FAS Roundup – December 10, 2018

FAS researchers selected as Nuclear Scholars

FAS’ own Matt Korda (Nuclear Information Project, left) and Abigail Stowe-Thurston (Defense Posture Project, right) were selected as 2019 Nuclear Scholars for the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Project on Nuclear Issues (CSIS PONI). →

Trump moving ahead with second Kim summit despite frustrations

Adam Mount told ABC: “The North Koreans calculated that they can come up with better deal from talking to the president directly.” →

(Opinion) Synthetic biology: A call for a new culture of responsibility

FAS President Ali Nouri co-writes for The Bulletin: Scientists and engineers are the ones equipped to develop effective safeguards against misuse. →

Widespread Satellite Blurring of Satellite Images Reveals Secret Facilities

Matt Korda writes for FAS Strategic Security: “Yandex Maps—Russia’s foremost mapping service—has agreed to selectively blur out specific [military] sites beyond recognition; however, it has done so for just two countries: Israel and Turkey.” →

? Read further coverage in Quartz and Popular Mechanics.

As One Arms Treaty Falls Apart, Others Look Shakier

The Wall Street Journal used global nuclear arsenal data from the Nuclear Information Project’s Hans Kristensen in their interactive graph. →

Forbes illustrated the world’s nuclear arsenals — annotated with key historical moments and treaty introductions — using data from the Nuclear Information Project’s Hans Kristensen. →

New Pre-Publication Review Policy is Coming

Two years ago, the House Intelligence Committee asked the Director of National Intelligence to improve the government’s controversial policy on reviewing books, etc., by current and former intelligence employees. →

DNI Orders Security Clearance “Reciprocity”

One of the most vexatious aspects of the system of granting security clearances for access to classified info has been the reluctance of some govt. agencies to recognize the validity of clearances approved by other agencies. →

Congressional Oversight of Intelligence, and More

Noteworthy new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following and more:

• • Congressional Oversight of Intelligence: Background and Selected Options for Further Reform

• • U.S.-Mexico Economic Relations: Trends, Issues, and Implications

• Russian Compliance with the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty: Background and Issues for Congress

Steven Aftergood publishes analysis and new/updated Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports in the FAS Secrecy News blog. To subscribe to the FAS Secrecy News mailing list, click here.