Ideas
Trump’s Unpardonable Admission About His Border Wall
The president wants to spend billions of taxpayer dollars for a project that he acknowledges is largely symbolic—even if it breaks the law.
Science & Tech
DHS is Collecting Biometrics on Thousands of Refugees Who Will Never Enter the US
Most refugees who apply for asylum never set foot in the United States, but a UN agreement allows DHS and its partners to build biometric profiles on them.
Science & Tech
Military Scientists Harness AI To Fight Synthetic Opioids
A DIA group that scans millions of websites is overwhelming law enforcement with solid tips.
Threats
Which US Cities Are Least Prepared for Climate Disaster?
New studies find cities most vulnerable to climate change disasters—heat waves, flooding, rising seas, drought—are the least prepared.
Science & Tech
Face-Recognition Tool Misidentified State Lawmakers as Criminals: ACLU
The group tested Amazon's Rekognition on photos of California's lawmakers. The company says the test wasn't fair.
Science & Tech
Energy Dept. Is Updating Its Cyber Defense Assessment Tool
Created in 2012 to help protect the nation's electrical grid, the tool helps government and industry compare their preparations to established standards.
Business
Energy Dept. Never Blacklists Risky Nuclear-Tech Vendors, GAO Says
The process is too time-consuming and narrow to be effective, reply officials at the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Ideas
Trump's Thin Skin Is Hurting US National Security
The president’s aides are reluctant even to broach the dangers of white racist violence and electoral interference with him.
Science & Tech
US Plans Face Recognition on ‘All Passenger Applications’
Customs and Border Protection is pressing ahead despite a recent backlash to federal law enforcement's use of such technology.
Ideas
Stop the Slaughter of Our Children With These Weapons of War
Assault weapons are designed to kill as many people as possible in the shortest time possible. They are for war; they are not for sport.
Ideas
The Fight Against White Nationalism Is Different
The fight against ISIS offers some lessons—but also a cautionary tale on U.S. failures to combat an ideology.
Ideas
The Strategy of Violent White Supremacy Is Evolving
The failed approach of “leaderless resistance” gets a second chance in the information age.
Ideas
A Reformed White Nationalist Says the Worst Is Yet to Come
Christian Picciolini discusses the mainstreaming of white nationalism, what it takes to de-radicalize far-right extremists, and why the problem is metastasizing.
Ideas
The American Exception
The United States is not the only nation to suffer from white supremacism, but in America, it has proved uniquely deadly.
Threats
How Many Attacks Will It Take Until the White-Supremacist Threat Is Taken Seriously?
FBI Director Christopher Wray said recently that the bureau doesn’t “investigate the ideology, no matter how repugnant. We investigate violence.”
Science & Tech
Military-Style Surveillance Technology Is Being Tested in American Cities
In the eyes of the law, there’s no difference between a smartphone photo taken through an airplane window and one taken by an ultra-powerful camera in a helicopter hovering over your backyard.
Science & Tech
FBI Seeks Tools to Help Track Criminals and Terrorists via Social Media
Proposals from interested vendors are due later this month.
Science & Tech
Facial Recognition Is Hard to Make Useful, Police Find
The Orlando Police Department ended a pilot program, saying they ran out of time and money to make it work.
Threats
Three Ways Cities and States Can Ward Off Ransomware Attacks
A federal cybersecurity agency and state government associations issued guidance for city, county and state governments.
Science & Tech