Jake Braun, executive director of the Cyber Policy Initiative, joined Project Watershed 250 to share lessons from the Water Watch Center. As Texas works becomes the national standard for defending water systems, WWC stands with them against cyber criminals.

AI weather forecasts could help millions of farmers in developing economies decide when to plant, harvest, and protect their crops 🌍 @beccawillett.bsky.social, Nobel laureate Michael Kremer, @pedramh.bsky.social, & @ianfoster42.bsky.social won a Laude Institute Moonshots grant to make it happen

Advancing Actionable AI Weather Forecasts for Developing Economies | @UChicago + @LaudeInstitute

youtu.be

In @time.com, Professor @ksonin.bsky.social explains why wartime elections in Ukraine are unlikely: a ceasefire would require guarantees from Russia that Kyiv may not trust, and “the main limitation” is counting votes from occupied territories. https://har.rs/4wFyPwE

Zelenskyy Faces Pressure to Hold Elections. What Stands in the Way?

Ukraine's former defense minister has called for a wartime election, in direct challenge to the sitting President. Elections have been suspended since 2022.

har.rs

In @slate.com, Jake Braun is highlighted for a practical response to cyber threats against water systems: DEF CON Franklin and the new Water Watch Center, which connect small utilities with cyber experts and tools to strengthen defenses at scale. https://har.rs/4guiCEy

So About That Iranian Cyberattack on Our Water Supply

It's only the most essential component of human life.

har.rs

In @time.com, Prof. Konstantin Sonin explains why an election is unlikely to happen in wartime Ukraine, noting that historically, very few countries have held elections in wartime. He adds that Zelenskyy would defeat any challenger. https://har.rs/4wFyPwE

A new article from @slate.com highlights Harris faculty lecturer Jake Braun's DEF CON Franklin initiative, which pairs volunteer white-hat hackers with small water utilities across the country to help patch security holes and improve basic cyber hygiene. https://har.rs/4xh7l1I

So About That Iranian Cyberattack on Our Water Supply

It's only the most essential component of human life.

slate.com

In @chicagomagazine.bsky.social, Prof. Justin Marlowe discusses Chicago's parking meter deal. "An asset like Midway is perfect for privatization but the attitude, the underlying politics of it, are just so soured that I think it closes off a valuable line of conversation." https://har.rs/4gj89M7

The Case for a Parking Revolt

The city's lousy meter deal seems inescapable, no matter who holds the lease. One Chicagoan found a way to beat it. Could the whole city do the same?

chicagotribune.com

In Deseret News, Prof. Lesley Turner discusses how federal caps on graduate loans may push students toward private lenders. "For those students, this is a real constraint. They may need to find a more affordable program or forego graduate education altogether." https://har.rs/4xdbDXU

New federal caps on graduate loans aim to curb soaring tuition costs

Some institutions are already lowering their tuition prices in response to federal loan caps, but experts say the lasting effect of the caps is hard to predict.

har.rs

In @hechingerreport.org, Prof. Steven Durlauf points to the postwar model of federal research funding as proof that sustained investment works, warning that funding cuts put the U.S. "on a suicidal trajectory" from its position in global higher education. https://har.rs/4cRgbea

Once globally preeminent, U.S. universities are sliding into decline

High costs, political attacks take a toll as fewer students come, top scholars leave

har.rs

In @theatlantic.com, Prof. Konstantin Sonin explains why drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure haven't sparked the protests some hoped for. Despite astonishing tolerance for wartime risk, he says, "Russians can endlessly adapt to this crisis too." https://har.rs/3SEu7kZ

Ukraine's Long Shot

The country may have hoped that deeper drone attacks would cause Russians to protest the war, but mass demonstrations don't look likely.

theatlantic.com

In @wsj.com, Prof. @ksonin.bsky.social explains why Wildberries has become more than an online retailer in wartime Russia: “Wildberries is a strategic asset as it’s a big profitable business.” Its rise, he notes, "dovetailed with plans ... isolated from the West." https://har.rs/4wpAruy

The Wild History of the Russian Online Retail Giant Being Bombarded by Ukraine

During two decades of rapid growth, Wildberries has established itself at the intersection of business and power in Russia.

