Argument
An expert’s point of view on a current event.
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Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa arrives at his swearing-in ceremony outside Colombo on Aug. 9. Rajapaksa, in a Landslide
After a major victory, the family will be able to reshape Sri Lanka to ensure their control for the long term.
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A picture taken on Aug. 9 shows graffiti on the wall of a bridge overlooking the port of Beirut, the site of the explosion which killed at least 154 people and devastated swathes of the capital. Will Lebanon Rise From the Ashes?
After decades of living in denial, the country has hit rock bottom—but glimmers of a brighter future are starting to emerge.
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A protester confronts security forces during an anti-government protest at Parliament on August 10 in Beirut, Lebanon. Lebanon Needs Transformation, Not Another Corrupt Unity Government
If the United States lets France take the lead, the Lebanese people will get more political paralysis, cosmetic reforms, and Hezbollah control of state institutions.
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People protest against corruption in Lima on January 3, 2019. How to Tackle Coronavirus Corruption
Latin American governments have a chance to model a better version of the inspector general, with even greater autonomy, to address graft in the public health sector.
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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Under Cover of Coronavirus, Maduro Is Consolidating Control
As the pandemic continues to stress the country’s collapsing health system, Venezuela’s president has bolstered his political ground.
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Police stands guard around the statue of Jan Pieterszoon Coen in Hoorn, the Netherlands, on June 19. The Dutch Are Uncomfortable With Being History’s Villains, Not Victims
A refusal to confront colonial atrocities persists in the Netherlands.
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Syrian police show seized drugs and Captagon pills in Damascus on Jan. 4, 2016. The Islamic State Isn’t Behind Syria’s Amphetamine Trade
After a record seizure, Italian police blamed the terror group. It’s more likely the Syrian regime has a hand in production and trafficking.
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A Chilean demonstrator holds a Mapuche Indigenous flag Toppling Statues Isn’t Enough in Latin America
Rethinking the past is a tough challenge when colonial structures run deep.
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Lebanese protesters clash with security forces in the vicinity of the Parliament in central Beirut on Aug. 10, following a huge chemical explosion days earlier that devastated large parts of the Lebanese capital. Lebanon’s Government Has Resigned. That’s Not Nearly Enough.
The Lebanese public wants answers and accountability for last week’s port explosion—not scapegoats.
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South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day as part of the country's #MeToo movement in Seoul on March 8, 2018. South Korea Needs to Contend With Sexual Violence
The failed extradition of a child pornographer highlights the Korean legal system’s laxity toward a certain kind of criminal.
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Workers put final touches on a model of a Rafale fighter jet ahead of the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on Jan 22. Rafale Jets Won’t Save India’s Air Force
Thanks to decades of underinvestment, the force has lost its edge over its increasingly aggressive rivals. A few more planes won’t fix that.
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Afghan women listen to speeches during the final campaign rally for Abdullah Abdullah. Afghan Women Should Be the Centerpiece of the Peace Process
Afghanistan's future needs to include more than just those who hold guns. Here’s how to make that happen.
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A group of foreign women rounded up by police from karaoke bars in Thailand’s southern province of Narathiwat are taken to city hall during a campaign against human trafficking on Nov. 9, 2018. As the Global Economy Melts Down, Human Trafficking Is Booming
Desperate families face risky job offers, dubious loans, and online predators.
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Newly released child soldiers stand with rifles during their release ceremony in Yambio, South Sudan, on February 7, 2018. The U.N. Secretary-General Is Letting Powerful Countries Get Away With Killing Kids
By removing Saudi Arabia and other serial violators of children’s human rights from the annual list of shame, António Guterres is weakening one of the U.N.’s most effective accountability mechanisms.
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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and China's President Xi Jinping attend a meeting in Shanghai on May 22, 2014. Iran’s Pact With China Is Bad News for the West
Tehran’s new strategic partnership with Beijing will give the Chinese a strategic foothold and strengthen Iran’s economy and regional clout.
