Argument
An expert’s point of view on a current event.
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Bats are trapped in nets to be examined for possible viruses in Gabon. The Coronavirus Is Not Mother Nature’s Revenge
Ideas about natural and unnatural behavior causing disaster are simple, easy—and wrong.
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Protesters burn an effigy of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah during a protest demanding his resignation. Modi’s India Is Racing to a Point of No Return
Indian culture may be ancient, but its unity is rare and recent. A growing hostility to Muslims threatens to upend the world’s largest democracy.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu point to a map of the Jordan Valley as he gives a speech in Ramat Gan on Sept. 10, 2019. A Netanyahu Victory Would Be Bad News for Peace and the Rule of Law
If he leads the next government, the prime minister is likely to annex much of the West Bank and deepen attacks on judicial independence.
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Riot police clashes with migrants outside of a refugee camp in Diavata, a west suburb of Thessaloniki on April 4, 2019. Europe’s Morality Is Dying at the Greek Border
The EU refused to prepare for a predictable rekindling of the migration crisis—and is now responding with deadly force.
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Syrians displaced by the war gather in Idlib Turkey Is Forcing the West to Look at Idlib
Ankara’s cynical border move gives the European Union the opportunity to redress its past mistakes in Syria.
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Protective N-95 face masks Coronavirus Fears Are a National Security Crisis
Here’s how to arm yourself for the health catastrophe caused by public anxiety.
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China's state broadcaster CGTN anchor Liu Xin The United States Can’t Win Playing China’s Media Games
Tit-for-tat media expulsions only end up benefiting Beijing.
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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?
