News Roundup Archive

Thursday, June 6, 2013

USIP's Science, Technology & Peacebuilding Roundup

 

United States Institute of Peace

 

Center of Innovation: Science, Technology and Peacebuilding

Weekly News Roundup, May 31 - June 6, 2013

Table of Contents

**Click here to subscribe to USIP's Media, Conflict and Peacebuilding News Roundup,
which includes a special section on Internet and social media.**


China Seen in Push to Gain Technology Insights
A government-financed research institute in the Pearl River Delta here boasts an impressive range of specialties, from robotics to nanomedicine to magnetic resonance imaging. But not all the cutting edge developments may be the result of indigenous innovation, according to American prosecutors. Though considerable attention has been focused on Chinese cyberespionage efforts, the institute is at the vanguard of a related push to bolster China's competitiveness by acquiring overseas technology directly from Chinese scientists working in the United States and other developed countries, say American officials and analysts.
See the full article (New York Times, Edward Wong and Didi Kirsten Tatlow, 6/5/13)*NYT sign-up may be required to view the full article
[Return to top]

Does Mobile Technology Exacerbate Wartime Violence?
You might have heard of 'conflict minerals' making their way into your cell phone, but has it occurred to you that cell phones could be fueling violent conflicts? A recent article in the American Political Science Review by Jan Pierskalla and Florian Hollenbach argues just that.
See the full article (techPresident, Jessica McKenzie, 6/5/13)
[Return to top]

How Google Helps Islamic Extremists
YouTube has an automated system to submit copyright claims. This system is designed to give an easy way for rights-holders to protect their content. However, the problem is that this system is blind and gives undue power to anyone who submits a copyright notice - no matter how blatantly fraudulent or how false. Islamists have discovered this flaw and have since used this system...by filing copyright notices and taking down content.
See the full article (Huffington Post, Shawn Ahmed, 6/4/13)
Click to read about USIP's upcoming event "Reform, Revolution or Status Quo? Regional Dynamics in a Changing Arab World" on June 12 at 10:00am.
[Return to top]

Russian, Iranian Technology is Boosting Assad's Assault on Syrian Rebels
Sophisticated technology from Russia and Iran has given Syrian government troops new advantages in tracking and destroying their foes, helping them solidify battlefield gains against rebels, according to Middle Eastern intelligence officials and analysts. The technology includes increased numbers of Iranian-made surveillance drones and, in some areas, anti-mortar systems similar to those used by U.S. forces to trace the source of mortar fire.
See the full article (Washington Post, Joby Warrick, 6/1/13)
[Return to top]

Can Technology Pave the Road for Peace in the Middle East?
For the last two years, several dozen Palestinian entrepreneurs have been getting training from Israeli high tech experts courtesy of the American firm Cisco Systems. The sessions feature no talk of politics. The training sessions are an example of privately funded economic initiatives that President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have praised in recent trips here.
See the full article (Atlantic, David Rohde, 6/1/13)
[Return to top]

Hagel Chides China for Cyberspying
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel took China to task Saturday for alleged cyberespionage, drawing a sharp response from a Chinese general who questioned whether the United States' growing military presence in Asia is anything more than a challenge to Beijing's rise.
See the full article (Washington Post, Ernesto LondoƱo, 6/1/13)
[Return to top]

U.S. Lifts Ban on Technology Exports to Iran to Help Dissenters
The United States has lifted decades old restrictions on U.S. technology exports to Iran in efforts to facilitate communication among dissenters and thwart censorship and crackdowns by the Iranian government. The move will immediately allow the sale of mobile phones, computers, tablets, satellite receivers, and other personal communications equipment and software to Iranian citizens, but not to government officials or groups involved with the regime.
See the full article (Foreign Policy, Mary Casey and Jennifer Parker, 5/31/13)
[Return to top]

Click here to subscribe to USIP's Media, Conflict and Peacebuilding News Roundup,
which includes a special section on Internet and social media.

Did we miss anything?

 

 


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USIP's Media, Conflict & Peacebuilding Roundup

United States Institute of Peace

 

Center of Innovation: Media, Conflict and Peacebuilding

Weekly News Roundup, May 31 - June 6, 2013

Media and Journalism

Internet and Social Media

What's New from PeaceMedia

**Click here to subscribe to USIP's Science, Technology and Peacebuilding News Roundup.**


Media and Journalism

Journalist Tulin Daloglu Calls Out Turkish Government For Media Crackdown
Journalists and press freedom advocates are raising their voices against the Turkish government in the wake of the anti-government protests currently rocking Istanbul. The Turkish media has been slammed for ignoring the massive protests - the largest that Turkey has seen in years. The Associated Press reported that television stations opted to run documentaries and a cooking show, while police fired tear gas at protesters outside.
See the full article (Huffington Post, 6/5/13)
[Return to top]

Iran Court Bans State-Owned Newspaper for 6 Months
Iranian media say that a court has imposed a six-month publishing ban on a state-owned newspaper for its allegedly false reporting. Conservative hard-liners who control many state institutions have been hammering at Ahmadinejad and his allies ahead of the June election, which decides on the president's successor.
See the full article (ABC News, 6/2/13)
[Return to top]

