Promises, promises
Getting the questions straight on Trump’s Epstein gamble. … A reckoning in Gaza for the post–World War II humanitarian-relief system. … & How much of a threat is violence toward Syria’s Druze minority—for the country and the Middle East as a whole? … The member’s despatch, Week XXX.
Last call
Why are so many people in so many countries around the world drinking less? Tim Naimi on the spread of sobering research about alcohol’s adverse health effects, the tightening of economic pressures, and the myth of the moderate European drinker.
Just a shot away
Why the spread of major crime within the U.S. Special Forces? Seth Harp on a dark legacy of America’s war on terror.
As you were
What are the stakes of Trump’s ultimatum to Putin in Ukraine? … The Epstein case: What happens when a movement to out conspiracies takes over institutions it was meant to expose? … & Are crackdowns in El Salvador and Cambodia part of a global dictators’ playbook? … The member’s despatch, Week XXIX.
Requiem for a slogan
What happened to the Chinese dream? Yi-Ling Liu on declining opportunities, increasing malaise, and a waning of ambition in the People’s Republic.
‘Deplorable’
Around the world, some cities and regions are getting wealthier; others are increasingly left behind. Why? Sir Paul Collier on hyper-centralization and the economic origins of the populist blame game.
Now isn’t now
Why do ceasefire negotiations in Gaza keep getting deadlocked? How did a predictable weather event result in such devastating loss of life in Texas? & How did a “truth-seeking” chatbot become a platform for Nazi rhetoric? New music from Sonita Alizadeh. &c. … The member’s despatch, Week XXVIII.
Going west
Why are so many companies moving to America from Europe? Philippe Aghion on the Continent’s failure to build a competitive innovation ecosystem.
The course of human events
What good is U.S. diplomacy with Russia? Can democracy live with huge laws passed by just a few votes? & Is it finally dead in Hong Kong? … + The weird end of the U.S.-China trade war. Why Americans are losing interest in news. Music from Michael Gordon. &c. … The member’s despatch, Week XXVII.
Alternative history
What does Germany’s new military expansion mean for Europe? Liana Fix on Berlin’s mission to build the Continent’s most powerful army.
