EXCLUSIVE: A suspected Chinese spy developed extensive ties with local and national US politicians in what officials believe was an operation run by China’s main civilian spy agency from 2011-2015, Axios found in a yearlong investigation. axios.com/china-spy-cali…
The woman at the center of the operation, a Chinese national named Fang Fang or Christine Fang, targeted up-and-coming local politicians in the Bay Area and across the country who had the potential to make it big on the national stage. axios.com/china-spy-cali…
Even though U.S. officials don’t believe Fang received classified information, the case "was a big deal, because there were some really, really sensitive people that were caught up" in the intel network, a current senior U.S. intelligence official said. axios.com/china-spy-cali…
Axios spoke with 4 current and former U.S. intel officials about the case as well as with 22 current and former elected officials, political operatives and former students who knew Fang personally when she was based in the U.S. Read the full story: axios.com/china-spy-cali…
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A look at how philanthropy is evolving (and why Dolly Parton deserves a Medal of Freedom). axios.com/philanthropy-d…
The balance of power in the philanthropic world is moving — slowly but surely — away from the people with the money and toward the people they're trying to help, @felixsalmon writes. axios.com/the-end-of-cha…
It's been a remarkable year of philanthropic payouts for donor-advised funds (DAFs), @jenniferkingson reports, which let people take an immediate tax deduction by putting money into an account earmarked for future charitable donations. axios.com/covid-19-spurs…
✈️ DEEP DIVE — The future of air Travel
A look at the future of air travel as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday week while coronavirus cases are surging and the CDC is urging Americans to avoid travel. axios.com/air-travels-co…
With the coronavirus pandemic worsening and no more help in sight from the U.S. government, airlines and airports are scrambling to survive the worst crisis in aviation history. axios.com/airlines-plot-…
Business travel remains depressed during the pandemic, but some airlines are seeing more leisure travelers in their first-class cabins.
For those who can afford it, premium class seats offer more comfort and perhaps a little extra breathing room. axios.com/some-air-trave…
"It's not a pipeline problem. It is still a bro culture. Until we change that, until Silicon Valley admits that all nerds are not welcome, we will continue to not solve this problem."
There's no bigger crisis for media, politics, society than the growing number of people who don't believe facts and verifiable figures. If we don't collectively solve this, we're all screwed. axios.com/2020-lessons-m…
The media remains fairly clueless about the America that exists outside of the big cities, where most political writers and editors live.
The coverage missed badly the Trump surge in places obvious (rural America) and less obvious (Hispanic-heavy border towns in Texas)
Let’s be honest: Many of us under-appreciated the appeal of Trump’s anti-socialism message and the backlash against the defund-the-police rhetoric on the left. axios.com/2020-lessons-m…
"If we can use interconnected devices that give faster and more reliable data, then we can come back and talk about issues like climate change and the impacts on, say, pollution and wind and rain."