being recorded and viewed, leading human rights group Liberty to claim the database is more about ‘keeping tabs on and controlling people’ than about safety.

First responder

Measles outbreak in Western Australia

Health officials have confirmed 13 cases of measles in Perth and are now also investigating suspected cases outside the city. The outbreak is believed to have originated from a New Zealand tourist. NZ is experiencing the ‘worst outbreak of measles in two decades’, which multiple cases of measles in Australia have been linked to. Authorities in Australia are launching an awareness campaign and are urging people travelling overseas to check their vaccination history and get an additional dose if needed.

Nepal hit with dengue fever

Nepal is facing a health crisis—around 9,000 people have been diagnosed with dengue fever there since August. The virus has spread to 65 of Nepal’s 77 districts, and experts have noted that the country has never faced an outbreak this severe. Nepal has traditionally been too cold for the disease-carrying mosquitoes, but climate change has led to rising temperatures, making the country more hospitable to the insects.

Typhoon set to affect Rugby World Cup

Category-5 typhoon Hagibis is forecast to hit the Tokyo area this weekend. Crucial Rugby World Cup matches will reportedly be cancelled if the typhoon, one of the most powerful in the world this year, makes landfall. It’s expected to result in the cancellation of games between England and France, New Zealand and Italy, and Japan and Scotland. If the games are cancelled, Scotland will be eliminated, and the host country Japan will progress to the quarter finals for the first time in the Brave Blossoms’ history.

The five-domains update

Sea state

Naval Group has contracted Schneider Electric France to provide the main DC switchboards for the Royal Australian Navy’s Attack-class submarines. The switchboards will distribute power from the submarine’s batteries and diesel generators to many of the submarine’s systems. While Schneider Electric plans on transferring some of the work to its Australian subsidiary and using local suppliers for equipment, the deal has sparked concerns that too little business from the submarine build is going to Australian companies.

SAMI-Navantia, a joint venture between Saudi Arabian Military Industries and Spanish shipbuilder Navantia, has started building the first of five Avante 2200 corvettes for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces. As part of the five-year €900 million (A$1.4 billion) contract, SAMI-Navantia will also provide combat system integration and installation, as well as logistical support and training programs, for the corvettes. Saudi Arabia finalised the purchase last year as part of its ‘Vision 2030’ program, which aims to lessen the nation’s dependence on foreign suppliers.

Turkish company Anadolu Shipyard could be banned from doing defence-related business in India due to its ties with Pakistan. Anadolu was selected in January as a technology partner in the Indian Navy’s US$2.3 billion program to build five fleet support ships. However, it is also developing anti-submarine corvettes for the Pakistan Navy. And last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised his concerns about India’s actions in Kashmir at the UN, effectively siding with Pakistan. With the deal now on hold, relations between India and Turkey may further deteriorate.

Flight path

China unveiled its ‘Sharp Sword’ unmanned combat air vehicle during its 70th anniversary military parade in Beijing last week. It’s thought the stealthy drone could have a payload of almost 2,000 kilograms and may eventually be deployed from aircraft carriers. Chinese state media said that the drone’s primary mission will be to conduct ‘deep penetrating strikes on critical targets’. Analysts have expressed concerns over the threat these drones could pose for Australia, and have stressed the need to respond to China’s growing military capabilities.

The South Korean air force has displayed four F-35A jets at the celebration of the country’s 71st Armed Forces Day to mark their official introduction into service. South Korea has already received eight of the 40 F-35s ordered as part of a US$6.15 billion deal—its biggest ever weapons purchase. In a possible response to the news, just a few hours after the show North Korea fired a missile off its east coast.

German defence officials have been notified by the Pentagon that it would take between three and five years less to certify Boeing’s F/A-18 to carry nuclear weapons than Airbus’s Eurofighter because the F/A-18 is already considered a nuclear-capable jet in the US. To comply with the NATO nuclear sharing doctrine, Germany currently has 80 ageing Tornado jets that are capable of carrying nuclear weapons. German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said that Germany wanted a ‘gap-less’ transition between the Tornados and their successor, which could tilt the race in the F/A-18’s favour.

