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CIA Deaths Expose Fragile U.S.-Mexico Security Ties

Around two o’clock in the morning of April 19, an SUV veered off a twisting dirt road in a remote corner of the Sierra Madre, plunged into a ravine [...] More

Silhouette of towers against a vibrant orange sunset sky.

From Chernobyl to Ukraine: The Enduring Cost of Kremlin Lies

In April 1986, a reactor exploded at Chernobyl and the Soviet Union lied about it. That instinct to conceal, distort, and deny did not just worsen [...] More

Armed supporters of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stand guard

The Dangerous Trade of State Secrets

At just after 2 a.m. on January 3, explosions echoed across Caracas. Low-flying aircraft struck military installations. Venezuelan President Nicolás [...] More

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ETERNAL JOY, TEMPORARY COVER? A six-story building in Manhattan's Chinatown, wedged between a hotel, a spa, and a coffee shop, went on trial Wednesday - or rather, the man accused of running it did. Prosecutors say Lu Jianwang's storefront was a Fuzhou Police Overseas Service Station, tasked with silencing, harassing, and intimidating pro-democracy dissidents on behalf of Beijing. The defense had a simpler explanation, saying the store was just a place where Chinese diaspora members could renew their driver's licenses remotely and play ping-pong and mahjong. Defense attorney John Carman told jurors that Lu "was arrested [...] More

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State Secrets

What does “success” look like in a conflict with Iran - and what comes next? In this in-depth conversation, General David Petraeus joins The Cipher Brief’s Suzanne Kelly to unpack the military and strategic realities shaping today’s most consequential conflicts. From the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz to the unresolved risks around Iran’s nuclear program, Petraeus explains what’s at stake not just for the U.S., but for the global economy. But the real story? Ukraine. Petraeus calls it the true test case for the future of war - where drones, autonomy, and rapid innovation are redefining the battlefield in real time.