The view from the ground.
Dispatch
List of Dispatch articles
![A military escort gives a tour of the destruction in central Derna, Libya.]()
A military escort gives a tour of the destruction in central Derna, Libya.
Eastern Libya’s Rulers Crack Down on Protests—Not Shoddy Infrastructure
Libyan authorities invited journalists to cover the floods. Their window of welcome quickly closed.
![Polish Prime Minister and member of the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) political party Mateusz Morawiecki waves to supporters before speaking at a PiS election rally on the last day of campaigning on October 11, 2019 in Chelm, Poland.]()
Polish Prime Minister and member of the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) political party Mateusz Morawiecki waves to supporters before speaking at a PiS election rally on the last day of campaigning on October 11, 2019 in Chelm, Poland.
Poland Is Throwing All Its Neighbors Under the Bus
Running for reelection, the Polish government is flailing in every direction to keep its populist credibility.
![A man holds a flag bearing the logo of the Wagner Group as supporters of Niger's coup gather in the capital of Niamey on Aug. 26.]()
A man holds a flag bearing the logo of the Wagner Group as supporters of Niger's coup gather in the capital of Niamey on Aug. 26.
Wagner’s African Hosts Regret Letting Them In
Libyans, among others, are sick of the Russian mercenaries.
![A lone wolf faces the camera appearing to snarl on a dry winter field on the edge of the forest in Hukkajarvi, eastern Finland.]()
A lone wolf faces the camera appearing to snarl on a dry winter field on the edge of the forest in Hukkajarvi, eastern Finland.
Who’s Afraid of Europe’s Big, Bad Wolves?
Conservationists face off against farmers in a familiar man-versus-nature conflict.
![Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, wearing a dark green shirt, gestures with his left hand, as he stands behind the U.N. seal to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York.]()
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, wearing a dark green shirt, gestures with his left hand, as he stands behind the U.N. seal to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Zelensky: ‘War Crimes Must Be Punished’
Ukraine’s president made an impassioned plea at the opening of the U.N. General Assembly to bring wrongdoers—such as Russia—to justice.
![Two camel-colored Abrams tanks move across a sandy landscape beneath a cloudy sky.]()
Two camel-colored Abrams tanks move across a sandy landscape beneath a cloudy sky.
Ukraine Is Getting Its Abrams—but Not What It Really Wants
U.S. military support for Kyiv continues, but political resistance means no long-range fire.
![El Hardi kneels next to his dog Rock, amid tangled piles of rubble, water, and some intact buildings, during their search in Derna, Libya.]()
El Hardi kneels next to his dog Rock, amid tangled piles of rubble, water, and some intact buildings, during their search in Derna, Libya.
‘We’ll Start Digging Here’
Unusually virulent weather and poor infrastructure have brought hell to eastern Libya.
![Supporters of the AfD party, Free Saxons movement, and other groups demonstrate against high energy prices, German support for Ukraine, and other government policies in Chemnitz, Germany.]()
Supporters of the AfD party, Free Saxons movement, and other groups demonstrate against high energy prices, German support for Ukraine, and other government policies in Chemnitz, Germany.
Why Does Eastern Germany Love Putin So Much?
Russian disinformation has bewitched the far right and the far left.
![People sit on stairs outside a popular bar at night in Istanbul, Turkey.]()
People sit on stairs outside a popular bar at night in Istanbul, Turkey.
Turks Are Running Out of Cash—and Patience
Erdogan’s economic gambles created an inflation mess. Can his U-turn fix what’s broken?
![Volunteers from the German NGO Tentaja sift through donations destined for Ukrainian refugees in a hangar of the former Tempelhof Airport in Berlin.]()
Volunteers from the German NGO Tentaja sift through donations destined for Ukrainian refugees in a hangar of the former Tempelhof Airport in Berlin.
Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport Tells Germany’s Story
Born just ahead of the horrors of the Nazi regime, the airport now offers a safe haven to refugees and everyday Germans.
![Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji enjoys an ice cake to celebrate his third birthday at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington.]()
Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji enjoys an ice cake to celebrate his third birthday at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington.
The Panda Party’s Almost Over
Three of Washington’s most beloved residents are heading back home, ending an era amid frostiness in U.S.-China relations.
![Two adults wearing matching lanyards designating them as volunteers sit next to each other at a table with laptops in front of them. One of the volunteers leans to the side to look at the other's screen as he types. Behind the volunteers, other people sit at tables with laptops and phones.]()
Two adults wearing matching lanyards designating them as volunteers sit next to each other at a table with laptops in front of them. One of the volunteers leans to the side to look at the other's screen as he types. Behind the volunteers, other people sit at tables with laptops and phones.
Inside the White House-Backed Effort to Hack AI
Hackers, students, and government officials gathered at DEF CON to push chatbots over the edge.
![Charmante Kapinga sits on a chair holding her young son as a nurse prepares to weigh him before a routine vaccination at the Mervedi medical center outside Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.]()
Charmante Kapinga sits on a chair holding her young son as a nurse prepares to weigh him before a routine vaccination at the Mervedi medical center outside Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Shadow of the Next Pandemic Looms in a Virus Hotspot
Low vaccination coverage in the Democratic Republic of the Congo raises the risk of diseases spreading and adapting undetected.
![A protester whose face is partially obscured by a waving Israeli flag holds a yellow sign that says "Don't trust Bibi."]()
A protester whose face is partially obscured by a waving Israeli flag holds a yellow sign that says "Don't trust Bibi."