Rapid fire

Team Defence Australia will take a delegation of 32 Australian companies to AUSA, the largest land warfare trade show in North America. The event attracts more than 30,000 attendees and will have 700 exhibitions from 100 countries. The Australian Defence Export Office’s assistant director said that AUSA will provide an ‘invaluable opportunity’ to display Australian products and services to the US military and major companies.

The US Army is reportedly considering the Lynx KF-41 infantry fighting vehicle as a replacement for the M2 Bradley as part of its optionally manned fighting vehicle program. The joint venture between Raytheon and Rheinmetall would share many features with the Lynx that has been offered to the Australian Army under phase 3 of the LAND 400 program and could provide opportunities for industry collaboration and supply chain linkages with Australian companies.

‘Defender 2020’ is set to be the third-largest military exercise in Europe since the Cold War. The drill has been compared in scale to the ‘Reforger’ exercises held between 1969 and 1993 and will test the ability of US forces to move a division-sized contingent from North America to European ports and then to multiple locations across the continent. About 20,000 soldiers will be involved, along with heavy equipment, and they could be asked to deploy anywhere from the Nordic countries to the Caucasus.

Final frontier

Australia’s plans for an orbiting solar-power-generating satellite network have been revealed. The project is part of a joint venture between Australia and the US to develop space-based solar technologies. The satellites will sit in geo-synchronous orbit more than 35,000 kilometres above Australia and, if successful, will provide ‘limitless and unwavering’ power. ASPI’s Malcolm Davis writes that the move towards space-based solar power has the potential to ‘reshape global energy markets’.

The Pentagon’s Space Development Agency has outlined its plans to develop a large constellation of military satellites. According to the agency’s draft budget, it’s requesting more than US$10 billion over five years to develop a large communications network made up of around 1,200 satellites. The network would be used for military purposes, such as providing support for missile defence.

The Italian Air Force has signed a contract with Virgin Galactic to send a group of researchers on a suborbital spaceflight. It will be the first time that a government agency has sent researchers along to oversee payloads and conduct research on a commercial spaceship. The researchers will conduct experiments while they are in microgravity, to get a better understanding of the suborbital flight environment and the effects of exposure to microgravity. The SpaceShipTwo flight is expected to take off sometime next year from Virgin’s Spaceport America in New Mexico.

Wired watchtower

Microsoft has revealed that email accounts linked to a US presidential candidate’s campaign have been targeted by a group of hackers originating from Iran. The company noted that the hacker group, known as ‘Phosphorus’, carried out cyberattacks on 241 Microsoft accounts and managed to compromise four after making 2,700 attempts to identify their targets’ email accounts. Microsoft hasn’t revealed which candidate was the target.

Cybersecurity firm Check Point has traced a series of cyberattacks against Egyptian journalists, academics, lawyers, opposition politicians and human rights activists to the Egyptian government. Three apps were used to gain access to the targets’ phones. Once installed, the apps enabled the hackers to read the targets’ files and emails, track their locations, and identify who they contacted and when. Two of the targets were also arrested, which suggests that the Egyptian government is using the data for more than surveillance purposes.

Singapore’s communications minister has announced the launch of a Singapore–ASEAN cybersecurity centre of excellence. Over a five-year period, the centre will spend S$30 million (A$32 million) in an effort to support and strengthen capacity-building in the region. The centre will conduct research into legislation and norms, train national computer emergency response teams and promote information-sharing between participants.

ASPI suggests

The world

China has taken centre stage this week following the 70th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party coming to power. See IISS for the new weapons systems that were on show at the anniversary parade in Beijing and for some of the challenges faced by President Xi Jinping as he continues to lead the modernisation of the People’s Liberation Army. RAND Corporation has some great analysis on how Xi’s elusive China Dream could see the country’s global clout continue to grow—but only if it can overcome some major hurdles. The consequences of China’s digital revolution and how its high-tech illiberalism will shape the rest of the century are discussed by the Center for a New American Security, and Forbes provides some insight into what China is actually up to in Africa.

