Leaders around the world made bold moves in 2022. They didn’t always succeed.
The TMC 2022 roundups: The international beat
Minutemen, ‘Fascist’: The Week In One Song
The continued descent of Ye
What Middle East scholars really think about boycotting Israel
The latest Middle East Scholars Barometer survey explored this contentious issue — and more
Bulgaria is no closer to a stable government after Sunday’s elections
Four things to know about Bulgaria’s fourth time at the polls in 18 months
Queen Elizabeth II was Britain’s lead ambassador
She traveled to 117 countries and hosted countless high-level visitors
What Shinzo Abe’s assassination means for Japanese politics
Abe stepped down as prime minister in 2020, but never stepped away
When Twitter suspends users, their views get more extreme
A new Texas law seeks to make it harder to “deplatform” users
Putin’s iron grip on Russia is a legacy of empire
The social divisions of Russia’s imperial age still hamper opposition today
Do people in Donbas want to be ‘liberated’ by Russia?
We surveyed people in Ukraine’s contested eastern region to see what they wanted. Here’s what we found.
The Kazakhstan protests escalated quickly. Here’s why.
We found these two factors at work.
Last month, three drones attacked an Israeli tanker. Here’s why that’s something new.
Will Iran’s ‘shadow war’ slip into the open?
The U.N. says Syrians can keep getting international aid from Turkey — for now. Here’s what’s at stake.
Syrian activists have built humanitarian aid groups and a nascent civil society in rebel-held areas — which puts them in danger if the Syrian government retakes that territory.
Moldova’s president now has a legislative majority to push through her anti-corruption agenda
Voters in this week’s snap elections were more concerned about graft than geopolitics.
The Taliban isn’t the only challenge for the Afghanistan government
The U.S. withdrawal leaves these big questions for the Ghani administration
Humanitarian organizations won’t listen to groups on the ground, in part because of institutionalized racism
Here’s what prompted the push toward localization — and what’s blocking this change
Beijing wants a baby boom. Its new three-child policy probably won’t make one happen.
Here’s what women think about the end of the one-child policy
Devo, ‘Space Junk’: The Week In One Song
A spent Chinese rocket crashes into the Indian Ocean.
Benin continues to slide toward autocracy
The government effectively banned opposition candidates, assuring an election win for President Patrice Talon last month.
The best way to help Yemenis survive might not be what aid organizations think
Struggling households throughout Yemen access food and services in surprising ways, our research finds.
North Korea conducted more missile tests. What happens next?
The Biden administration faces three big challenges on the Korean Peninsula
In Europe, former presidents do get sentenced to prison.
It might shock Americans, but convicting political leaders is neither a democratic disaster nor democracy's salvation.
New Georgia runoffs data finds that more Black voters than usual came out. Trump voters stayed home.
Those slight differences helped Democrats win the Senate.
The U.S. recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara. Here’s what that means.
The Trump administration’s move could complicate efforts to resolve a long-standing territorial conflict.
Dr. Know, ‘Vaccination’: The Week In One Song
Covid-19 vaccinations begin in the United Kingdom.
We have data on who voted early in key battleground states and whom they may be voting for
Republicans started slow but are making up ground.
The Misfits, ‘Return of the Fly’: The Week In One Song
A star is born.
A closer look at Congo’s Islamist rebels
Claims about links to the Islamic State may hamper civilian protection
If Putin sends troops to Belarus, don’t expect Russians to applaud
Russians don’t like military adventures in bad economic times, my research finds
Japan’s prime minister is resigning. This is how Abe transformed Japanese politics.
Abe was a remarkably strong prime minister. Future leaders will seek to emulate his model.
The George Floyd protests generated more media coverage than any protest in 50 years
Yes, these are historically significant demonstrations.
Why didn’t the U.S. rebuke Russia for its Taliban bounty deal? Four things to know.
The Trump administration’s response seems unusual, on a number of levels
How do black people channel their anger about racial injustice? Here’s what we found.
They’re most likely to look first to protests and black-focused groups, not electoral politics.
The Residents, ‘Pestilence’: The Week In One Song
Turns out you can’t just say covid-19 is over when it isn’t.
Poland’s ruling party might not win Sunday’s first-round presidential election
The campaign season has been full of surprises
Bassjackers & Sunstars, ‘Block’: The Week In One Song
Trump’s DACA cancellation is blocked.
