Silicon Valley Bank. Signature Bank. Credit Suisse. The world’s banks look wobbly, leading to fears of broader economic pain. Our economics editor explains how regulators should stabilise the sector. Russia is running out of tanks; replenishing its supply will not be easy. And America has a new favourite dog breed.

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The visit of Xi Jinping, China’s president, to Moscow may seem like the solidifying of a simple, anti-Western alliance. But China is walking a delicate line to look after its own interests. A growing minority of young people simply do not want to drive; that will have consequences far beyond roadways. And research on colonising the Moon goes underground.

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The economics are clear-cut: the benefits of preserving the lungs of the world vastly outweigh those of felling trees. We travel to the Amazon and find that the problem is largely down to lawlessness in the world’s rainforests. And reflecting on the life of Oe Kenzaburo, a Japanese writer shaped by family crisis who gave voice to the voiceless.

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Proposed legislation that would hobble the judiciary has led to relentless demonstrations—and exposed a rift in Israeli society that has become dangerous to Binyamin Netanyahu and the country as a whole. Artificial intelligence is boosting online search, and bolstering publishers’ arguments that search engines owe them a piece of the pie. And the reasons behind Britain’s tomato rationing.

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From today’s national budget to hardline immigration legislation to international defence pacts, Britain’s prime minister is working hard to extract his Tory party from a deep electoral hole. The Kremlin is trying to extend its reach into Russia’s cultural spaces—but its incomplete success is telling. And a listen to the work of Brad Mehldau, perhaps today’s most eminent jazz pianist.

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After internecine drama, the opposition-party alliance has picked their man. The bookish, mild-mannered Kemal Kilicdaroglu may be the best possible president, but also the worst possible candidate when Turkey’s democracy is flagging. We examine why a new UN high-seas treaty, decades in the making, is so significant. And Thailand’s “Boys’ Love” gay TV dramas are an ever-growing cultural export.

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An old-fashioned bank run has caused American regulators to intervene in a big way to save the bank’s depositors. We ask what went wrong, and what risks the fix will pose. Today America, Australia and Britain will cement a military alliance designed to confront an increasingly assertive China. And an Ethiopian prince buried among English kings reignites questions about cultural restitution.

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The world’s biggest military donor to Ukraine, relative to GDP, is Estonia. Kaja Kallas, its prime minister, just won a resounding victory in an election that was effectively a referendum on continued support for Ukraine. Why some South Koreans are unhappy at a deal to compensate citizens forced to work for Japanese companies. And looking back at the often painful life of the King of Sting.

Additional audio taken from ReThinking with Adam Grant published by TED Audio Collective

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The risk of a Sino-American war over Taiwan appears to be growing. Our diplomatic editor assesses the frightening prospects and possible damage. Mexicans protest the weakening of the country’s independent elections agency. And why Connecticut has been exonerating those accused of witchcraft nearly four centuries ago.

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Economists and politicians around the world are consumed with one question: is the world headed for a recession, or a relatively soft landing? We’ll tell you what clues the American property market offers. Why China’s football team can’t seem to find its feet. And why rap lyrics are increasingly treated as confessions of guilt in American courts.

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Ukraine is using a torrent of Western arms and training to prepare for a spring offensive. We learn why being on a corporate board of directors—or recruiting for one—is more difficult than ever. And we ask why one particular composition of Vivaldi’s has become ubiquitous.

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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 those inside and released from New York City’s biggest prison. And meeting a street artist who decorates the wreckage of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city.

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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 ever. It was not. We ask what is likely to happen now. And chilli crisp, a Chinese condiment with a deep history, is a study in how foods become fads.

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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 patronage at the highest levels. How does North Korea afford its flashy weapons programme? Crypto scams of eye-watering scope. And the newsmaking history of BBC Monitoring’s radio translators.

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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 turmoil has given a boost to the green transition—a boost that has come with hard truths about the shift’s costs. And a television show about Jesus Christ becomes an unlikely hit.

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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 matters at last. Our correspondent looks at all the plush office space being converted into family homes. And an obituary for the ruined city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.

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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 chancellor, announced a tremendous shift in defence policy and funding; we ask how far the warship has turned since then. And remembering Queen Elizabeth I’s favourite composer.

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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 society by speaking with self-exiled citizens. And one Ukrainian woman who returned to Kharkiv tells us how the war has changed her.

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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 war began; their uncertain futures make setting up home tricky—for them and their host countries’ governments. And how technology is transforming the sport of ice fishing.

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President Joe Biden’s riposte to the bellicose speech of his counterpart Vladimir Putin was a study in contrast. We examine their views on Ukraine and ask how a lasting peace could be secured. We speak with an exiled Chinese blogger trying to get the truth about that conflict into his homeland. And why the young are leaving Japan to seek greater fortunes abroad.

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Particulate matter is shortening lives and hobbling economies in the region. We ask how policy changes and international collaboration could mitigate the suffering as the pollution spreads. Our correspondent meets with two Russian men who, fearing being drafted, made a hair-raising journey by dinghy from their homeland’s far east. And why Seventh Day Adventists seem to live longer lives. 

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The country’s war-torn north-west has been getting far less aid than it needs in the earthquakes’ aftermath. We investigate the dilemma of lifting long-running international sanctions. Housing prices are slipping across the rich world, but South Korea’s unusual property market makes that slide far more perilous. And what three decades’-worth of data reveal about crafting a pop hit.

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Charitable giving is being disrupted by the same youthful tech folk who got rich disrupting other sectors: these days it is fast, data-driven and bureaucracy-light. We meet a new class of investors who trade shares from behind bars. And reflecting on the life of Maya Widmaier-Picasso, who spent her childhood painting alongside her father, becoming an expert on his work.

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Nicola Sturgeon is bowing out after shaping a party that has defined itself on the notion of Scottish independence. What now for Scotland and for Britain more broadly? Our correspondent says that France’s protests against pension reform are about far more than the stereotype of being workshy. And the surprising information spies could gather from your home’s Wi-Fi router.