Focusing more on the Chinese Communist Party’s grand militaristic celebration, analysts have once again drawn Cold War analogies—see this from the Washington Post. The Sydney Morning Herald featured a great explainer on the evolution of the PRC. And bringing it home, John Fitzgerald wrote an important Policy brief for ASPI which argues for the introduction of more nuance into Australia’s China debate, including distinguishing between China and the Chinese people on the one hand and the CCP on the other.

US President Donald Trump seems to love controversy so much, he hardly stays out of it. Read this aptly titled New York Times editorial for a quick dip into his latest shenanigans, which include soliciting help from China and Ukraine to dig up dirt on his potential Democratic rival in next year’s election, Joe Biden. Foreign Policy notes that Trump’s attempts to bully the White House whistleblower hurt US credibility and ‘truth-tellers’ in other countries. The Washington Post does a neat job of outlining the repercussions of the latest revelations for US allies, including Australia, and the respective domestic political constituencies. Mira Rapp-Hooper, writing in Foreign Affairs, presents a convincing argument to show how the latest Ukraine scandal undermines American power internationally.

It’s been 12 months since Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. See this article in The New Yorker for the story one year on, which discusses the fact that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman still denies any involvement in the killing and retains the full support of numerous world leaders. The Atlantic has analysed the murder in the context of the Saudi relationship with Iran and draws similarities between the rulers of each nation.

Speaking of Iran, Foreign Policy has outlined the relationship between it and Yemen’s Houthis, and how Iranian support for the rebel group has grown over the past five years. Meanwhile, The National Interest offers a few examples that raise the question, Is the Saudi Kingdom beginning to crumble?

Moving on to the Indian subcontinent, Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s breezy visit to Washington was perhaps the most important such visit by an Indian minister in a long time, as this Times of India article highlights. C. Raja Mohan’s opinion piece in the Indian Express, which points out the futility of India chasing parity with China, is a must-read. Check out this Texas National Security Review report for great contributions on the changed dynamics between India and Pakistan.

Finally, France is set to become the first European country to use facial recognition technology to provide citizens with an apparently secure digital profile. See Politico and Bloomberg for the process involved in this move, the risks and whether it could constitute a violation of citizens’ liberties. Forbes outlines the biggest concerns surrounding the use of facial recognition technology.

Tech geek

After the spectacle that was China’s parade in Beijing, the country’s military modernisation is in our sights this week. Some of China’s new military capabilities include hypersonic cruise missiles and unmanned aerial systems. Check out this piece from Joseph Trevithick, who explores four of China’s newest and most significant capabilities. In The Strategist, Malcolm Davis also delves into the importance of China’s military modernisation, describing the parade as ‘a wake-up call for Australia’.

Scientists based in Shanghai claim to have tested a new laser capable of tracking submarines. Lasers have also been the focus of a recent Congressional Research Service report.

German radar company Hensoldt says its ‘TwInvis’ passive radar system was able to track two normally stealthy F-35s when they departed the Berlin Air Show in 2018. Passive radar technology uses civilian communications signals like radio and television broadcasts to identify aircraft. To learn more about the potential implications of passive radar for stealth aircraft, check out this piece from Tyler Rogoway. For an explainer on passive radar technology, see David Cenciotti’s piece for The Aviationist.

Ankit Panda has an interesting Twitter thread in which he suggests that when North Korea launched its new Pukguksong-3 ballistic missile this week, it was done not from a submarine, but from an underwater launch platform.

Roger McDermott from the Jamestown Foundation explores Russia’s evolving electronic warfare capability. And New Scientist has an interesting piece on what a call to the International Space Station actually involves.

This week in history

This week in 1990, the German Democratic Republic, otherwise known as East Germany, ceased to exist and its five states joined the federal republic. See here for how The Guardian reported German reunification as it happened. Also this week in 1957, Sputnik 1 became the first artificial satellite in space after it was launched by the Soviet Union.

Multimedia

Al Jazeera has released a documentary focusing on the events leading up to and following Jamal Khashoggi’s murder. [48:19]

This photo series by Reuters depicts the deadly protests currently spreading across Iraq.

