Understand the forces shaping the world.
Beyond the headline. Our analysts and correspondents go deep on the stories that matter — the geopolitics, economics, and power structures behind the news.
The Dollar's Long Goodbye: Why De-Dollarisation Is Accelerating Faster Than Markets Expect
Trade in non-dollar currencies has doubled in five years. We map the financial architecture taking shape — and what it means for global stability.
Why the Sahel Is the New Front Line of Great Power Competition
Russia, China, the US and France are all playing — and losing — a complex game in West Africa.
The 14nm Rule That Could Redraw Global Trade
A technical export threshold is quietly becoming one of the most consequential geopolitical decisions of our era.
The Democratic Recession: What the Data Actually Shows
Freedom House numbers mask a more complex reality. Some democracies are getting stronger.
Latest Analysis
Archive →After Gaza: How the Two-State Solution Became a Category Error
The international framework that shaped Middle East diplomacy for 30 years may no longer describe a possible reality.
The Climate Finance Gap: Why $100bn Was Never Going to Be Enough
The pledge that defined Paris was achieved on paper. What it failed to mobilise tells us everything about COP's limits.
Strongmen in a Weak World: The Paradox of Authoritarian Fragility
Populist leaders look invincible until they don't. The structural cracks forming under the world's autocracies.
India's Demographic Dividend Is Cashing Out — But Who Gets the Returns?
A billion-strong workforce entering peak productivity years should guarantee growth. The reality is more complicated.
Debt Traps and Sovereign Defaults: The Coming Wave Nobody's Ready For
Over 60 low-income countries now spend more on debt service than health and education combined.
Russia's War Economy: Sustainable or a Slow Collapse in Disguise?
Military spending is propping up GDP. But the structural distortions accumulating will define Russia's next decade.
Ongoing Series
The Age of Disorder
A multi-part investigation into how global governance failed — and what replacements are forming.
The Water Wars
Freshwater scarcity is already triggering conflict. We visit the front lines in six continents.
AI and the State
How governments are weaponising, regulating and being reshaped by artificial intelligence.
Our Analysts
Elena Marchetti
Senior Economic Correspondent · Milan
Kofi Asante
Africa Bureau Chief · Accra
Sara Lindqvist
Technology Analyst · Stockholm
James Whitmore
Political Analyst · London