More than two years have passed since the last enclave of Islamic State’s self-declared ‘caliphate’ fell. But groups of Isis militants have never entirely gone away, hiding out in mountains near Kirkuk and descending in the summer to raid villages for food. Ghaith Abdul-Ahad goes on patrol with Iraqi special forces looking to flush out the last remnants of Islamic State, whom local people fear will never leave the region. Also, from Syria, we hear how women held in a notorious Isis camp are seeking escape through marriages to men they meet online.
Haiti has seen more than its fair share of turmoil and misfortune. Now, the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moïse, has cast the nation further into uncertainty. As security forces struggle to piece together the murky trail behind the murder, Tom Phillips and Jean Daniel Delone find little optimism for the future among Haiti’s beleaguered citizens.
England has been gripped by football fever for the past month as Euro 2020 played out. After the national team – feted for its youth, diversity and positivity – lost narrowly to Italy in the final, a moment of pride was instead overshadowed by a wave of racism against England’s Black players on social media. In our Spotlight section, David Olusoga reflects on what the tournament told us about the bright new England and the grim old one.
Then, in our longer-read features, the British Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton reflects on how colour and identity shaped his journey to the top of the sport, and why he feels compelled to take a greater stand against racism in society.
Finally – it’s the buzz that feeds the working habits of large swathes of the world’s population. But what would life be like if we all tried to get by without caffeine? Michael Pollan forsook the flat whites to find out.
