In August 2021, Taliban fighters took control of the presidential palace in Kabul and re-established control over the whole country. Five years on, we look at how media access and the freedom of expression continue to be eroded. 

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China is a budding superpower but the US and UK still dominate global university charts, even those by Shanghai Ranking Consultancy. We hear from economist Guy Standing, plus our panel of Alex von Tunzelmann and Mark Earls weigh in on why autocrats still send their kids to Harvard.

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Robert Bound returns to defend his ‘The Daily Weekly Quiz’ title. We head to the Gulf, North Korea and Australia for tips on how to beat the heat. Plus: stuck at home in August? Book recommendations that will whisk you away. 

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China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are increasingly co-operating militarily. How steadfast is this alliance and should it worry the West? Plus: Germany’s ‘spy revolution’, Karoline Leavitt leaves and the pros and cons of Unesco’s World Heritage List. 

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Ukraine halts strikes on Russia’s tankers as per JD Vance’s request. Then: Donald Trump’s catering van controversy, French journalists go to war with AI and we get down to “Swissness”. 

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Sea Legend shipping company is launching the first regular container service along Russia’s northern Arctic coast. Then: the World Bank helps Lebanon with its digital transformation. And: France says ‘non’ to unsolicited telemarketing calls.

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Rejected by Israel and left out by Oman: is Donald Trump losing influence in the Middle East? Then: plans to change the French parliament spark outrage. And: would you wear air-conditioned clothing?  

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We examine the significance for the region and the world at the announcement of a new Middle East security deal. Then: our weekly quiz, chairs to make the neighbours jealous and ‘What We Learned’.

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Russia, China and the US are teaming up for global law enforcement. Then: the left’s media machine, London’s pigeon war and we settle the debate over packing light versus packing heavy once and for all. 

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As the Democratic Party redefines itself, Tira Shubart and Phil Tinline explore what lessons European centre-left parties are taking from the US. Plus: who is responsible for protecting the lunar environment?

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As Taiwan tests how the public responds to limited internet connectivity, Mark Leonard and Aliona Hlivco look into how to prepare a society to function when it’s suddenly offline. Plus: Brazilian designer Duda Lopes.

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