Tug of warheads: the nuclear order
Successful arms-control diplomacy has kept proliferation at bay for decades. But many states now have nuclear ambitions; we look at an increasingly worrying shift. Rapid development in sub-Saharan Afr...
29 Jan 202121min
Conte’s inferno: political crisis in Italy
The president is scrambling to pull together a workable government following Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s resignation—and the instability has big implications for Europe’s post-pandemic plans. We e...
28 Jan 202120min
Vials and tribulations: the EU’s vaccine push
The European Union’s vaccine rollout was slow and fragmented even before pharma companies warned of supply shortfalls; we ask what’s gone wrong. Australia’s proposed law that would force tech titans t...
27 Jan 202119min
Party down: Vietnam’s Communist leaders meet
At this week’s five-yearly congress there will be pride in the handling of the pandemic—but broader discontent and mounting protests should worry party bigwigs. We ask our education correspondent why ...
26 Jan 202121min
Vlad tidings: demonstrations across Russia
The arrest of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny—and an exposé he released alleging deep corruption—fuelled vast weekend protests, chipping away at President Vladimir Putin’s legitimacy. Having left the Eu...
25 Jan 202120min
Biting the hands that would feed: Ethiopia
There are signs that the federal government is obstructing humanitarian aid to the war-torn region of Tigray, putting millions of civilians at risk of famine. We draw lessons from Israel’s vaccine rol...
22 Jan 202118min
Much to repair: Biden’s first day on the job
The watchword was unity as Joe Biden took office—he struck a calming tone and got immediately to work. We analyse the gargantuan tasks that lie ahead. Messaging services such as WhatsApp provide a nee...
21 Jan 202122min
Costly disbelief: covid-19 ravages Brazil again
Desperate scenes in the city of Manaus may foretell a dire wave throughout the country. A misguided sense of “herd immunity” has worsened matters, as has the president’s persistent scepticism. We exam...
20 Jan 202120min