Podcasts

Check out the ABC’s The Party Room for a wrap of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s eventful trip to the US and a look at how the Trump impeachment inquiry could play out on Capitol Hill. [31:18]

The Modern War Institute offers a glimpse into what the US Army is doing in space and what the service’s contribution would look like during a future conflict there. [27:27]

Events

Canberra, 8 October, 12.30–1.30 pm, Australian National University: ‘Women4twenty24: women’s political representation in India and Indonesia’. Register here.

Canberra, 9 October, 4–6.30 pm, ASPI: ‘Designing for resilient energy systems’. More information here.

National security wrap

The beat 

UK police to gain access to encrypted messages

The UK and the US are expected to sign an agreement that will force US-based social media platforms to share users’ encrypted data with British police. The companies will be required to build ‘back doors’ into their messaging apps, providing police with an avenue for decrypting data to assist with their investigations into serious crimes. As part of the deal, the US and UK have agreed to not investigate each other’s nationals.

Nigerian police accused of unwarranted profiling

Nigeria’s anti-robbery police squad has been accused of targeting the country’s tech industry, profiling people with laptops, smartphones and internet connections as ‘419’ scammers, a reference to the police code for online crime. Following the harassment of a local software engineer, a crowdfunding campaign has been set up to finance a legal challenge against the police unit. Four officers have been arrested on allegations of extortion in connection with the incident.

Drones help find fugitive cave-dweller in China

Police in the Chinese province of Yonghsan used drones to locate a man who had been on the run for almost two decades. The police were acting on new information about the fugitive’s whereabouts. The drones were used to survey the difficult mountain terrain and eventually led police to the cave hideout.

Checkpoint

Germany extends border checks

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer says Germany will increase the police presence at its borders to deter migrants from entering. This follows his decision to extend random checks at the border with Austria for another six months. Despite a reduction in the number of illegal border crossings, the interior ministry says that circumstances don’t allow for the complete abolition of border checks just yet.

Sudan closes borders with Libya and CAR 

Sudan has ordered the closure of its borders with Libya and the Central African Republic (CAR) after a meeting of the civilian–military sovereign council. In a statement, the body said that the closure of the borders was due to ‘the threat [Libya and the CAR] pose to the security and economy of Sudan’. Though it didn’t give details about the nature of the threats, Sudan has often complained about the trafficking of arms through its borders with both Libya and CAR, and the council says that vehicles have been illegally crossing its borders with both nations.

Bangladesh border guards kill suspected Rohingya drug smugglers

Two suspected Rohingya drug dealers were killed by border guards in the Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh. The two men were among a group of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar who were discovered attempting to cross a river by boat into Bangladesh. When asked to surrender, the suspects allegedly responded by opening fire, triggering a ‘shootout’. The incident comes on the heels of the Bangladeshi government’s announcement that it plans to put barbed-wire fences around Rohingya camps near the border to stop their expansion.

CT scan

Australia has enacted more counterterror laws than the US

A report in The Conversation has found the number of anti-terror laws introduced by the Australian government since September 2001 far exceeds the volume of new laws introduced by the UK, Canada and the US. Australia’s response has been described as one of ‘hyper-legislation’; at its peak, a new law was enacted every 6.7 weeks. Since Islamic State’s declaration of a caliphate five years ago in Syria, Australia has enacted 19 new laws, bringing the total to 82.

Trial of German neo-Nazis begins

The trial of eight members of Revolution Chemnitz, an alleged neo-Nazi cell accused of plotting a violent race war in the German state of Saxony, has begun amid concerns that Germany’s far-right movement is becoming more radical and violent. Chief federal prosecutor Peter Frank said that the trial would be one of the most important to date in dealing with far-right terrorism. The far-right’s surge in Saxony’s recent election saw the anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim Alternative for Germany party win 27.5% of the vote, just shy of the 32% garnered by the centrist Christian Democratic Union.

