The U.S. and Global Security Review - Blog by Michael Novakhov

3 February 2013 Last updated at 12:19 ET Taser gun used on man with knives outside Buckingham Palace Mobile footage, courtesy of Josh Greenberg and Grant Shepherd shows the man being Tasered before police disarm him Police have used a Taser stun gun on a man who was brandishing two knives outside Buckingham Palace in London. An officer discharged the weapon when the man, thought to be in his 50s, acted aggressively when challenged outside the centre gates at 11:50 GMT. The Metropolitan Police said he had been arrested on suspicion of affray. Two knives and a pair of trainers were left inside a police cordon set up around the area. The Queen and Prince Philip were at Sandringham at the time. Advertisement Eyewitness Kevin Burrows tells the BBC police acted "very quickly" Changing the Guard A spokesman for the Met said: "A man was seen outside the centre gate in possession of two knives. "He was not making th...

NYT Review: 2.6.13  Mike Nova's starred items Boy Scouts Postpone Decision on Gays via NYT > U.S. by By LAUREN D’AVOLIO and KIRK JOHNSON on 2/6/13 Boy Scouts of America, which earlier said it was reconsidering a ban on participation by gays, said on Wednesday it was delaying its decision on the matter until May.   Public Scrutiny of a Clandestine War: John O. Brennan’s role overseeing drone strikes will be highlighted at his C.I.A. confirmation hearing via NEWS by Mike Nova on 2/6/13 TimesCast » Presented by Play video Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times Public Scrutiny of a Clandestine War John O. Brennan’s role overseeing drone strikes will be highlighted at his C.I.A. confirmation hearing. Drone Strikes to Get Rare Moment in Public Eye By ROBERT F. WORTH, MARK MAZZETTI and SCOTT SHANE 9:38 AM ET SANA, Yemen — John O. Brennan will face a Senate hearing Thursday as the nominee for C.I.A....

TimesCast » Presented by Play video Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times Public Scrutiny of a Clandestine War John O. Brennan’s role overseeing drone strikes will be highlighted at his C.I.A. confirmation hearing. Drone Strikes to Get Rare Moment in Public Eye By ROBERT F. WORTH, MARK MAZZETTI and SCOTT SHANE 9:38 AM ET SANA, Yemen — John O. Brennan will face a Senate hearing Thursday as the nominee for C.I.A. director. News Analysis: Report Whets Appetite for Less Secrecy Post a Comment | Read (108)

December 9, 2012 Same-Sex Issue Pushes Justices Into Overdrive   By ADAM LIPTAK WASHINGTON — Life moves fast these days, and so does the law. In the civil rights era, the Supreme Court waited decades to weigh in on interracial marriage. On Friday, by contrast, the court did not hesitate to jump into the middle of one of the most important social controversies of the day, agreeing to hear two cases on same-sex marriage . By taking both, the court gave itself the chance to issue a sweeping ruling that would cast aside bans on same-sex marriage nationwide. But the speed with which the court moved also raised the possibility of a split decision, one that would provide federal benefits to same-sex couples married in states that allow such unions but would permit other states to forbid gay and lesbian couples from marrying. Gay rights advocates said they were optimistic that the time had come for marriage equality across the nation. “...

Mike Nova's starred items   Smokers Celebrate Washington Pot Law via WSJ.com: Health on 12/6/12 Pot smokers lit up in Washington state, when it became the first U.S. state to legalize possession of marijuana without a doctor's prescription. Michael Oren: The Iron Dome Military Revolution via WSJ.com: Opinion on 12/6/12 Historically, defensive measures lag behind offensive capabilities. Not so with Israel's new antimissile system. Congress Repeals Russian Trade Curbs via WSJ.com: What's News Asia on 12/6/12 Congress overturned long-standing trade restrictions with Russia, overcoming concerns about the nation's human-rights record to achieve a top trade priority for U.S. businesses. Disordered Liberty via WSJ.com: Today's Most Popular on 12/4/12 No one likes doing homework, but the non-compulsory alternatives are autonomous, non-alienated illiterates. Michael Weiss reviews James C. Scott...

US economy adds 146K jobs, rate falls to 7.7 pct. via Yahoo! News - Top Stories on 12/7/12 The U.S. economy added a solid 146,000 jobs in November and the unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent, the lowest since December 2008. The government said Superstorm Sandy had only a minimal effect on the figures.

11:36 AM 12/5/2012     Mike Nova's starred items   James Bond makes an explosive return in his finest film to date - Mirror.co.uk via Entertainment - Google News on 12/3/12 Mirror.co.uk James Bond makes an explosive return in his finest film to date Mirror.co.uk From the opening pre-title sequence on board a runaway train to the Adele soundtrack to the explosive and thrilling finale, director Sam Mendes has created a movie that is anchored in the real world and is true to the spirit of Bond. When an operation goes ... and more » Би-би-си: Путин страдает от сильных болей в спине - BFM.Ru via В мире – Новости Google on 12/3/12 BFM.Ru Би-би-си: Путин страдает от сильных болей в спине BFM.Ru Российский президент Владимир Путин страдает от сильных болей в спине, делает вывод Русская служба Би-би-си на основе многочисленных фотографий его визита в Турцию. Би-би-си отмечает, что, судя по фотографиям, турецкому ...