Has the United States' narrow focus on voting blinded them to other forms of democratic expression? Priya Satia explains how precolonial kingdoms challenge modern beliefs about people, power and monarchies.

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Democracy isn’t just about voting

From Elvis to BTS, militaries worldwide have used celebrity conscription for publicity. However, with concerns raised over stars' mental health, Syrus Jin argues that the armed forces must adapt to make the arrangement mutually beneficial.

When pop stars make for secret weapons

Paul Hockenos reflects on how Ursula von der Leyen’s centralised management style and privileged background make her unpopular among her own party members which could cost her a second term at the top of EU politics.

It’s Ursula von der Leyen’s Europe—for now

The upcoming changes to the United Kingdom’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy is an opportunity to recapture the sense that a “Global Britain” exists, and is willing and able to lead on climate issues, argues Francis Shin and Alex Urwin.

The U.K. has a chance to stop backsliding on climate

With OpenAI's ChatGPT taking the world by storm, Rishi Iyengar and Liam Scott discover how the Silicon Valley-fueled AI boom has sparked a flurry of activity from the Chinese tech industry.

What the ChatGPT moment means for U.S.-China tech competition

Western aid has enabled Ukraine to resist Russian aggression, but at what cost and for how much longer? Vasyl Cherepanyn argues that the West's colonial pasts and political anxieties will impact the war's outcome.

Why the West is afraid of Ukraine’s victory

After two decades with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Turkey's helm, Gonul Tol explains how his many actions to secure his position paved the way for this tragedy.

How corruption made Turkey’s earthquake deadlier

How deep do the roots of today's conflict in Ukraine go? Amy Mckinnon discusses a book examining Russia's 2014 invasion of the Donbas to reveal some uncomfortable truths about the Ukraine war.

The other Ukraine war

Is the U.S. becoming paranoid about threats from the East? Howard W. French argues that Washington has become so accustomed to being on top that they're no longer thinking clearly about the threat from China, with potentially disastrous consequences.

The U.S. overreacted to the Chinese spy balloon. That scares me.

As the Taliban's grip on Afghanistan strengthens and concerns over human rights mount, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Mahbouba Seraj argues that the U.S. must open discussions with the country's regime. We discover why with Lynne O'Donnell.

A Nobel nominee’s controversial call for engagement with the Taliban

The UK's current economic and social crisis has been likened to the 1970s World Recession. However, as Simon Tilford explains, today's collapse in living standards cannot be compared.

Britain is much worse off than it understands

The Pentagon has learned painful lessons in the past and may have to do so again. Raphael S. Cohen reveals how Russia’s war against Ukraine could provide as many insights about 21st-century warfare as the Yom Kippur War did in the 20th century.

Is the U.S. military capable of learning from the war in Ukraine?

Having spent several years enticing global tech companies into India, Rishi Iyengar discusses how Silicon Valley giants are facing an increasingly tricky censorship minefield under Modi's new technology rules.

Modi is muzzling Big Tech

Will France be able to weather months of civil unrest? Michele Barbero discusses Emmanuel Macron's make-or-break moment as uproar follows his new pension policy.

Macron is courting his Waterloo over pension reform

Pacifism played a significant role in post-World War Germany. However, Anchal Vohra argues that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has finally forced them to confront the contradictions in their ideology and question whether it's time to rethink their strategy.

What happened to German pacifism?

The poor are only getting poorer in Caracas. With Venezuela having one of the highest inequality rates in the Americas, Tony Frangie-Mawad explores the dark reality surrounding the country's economic liberalisation.

Venezuela’s liberalization has created a ‘hellscape of inequality’

Is TikTok actually dangerous? Despite calls to ban the popular social media app across the U.S., Rishi Iyengar argues that its data collection practices are similar to its competitors. Although, its links to China could have sinister consequences.

What TikTok has on you

With the world becoming increasingly international, Ravi Agrawal explores the global south's growing influence in everything from climate negotiations to sports diplomacy.

Why the world feels different in 2023

The Kremlin's defeat in Ukraine is looking increasingly likely, and the various scenarios for what might happen afterwards are becoming more apparent. Alexander J. Motyl discusses how Russia could be on the cusp of an implosion.

It’s high time to prepare for Russia’s collapse

As countries in the West plot to legally seize frozen Russian assets, Elizabeth Braw argues that suppressing these temptations will dodge future threats to Western companies.