May 17, 2026 | Rome, Italy

Virus woes or a warning?

China’s total lockdown, ostensibly to control the spread of the Omicron variant, seems at times to be aimed at making a far more important global point.

A marked man

After decades of political chess, Russia’ s autocratic Vladimir Putin has turned to quick-fix checkers, and it will likely end up costing him dearly, writes contributor David Deropolous.