Fool Britannia? A covid-19 response under scrutiny
After a series of government missteps, people in Britain—and, increasingly, outside it—are lambasting the covid-19 response. That has great reputational costs. In a story suited to a television drama,...
13 Touko 202020min
Moveable feast: a global food system adapts
The vast network moving food from farm to fork has shifted gears mightily in response to covid-19. But some will still go hungry; governments must resist the urge to crimp exports. Inflation statistic...
12 Touko 202021min
Back to the furore: protests set to reignite
The pandemic overshadowed a striking spate of uprisings around the world. In Lebanon economic conditions have only worsened since—and the protesters are back. A look at urban architecture reveals how ...
11 Touko 202021min
Rises and false: markets v the economy
How can stockmarkets be so healthy when many businesses are so unwell? We look at the many risks that are clearly not priced in. China’s documentary-makers are having to find clever ways to get past c...
8 Touko 202022min
Hitting a Vlad patch: 20 years of Putin
As Russia’s leader marks two decades in power, he faces almighty headwinds—not only covid-19 but also cut-price oil and an increasingly leery citizenry. The pandemic is hitting different tech firms in...
7 Touko 202020min
Disarming revelation: a chance at a global ceasefire
Many were shocked when armed groups heeded a call for a global ceasefire; given a squabble at the UN it would now be shocking if those pockets of peace continue to hold. We examine a century-old techn...
6 Touko 202021min
Degrees of separation: universities and covid-19
Many universities were on thin ice financially before the pandemic. Now, with foreign travel slumping and distancing measures the norm, a global reckoning is coming. In many Asian countries, Ramadan s...
5 Touko 202020min
Lives v livelihoods: Africa’s covid-19 tradeoffs
As Nigeria tentatively lifts its lockdown today, we examine the decisions African leaders face: pandemic policies may do more harm than the pandemic itself. There’s a curious dearth of smokers among c...
4 Touko 202020min