How the Global Open Data Movement is Transforming Journalism
While traditional media continue their difficult decline, a cadre of the most innovative reporters, from Afghanistan to the Amazon, are quietly transforming journalism by harnessing the power of open data. Many data projects arise from concerns about global corruption and impunity. For example, the Afghan media development organization Nai has created a map of attacks against journalists in Afghanistan; Freedom House and the International Center for Journalists are creating a similar map for Mexico.
See the full article (Wired, Jeanne Bourgault, 5/31/13)
Click to read about USIP's upcoming event "An Uphill Battle: Counter-Narcotics Issues and Policies During Afghanistan's Transition" on June 12 at 2:00pm.
[Return to top]

FATA: Behind Pakistan's Iron Curtain
The FATA agency of Waziristan is sealed behind an Iron Curtain controlled by the Pakistan Army. Journalists are forbidden entry, except accompanied by army handlers. Meanwhile, Pakistani officials, think tank intellectuals and government-controlled media fill the information vacuum with tales of their nation's constant battle against the Taliban and its fierce tribal allies.
See the full article (Huffington Post, Melissa Roddy, 5/31/13)
Click to read "Water Problems: Pakistan's Overlooked Security Issue," an Olive Branch Post by Thomas Omestad.
[Return to top]

 

Internet and Social Media

Dozens Arrested in Turkey for 'Inciting Riots' using Social Media
Turkish authorities detained 29 people overnight for "inciting riots" using social networking sites such as Twitter, local media reported on Wednesday. The detentions came in the coastal city of Izmir, where police and protesters have clashed repeatedly since anti-government protests swept this nation six days ago. Those arrested were accused of "conducting propaganda" through social media.
See the full article (Log Angeles Times, Glen Johnson, 6/5/13)
[Return to top] | [Return to section]

Egyptian Blogger Faces New Charges, Kept in Jail - State Media
A prominent Egyptian blogger convicted of insulting Islamist president Mohamed Mursi is facing fresh charges of inciting violence, judicial sources said on Tuesday, in a case that has triggered accusations of a crackdown on dissent. Ahmed Douma was sentenced to six months in jail on Monday for calling Mursi a criminal and a murderer in media interviews.
See the full article (Reuters, Asma Alsharif, 6/4/13)
Click to read about USIP's upcoming event "Current Challenges to Christian-Muslim Relations in Egypt" on June 14 at 10:00am.
[Return to top] | [Return to section]

Bradley Manning Court-martial Begins
Prosecutors opened the Army's court-martial of Pfc. Bradley Manning on Monday by charging that the former intelligence analyst knew full well the 700,000 classified documents he has admitted giving to WikiLeaks could fall into the hands of America's enemies.
See the full article (Politico, Stephanie Gaskell, 6/3/13)
[Return to top] | [Return to section]

Singapore: Internet freedom under Threat
Alarm bells rang among the Singaporean online community as the government revealed a new licensing scheme for news websites that could potentially give a heavy blow to grassroots citizen journalism. The Media Development Authority (MDA) has announced that Singaporean news websites with about 50,000 unique hits a month will now require individual licences to operate.
See the full article (Aljazeera, Kirsten Han, 6/3/13)
[Return to top] | [Return to section]

Iran Accused of using Online Censorship and Hacking to Sway Presidential Poll
Iranian authorities are mounting a sophisticated campaign of online censorship, hacking attacks and filtering to influence the country's imminent presidential elections, according to reports from people inside the country and security researchers outside. Iranians are finding that text messages or websites containing certain words, such as candidates' names or slogans, are being intermittently blocked, while some news sites within the country are taken offline entirely.
See the full article (Guardian, James Ball and Saeed Kamali Dehghan, 5/31/13)
[Return to top] | [Return to section]

 

What's New from PeaceMedia

Jody Williams: A Realistic Vision for World Peace - TEDTalks
Nobel Peace laureate Jody Williams brings tough love to the dream of world peace, with her razor-sharp take on what "peace" really means, and a set of profound stories that zero in on the creative struggle -- and sacrifice -- of those who work for it.
See the full video
[Return to top]

Click here to subscribe to USIP's Science, Technology and Peacebuilding News Roundup.

Did we miss anything?

