World Leaders

Reza Pahlavi, former crown prince of Iran, and his wife, Yasmine, address a crowd of anti-Islamic Republic protestors outside the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on February 14, 2026.

Inside the Iran War Industry Inside the Iran War Industry

Using an old playbook with powerful new tools, it may be closer than ever to turning a US–Iran war into reality.

Feb 19, 2026 / Jamal Abdi

Orange Monarch

Orange Monarch Orange Monarch

Protest sign, New York City, 2026.

Feb 18, 2026 / OppArt / Denise Canniff

A municipal employee raises the US flag at Sharm el-Sheikh as the town prepares to receive foreign leaders on October 11, 2025.

The Cost of US Withdrawal From 66 International Organizations, Conventions, and Treaties The Cost of US Withdrawal From 66 International Organizations, Conventions, and Treaties

How going it alone reduces our own sovereignty.

Feb 18, 2026 / Aaron S.J. Zelinsky

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks on a panel on populism at the 62nd Munich Security Conference on February 13, 2026, in Munich, Germany.

The Munich Security Conference Marks the End of the US-Led Order The Munich Security Conference Marks the End of the US-Led Order

US politicians flooded the summit—but Europe no longer sees the United States as a reliable partner.

Feb 17, 2026 / Carol Schaeffer

A bicitaxi rides along a street in Havana amid nationwide fuel shortages, on February 13, 2026.

Cuba Hunkers Down as a US Oil Blockade Brings a Humanitarian Crisis Cuba Hunkers Down as a US Oil Blockade Brings a Humanitarian Crisis

Fear but no panic on the streets.

Feb 17, 2026 / Marc Frank

ICE Brings Shame to America

ICE Brings Shame to America ICE Brings Shame to America

Trump’s secret police force is a stain on our country.

Feb 16, 2026 / OppArt / Dario Castillejos

Keir Starmer chats with disgraced former UK ambassador to the United States and alleged Epstein associate Peter Mandelson during a welcome reception at the ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC, on February 26, 2025.

The UK’s Epstein Crisis The UK’s Epstein Crisis

If Keir Starmer is safe for now, it’s only for lack of alternatives within his party.

Feb 16, 2026 / Rachel Shabi

Vice President JD Vance and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hold signed copies of Joint Statement on the Completion of Negotiations on an Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation between the United States of America and the Republic of Armenia in Yerevan, Armenia, on February 9, 2026.

JD Vance: A Prisoner of the Caucasus JD Vance: A Prisoner of the Caucasus

The vice president’s trip adds fuel to regional fires.

Feb 13, 2026 / Pietro A. Shakarian

Keir Starmer delivers a speech, at Horntye Park Sports Complex, in St Leonards-on-Sea, south east England, on February 5, 2026.

Keir Starmer’s Failure Is Nearly Complete Keir Starmer’s Failure Is Nearly Complete

The wildly unpopular UK prime minister is likely doomed in the wake of an Epstein-related scandal entirely of his own making. He deserves every bit of the hell he’s in.

Feb 13, 2026 / Evan Robins

Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire after a Russian bombing raid on the city of Sloviansk, Ukraine, on February 10, 2026.

Why the European Left Should Support Peace in Ukraine Why the European Left Should Support Peace in Ukraine

Endorsing a negotiated settlement does not require the left to justify Russia’s invasion or advocate legal recognition of its territorial gains.

Feb 12, 2026 / Artin DerSimonian and Anatol Lieven

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