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Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina and UN ambassador, has declared her 2024 presidential candidacy. We assess her chances and survey the field. Intimidation and financial pressure are quashing journalism in the Arab world. And a new film tenderly imagines what it means to be a donkey.

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The petrostates of the Gulf are modernising their economies, growing more tolerant and liberalising their social contracts as they prepare for a world run on fewer hydrocarbons—but who will be left behind? A Chinese maker of electric vehicles prepares to steal a march on Tesla. And a look at Britain’s newest islands reveals they are made of wet wipes.

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Our correspondent visits town after devastated town. Poorly enforced building codes are one clear factor in the rising death toll—and a political backlash looms. Britain’s productivity problem is at least partly a problem with bad managers; we look at the substantial gains to be had from better-run companies. And the valuable data to come from an ambitious, national-scale sex survey.

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Young voters are fired up and the electoral system has been strengthened, but Nigeria’s challenges are considerable. We explore why this month’s vote offers an opportunity to turn the country around. Our correspondent says that China’s economic reopening may have limited effects outside China. And why some psychotherapists object to how films and TV shows portray their work.

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America’s Congress may be gridlocked, but its state legislatures certainly aren’t. The laws they’ll pass this year will probably impact more people more directly than anything Congress does, with just a fraction of the public attention. Why things are looking up for Meta. And reflecting on the legacy and achievements of Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s former president.

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The race for AI supremacy is on. Microsoft, Google, Baidu and a host of smaller firms are all placing bets on the technology’s future. Which version emerges on top may well determine how people find information online for decades to come. Luxury offices are a bright spot in the commercial real-estate doldrums. And why inflation is stalking Europe’s sweet treats.

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Amid unthinkable destruction and loss of life, we examine the factors that will frustrate relief efforts following earthquakes in an already troubled region. As President Joe Biden prepares to welcome a new chief of staff, we speak with the author who literally wrote the book on America’s second-most-powerful government job. And Argentina’s newest musical export repurposes an American genre born three decades ago.

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American fighters shot down a balloon that China says was monitoring the weather, but America insists was spying. It was a minor incident, but it highlights the relationship of a great-power rivalry with inadequate guardrails. Our correspondent visits a market in Mumbai to see what might be lost as India’s economy formalises.  And some surprising—and worrying—data puncturing the myth about the skinny French.

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As part of The Economist’s new series on the remaking of the country's economy, our correspondent looks at the Biden administration’s audacious industrial plans. Russia’s media outlets have been relentlessly squeezed, so many have set up newsrooms in exile; we examine the rise of “offshore journalism”. And reflecting on the life of Gina Lollobrigida, a remarkable, irrepressible, impenitent Italian actress.

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The country remains riven by unrest since the “self-coup” and subsequent arrest of its president in December; only an early election might bring a return to calm. Our correspondent goes shopping to discover the spending habits of Generation Z and millennials. And examining the work of Tom Lehrer, a mathematician who was an unlikely midwife at the birth of modern satire.

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The Adani Group, one of India’s biggest conglomerates, has come under fire from a tiny American research firm. A successful secondary share sale amid a rout in the markets leaves many questions—and proves revealing about India Inc. Our correspondent explains why Mexico is so well-placed to navigate the electric-vehicle transition. And the unlikely rise of MAGA rap artists.

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Fixing the complex, creaking pension system remains central to President Emmanuel Macron’s agenda of reforms. But leaving it alone is central to French identity—so workers are striking, again, in huge numbers. Our correspondent lays out why 2023’s first earnings season is so gloomy. And America is providing more legal protections for polyamorous “throuples”.

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The response to the death of the 29-year-old has differed from that of previous cases of police killings; we ask what the tragedy indicates about how America deals with police violence. Our correspondent says a lawmaker’s murder in Afghanistan highlights the misery of women under the Taliban. And why a decades-old model of animal and human learning is under fire. 

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South Africa’s infrastructure—its ports, railways and power grid—are struggling and poorly managed. Ordinary South Africans are increasingly fed up. We profile Russia’s new military commander in Ukraine. And our obituaries editor remembers one of Britain’s finest rural writers.

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Israel’s right-wing coalition government has the country’s supreme court in its sights. Their proposal to effectively subjugate its independence to the legislature has sparked protests and stirred concern for the country’s democracy. Our correspondent reports from a newly reopened Shanghai. And how gas stoves became the latest battleground in America’s endless culture wars.

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After months of foot-dragging, Germany is sending tanks to Ukraine, with America poised to follow suit. We examine how that could reshape the battlefield. Why Sudan’s democratic transition has stalled and its economy is struggling. And we reveal the secret to perfectly cooked chips.

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Jacinda Ardern resigned as New Zealand’s prime minister last week. As Chris Hipkins prepares to take over, we reflect on Ms Ardern’s legacy, and look at the challenges her successor inherits. What the world’s plethora of grandparents means for families. And which issues currently motivate America’s far-right.

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The global elite’s annual Alpine jamboree may have lost some of its convening power, our editor-in-chief says, but the many encounters it enables still have enormous value. Our correspondent considers what the closing of Noma, a legendary Danish restaurant, means for the world of fine dining. And remembering Adolfo Kaminsky, whose expertly forged documents saved thousands of Jews’ lives. 

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismantled the country’s institutions. As an election looms we ask what democratic guardrails remain, and examine the wider risks if those go, too. “Non-compete” clauses designed to protect trade secrets when employees depart are being abused—and trustbusters are going after them. And Ryuichi Sakamoto, a famed Japanese composer, reckons with mortality in his latest release.

Music from “12” courtesy of Milan Records.

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For nearly 11 months Western powers have resisted providing tanks to Ukraine, fearing an unpredictable Russian escalation. What happens now that red line has rightly been crossed? Bankruptcy proceedings simply are not built to untangle the mess left behind by the implosion of FTX, a spectacularly failed crypto firm. And what California’s deadly floods reveal about its climate future.

