Spy agencies brief people in power. We brief you. Each week we’ll bring you one story that matters, plus a few that don’t!
Your Brief for October 31, 2024: Buried treasure, Catching Noriega, secret city, endangered trees and more!
News
2024 World Series
The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the 2024 World Series last night, triumphing over the New York Yankees 7-6 in Game 5. This win brings home the Dodgers' eighth World Series title and marks their first full-season championship since 1988. The team had also claimed the title during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The Yankees had a 5-0 lead by the fifth inning, aided by some defensive errors from the Dodgers. However, Los Angeles rallied, tying up the score with a dramatic fifth-inning comeback. The Yankees managed to inch ahead again in the sixth, but it wasn't enough.
True Spies
Catching Noriega
Could you catch a dictator?
It’s 1989, and the USA has invaded Panama. The country’s corrupt leader, General Manuel Noriega, goes into hiding. Martha Duncan of the Defense Intelligence Agency is tasked with tracking him down - and she’ll do whatever it takes to bring him out into the open.
The US had enjoyed a close relationship with Panama, in particular, with its de facto leader, Noriega. But the relationship had deteriorated to the point of no return. The US wanted Noriega gone and more than 20,000 American troops invaded the country, seizing control of key military installations. Panama City became a battleground. They planned to extradite Noriega to face charges in the US but there was just one problem… he completely disappeared!
When he did surface, it was under the protection of the Vatican Embassy in Panama City—meaning US forces could not legally enter the building to seize him. No matter what they tried, they could not get him out. So how did Martha Duncan, an analyst in the joint intelligence fusion cell, eventually persuade Noriega to surrender, changing the course of history?
Join Martha Duncan on the hunt for Panama’s most wanted in this week’s podcast selection, ‘Catching Noriega’, to find out.
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Quirky
Buried Treasure
How does a hobby lead to $5 million in buried treasure?
Adam Staples and his six friends, out in a farmer’s field in 2019, had only planned to try out a new metal detector, a hobby they'd all enjoyed for years. But what began as a casual treasure hunt quickly transformed into something historic. The coins glimmered in the freshly turned soil, and the group couldn't help but huddle closer. One medieval silver coin, then two, then three—each discovery intensifying the realization that this was no ordinary find.
The collection of coins, The Chew Valley hoard, named after the Somerset region where it was unearthed, has recently been recognized as Britain’s most valuable treasure discovery. Valued at £4.3 million (over $5 million), the stash was acquired by the South West Heritage Trust. The windfall will be split between Mr. Staples, his friends, and the farmer on whose land the coins were found. The coins date back to a pivotal period in British history—just after the 1066 Battle of Hastings where King Harold II fell to William the Conqueror's forces.
Nature
Endangered Trees
Is one-third of the world's forests disappearing?
A new analysis revealed a sobering reality: more than one-third of the world’s tree species are at risk of extinction. Published at the United Nations COP16 biodiversity summit, the report examined over 47,000 tree species and found that at least 16,425 are in jeopardy.
The risk is widespread—trees in 192 countries face threats, but the greatest losses are seen in South America and on islands, where invasive species, deforestation, and climate change are wreaking havoc. Many endangered trees are essential to daily life—over 5,000 are used for construction timber, and more than 2,000 are vital for medicine, food, or fuel. Despite a global commitment to end deforestation by 2030, progress appears to be stalling. Roughly 85% of the world's forests are in countries that have pledged to protect them.
Games
Scrambled Maps
Scrambled Maps is a daily puzzle game that challenges players to rebuild a city map by correctly placing scrambled tiles. Each day a different city features, and you can increase the difficulty level by adding more tiles to a puzzle. Test your skills and try your hand at today's city map here.
Looking for more puzzles? Puzzlemaker Bryant White has crafted the crossword 'The City Map' for you to solve.
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What history lies hidden beneath Mexico's dense jungle canopy?
Archaeologists have uncovered a vast Maya city beneath the dense jungle of Campeche, Mexico. Named Valeriana, this newly discovered site features over 6,600 structures—including pyramids and ball courts—marking it as one of the largest Maya settlements in Latin America. Researchers estimate the city may have been home to up to 50,000 people during the Classic Maya period (250-900 CE). Valeriana’s layout suggests it once was an important political or economic hub. The discovery was made by chance when researchers analyzed preexisting lidar data—originally collected for ecological studies—that used airborne laser mapping to penetrate the thick jungle canopy and reveal hidden structures below.
Image Credit: Tulane University
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