Domestic terrorismFBI Issues Alert about Extremists’ Plan to Disrupt Biden’s Inauguration Published 12 January 2021 The FBI is warning state and local and law enforcement around the country of plans for violent action by right-wing extremists in the day leading up to the inauguration of Joe Biden on 20 January. According to the FBI, various

Climate challenges2020 Was on Par with Warmest Year Ever Recorded, Ends Warmest Decade on Record Published 12 January 2021 Globally, 2020 was tied with the previous warmest year 2016, making it the sixth in a series of exceptionally warm years starting in 2015, and 2011-2020 the warmest decade recorded. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said that, globally,

Nuclear powerWant Cheaper Nuclear Energy? Turn the Design Process into a Game By Kim Martineau Published 12 January 2021 Nuclear energy provides more carbon-free electricity in the United States than solar and wind combined, making it a key player in the fight against climate change. But the U.S. nuclear fleet is aging, and operators are

Democracy watchU.S. Capitol Police Overrun by Mob After Declining Help By Jeff Seldin Published 8 January 2021 Law enforcement officials in charge of protecting the U.S. Capitol repeatedly declined offers of additional assistance ahead of Wednesday’s protest-turned-riot that forced lawmakers to take shelter, delaying certification of the results of the country’s presidential election. The allegations,

Democracy watchThe Uncomfortable Questions Facing Capitol Police over the Security Breach by MAGA Mob By Tom Nolan Published 8 January 2021 When die-hard Trump supporters are able to storm the U.S. Capitol and forcefully occupy offices in the House and the Senate, questions over security are going to be asked. Something clearly didn’t go to

ExtremismExtremists React to Pro-Trump Siege on Capitol Published 8 January 2021 On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, pro-Trump extremists, including some identified right-wing extremists, stormed the U.S. Capitol building, interrupting the Congressional session affirming the election results and forcing a partial evacuation. In chatrooms and other extremist forums, many people cheered the actions of those at

ExtremismCapitol Hill Riots Prompt Germany to Revisit Online Hate Speech Law Published 8 January 2021 Numerous social networks were quick to impose bans President Donald Trump, preventing him from continuing to disseminate lies on their platforms, and, more importantly, blocking him from using his social media accounts to incite violence. For many critics, these restrictions

DisastersLeaning into Uncertainty: A Life of Anticipating the Worst-Case Scenario By Debra Winter Published 8 January 2021 One of the most difficult things about the COVID era is not knowing anything for certain. At first, no one knew the great reach of the virus, how exactly it spread, or how many would die. Twelve months

Assaulting U.S. democracyOfficials Seek Answers to Why Security Failed at U.S. Capitol Wednesday Published 7 January 2021 Washington, D.C., officials have joined U.S. lawmakers in calling for an investigation of the police force that protects the Capitol, while offering praise for their actions, after Wednesday’s storming of the seat of the country’s legislative branch by

Assaulting U.S. democracyQAnon and the Storming of the U.S. Capitol: The Offline Effect of Online Conspiracy Theories By Marc-André Argentino Published 7 January 2021 What is the cost of propaganda, misinformation and conspiracy theories? Democracy and public safety, to name just two things. The United States has received a stark lesson on how online propaganda