Even-more-maximum pressure: sanctions on Iran
After much hullabaloo America announced its “Operation Economic Outcast”, a new tranche of sanctions. It is thin gruel, and might in fact invite military reprisals from Iran. Call centres form a large...
25 Aug 23min
Elbows up, again: a US-Canada trade flare-up
Promising trade talks imploded after a literal 11th-hour change from the American side. We examine the new trade barriers being erected, and the complex calculation for Prime Minister Mark Carney. In ...
24 Aug 21min
I, robot? AI and consciousness
The rise of generative AI has put new urgency into ancient questions. What is consciousness, and can machines ever have it? We dive into the data that reveal a surge in sexually transmitted infections...
21 Aug 24min
Bombs and bombshells: Zelensky under pressure
From anti-corruption probes to a disgruntled ex-minister calling for elections to disrupted grain shipments, headaches are mounting for Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. China has until now cope...
20 Aug 22min
Wake-up haul: an Ozempic moment for the brain
Orexins are peptides involved in the body’s sleep-wake system—and are big pharma’s next big thing. Like multi-purpose GLPs, they may have far more uses than just regulating shuteye. We ask why Japan’s...
19 Aug 22min
Settler bet: a West Bank flashpoint
Israeli settlers have been clashing more and more with Palestinians in the West Bank, often with government backing. We examine the forces at play in what could soon be yet another battlefront. India’...
18 Aug 22min
It’s not easy being Green: Zack Polanski
To critics, the Green Party leader is dangerous, even a con man. To fans, he is a national saviour-in-waiting. Our correspondent meets him to see what is behind the hype. So-called SpudCells have just...
17 Aug 23min
Afghanistan, five years on: our correspondent visits
Five years after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban show little sign of moderation. Our correspondent reports from the country on what life is like for ordinary people. A giant eart...
14 Aug 26min
