World

There are a lot of stories circulating about the scientific benefits of space travel and of mining the lunar surface. A huge number of them are complete nonsense.

There’s been a run on fuel in some parts of South Africa and the pumps are running dry. It raises the possibility that something much worse might happen

The new £1bn landmark is a startling attraction. But it’s the old place – shorn of its most famous treasure – that now really glitters

The fuel price shock has destroyed Australia’s most fundamental strategic assumption – that geographical isolation means security. Turns out that was wrong all along

The media here has picked up on the UK press’s dislike of Harry and Meghan, but the papers are way out of step with the Australian public. The informal style makes the couple a much better cultural fit than any members of the royal family

The Israeli government is justifying its territorial expansion using ancient historical finds. Around East Jerusalem, whole Palestinian neighbourhoods are vanishing

After Iran, and Venezuela, the US has destroyed its reputation and the world has learned a new lesson. That the US is no longer a country to be admired. It is now to be feared

Before Google Maps, travellers had to rely on guides and phrasebooks that mixed useful advice with imperial arrogance and surreal oddities

Which syllables should be stressed is a cause of stress – so here’s a guide

The leader of the biggest, most feared cartel in Mexico was killed, with CIA help, in Guadalajara. This is what happened

In Argentina you might think you’re sitting down for the evening meal. But you’re not. Not even close

Nowhere can escape the effects of the US war in the Middle East. In the Philippines, the country’s most important means of transport is on the verge of grinding to a halt

It’s uncomfortable to think that an authoritarian nation run by a king is more forward-looking than the UK. But when it comes to renewable energy, the kingdom is leaving everyone else in the dust

The autocrat’s defeat is a blow to Trump, Putin - and populists like Nigel Farage

Religious leaders are appalled by violent rhetoric over Iran and shocked by a gangsterish threat to the Pope’s authority

The Iranian Jews of New York City arrived in the 1970s and now face a war in which three places they could call home are all involved. If the Islamic regime falls, that raises a tough question: would they ever go back?

The contenders to run the country once bombing stops are divided and discredited - and civil war looks a distinct possibility

When Putin invaded Ukraine, his assault began with an attack in space. And now, the Iran war is being overseen and managed by technology orbiting the globe. And this is just the beginning

Paid surrogacy is banned in Australia. But the consequences for women in other, poorer nations are terrible, and that raises questions about the nature of parenthood itself

The idea of martyrdom is deeply embedded in Iranian culture. If US ground troops set foot in Iran, they will find themselves facing an opponent with a spiritual relationship with death

You can be an expert in logic and still espouse the worst values

The abstract painter wanted to make art like he was ‘rushing through a battlefield’ – so he started using his feet as brushes

The origin of the hat’s name comes from the location of berries used to dye its felt

A referendum is coming in June that would limit the number of Swiss inhabitants at 10 million. What happens if it passes?

In Singapore, the land on which houses are built is so expensive it’s worth many times more than the houses themselves. That makes farming next to impossible. So where do you get your food?

He appears to view the country like an African Iran – not so much a country with a history, but a political malfunction, to be solved by shouting, threats and bombing. Which, of course, doesn’t work

For Trump to stand a chance at the mid-terms, he needs to win over independents. But they hate him – and their dislike is only growing

The region is getting hotter and drier to the point of being uninhabitable. And in the coming decades, as the world moves to renewables and the oil price starts to collapse, what then?

You may not like it, but it’s true. The political centre turned in on itself and ignored hard realities. To get rid of him and all he represents, we need that to change

Digging into the detail and data to separate the noise from the news

Sometimes daft and sometimes otherworldly, the all-consuming world of BTS, Blackpink and K-Pop Demon Hunters stands apart from the rest of popular culture

From Ashkenazi roots to German titles, the surname of Israel’s president carries centuries of meaning