JANUARY 27. 2026

More Pressure Needed to Secure Congo’s Peace

Despite White House-brokered accords, the war in eastern Congo is getting worse

Trump’s Board of Peace Will Help Strong Countries Dominate Weak Ones

In Gaza, it will legitimize Israeli land grabs and ethnic cleansing.

How Trump Should Think About the Arctic

Acquiring Greenland has been a costly distraction from longer-term challenges posed by Russia and China.

Introducing Miss Translation

You may have noticed that this column feels a little incestuous but that’s our world in translation. It’s small, and its actors, often by necessity, are prolific. It might also be because there are only so many people in the Swedish literary mafia. The theme for this month is the cold, by the way.

Families of Boat Strike Victims Sue U. S. for “Manifestly Unlawful” Killings

A lawsuit aims to hold the Trump administration accountable for killing two Trinidadian men in an airstrike in the Caribbean.

Red Sea Rivalries Risk Unraveling the Horn of Africa

If Sudan’s civil war spreads to Ethiopia, it will be a humanitarian and strategic disaster.

Trump’s Board of Peace Cracks the BRICS Wall

The myth of a global south resisting U. S. hegemony melted away in Davos.

The Middle East Has Two New Rival Teams

The competition between Abrahamic and Islamic coalitions is reshaping the region.

The EPA wants to eliminate one of the few ways that tribes can protect their water

The agency’s plan would narrow water quality reviews and make it harder for tribes to enforce treaty rights.

Putting People at the Heart of the AI Revolution in Finance

Europe's financial sector is racing to adopt artificial intelligence—but workers are being left behind without a voice in the transformation.

Vietnam’s To Lam Stakes His Ascent on Rapid Growth

He has boosted the private sector and fired tens of thousands of civil servants.

JANUARY 26. 2026

Minneapolis ICE Shooting Tests Limits of Trump’s Immigration Crackdown

Protests, legal challenges, and bipartisan backlash are converging on the administration’s tactics.

It’s Time for Concrete Action on ICE. Sadly, We Have the Democrats.

Democrats have offered cussing and scolding after the killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. We need a real plan of attack, now.

Trump’s Venezuela Coup and Cuba Threats Are Old U. S. Habits

Interfering in Latin American affairs is Washington’s bread and butter.

Minneapolis Déjà Vu

In its response to protests, the U. S. evokes repressive regimes around the world.

Army General Tapped to Lead NSA Said He Doesn’t Know Much About the Biggest NSA Controversy

In the Senate this week, Trump’s NSA pick Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd could face tough questions on “backdoor” searches about Americans.

As Generals Fall, Xi Jinping’s Anti-Corruption Campaign Is Eating Itself

With childhood friends and top leaders in the firing line, the system is frozen with fear.

After Feds Killed Alex Pretti, His VA Boss Blamed Minnesota Leaders

Asked for a response to the CBP killing of VA nurse Alex Pretti, the secretary of Veterans Affairs shifted the blame to local officials.

Ukraine’s Answer Might Be Kosovo

A peace plan from the Balkans could solve the hardest negotiations with Russia.

Data centers are facing an image problem. The tech industry is spending millions to rebrand them.

Through television ads and online campaigns, industry-backed groups are promising jobs, clean energy, and lower electricity bills.