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Through years of Syria’s messy civil war, Turkey has been a foe. As the conflict slowly fades, the countries have a mutual interest in rapprochement. Can they find common ground? Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s return as Brazil’s president renews a mission close to his heart: ameliorating the country’s widespread hunger. And why atheism is still taboo for America’s lawmakers.

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A drip-feed of discoveries of classified material in Joe Biden’s home and offices—and the president’s botched messaging around them—are a gift to Republicans and to Donald Trump, who is under investigation for similar infractions. Our correspondent learns that many Ukrainian soldiers are freezing their sperm before heading to battle. And the fight about hunting in France is no small-boar matter.

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Countries across the world are turning inward, embracing protectionism, subsidies and export controls. This threatens the global order that has lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, and risks economic conflict. Ethiopia’s newfound peace looks fragile and uncertain. And Mexico’s ballads that critics claim glorify criminality, but fans argue celebrate loyalty, ingenuity and hard work.

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Iran’s protests may have gone quiet for the moment, but that does not mean they’ve been defeated. Beneath a calmer surface, Iranians are seething and biding their time. India’s pharma sector is huge, but has long been dogged by concerns about quality control. And we reveal last year’s most newsworthy subject.

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Britain’s National Health Service is in crisis. Wait times are rising, nurses and paramedics are striking, and doctors are overworked—leading to hundreds of excess deaths each week. We visit the front line: a stretched GP’s surgery in Wales. We ask why Germany and Poland love to hate each other. And what America’s army is doing to slim down its overweight recruits.

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Israel’s new government is its most right-wing ever—but, in a break from the past, that may not derail deepening relations with neighbouring Arab countries. Thousands of Africans are killed each year after being accused of witchcraft—in many cases for more nefarious reasons than mere superstition. And the “cicerones” helping Americans navigate a vast and growing craft-beer scene.

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The sudden rescinding of zero-covid strictures has, as expected, led to a spike in cases. Our correspondent visits overstretched hospitals and crematoria, and considers what will happen next. Aerial drones have in part shaped the war in Ukraine; now the naval kind are starting to play a role. And French-language purity goes out the window when it comes to startups. 

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From Pelé, the “king of football”, to Britain’s longest-reigning queen, our editors and correspondents reflected on the accomplishments of many notable figures who died this year. But our obituaries editor shone a light also on the lives and legacies of lesser-known figures.

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Cows are venerated in India, but precisely how intensely often depends on politics. And being venerated does not necessarily yield a pleasant life for the creatures. Economists rarely consider how policies will affect birth rates and the yet-to-be-born; we examine the thorny topic of “population ethics”. And foreign-language phrasebooks may be in decline but they maintain huge historical value.

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In a special episode, our Paris bureau chief witnesses the political divides that become apparent as she switches from France’s famed high-speed railways to forgotten lines. Our culture editor considers the improbably prophetic nature of the film “Titanic”. And, as the last 747 rolls off the line, our correspondent reflects on how the jet reshaped the airline industry. 

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At the beginning of the war, editors from The Economist went to Kyiv, the first Western journalists to interview Ukraine’s president. Our Russia editor has now returned, finding a brighter capital—and a wearier leader still capable of flashes of humour. We consider the power the president has wielded through hundreds of speeches, and share his Christmas message to our listeners.

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Elon Musk may be stepping down as chief executive, but he has already changed the firm’s fortunes—and shown that social media’s free-speech struggle is far from over. A bit of fried dough in Kenya reveals how cost-of-living concerns in Africa manifest as shrinkflation. And why members of South Korea’s pop behemoth BTS are headed into the armed forces. 

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The Congressional committee probing the riot at America’s Capitol recommended that the Justice Department bring four charges against Donald Trump. But the road to indictment and prosecution of the former president is long and winding. The UN’s biodiversity summit ended with a historic but still unsatisfying agreement. And our language columnist presents his choice for word of the year.

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The country has been slinging missiles skyward at an alarming pace, and with ever-greater technological advancement. We ask why things are heating up, and how the West might at last cool them down. Reforms to Indonesia’s criminal code that sparked mass protests in 2019 are back; restrictions including an extramarital-sex ban look set to pass. And Wales’s booming leech-and-maggot business. 

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A strategy approved today peels back some of the country’s constitutional pacifism; in large part that is because of its tense relationship with a hawkish China. Despite some promising reforms, violence against women remains rampant in India. And our obituaries editor looks back on the life of Britain’s last surviving Dambuster.

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Scientists have reported a long-awaited nuclear-fusion breakthrough, using lasers to ignite hydrogen-isotope fuel in a self-sustaining burn. But that marks just one step on a long, uncertain road to clean fusion energy. Same-sex marriage in America is now protected by legislation, in a compromise that could provide a template for future culture-war clashes. And the uncertain future of Darjeeling teas.

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A pair of crises will bedevil Europe, starting with crippling energy prices in the short term. And American protectionism threatens a longer-term dent in the continent’s green-industry ambitions. A visit to Ivory Coast’s cocoa operations reveals why balancing farmers’ welfare and market forces is so tricky. And what Britain’s street names reveal about its history and its ideals.

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Raids across the country netted 25 far-right extremists suspected of trying to overthrow the government. We look into what is known about a hare-brained plan to dissolve the republic and restore a king. Spates of spontaneous violence in Chicago reveal the unintended consequences of America’s organised-crime crackdown. And why Indonesia’s clerics are taking up environmentalist causes.

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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 of the World Cup, but a visit to its football-academy machinery reveals why it will continue to create star players. And why it’s harder to get deodorant in Manhattan.

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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 hydrogen-economy plans as representing the tradeoffs that many countries will face. And remembering Jay Pasachoff, the world’s foremost expert on and exponent of eclipses.

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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 breaking into song. We examine the lessons to be drawn from his legacy. After scores of failures, a new Alzheimer’s treatment shows real promise. And our annual ranking of the world’s most expensive cities.

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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 pilots have been training their Chinese counterparts, to widespread consternation. And looking back on the best footballers never to have appeared in a World Cup.

