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Tue, 13 Oct 2026

397 articlesNewest first
Axios/8 OctArticle

Nicolás Maduro and his wife hit with fresh torture charge

Prosecutors accused former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife of orchestrating the torture of people held in his regime's custody, piling onto the narcoterrorism charges they already face in a fresh indictment unveiled Thursday. The big picture: The charges add new fuel to the historic prosecution seeking to hold the strongman-turned-prisoner accountable for alleged crimes against Americans and alleged abuse of power. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty in January to drug- and weapon-related charges. They have been held in the U.S. since their stunning capture from Caracas earlier this year. Maduro's attorney did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment. Driving the news: Maduro "authorized the use of torture against specific individuals and oversaw a system designed to use torture, arbitrary detention, and violence as a means of repression against the political opposition," a superseding indictment filed in the Southern District of New York alleged. The new indictment charges Maduro and Flores with conspiracy to commit torture, alleging they engaged in a conspiracy to inflict "severe physical and mental pain and suffering to repress and punish political opposition." What's inside: The indictment outlines a series of disturbing torture tactics — including electrocution, beatings, isolation and simulated drowning — allegedly employed at Maduro's direction to quell political opposition. "As opposition to the ruling regime intensified," Maduro allegedly "continued to oversee the development of a more systematic approach to unlawfull

Avery Lotztop
Geopolitical Monitor/8 OctPreview

Upstream Battle: Ethiopia’s Civil War Draws in Regional Rivalries

Ethiopia's new war in Tigray now runs through three disputes: the Nile, the Red Sea, and Sudan's war. The post Upstream Battle: Ethiopia’s Civil War Draws in Regional Rivalries appeared first on Geopolitical Monitor .

Arman SidhuAll, Featured Slider, Ethiopia, Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Sudan Civil War
RAND/8 OctPreview

Biosecurity in the Age of AI: Q&A with Steph Guerra

The question that drives Steph Guerra's work at RAND may be one of the most consequential for this moment in the AI era: How can we harness the full potential of AI for science and medicine—but also ensure it never helps anyone build a biological weapon?

ECFR/8 OctArticle

Unlikely Europeans: The hidden voters who could sway France’s presidential election

Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, pro-European candidates may find unexpected opportunities among voters of both the radical left and the far right

Angelika MarkowskaEuropean Power, European Union, France, New Politics Project, Commentary, Paweł Zerka
Geopolitical Monitor/8 OctPreview

When Moscow Could Not Bridge Kabul and Islamabad

Pakistan and Afghanistan no longer disagree about solutions. They disagree about who decides the facts. The post When Moscow Could Not Bridge Kabul and Islamabad appeared first on Geopolitical Monitor .

Muhammad AmirAll, Afghan Taliban, AfPak Region, Pakistan Taliban
Axios/8 OctArticle

DNC sues to stop Trump's taxpayer-funded ad blitz

President Trump said he will help pay for his administration's campaign-style ads after the Democratic National Committee sued Wednesday over their use of taxpayer money. Why it matters: Trump's funding announcement does not address the DNC's central allegation that the administration illegally used taxpayer money to finance the ads. What they're saying: Trump said in a Truth Social post that he considers the ads "to be a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A." and defended using taxpayer money for them. "This is a rather standard thing to do but, rather than doing that, although nothing will make them happy, I have decided to do the Patriotic Ads, among others, and pay for them myself," Trump wrote. Trump said money from MAGA Inc., his superPAC, would also pay for the ads. A person familiar with the advertising plans said the existing taxpayer-funded ad buy will end this week, after which outside groups will begin paying for the spots. The White House defended the ads as public service announcements, arguing that previous Republican and Democratic administrations have used taxpayer-funded advertising to promote government policies. The White House said the ads are not political because Trump is not on the ballot and the spots contain no call to action. The other side: "These ads are a clear violation of the Congressional ban on the use of appropriated funds for 'publicity or propaganda purposes,'" the DNC's legal counsel wrote in the lawsuit . "The president has nationalized the midterm election, made himself the center of a two-day 'midterm convention,' and repeatedly di

Josephine Walkertop
Carnegie Endowment/8 OctPreview

An American Muslim Exception?

In an interview, Rozina Ali discusses her new book on the rise and manifestations of Islamophobia in the United States.

