Hedge of allegiance: South Africa’s diplomatic shift
A policy of ambiguity is swiftly shifting; the country is falling into a Sino-Russian orbit at just the time it needs the most help from Western allies. How learning to debate can improve the lives of...
6 Mars 202326min
Seed of doubt: venture capital tightens up
A slump in tech is driving investors to rediscover old ways. Out are the cash-splashing long bets; in are smaller, profitable, strategic firms. Nigeria’s election was pitched as the most transparent e...
3 Mars 202324min
Losing the threads: Bangladesh
Shifts in the garment industry, which powered development in the country, represent one risk; meagre currency reserves are another. Yet nothing so imperils Bangladesh’s economic miracle as graft and p...
2 Mars 202322min
The belt buckles up: China’s grand plan slims
The Belt and Road initiative to encircle much of the world with Chinese-funded, Chinese-built infrastructure is growing leaner and more penny-wise. But its ambitions are undimmed. Energy-market turmoi...
1 Mars 202324min
Let’s remake a deal: Brexit and Northern Ireland (again)
Since Brexit’s earliest days, the trade status of Northern Ireland and its border with the Republic of Ireland have been a perilous sticking point. We examine a deal that might—and should—resolve matt...
28 Feb 202324min
Has Obi won, can Obi? Nigeria’s elections
Excitement still surrounds the spoiler candidate Peter Obi, whose down-to-earth ways appeal to a large constituency of fed-up youths. We look at the early returns. A year ago Olaf Scholz, Germany’s ch...
27 Feb 202328min
A year of war: a Ukraine special
After a year of a conflict that was predicted to last just days, we examine the battle lines—seeing an opportunity for Ukraine that may not come around again. We look at the strains on Russian civil s...
24 Feb 202327min
The prices fight: conflicting views on inflation
Markets seem to think the worst is over; central bankers are not so sure. We ask why determining the trajectory of inflation is so difficult. Millions of refugees have poured out of Ukraine since the ...
23 Feb 202324min
