The World Today

Beijing says its investment in Ream is for Cambodia’s navy – but the base would give it a strong foothold in the region, write John Pollock and Damien Symon.

The Sustainable Development Goals are vague, utopian and unlikely to be met by 2030. Instead, the world faces four immediate challenges, writes Jon Lidén.

Afghanistan’s opium production may be 90 per cent down this year, but it’s likely to bounce back thanks to soaring prices and global demand, writes Orzala Nemat.

Andrew Quilty’s account of the western allies’ hasty withdrawal shows the turmoil it created in Afghanistan but lacks context, writes Lynne O’Donnell.

From Rudyard Kipling to Joe Biden, the West has stuck to its orientalist misunderstanding of Afghanistan and its people, writes Hameed Hakimi.

President Gustavo Petro’s decision to talk to criminal groups will be carefully watched, but the policy is rife with problems, writes Mariano Aguirre.

Due to worsening Sino-US relations and tightening EU markets, Beijing is hoping for a better reception in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, writes Yu Jie.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe must resist popular pressure ahead of next year’s election and aim for long-term reforms, write Kabir Hashim and Talal Rafi.

Voters in next year’s general election will be looking for a third way between the incumbent’s populism and the technocracy of old, writes Vanessa Rubio-Márquez.

Cynthia Enloe’s ‘Twelve Feminist Lessons of War’ brilliantly demonstrates the importance of women’s experience of and thinking on conflict, writes Megan MacKenzie.

The synthetic opioid is killing dozens monthly, but authorities and health campaigners can’t agree how to stem the deadly epidemic, writes Mallory Moench.

A small protest at a US airbase in Berkshire on September 5 1981 soon became a successful international campaign against nuclear missiles, writes Rebecca Johnson.

The former deputy editor of The World Today was an innovative journalist who refreshed the magazine and whose kindness endeared her to all, writes Alan Philps.

The historian tells Mike Higgins about the corporation’s contentious role in apartheid’s last years and how its outreach work empowers women and attracts criticism.

‘The Smarties’ defy Iran’s hijab mandate by boldly colouring their hair and taking to the streets, writes Shiva Khademi who photographed them.

Narendra Modi will look for a boost to his 2024 election campaign, writes James Orr.

The 22-year-old’s death at the hands of Iran’s morality police has led to hundreds of deaths, widespread protests and international condemnation.