Chinese chess
What’s Beijing’s strategy for dealing with Donald Trump? Scott Kennedy on where China sees the threats and opportunities from the new U.S. administration.
Firsts among citizens
Is there really a “new oligarchy” in America? Quinn Slobodian on why so many Silicon Valley billionaires have gotten so involved in everyday American politics.
‘It’s a hydra’
What can democracies do about autocratic interference? Josh Rudolph on the challenges of resistance and resiliency.
Enigmas
What exactly is the problem here? Justin Callais on the ambiguities of corruption.
Organized crime
Why do dictators keep disrupting so many other countries? Miranda Patrucić on what China and Russia are doing in neighboring nations, developing states, and the world’s most powerful democracies.
Broad daylight
How common is the corruption of public officials in the U.S.? Ben Freeman on what America’s “authoritarian friends” from the Persian Gulf are doing in Washington, D.C.
French sour
Why does France seem to be falling apart? Marc Weitzmann on immigration, regulation, and the end of a political era.
4 percent high and rising
Why are bond yields going up so much around the world? Rebecca Patterson on economic growth, expectations of inflation, and unsustainable government spending.
Shocks from underground
What’s driving the terrible conflict in Congo? The 2025 Oscar-nominee Johan Grimonprez on a history of violence and the costs of global competition over critical minerals.
Mother of exiles
A year after record increases in American homelessness, it’s now gone up even more—why? Dennis Culhane on the immigration crisis playing out in U.S. cities.
