The Decision Advantage

In this episode of the RANE Essential Geopolitics podcast, the conversation turns to the Asia Pacific. Countries in the region - from China to Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and more - have had differing reactions to the coronavirus. That has led to vastly different infection rates and deaths. Podcast listeners can subscribe to RANE Worldview at https://www.ranenetwork.com/worldview-s...

What Data from China can be trusted and what does it really tell us? In 2007, then-Secretary General of Liaoning Province, Li Keqiang (kuh-chung), told the United States Ambassador that China's gross domestic product (GDP) numbers were "man-made" and that they were for "reference only." Now, as China's second-in-command after General Secretary Xi Jinping, and as Xi's handpicked coordinator of Chin...

Many companies have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by reducing or banning corporate travel and by asking some or all of their employees to work from home. While having employees work from home will help reduce transmission of the virus in the workplace, it also brings with it some additional risks. As the disruptions from responses to COVID-19 mount, it is important to consider the second- and...

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, Host Fred Burton speaks to Thomas Abi-Hanna, a global security analyst for RANE. As anyone in the U.S. who was alive in the 1990's might tell you, the case of convicted spy Aldrich Ames shook Washington and all of its intelligence agencies. Ames worked as a double agent for the USSR and Russia for more than a decade and his treachery led to...

In this episode of RANE's Pen and Sword podcast with Fred Burton, a conversation with Dan Gabriel. Dan Gabriel was just out of college when the terror attacks on September 11th, 2001 spurred him to action. He didn't join the military, though. He joined the CIA where he worked in  counter-terrorism. And he traveled to Mosul and Afghanistan during both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring...

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, host Fred Burton speaks to RANE analyst Ryan Bohl about Israel's new unity government. As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps Israel, the state’s squabbling political factions have settled into a new government but still must work together to work to address ongoing issues such as Gaza, annexation and its relationship with its Arab neighbors. Subsc...

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, Fred Burton speaks with Greg Priddy. Priddy directs RANE's Global Energy and Middle East  Analysis. Today they go deep on why West Texas Intermediate, Intermediate, the main US crude oil benchmark, fell to negative prices Monday afternoon and why the OPEC+ agreement didn't prevent this. You can stay ahead of the economic and geopolitical imp...

In this episode of RANE's Pen and Sword podcast, host Fred Burton speaks with Alexander White, the V.P. of Cyber at Prescient, a global risk management and intelligence firm. Like RANE, Prescient is monitoring an increase in criminal cyber attacks against companies and home offices. Common sense, White says, is always a good first step in keeping bad actors away from your network's back - or front...

In this episode of RANE's Pen and Sword podcast with host Fred Burton, a conversation with Daron K. Roberts. Roberts is the author of Call An Audible. It is the story of Roberts' last minute pivot away from a career in law and a lifelong ambition to become the Governor of Texas by the age of 40 into an NFL coach. These days, Roberts coaches students in a class about Sports Leadership at The Univer...

In this episode of RANE's Pen and Sword podcast, host Fred Burton speaks to serial entrepreneur, Brett Hurt. Hurt's latest startup is data.world, a Public Benefit Corporation focused on data and analysis that also includes the world's largest collaborative public data catalog. Data.world is using its platform to help fight the COVID-19 virus, collecting and sharing data from sources like Johns Hop...

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, a look at Ramadan during unprecedented times. host Fred Burton speaks to Global Security Analyst Ben West about how during the COVID-19 outbreak, nations and religious pilgrims may encounter unusual security constraints. 

In this special episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, host Fred Burton speaks to Michael Monderer. The IMF predicts the global economy will be in decline by about 2-3% this year - IF the coronavirus that has locked things down is contained in the first half. "If the virus were to continue throughout the summer or come back next year, unemployment would hit 1/3 of the global workforce,"...

