Our picksCoronavirus Catastrophe Began with Data | Folding Civilians into National Defense | Killer Tulips Hiding in Plain Sight, and more

America’s Coronavirus Catastrophe Began with Data  (Robinson Meyer and Alexis C. Madrigal, The Atlantic)
The pivotal failure of the coronavirus crisis has never been addressed.

5 Strategies to Prepare Now for the Next Pandemic  (Tiffany A. Radcliff and Angela Clendenin, The Conversation)
While the world is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, public health and emergency management experts are already preparing for the next one. After all, biologists are certain another dangerous new pathogen will emerge sooner or later.

White House Weighs New Cybersecurity Approach after Failure to Detect Hacks  (David E. Sanger, Julian E. Barnes and Nicole Perlroth, New York Times)
The intelligence agencies missed massive intrusions by Russia and China, forcing the administration and Congress to look for solutions, including closer partnership with private industry.

Police Shrugged Off the Proud Boys, Until They Attacked the Capitol  (David D. Kirkpatrick and Alan Feuer, New York Times)
Two Proud Boys accused of leading a mob to Congress followed a bloody path to get there. Law enforcement did little to stop them.

U.S. Far-Right Extremists Making Millions Via Social Media and Cryptocurrency  (Peter Stones, Guardian)
Experts describe as ‘terrifying’ revelation that extremists, including some involved in Capitol attack, took in $1.5m in past year.

Riot Suspects Bear-Sprayed Capitol Cop Brian Sicknick in the Face Before He Died: Prosecutors  (Pilar Melendez, William Bredderman, and Jose Pagliery. Daily Beast)
Authorities allege Julian Khater and George Tanios are seen in videos discharging a canister of bear spray into the face of Brian Sicknick and two other officers.

A Border Community, ICE at Odds over Release of Detainees with Covid  (Jon Gerberg and Maria Sacchetti, Washington Post)
In a border area that has suffered from ongoing covid-19 outbreaks, advocates for immigrants and ICE are at odds over the agency’s treatment of infected detainees. Advocates and county officials say they had no idea ICE was dropping detainees with covid off at the bus stop, while ICE says it is the agency’s protocol to notify local authorities ahead of time.

Killer Tulips Hiding in Plain Sight  (Maryn McKenna, The Atlantic)
Thanks to the compounds used to protect precious flowers, antifungal resistance is here—and it could be just as dangerous to humans as antibiotic resistance.

How Norway Is Folding Civilians into National Defense  (Elizabeth Braw, Defense One)
Not even the U.S. military can be everywhere, so whole-of-society defense is gaining in importance.

Buffalo Public Schools Cancels Classes after Cyberattack  (Shannon Vavra, Cyberscoop)
DHS has been warning of a heightened ransomware threat against K-12 Schools.