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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 weaponisation of energy might ultimately kill more people than its efforts on the battlefield will. And a Ghanaian brewer’s struggles reveal the difficulty of business-building in sub-Saharan Africa.

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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 growing more intense, and a new analysis shows just how much those blazes undo the good work of the state’s green policies. And a look at the evolution of the Great British Lad.

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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 at global economic data reveals a probable global recession—one that may not even tame raging inflation. And remembering Hebe de Bonafini, Argentina’s icon of resistance.

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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 vast effort to remake the car industry as automobiles turn into software platforms on wheels. And how Britain’s twee National Trust has waded into the culture wars. 

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The power station in Zaporizhia has served as an impromptu military base for Russian forces—but danger is mounting and there are signs that troops may soon give it up. The sportswear-industry boom that has much of the world wearing high-performance kit may soon come to an end. And why teenage angst is such a good fit for horror films. 

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Executives have squeezed out Bob Chapek and re-anointed Bob Iger as boss. But the firm’s woes are less about leadership and more about the new economics of Hollywood. We ask why Zimbabwe’s teen mothers find it so hard to stay in school, and what can be done about it. And pigs prove their intelligence, again, by making up after confrontations.

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Runtime: 22 min

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An issue ignored for three decades came to dominate the summit’s agenda: reparations to poor countries for climate-driven “loss and damage”. Alas, halting those coming losses did not feature much. Our correspondent speaks with a Ukrainian fighter pilot about defending the country’s airspace using mostly Soviet-era kit. And why some words sound the same across many languages.

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Elon Musk gave Twitter’s remaining staff an ultimatum: commit to “working long hours at high intensity” for “hardcore” Twitter, or leave. We evaluate his reign so far. Under President Daniel Ortega, Nicaragua has become a one-party state. And remembering the long life of Anne Frank’s best friend. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer

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Russia says it will withdraw from the only captured Ukrainian provincial capital. We ask how the drawdown might go and what it means for the wider war. Britain is set for the largest wave of industrial action in decades; the strikes could throw the country into chaos. And the long life of Shyam Saran Negi, India’s first-ever voter.

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America’s midterm elections, which will determine control of both chambers of Congress, end on Tuesday. For the past three months our correspondents have been travelling across the country, reporting on the trends and concerns shaping the race. This compilation episode highlights the best of their work. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer

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A surprise peace agreement should permit desperately needed humanitarian relief for millions in the region of Tigray—but there are reasons to doubt the grinding conflict is at an end. Britain has a problem that other rich countries do not: its over-50s are flooding out of the labour market. And our correspondent attends an unexpectedly tame “crypto rave”.

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Our election model suggests that at least one legislative chamber will revert to Republican control; we ask what sort of government would result. The breach of the Nord Stream pipelines is a reminder of how much infrastructure is at risk of subsea sabotage. And what the trendy term “ikigai” actually means in Japan, its ostensible country of origin.

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After a 16-month absence from leadership, Binyamin Netanyahu is back at the centre of the country’s messy politics. We ask how his divisive ways will play out this time. Apple is slowly weaning itself off China as a place both to make and to sell its gizmos. And how the “palaeo” diet bears little resemblance to the real thing.

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As President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine continues to falter, Russian elites are now daring to consider the once unthinkable: a life after his leadership. Haiti is in grave disarray, but calling in foreign help to sort things out is proving tricky. And the diamond in Britain’s crown jewels that India wants back.

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Host Sue-Lin Wong dissects the unexpected and the foreseen from the Chinese Communist Party’s five-yearly meeting, with The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief David Rennie, who was there. How did Xi Jinping use the event to tighten his grip on power? 

Listen to The Economist’s new weekly China podcast Drum Tower here

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Russia has been targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with missiles and drones. Ukraine’s air defences are struggling to keep up, and many households are without power as winter approaches. Bill Gates has a plan to boost African crop yields. And as the BBC turns 100, we reflect on its legacy, and look at challenges ahead. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer

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The Economist’s comparison of Liz Truss’s staying power to that of a lettuce captured global imaginations. Will the next prime minister have a longer shelf-life? We ask why it has proven so tricky to get the Middle East’s considerable natural-gas resources to market. And the murder of Yurii Kerpatenko, a conductor from Kherson who refused to bow to Russian orders.

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Unrest is only spreading and the authorities trying to quell it are looking increasingly desperate. We hear from one protester among many who are racked by fear but motivated by hope. The leader of the shadowy Wagner Group of mercenaries has revealed himself; we ask why. And a look at how few workers call in sick these days. 

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Host Sue-Lin Wong talks to The Economist’s China correspondent Alice Su about the challenges of making The Prince and answers listeners’ questions.

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State media have taken to calling President Xi Jinping “the helmsman”; at the five-yearly meeting he defended his means of steering the country. We ask how to read between his tightly prepared lines. Many of America’s firms will soon deliver disappointing profits—and there is more to blame than simple business cycles. And research suggests that parenthood causes fathers’ brains to shrink.

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Ten years on, Xi’s tight grip on power risks another crisis—this one of his own making.

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A young Xi Jinping visits Iowa and tries popcorn for the first time. But reconnecting with "old friends" in the Midwest years later fails to prevent relations with America from souring.

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Paroxysms in the market for gilts—British-government bonds that were once safe-haven assets—reveal just how wounded the new government’s plans have left it. Cuba is experiencing the worst economic crisis in decades, and those who are not protesting are heading for the door. And making the case to let your lawn go wild.

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Our correspondent meets with Peter Obi, who has a handsome poll lead and an appeal that spans the country’s religions and ethnicities. But his presidential bid still faces obstacles. Myanmar’s ruling junta is doing more than suppressing the country’s people: it is battering the economy equally efficiently. And remembering Brother Andrew, who made daring deliveries behind the Iron Curtain.

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A Uyghur language teacher is accused of spying for the CIA. An NBA player discovers the cost of criticising China. And Xi Jinping’s obsession with control reaches new and brutal extremes.

