• Domestic Extremists and Cryptocurrency

    Domestic extremists have been receiving a steady stream of cryptocurrency donations since 2016, and after the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, the extremists’ use of cryptocurrency has spiked, leading many financial services providers to “deplatform” certain extremist groups.

  • Israel-Iran Stealthy War Intensifies

    Last Sunday, Iran launched a missile attack which destroyed an Israeli intelligence facility located in Irbil, in the Kurdish autonomous zone in Iraq. The Iranian attack was in retaliation for a daring, and successful, mid-February Israeli attack, using six armed drones, on an Iranian drone production facility, in which hundreds of advanced Iranian drones were destroyed. Israel operates several intelligence and military bases in the Kurdish region and in Azerbaijan.

  • Secret Service's Research Highlights Mass Violence Motivated by Misogyny

    The U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) released a new analysis highlighting the role of misogyny in targeted violence.

  • Texas Cold Snap Highlights Need for Improved Power Systems

    The greatest demand for electricity in Texas is traditionally during the hottest days of the year, when air conditioners turn on full blast to beat the heat. But in February 2021, an unusually long spell of cold weather took the region by surprise. With extreme weather events rising in frequency, the need for a prepared modern energy grid grows.

  • Texas Warns Firms They Could Lose State Contracts for Divesting from Fossil Fuels

    A new law prohibits the state from contracting with or investing in companies that divest from oil, natural gas and coal companies.

  • A Solution to the Ukraine War Emerges

    Russian and Ukrainian sources said that both sides now agree that the likely solution to the Ukraine crisis is a neutral Ukraine with its own armed forces, but which is not a member of NATO. The examples of Austria and Sweden have been proposed as models. The status of the Crimean Peninsula and the Donbass region is still a sticking point, but both sides say that the atmosphere in the negotiations has become more positive and constructive.

  • Germany's Military Budget: Unanswered Questions

    Germany’s defense budget is not exactly small, and it has now been given a massive defense budget boost — but it is dogged by allegations of inefficiency. The parliamentary Bundeswehr commissioner’s report was not comforting.

  • U.S. Names Colombia a Major Non-NATO Ally

    The United States intends to name Colombia a “major non-NATO ally” — a particularly timely announcement for a South American nation seen as a bulwark against Venezuela, which is a Russian ally and foe of the United States.

  • Domestic Violent Extremism within DHS

    DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas created a working group consisting of senior DHS officials to conducted a comprehensive review of how to best prevent, detect, and respond to potential threats related to domestic violent extremism within the Department of Homeland Security.

  • Farrakhan Promotes Antisemitism, Anti-Vaccine Conspiracies

    The Nation of Islam (NOI) held its annual Saviors’ Day event, which commemorates the birth of NOI founder Fard Muhammad. The event culminated in a keynote address by longtime NOI leader Louis Farrakhan, and as is often the case, his speech featured extensive antisemitic, bigoted and conspiratorial rhetoric.

  • U.S. Stand Your Ground Laws Associated with 700 Additional Homicides Every Year: Study

    Stand Your Ground laws in the United States have expanded legal protections for individuals who use deadly violence in self-defense. A new study estimates they result in an additional 700 homicides each year - an increase in monthly homicide rates of 11 percent nationally, but up to 28 percent in some states.

  • War in Ukraine Could Cut Global Supply of Essential Elements for Making Green Technology

    The EU imports 40 percent of its natural gas from Russia, and nearly half of the five million barrels of crude oil Russia exports daily go to Europe. Decisive action by major economies to reduce coal, oil and gas imports from one of the world’s largest sources could accelerate the transition to green energy globally. But there’s a catch. Disruption to the supply of critical metals and other materials caused by the war in Ukraine could stall the roll-out of alternative technologies.

  • Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories “Explain” Russian Assault on Ukraine

    Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, extremists and anti-Semites across the ideological spectrum have used the war as fodder for promoting anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

  • Terrorism Research: How RAND Defined and Built a New Field of Knowledge

    In 1972, amid a worldwide rash of bombings, hijackings, and hostage-takings, the U.S. government was wrestling with how to respond. How widespread were these violent groups? What security measures were necessary? Should the government ever negotiate with hostage-takers? RAND researchers offered help by turning to their specialty: data.

  • Understanding Bombers’ Motivations: A Historical Study

    The saga of bombers and the driving forces behind their acts is never-ending. A historical study of bombings and bomb makers reveals reoccurring themes that underlie most of these events. This article will provide an analysis of the circumstances that compel bombers to attack, which can help explain what inspired notable bombings of the past.