Michael YoungUnited States
Carnegie Endowment/8 OctPreview

The EU’s Middle-Power Puzzle

While the EU and European governments are embracing the much-lauded middle-power moment, this entails three difficult conundrums.

Richard YoungsEU, Foreign Policy, Global Governance, Europe, United States, China, Canada
Carnegie Endowment/8 OctPreview

Jordan’s Border Economy: Even Amid Transformation, the Drug Trade Endures

The civil war in Syria may have ended, but the country continues to serve as a source for the trafficking of illegal substances into and via Jordanian territory.

Armenak Tokmajyan, Laith QerbaaLevant, Jordan, Syria
Carnegie Endowment/8 OctPreview

Can Nuclear Fuel Be Delivered in Time to Power Advanced Nuclear Reactors?

Producing nuclear fuel quickly enough remains a major risk factor for the emerging advanced reactor industry.

Elmer W. DykeNuclear Energy
Carnegie Endowment/8 OctPreview

California’s Middle Power Moment

The middle power moment will not be defined by sovereign states alone, and California stands out for its potential contributions to international cooperation.

Ian Klaus, Stewart PatrickSubnational Affairs, Foreign Policy
SIPRI/8 OctPreview

Europe must prioritize consistency and de-escalation at the space–nuclear nexus

Europe faces impending instability at the space–nuclear nexus in today’s changing strategic environment. This essay considers how European states are responding to these strategic shifts in the space and nuclear domains.

Nivedita Raju
Modern War Institute/8 OctArticle

Dispersion Will Not Save You: Survivability in the Age of Middle-Strike Drones

Russian occupying forces have long used highways like the M14 to drive to Crimea. Trucks flowed along the highway, beyond the reach of the drones that made movement near the […]

Commentary & Analysis, justin.lynch, kian.molani
Modern War Institute/8 OctArticle

Podcast: The Spear – SAG-U Commander’s Action Group

In this episode, Colonel Mike Rosol joins MWI’s Charlie Faint in the West Point Class of 1974 Recording Studio to reflect on a career spanning armored warfare, multiple deployments to […]

The Spear, charles.faint
Axios/8 OctArticle

Republicans squirm as Latino support slips in South Texas

Republicans are in a dogfight to defend the Latino gains that had them dreaming of a lasting political realignment just two years ago. Why it matters: Nowhere is that reversal of fortune more visible than in South Texas, where President Trump ran up historic numbers in 2024 — and Republicans redrew the map in 2025, assuming those Latino gains would last. Trump won 55% of Texas Latino voters in 2024 exit polls, carried 14 of the 18 counties within 20 miles of the border and won all four Rio Grande Valley counties. Polling shows Trump's disapproval ratings have skyrocketed among Latinos in Texas since 2024. Democrats and allied groups are now pouring money into races across the Rio Grande Valley. Zoom in: The reversal is starkest in TX-15, where Rep. Monica De La Cruz was one of the GOP's most visible symbols of its South Texas breakthrough. Trump would have carried the newly-drawn district by 18 percentage points in 2024. De La Cruz won her 2024 race under the previous map by 14 points. Cook Political Report moved the race from Lean Republican to Toss Up on Sept. 25, saying public and private polling shows the race tied or even favoring Tejano singer and Democrat Bobby Pulido . By the numbers: Democratic campaigns and allied groups are outspending Republican campaigns and groups on Spanish-language ads in two of the three competitive House districts covering the Rio Grande Valley, according to AdImpact data reported by the Texas Tribune . In TX-34, held by Vicente Gonzalez (D), Democratic campaigns and groups have spent $2.7 million on Spanish-language ads, compared with $1.

