According to the Associated Press, new statistics reveal that 80% of the American population lives in a condition of “economic insecurity” which is defined as joblessness, poverty or near-poverty, or reliance on government assistance for at least part of their working lives. The statistics are staggering and reveal the consequences of the process of globalization, technological change, and growing income inequality. The study suggests that this pattern will only worsen in the future in the absence of strong counter-measures. My suspicion is that similar statistics could be found in most countries of the world right now.
Military technology often develops by paying attention to the past. In the specific case of protecting a military target from a missile attack, the US is now marrying drone technology with the old-fashioned blimp. The blimps will patrol vital targets, like Washington, DC, and keep an eye out for incoming missiles. They will also be remotely controlled which allows the blimps to stay afloat for extended periods of time. The last time blimps were actively used in warfare was in World War II.
Iranian President-elect, Hassan Rouhani, has announced that he intends to pick Mohammad Javad Zarif as his foreign minister. If true, the appointment would signal a strong intention to negotiate seriously with the US and the UN Security Council. Zarif received his Ph.D. from the University of Denver and is associated with individuals and groups in Iran that have long favored a more pragmatic approach to the nuclear negotiations. We will see if the US and its allies respond favorably to this subtle overture.
World Politics News 
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