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An illustration of Nury Turkel, chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
An illustration of Nury Turkel, chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

The Witness

Why is global outrage about the Uyghur genocide muted? Human rights advocate Nury Turkel has some ideas.

A COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner on display during the 2021 China Aviation Industry Conference And Nanchang Air Show on October 30, 2021 in Nanchang, China.
A COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner on display during the 2021 China Aviation Industry Conference And Nanchang Air Show on October 30, 2021 in Nanchang, China.

If China Arms Russia, the U.S. Should Kill China’s Aircraft Industry

Beijing’s aerospace future is uniquely dependent on Western companies. U.S. and EU trade sanctions could bring its indigenous aviation sector to a halt.

Young men walk in front of a billboard promoting Russian army service.
Young men walk in front of a billboard promoting Russian army service.

Putin’s War on Young People

Almost unnoticed, a generation of Russians has come of age during his 23 years in power.

Members of the transgender and LGBTQ community light candles as they  pay tribute to victims of hate crimes in Uganda and all over the world, in Kampala, Uganda, on Nov. 23, 2019.
Members of the transgender and LGBTQ community light candles as they pay tribute to victims of hate crimes in Uganda and all over the world, in Kampala, Uganda, on Nov. 23, 2019.

How U.S. Evangelicals Helped Homophobia Flourish in Africa

Anti-gay sentiment had previously existed on the continent, but white American religious groups have given it a boost.

Iraqi children walk along a damaged road on their way back from school in Mosul, Iraq
Iraqi children walk along a damaged road on their way back from school in Mosul, Iraq

Iraq Must Not Squander Another Opportunity to Rebuild

The war’s legacy is 20 years of broken hopes and dreams. This government must do better.

Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar attends a ceremony marking the International Holocaust Victims Remembrance Day at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Centre in Moscow on Jan. 27, 2023.
Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar attends a ceremony marking the International Holocaust Victims Remembrance Day at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Centre in Moscow on Jan. 27, 2023.

Don’t Accuse Rabbis in Russia of Supporting the War

Bloodshed in Ukraine has placed Jewish leaders in a difficult position, but our overarching mission is to remain with our communities.

A Silicon Valley Bank logo is seen in Tempe, Arizona.
A Silicon Valley Bank logo is seen in Tempe, Arizona.

Adam Tooze: The Non-Bailout Bailout

Bad management and bad luck prompted the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. What about other banks?

Migrants, mostly of Venezuelan origin, attempt to cross into the United States at the Paso del Norte International Bridge in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on March 12.
Migrants, mostly of Venezuelan origin, attempt to cross into the United States at the Paso del Norte International Bridge in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on March 12.

Biden’s Border Policies Face Pushback

Leaders and human rights advocates speak out against new U.S. barriers to asylum.

Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and Kai Wegner, the CDU’s top candidate in Berlin, depart after the end of a joint press conference in Berlin on Feb. 13, one day after the city-state’s elections. The campaign placard behind them reads “Celebrate Berlin. Fire the Council.”
Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and Kai Wegner, the CDU’s top candidate in Berlin, depart after the end of a joint press conference in Berlin on Feb. 13, one day after the city-state’s elections. The campaign placard behind them reads “Celebrate Berlin. Fire the Council.”

Germany’s Conservatives Are Ready for a Culture War

The Christian Democrats aren’t the center-right party of Angela Merkel anymore.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a virtual speech during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Dakar, Senegal, on Nov. 29, 2021.
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a virtual speech during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Dakar, Senegal, on Nov. 29, 2021.

China Is Tweaking Its Propaganda for African Audiences

A concerted media campaign has not done much for Beijing’s image.

Chinese graduates throw their hats into the sky after a commencement ceremony.
Chinese graduates throw their hats into the sky after a commencement ceremony.

Lost in Translation

What happens when academic exchanges between the world’s biggest superpowers collapse?

The TikTok logo is displayed in front of a TikTok office in Culver City, California.
The TikTok logo is displayed in front of a TikTok office in Culver City, California.

Is This TikTok’s Huawei Moment?

As bans of the video app pile up around the world, the question is how far the U.S.—and its allies—will go.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is seen before a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Jan. 12.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is seen before a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Jan. 12.

Ethiopia Is Not Ready for Transitional Justice

Washington should not engage with the country’s government unless it pursues accountability for war crimes.

Actors Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr. are seen in RRR.
Actors Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr. are seen in RRR.

India’s Global Blockbusters Paint an Incomplete Picture

Online streaming is more representative of the country’s diversity but is becoming a double-edged sword.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov holds a press conference at United Nations headquarters in New York on Sept. 24, 2022.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov holds a press conference at United Nations headquarters in New York on Sept. 24, 2022.

America Is Still Losing the Information War

Washington urgently needs a 21st-century communication strategy.

Workers haul part of a fiber optic cable onto the shore at the Kenyan port town of Mombasa in 2009.
Workers haul part of a fiber optic cable onto the shore at the Kenyan port town of Mombasa in 2009.

The Next Superpower Battlefield Could Be Under the Sea in Africa

U.S. assistance in developing tech infrastructure could help achieve Washington’s strategic and diplomatic goals by countering Russia and China.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva talks to his wife, Rosângela “Janja” da Silva, during an event to celebrate International Women’s Day and announce a package of measures to protect and support women at Planalto Palace in Brasília, Brazil, on March 8.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva talks to his wife, Rosângela “Janja” da Silva, during an event to celebrate International Women’s Day and announce a package of measures to protect and support women at Planalto Palace in Brasília, Brazil, on March 8.

The Fight to Elevate Women Inside Brazil’s Government

Brazil trails many of its neighbors in trying to tackle gender parity. Advocates are pushing Lula to change that.

Exiled Nicaraguans hold a protest vigil against the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega in San Jose, Costa Rica, on April 19, 2022.
Exiled Nicaraguans hold a protest vigil against the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega in San Jose, Costa Rica, on April 19, 2022.

With Russian Support, Nicaragua Smothers Dissent

Managua’s crackdown on free expression is entering a new phase.

Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force attend a live-fire exercise at East Fuji Maneuver Area in Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, on May 28, 2022.
Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force attend a live-fire exercise at East Fuji Maneuver Area in Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, on May 28, 2022.

Japan Needs a Defense Industrial Revolution

If Tokyo is serious about protecting itself, it needs to kick-start its military manufacturing sector.

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