Russell Contrerastop
Axios/8 OctArticle

"The Axios Show": Inside Bryan Johnson's quest to make 300 the new 70

Bryan Johnson , the face of the longevity movement, wants to make staying alive more important than making money. The famous/infamous biohacker spends over $2 million a year on his health, talks about living forever and publicly tracks everything from his erections to his sperm strength. Why it matters: As Johnson fights to "live forever," he's doing so with a wink to his 8 million social media followers, a link to his business in his bio and a knack for drawing attention to himself. What they're saying: In his interview with The Axios Show, he offered some advice for Elon Musk, said he'd love to help President Trump with his health and revealed his ultimate goal. "Will the 25th century ... be like, 'thank you' in 500 years? Will they give me a head nod? That's the goal," he said. Zoom out: His big picture focus: change the focus of society to health, not wealth. "Society says making money... is the greatest trophy one can get...we are at this inflection moment as a species where we are transitioning to 'Don't Die,'" Johnson said, referring to the title of his longevity movement. "What creates status and power and prestige is going to be different. And as crazy as it sounds, it may be your nighttime erections...It may be your ability to dunk a basketball at age 49," he said. Johnson, 49, is currently trying to dunk . Zoom out: That focus is what drives some of his more extreme experiments and interventions. In 2023, Johnson injected his teenage son's plasma , which he found to be a helpful regimen for his dad but not for himself, saying his own biomarkers are already "prett

Madison Millstop
Axios/8 OctArticle

Inside Trump's blow-up at Fox News over El-Sayed coverage

Republicans have spent months griping privately to Fox News about coverage they argue is helping Abdul El-Sayed , Michigan's Democratic nominee for Senate, moderate his image. The frustration boiled into public view Tuesday when President Trump lashed out at his favorite network. Why it matters: Republicans worry that Fox is undercutting their efforts to brand the charismatic El-Sayed as a liberal who's far outside the mainstream. Polls show El-Sayed, a critic of Israel's government who'd be the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate, in a tight race against former Rep. Mike Rogers (R). Behind the scenes: White House officials reached out to Fox on Tuesday to complain about anchor Martha MacCallum's interview with El-Sayed, according to people familiar with the conversations. On Truth Social, Trump blasted the interview as "softball." "Fox is promoting the Dumocrats, not the Republicans and MAGA. They have totally lost their way!" he wrote. The White House's frustration over Fox's coverage of El-Sayed had been bubbling for weeks before Trump's post. Senior GOP operatives repeatedly contacted Fox producers and executives in early August, warning that El-Sayed could use favorable commentary from host Jesse Watters to cast himself as moderate. After El-Sayed's upset primary win over an establishment-backed candidate, Watters said: "You gotta respect Abdul because he beat the [Democratic] machine." Later that month, El-Sayed released a TV ad featuring Watters' remark. His campaign called Watters an "unlikely validator." Republicans were reassured when Watters pressed El-Sayed

Alex Isenstadttop
Axios/8 OctArticle

OpenAI's math breakthrough points beyond math

AI's conquest of computer programming offered an early demonstration of what happens when models become good enough at a specialized field that experts can no longer treat them as a novelty. Mathematics appears to be next. Why it matters: OpenAI's latest mathematical results — which involved releasing hundreds of new proofs generated by a powerful, unreleased model — demonstrate that the startling advances of AI are likely to continue moving across entirely new fields. Catch up quick: OpenAI on Tuesday released 722 manuscripts organized into 372 groups of findings (" families ") on long-standing mathematical problems, inviting academics and researchers to examine and build on the material. The reception has mixed scientific excitement with genuine unease. One Rutgers University mathematician said on X that a result connected to the Riemann hypothesis would warrant an automatic Fields Medal if a human had done the work. Some mathematicians have questioned these results, as well as another solution OpenAI released last month , asking whether they represent original breakthroughs or draw heavily from previous human input. Others downplayed the utility of AI-generated math. "You can discover new math easily," Stephen Wolfram, a renowned computer scientist and physicist who has followed AI closely for years, said at a Tuesday event for the National Museum of Mathematics. "You can make a trillion theorems easily. The problem is most of those theorems are not ones that anybody will care about." Zoom in: Like computer programming, mathematics gives AI something unusually valuable:

Bradley Olsontop
The Soufan Center/8 OctArticle

U.S. and Iran Could Be Moving Toward Escalation

Neither U.S. nor Iranian leaders see a clear pathway for diplomacy to secure their core objectives, pushing both sides to posture and prepare for military escalation to levels not seen since the U.S.-Israeli campaign began. Tehran’s most pressing goal is to break what it acknowledges is a U.S. stranglehold on the Iranian economy, centered on […] The post U.S. and Iran Could Be Moving Toward Escalation appeared first on The Soufan Center .

Gaby TejedaINTELBRIEF
Brookings/8 OctPreview

The $10 trillion question: Financing the AI buildout

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