Domestic terrorismU.S. Militias Want to “Blow Up” Capitol: Police Chief Published 26 February 2021 The acting chief of the US Capitol police urged for security measures to remain in place amid ongoing threats by extremists. “Members of militia groups that were present on January 6 have stated their desires that they want to blow up

IranU.S. Strikes Iran-Backed Militias Blamed for Rocket Attacks in Iraq Published 26 February 2021 The United States launched air strikes in eastern Syria targeting facilities used by Iran-backed militias. The Pentagon said the strikes, the first military action undertaken by President Joe Biden’s administration since he was sworn into office last month, hit “multiple facilities”

SolarWindsSolarWinds Hack Bigger, More Dangerous than Previously Thought, Tech Execs Warn By Jeff Seldin Published 26 February 2021 Executives with technology companies impacted by the massive cybersecurity breach known as the SolarWinds hack are giving U.S. lawmakers more reason to worry, warning the intrusion is both bigger and more dangerous than first realized. Executives with technology

Cyber workforceCyber Workforce Protecting U.S. National Security By David Vergun Published 25 February 2021 The Defense Department’s cyber workforce is tasked with defending virtually every system that the department relies on to protect national security. The Defense Department’s cyber workforce is tasked with defending virtually every system that the department relies on to protect national security,

Supply chainsBiden Orders Review to Bolster Supply Chain Resiliency By Patsy Widakuswara Published 24 February 2021 President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Wednesday to formally order a 100-day government review of global supply chains and potential U.S. vulnerabilities in key industries including computer chips, electric vehicle batteries, pharmaceuticals and critical minerals used in

PolarizationHow Shared Partisanship Leads to Social Media Connections By Peter Dizikes Published 24 February 2021 It is no secret that U.S. politics is polarized. An experiment conducted by MIT researchers now shows just how deeply political partisanship directly influences people’s behavior within online social networks. The Twitter experiment shows clear self-selection into social media “echo

Technology regulationHow Much Regulation of the Tech Industry Is Too Much? Published 24 February 2021 As prominent figures, including former President Donald Trump, are banned from social media platforms for posting disinformation or inflammatory remarks, technology regulation has become a hot topic of debate. “We are living in times where technology has fundamentally changed almost

ARGUMENT: Reframing the China InitiativeThe Biden Administration Should Review and Rebuild the Trump Administration’s China Initiative from the Ground Up Published 24 February 2021 In mid-January an MIT engineering professor Gang Chen was arrested as part of the Trump administration’s China Initiative, which was launched in November 2018 as a prosecutorial response to China’s persistent,

Water securityA Looming Crisis for Local U.S. Water Systems? By Sara Frueh Published 24 February 2021 Water bills in the U.S. are eating up a growing share of household budgets — and becoming increasingly unaffordable for low-income families. In many cities, shrinking populations and aging infrastructure mean increasingly unaffordable water. Water bills in the U.S. are

Texas power outagesWhat Went Wrong with Texas’ Power Grid? Published 24 February 2021 On 13 February, a severe winter storm swept across Texas and nearby southern states, bringing sub-zero temperatures and snowfall as far south as the border with Mexico. The polar air that descended on Texas lasted many days, leading to a statewide crisis