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An attack on the Kerch bridge—a pet project of President Vladimir Putin that links Russia with annexed Crimea—has prompted a swift and brutal response. We ask what is likely to happen next. We examine the multipolar nature of popular culture: fears of a globalised monoculture of cool have proved misplaced. And why buying booze in Delhi has again become so unpleasant. 

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A censor at a Chinese social media company can't take it anymore after Xi Jinping’s rule brings harsh new restrictions. The Chinese internet becomes an alternate reality.

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On taking power, Xi Jinping launches a ruthless series of purges and an unexpected ideological revival to cement his control—and mobilise the Chinese Communist Party behind him.

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Ukraine’s army has pushed Russian forces back in the south and east. We ask how they’ve managed to make such impressive gains so quickly, whether more could follow and what Russia’s reaction might be. Why Britain has such troubles building homes, power stations and really much of anything. And how Maine’s lobstermen are responding to the latest threat to their industry.

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In the next instalment of our midterms series, we head to the suburbs of Atlanta in search of that rarest of political creatures: the swing voter. There aren’t many of them, but they may well determine which party controls the Senate. Luxury brands are changing their outlooks and offerings as they seek new markets and younger consumers. And our culture correspondent visits a retrospective of William Kentridge’s works.

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Prime Minister Liz Truss has had a bruising first few weeks in office. Amid policy U-turns and plummeting poll numbers, her Tory party’s annual shindig is a venue for much soul-searching. Russia’s “partial mobilisation” is unlikely to help much on the battlefield—and is proving exceedingly unpopular at home. And the dangers of naming species after people who become notorious.

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A villager’s campaign against corruption highlights the Chinese Communist Party’s weakening grip. As Xi Jinping stands on the brink of power, the emergence of a flamboyant rival deepens the crisis.

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Jair Bolsonaro, the incumbent president, did unexpectedly well—giving his campaign a boost and foreshadowing a tough run-up to the second round. Malawi’s incipient democracy stands as a shining regional example, but remaking its economy has proved even harder than ousting its undemocratic leader. And why one tank is a particularly handsome prize amid Ukraine’s growing pile of captured Russian kit.

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As a modest provincial official in Fujian, Xi Jinping is outshone by his celebrity wife, while colleagues are caught up in a lurid corruption scandal. How does Xi survive? 

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Xi Jinping is born into the top rung of China's elite. But his family is torn apart while he is still a child. The Economist's Sue-Lin Wong finds out why Xi kept faith in the Communist revolution.

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After a series of sham referendums, President Vladimir Putin is expected to annex four partly occupied regions of Ukraine. We ask what risks that move would pose. What has driven China’s president to amass such tremendous personal power? We introduce our new, long-form podcast “The Prince”, which dives deep into his life. And video-game music is rapidly growing in prestige.

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Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a leftist former president, looks well-placed to win a third term. But which Lula would Brazil get—the fiscal conservative or the populist spendthrift? Germany has an earned reputation as an industrial powerhouse, but its dependence on Russian gas and Chinese demand are hobbling it. And why the propaganda-spewing loudspeakers in Vietnam’s capital are firing up again.

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The markets are so far entirely unconvinced that the new administration’s Reagan-esque economic plans will work to spur growth—just look at sterling's tumble. In Tibet, China’s mass collection of DNA samples has one unabashed motive: social control. And the curious wave of “unretirees” returning to work after the pandemic.

Additional audio courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

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Italians have voted decisively for a coalition of right-wing parties, with Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Brothers of Italy, the likely next prime minister. What this means for Italy, Europe and the war in Ukraine remains unclear. Latin American prisons are awful and getting worse. And a surprising hit film makes Chinese authorities nervous.

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This morning Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would call up more troops to fight in Ukraine, said his goal of “liberating” eastern Ukraine remained unchanged and accused the west of “nuclear blackmail.” Our correspondent parses his speech. Our midterm series heads to Maine, to see how Democrats are fighting for rural voters. And a new discovery in Borneo rewrites the history of surgery.

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Two years in the making, the country’s new foundational document was summarily swatted down in a referendum. We ask how it went so wrong, and what comes next. Data show a long-held view on fertility and prosperity is not as straightforward as thought; we examine the policy implications. And learning about HARM—the missiles causing so much harm to Russian forces.

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Five years after a brutal campaign that drove nearly 750,000 out of Myanmar and into Bangladesh, conditions for the Muslim minority remain appalling on both sides of the border. Central Asian countries are laying plans for railways that would fill their coffers, distance Russia and empower China. And the economics lessons in London’s queue to see Queen Elizabeth II.

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As the presidents of China and Russia meet in Uzbekistan, we examine their friendship. They have much in common—but Russia’s prosecution of the war in Ukraine may strain relations. Islamic State and al-Qaeda may be less in the news but their foothold in Africa only keeps growing. And why so many young Korean city-slickers are becoming farmers in the countryside.

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A conflict smouldering since a war in 2020 has again caught alight; Azerbaijan may feel emboldened by a distracted Russia and its own energy prospects. Gulf countries are swimming in piles of unexpected, oil-derived cash: we ask whether they will sock it away or splurge on citizens and pet projects. And why many Lebanese couples are choosing to wed online.

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Vladimir Putin hopes the threat of cutting off fuel supplies this winter will weaken Europe’s support for Ukraine. European leaders are trying to cobble together a collective response to prevent such fracturing. Before Russia invaded, Ukraine’s surrogacy industry was booming. It has since been disrupted, but not ended. And Britain’s bird populations are changing: we ask why.

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Russia has lost in a week what cost it months to gain in eastern Ukraine. We ask what the lightning counter-offensive means for the war. What is more surprising than Mississippi’s capital lacking access to clean drinking water is that millions of other Americans face the same struggle. And the quasi-astrological methods some investors use to predict market movements.

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The death of Queen Elizabeth II marks the end of an era. We explore her long, dutiful reign and how it shaped the modern monarchy. The country has changed substantially during her time, but one parallel remains: her successor, King Charles III, will also take over at a time of uncertainty for the country and for the monarchy itself.