har.rs

The Water Watch Center will help small water utilities strengthen cyber defenses, identify attacks, and respond to breaches. Co-founded by Harris's Jake Braun, it brings cyber providers and volunteers together to protect critical water infrastructure. https://har.rs/4whnPFx

Hunting Viruses in Your Water System

Las Vegas, NV -- On the heels of potentially the most widespread cyber attack by a nation state on U.S. water systems in history, DEF CON Franklin and the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) launched the Water Watch Center (WWC) today. The WWC gives...

har.rs

In @marketplace.org, energy economist Ryan Kellogg explains why banning U.S. oil exports is unlikely to be a simple fix for gas prices. Because oil trades in global markets, cutting off exports could distort supply and leave consumers with few clear benefits. https://har.rs/45l21xT

Big oil is not up for another export ban

While a ban on oil and fuel exports could temporarily decrease prices, experts say benefits would be short-lived and cause long-term pain.

har.rs

New in @nbcnews.com: cyber expert Jake Braun announces a new effort to help protect water utilities from cyberattacks, bringing together AI tools and ethical hackers to identify vulnerabilities before adversaries can exploit them. https://har.rs/4gj53c9

Water industry turns to AI and hackers for help after suspected Iran cyberattacks

For the new initiative, Vanderbilt University researchers will work to create “digital twins” of water system networks.

har.rs

In @nbcchicago.com, Jake Braun says attacks on water utilities should be viewed as “a national attack,” targeting technology “ubiquitous among water utilities,” a warning that cyber threats can reach critical infrastructure here at home. https://har.rs/3TyenjG

Iran's not-so-secret weapon that's capable of reaching the Chicago area

Cyberterrorism experts agree that Tehran is targeting city water systems by hacking into computers, already striking several communities in the Midwest.

har.rs

In @usatoday.com, Prof. Anthony Fowler helps explain how voters who reject party labels are not always a single bloc, and often "they are highly swayed by the qualities of a particular candidate’s ideologies," rather than partisanship. https://har.rs/4fNbPWl

Independent voters in 3 key states reveal what moves needle for them

Independent voters are set to be a key constituency in the 2026 midterm elections. USA TODAY spoke with three of them about what's on their minds.

har.rs

In @chalkbeat.org, Professor @justin-marlowe.bsky.social explains why passing a @chipubschools.bsky.social budget matters beyond the boardroom: an approved budget can help reassure lenders that the district has a plan in place, even amid serious fiscal uncertainty. https://har.rs/4fDESvm

Ahead of budget vote, Chicago school board divided over how much money they can rely on

The board is expected to vote on the district's $9.96 billion budget proposal, which includes cuts to some staffing and a spending freeze after January.

har.rs

In @abc7chicago.bsky.social, Jake Braun warns that AI is making foreign cyberattacks more scalable and sophisticated. As Russian-linked hacking campaigns raise new concerns, Braun says the broader goal is clear: undermining public trust in U.S. institutions. https://har.rs/4wUZ2Yz

Join us live now on Reddit for an AMA with Prof. Robert Kaestner. Have questions about health insurance, public policy, health disparities, or how economists measure the real-world impact of policy? Bring them to the conversation here: https://har.rs/4fGXjiB

The Harris Social Impact Fellowship at the University of Chicago is now accepting applications for the 2027-2028 cohort. Explore our website and apply here by October 19: https://har.rs/41eCN2x.

Social Impact Fellowship

The Harris Social Impact Fellowship is a highly-selective, full-time, 11-month program for recent graduates and early career professionals with strong STEM skills and a passion for evidence-based change. Designed by University of Chicago Harris School o...

har.rs

In @npr.org, Rebecca Neusteter brings national expertise to Baltimore’s effort to rethink 911. The city’s approach reflects the idea that people in crisis should be connected to the right help, not simply routed through the default emergency response. https://har.rs/4fDaaSW

Baltimore will turn 911 into more than just an emergency number

Baltimore is rethinking what it means to call 911, and who responds. Callers who don't need police will get help finding social services and healthcare before they actually fall into crisis.