Al-Shabaab mounts simultaneous attacks in Somalia

Al-Shabaab militants simultaneously attacked a US base used to train Somali commandos and an Italian military convoy in separate attacks earlier this week. The attacks come as the militant group faces increasing pressure in the region after losing control in several key areas. Both attacks failed to inflict casualties on US and Italian forces, but in response the US conducted a self-defence airstrike that killed 10 militants.

First responder

Australian biosecurity officials are on high alert

Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie has said that measures are in place to prevent African swine flu from reaching Australia. The deadly virus, which has swept across Asia in recent months, has reportedly reached Timor-Leste. Biosecurity measures have been put in place at international airports and ports, monitoring everything coming in from countries affected by the virus. Sniffer dogs will be deployed to the Northern Territory to screen passengers flying directly from Timor-Leste to Darwin.

Drought-stricken regions won’t be classified as natural disaster zones

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese backed farmers’ calls to have some drought-affected areas in Australia declared natural disaster zones. However, the drought and emergency management minister, David Littleproud, has rejected the idea, saying that the slowly encroaching impact of drought affects communities differently from natural disasters like fires or cyclones.

Yellow fever outbreak in Nigeria

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control has confirmed an outbreak of yellow fever with 27 confirmed cases in Bauchi state, and additional cases in four other states. The World Health Organization recently released a report stating that 84 suspected and seven confirmed yellow fever cases have been reported in Ebonyi state. More than 2,000 suspected yellow fever cases have been reported in Nigeria so far this year. Low vaccination coverage and documentation are key factors for the outbreak. The WHO is implementing a four-year mass vaccination campaign.

The five-domains update

Sea state

The Brazilian navy has started sea trials of its first Scorpene-class attack submarine, Riachuelo. The submarine, which is being developed by French company Naval Group, was first launched in 2018 as part of an R$35 billion (A$12.5 billion) program for four conventional submarines and Brazil’s first nuclear-powered submarine. The program has been delayed, however, and the launch date of the last boats has been put back until 2029. Naval Group is also currently developing submarines for the Royal Australian Navy.

France’s Marine Nationale has become the first European navy to successfully demonstrate ‘cooperative engagement’ between two of its vessels. A video posted to Twitter showed the destroyer Forbin remotely engaging a target with a missile using data shared by the frigate Languedoc. India, Australia and the US have also successfully tested cooperative engagement between their naval vessels. The US is currently developing a ‘cooperative engagement capability’ network that aims to link all its ships and aircraft together.

China has launched its first amphibious assault ship, a Type 075 landing helicopter dock, just months after pictures first emerged of its keel being built. Development work on the Type 075 began in 2011, with the aim of increasing the Chinese navy’s vertical take-off and landing capabilities. The Chinese military says the ship still needs to have equipment fitted and be tested at sea before it’s commissioned. A second vessel of the class is also already under construction.

Flight path 

Australia’s Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, attended a hangar ceremony at the Bushido Guardian 2019 exercise in Japan, where he welcomed the strengthening of bonds between the Australian and Japanese air forces. Bushido Guardian is the first-ever joint air combat exercise between the two countries, and involves Australian F/A-18 and Japanese F-15 and F-2 jets. Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said the exercise aims to increase Australia’s engagement with Japan, while Japanese Defence Minister Taro Kono said ‘strengthening cooperation between Japan and Australia through [these] exercises will lead to peace in the region’.

The US Air Force has approved the initial production of the Sikorsky HH-60W combat rescue helicopter, following extensive flight tests in Florida. Lockheed Martin says the new helicopters, which are a variant of the Black Hawk, will replace the ageing HH-60G Pave Hawks and serve in US combat search-and-rescue and personnel-recovery operations. The US Air Force plans to buy 113 HH-60Ws.

Italy has deployed six F-35As to Keflavik Airbase to conduct air policing and training over Iceland, marking the first time the jets have been deployed on a NATO mission. This is the fifth deployment of Italian aircraft to Iceland, and also includes a Boeing KC-767 tanker.

