Argument
An expert’s point of view on a current event.
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Iranian Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi wipes the sweat off his face, during a press conference with the Islamic republic's government spokesman Ali Rabiei in Tehran on Feb. 24. He confirmed on Feb. 25 that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, amid a major outbreak in Iran. As Coronavirus Spreads, Iranian Doctors Fear the Worst
Iran’s political and economic isolation hasn’t stopped COVID-19—but sanctions are threatening to turn an outbreak into a catastrophe.
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A U.S. airman directs Iranian soldiers carrying off a pallet containing medical supplies from a U.S. aircraft in Kerman, Iran, two days after a massive earthquake hit the city of Bam, killing 22,000 people. Don’t Count on Disaster Diplomacy as a Path to Peace
Displays of goodwill during public health disasters rarely lead to diplomatic breakthroughs with U.S. adversaries such as Iran and North Korea.
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U.S. President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar meet with pharmaceutical executives to discuss the coronavirus. Beijing Knows Who to Blame for the Virus: America
The outbreak has caused a PR crisis for China.
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Slovak President Zuzana Caputova arrives for a welcome ceremony by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Schloss Bellevue in Berlin on Aug. 21, 2019. The End of Eastern Europe’s Great Liberal Hope
Slovakia’s progressive president was supposed to spur a regional revival of liberalism—now her party has even failed to qualify for parliament. What went wrong?
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blimp-hindenburg-airlander-airship-foreign-policy-lead The Age of the Airship May Be Dawning Again
Dirigibles ruled the skies once. Can they make a comeback?
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A view of a slum area in Lebanon's northern port city of Tripoli. Cash-Strapped Lebanon Isn’t Ready for the Coronavirus
Grappling with economic and political turmoil, Lebanon’s government is underequipped for a public health emergency.
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A man points to a webpage promoting prevention of the deadly coronavirus from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Facebook account in Taipei on Feb. 14. Taiwan Wants to Help Fight the Coronavirus. WHO Won’t Let It.
Amid a global health threat, international organizations shouldn’t be playing Beijing’s political games.
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A researcher handles coronavirus samples at a laboratory. How Hackers and Spies Could Sabotage the Coronavirus Fight
Intelligence services have a long history of manipulating information on health issues, and an epidemic is especially tempting for interference. Why aren’t we better prepared?
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Indian National Congress workers shout slogans against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a protest in Amritsar on Feb. 26. India’s Illiberal Turn Won’t Shake Its Relationship With the United States
Mobs roamed New Delhi’s streets as Trump and Modi talked, but the partnership remains robust.
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A voter walks to a voting booth in Bedford, New Hampshire, during the New Hampshire primary. What Washington Can Learn About Elections—From Abroad
The United States has aided polarized democracies in countries from Kenya to Sri Lanka. It’s time to apply those lessons at home.
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An Israeli settler walks past a Palestinian house with verandas covered in meshing along the Israeli-controlled Shuhada street in the West Bank city of Hebron on Jan. 28. Trump’s Plan for Palestine Looks a Lot Like Apartheid
Israel has long resisted the South Africa analogy, but the U.S. government’s support for annexation is making it a reality.
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Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini, the Ordinary People party leader Igor Matovic, and the far-right People's Party-Our Slovakia leader Marian Kotleba await the start of the parliamentary election TV debate in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Feb. 20. Slovakia Faces a Stark Choice
A historic murder trial ahead of parliamentary elections could boost liberal democratic forces over the populist ruling party.
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Displaced Syrian children stand by the Turkish border wall at an informal camp in Kafr Lusin village in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib on Feb. 21. The U.N. Won’t Save Idlib. The EU and NATO Can.
It’s too late to defeat the Assad regime, but a humanitarian intervention by the EU and NATO could prevent countless deaths and another massive refugee crisis.
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A South Korean health worker sprays disinfectant as part of preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus at a residential area near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus on Feb. 27. Cults and Conservatives Spread Coronavirus in South Korea
Seoul seemed to have the virus under control. But religion and politics have derailed plans.
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A demonstrator holds a flag of Donetsk People's Republic as he is carried by fellow activists dressed as zombies outside the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev on March 17, 2015. The United States Needs to Declare War on Proxies
The most important takeaway from the killing of Qassem Suleimani doesn’t just have to do with Iran.