har.rs

On @wgntv.com, Prof. Christopher Berry discusses a new @miurbanchicago.bsky.social / NORC poll showing Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson facing a steep path to reelection. https://har.rs/4hpUjcY

Poll: Majority of Chicagoans don't want Mayor Johnson to seek re-election

‘The Point' airs on WGN and streams on WGN+ each weeknight at 6:45 p.m. CT.

har.rs

In @wttw.bsky.social, Jake Braun cuts through the election-security debate, saying solutions are practical: paper ballots, open-source voting equipment, and moving away from touchscreens. "The solutions are not hard and they’re the cheapest solutions out there.” https://har.rs/3RNIYsT

Trump Doubles Down on Election Fraud Claims. Here's What to Know About US Voting Security

In a recent speech, President Donald Trump discussed foreign interference, noncitizen voting and vulnerabilities in the American election system -- reiterating some widely disproven charges. The administration released a trove of heavily redacted docume...

har.rs

New @axios.com story features Robert Kaestner on what GLP-1 drugs do (and don’t do): His new NBER working paper finds that among adults with diabetes, GLP-1 use did not materially improve mental health, employment, or marriage outcomes. https://har.rs/4h7xmew

Weight-loss drugs didn't improve mental health or job prospects

The non-health benefits haven't been studied as closely as the health benefits.

har.rs

In @notus.com, Prof. Bruce D. Meyer argues that single adults, often men with extremely low incomes, are too often overlooked by the social safety net. His prescription: stronger job-search support, behavioral health care, and housing assistance. https://har.rs/4yghwVe

What Is the Most Significant Gap in the Social Safety Net for American Families?

Cathy Hooker, Amanda Renteria, Lindsay Ryan, Gopi Shah Goda, Claudet Miranda-Zambrano, Jon-Paul Bianchi, Bruce D. Meyer, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Emily Gee, Greg Acs

har.rs

As Africa’s Ebola response draws scrutiny, research by @austinlw.bsky.social offers a broader warning: abrupt USAID cuts can destabilize fragile regions. His recent @science.org study found higher conflict in African areas most exposed to USAID pre-shutdown. https://har.rs/4buQUWt

From Ebola to conflict: Risks rise and the US is less able to respond

The Trump administration's dismantling of U.S. foreign assistance institutions has left the country less prepared to respond to international health threats, such as the current Ebola outbrea...

har.rs

In @ibtimes.bsky.social, @durlauf.bsky.social puts Elon Musk's near-trillion-dollar fortune in context, noting that wealth inequality is expanding in ways “we’ve never seen before.” The story highlights Musk’s fortune as equal to the combined wealth of ~165 million Americans. https://har.rs/4vHpjcI

One Man vs. 165 Million Americans: The Terrifying Wealth Inequality Exposed by Elon Musk's Net Worth

Elon Musk's net worth briefly surpassed $1 trillion in June 2026, spotlighting US wealth inequality as his fortune equalled the combined wealth of nearly half the American population.

har.rs

Why do wars continue when they are so costly? On NPR, Prof. Christopher Blattman, author of the book Why We Fight, explains the incentives that can drive conflict, from leaders insulated from the costs of war to uncertainty, misperceptions, and commitment problems. https://har.rs/4p3VGQq

If wars are so costly, why do we keep fighting them?

We dig into current conflicts to understand the incentives that lead countries into violence, and what keeps them stretching on and on.

har.rs

This year’s Andrew Carnegie Foundation's Great Immigrants, Great Americans honorees include Prof. James Robinson, whose influential research on political and economic development has advanced understanding of institutions, prosperity, and global change.

🏟️ In @fox32chicago.bsky.social, @justin-marlowe.bsky.social weighs in on Soldier Field’s future if the Bears leave, noting that NFL stadiums are about more than the stadium itself: they’re about teams controlling surrounding development, revenue, and year-round activity. https://har.rs/44HmXPa

What happens to Soldier Field if the Bears leave? Experts debate future of Chicago landmark

As the Bears consider leaving Chicago, experts and city leaders are debating whether Soldier Field should be renovated, downsized or redeveloped to remain financially viable while preserving its historic and public lakefront role.

har.rs