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Can Germany Wean Itself Off Russian Gas?
Experts are divided on how quickly Germany could cut imports of Russian energy and stop funding President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. How vulnerable would such a move leave Europe’s largest economy?
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The Ukrainian Economy: Where Now for the Future?
An expert has warned that the impact of the war will be disastrous for the Ukrainian economy, regardless of the outcome. “War will always have a catastrophic impact. As you’d expect, production is collapsing, and the economy has given up percentages of GDP growth,” says a Cambridge University professor who is an economic adviser to Ukrainian President Zelensky.
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The War in Ukraine Is Creating a Massive Grain Shortage
Together, Russia and Ukraine account for 30 percent of the world’s exported wheat, and the Agricultural Market Information System—an international group focusing on global food-policy initiatives—estimates that 25 countries source at least half of their supplies from the two countries. Grain exports from the war-torn region have largely stalled, as shipping ports have closed, farmland has been ruined, and farmers have been conscripted into service.
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Green Rare-Earth Recycling Goes Commercial
Rare earths are essential ingredients in the magnets that power many technologies people rely on today, such as cell phones, computers, electric vehicles, and wind turbines. Researchers have developed a novel way to extract rare earth elements (rare earths) from the high-powered magnets in electronic waste (e-waste).
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Food Crisis Due to Ukraine War Calls for Demand-Side Action
The global food system is impacted by the war in Ukraine, adding to the direct humanitarian and security crisis caused by the Russian aggression. Ukraine and Russia are major producers of grains and fertilizers. Experts say that focusing on short-term supply-side solutions is not the way to go. Rather, changes to the demand side of the global food system can lead to both a more resilient and more sustainable global food system.
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Domestic Extremists and Cryptocurrency
Domestic extremists have been receiving a steady stream of cryptocurrency donations since 2016, and after the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, the extremists’ use of cryptocurrency has spiked, leading many financial services providers to “deplatform” certain extremist groups.
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Texas Warns Firms They Could Lose State Contracts for Divesting from Fossil Fuels
A new law prohibits the state from contracting with or investing in companies that divest from oil, natural gas and coal companies.
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Global Arms Trade Falls Slightly, but Imports to Europe, East Asia, and Oceania Rise
International transfers of major arms saw a slight drop between 2012–16 and 2017–21 (–4.6 per cent). Nevertheless, exports by the United States and France increased substantially, as did imports to states in Europe (+19 per cent), East Asia (+20 per cent) and Oceania (+59 per cent). Transfers to the Middle East remained high, while those to Africa and the Americas decreased, according to new data on global arms transfers published today by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
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The Digital Skills Gap: What Workers Need for the Jobs of the Future
The COVID-19 pandemic quickened the pace of digital development around the world, as everything from meetings to movie premiers went online. That may sound like a silver lining. For tens of millions of workers, it’s not. They don’t have the skills to compete.
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War in Ukraine Could Cut Global Supply of Essential Elements for Making Green Technology
The EU imports 40 percent of its natural gas from Russia, and nearly half of the five million barrels of crude oil Russia exports daily go to Europe. Decisive action by major economies to reduce coal, oil and gas imports from one of the world’s largest sources could accelerate the transition to green energy globally. But there’s a catch. Disruption to the supply of critical metals and other materials caused by the war in Ukraine could stall the roll-out of alternative technologies.
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If Russia Turns Off the Tap: LNG Could Boost European Energy Security
Europe’s gas reserves are at their lowest in years with winter demand not yet over. As the Ukraine crisis escalates, raising fears over Russian supply, could liquefied natural gas (LNG) fill the gap?
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The U.S. Digital Security Challenges: Q&A with Frederic Lemieux
The U.S. is facing many digital challenges: Ransomware attacks; critical infrastructure vulnerability; exploitation of flaws in widely used software packages such as SolarWinds; potential Russian cyberattacks resulting from the Ukraine crisis; shortage of cybersecurity talent which leaves many government and private sector positions vacant; and many more. HSNW talked with Georgetown’s Professor Frederic Lemieux, a recognized expert in the fields of global threats and homeland security.
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U.S. to Bolster Critical Mineral Supply Chain
The U.S. federal government and private sector are taking actions to bolster the supply chain for rare earths and other critical minerals used in technologies from household appliances and electronics to defense systems. These steps will reduce the U.S. dependence on China, a major producer of these elements.
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New Cybersecurity Advisory: Protecting Cleared Defense Contractor Networks Against Russian Hackers
Over the last two years, CISA, FBI and NSA continue observing regular targeting of both large and small Cleared Defense Contractors and subcontractors. Agencies strongly encourage organizations to apply recommended mitigation steps to reduce risk of compromise.
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New Cybersecurity Advisory: Protecting Cleared Defense Contractor Networks Against Russian Hackers
Over the last two years, CISA, FBI and NSA continue observing regular targeting of both large and small Cleared Defense Contractors and subcontractors. Agencies strongly encourage organizations to apply recommended mitigation steps to reduce risk of compromise.
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More headlines
The long view
Ransomware Attacks: Death Threats, Endangered Patients and Millions of Dollars in Damages
A ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, a company that processes 15 billion health care transactions annually and deals with 1 in 3 patient records in the United States, is continuing to cause massive disruptions nearly three weeks later. The incident, which started on February 21, has been called the “most significant cyberattack on the U.S. health care system” by the American Hospital Association. It is just the latest example of an increasing trend.
Chinese Government Hackers Targeted Critics of China, U.S. Businesses and Politicians
An indictment was unsealed Monday charging seven nationals of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) with conspiracy to commit computer intrusions and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their involvement in a PRC-based hacking group that spent approximately 14 years targeting U.S. and foreign critics, businesses, and political officials in furtherance of the PRC’s economic espionage and foreign intelligence objectives.
European Arms Imports Nearly Double, U.S. and French Exports Rise, and Russian Exports Fall Sharply
States in Europe almost doubled their imports of major arms (+94 per cent) between 2014–18 and 2019–23. The United States increased its arms exports by 17 per cent between 2014–18 and 2019–23, while Russia’s arms exports halved. Russia was for the first time the third largest arms exporter, falling just behind France.
LNG Exports Have Had No Impact on Domestic Energy Costs: Analysis
U.S. liquified natural gas (LNG) exports have not had any sustained and significant direct impact on U.S. natural gas prices and have, in fact, spurred production and productivity gains, which contribute to downward pressure on domestic prices.