Global defense news, analysis and opinion

Dozens of casualties in suicide attack on Afghan protesters in Nangarhar

At least five people were killed in a suicide bomb attack among protesters in Nangarhar hours after a double bombing at a girls' school in Jalalabad killed a boy

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Boeing awarded $14 million contract for Small Diameter Bomb glide bombs

Boeing has been awarded a $14 million contract for GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb glide bombs by the US Air Force, a US Department of Defense release said

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Iraq executes 7 men convicted of terrorism

Iraq executed by hanging seven of its citizens convicted of "terrorism," the head of the health ministry in the southern province of Dhi Qar said

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Taliban attacks in northern Afghanistan kill dozens of security personnel

Taliban fighters killed nearly 60 members of Afghanistan's beleaguered security forces in a spate of attacks across the country's north

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Syria: SDF launches assault on ISIS remnants in Hajin

The SDF launched a fierce assault against a dwindling pocket of territory held by Islamic State around Hajin in Deir Ezzor province

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Libya national oil firm headquarters comes under attack

Armed men stormed the headquarters of Libya's National Oil Company, according to witnesses, who said a blast and gunfire were heard from the site

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ELN rebels say Colombia government peace talk conditions ‘unacceptable’

Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN) said President Ivan Duque's conditions to restart talks aimed at ending their insurgency are 'unacceptable'

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Syria: 18 dead in Qamishli as Asayish clash with regime forces

Clashes between Kurdish forces and regime fighters in the divided northeastern city of Qamishli killed 18 combatants, the Kurdish forces said

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2+2 = Closer ties between US and India but Iranian oil looms

India and the US committed to strengthen defense ties during a historic “2+2” dialogue despite outstanding issues such as Iran

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US military invests $2 billion in ‘next generation’ artificial intelligence

The U.S. military is investing  $2 billion to develop a new generation of artificial intelligence with “human-like” communication skills, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Pentagon’s research wing, announced in a release on Friday, September 7. DARPA will use the money to fund around 20 existing and new projects that will push for a new level of machine learning.  Director Steven Walker said the agency was making multiple research investments “aimed at transforming computers from specialized tools to partners in problem-solving.” “Today, machines lack contextual reasoning capabilities, and their training must cover every eventuality, which is not only costly, but ultimately impossible,” he explained. “We want to explore how machines can acquire human-like communication and reasoning capabilities, with the ability to recognize new situations and environments and adapt to them.” Today at D60, Dr. Steve Walker announced a $2B campaign to develop the third wave of #AI technologies. The "AI Next" initiative will focus on contextual reasoning to create more trusting, collaborative partnerships between humans & machines. https://t.co/JJzCJQnxhv #DARPA60 pic.twitter.com/CSJd1Q25Zt — DARPA (@DARPA) September 7, 2018 The current generation of smart machines and robots cannot be easily updated when a new technology appears, and researchers want them to learn to update themselves, …

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