Trump-Biden voters could decide the 2020 election
Nine percent of Trump’s 2016 voters say they’re planning to vote for Biden, our data suggest.
The Rakes, ‘Violent’: The Week In One Song
Violent rhetoric spreads.
How democracies can survive dilemmas like the coronavirus
Effective crisis leadership helps them rebound.
Americans are fighting coronavirus misinformation on social media
Our new survey finds ordinary people correcting misinformation, quickly.
Many Africans distrust their governments. How will that affect their coronavirus response?
How governments handle the pandemic — whether with compassion or corruption — will influence attitudes for years to come.
Two years after Nicaragua’s mass uprising started, why is Daniel Ortega still in power?
These three things explain why a mass nonviolent uprising didn’t manage to oust the authoritarian ruler.
Obituary, ‘Lockdown’: The Week In One Song
The lockdown continues.
Trump says the U.S. will pull out of the World Health Organization. China will happily fill the void.
Trump complains that China has “total control” over the WHO, but his action will probably increase China’s influence.
The U.S. military’s role in the coronavirus response is likely to grow
But don’t believe the rumors of martial law.
Wuhan officials tried to cover up covid-19 — and sent it careening outward
Here are four new insights into what went wrong
Young Kashmiris think India and Pakistan can resolve their differences over Kashmir
Our recent survey suggests they also welcome U.S. diplomatic intervention.
The WHO held off on declaring the Wuhan coronavirus a global health emergency. Here’s why.
These decisions are an uneasy balancing act between science and politics
For the third time in 11 years, Rwanda changed the language used in primary schools
Here’s what this means for children, teachers and the nation
Iraqis have been holding peaceful mass protests. The U.S. strike and its aftermath are undermining that.
Here’s what Iraqi protesters want.
Don’t expect Congress to rein in Trump’s use of military force in the Middle East
Presidents usually want Congress to approve their military decisions. Lawmakers usually want to stay out of it.
Trump threatens ‘sanctions like they’ve never seen’ if Iraq evicts U.S. forces. Can Iraq do it?
It’s likely that Iraq will expel U.S. forces.
2020 is the year to worry about nuclear weapons
The confrontation between the United States and Iran is just the beginning
India’s new law may leave millions of Muslims without citizenship
Modi’s government is trying to create a Hindu nation.
After Brexit, will Northern Ireland return to violence?
A resurgent IRA might not be the real danger.
Trump said the Navy can’t take away Eddie Gallagher’s SEAL qualification. That could be a problem.
The U.S. military is supposed to set its own high professional standards.
The real story behind the Bolivia protests isn’t the one you’re hearing.
Here are three key oversimplifications — and why they’re wrong
Protests in Pakistan could shake prime minister’s mandate
Why street power is particularly effective in the country.
Lebanon’s government resigned. Here are three possibilities for what’s next.
One, of course, is listening to protesters’ demands for reforms.
Lebanon’s economic crisis didn’t happen overnight. So how did it get to this point?
Here’s why the government’s latest response doesn’t meet protesters’ demands.
Here’s what the protests in Lebanon and Iraq are really about
People are uniting in their demands for change.
Moscow allowed peaceful protests this summer. Here’s the surprising result.
Protesters trusted the government more when they were allowed to protest.
The U.N. Climate Summit starts today. Here’s what it can — and can’t — achieve.
It has limits. But it’s not the only game in town.
How Syria’s civil war may end
As peace talks stall, the conflict seems to be ending via a slow surrender by a fractured insurgency.
Why South Sudan won the war but lost the peace
Peter Martell’s book on South Sudan is a must-read.
Oil probably won’t cause a war with Iran, but it certainly adds fuel to the blaze
Tensions are high, and liquid natural gas tankers are vulnerable to attack.
Is something wrong with Spain’s political leaders?
Nearly three months after parliamentary elections, the parties still haven’t formed a government.
Czech protesters are trying to defend democracy, 30 years after the Velvet Revolution. Can they succeed?
Our research shows that, yes, demonstrations can prevent the erosion of democracy. Here’s what’s going on.
Did Xi Jinping’s Pyongyang visit restart denuclearization diplomacy?
