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As Competition with China Heats Up, Japan Turns to Africa for Critical Minerals
Demand for such minerals is expected to grow sharply in the coming years. There are, however, supply constraints, as only a limited number of countries produce them. Tokyo has signed agreements with a number of African countries as competition with China for key raw materials and minerals heats up.
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Refinery in Central Tennessee Could Break Chinese Chokehold on Two Critical Minerals
A solution to potential shortages of two critical minerals used in making semiconductors and advanced military equipment — exports of which were restricted by China this month — may be lying in some waste storage ponds in central Tennessee.
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Virtual City Prepares Students for Future of Cybersecurity
CyberApolis is a virtual city used to train the next generation of cyber professionals to address national security concerns. The “city” includes a bank, hospital, large retailer, water company, power companies, an underground hacker community, an organized crime family and a growing number of smaller retailers.
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Tech Breakthrough Could Increase States’ Use of Geothermal Power
Lawmakers in some states have been laying the groundwork to add geothermal power to the electrical grid and pump underground heat into buildings. Now, a technological breakthrough could dramatically expand those ambitions — and perhaps unleash a new wave of policies to tap into geothermal sources. If the technology’s promise is fulfilled, geothermal could power as much as 20% of the U.S. grid.
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Multi-Billion-Dollar Risk to Economic Activity from Climate Extremes Affecting Ports
More than $122 billion of economic activity - $81 billion in international trade - is at risk from the impact of extreme climate events, according to new research. Systemic impacts – those risks faced due to knock-on effects within global shipping, trade and supply chains network - will hit ports and economies around the world, even if the local ports are not directly affected by extreme events.
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The Impending Privacy Threat of Self-Driving Cars
With innovations often come unintended consequences—one of which is the massive collection of data required for an autonomous vehicle to function. The sheer amount of visual and other information collected by a fleet of cars traveling down public streets conjures the threat of the possibility for peoples’ movements to be tracked, aggregated, and retained by companies, law enforcement, or bad actors—including vendor employees.
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Bipartisan Texan Push in Congress to Boost Semiconductors, a Crucial Industry in the State
Republicans like Sen. Ted Cruz and Democrats like Rep. Colin Allred — opponents in the 2024 election — propose streamlining environmental reviews to promote investment and expansion by chipmakers.
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“Hacking” People, Not Systems: False Claims Attacks on Infrastructure
False claims and disinformation, especially in a social media-driven society, have become major problems with potentially severe consequences. Disinformation can be weaponized to disrupt underlying cyber-physical systems, human lives and economic productivity. Recent examples include tweets that trigger spikes in gasoline prices and false social media posts reporting impending water pumping station shutdowns. In these scenarios, chaos is caused because people, not systems or devices, are “hacked.”
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Cyber Insurance Not Fueling the Ransomware Epidemic
Contrary to perceived wisdom, there is no compelling evidence that victims of ransomware with cyber insurance are much more likely to pay ransoms than those without.
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New National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy
Hundreds of thousands of cyber jobs in government and the private sector are vacant, and the administration says that filling them is a national security imperative. Today, the administration unveiled its ambitious National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy (NCWES) which aims at addressing both short-term needs and long-terms requirements.
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If Cyber Is Uninsurable, the United States Has a Major Strategy Problem
The opinions of leaders in the insurance industry are opinions not to be taken lightly, as experienced leaders and among the most respected minds in the global market. And they’re concerned. Or downright terrified. The debate within the insurance industry over cyber risks reveals an important potential weakness, but the reality is far more nuanced.
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Experts: Vietnam May Benefit as US Companies De-risk Supply Chains Now in China
Vietnam is well-positioned to draw U.S. investors seeking to de-risk supply chains now in China, but closer economic integration between Hanoi and Washington appears unlikely to lead to political realignment, according to experts.
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Hateful Usernames in Online Multiplayer Games
The online games industry continues to fall short in protecting players from hate and extremist content in games. Usernames are a basic part of any online experience. A new report focuses on hateful usernames, which should be the easiest content for companies to moderate.
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China’s Cyber Interference and Transnational Crime Groups in Southeast Asia
The Chinese Communist Party has a long history of engagement with criminal organizations and proxies to achieve its strategic objectives. This activity involves the Chinese government’s spreading of influence and disinformation campaigns using fake personas and inauthentic accounts on social media that are linked to transnational criminal organizations.
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Germany Will Rely on Imports for Its Growing Hydrogen Needs
Revisiting its national hydrogen strategy (NHS), the German government foresees a huge need for hydrogen. By 2030, hydrogen consumption may hit 130 terawatt hours — that is more than one-fifth of all current electricity consumption in Germany. But Germany will need to import as much as 70% of it.
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More headlines
The long view
Revising the Cost of Climate Change
Climate scientists have warned of calamitous consequences if global temperatures continue their rise. But macroeconomists have largely told a less alarming story, predicting modest reductions in productivity and spending as the world warms. Until now. New study of economic toll yields projections ‘six times larger than previous estimates’.
To Get Off Fossil fuels, America Is Going to Need a Lot More Electricians
To cut greenhouse gas emissions on pace with the best available science, the United States must prepare for a monumental increase in electricity use. Burning fossil fuels to heat homes and get around isn’t compatible with keeping the planet at a livable temperature. Appliances that can be powered by clean electricity already exist to meet all of these needs. The problem is, most houses aren’t wired to handle the load from electric heating, cooking, and clothes dryers, along with solar panels and vehicle chargers. And a shortage of skilled labor could derail efforts to “electrify everything.”