Shut happens: US federal funding stops
After Republicans and Democrats failed to compromise on the budget bill, money to US federal agencies has officially been cut off. Donald Trump threatens “irreversible cuts”. The gaping security flaws...
1 Okt 202522min
Your peace or mine? Prospects for Gaza deal
After pressure from US President Donald Trump, Israel’s Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has been strong-armed into agreeing a deal for Gaza. Will Hamas sign up too? Our correspondent analyses the path t...
30 Sep 202525min
Fortunes of war: is Russia’s economy slowing?
The collapse of Russia’s wartime economy has long been foretold, yet massive fiscal stimulus has compensated for the effect of sanctions. Though the pinch is now being felt, the labour market is surpr...
29 Sep 202523min
Under different thumbs: a scant TikTok deal
President Donald Trump’s executive order ostensibly puts a years-long debate to bed. But questions persist about who will own—and influence—TikTok’s American operations. We examine the evidence on how...
26 Sep 202523min
Home truths: Ukraine’s internal strains
A snapshot of the country reveals deepening military and economic problems—and, perhaps above all, political ones. America’s efforts to clamp down on skilled-worker visas will have far-reaching uninte...
25 Sep 202521min
On warhead be it: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan
A long-suspected defence partnership between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has burst into the open. We ask what Pakistan’s extension of its nuclear umbrella will mean. As Chinese brands sweep the world, s...
24 Sep 202522min
States of disarray: the UN at 80
Coffers running low and an increasingly absent principal member: the United Nations has never looked so precarious. We discuss its future amid uncertain geopolitics. The generative-AI explosion has mo...
23 Sep 202525min
One nation, under God, divisible: Charlie Kirk’s memorial
Part commemoration, part megachurch meeting, largely political rally—the memorial service for Charlie Kirk revealed much about how the Trump administration intends to respond to his killing. Sunlight ...
22 Sep 202524min
