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Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel: Congressional Action Needed to Break Impasse and Develop a Permanent Disposal Solution (GAO)
There are about 86,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel from commercial reactors stored at 75 U.S. sites. This amount continues to grow. Policymakers have been at an impasse over what to do with the spent fuel since the licensing of the Yucca Mountain repository stopped in 2010. Unable to meet its disposal commitment, the U.S. government has paid reactor owners about $9 billion for storage.
Experts say that a variety of actions are needed to move ahead, including authorization of a new effort to determine where a disposal facility should be located and the development of a management strategy.

The Next Decade Could Be Even Worse  (Graeme Woods, The Atlantic)

A historian believes he has discovered iron laws that predict the rise and fall of societies. He has bad news. (From 2020.)

Federal Trial Begins for Ex-DePaul Student Accused of Writing Computer Code to Help Spread ISIS Propaganda  (Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune)
Thomas Osadzinski was a DePaul University computer science student in June 2018 when he allegedly sent out a message in an online chat room seeking the recipe for a powerful explosive favored by terrorists and suicide bombers, according to federal prosecutors. When someone in the chat room responded that he should be very careful, Osadzinski allegedly responded he “will be doing some studying.” “You mean studying for school?” asked the person in the chat room, who unbeknownst to Osadzinski was a covert FBI agent. Osadzinski allegedly replied, “For jihad,” followed by a heart emoji and a symbol associated with the Islamic State terrorist group. That conversation three years ago will be a focal point for prosecutors as Osadzinski’s trial gets underway at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, where he faces charges of using the computer skills he was learning at DePaul to craft a first-of-its-kind code designed to spread violent terrorist propaganda online. Osadzinski, 22, who is originally from Park Ridge and lived in an apartment in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood at the time of his arrest, was charged with attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization, which carries up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Homeland Security Gathered Intelligence on Portland Protesters Without Legal Justification, Report Finds  (John Bowden, Independent)
Oregon senator says report shows Trump administration sought to ‘inflame conflict’

Why is the Biden Administration Purchasing Surveillance Drones from China?  (John Mac Ghllion, Newsweek)
A growing number of people believe the U.S. and China are entering a new cold war. If this suspicion is true, then why, one wonders, is the Biden administration buying surveillance equipment from China?

The Largest Autocracy on Earth  (Adrienne LaFrance, The Atlantic)
Facebook is acting like a hostile foreign power; it’s time we treated it that way.

Convinced “Havana Syndrome” Is Real, Biden Team Issues Sharper Guidance for U.S. Personnel  (Michael Wilner, MccClatchy)

Information Warfare Is on the Rise. Why Aren’t More People Taking It Seriously?  (Erica Hellerstein, Coda Story)
Future conflicts could see conventional fighting take a backseat to online propaganda

Fringe Doctors’ Groups Promote Ivermectin for COVID despite a Lack of Evidence  (Christina Szalinski, Scientific American)
The organizations touting unproved protocols for the antiparasitic drug may be harming vaccination efforts

DHS OIG: Evaluation of DHS’ Information Security Program for Fiscal Year 2020  (DHS OIG)
DHS’ information security program earned an overall rating of effective, with a maturity rating of “Managed and Measurable” (Level 4) in three of five functions.