Mike’s Recent Stories
Nation Dec 13
CARE packages helped Europeans during WWII. Today, they are helping AmericansCARE packages, a box of army surplus rations Americans could buy and ship to the millions of needy and displaced Europeans during the Second World War, are, for the first time in CARE’s history, being used to help Americans, many…
World Jun 09
How Vietnam’s authoritarian government succeeded at containing COVID-19The coronavirus pandemic is continuing to spread across much of the world, but one country that set out to defeat it has apparently succeeded: Vietnam. Bordering China, where the virus originated, the similarly authoritarian country instituted mass quarantines and social…
World Apr 17
Why growing U.S. drone operations in Niger are controversialOver the past few years, the U.S. military has increased its activities and broadened its mission in Africa. In Niger, the U.S. Air Force has built a huge new base from which it launches drone operations. But critics worry the…
World Apr 16
In Niger, rising temperatures mean barren fields — but fertile ground for terrorismIn the African Sahel, located between the Sahara Desert and the equator, the climate has long been inhospitable. But now rising temperatures have caused prolonged drought and unpredictable weather patterns, exacerbating food shortages, prompting migration and contributing to instability in…
Nation Oct 16
War veterans find sustenance–and solace–in farmingAfter Congress failed to pass a farm bill ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, a Department of Agriculture program that helps veterans transition into farming faces an uncertain future. For soldiers returning from war, farming can offer a new occupation,…
Science Aug 15
How the Pentagon joins forces with Silicon Valley startupsThe U.S. military has been closely connected with Silicon Valley since it "started-up" in the 1960s. More recently, the Defense Department has set up an innovation base of sorts to get closer to the new technology companies they need to…
Nation Mar 30
An exclusive look behind the scenes of the U.S. military’s cyber defenseAt U.S. Cyber Command, cyber protection teams defend the Pentagon's networks from adversaries like Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, and fight thousands of non-state actors like terrorist groups and professional hackers. Special correspondent Mike Cerre got exclusive access to…
World Nov 10
Will U.S. stay committed to toxic Agent Orange cleanup in Vietnam?Vietnam's Da Nang International Airport was less than a year ago one of the most toxic Agent Orange sites in the world. In advance of President Trump's arrival for the APEC Summit, the USAID marked the completion of the first…