Spycraft has always excited people, with stories of daring agents using high-tech wizardry to bust terrorists in the act.

But the reality is much less glamorous—and much more dangerous.

As spying entered the 1960s, technology started to play a serious role in getting intel.

Listen to Kate Griffiths, fellow for the Budget Policy and Institutional Reform program, in discussion with host Kat Clay, on how to reform Australia’s political donations system.

How will artificial intelligence (AI) affect work?

While it seems likely that automation and robotics will impact, or even displace, jobs on the lower-end of the income and education spectrum, AI may have impacts on better-paid and more educated workers, according to new research from Mark Muro, Robert Maxim, and Jacob Whiton.

Unrest is sweeping Latin America.

Recent months have seen demonstrations in Chile and Ecuador.

In Bolivia, demonstrations triggered a constitutional crisis and the departure of long-time President Evo Morales.

What explains this explosion of popular discontent?

Are the demonstrations unique to their country’s circumstances or do they reflect broader trends in Latin America?

This episode’s guest is Dr. Francisco Monaldi.

He is the Fellow in Latin American Energy Policy at the Baker Institute’s Center for Energy studies.

We discuss recent developments in Syria, from the impacts of the United States abandoning allies in the area, to Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria and clash with Kurdish forces, with LGen (ret’d) D. Michael Day.

Maseh Zarif talks with his ISW colleagues Nataliya Bugayova and Darina Regio about what Russia is up to in Africa.

They discuss Russia’s coordinated campaign to gain economic and political influence, and its attempt to create opportunities for expanding its military presence on the continent.

Nataliya and Darina also put this campaign in the context of U.S. interests, identifying why the United States should be concerned and what to look for in the coming months.