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The jihadists’ last redoubt in the Syrian province of Idlib is in trouble Idlib used to be Syria’s poorest province. But under the rule of Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, a former al-Qaeda jihadist, the north-west has become the country’s fastest-growing. It...

It will make it even harder to feed desperate people The road was dangerous, but they took precautions. On April 1st a group of aid workers left a warehouse in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza. The vehicles in their three-car...

That is partly because it is deadlocked in its conflicts in Gaza and on its northern border It is not the first time Israel has struck Iranian targets, but it marked a serious escalation in its long shadow war with...

It wanted countries to focus on interests, not values. Careful what you wish for For china’s finest barbarian-handlers—an elite corps of diplomats, technocrats, trade envoys and foreign-policy scholars—this is a told-you-so moment. Such Chinese voices have spent years urging foreign...

The descendants of those who fought with Mao will help choose the country’s next ruler China’s propaganda chiefs are eager to show that Xi Jinping, the country’s leader, belongs to the red aristocracy. They pump out books and documentaries about...

The country’s 7-Eleven shops show the importance of immigration To understand how Japan is changing, consider the 7-Eleven convenience store in Minami-Azabu 1-chome, in central Tokyo. At first glance, it appears to be like any other konbini, as such shops...

They are stunting growth, too If politics in Asia shows anything, it is that family matters. In the Philippines three of the four most recent presidents were the children of past ones. In Cambodia Hun Sen, the strongman who has...

The Indian Premier League is a model for other tournaments Walk into any room in India with a screen from now until the end of May and you will find yourself watching the Indian Premier League (ipl), a wildly popular...

The recovery will take years, and holds lessons for future disasters Fishing boots. Their son’s beloved fishing boots—that is what Hamazuka Hiroyuki and Chiaki most hope to find under the rubble of their garage. The Hamazukas’ place in Suzu, on...

Educated voters usually disdain populists. Three factors explain why India’s leader is different Narendra modi, India’s prime minister, is often lumped together with right-wing populists such as Donald Trump or Viktor Orban. On the surface, the comparison is plausible. In...

After almost a decade in power, Canada’s prime minister looks beleaguered “My job is not to be popular.” Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister (pictured), spent much of March explaining himself as he fought a revolt against an increase to the...

Climate change is hurting the wine regions of Chile and Argentina Chilean summers are getting hotter. That is bad news for vineyards. Irrigation relies on snowmelt from the Andes, which is becoming less reliable, while excessive heat itself harms the...

Crime, abortion and socialism, not immigration, are the issues that rile them “Mr president!” Javier Milei could barely contain himself when he met Donald Trump at the Conservative Political Action Conference (cpac) near Washington in February. The pair embraced and...

Conservatives seem more excited about change Surely few developments could be less surprising than the recent news that America has slipped down the global happiness rankings. Gallup reported in mid-March that America had dropped out of the top 20 for...

Rising unemployment, a growing deficit and persistent outmigration are a painful trinity Home to many of America’s most progressive policies, from criminal justice to vehicle emissions, California serves a unique role as a punchbag for right-wing politicians. Every few years...

What the Inflation Reduction Act means for the cost of health care Buying prescription drugs in America can feel a bit like being a tourist haggling at a street market. First, a ludicrous “retail price” is mentioned (for your correspondent...

She goes out to work, he stays at home (and logs on) In costa mesa, a city in California’s wealthy, beachy Orange County, she is working her way up to becoming a partner in the local office of a major...

But for now it will end access to the procedure for millions of women in the South Two decisions by Florida’s Supreme Court shook up the Sunshine State this week. The first, which paves the way for a six-week abortion...