Another step forward for democracy in West Africa, but it brings reminders of a brutal civil war.
Category: War and peace
The Bolshevik putsch, 100 years on
Lenin and the Bolsheviks took power a century ago. Much blood has flowed under the bridge since then.
Election preview: Japan
Prime minister Shinzo Abe is seeking a fresh mandate, and seems unlikely to have much trouble getting it.
Self-determination, here and there
Catalonia has no chance of getting a credible vote for independence this week. Kurdistan has already got one, but it's not doing it much good.
Kurdistan’s turn
Iraq's Kurds say they're pushing forward with a referendum on independence, but the nature of their strategy remains a little unclear.
Charlottesville
Some further thoughts on the moral catastrophe that is Trumpism.
Oh dear, it’s North Korea again
North Korea is staging its regular return to the headlines. Don't panic.
The war against Arab democracy
The conflict with Qatar is fundamentally about the possibility of democracy in the Arab world. That's why Saudi and Trumpian autocrats are on the same side.
South Korea turns left
South Korea turns its back on ten years of conservative leadership, and a peacemaker takes over just when he's needed.
The Trump plan for Mid-East peace
Courtesy of both President Trump and the "facts on the ground", Israel and Palestine seem to be headed for a one-state solution. Is it time to accept that outcome and focus on making it work?
The World is Not Enough 