Students are doing worse than you think Some at college or university are testing no better than ten-year-olds
Meet the world’s new peacemakers Autocracies are taking over conflict mediation. The deals they are making look different
Asian allies are doomed to hug Donald Trump close Forget middle-power coalitions. Japan and its neighbours know that only America can deter China
The World Cup has always been beset by scandal and strife So has FIFA, the outfit that administers it
Why strongmen are wrong to loathe Europe The leaders of America, China and Russia scorn consensual politics. That is a mistake
The War Room newsletter: When war becomes a political aesthetic Shashank Joshi, our defence editor, examines why conflict exerts a “strange pull”
Donald Trump could be the man to save Cuba Ideological certainties have hurt Cubans for 70 years. Time to give cynicism a chance
The War Room newsletter: How the character of war has changed Shashank Joshi looks back on eight years as defence editor
Home-schooling is taking off In the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, more parents are teaching their children
Israel the lonely The country is not as isolated as its critics hope, but it is alienating some true friends
America must hope Donald Trump is not a new Caligula In the annals of rulers committing acts of folly, Roman decadence stands out
The global scramble for ports The investment frenzy is driven by anxiety about China’s tightening grip on supply chains
To fight Russia, Europe needs Ukraine It is risky to let Ukraine into the EU. It’s more dangerous to keep it out
The War Room newsletter: The best generals in history Richard Cockett, a senior editor, analyses what makes good generalship—and ranks his top three
Europe’s defence startups face even bigger hurdles than America’s They must contend with a fragmented market and hesitant customers
There is no better spur to military innovation than war Defence firms in Ukraine make new weapons much faster and cheaper than most Western companies
A dangerous blind spot in Donald Trump’s Iran war strategy America sets too little store by foreigners’ beliefs and values. It’s a costly mistake, each time