Xi’s visit may have come at a vital moment for Kim Jong Un.
Watching the Democratic debate tonight — with Twitter on the little screen? Keep this in mind.
When journalists treat Twitter as representing public opinion, they’re misshaping the news.
Why did many voters boycott Benin’s April 28 elections?
New electoral rules cut off the opposition in new ways.
Israel responded to a Hamas cyberattack with an airstrike. That’s not such a big deal.
Policymakers are debating how best to retaliate against cyberwarfare actions — and how not to.
No, China and the U.S. aren’t locked in an ideological battle. Not even close.
Here are 3 things wrong with imagining we’re in a “clash of civilizations”
Shut down social media if you don’t like terrorism?
Sri Lanka’s social media ban after the Easter bombings may have many unintended consequences.
In India, the world’s largest election has started. Keep an eye on these 5 things.
Prime Minister Modi is popular, but has he made economic progress?
Cameroon’s citizens are losing hope that their country can remain united
After years of skirmishing, the English-speaking minority scarcely trusts the government.
At long last, peace might be possible between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Here’s what’s needed.
One-shot peace deals tend to dissolve. A regional approach may help.
Why are urban and rural areas so politically divided?
Rural residents feel left behind by the globalized economy and alienated from big cities’ multiculturalism.
It’s Christian politics, not AIPAC money, that explains American support for Israel
[caption id="attachment_83672" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Mayor Muriel E. Bowser speaks at
The ‘new Cold War’ with China is way overblown. Here’s why.
Is a new Cold War looming — or already present
Hungary’s democracy just got a failing grade
This week, the Washington-based think tank Freedom House published its
Colombia’s long-term peace may depend on support for the Truth Commission
[caption id="attachment_83425" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Colombian security forces stand guard at
Four reasons it’ll be hard to offer Maduro a golden parachute (and one reason to try anyway)
[caption id="attachment_83142" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A Venezuelan opposition supporter holds a
A car bomb has stirred fears that Brexit will blow up peace in Northern Ireland. That isn’t likely.
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Will U.S. trade pressure actually change China’s industrial policy?
[caption id="attachment_80259" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Workers produce medical supplies at a
40 years ago, Deng Xiaoping changed China — and the world
[caption id="attachment_81752" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People pose in front of a
Here’s what can undermine peacekeeping missions
[caption id="attachment_53427" align="aligncenter" width="960"] U.N. peacekeeping forces patrol during presidential
Why did Trump agree to a temporary hold on further China tariffs?
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President Trump and Chinese President Xi
Are young people today hostile to democracy and capitalism? Far from it.
[caption id="attachment_81193" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Demonstrators carry an inverted U.S. flag,
Can 2018’s extreme weather convince skeptics that the climate is changing?
[caption id="attachment_81244" align="alignleft" width="960"] A firefighter passes a burning home
What France’s ‘yellow vests’ protests say about Emmanuel Macron
Hundreds of thousands of French people have turned out in
The U.S. believes that kidnapped journalist Austin Tice is still alive. Here are 5 things to know about global kidnapping.
[caption id="attachment_81014" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Debra Tice speaks about her son,
When left-leaning parties support austerity, their voters start to embrace the far right
[caption id="attachment_80438" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Left- and right-wing sympathizers hold flags
Is Trump country really better off under Trump? No. It’s falling further behind.
Two years have passed since Donald Trump made his famous
What we really know about China’s Reform and Opening Up
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="960"] Workers produce medical supplies at a
Israel-Hamas fighting erupted just as negotiations advanced. What started it, and why does it matter?
[caption id="attachment_80233" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A ball of fire rises above
How Guatemala achieved what was once thought impossible: major reductions in homicides.
[caption id="attachment_80147" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Migrants from Central American countries head
New forecast: Democrats may gain control of 7 state legislative chambers
[caption id="attachment_78207" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A man arrives to vote on
What does it take to build climate resilience — especially among the world’s most vulnerable?
[caption id="attachment_79711" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Honduran migrants in a caravan heading
Chinese leaders tried before to assimilate the Uighurs. This time it might face less resistance.
[caption id="attachment_79596" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Chinese military police attend an anti-terrorist
What 500 elections in 28 European countries can tell us about the effects of anti-immigration rhetoric
As the midterms loom, President Trump and the Republican Party