Italy’s far-right coalition leads way in world

Giorgia Meloni is poised to be Italy's first far-right nationalist leader since Mussolini resigned after a right-wing coalition led by her post-Fascist party, the Brothers of Italy, dominated national elections. The victory, which would make her the country's first female prime minister, sent a tremor through Washington and across Europe, where the establishment is worried about a new rightward tilt. The economic impact of the coronaviruses epidemic and the war in Ukraine have deeply damaged centrist parties throughout the continent, with high national debt and rocketing inflation. The appeal of nationalists and populists is strong and is spreading. In Sweden this month, the far-right Sweden Democrats became the second-largest party and the largest in what is expected to be a right-wing coalition, despite the fact that they were once a bastion of liberal Nordic politics.

Four years ago, 12 boys and their coach were trapped in a cave in one of Thailand's national parks. The park is preparing for a tourism onslaught as new blockbuster movies detail the dramatic rescue. The chief of a nearby village said I never expected it to change this much. Even our own people in neighboring districts didn't know about the cave. France worrying about World Cup preparations : The mood in French soccer is bleak, with constant rolling scandals that distract from everyday talking points like tactics and team selections. Inside Graham Potter's Chelsea rebuild: Potter will need all of his new players engaged not just to navigate the relentless schedule, but to build serious Premier League momentum while rescuing a listless Champions League group-stage campaign. Relaxed player meetings, open environments are a good start. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, has made his country indispensable to addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges, including diplomacy and climate change, technology and trade and China's dominance in the supply chain. But while Modi rides India's credentials as the world's largest democracy, his government is working on a project to imprint a majoritarian Hindu ideology on India's secular democracy. Modi and his party are stifling dissent and consolidating power, sidelining civilian institutions and marginalizing minority groups, particularly India's 200 million Muslims. It is not sure whether India can be an engine for global growth, or if its government is stoking cycles of extremism and volatility at home.