This article looks at the potential impact that Spain’s current constitutional crisis over independence for Catalonia could have on some of the more significant separatist movements elsewhere in Europe. For more “decoders” explaining big issues, click...
Rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, aspirants for leadership of the Islamic world, is at the crux of conflict across the Mideast, with deadly results. An Iranian woman in Tehran holds up a poster showing Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent opposition Saudi Shiite...
Catalonia’s drive to win independence from Spain is the latest threat to Europe’s framework and a reminder of other movements on the continent. People raise their hands as they demonstrate in favor of dialogue, Barcelona, Spain, 7 October 2017...
The region is energy-rich, torn by conflict and at the center of a struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran. All reasons why the blockade of Qatar matters. A container ship in Doha, Qatar, 14 June 2017. (EPA/Noushad thekkayil) The region holds about half of the...
India and Pakistan — both nuclear powers — have fought three wars over Kashmir. But neither will yield in one of the world’s intractable conflicts. Kashmiri villagers carry the body of a militant during a funeral procession south of Srinagar, the summer capital...
Morocco has been readmitted to the African Union, raising hopes for a resolution of a territorial dispute over the Western Sahara. A pro-Saharawi protester near Rabat, Morocco, 23 January 2017. (EPA/Abdelhak Senna) Morocco has been readmitted to the African...
Americans die every day from guns, yet lawmakers struggle to pass laws to control powerful firearms. Why do Americans have a love affair with guns? A hand gun at a shooting range in Wichita, Kansas, 26 June 2008. (EPA/Larry W. Smith) This article is part of a...
This article is part of a News-Decoder series of “decoders” that explain crucial background to big issues. For more decoders, click here. By Emma Bapt The biggest leak in history, the Panama Papers have cast an uncompromising glare on the inner workings of...
This is the first in a series of decoders by our summer intern, Emma Bapt. For more decoders explaining big events, click here. By Emma Bapt Britain votes on June 23 whether to remain in the European Union in a referendum with potentially momentous consequences for...
U.S. Supreme Court rulings can have a sweeping impact on business, society and politics. Here’s a primer. The U.S. Supreme Court building, Washington, 14 February 2016.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) This article is part of a News-Decoder series of...