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In Brazil, fears are growing that if Jair Bolsonaro loses in October, as polls suggest is likely, he may try to stage a coup or foment violence. He’s been sowing distrust in the country’s electoral system, and many of his supporters are well-armed. Should school lunches be free? And why the gap between the number of boys and girls born in India is narrowing.

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Xi Jinping is the most powerful person in the world. But the real story of China’s leader remains a mystery. The Economist’s Sue-Lin Wong finds out how he rose to the top in a new podcast series launching on September 28th. 

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Our model, built to predict the outcome of this year’s midterm elections, tips Republicans to take the House and Democrats to retain control of the Senate. The model’s architect discusses how and why he built it, and our polling guru explains why polls matter. Why there’s no nuclear-arms race in Asia—yet. And Egypt wants the Rosetta Stone back, but it’s not that simple.

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As Liz Truss becomes prime minister, we ask whether her meat-and-potatoes tax-slashing agenda will work for a crisis-stricken Britain. Japan’s prison population is ageing just as its wider society is—and that is at last prompting reforms to its punitive penal system. And why Ukraine’s short supply of anti-tank missiles is not as worrying as it would once have been. 

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The worst predictions for costs have not come to pass, partly because Russia is selling plenty of wheat. But plenty of food-price woe may still await. We examine the curious re-appearance of the polio virus in the West. And the trials of “Pink Sauce” reveal the perils of being a cottage-food producer—or consumer—in the social-media age.

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After a five-month hiatus, violence has returned to the northern region of Tigray—but that is just one of the conflicts threatening to pull the country to pieces. China’s Belt and Road Initiative has made it a prominent developing-world lender. How will it deal with so many of its loans souring? And our obituaries editor reflects on Issey Miyake’s fashion-for-the-masses philosophy.

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The long-trailed counter-offensive to retake the Russian-occupied regional powerhouse and symbolically powerful provincial capital has begun. But Ukraine’s forces are in no hurry. Visa and Mastercard are two of the world’s most profitable companies; we look at efforts to break their iron grip on the payments market. And the blue-blooded horseshoe crabs that are needlessly bled in their millions.

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The leader who oversaw the Soviet Union’s collapse had only intended to reform it. But the propaganda and repression he abhorred were what held it together. A speed bump lies ahead for electric vehicles: manufacturing and mining capacity may not keep up with battery demand. And visiting a vast landscape sculpture in Nevada’s desert ahead of this week’s public opening.

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As interest rates rise, lots of pandemic-era property trends are fading—but not every market is equally vulnerable as the boom peters out. Generals have long avoided fighting in cities: it is messy and dangerous. Increasingly, though, they have no choice. And our language columnist on the subtle question of whether “data” is plural or singular. 

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Our correspondent reports from Somalia, which stands on the brink of famine thanks to a drought, soaring food costs and infrastructure destroyed by decades of fighting. Old Hollywood studios are waging an epic battle against their upstart streaming rivals. And why London’s cemeteries are selling used graves.

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Rights for women and girls have regressed by decades; the economy is cratering. Yet, for many rural Afghans, things are actually better than they were before America scarpered. Silicon Valley types once righteously spurned the military-industrial establishment—now they’re queuing up to fund defence startups. And the surprising truth about the most famous scene in “Bambi”, which is turning 80.

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The airbase in Crimea lies in ruins. Ukraine hasn’t claimed credit, many suspect they carried out the daring attack more than 100 miles behind enemy lines. Our defence editor explains why the war has entered a new phase. Why state-owned firms, not oil supermajors, are the biggest impediment to a green-energy transition. And pondering the pleasures of barbecue.

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Donald Trump endured an FBI raid, questioning in a civil lawsuit and an adverse court ruling, all in 48 hours. But at least in the short-term, he’s making political hay from his legal woes. Why Apple’s future increasingly rests on services rather than just hardware. And how France is coping with a mustard shortage.

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The visit of America’s speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has Chinese tempers flaring. We ask what the trip suggests about American policy and what it means for Taiwan. Crowdfunding is making a real difference in the war in Ukraine—but its effects vary between the two sides. And a close listen to a young pianist’s prizewinning Rachmaninoff-concerto performance.

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For decades Ayman al-Zawahiri was the chief ideologue of the terrorist group. We ask what his death in Afghanistan means for the broader jihadist movement. A vote on abortion in Kansas today is a sharp test of the electorate following the gutting of Roe v Wade. And remembering Diana Kennedy, an indefatigable food writer and champion of Mexican cuisine.

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As the first fatal cases outside Africa are reported, we investigate the response to the disease, and the parallels with the early days of HIV. Nuclear waste has been stockpiled in supposedly temporary pools for decades; our correspondent visits the first place it is being permanently entombed. And where education is failing even amid encouraging enrolment numbers.

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Joe Biden’s climate legislation stalled, in large part because Joe Manchin, West Virginia’s senior senator and a Democrat, had reservations. But Mr Manchin reversed course on Wednesday. Mr Biden looks likely to notch a major legislative win heading into the midterms. Why women’s sports are booming. And remembering a fighter for democracy in Myanmar.

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The campaigning is a bit nasty, by British standards, as Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak vie to become Conservative Party leader and thus prime minister. What will the mud-slinging do for the party’s image? We examine a potentially simple solution to address the Catholic Church’s problem with child abuse. And why prices are skyrocketing at posh hotels. 

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For the second time in a week, Prime Minister Mario Draghi has tendered his resignation as his motley coalition government splintered further. The upheaval could not come at a worse time for the country. The pandemic’s devastating costs not only to children’s learning but also to their development are becoming clearer. And researchers are getting bacteria to make jet fuel.

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Property developers are going belly-up, home-buyers are not paying mortgages, protests after a banking scandal have been quashed. We ask about the instability still to come. Ukraine’s new HIMARS rocket launchers are proving exceedingly effective against Russian forces. And a look at Britain’s world-leading collection of diseases-in-a-dish.

