Bear trapped: the sanctions on Russia

Shippers and insurers of Russian crude are now subject to a $60-per-barrel price cap. That may spark Russian production cuts—or an oil-market realignment that undercuts the cap. Senegal might be out o...

5 Des 202222min

South Africa’s leader says a pile of cash stashed in a sofa represents no wrongdoing. The outcome of an investigation could be the undoing of his presidency and his party. We examine Britain’s hydroge...

2 Des 202227min

The Chinese leader who took over a squabbling party following the Tiananmen Square massacre surprised the world by stifling dissent, overseeing a staggering economic awakening—and occasionally breakin...

1 Des 202225min

The Horn of Africa’s resurgent jihadists of al-Shabab pose the biggest problem to Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. He tells us his plans—political, economic and principally ideological—to calm tensions. Western...

30 Nov 202228min

Behind the pageantry, Presidents Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron will have much to chew over, from a unified response in Ukraine to tricky trade negotiations. Our modelling suggests that Russia’s weapon...

29 Nov 202223min

Protests have become as bold as they are widespread—mostly against the country’s unsustainable zero-covid policies, but increasingly against the ruling regime itself. California’s wildfires have been ...

28 Nov 202225min

Players’ refusal to sing their national anthem at the World Cup has brought their country’s protests onto the global stage. We ask whether the discontent back home threatens the regime. A sober look a...

25 Nov 202228min

Grief about the deaths of more than 150 people in a crush has turned to anger, and the investigation into what actions were taken—or not taken—has turned political. Our correspondent looks into the va...

24 Nov 202226min