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U.S.-Iran in Crisis: Strategic Ambiguity and Loud Weapons in Cyberspace (Simon Handler, Will Loomis, and Katherine Wolff, Atlantic Council)
Iran’s government will feel the need to retaliate against the United States, but it does not wish to ignite a prolonged war with the United States. The regime’s near-term aim is to demonstrate to its domestic and regional constituencies that it has the capability and the resolve to avenge Soleimani’s killing and, more strategically, to drum up support for hardliners ahead of legislative elections next month. While Iran has a number of options available, its cyber toolkit not one to be overlooked.

Congressional Commission Wants More Cyberwarriors for the Military (Mark Pomerleau, Fifth Domain)
The U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission, a bipartisan organization created in 2019 to develop a multipronged U.S. cyber strategy, will recommend the Department of Defense add more cyberwarriors to its forces.

How Long Will Australia Be Livable? (Bianca Nogrady, The Atlantic)
Facing a future of fire, drought, and rising oceans, Australians will have to weigh the choice between getting out early or staying to fight.

Speculation Is Mounting over Whether the Ukrainian Plane that Crashed in Iran Was Shot Down as the Investigation Runs into Political Roadblocks (David Slotnick, Business Insider)
Speculation is mounting about what caused a Ukrainian passenger jet to crash in Iran on Wednesday morning. The crash happened shortly after Iran fired a barrage of missiles at US forces in Iraq, and it was not immediately clear whether there was any connection between the military action and the crash. However, the investigation is likely to be hindered by the tensions between the US and Iran. The plane that crashed was a Boeing 737-800 — typically, that would mean that Boeing and US investigators would participate and provide technical expertise, but it is unclear whether this would happen, or how it would work, in the current climate.

How Russia Recruited Ernest Hemingway (Nicholas Reynolds, Daily Beast)
The Russians have been working among us in Washington and New York for a long time, and Papa Hemingway was just one of their more high profile collaborators.

The Trump Administration Will Start Sending Mexican Asylum Seekers to Guatemala (Nico Narea, Vox)
It’s another way to keep them out of the US.

Veterans Group Says Trump Administration Ignoring Russian Disinformation Targeting Troops, Vets (Justine Coleman, The Hill)
A major veterans group says the Trump administration of has been ignoring Russian disinformation campaigns that have been targeting U.S. troops and veterans for nearly two years.
Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) cautioned the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments in March 2018 that disinformation campaigns aimed at service members could plant seeds for social disagreement, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
The group says the agencies have not taken action to combat the campaigns, prompting VVA to submit a letter to President Trump on Dec. 18 asking for his intervention, according to an email sent to his veterans liaison that was reviewed by the Post.

To Avert Future Flood Chaos, Indonesian Capital Urged to Defend Nature (ReliefWeb)
Rapid urbanisation has led to forest loss, while groundwater extraction is causing the coastal city to sink as sea levels rise - a dangerous cocktail that is worsening floods