Human Rights

Defender of the Flame

Not only does the United States deserve a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council, it’s leading the charge.

BY EILEEN DONAHOE | NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Human Rights Now

Six ways China's new leader could be the reformer the Chinese have been waiting for.

BY SOPHIE RICHARDSON | NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Is Bashar al-Assad Syria’s Abraham Lincoln?

The Syrian president's fans are comparing him with the hero of America's Civil War. Here's why they're wrong.

BY CHRISTIAN CARYL | NOVEMBER 14, 2012

The Corruption Pandemic

Why corruption is set to become one of the defining political issues of the 21st century.

BY CHRISTIAN CARYL | NOVEMBER 8, 2012

The Inconvenient Revolution

An interview with a leading human rights activist from Bahrain

BY AZZURRA MERINGOLO | NOVEMBER 7, 2012

Time for a Reset on Human Rights

Obama’s record has been a disappointment. Now he has a second chance to get it right.

BY SUZANNE NOSSEL | NOVEMBER 7, 2012

What You Missed While You Were Refreshing Drudge and FiveThirtyEight

A guide to the world news you should get caught up on now that the election is over.

NOVEMBER 7, 2012

Nightmare Squared

Longing for the days of Kim Jong Il? Maybe it's time to transfer your affections to the delusional dictator of Equatorial Guinea.

BY PEDRO PIZANO | NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Rights and Responsibility

The candidates may disagree on some human rights issues, but the next president will face challenges that transcend partisan lines.

BY KENNETH ROTH | NOVEMBER 5, 2012

Back to Africa

If Barack Obama is reelected, he'll have to deliver on his promises to Africa -- and act more like Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush.

BY MVEMBA PHEZO DIZOLELE | NOVEMBER 5, 2012

Breaking the Grip of the Oligarchs

How a tragic twist of fate is fueling a revolt against Armenia’s overweening tycoons.

BY LIANA AGHAJANIAN | NOVEMBER 5, 2012

Prosperity Isn't Just a Matter of Wealth

Man does not live by GDP alone. An introduction to the Legatum Institute's latest Prosperity Index.

BY PETER PASSELL | NOVEMBER 2, 2012

The Collaborator's Song

We often ask why some people choose to resist authoritarian regimes. But the better question might be why so many decide to cooperate.

BY ANNE APPLEBAUM | OCTOBER 31, 2012

The Secret of Islamist Success

Islamist political parties aren't succeeding in the Middle East because they stand for Islam. It's because they have a well-established political brand.

BY DALIBOR ROHAC | OCTOBER 31, 2012

Happy Birthday, Madam Secretary

Fourteen of the best images of Hillary Clinton as she celebrates her 65th birthday.

OCTOBER 26, 2012

Georgia Versus the Forces of Chaos

In the wake of this month’s watershed election in Georgia, a new prime minister and an incumbent president are figuring out how to keep their personal enmity from breaking into open warfare.

BY MOLLY CORSO | OCTOBER 26, 2012

Beware the Tyranny of the Mob

The growing insecurity of religious and ethnic minorities is one of the biggest problems arising from the Arab Spring. But much can be done to protect them.

BY JAMSHEED CHOKSY, EDEN NABY | OCTOBER 26, 2012

In Praise of Apathy

It's time to stop deriding the Americans who refuse to vote. They're trying to tell us something.

BY CHRISTIAN CARYL | OCTOBER 24, 2012

The Man Who Brought the Black Flag to Timbuktu

A new Islamist strongman has taken the stage in North Africa. His rising power is giving him a lot of bad ideas.

BY WILLIAM LLOYD-GEORGE | OCTOBER 22, 2012

Ladyboys in the Gulf

The riches of the United Arab Emirates hold promise for transgender sex workers, but also danger and unspeakable cruelty.

BY SULOME ANDERSON | OCTOBER 19, 2012

The True Spy Story Behind Argo

The internal CIA account of how the Iran rescue really went down. 

BY NATE JONES | OCTOBER 18, 2012

No Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership

One of Africa's top business leaders talks about the challenges of encouraging good governance.

INTERVIEW BY TY MCCORMICK | OCTOBER 17, 2012

Where the Arab Spring Has Not Yet Sprung

The spirit of rebellion continues to simmer in the Middle East and North Africa. But you won’t see much about it in the headlines.

BY CHRISTIAN CARYL | OCTOBER 17, 2012

The Kingdom of Silence and Humiliation

Looking back on life under the Assad dynasty.

BY AHED AL HENDI | OCTOBER 16, 2012

To Leave or Not to Leave

President Hugo Chávez’s victory in the presidential election has some Venezuelans wondering whether it's time to leave.

BY DANIEL LANSBERG-RODRIGUEZ | OCTOBER 16, 2012

A Revolutionary Foreign Policy

The Muslim Brotherhood's political party promises to transform Egypt's place in the world.

BY AMR DARRAG | OCTOBER 16, 2012

Amputation is No Cure for Cancer

South Sudan is gone. But the government in Khartoum still can't escape what ails Sudan.

BY JON TEMIN | OCTOBER 15, 2012

Why a Constitution Is a Bad Place for a Blasphemy Law

A constitutional ban on blasphemy might sound like a good idea to some. But it can mean less freedom for everyone.

BY KATRINA LANTOS SWETT, ROBERT P. GEORGE | OCTOBER 15, 2012

The New Sheriff in Town

At an outpost on the Turkish-Syrian border, rebel fighters are the law.

BY SARAH A. TOPOL | OCTOBER 12, 2012

Remembering the White Terror

25 years after the end of authoritarianism, Taiwan is still struggling to come to terms with its past.

BY AMBER PARCHER | OCTOBER 12, 2012