The conference in Poland will be a major test of the world’s collective political will to fight global warming. Following through on promises made in Paris will not be easy.

Thailand will go through the motions of free elections in March, but the likely result will be entrenched authoritarian rule and further instability.

Prayuth Chan-ocha led the 2014 military coup and will now lead the country as civilian prime minister after this week’s parliamentary vote. But the military will still dominate politics.

A high level of coordination suggests the perpetrators had substantial expertise, possibly drawn from a foreign-based terrorist group.