DeepfakesSpotting Deepfakes by Looking at Light Reflection in the Eyes Published 15 March 2021 Computer scientists have developed a tool that automatically identifies deepfake photos by analyzing light reflections in the eyes. The tool proved 94 percent effective with portrait-like photos in experiments. University at Buffalo computer scientists have developed a tool that automatically identifies deepfake photos

China watchChina Prepares New Era of ‘Belt and Road’ amid Pandemic Pressures By Reid Standish Published 15 March 2021 After declaring victories over extreme poverty and the coronavirus, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, in a meeting of the National People’s Congress, has laid out a new path for China’s economic rise at home and abroad that

The extremist mindPsychological “Signature” for the Extremist Mind Uncovered Published 15 March 2021 Researchers have mapped an underlying “psychological signature” for people who are predisposed to holding extreme social, political, and religious attitudes and supporting violence in the name of ideology.A new study suggests that a particular mix of personality traits and types of unconscious

CybersecurityU.S. Set to Retaliate against Russia, China for Massive Cyber Attacks Published 12 March 2021 Senior officials in the Biden administration on Friday said that the administration is finalizing its decision on how to retaliate forcefully for state-sponsored hacking, as fears in the United States and Western Europe are growing over the consequences of two

3/12/21 Cybersecurity Enable IntenseDebate Comments:  Enable IntenseDebate Comments In cyber policy, the SolarWinds and Microsoft hacks have dominated the first weeks of President Joseph Biden’s administration. read more Hits: 0

Middle EastReimagining U.S. Strategy in the Middle East Published 12 March 2021 U.S. policy toward the Middle East has relied heavily on military instruments of power and has focused on regional threats—particularly the Iranian threat—with the goal of keeping partners on “our side.” These long-standing policies have largely fallen short of meeting core U.S. interests,

3/12/21 Middle East Enable IntenseDebate Comments:  Enable IntenseDebate Comments Over the past decade, hospitals across Syria have been attacked more than 400 times. Data obtained by DW suggests the attacks formed part of a larger strategy to cripple access to medical facilities in rebel-held areas. The Kafr Zita Cave Hospital was built nearly 20 meters (65

Science of securityEmploying Science to Secure the Homeland Published 12 March 2021 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently outlined the various scientific initiatives and project it has been engaged in to improve homeland security and bolster national security. The brief makes for an interesting reading. The Department of Homeland Security

3/12/21 Public health Enable IntenseDebate Comments:  Enable IntenseDebate Comments More than a half-million Americans are exposed to oil and gas “flaring” events — the burning off of excess natural gas at production sites — resulting in potentially serious health risks, according to new research from USC and UCLA. “Our findings show that flaring is an environmental

Water securitySustainable Water Management Key to Scaling Up Bioenergy Production Published 12 March 2021 To avoid a substantial increase in water scarcity, biomass plantations for energy production need sustainable water management, a new study shows. Bioenergy is frequently considered one of the options to reduce greenhouse gases for achieving the Paris climate goals, especially if combined