The puzzle of America's record Covid hospital rate
Even as the Omicron variant sweeps around the world, public health officials have noted that, in most cases, the number of Covid patients in hospitals remains significantly lower than during previous pandemic surges. ...
Afcon Cameroon 2022: Playing football in the shadow of a rebellion
A group of would-be footballers sweat and shine in their kickabout in the late afternoon heat, their boots spraying up little clouds of dust as they run. ...
Lithuania wobbles after daring to defy China
In July last year, the tiny European state of Lithuania announced the opening of a Taiwanese representative office in its capital, Vilnius. ...
The African nation aiming to be a hydrogen superpower
"So now finally, we're on the map," says Philip Balhoa about Lüderitz, a town in southern Namibia, where harsh desert meets pale ocean. ...
Is Russia preparing to invade Ukraine?
Are Russian forces getting ready for war in Ukraine? That is certainly the fear among Western leaders and in Ukraine. ...
How the West invited China to eat its lunch
There were two events in late 2001 that shook the axis of the world. ...
How big a threat is Omicron?
Here are two big questions: How fast can Omicron spread? And how sick will it make you? ...
Vladimir Putin: What Russian president's India visit means for world politics
Visits by Russian presidents to India always invoke a sense of nostalgia. ...
Mandatory vaccinations: Three reasons for and against
Nearly two years since Chinese doctors first observed mysterious new cases of pneumonia, Covid-19 is still with us. On top of that, what has been described as the most worrying variant yet has emerged. ...
Why schools are failing children on climate change
Every year, Shamayel Zaidi, a school teacher in India, gives his new senior school students the same assignment: a presentation on one of three topics - consumer awareness, social issues or environmental sustainability. ...
Three Amigos summit: Awkward conversations for US with its neighbours
If Joe Biden was looking for respite from the tricky global challenges he has faced in recent months, he may not find harmony closer to home. The leaders of US, Canada and Mexico meet on Thursday in Washington, with plenty differences to resolve. ...
At Iraq's election protest camp, militia supporters dig in
"Come and see," they insist, moving towards the concrete blast walls of Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone. ...
The woman defying the Taliban on girls' education
When the Taliban took power in Afghanistan they instructed girls and young women to stay home from school. With no resolution in sight, one member of the Afghan diaspora decided to act. Angela Ghayour's online school now has nearly 1,000 students and more than 400 volunteer teachers. ...
Anatomy of emerging chaos: Yemen’s Shebwa
By Fernando Carvajal ...
Jammu and Kashmir: Killing of civilians sparks militancy fear
Siddharth Bindroo, 40, was on his way to a restaurant in Kashmir's main city Srinagar when he received a call. ...
Changing China: Xi Jinping's effort to return to socialism
For decades life in China had evolved around its home-grown version of let-it-rip capitalism. ...
Covid vaccine stockpiles: Could 241m doses go to waste?
President Biden is asking world leaders to pledge to vaccinate 70% of the global population by September next year. But research shows rich countries are still holding surpluses of vaccines, many of which could soon be thrown out. ...
Why a US military base became a centre for Chinese Covid conspiracies
A disinformation campaign claiming that the Covid-19 virus originated from an American military base in Maryland has gained popularity in China ahead of the release of a US intelligence report on the virus origins. ...
Africa's jihadists: What Taliban takeover of Afghanistan means
As Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, Islamist groups waging insurgencies in Africa were quick to celebrate. ...
Afghanistan: How the Taliban gained ground so quickly
The speed of the Taliban advance in Afghanistan appears to have taken many by surprise - regional capitals seem to be falling like dominoes. ...