Rapid fire

The Australian Army acquired the first of 211 Rheinmetall Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicles as part of the $5.2 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 project last week. The first 25 vehicles, which are being produced in Germany, will be used for familiarisation and training purposes. The remaining 186 Boxers will be produced at a Rheinmetall facility in Ipswich, Queensland, starting late next year.

Taiwan is seeking to modernise its artillery by acquiring BAE Systems’ M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzer from the US. Defence Minister Yen Teh-fa has not confirmed the number of howitzers Taiwan is seeking, but local media suggests it’s around 100. Taiwan also wants to triple the range of its artillery rockets to 300 kilometres either by acquiring US-made systems or developing its own.

By 2022, the US Army plans to deploy its first four armoured vehicles equipped with 50-kilowatt lasers in an effort to provide a cost-efficient and effective means to defend against drones. Lasers are particularly effective against slow-moving targets because they have more time to burn through their protective layers. Larger and faster targets like cruise missiles pose a bigger challenge for laser defence and would need to have between 300 and 600 kilowatts of power to reliably bring one down.

Final frontier

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has unveiled his company’s ‘Starship’. Standing in front of a 50-metre prototype, Musk revealed that the aim was to have the spaceship in orbit in less than six months. The reusable craft, which is designed to transport up to 100 people to space and back, is key to the company’s future space travel plans. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine reacted to the announcement by bringing attention to SpaceX’s partnership with NASA on the commercial crew program, which is reportedly years behind schedule.

Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, has admitted that the cause of the hole on a Soyuz spacecraft has been determined, though it has refused to elaborate on what it considers to be a ‘state secret’. The hole on the International Space Station, which was discovered on 29 August last year after alarms alerted the crew to a loss of pressure onboard, had been drilled by hand and then concealed using resin.

Tyvak, an American company that manufactures nano-satellites, announced at the 8th Space Forum in Adelaide that it will move into Adelaide’s ‘Lot Fourteen’ innovation neighbourhood. The company has plans to set up a manufacturing and testing facility for space vehicles in its new location. Tyvak’s Australian director Marco Villa said the company’s focus is on growing the ‘local supply chain and national space ecosystem.’

Wired watchtower

Privacy advocates have spoken out against the biometric ‘identity-matching’ bills currently before parliament, claiming that the Australian government’s proposed laws are highly intrusive and lack proportionality. The national database will enable government agencies and private entities to access photos and personal information taken from Australian drivers’ licences and passports. Victoria has already started uploading photos from its licences to the database.

Airbus has named China as the key suspect behind a series of cyberattacks against four of its suppliers. The company revealed in January that hackers had targeted its suppliers, resulting in the unauthorised accessing of technical documents and commercial data. The success of the attacks highlights the fact that hackers can gain access to companies via their suppliers. China has denied any involvement in the attacks.

The Czech Republic’s intelligence agency NUKIB has found that China was likely to have been behind a major cyberattack on the Czech foreign ministry last year. The report of China’s likely involvement comes a month after the Czech Senate’s security committee first revealed findings that a foreign state had carried out the attack against the ministry.

ASPI suggests

The world

Two conservative leaders have taken a hit this week, with British PM Boris Johnson and US President Donald Trump both getting into sticky situations. The New York Times looks into Johnson’s attempt to suspend parliament for five weeks leading up to the Brexit deadline—something ruled unlawful by Britain’s Supreme Court. The Financial Times analyses what’s next for Johnson and explains his call for a ‘people versus parliament’ general election. Across The Atlantic, David Graham highlights Trump’s troubles, from the whistle being blown on his interactions with Ukraine to the possibility of impeachment. Foreign Policy provides an annotated memorandum of Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. See Chatham House for the potential consequences for Trump other than his possible impeachment.

UN leaders’ week is always worth following, but it’s even more interesting with Trump in the White House. This New York Times article does a neat job of setting the broad context. CNN carries an enjoyable review of Trump’s speech to the UN General Assembly, replete with little snippets of his idiosyncrasies. And check out these behind-the-scenes pictures published by the UN.

