Yearly Archives: 2024

Read more about the article Project AVATAR: AI Future of Border Security?

Project AVATAR: AI Future of Border Security?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to be on the cusp of automating border security protocols and customs operations. The National Centre for Border Security and Immigration at the University of Arizona has developed an AI prototype called the ‘Automated Virtual Agent for Truth Assessments in Real Time’ (AVATAR). Funded by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it has been designed on the principles of Machine Learning (ML), computer vision, and Natural Language Processing (NLP).
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Read more about the article Oppressive Automaton: Israel’s AI-Enabled Warfare

Oppressive Automaton: Israel’s AI-Enabled Warfare

As militaries around the world contemplate the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in warfare, the onslaught of Israel in the Gaza Strip offers an important point of reflection. This article explores the AI system called ‘Gospel’ or ‘Habsorah’, pioneered by Unit 8200 – an Intelligence Corps Unit – of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
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Read more about the article Making Pakistan’s Economic Recovery Sustainable

Making Pakistan’s Economic Recovery Sustainable

2023 began on a dismal note for Pakistan’s economy, as foreign exchange reserves were fast-depleting, remittances and exports were declining, the rupee was depreciating, industrial production was decreasing, and inflation surged – resulting from a confluence of multiple internal and external factors. In the months leading up to June, newspaper and media headlines continued to warn that the country’s economic crisis could soon morph into a sovereign default without a bailout loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
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Read more about the article Aerospace Superiority: A New Normal in US-China Competition

Aerospace Superiority: A New Normal in US-China Competition

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In recent decades, there have been substantial developments in the aerospace industry around the globe. With considerable increase in funding, innovation in the aerospace sector has gained significant momentum, fostering more competition in the respective domain. In 2021, around USD10 billion capital was invested in space companies.
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Read more about the article Paul Hawken, Regeneration, Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation

Paul Hawken, Regeneration, Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation

Paul Hawken, a renowned environmentalist, entrepreneur, and author, has long been at the forefront of advocating for sustainable solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. He is not only an influential thinker but also the founder of Project Drawdown, a comprehensive plan to reverse global warming. In his latest work, ‘Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation,’ he offers an inspiring and persuasive vision for tackling the climate crisis.
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Read more about the article Playing Catch Up: US-China Li-ion Battery Competition

Playing Catch Up: US-China Li-ion Battery Competition

As the world struggles to decouple from fossil fuels under the umbrella of a green future, the demand for critical minerals is increasing. The clean technology industry, like many others, relies upon critical minerals or ‘Rare Earth Elements’ extracted from the ground. Lithium is one such metal critical for electric rechargeable batteries heavily used in Electric Vehicles (EVs) and electrical grid storage.
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Read more about the article India’s Electoral Saffron Tide and the Eclipse of Secularism

India’s Electoral Saffron Tide and the Eclipse of Secularism

The outgoing year 2023, like most years since 2014, was characterised by India’s further descent into saffronisation. ‘Saffronisation’ refers to power politics employed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to mould every aspect of life in India according to the ethos of right-wing Hindutva extremism, which has been the hallmark of this party.
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Read more about the article COP28: Rhetoric Overshadows Climate Action vs Defence Spending

COP28: Rhetoric Overshadows Climate Action vs Defence Spending

Yet another Conference of the Parties (COP) to address the existential challenge to planet Earth and the human species in the form of climate change concluded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 13 December 2023. It had to be extended by one day as the required consensus on phasing out of fossil fuels could not be achieved on the final declaration due to the intransigence of oil-producing countries.
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Read more about the article Boycotts: Moral Choices in Turbulent Times

Boycotts: Moral Choices in Turbulent Times

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Resistance has many forms. At its core, it reflects how inaction towards injustice is synonymous to complicity. In this regard, the Armed Conflict Location & Events Data project has recently analysed the Israel-Palestine conflict, offering insightful data. According to their report, mass mobilisations have been observed, with approximately 7,283 pro-Palestine protests, from 7th October to 24th November, in 118 countries and territories.
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