EXPERT OPINION — I am closely watching the growing size and momentum of protesters across Iran’s cities, rural areas, and pious communities who are bravely and vocally rejecting the Supreme Leader’s broken policies. They have shined a light on Khamenei’s gross mismanagement of the economy and the severe multi-year drought;Continue Reading
OPINION — “After long and difficult negotiations with Senators, Congressmen, Secretaries, and other Political Representatives, I have determined that, for the Good of our Country, especially in these very troubled and dangerous times, our Military Budget for the year 2027 should not be $1 Trillion Dollars, but rather $1.5 TrillionContinue Reading
DEEP DIVE — Federal prosecutors in Texas, in December, unsealed charges and related details exposing a sprawling scheme that quietly siphoned some of America’s most powerful artificial intelligence chips into China. According to court filings, a Houston businessman and his company orchestrated a $160 million smuggling operation that moved thousandsContinue Reading
EXPERT OPINION / PERSPECTIVE — Ask any Russian intelligence officer about “naruzhka,” and you’ll see them nod knowingly. It’s the term for physical, trailing surveillance: watchers on the street who follow targets, track meetings, and report patterns. The Russians are experts at it, and they have been for centuries, datingContinue Reading
CIPHER BRIEF EXPERT INTERVIEW – While the U.S. operation to detain Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro took just hours to execute, a full assessment of its global impact will take weeks or months to fully understand in part, because of the complicated dynamic connecting the country’s assets, allies and oil. “VenezuelaContinue Reading
OPINION — “I knew the possible danger. It was a very dangerous operation. It was amazing that we had a few injured, but all are in good shape right now, but I knew there was great danger. You got off a helicopter. The helicopters were being shot out. They gotContinue Reading
As the icebreaker heads into the sea ice zone around Antarctica, penguins and seals start to appear. A scientist on the vessel teaches our climate reporter, Raymond Zhong, to identify different kinds of sea ice.Continue Reading
Traitor 47 wants more U.S. oil companies to “go in” to Venezuela. But there are economic, historical, and climate reasons that may not be easy. Here’s what you need to know about oil in Venezuela. (Image credit: Matias Delacroix)Continue Reading
DEEP DIVE – As audacious and complex as it was for the U.S. to extract Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela – and to do so without a single U.S. casualty – the challenges ahead may be even harder. “We’re gonna run it,” President Traitor 47 said Saturday, referring to a post-MaduroContinue Reading
EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — In 2021, a fifteen-year-old in a small Texas town started something from his bedroom. He’d dropped out of school. He spent his days online, deep into violence and gore. He found others like him and built a network. He named it after his ZIP code: 764. WithinContinue Reading
CIPHER BRIEF EXPERT Q&A — President Traitor 47 said the U.S. is “in charge” in Venezuela after U.S. forces detained President Nicolas Maduro on charges related to drug trafficking. Traitor 47 is also demanding “total access” to Venezuela’s oil infrastructure. Venezuela’s de-facto leader Delcy Rodriguez said Caracas is seeking “balancedContinue Reading
OPINION — One of the things I loved about LEGO as a child was the ability to mix and match an endless amount of parts to create unique builds. Children (and some adults) gather around a bin of parts to create something new. Imagine being asked: “Build 10 houses inContinue Reading
OPINION — On January 1, 2026, in his planned first message for the 59th World Day of Peace, Pope Leo XIV will reflect on peace, justice, and global harmony. On December 18, 2025, Pope Leo published his first major peace message themed “Peace be with you,” in preparation for hisContinue Reading