Defeating tomorrow’s terrorists; electronics-zapping weapons; flat-earthers, British style, and more
Shhh—no need to fear Russia, says Russiophobia report paid for by Russia (Brian Whitmore, Newsweek)
Americans are suffering from a chronic disease. It’s called Russophobia.
Ever wonder what’s behind those documented reports about Russian trolls and bots sowing discord, spreading disinformation, and promoting fake news on social media? It’s Russophobia, of course. How about those indictments of 12 Russian military intelligence officers for their role in the hacking of the Democratic National Committee’s servers? More Russophobia! And Maria Butina’s arrest and conviction for working as an unregistered agent for the Russian government? Still more Russophobia.
At least, that is, according to the Kremlin.
An Iranian disinformation operation impersonated dozens of media outlets to spread fake articles (Craig Silverman, BuzzFeed News)
A case study in how “social media is being treated as a disinformation laboratory.”
China eyes earthquake warning and prediction technology (Chen Xi, Global Times)
China’s earthquake early warning system is the “fastest in the world,” Chinese seismologists asserted on Sunday, crediting high-technology and artificial intelligence to a delay of 6.2 seconds.
“The average response time of the earthquake early warning system in China is 6.2 seconds now, 30 percent quicker than Japan, which is nine seconds,” Wang Tun, head of the Chengdu-based Institute of Care-life, which specializes in earthquake early warnings, told the Global Times on Sunday.
Polarizing propaganda by the state: A multitude of lies and absurd news (DW)
Kremlin media polarize and undermine democratic processes in Europe. A new form of expansive digital authoritarianism threatens the achievements of liberal democracies.
UK-taught developer “devised software Russia used to try to sway Brexit vote” (Telegraph)
Russia’s online “troll factory” may have used software devised by a UK-taught developer in order to sway the Brexit referendum, it can be revealed.
How Venezuela’s vice grip on the internet leaves citizens in the dark during crises (Isayen Herrera, NBC News)
Venezuelans still in the country are dealing with the government’s efforts to remain in power and quell uprisings that threaten to remove President Nicolás Maduro.
U.S. Air Force has deployed 20 missiles that could zap the military electronics of North Korea or Iran with super powerful microwaves, rendering their military capabilities virtually useless with no collateral damage (Ronald Kessler, Daily Mail)
Known as the Counter-Electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP), the missiles were built by Boeing’s Phantom Works for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. The microwave weapons can be launched into enemy airspace at low altitude and emit sharp pulses of high power microwave energy that disable any electronic devices targeted. While North Korea or Iran may attempt to shield their equipment, U.S. officials doubt that would be effective against CHAMP. The project has been advancing secretly ever since the Air Force successfully tested a missile equipped with high-powered microwave energy in 2012.
Flat-Earthery, British style (Glenn Branch, Scientific American)
A new poll estimates flat-Earth belief in the U.K. at 1 percent
