Peace-meal: ceasefire in Afghanistan
For now, a “reduction in violence” is holding, and a long-awaited agreement hangs in the balance. But can the Taliban and the country’s government engineer a lasting peace? Brazil’s surfers dominate t...
24 Feb 202022min
Clerical era: Iran’s elections
In a bid to unite a fractious populace, hardliners barred half of the parliamentary candidates; by silencing moderates, the plan will suppress turnout and deepen the disquiet. We take a look at the ri...
21 Feb 202021min
Uncut emerald: Ireland’s unification prospects
Spurred on by demographic shifts, Brexit and the success of the Sinn Fein party in this month’s election, the once-unthinkable idea of Irish reunification is gaining ground. The IMF is in Lebanon to d...
20 Feb 202022min
Many hands light of work: China’s 170m migrant workers
Strict controls meant to contain the spread of the coronavirus are affecting many of the country’s villages. Our correspondent visits migrant workers who are trapped and draining their savings. We loo...
19 Feb 202022min
A friend of mines: America’s explosive policy turn
The Trump administration’s stance on anti-personnel landmines worries many—but also speaks to a future in which the rules of war are uncertain. Britain’s universities are coming to grips with how much...
18 Feb 202022min
The snails of justice: the International Criminal Court
Sudan’s transitional government has pledged to hand over the country’s brutal former leader to the ICC—could justice for the court’s most-wanted man at last give it credibility? Even with a world-beat...
17 Feb 202020min
Another man’s Treasury: Britain’s cabinet upheaval
The dramatic departure of the head of the Treasury reveals Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s desire—and that of his wily chief aide—to take firm hold of the country’s purse strings. A new book finds that...
14 Feb 202023min
Defence on the defensive: NATO under scrutiny
It’s not just President Donald Trump piling pressure on the alliance. As defence ministers meet in Brussels, we examine one of the longest-lasting defence treaties in history. Despite mounting public ...
13 Feb 202021min
