Lukashenko’s coronavirus election
On the surface, the political repression and police violence ripping through Belarus is nothing out of the ordinary under President Aleksander Lukashenko’s regime. Brutal treatment of dissenters has typically paved the way to previous fraudulent elections in Belarus, where the strongman has ruled si…
Five Reasons Why Zelensky is Failing in Ukraine
Zelensky faces a political future that is no laughing matter. Poor Volodymyr Zelensky. In April 2019, the comedian-turned-presidential candidate won Ukraine’s highest office by a nearly three to one margin before trouncing the country’s established political parties a few months later in the parliam…
No 10 is changing the way it does politics – and it’s a major risk
In televising its daily lobby briefings, Downing Street is giving an insight into its inner workings. It may not look good. Wanted: experienced media professional, preferably female. Must be willing to front up contentious decisions on a daily basis and should be impervious to relentless questioning…
How America Lost the War on Covid-19
When did America start losing its war against the coronavirus? How did we find ourselves international pariahs, not even allowed to travel to Europe? When did America start losing its war against the coronavirus? How did we find ourselves international pariahs, not even allowed to travel to Europe? …
Western fire season could raise stakes in battle against Covid-19
Air pollution from wildfire smoke increases susceptibility to the coronavirus, leading to worsened health conditions for those near fires. As states begin to hit their peak wildfire season, experts and officials are warning about another level of concern this year: air pollution that threatens to in…
The Sustainable Development Goals and Covid-19
The Sustainable Development Report 2020 presents the SDG Index and Dashboards for all UN member states and frames the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in terms of six broad transformations. It was prepared by teams of independent experts at the Sustainable Development Solut…
How Inequality Fuels COVID-19 Deaths
NEW YORK – Three countries – the United States, Brazil, and Mexico – account for nearly half (46%) of the world’s reported COVID-19 deaths, yet they contain only 8.6% of the world’s population. Some 60% of Europe’s deaths are concentrated in just three countries – Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdo…
For a bitter taste of Polish populism, just watch the evening news
As Poland approaches the climax of a presidential election campaign on which the future of its democracy depends, and Donald Trump gives his fellow populist Andrzej Duda electoral help by receiving him in the White House, come with me on a tour through the magical world of the evening News programme…
Has China lost Europe?
Greg C Bruno is the author of Blessings from Beijing: Inside China’s Soft-Power War on Tibet. As a journalist his work has appeared in The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, The Guardian and other international outlets. He was a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, and is a for…
Vladimir Putin: The Real Lessons of the 75th Anniversary of World War II
The Russian president offers a comprehensive assessment of the legacy of World War II, arguing that “Today, European politicians, and Polish leaders in particular, wish to sweep the Munich Betrayal under the carpet. The Munich Betrayal showed to the Soviet Union that the Western countries would deal…