For everyone around the world, in every country and continent, 2020 was dominated by a single story: COVID-19. For all of us, though the date may have varied, there was a definitive before and after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The thirst for thoughtful analysis of such a historic world event—from big picture articles examining the broad sweep of the pandemic’s global impact to more focused pieces detailing its implications for particular countries—is reflected in our list of this year’s most-read stories. Of course, WPR also closely covered the U.S. presidential election, the Black Lives Matter protests that spread around the world and other momentous events in global politics and international affairs. And as if to underscore that before-and-after dynamic of COVID-19, several quieter stories made it onto the list—three from January and one from late February, just as the coronavirus was beginning its global spread. They capture the range of WPR’s coverage of global affairs and the importance we place on not just following the headlines, but also the trend lines foreshadowing tomorrow’s important stories. The list below is based on unique page views. To stay a step ahead on what’s in store for 2021, keep following and subscribing to WPR.
1. Why the Coronavirus Pandemic Won’t Lead to a New World Order
Judah Grunstein
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
2. The ‘Swedish Model’ Is a Failure, Not a Panacea
Frida Ghitis
Thursday, May 14, 2020