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President Jair Bolsonaro, an unabashed fan of Donald Trump, is telegraphing that he may not accept a loss in the October election—there is too much at stake for him and his family. The West has a delicate chance to stem the tide of Russian weapons that have long been pouring into India. And why America is rebranding a much-maligned fish.

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Joe Biden lands in Saudi Arabia this morning, having spent two unremarkable days in Israel and the West Bank. As president, he has been unusually disengaged from the Middle East, and will probably return home with little to show for his peregrinations. We survey the state of sex education in Latin American schools, and explain why dinosaurs outcompeted other species.

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Alexei Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition figure, has been transferred to a brutal prison. Other Kremlin opponents have been imprisoned or exiled, as Russia has grown more repressive since invading Ukraine. The world’s population will hit 8bn this year; we discuss which regions are growing and which are not. And why clear wine bottles are a bad idea.

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The race to succeed Boris Johnson begins today. Numerous Conservative MPs have thrown their proverbial hats into the ring; they are fighting on ground largely staked out by Mr Johnson. American anti-abortion activists believe that fetuses should have all the rights that people do. And why Egypt’s government has turned against its historic houseboats.

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Japan’s prime minister from 2006-07 and 2012-20 died after being shot at a campaign event. Our Tokyo bureau chief analyses the implications for the country and its politics. The resurgence of a particularly well-armed militia in the Democratic Republic of Congo threatens to reignite deadly regional tensions. And we introduce you to the robots that may soon pick your vegetables.

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Boris Johnson is standing down as Britain’s prime minister. We consider his legacy and impact on British politics. Public attitudes on LGBT rights in South-East Asia are changing fast—and its laws are at last changing, too. And at this week’s Montreal’s Jazz Festival, the pioneering pianist and local hero Oscar Peterson remains the patron saint. Additional music courtesy of Urban Science Brass Band

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Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid, Britain’s finance and health ministers respectively, resigned yesterday; other officials soon followed suit. Once again, questions about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s political survival are swirling. A ride on London’s sparkling but quiet new railway line hints at the complexities of post-pandemic public transport. And how off-the-shelf drones are making a difference in Ukraine’s war. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer

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Hints are turning to hard data: economic slowdowns are coming. We ask about the threat of recessions in different regions and about the effects they may have. The reckless behaviour of China’s fighter pilots is just one reflection of the country’s distrust of the West. And a haircut gone wrong leads to a lesson that challenges textbook economics. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer

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America’s Supreme Court has essentially shorn the Environmental Protection Agency of its agency in making national policy. We ask what that means for the climate-change fight. Hong Kong is marking 25 years since its handover from Britain to China; the promised “one country, two systems” approach is all but gone already. And why moustaches are back in Iraq.

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In a global period of belt-tightening, popular anger will spill over. Our correspondent visits places where powderkegs seem closest to being lit; our predictive model suggests where might be next. China’s spies have a deserved reputation for hacking and harassing—but fall surprisingly short on other spooky skills. And why America is suffering a shortfall of lifeguards. 

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War in Ukraine has stiffened the alliance’s spine; leaders meeting this week will refashion troop-deployment plans reflecting a vastly changed security situation. The property sector makes a staggering contribution to carbon emissions, but our correspondent says it is not cleaning up nearly as fast as other industries are. And reflecting on the life of Roman Ratushny, a steely Ukrainian activist.

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resident Emmanuel Macron has lost his majority in France’s National Assembly as voters flooded both to the far right and far left. A second term filled with confrontation and compromise awaits him. The shadowy world of corporate spying is broadening to far more than just cola or fried-chicken recipes. And when scare-tactic road-death statistics lead to more deaths, not fewer. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer

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The European Court of Human rights foiled Britain’s plans to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda yesterday by holding that British courts must first find the policy legal. The Taliban have proven surprisingly adept tax collectors, though they will spend much of the funds on defence rather than improving the lives of struggling Afghans. And the world is buying too few electric vehicles to meaningfully reduce carbon emissions.

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Mass shootings in Buffalo, Tulsa and Uvalde appear to have broken a longstanding impasse over federal gun laws. A bipartisan group of senators has laid out a legislative framework—but whether that turns into an actual bill remains unclear. Scientists are rethinking what might constitute the building blocks of extraterrestrial life. And why people seem to love boring video games.

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For almost 80 years, the world has refrained from using or, for the most part, even seriously pondering the use of nuclear weapons. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has eroded that taboo. Avian flu is spreading around the world, threatening birds’ health and contributing to rising egg and poultry prices. And Sun Ra’s huge, weird and wonderful Arkestra is back on the road. 

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Britain’s capital is packed with foreign capital, in particular the Russian kind. We ask what it is about London that attracts—and protects—the oligarchs. We check in again with Lusya Shtein of the anti-Putin punk-rock group Pussy Riot about her daring escape from Russia. And amid celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year tenure, we reflect on royal jubilees through history.

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The government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has expelled our correspondent. Abiy’s proxies at home and abroad are helping a propaganda push that is silencing criticism. California’s legal-marijuana market is enormous, but its growers are floundering under taxes and regulations; the industry is getting stubbed out. And a look at how companies that have withdrawn from Russia are faring.

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Russian forces are having some successes in eastern Ukraine; our defence editor discusses the situation on the ground and what may tip the balance in the grinding war. We examine a contentious American law that reveals the country’s broken immigration system. And why independent Chinese bookshops are becoming so social-media-friendly.

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POLLS SUGGEST // Polls suggest the country might get its first-ever leftist leader. Whatever the outcome, a fresh outbreak of violent protest may await. Africa’s increasingly crippling fuel shortages can be blamed on more than just higher prices. And reflecting on the life of Lawrence MacEwen, laird of a tiny Scottish island whose austere simplicity he fought to preserve. 

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China’s Communist Party leaders have painted themselves into a corner: they cannot be seen to put the capital into lockdown, but permitting covid to spread could be catastrophic. We look into the myriad reasons behind America’s sharp shortages of baby formula, and how to solve them. And why it is illegal for women to get a manicure in Turkmenistan.

