ExtremismBritish Police Arrest Man 46 Years after Birmingham Pub Bombings Published 19 November 2020 U.K. authorities have detained a suspect over a 1974 bombing that killed 21 people and injured 182 in Birmingham. The attack came during violent resistance to British rule in Northern Ireland, and it represents one of the worst terror incidents in

Election securityScientists: No Credible Evidence of Computer Fraud in the 2020 Election Outcome Published 19 November 2020 “Anyone asserting that a U.S. election was ‘rigged’ is making an extraordinary claim, one that must be supported by persuasive and verifiable evidence. Merely citing the existence of technical flaws does not establish that an attack occurred, much

CrimeDemolishing Abandoned Houses Does Not Reduce Nearby Crime Published 19 November 2020 Cities across the country have sought ways to improve neighborhood safety and in recent years have pointed to demolishing abandoned housing as a way to achieve the goal. While millions of dollars have been spent on the efforts, a recent study found a

Nuclear powerStudy Identifies Reasons for Soaring Nuclear Plant Cost Overruns in the U.S. By David L. Chandler Published 19 November 2020 Analysis points to ways engineering strategies could be reimagined to minimize delays and other unanticipated expenses. Many analysts believe nuclear power will play an essential part in reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases, and

China syndromeThe China Initiative: Year-in-Review Published 18 November 2020 On the two-year anniversary of the Department of Justice’s China Initiative, the Department said it continues its focus on the Initiative’s goals, and announced progress during the past year in disrupting and deterring the wide range of national security threats posed by the policies and practices

Election securityTrump Fires Security Chief Who Said 2020 Vote Was “Most Secure” in U.S. History By Jeff Seldin Published 18 November 2020 Barely two weeks after the polls closed in an election he is now projected to lose, President Donald Trump took to Twitter to fire CISA’s director Christopher Krebs, the official responsible for spearheading

Face masksQuestions Persist over Face Mask Efficacy Published 18 November 2020 Face masks have become the ubiquitous symbol of a pandemic that has sickened 35 million people and killed more than 1 million. For the variety of masks in use by the public, the data are messy, disparate, and often hastily assembled. On top of

Conspiracy theoryAn AI Tool Can Distinguish Between a Conspiracy Theory and a True Conspiracy – It Comes Down to How Easily the Story Falls Apart By Timothy R. Tangherlini Published 18 November 2020 Conspiracy theories, which have the potential to cause significant harm, have found a welcome home on social media, where forums free from

PrivacyYour Smart Watch May Be Sharing Your Data Published 18 November 2020 You may not realize it, but your internet-connected household devices such as the Ring doorbell, Peloton exercise bike and Nest thermostat are all exchanging data with other devices and systems over the network. These physical objects, all part of the Internet of Things

Law enforcementBanning Chokeholds Published 18 November 2020 George Floyd’s murder was egregious but not unique. Many police agencies hold the position that they don’t train officers to use chokeholds, but they are continuously used by officers to regain compliance. Abrief just released by the Center for Justice Research (CJR) at Texas Southern University offers comprehensive