ARGUMENT: Face-mask effect Landmark Danish Study Shows Face Masks Have No Significant Effect Published 21 November 2020 Do face masks work? Carl Heneghan and Tom Jefferson write that a just-published study reports the results of a trial in Denmark – a study which hopes to answer that very question. “In the end, there was no

TerrorismMore than 100 “High-Risk” Islamists at Large in Germany: Security Service Published 21 November 2020 More than 120 Islamists in Germany pose a “high risk,” according to Germany’s federal police, with 115 more posing a potentially high risk. There is a growing debate in Germany about monitoring extremists, and about streamlining deportation policies for extremists

Nuclear securityStudents of Nuclear Security Have a Problem. Here’s How to Help Them. Published 21 November 2020 Radioactive materials are attractive targets to thieves and other bad actors. These are rare finds, valuable on the black market and relatively easy to weaponize. New security professionals rarely learn practical skills for protecting these targets until they

EpidemicU.S. COVID-19 Crisis Deepens as Deaths Top 250,000 By Lisa Schnirring Published 19 November 2020 As COVID-19 deaths topped 250,000 yesterday, the White House coronavirus task force signaled that the nation’s pandemic situation is worsening, with more overrun hospitals and deaths potentially approaching 2,000 a day in the lead-up to Christmas—unless strong mitigation measures are

ExtremismNew Research Projects to Shed New Light on the Intentions of Violent Extremists Published 19 November 2020 New research project aims to shed new light on the intentions of violent extremists. The “Disguised Compliance in Terrorist Offending” project will provide frontline staff across U.K. security agencies with the best tools and approaches to assess the

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