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THE RUSSIA CONNECTIONA Russian Airline Bomb Plot? What We Know About the Polish PM's Accusations
The accusation was as blunt as it was serious: Russia is plotting terror attacks against unspecified targets utilizing aircraft, Poland’s prime minister said. Though shocking, the Polish leader’s comments were not out of the blue: there’s been a growing number of suspicious, alarming, and unexplained incidents in recent months.
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THE RUSSIA CONNECTIONU.S. Representative Who Backed Aid to Ukraine Removed from Committee Chairmanship
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has removed the chairman of the powerful House Intelligence Committee who has been an outspoken supporter of assistance for Ukraine.
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CHINA WATCHU-M Ends Partnership with Chinese University
The University of Michigan has announced it will end its Joint Institute with Chinese Shanghai Jiao Tong University, following growing concerns from lawmakers about national security.
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TERRORISMFBI, DHS Warn of Likely Terrorist Attacks
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Homeland Security are warning that a copycat terrorist attack could occur similar to the New Year’s Day New Orleans attack.
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GUNSWhat We Learned from Analyzing 10 Years of Shooting Data
A Trace series challenges what many people might think about gun violence in America. Here is one of the highlights: You’re more likely to be shot in the rural South than in big cities like Chicago.
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WILDFIRES Wildfires as a Tool for Terrorism: Implications for Homeland Security
In recent years, wildfires have become an increasingly significant concern due to their devastating impacts on communities, economies, and ecosystems. Beyond their natural occurrence, wildfires are also gaining attention as a potential tool for malicious actors, including foreign and domestic terrorists.
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WILDEFIRESA Disaster Expert Explains Why the L.A. Fires Have Been So Catastrophic
As we’re seeing more and more disaster events, it raises questions about risk and whether insurers are going to keep insuring homes in the long run. Increasingly, it seems the answer is no.
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BORDER SECURITYA Wagner Mercenary Who Crossed U.S.-Mexican Border Was Honored in Russia Weeks Before Arrest
A self-confessed veteran of Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group arrested for crossing into the United States from Mexico appears to have been honored as a combat veteran weeks earlier by an organization established by Russian President Valdimir Putin.
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TERRORISMIslamic State: Despite the Fall of Its Caliphate, the Group Is Still Influencing Terrorism
The New Yer Day’s attack in New Orleans demonstrates the resilience of IS despite its lack of territorial control, as well as its commitment to inspire lone-wolf attacks in an attempt to gain widespread coverage.
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GUNSHow Many People Were Killed by the Pandemic Surge in Shootings?
In a new analysis, The Trace figured out the number of people who might have lived if gun violence had remained at its 2019 level.
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CHINA WATCHCritical Minerals, Waning Western Influence a Focus of Chinese FM’s African Tour, Analysts Say
Critical minerals and oil, a renewed focus on the Atlantic coast, and the West’s loss of influence in the Sahel are some of the reasons analysts believe Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has chosen the Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Chad and Namibia as the stops on his visit to Africa this week.
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BUSINESSNippon Steel and the “National Security” Hoax
The locking by President Joe Biden Nippon Steel’s proposed acquisition of US Steel risks damaging the US investment review process; US-Japan relations; the US position as a welcoming place for foreign investment; nations’ general rule against using “national security” as a guise for political favoritism and economic protectionism; and the US economy itself.
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TERRORISMPakistan Slides into New 'Era of Terrorism'
Northwestern Pakistan, a stronghold of Al-Qaeda and the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was the scene of deadly Pakistani counterterrorism operations and U.S. drone strikes. Militants, meanwhile, terrorized the local population. Eighteen years on, the TTP is resurgent, and the region has witnessed a sharp uptick in violence.
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IMMIGRATIONHere Are the U.S. Immigration Terms to Know
The U.S. immigration system is complex, consisting of various laws, policies, and programs. Here’s what to know about immigration under a second Trump administration.
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IMMIGRATION“Anything we can do to help”: This Texas County Is Poised to Play a Key Role in Deportations
As Trump moves closer to reclaiming residency at the White House on Jan. 20, the vast Texas acreage at the edge of the Rio Grande promises to become a centerpiece of the get-tough immigration policies he plans to unfurl under recently named “border czar” Tom Homan. Impoverished Starr County might be the site of a new federal deportation center.
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The long view
ARGUMENT: NON-IDEOLOGICAL POLITICAL VIOLENCEExtremist Ideology Is Hard to Pin Down
When it comes to extremist motivations for political violence, their varied sources and the role of mental health make it difficult to attribute a root cause and who might have been responsible for leading them down that road. Benjamin Allison writes that thelack of ideological clarity among those who commit acts of political violence is not uncommon.
ARGUMENT: PRTISAN POLITICS & VIOLENCEU.S. Domestic Terrorism Is Increasingly Motivated by Partisan Politics
One of the most alarming trends in terrorism is the growth in anti-government extremism. “The heightened risk of terrorist attacks motivated by partisan beliefs does not just endanger individual lives but also threatens the democratic process itself, casting a shadow over open discourse and discouraging civic engagement,” Riley McCabe writes.
DISINFORMATIONModel Reveals Why Debunking Election Misinformation Often Doesn’t Work
When an election result is disputed, people who are skeptical about the outcome may be swayed to accept the fairness and integrity of the election. A new study identifies factors that can make these efforts more successful.
COASTAL CHALLENGESReducing Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise in Virginia
As the climate changes and sea levels rise, there is concern that sinking coastlines could exacerbate risks to infrastructure, as well as human and environmental health in coastal communities. The Virginia Coastal Plain is one of the fastest-sinking regions on the East Coast.