World Cup Controversies

Even with the World Cup quarterfinals less than a week away, the beautiful game isn’t the only thing putting Qatar under the spotlight. Before the first soccer ball hit the field, Qatar faced criticism over its treatment of migrant workers and LGBTQ people. FP contributor Craig L. LaMay argues that Qatar’s poor international image is caused by its own media censorship laws—and lack of coverage on important issues.?

Perceptions of Qatar may have resulted in part from jaded narratives, but Doha still hasn’t addressed the root causes of the racial injustice that threaten the legacy of its World Cup. FP contributor Jamie Gruffydd-Jones suggests why human rights criticism often backfires. One reason is “who is being shamed matters.” He gives the example of China using propaganda to frame condemnation of its human rights record as an attack on the country itself. Qatar has employed similar public relations tactics, conflating calls for improving its human rights efforts as racist, writes Rothna Begum.?

Countries are known to have political aims for hosting the World Cup. In FP’s Latin America Brief, Catherine Osborn unpacks how and why Persian Gulf states have embraced the soft power of Latin American soccer in their campaign for global influence. —The Editors

New and Noteworthy

• China’s zero-COVID fiasco: Last week, China saw dozens of protests across the country, sparked by anger at the government’s zero-COVID policy and the extreme lockdowns imposed to control outbreaks of the coronavirus. The latest episode of Ones and Tooze assesses what sustained protests could mean for China and the world. Listen now, or read a condensed and edited transcript of the conversation.
• U.S. special envoy for Iran: The Biden administration’s special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, is tasked with executing Washington’s entire Iran policy, from its continuing sanctions on Tehran to attempts to reenter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. He joined FP to discuss the stalled nuclear deal, whether sanctions are working, and how Washington is responding to the protests in Tehran and the regime’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war. Watch now, or read a condensed and edited transcript of the conversation.
• The road after COP27: FP editor in chief Ravi Agrawal interviewed Europe’s top climate negotiator, Frans Timmermans, after returning from the U.N. climate change summit (or COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The two discussed how Europe has positioned its climate goals amid growing tensions between the United States and China as well as during the most serious war on its turf in a generation. Watch now, or read a condensed and edited transcript of the conversation.

FP Live

Reporters’ Notebook — Winter and the War

Dec. 8 | 12 p.m. ET

As Russia’s war in Ukraine continues into 2023, the weather will have an important impact. How are policymakers in Brussels, Moscow, and Washington factoring the cold weather into their calculations? Tune in to watch FP executive editor Amelia Lester interview our team of in-house journalists as they provide insights on where the war in Ukraine will head next. Send in your questions in advance to help direct the conversation.?

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Ramachandra Guha on Modi’s India

Dec. 12 | 11 a.m. ET

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely the most popular elected leader in the world. How exactly has Modi corralled so much power? Why have India’s opposition parties crumbled? What does a changing India mean for the world order? Join FP editor in chief Ravi Agrawal for a rare in-depth interview with historian Ramachandra Guha, whose extended essay on “The Cult of Modi” was one of our most read articles last month.?

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Exercise Your Mind

Last week, the European Union proposed establishing a special tribunal to address which crimes against humanity?

1. Evidence of the deliberate targeting of civilians in Ethiopia’s Tigray region
2. Acts of genocide against Myanmar’s Rohingya population
3. War crimes committed by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine
4. Violence against political dissidents in China

You can find the answer to this question at the end of this email. Click here to take the rest of our weekly news quiz—and sign up to get notified when new editions are available.

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Answer: 3) War crimes committed by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine. The two models under consideration are an international court or a hybrid court, both of which have been used in past conflicts, FP’s Alexandra Sharp explained in July.