Explainer
List of Explainer articles
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Protesters demonstrate against the so-called “anti-separatism” bill in Paris on Feb. 14. Why Has France’s Islamist Separatism Bill Caused Such Controversy?
While the French far-right believes the bill could do more to fight extremism, the country’s Muslim population feels the legislation is unfairly targeting their community.
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André Ventura, the leader of Chega, delivers a speech in Lisbon on Jan. 24. Was Portugal’s Election a Breakthrough for the Far-Right?
The incumbent president won in a landslide, but a populist right-wing candidate raised eyebrows in a country that has so far avoided extremes.
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Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte (right), Justice Minister Alfonso Bonafede (left), and Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio talk during a debate prior to a confidence vote in Conte's government in the Senate at Palazzo Madama in Rome on Jan. 19. Italy Dives Headfirst Into Political Crisis During Pandemic
Conte’s ruling coalition is out—but that may not be the end for the prime minister.
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The president of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra Why Did the Central African Republic Declare a State of Emergency?
The country’s postelection violence threatens a humanitarian catastrophe—and a continued standoff between Russia and France for influence in Central Africa.
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Farmers shout slogans as they depart for Delhi to participate in a continued demonstrations against the central government's recent agricultural reforms in Amritsar on Jan. 12. Why Did India’s Supreme Court Suspend Controversial Farm Laws Now?
Farmers say “pro-government” ruling doesn’t go far enough.
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U.S. President Donald Trump What Could Stop an ‘Unhinged’ U.S. President From Ordering a Nuclear Strike?
Not a lot, it turns out.
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Assistants await patients at a check-in counter for vaccinations against COVID-19 at the converted Merkur-Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany on Dec. 1. Where Do Things Stand With the COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout?
The U.K.’s quick approval of the Pfizer vaccine means some Britons will get shots starting next week—but in the rest of the world, it’s going to take a while for regular people to get inoculated.
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U.S. President Donald Trump Why Is Trump Threatening America’s Defense Budget?
The president is pushing against a law that digital rights groups say protect social media firms.
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Google’s offices are seen in downtown Manhattan on Oct. 20. 5 Questions About the Antitrust Case Against Google That You Should Not Be Afraid to Ask
Far from a game-changer, the case highlights how observers continue to get Big Tech wrong.
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A Lebanese protester Why Is Saad Hariri Back in Charge of Lebanon?
An entrenched sectarian political system, self-serving leaders leftover from the civil war, and a protest movement more ambitious than organized seem to have set Lebanon’s revolution back where it started.
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U.S. Marines stand outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana What’s Behind the Mysterious Illness of U.S. Diplomats and Spies?
Whatever’s causing it, all signs point to Moscow.
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People protesting the results of the parliamentary vote gather by a bonfire in front of the seized main government building, known as the White House, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Oct. 6. Is This the Beginning of Kyrgyzstan’s Next Revolution?
The Central Asian state is the latest post-Soviet republic jolted by an electoral crisis. But the ongoing protests are driven by internal dynamics, not international ones.
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U.S. President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden face off in a debate. What Happens If a Presidential Candidate Dies Before Election Day?
Trump’s physician expressed optimism about the president’s health after he tested positive for the coronavirus. But his hospitalization brings to light new questions on what happens if a worst-case scenario hits while Americans are casting their votes.
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trump-coronavirus-covid-19-world-leaders-coronavirus-johnson-bolsonaro-foreign-policy-illustration-b When the Coronavirus Reaches the Top
Trump is far from the first world leader to face the political implications of his own positive COVID-19 test. What happens next?
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A video still shows members of Azerbaijan's armed forces firing artillery during clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in an unidentified location, from footage released Sept. 28. Why Are Armenia and Azerbaijan Heading to War?
The Soviet collapse caused a brutal conflict that’s remained unresolved for three decades.
