What Russian media are saying about Trump vs. Biden

+ QAnon and the devil‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

What happens in American politics has deep implications for the rest of the world, and looking at foreign media coverage of the race – especially in places that have strict state control of media like China, Russia and Iran – can give you a pretty good idea of what different countries think about the candidates.

A team of researchers tracked over 20 prominent news outlets in China, Russia and Iran, using algorithms to identify key narrative themes in the coverage. They did the same exercise in 2016. Back then, Trump was an unknown, and some foreign media were bullish on the former reality TV star.

Now? Those same state-run media outlets have started to change their tune.

Also today:

Nick Lehr

Arts + Culture Editor

Chinese outlets that once relayed cautious optimism over Donald Trump’s deal-making abilities now express exasperation over his chaotic style. Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images

Russian media may be joining China and Iran in turning on Trump

Robert Hinck, Monmouth College; Robert Utterback, Monmouth College; Skye Cooley, Oklahoma State University

In 2016, America's adversaries seemed to cheer electoral chaos and a withering faith in democracy. Now they seem to be hoping democracy can topple a leader they've grown loathe to deal with.

Ethics + Religion

The history of oath ceremonies and why they matter when taking office

Joanne M. Pierce, College of the Holy Cross

Taking oath is an important tradition before assuming charge of a public office. It entails a commitment to the future. What is the history of oath-taking?
How QAnon uses satanic rhetoric to set up a narrative of ‘good vs. evil’

Paul Thomas, Radford University

Donald Trump said followers of the conspiracy theory 'are very much against pedophilia.' What he didn't mention was the demonic imagery and language that peppers QAnon posts.

Politics/Election '20

Biden’s plan to revive Iran talks could calm the Middle East – but on Israel he and Trump largely agree

Muqtedar Khan, University of Delaware

Biden and Trump are like night and day on foreign policy, and American global engagement would change radically under a Biden presidency. But actual Mideast policy might show only cosmetic changes.
How the Supreme Court can maintain its legitimacy amid intensifying partisanship

Bruce Peabody, Fairleigh Dickinson University

Though critics claim Amy Coney Barrett's nomination jeopardizes the high court's legitimacy, research shows there are ways the judiciary can bolster its standing and weather controversial decisions.
Chile puts its constitution on the ballot after year of civil unrest

Jennifer M. Piscopo, Occidental College; Peter Siavelis, Wake Forest University

On Oct. 25 Chile will decide whether to replace its dictatorship-era constitution with a new one written wholly by the Chilean people. The vote shows how protests can change the course of a nation.
The president’s term ends at noon on Jan. 20

Donald Nieman, Binghamton University, State University of New York

The framers of the Constitution were very clear that presidential terms have time limits. Not four years and a day. Not three years and 364 days. Four years.

Education
Proposed student visa policy could hinder US competitiveness David L. Di Maria, University of Maryland, Baltimore County An effort by the Trump administration to put stricter limits on students and scholars from certain countries may cost a lot and accomplish little, an international education expert argues.

Environment + Energy
Restoring seagrasses can bring coastal bays back to life Robert J. Orth, Virginia Institute of Marine Science; Jonathan Lefcheck, Smithsonian Institution; Karen McGlathery, University of Virginia Healthy seagrasses form underwater meadows teeming with fish and shellfish. A successful large-scale restoration project in Virginia could become a model for reseeding damaged seagrass beds worldwide.

Economy + Business
Prejudice against people with darker skin may make donors less generous Abhishek Bhati, Bowling Green State University Using a common tool for measuring subconscious stereotypes, a scholar assessed how bias against dark skin can influence an inclination to support a charity serving people in low-income countries.

From our international editions

The colonial enterprise hard-baked violence in Nigeria: how it can be fixed

Benjamin Maiangwa, University of Manitoba

The fact that the colonial system was essentially a commercial expedition meant that the outcome was the creation of corporate entities rather than nation states.
Bolivia elections: socialist Luis Arce celebrates projected victory amid democratic fragility

Angus McNelly, Queen Mary University of London

Exit polls suggest Luis Arce, a former finance minister under Evo Morales, has won Bolivia's presidential elections.
How worried should I be about news the coronavirus survives on surfaces for up to 28 days?

Lara Herrero, Griffith University; Eugene Madzokere, Griffith University

We still don't know how long the coronavirus lasts on surfaces in real-world conditions, such as on objects in the home, at work or in the supermarket.

What Russian media are saying about Trump vs. Biden

Russian media may be joining China and Iran in turning on Trump

Ethics + Religion

The history of oath ceremonies and why they matter when taking office

How QAnon uses satanic rhetoric to set up a narrative of ‘good vs. evil’

Politics/Election '20

Biden’s plan to revive Iran talks could calm the Middle East – but on Israel he and Trump largely agree

How the Supreme Court can maintain its legitimacy amid intensifying partisanship

Chile puts its constitution on the ballot after year of civil unrest

The president’s term ends at noon on Jan. 20

Education

Proposed student visa policy could hinder US competitiveness

Environment + Energy

Restoring seagrasses can bring coastal bays back to life

Economy + Business

Prejudice against people with darker skin may make donors less generous

From our international editions

The colonial enterprise hard-baked violence in Nigeria: how it can be fixed

Bolivia elections: socialist Luis Arce celebrates projected victory amid democratic fragility

How worried should I be about news the coronavirus survives on surfaces for up to 28 days?

Older messages

Why farmers still love Trump

Deaths from dementia rise during pandemic

What Fauci's Thanksgiving warning means for colleges

Only Americans don't want their adult kids living at home

It takes a village to restore California's forests

You Might Also Like

☕ Great chains

Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing.

Honourable Roulette

📬 No. 62 | What I learned about newsletters in 2024

⚡️ ‘Skeleton Crew’ Answers Its Biggest Mystery

I Tried All The New Eye-Shadow Sticks

How To Stop Worrying And Learn To Love Lynn's National IQ Estimates

☕ Olympic recycling

Ozempic has entered the chat

How a major bank cheated its customers out of $2 billion, according to a new federal lawsuit