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Anthony Albanese, the first Labor prime minister in a decade, has pledged to do far more on climate change. His party’s slim win shows how Australian politics is changing. Bosses are increasingly turning to surveillance software to monitor employees (so be careful if listening to this show during work hours). And why the fortune-telling tradition of shell-throwing thrives in Brazil.

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The Kremlin’s propaganda machine ensures that Russians have a much different view of the war in Ukraine than the rest of the world. Our correspondent spent a day immersed in Russian media, to learn what people there see—and what they don’t. The spectre of hyperinflation is once again stalking Zimbabwe. And our obituaries editor remembers a man who refused to let Japan forget its painful past.

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Demonstrations that eventually ousted the prime minister have cost lives, but the protest mood is not fading: many want every member of the storied Rajapaksa family out of government. We examine an effort to develop undersea GPS and learn why a watery sat-nav would be so useful. And why 1972 was such a formative year for music in Brazil.

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John Lee, the successor to Chief Executive Carrie Lam, won by a predictable landslide: he is just the sort of law-and-order type party leaders in Beijing wanted. As the rich world emerges from the pandemic, surges in activity abound—particularly the opening of new businesses. And ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals, we hear about this year’s entrants from Ukraine.

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America accounts for the lion’s share of weaponry sent to Ukraine. But that may leave it short of arms in onward conflicts; boosting production is not as easy as it may seem. The widespread cost-of-living crunch is particularly acute in Britain; we visit a food bank to see how people are coping. And the surprising demographic trends shaping contemporary California.

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Voters in the UK head to the polls for local elections tomorrow. In Northern Ireland, a party that does not want the country to exist appears poised to win the largest number of seats. Why a Nebraskan company’s annual general meeting has become known as “the Woodstock of capitalism.” And how the art of cattle trading is getting a 21st century makeover.

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A leaked draft opinion shows America’s Supreme Court is ready to let states outlaw abortion. We explore the implications for American politics, and the rights of millions of American women. Around 85% of the world’s population lives in countries, often democracies at peace, where press freedom has declined over the past five years. And remembering the typist of Oskar Schindler’s list.

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Much like Ukraine, Taiwan has a well-armed neighbour that does not think it exists as a state: China. We ask what both sides are learning from Russia’s invasion. A heavy-handed string of arrests following a flare-up of gang violence in El Salvador is unlikely to change matters. And an analysis reveals the connection between weather and whether voters support climate-change legislation. 

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Activists are tired of waiting for governments and companies to act on climate change. So increasingly they’re taking the matter to court—with success. Egypt’s leaders claim the country is open for business, but the army has a growing stranglehold on the private sector. And even the trails up Mount Everest are being affected by the war in Ukraine.

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Emmanuel Macron’s re-election is historic and, for many, a relief. But, as we discuss in the final instalment of our French-election series, the campaign revealed divisions that will trouble his second term, and that he must now try to heal. A staggering flow of foreign weaponry has been a significant factor in Ukraine’s resistance; we examine the geopolitical implications of all that hardware. And the pricey phenomenon of Britain’s personalised licence plates.

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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered a new phase, and its forces in Ukraine have a new commander—one with a history of targeting civilians. The next few weeks are likely to see huge, bloody battles for control of the eastern Donbas region. As Sunday’s presidential run-off vote approaches our French-election series profiles the incumbent, Emmanuel Macron. And why smell preferences vary little across cultures.

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In Yemen, fighting between Houthi rebels and a Saudi-led coalition has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths. Recently, a ceasefire has taken hold — but whether it presages the war’s end or further fighting remains unclear. A new film about Kashmir has proven popular among Indian politicians, largely because it supports their Hindu-nationalist narrative. And why cricket is taking off in Brazil.

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ONE-THIRD of the world’s population lives in countries backing neither Russia nor Ukraine. The Biden administration has tried to persuade them off the fence, without much success. In Egypt, social mores make it tricky for women to live alone—so they have devised clever tactics to avoid unwelcome attention. And why residents of New Jersey are banned from pumping their own petrol—for now.

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The war in Ukraine has created the greatest flux of refugees in Europe since the second world war. We visit Poland, where the response has been remarkably smooth, and a New York neighbourhood that is no stranger to émigrés from the region. And we consider the displaced who are largely overlooked: why are so many Russians exiling themselves in Turkey?

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A ceasefire agreed weeks ago should have mitigated the suffering of starving Ethiopians caught up in war; we ask why so little aid has got through. Rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure and economy will require staggering sums—and a vast, international plan of action. And South Africa’s lockdown-era alcohol bans had a curious knock-on effect: crippling shortages of a beloved yeasty goo.

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Police have served Britain’s prime minister, among others, with a fine for breaching the lockdown rules he instituted. He may yet again emerge unscathed, but Britain’s politics is damaged nonetheless. Florida’s natural environment has made it one of America’s fastest-growing states, yet environmental challenges represent its biggest long-term challenge. And Ukraine’s most famous rock star joins the war effort.

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Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva left office with a sky-high approval rating, having raised millions from poverty—but was then convicted of corruption. Now he wants his old job back. Forced labour in Uzbekistan’s cotton fields, once widespread, is swiftly vanishing. And an old hypothesis confirmed: birds get more colourful the closer they live to the equator.

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President Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen of the nationalist-populist National Rally party will advance to a run-off; in the continuation of our series, we ask what to expect in an unexpectedly tight race. Russian military communications have proven easy to intercept, leading to poor co-ordination and heavy battlefield losses. And South Korea’s millennials are frantically hunting for Pokémon-themed snacks.

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The first round of the presidential election is on Sunday and our first-ever series has been following the race closely. This compendium of the first six dispatches looks at the candidates, their platforms and the sharply shifting political landscape in France. 

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Viktor Orban’s eight-year assault on the country’s institutions will help his bid for re-election. But the poll is far bigger than Hungary: it is a verdict on autocracies everywhere. Britain welcomes the fees from its staggering number of Chinese university students; we examine the risks that dependence poses. And a prescient Ukrainian war film gets a new lease on life.

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