World
Does the World Cup favor democratic or autocratic nations? I did some number crunching to find out
Hosting the FIFA World Cup games can prove a propaganda win for authoritarian nations. But the data suggests the tournament favors democracies.
From Belfast to Washington, a familiar script of the ‘dangerous migrant’ has emerged
In many cases, a single, shocking crime allegedly involving a foreign-born suspect was quickly reframed into a broader indictment of minorities.
Venezuela’s deadly earthquakes happened on a fault similar to the San Andreas, and the risks aren’t over yet – a geophysicist explains
Both faults are along plate boundaries that move in similar ways and have ruptured in enormously destructive earthquakes in the past.
Israel’s ‘campaign between the wars’: How strategy to contain Iran and its allies risks further straining ties with US
Israel has long sought to gain a military advantage by degrading its adversaries’ military capabilities outside of times of direct conflict.
How are Saudis viewing the US‑Iran war? Our polling suggests Gulf kingdom is split on key issues
Surveys in the Gulf kingdom point at ongoing support for the US-Saudi alliance.
How the development of solar and wind farms on the Tibetan Plateau is affecting local communities
China’s national government policies on energy and economic development are changing pastoral life on the Tibetan Plateau.
Seat the rich! World Cup ticket inflation reflects widening gap between haves and have‑nots
The wild swings of dynamic pricing, ongoing accusations of FIFA corruption and questions of host-nation probity have created a huge backlash.
40 years on, Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal is still celebrated. But should it be?
A philosopher of sport guides readers through the ethics of Diego Maradona’s most celebrated goal – and his most controversial.
Refugee numbers dropped in 2025 – but aid cuts and others trends suggest little to celebrate
The drop in funding has also led donors to prioritize the trend of using aid to control the movement of people – over their needs.
Western troops have been expelled from Africa’s Sahel – so why are Italy’s Carabinieri still there?
Africa’s ‘coup belt’ has seen rising anti-Western sentiment.