By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image The emperor's 66th birthday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan, February 23, 2026. © 2026 Louise Delmotte/AP Photo Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), along with its coalition partner Japan Innovation Party and the opposition Democratic Party for the People, and Sanseito, jointly submitted a bill on June 16 that would criminalize “publicly damaging, removing, or defacing” Japan’s national flag in a “way or situation that evokes significant discomfort or disgust in people.”The bill proposes penalties of up to two years in prison or a maximum fine…
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By Tom Sykes, Associate Professor of Creative Writing and Global Journalism, University of Portsmouth
I’ve been researching the myriad triggers of travel anxiety, inspired by my own experience of Generalised Anxiety Disorder. These are my favourite tips.
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By Fionagh Thomson, Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy, Institute for Computational Cosmology, Durham University
A key current in the Atlantic may be slowing down. But changes deep below the waves don’t generate obvious visual narratives.
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By Simon Mabon, Professor of International Relations, Lancaster University
The clock is ticking on the Iran peace deal. A memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US is due to be signed in Geneva on June 19, allowing for a 60-day ceasefire extension and the opening of the strategically vital waterway, the Strait of Hormuz. But key questions remain unresolved that could yet scupper the agreement.
For Washington and Tehran, the memorandum also includes Lebanon. Iran has made the signing of the deal contingent on an Israeli…
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By Bob Batchelor, Assistant Professor of Communication, Media, & Culture, Coastal Carolina University
Less than half of American workers feel that they clearly know what their employers expect from them. And many employees are too discouraged to do their best.
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By Nareman Amin, Assistant Professor of Contemporary Islam, Michigan State University
Leila Tarakji, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, Michigan State University
As the US approaches the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, two scholars revisit the rich legacy of American Muslims.
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By Cesar R. Torres, Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Philosophy, Penn State
A philosopher of sport guides readers through the ethics of Diego Maradona’s most celebrated goal – and his most controversial.
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By Rachel Schneider, Associate Teaching Professor in English and Technical Communication, Missouri University of Science and Technology
At Pride festivals held across the U.S. and beyond, among the tables offering voter registration forms or condoms, you’ll likely run into some queer zinemakers.
Zines are DIY publications circulated by their creators. They originated in science fiction fan communities in the 1930s, when enthusiasts self-published stories and critiques.
It’s hard…
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By Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College
My colleagues and I recently spoke with a group of talented, interesting students who just completed their first year of college about using artificial intelligence as a research tool.
I asked what must have seemed like an unrelated question: “How many of you cheated in high school?”
Most of the students raised their hands. Perhaps comforted by the realization that they had plenty of company, they seemed neither embarrassed nor ashamed.
This is not the first time I’ve asked my students that question. On each occasion, the results have been pretty much the same.
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By Scott Atran, Research Professor, University of Michigan
For both Roman gladiators and modern-day mixed martial arts participants, physical contests become moral dramas about sacrifice and human limits. That has led today’s fighters to right-wing politics.
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