How Will Police Solve Murders on Mars?
As a deep dive into the policing of Mars colonies, this piece is by definition somewhat speculative, but it is no less interesting for it.
The Real Heroes Are Dead
Seventeen years after 9/11, this fine piece of writing has lost none of its heartrending impact. The terrible context of the piece ties a knot in the reader’s stomach as they make their way through a love story, then war stories, to the narrative’s inevitable conclusion.
A Spy Story: Sergei Skripal Was a Little Fish. He Had a Big Enemy.
This story goes back in time to Sergei Skripal’s life in the Russian intelligence service, long before he was poisoned in Salisbury. It skilfully intersperses his story with that of the wider geopolitical climate, from the fall of the USSR to today.
An obscure Chinese firm has taken over London’s black cabs. Its next target? Beat Uber at its own game
A look behind the scenes at a formerly little known Chinese car manufacturer, now owner of Volvo, with a stake in Daimler, and full ownership of the company making London’s very own black cabs.
It happened there: how democracy died in Hungary
A detailed look at how Viktor Orbn and his Fidesz party quietly knocked out the foundations of democracy in Hungary and launched a new era of self-proclaimed “illiberal democracy”. http://bit.ly/vox-orban
Aleppo After the Fall
A powerful piece looking at the complex new reality emerging in a city and country so horribly affected by civil war, where the regime is now feeling a new confidence.
The Curse of the Bahia Emerald, a Giant Green Rock That Ruins Lives
The story of a huge gem, weighing over 300kg, that has attracted trouble ever since its discovery.
Surviving the Fall of ISIS
As the Islamic State is pushed back, the dangers continue to increase for those left in areas under their control.
Present at the Creation
A source present at the creation of ISIS provides insight into how it came into being and its ongoing operations.
What is Code?
This article is 38,000 words long and is all about code. It’s a year old. It’s also a masterpiece.