Two giant pandas sit upright in tall grass surrounded by trees and leafy plants, the one on the right eating from its paws.

Coming to America – pandas and international politics at a zoo

The Chinese government wants to see friendly headlines about pandas and not human rights abuses, Northeastern experts say.
A view of the United Nations General Assembly gathering in New York City.

In 2026, is the United Nations a power broker or a ‘toothless tiger’?

Raindrops falling into a puddle on the ground.

“Super” El Niño is expected to be the strongest on record

Aerial view of a mud-filled river valley with partially collapsed buildings along the banks and a helicopter hovering over the debris field, mountains shrouded in fog in the background.

Many causes for floods, many causes for their devastation

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Lionel Messi dribbles the ball during a semi-final game against England.

Spain versus Argentina: Team brilliance versus individual star power

2
Aerial view of a mud-filled river valley with partially collapsed buildings along the banks and a helicopter hovering over the debris field, mountains shrouded in fog in the background.

Many causes for floods, many causes for their devastation

3
Andy Burnham makes a speech in front of a crowd outside 10 Downing Street, London.

What does the new British Prime Minister mean for Trump, Ukraine, EU?

4
A person walks on a road next to a field with wildfire smoke rising in the distance. 

What is ‘smoke taint’? How wildfires may affect your favorite wine

5
Migrants silhouetted against the sunrise as they cross a muddy riverbed near a razor-wire border fence.

Assessing restrictive immigration policy as migrants surge into Ceuta

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A man wearing a denim sweater is walking through an open cell door.

Why hostage-taking thrives in an era of great power competition

Even as the number of documented cases appears to be slowing as deals are struck, hostage-taking remains a viable tool for statecraft.
President Trump seated at the Resolute Desk, seen through the shoulders of two people in the foreground, mid-speech.

Is there a ‘birth tourism’ boom? Experts weigh in on the issue

Earlier this month, Trump railed against birth tourism as a long standing issue. But experts find the problem small in the US.
Workers tend do a scene with two destroyed cars, smoke rising from them.

Ukraine is taking the war deep into Russia. Is it working?

Ukraine’s strategic shift toward direct attacks on Russia’s beleaguered energy sector may be tipping the scales in the four-year-old war.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks to an audience.

Is India shifting from a secular state to a Hindu homeland?

As India marks independence, Northeastern expert Luna Sabastian explains how Hindu nationalist ideas changed the world’s largest democracy.
A text message containing political information is viewed on a mobile device.

Can a text message sway a voter? New research puts it to the test

With fewer than 100 days until the midterms, there’s a lot of buzz about election season — including the literal buzzing of cellphones.
Families wade at the shoreline while several large cargo ships sit anchored in the hazy water behind them.

A deal may resolve the Strait of Hormuz, but not the war

An anticipated deal between Iran and Oman would manage shipping in the strait, but has not yet been finalized.

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