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, Fred Burton speaks to threat expert, Thomas Abi-Hanna. Abi-Hanna is a RANE analyst focusing on security. He says, in this COVID-19 reality of working from home, bad actors are not waiting to pounce. He shares tips on best practices and a warning: "You can invest in the best cyber security technology in the world. But if the person behind the...

In this episode of RANE's Pen and Sword podcast with Fred Burton, a conversation with David Lawrence. Lawrence is the Founder and Chief Collaborative Officer at RANE (Risk Assistance Network + Exchange). RANE brings together institutions and individuals to create a single risk management community. Lawrence tells the story of how RANE launched, how RANE connects those in need of solutions with exp...

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, Fred Burton speaks with Middle East and North Africa analyst, Emily Hawthorne. In a recent analysis for RANE Worldview, Hawthorne wrote that "By tightening the screws on Iran’s regional proxies and energy sector, the United States risks damaging its remaining ties with the Iraqi government." This as both countries remain committed to an anti...

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, the conversation turns to Russia's efforts to limit the role of its presidency. With a constitutional amendment that would allow Vladimir Putin to run for another two terms, the Kremlin is also trying to delay that inevitable transition as much as possible. Host Fred Burton and global analyst Sim Tack discuss the charismatic president who ha...

In this episode of the RANE Pen and Sword podcast, Fred Burton speaks with Margaux Ewing, the director of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation. The Foundation was named for American independent journalist James Foley, who was kidnapped and murdered in Syria by ISIS. HIs mother, Diane, launched the Foundation to advocate for the freedom of all Americans held hostage abroad and promote the safety of...

In this episode of RANE's Pen and Sword podcast, host Fred Burton catches up with geopolitical analyst, Peter Zeihan. Zeihan previously worked as an analyst with RANE. In his new book, Disunited Nations, Zeihan is predicting the end of the global order - driven by demographics and geopolitics, nations will become more insular. The coronavirus pandemic, he predicts, will hasten the global order's e...

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, host Fred Burton speaks to middle East and North Africa Analyst, Ryan Bohl. Compared to other nations, has the United Stated responded appropriately to the coronavirus pandemic? What is the right balance between the federal and state governments and is too much intervention even possible? For more content like this delivered to your inbox, s...

In this episode of RANE's Pen and Sword podcast, host Fred Burton speaks to his pal, the author Jack Carr. Carr's latest book, Savage Son, releases this month. It is the third of the James Reece trilogy. Carr reveals that this tale leans toward the darker side of human nature - and follows the paths of both the hunter and the hunted. Carr says this might be his darkest tale yet, but is still full...

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, Fred Burton speaks to Senior European Analyst, Adriano Bosoni about about the social, political and economic implications of the COVID-19 outbreak in Europe. As the coronavirus continues to shutter businesses, slow production and furlough or fire workers, RANE asks: How can the EU survive intact?

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, Fred Burton catches up with global analyst, Sim Tack. He's focusing on how coronavirus is creating challenges for several nations in Africa and what happens after the pandemic passes. 

In this episode of RANE's Pen and Sword podcast, Fred Burton speaks with Samuel Katz. Katz' new book comes out in April. It is entitled, "No Shadows in the Desert, Murder, Vengeance, and Espionage in the War Against ISIS." The author tells Burton that the book details the coalition among nations in the Middle East and with the United States, to take down ISIS. The book reveals  the secret inner wo...

In this episode of RANE's Essential Geopolitics podcast, host Fred Burton speaks with Middle East and North Africa analyst, Emily Hawthorne. They discuss Saudi Arabia and the impact not only of the coronavirus but the challenges resented by falling oil price and demand.

In this episode of RANE's Pen and Sword Podcast, Scott Stewart and Fred Burton discuss COVID-19 and working from home. We recommend that employees be educated about the wide array of phishing schemes seeking to capitalize on COVID-19. Employees should also be advised about business email compromise, sometimes referred to as "CEO scams" or "president scams," a growing risk as more business is condu...