Ruth Morris

June 23, 2020

War is getting sneakier. And mercenaries could be changing war in ways that the US might not be prepared for.

Was the US sleeping through China's rise?

June 05, 2020

If the US can’t take care of itself in times of major crisis, how exactly is it supposed to “beat” China in global competition?

Military

'World War C': How did national security miss the coronavirus?

Things That Go Boom

May 21, 2020

The US spends billions and billions of dollars on defense, but the novel coronavirus slipped silently and invisibly across US borders and even onto military aircraft carriers. One could say the US was preparing for World War III when it got hammered by World War C — the coronavirus.

Nuclear

Things That Go Boom: Are sanctions on Iran spurring economic resilience?

The World

June 18, 2019

Sanctions on Iran have squeezed the economy since the 1970s, and since US President Donald Trump pulled out of the nuclear deal, they have been ratcheting up. Some Iranians are ready to cut and run but others are waiting out the economic storm.

Politics

Things That Go Boom: Is America's foreign policy for sale?

The World

June 11, 2019

Think tanks with nonprofit status aren't required to say much of anything when it comes to the source of their funding — whether it be billionaires or foreign governments. That can become a problem when such organizations significantly influence foreign policy — such as the Iran nuclear deal — without disclosing to whom they are financially beholden.

Nuclear

Things That Go Boom: In nuclear negotiations, diplomacy can be a slog

The World

May 27, 2019

Diplomacy is often awkward, stymied by translators, late nights and unsecured yurt communication (yes, that really happened). But diplomacy can also stop a war, as years of secret and not-so-secret negotiations between the US and Iran proved when the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was reached in 2015.

Nuclear

'Things That Go Boom:' Nothing good happens after 'nuclear midnight'

The World

May 14, 2019

It's been a year since the US pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal ad some experts warn that the threat of a worldwide meltdown is the worst its been since the darkest, most dangerous days of the Cold War.

Election 2016

How to deflect a 'hijab grab' and other lessons from a Muslim black belt

The World

December 29, 2016

When Rana Abdelhamid was 15, a man tried to rip off her hijab. Now she teaches self-defense classes for Muslim women like her.

Business

Her resort is a refuge from more than just stress

The World

December 11, 2015

Casa Nemo Beach Resort and Spa sits on the island of Pulau Weh in Aceh, Indonesia. While the rest of Aceh has its own version of Sharia law, restricting the behavior of women and gay men, things are a little freer at Casa Nemo. The resort's owner says she wants it to be a refuge, but she's not sure how long it will be able to survive as one.