Will Israel’s Supreme Court Fight Back?
Justices are asked to stem Netanyahu’s authoritarian drift.
![Celil Turan stands amid tall dry grass on the snowy shore of Storsjon Lake in Sweden. He wears a heavy jacket and is seen in profile looking into the distance.]()
Celil Turan stands amid tall dry grass on the snowy shore of Storsjon Lake in Sweden. He wears a heavy jacket and is seen in profile looking into the distance.
Erdogan’s Long Arm Threatens Kurdish Exiles in Sweden
Those who fled Turkey are now facing extradition as Ankara seeks concessions from Stockholm before approving its NATO bid.
![Afghans living in India take part in a demonstration outside the UNHCR office in New Delhi.]()
Afghans living in India take part in a demonstration outside the UNHCR office in New Delhi.
For Afghan Refugees, India Is Far From a Safe Haven
New Delhi isn’t a party to the U.N. Refugee Convention—leaving migrants in legal limbo.
![Campaign posters hang from lampposts in eastern Germany.]()
Campaign posters hang from lampposts in eastern Germany.
Germany’s Far Right Sees Its Opening (Again)
The AfD is on the rise nationally, notching a mayoral win and matching the Social Democrats in polls. Can it last?
![Smoke rises from a bonfire near graffiti reading "The police kills" during clashes with police in the streets of Lyon, France.]()
Smoke rises from a bonfire near graffiti reading "The police kills" during clashes with police in the streets of Lyon, France.
Why France Is Burning
A shocking video sparked massive riots and has reignited the debate on police violence in the banlieues.
![A wide view of a soccer stadium in Istanbul shows the crowd and the VIP box, where the presidents of Turkey and the United Arab Emirates sit beside each other while watching the match.]()
A wide view of a soccer stadium in Istanbul shows the crowd and the VIP box, where the presidents of Turkey and the United Arab Emirates sit beside each other while watching the match.
Erdogan and Europe Are Stuck in a Draw
The Turkish president won reelection on an anti-Western platform. But he can’t quit European soccer.
![A Polisario fighter wearing a turban is shown from behind as he surveys a desert war scene in the Western Sahara. A vehicle with a rocket launcher and more fighters stand in the sand beyond him.]()
A Polisario fighter wearing a turban is shown from behind as he surveys a desert war scene in the Western Sahara. A vehicle with a rocket launcher and more fighters stand in the sand beyond him.
Decolonization’s Last Stand in the Sahara
How the Polisario Front’s 50-year war for independence is escalating a battle over a territory long disputed—and feeding a broader crisis.
Eastern Libya’s Rulers Crack Down on Protests—Not Shoddy Infrastructure
Libyan authorities invited journalists to cover the floods. Their window of welcome quickly closed.
Poland Is Throwing All Its Neighbors Under the Bus
Running for reelection, the Polish government is flailing in every direction to keep its populist credibility.
Wagner’s African Hosts Regret Letting Them In
Libyans, among others, are sick of the Russian mercenaries.
Who’s Afraid of Europe’s Big, Bad Wolves?
Conservationists face off against farmers in a familiar man-versus-nature conflict.
Zelensky: ‘War Crimes Must Be Punished’
Ukraine’s president made an impassioned plea at the opening of the U.N. General Assembly to bring wrongdoers—such as Russia—to justice.
Ukraine Is Getting Its Abrams—but Not What It Really Wants
U.S. military support for Kyiv continues, but political resistance means no long-range fire.
‘We’ll Start Digging Here’
Unusually virulent weather and poor infrastructure have brought hell to eastern Libya.
Why Does Eastern Germany Love Putin So Much?
Russian disinformation has bewitched the far right and the far left.
Turks Are Running Out of Cash—and Patience
Erdogan’s economic gambles created an inflation mess. Can his U-turn fix what’s broken?
Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport Tells Germany’s Story
Born just ahead of the horrors of the Nazi regime, the airport now offers a safe haven to refugees and everyday Germans.
The Panda Party’s Almost Over
Three of Washington’s most beloved residents are heading back home, ending an era amid frostiness in U.S.-China relations.
Inside the White House-Backed Effort to Hack AI
Hackers, students, and government officials gathered at DEF CON to push chatbots over the edge.
The Shadow of the Next Pandemic Looms in a Virus Hotspot
Low vaccination coverage in the Democratic Republic of the Congo raises the risk of diseases spreading and adapting undetected.
Will Israel’s Supreme Court Fight Back?
Justices are asked to stem Netanyahu’s authoritarian drift.
Erdogan’s Long Arm Threatens Kurdish Exiles in Sweden
Those who fled Turkey are now facing extradition as Ankara seeks concessions from Stockholm before approving its NATO bid.
For Afghan Refugees, India Is Far From a Safe Haven
New Delhi isn’t a party to the U.N. Refugee Convention—leaving migrants in legal limbo.
Germany’s Far Right Sees Its Opening (Again)
The AfD is on the rise nationally, notching a mayoral win and matching the Social Democrats in polls. Can it last?
Why France Is Burning
A shocking video sparked massive riots and has reignited the debate on police violence in the banlieues.
Erdogan and Europe Are Stuck in a Draw
The Turkish president won reelection on an anti-Western platform. But he can’t quit European soccer.
Decolonization’s Last Stand in the Sahara
How the Polisario Front’s 50-year war for independence is escalating a battle over a territory long disputed—and feeding a broader crisis.
Loading graphics