The Sunni-Shia divide: Where they live, what they believe and how they view each other
Iraq and Iran are two of only a handful of countries that have more Shias than Sunnis.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
International
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In countries near Syria, widespread fear about the spread of violence, extremists
Middle East worries about spreading violence and a possible triumph by extremists in Syria have been evident in Pew Research surveys the past two years.
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Syria’s Neighbors Want Assad to Step Down, But No Appetite for Aid to Rebels
After three years of civil war, Syria’s neighbors fear that al Qaeda or other extremist groups could take control of that war-torn land, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. Regional publics widely disapprove of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and they want him to step down. Nevertheless, there is mounting opposition in […]
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More Americans say U.S. failed to achieve its goals in Iraq
As Sunni militants make a major military push against the central government in Iraq, the Obama administration is said to have rebuffed requests from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to use drones to strike at extremist bases. That reported reluctance follows years of U.S. military intervention in Iraq that many Americans say was misguided and failed to achieve its goals.
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On Eve of World Cup, Brazil Well-Regarded in Much of the World
As Brazil prepares to host its second World Cup, at least half of those surveyed in 24 of 37 countries have a favorable view of the South American nation. Views of Brazil are particularly positive in Latin America and Asia, although in many countries a fair share of people offer no opinion. Brazil gets especially […]
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Public Has Doubts about Bergdahl Prisoner Exchange
Survey Report The prisoner exchange that freed U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl from the Taliban in Afghanistan gets a more negative than positive reaction from the public. Overall, 43% say it was the wrong thing for the Obama administration to exchange five Taliban prisoners for captive soldier Bergdahl, while fewer (34%) say it was the right […]
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Less than half of Ukrainians support economic aid from the West
The Ukrainians’ lack of enthusiasm for economic aid comes at a time when their economic outlook is bleak.
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Brazilian Discontent Ahead of World Cup
The national mood in Brazil is grim, following a year in which more than a million people have taken to the streets of major cities across the country to protest corruption, rising inflation and a lack of government investment in public services such as education, health care and public transportation, among other things. A new […]
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How America’s opinion of China has changed since Tiananmen
As the Tiananmen protests unfolded in 1989, most Americans wanted to show support for the pro-democracy movement. But in the years since, economic ties and economic competition have become the dominant topics between the two nations, while at the same time the relationship has become more distrustful.
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Syria’s neighbors give Assad the thumbs down
Strong majorities of the publics in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, Tunisia and Turkey and half the public in Lebanon voice a very unfavorable view of the embattled Syrian leader.
