Explainer
List of Explainer articles
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Royal Thai Army soldiers ride atop armored vehicles in Chachoengsao province, Thailand, on July 24. Cambodia and Thailand Have Agreed to a Cease-Fire. Now What?
A long-running border dispute remains unresolved but seems contained for now.
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A fan of U.S. President Donald Trump adjusts a cutout of Elon Musk at a “Trump-A-Palooza” event in Brevard, North Carolina. Third Parties in America Usually Fail. Can Elon Musk Change That?
The world’s richest man takes his political evolution another step further.
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Donald Trump motions with both hands as he speaks into a microphone at a podium. Trump wears a dark suit with a dark pink or light red tie. Everything We Still Don’t Know Ahead of Trump’s Big Tariff Week
It’s not even clear if this is still the big week for trade.
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A general view of a rare-earth refinery north of the Inner Mongolian city of Baotou on Aug. 20, 2012. How Rare Earths Became China’s Top Trade Weapon
Washington wasn’t always so vulnerable to Beijing’s chokehold.
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A collage stile illustration shows a soldier waving a NATO flag. Behind are soldiers walking in front of a blue descending bar chart and graph lines. Can Trump’s 5 Percent Defense Spending Threshold Save NATO?
Experts suggest that shifting how the alliance spends its money could be more effective against a Russian security threat.
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Volunteers at a camp for internally displaced people unload sacks of wheat flour that were part of an aid delivery from USAID in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The Chaos at USAID, Explained
Experts warn that dissolving the agency would be a gift to U.S. adversaries.
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Gloved hands hold a sign that says "Keep Tiktok." The Supreme Court can be seenin the background. The TikTok Ban Looms
The Supreme Court has upheld the ban. Here’s what to know about the popular social media app’s future.
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In the foreground are about half a dozen small buildings close to the shore of an ocean bay. Several of the buildings are painted blue or green, but most of the paint is weather-faded from the elements. Out beyond the bay, a pale white iceberg larger than all the buildings combined floats on the water. Why Is Trump So Obsessed With Greenland?
The Arctic territory has long captured the attention of U.S. leaders.
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A silver car drives past a Verizon store in Daly City. Why the Salt Typhoon Hack Is Freaking Everyone Out
Officials say hackers linked to China have unprecedented access to U.S. telecommunication networks.
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Soldiers try to enter the National Assembly building in Seoul on Dec. 4, after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law. How South Koreans Rejected Martial Law
A self-coup attempt by President Yoon Suk-yeol has dramatically flopped.
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U.S. President Donald Trump holds up an official document with people surrounding him. Everything You Wanted to Know About Trump’s Tariffs but Were Afraid to Ask
“Tariff man” can levy them all right. The real questions are how and why.
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Images of Russian President Vladimir Putin are seen near national flags of North Korea and Russia in Pyongyang on June 20. Why North Korea’s Deployment of Troops to Russia Really Matters
Questions abound about the combat quality of Pyongyang’s troops, but they could bail out Moscow and end up alarming Seoul.
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U.S. President Joe Biden (R) and Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump, participate in the CNN presidential debate at the CNN studios in Atlanta, Georgia. Is It Too Late to Replace a Presidential Candidate?
Not according to other democracies around the world.
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A satellite view of Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands in the Chagos Archipelago, in the Indian Ocean. Why Diego Garcia Matters
A dispute over a tiny island in the Indian Ocean presents complications for U.S. goals in the Indo-Pacific.
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A woman holds a microphone and waves a large Mexican flag as confetti falls from the ceiling. Mexico’s Historic Elections, Explained
The country is all but guaranteed its first woman president.
