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Saudi Arabia’s High-Stakes Bet on Gaming

Saudi Arabia’s High-Stakes Bet on Gaming

Saudi Arabia is quietly becoming a global gaming superpower, investing billions in the owners of franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft. The move says a lot about the kingdom’s soft power, cultural values and potential influence on a generation raised on games.

In Syria’s Desert, Palmyra Fights for Its Life

In Syria’s Desert, Palmyra Fights for Its Life

In Palmyra, residents returning after years of war face a scorched oasis, broken infrastructure and dwindling hope. The city’s revival hinges on water, tourism and aid — of which it has seen little.

How the Rise of Bureaucracy Reshaped Religion

How the Rise of Bureaucracy Reshaped Religion

The ways that today’s states deal with the sacred are not determined by how “secular” they are or the lingering effects of ancient traditions. Variations in how religion relates to public life around the world were rather set by the evolution of modern bureaucracies.

The Online Movement Ensnaring Young Men

The Online Movement Ensnaring Young Men

Reporter James Bloodworth joins Faisal Al Yafai to discuss how developments in technology have left young men exposed to influencers like Andrew Tate, and his own brief experience with the manosphere.

Who Counts as an Afrikaner?

Who Counts as an Afrikaner?

The arrival of white South African families in the U.S. seeking asylum and alleging racial persecution sparked debate over their country’s postapartheid politics. Their story reveals the contradictions of an Afrikaner identity often associated with the international far right, but claimed by racially diverse South Africans.