Taliban forces in Afghanistan have summarily executed or forcibly disappeared more than 100 former police and intelligence officers in just four provinces since taking over the country on 15 August 2021, despite a proclaimed amnesty, Human Rights Watch said in a report released Tuesday, 30 November 2021.  The 25-page report, “‘No Forgiveness for People Like You,’ Executions and

EncryptionSimple and Efficient Method of Quantum Encryption Published 30 November 2021 Quantum computers will revolutionize our computing lives. But these computers will be able to crack most of the encryption codes currently used to protect our data, leaving our bank and security information vulnerable to attacks Quantum computers will revolutionize our computing lives. For some critical

TerrorismFormer Islamic State Member Found Guilty of Genocide in German Court Published 30 November 2021 A German court has found a former Islamic State member guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity for the 2015 killing of a 5-year-old girl, sentencing him to life in prison. The Frankfurt case is the first in the world

Grid Resilience “People Should Probably Be Worried”: Texas Hasn’t Done Enough to Prevent Another Winter Blackout, Experts Say By Mitchell Ferman and Jon Schuppe Published 30 November 2021 Natural gas powers the majority of electricity in Texas, especially during winter. Some power companies say the state’s gas system is not ready for another deep freeze. After

Hypersonic WeaponsHypersonic Missiles Are Fueling Fears of a New Superpower Arms Race By Christoph Bluth Published 28 November 2021 Hypersonic missiles are often defined as missiles launched by a rocket into Earth’s upper atmosphere at speeds of Mach 5 and above (five times the speed of sound or 6,174 kilometers (3,836 miles) per hour), before

PandemicsTwo-meter COVID-19 Rule Is “Arbitrary Measurement” of Safety Published 28 November 2021 A new study has shown that the airborne transmission of COVID-19 is highly random and suggests that the two-meter rule was a number chosen from a risk ‘continuum’, rather than any concrete measurement of safety. A team of engineers from the University of Cambridgeused

Climate & National SecurityNational Security Consequences of Climate Change Published 28 November 2021 The consequences of climate change for national security and international stability are numerus and serious. Rising temperatures which reduce agricultural opportunities can lead to mass migrations away from struggling communities. Violent hurricanes and winter storms can disrupt electric grid operations, interrupting access

CybersecurityStacked Deep Learning: Deeper Defense against Cyberattacks Published 28 November 2021 Internet-based industrial control systems are widely used to monitor and operate factories and critical infrastructure. Moving these systems online has made them cheaper and easier to access, but it has also made them more vulnerable to attack. Stacked deep learning offers a better way

Energy SecurityBig Batteries on Wheels: Zero-Emissions Rail While Securing the Grid Published 28 November 2021 Trains have been on the sidelines of electrification efforts for a long time in the U.S. because they account for only 2 percent of transportation sector emissions, but diesel freight trains emit 35 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually

EarthquakesMachine Learning Helps Measure Building Earthquake Damage Published 28 November 2021 One obstacle which often prevent an effective response to earthquakes is that the buildings from which such a response is managed and response equipment stored, are themselves damaged. Researchers have developed a method to quickly assess damage to such buildings immediately after an earthquake