Morrison had a good week in the US, even though he did have the ‘hostage on happy pills’ look during his meeting with Trump in the White House earlier this week. Michelle Grattan, writing for The Conversation, argues that pursuing a ‘Trump-first’ policy could come at the expense of Canberra’s relationship with Beijing. While that may or may not be true, the trick for Morrison, as Graeme Dobell notes on The Strategist, ‘is to embrace Trump but not the Trump worldview’.

Climate change has been in the spotlight this week following a global climate strike and teenage activist Greta Thunberg’s powerful address to the UN. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report focusing on the impact climate change is having on the world’s oceans. Foreign Affairs brings to light the effects of climate change on human health, from exacerbating contagious diseases and water shortages to injecting unsafe, and often deadly, amounts of toxic pollutants into the air. Time has a great piece on how politics is getting in the way of real climate action.

A meeting of the Quad foreign ministers took place along the sidelines of the UNGA meeting this week, in what could be an important elevation in strategic ties between the US, Japan, India and Australia. Here’s a slightly old but increasingly relevant War on the Rocks piece by Tanvi Madan to give you some Quad context.

Over to Yemen, where the America’s supplying of ammunition to the Saudi-led coalition has once again come under scrutiny. Amnesty International reports on the US-made bomb used in an airstrike that killed six civilians on 28 June and the broader impacts American weapons are having in the conflict. The UN has now claimed that if the war in Yemen continues until 2022, the country will become the poorest on earth. UNICEF reports that an estimated two million children are not attending school, and see DW for a great article on how to empower Yemeni women.

We’ve also been keeping tabs on developments in Kashmir since the revocation of its autonomous status in early August. Rahul Pandita argues in Foreign Policy that by failing to ease the communications lockdown there, the Indian government is exacerbating differences between Hindus and Muslims. See Al Jazeera for pictures depicting some of the treatment Kashmiris have received lately.

Tech geek

US troops may soon trial new night-vision technology. Popular Mechanics reports researchers in the US and China have developed injectable night-vision technology in an effort to replace night-vision goggles. The new technology works by injecting nanoparticles that convert infrared light into visible light into a subject’s eyes. It’s unclear, however, if soldiers will volunteer to take part in trials, which so far have only been conducted on mice.

In the wake of the strikes on Saudi Arabia’s oil processing facilities, the US Air Force has said it will deploy a prototype of Raytheon’s ‘Phaser high-power microwave counter-drone system’. The Phaser is one of several counter-drone technologies currently being tested by the USAF. To learn more about high-powered microwave emissions, see here.

For a primer on Iran’s cruise missiles, Shahryar Pasandideh has an interesting War on the Rocks piece exploring the development of the country’s increasingly sophisticated capabilities.

In a busy week for the prime minister in the US, he announced that the Australian government will invest $150 million in NASA’s moon and Mars projects. But Australian astronaut Andy Thomas has warned that plans to return people to the moon by 2024 may be too ambitious. Most notably, NASA is planning to test new spacesuits in 2023, and the suit has only recently passed its preliminary design review.

This week in history

Iraq invaded Iran on 22 September 1980, beginning the longest conventional war of the 20th century. The conflict lasted eight years and led to an estimated 500,000 deaths but achieved little for either side.

Multimedia

See Al Jazeera for interactive graphs showing how certain countries have voted throughout the UN’s history. How does your country sit?

As Russian and Syrian airstrikes continue to pound Idlib, a local movement titled Kesh Malek (checkmate) is building awareness through graffiti and advocacy campaigns. See Atlantic Council for some of their artworks.

Podcasts

This week on Trade Talks, hosts discuss all aspects of the US–China trade war, including how companies are miscommunicating with both the US and Chinese governments. [22:16]

And well worth a listen is this episode of Smart Women Smart Power, which looks into gender equality within developing nations and the challenges faced by women living in them. [42:03]

Events

Melbourne, 1 October, 6–7 pm, University of Melbourne: ‘Artificial intelligence—the implications for the legal profession, the rule of law and the adversarial process’. Register here.

Canberra, 1 October, 6–7.30 pm, Australian National University: ‘IPCC special report: climate change, the ocean and ice & snow-covered regions’. Register here.