
Why Did India’s Supreme Court Suspend Controversial Farm Laws Now?
Farmers say “pro-government” ruling doesn’t go far enough.

What Could Stop an ‘Unhinged’ U.S. President From Ordering a Nuclear Strike?
Not a lot, it turns out.

Where Do Things Stand With the COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout?
The U.K.’s quick approval of the Pfizer vaccine means some Britons will get shots starting next week—but in the rest of the world, it’s going to take a while for regular people to get inoculated.

Why Is Trump Threatening America’s Defense Budget?
The president is pushing against a law that digital rights groups say protect social media firms.

5 Questions About the Antitrust Case Against Google That You Should Not Be Afraid to Ask
Far from a game-changer, the case highlights how observers continue to get Big Tech wrong.

Why Is Saad Hariri Back in Charge of Lebanon?
An entrenched sectarian political system, self-serving leaders leftover from the civil war, and a protest movement more ambitious than organized seem to have set Lebanon’s revolution back where it started.

What’s Behind the Mysterious Illness of U.S. Diplomats and Spies?
Whatever’s causing it, all signs point to Moscow.

Is This the Beginning of Kyrgyzstan’s Next Revolution?
The Central Asian state is the latest post-Soviet republic jolted by an electoral crisis. But the ongoing protests are driven by internal dynamics, not international ones.

What Happens If a Presidential Candidate Dies Before Election Day?
Trump’s physician expressed optimism about the president’s health after he tested positive for the coronavirus. But his hospitalization brings to light new questions on what happens if a worst-case scenario hits while Americans are casting their votes.

When the Coronavirus Reaches the Top
Trump is far from the first world leader to face the political implications of his own positive COVID-19 test. What happens next?

Why Are Armenia and Azerbaijan Heading to War?
The Soviet collapse caused a brutal conflict that’s remained unresolved for three decades.

Turkish Military Maneuvering Pushed Italy and France to Join Forces in the Mediterranean. Now What?
Formerly competitors, Paris and Rome’s Pax Mediterranea may spell Ankara’s final estrangement from Europe.

How Did the Eastern Mediterranean Become the Eye of a Geopolitical Storm?
The region’s powers and the West are facing off against Turkey—and Turkey is not going down without a fight.

Why Belarus Is Not Ukraine
Yes, there are surprisingly big protests—like those that rocked Kyiv six years ago—being met with brutal crackdowns. But Belarus is a whole different story.

Why Is the United States Effectively Banning WeChat and TikTok?
Apps are just the latest frontier in the U.S.-China contest. Washington is signaling to global firms the risks of doing business with Beijing.

The U.S. Declared China’s South China Sea Claims ‘Unlawful.’ Now What?
The announcement by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo brings the United States in line with international law and opens the door for sanctions and a more unified response to Chinese “bullying” in the key waterway.

What’s This Unit of Russian Spies That Keeps Getting Outed?
Unit 29155 of the GRU is behind plenty of Russia’s high-profile misadventures abroad—and now, apparently, the bounties on U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Why Are India and China Fighting?
Nuclear powers New Delhi and Beijing engage in a skirmish marking the first combat deaths along their border in more than four decades.

Britain Hates Johnson’s Machiavelli
Conservative Party advisor Dominic Cummings has drawn national wrath over a seemingly minor scandal.

Are the Germans Edging Closer to True Fiscal Union?
In a striking reversal, Merkel joins with France in recommending a euro fund that could be a timid first step toward greater integration.

How to Tell What’s Really Happening With the Wuhan Virus
China struggles with a fast-moving outbreak, as the authorities move to cut off unauthorized information.

Wuhan’s 11 Million People Face Quarantine as Virus Fears Spread
Trains and flights out of the central Chinese city have been canceled as the toll from a new coronavirus grows.

The Iran Deal Is Not Dead Yet, but It’s Getting There
Europe’s decision to start the dispute settlement process may set the clock ticking on the deal’s ultimate demise.

What Just Happened in Hong Kong’s Elections?
Hong Kongers turned out in droves to defeat pro-Beijing candidates.

Bolivia’s Lithium Isn’t The New Oil
A popular theory around Evo Morales’s removal is completely mistaken.

Hong Kong’s Violence Will Get Worse
Police brutality has pushed protesters to extremes.

Why Protesters in Lebanon Are Taking to the Streets
The protests combine political and economic grievances and could bring down the country’s sect-based political order.

Ilham Tohti’s Sakharov Prize Will Drive Beijing Crazy
The imprisoned Uighur economist represents an entire people under attack by China.

How Turkey and Russia Carved Up Northern Syria
The pact cements Ankara’s annexation of a significant chunk of formerly Kurdish-held land.

Why Is Turkey Fighting Syria’s Kurds?
Turkey’s president says Syrian Kurdish fighters are terrorists—but he’s a very unreliable narrator.

Why Ukrainegate Is Nothing Like Russiagate
U.S. President Donald Trump has a far more damaging scandal on his hands.

What You Need to Know About the Attacks on Saudi Oil Facilities
So far, attacks attributed to Iran haven’t resulted in a military confrontation with the United States.

The Queen Can’t Do Anything About Brexit
The suspension of Parliament is outrageous—but it’s all Boris Johnson’s fault.

How Does Online Racism Spawn Mass Shooters?
White nationalist terrorism is becoming normalized through internet forums.

Why Is Hong Kong Erupting?
Hong Kongers are fighting for their city's unique status under the shadow of Beijing.

What Does the Demise of the INF Treaty Mean for Nuclear Arms Control?
Trump’s exit from the U.S.-Russia treaty, which officially takes effect Friday, raises questions about whether the era of arms control is ending—or being reinvented.

How to Read Between the Lines of the Mueller Report
Here’s what to expect from the long-awaited—and now heavily redacted—probe into Trump’s Russia ties.