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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

The reported deaths of two CIA officers in Mexico have sparked questions, sharp reactions, and widespread speculation. But what really happened - and what does it reveal about how U.S. intelligence operates in one of the world’s most complex threat environments? In this in-depth conversation, Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly speaks with Ralph Goff, a six-time CIA station chief, who brings rare, firsthand insight into the realities of intelligence operations, the risks officers face, and the truth behind the headlines. Goff explains why the loss of intelligence officers - often far from traditional war zones - remains an enduring reality of the job. He also breaks down how the CIA works with foreign partners, why operations in Mexico are uniquely dangerous, and how missions continue even after tragedy strikes. This conversation also pulls back the curtain on how intelligence operations are actually authorized and conducted - dispelling Hollywood myths about rogue agents and revealing the legal, political, and operational constraints that govern every move.