 

 


Share this: FacebookTwitterDeliciousDiggMySpaceStumbleUponGoogleMicrosoftYahoo! BookmarksLinkedIn| Forward this to a Friend

 

USIP's Media, Conflict & Peacebuilding Roundup

United States Institute of Peace

 

Center of Innovation: Media, Conflict and Peacebuilding

Weekly News Roundup, May 31 - June 6, 2013

Media and Journalism

Internet and Social Media

What's New from PeaceMedia

**Click here to subscribe to USIP's Science, Technology and Peacebuilding News Roundup.**


Media and Journalism

Journalist Tulin Daloglu Calls Out Turkish Government For Media Crackdown
Journalists and press freedom advocates are raising their voices against the Turkish government in the wake of the anti-government protests currently rocking Istanbul. The Turkish media has been slammed for ignoring the massive protests - the largest that Turkey has seen in years. The Associated Press reported that television stations opted to run documentaries and a cooking show, while police fired tear gas at protesters outside.
See the full article (Huffington Post, 6/5/13)
[Return to top]

Iran Court Bans State-Owned Newspaper for 6 Months
Iranian media say that a court has imposed a six-month publishing ban on a state-owned newspaper for its allegedly false reporting. Conservative hard-liners who control many state institutions have been hammering at Ahmadinejad and his allies ahead of the June election, which decides on the president's successor.
See the full article (ABC News, 6/2/13)
[Return to top]

How the Global Open Data Movement is Transforming Journalism
While traditional media continue their difficult decline, a cadre of the most innovative reporters, from Afghanistan to the Amazon, are quietly transforming journalism by harnessing the power of open data. Many data projects arise from concerns about global corruption and impunity. For example, the Afghan media development organization Nai has created a map of attacks against journalists in Afghanistan; Freedom House and the International Center for Journalists are creating a similar map for Mexico.
See the full article (Wired, Jeanne Bourgault, 5/31/13)
Click to read about USIP's upcoming event "An Uphill Battle: Counter-Narcotics Issues and Policies During Afghanistan's Transition" on June 12 at 2:00pm.
[Return to top]

FATA: Behind Pakistan's Iron Curtain
The FATA agency of Waziristan is sealed behind an Iron Curtain controlled by the Pakistan Army. Journalists are forbidden entry, except accompanied by army handlers. Meanwhile, Pakistani officials, think tank intellectuals and government-controlled media fill the information vacuum with tales of their nation's constant battle against the Taliban and its fierce tribal allies.
See the full article (Huffington Post, Melissa Roddy, 5/31/13)
Click to read "Water Problems: Pakistan's Overlooked Security Issue," an Olive Branch Post by Thomas Omestad.
[Return to top]

 

Internet and Social Media

Dozens Arrested in Turkey for 'Inciting Riots' using Social Media
Turkish authorities detained 29 people overnight for "inciting riots" using social networking sites such as Twitter, local media reported on Wednesday. The detentions came in the coastal city of Izmir, where police and protesters have clashed repeatedly since anti-government protests swept this nation six days ago. Those arrested were accused of "conducting propaganda" through social media.
See the full article (Log Angeles Times, Glen Johnson, 6/5/13)
[Return to top] | [Return to section]

Egyptian Blogger Faces New Charges, Kept in Jail - State Media
A prominent Egyptian blogger convicted of insulting Islamist president Mohamed Mursi is facing fresh charges of inciting violence, judicial sources said on Tuesday, in a case that has triggered accusations of a crackdown on dissent. Ahmed Douma was sentenced to six months in jail on Monday for calling Mursi a criminal and a murderer in media interviews.
See the full article (Reuters, Asma Alsharif, 6/4/13)
Click to read about USIP's upcoming event "Current Challenges to Christian-Muslim Relations in Egypt" on June 14 at 10:00am.
[Return to top] | [Return to section]

Bradley Manning Court-martial Begins
Prosecutors opened the Army's court-martial of Pfc. Bradley Manning on Monday by charging that the former intelligence analyst knew full well the 700,000 classified documents he has admitted giving to WikiLeaks could fall into the hands of America's enemies.
See the full article (Politico, Stephanie Gaskell, 6/3/13)
[Return to top] | [Return to section]

Singapore: Internet freedom under Threat
Alarm bells rang among the Singaporean online community as the government revealed a new licensing scheme for news websites that could potentially give a heavy blow to grassroots citizen journalism. The Media Development Authority (MDA) has announced that Singaporean news websites with about 50,000 unique hits a month will now require individual licences to operate.
See the full article (Aljazeera, Kirsten Han, 6/3/13)
[Return to top] | [Return to section]

Iran Accused of using Online Censorship and Hacking to Sway Presidential Poll
Iranian authorities are mounting a sophisticated campaign of online censorship, hacking attacks and filtering to influence the country's imminent presidential elections, according to reports from people inside the country and security researchers outside. Iranians are finding that text messages or websites containing certain words, such as candidates' names or slogans, are being intermittently blocked, while some news sites within the country are taken offline entirely.
See the full article (Guardian, James Ball and Saeed Kamali Dehghan, 5/31/13)
[Return to top] | [Return to section]

 

What's New from PeaceMedia

Jody Williams: A Realistic Vision for World Peace - TEDTalks
Nobel Peace laureate Jody Williams brings tough love to the dream of world peace, with her razor-sharp take on what "peace" really means, and a set of profound stories that zero in on the creative struggle -- and sacrifice -- of those who work for it.
See the full video
[Return to top]

Click here to subscribe to USIP's Science, Technology and Peacebuilding News Roundup.

Did we miss anything?

 

 


Share this: FacebookTwitterDeliciousDiggMySpaceStumbleUponGoogleMicrosoftYahoo! BookmarksLinkedIn| Forward this to a Friend