A criminal probe of the Fed chair raises a big question: What happens to inflation, jobs and financial stability when politicians pressure central banks?
The Conversation
DOJ criminal probe highlights risk of Fed losing independence – a central bank scholar explains what’s at stake
The investigation follows Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s refusal to toe the White House’s line over interest rate cuts.
Unpopular wars erode presidential power. With #Venezuela, Trump faces public resistance, congressional pushback, and no clear, respected story to justify escalation.
The Conversation
Wars without clear purpose erode presidential legacies, and Trump risks political consequences with further military action in Venezuela
President Donald Trump should take notice: From Lyndon Johnson to George W. Bush, history shows leaders often pay a high political price when wars ...
Venezuelan oil production has collapsed from 3.5 million barrels a day in 1997 to 840,000 today. Even if the U.S. secures 30 to 50 million barrels, that's only a few days worth of American oil consumption – and there’s already a global over-supply of oil.
The Conversation
Why unlocking Venezuelan oil won’t mean much for US energy prices
Political chaos, sanctions and technical mismanagement of the oil industry may have taken a heavy toll on the industry.
Iran’s protests have spread to more than 25 provinces, transforming what began as local economic unrest into a nationwide challenge to the Islamic government’s survival.
The Conversation
Iran’s protests have spread across provinces, despite skepticism and concern among ethnic groups
The demands of Iran’s ethnic minorities differ from many of those in Tehran, and they have reason to fear the return of the Pahlavi monarchy.
 #Iran #news
Someone tell Pete Hegseth that the way of a true warrior turns toward philosophy rather than unrestrained power and endless war, according to philosophers like Aristotle and Yamamoto Tsunetomo.
The Conversation
Seeking honor is a double-edged sword – from ancient Greece to samurai Japan, thinkers have wrestled with whether it’s the way to virtue
Though they lived centuries apart, Aristotle and Tsunetomo both explored what it means to live virtuously, and the risks of wanting praise or recog...
#Detroit seniors pay some of Michigan’s highest housing costs while living in some of its lowest-value homes. Nearly half spend over 30% of their income just to stay housed.
The Conversation
Nearly half of Detroit seniors spend at least 30% of their income on housing costs − even as real estate values fall
Detroit seniors pay more in homeowner’s insurance, utilities and property tax, and those on fixed incomes can struggle to make ends meet.
Iran’s government shut down the internet to stop protests. It hasn’t worked.
The Conversation
How social media is channeling popular discontent in Iran during ongoing period of domestic unrest
Information is still getting out despite an almost total internet blackout, especially with the help of diaspora groups. That poses a big problem f...
 #Iran
If you asked people around the world which way is down, they'd all point in different directions. A planetary scientist explains how gravity, rotation and collisions shaped not just our solar system, but entire galaxies.
The Conversation
What is below Earth, since space is present in every direction?
Which way is ‘down’ has a different answer depending on where you are on Earth, in the solar system, in our galaxy and beyond.
Venezuela’s oil industry has flailed under government control. Mexico and Brazil have had more success with nationalization, explains a scholar of global energy.
The Conversation
Venezuela’s oil industry has flailed under government control – Mexico and Brazil have had more success with nationalizing
US oil companies have never stopped investing and operating in Venezuela’s petroleum industry, despite many changes in the terms of their engagem...
Trump has been involved in 4,000+ lawsuits in his lifetime – including a $10 billion suit filed against the BBC in December. Media freedom scholars say the goal isn’t to win in court — it’s to intimidate critics and weaken the press’s ability to hold him accountable.
The Conversation
Trump lawsuits seek to muzzle media, posing serious threat to free press
The president has sued multiple media companies. He may care less about winning in court than intimidating news outlets, suggest two media scholars.