Corruption fuels a vicious cycle. It undermines democracy and human rights, and weak institutions cannot control corruption. Anti-government demonstrators in Caracas, Venezuela, 1 July 2017 (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Most countries including the United States are...
Europe faces a moment of truth in May. Voters will choose a new parliament, and far-right parties and populists could make big gains. The European Parliament debating chamber in Strasbourg, France (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons) Far-right and populist parties...
Threatened by populists and “fake news,” democracy is in crisis. But it remains better than alternatives — and a holy grail for states ditching dictators. Britain’s Big Ben clock tower, a symbol of parliamentary democracy, with a nearby statue...
Journalists practice a dangerous craft and now are accused of peddling fake news. With the world facing annihilation, is it worth plying that trade? Photographer Shah Marai, among several Afghan journalists killed in a suicide bombing, is buried in Afghanistan, 30...
France’s “gilets jaunes” movement has forced President Macron to offer concessions. And the yellow vests are sending shock waves across Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron (C) assesses damage after “yellow vest” protests in Paris, France, 2...
We gossip today as people gossiped centuries ago. But the volume and speed of information overwhelm us — the downside of the digital revolution. “Flemish Proverbs,” by Pieter Brueghel the Younger (Wikimedia Commons) The year is 1789. You and I pace under a large...
Key U.S. elections take place next month. This week university students scrambled to boost participation of young voters, which is historically low. (Video by Austin Faulds) Students criss-crossed Indiana University’s campus in the United States this week, clipboards...
Democracy is in retreat around the world. How bad is the “democratic recession?” And what can you do to get democracy back on track? (Artwork from Creative Commons) This article is part of a News-Decoder series of “decoders” that explain...
Venezuela’s economic crisis has sent millions of refugees into surrounding countries, stirring regional tensions and fanning populist anger. A woman and a boy, both Venezuelan refugees, sit in a hammock at a shelter in Pacaraima, the main entry point for...
Facebook and Twitter were caught napping when Russian agents tried to sway the U.S. 2016 elections. Now, they are declaring war on disinformation. An empty chair reserved for Google’s parent Alphabet, which refused to send its top executive, is seen as Facebook COO...