Today

Barrel vault: a Nigerian refining giant rises

Nigeria sorely needed the enormous oil refinery built by Aliko Dangote, who was already Africa’s richest man. We ask what that new capacity means for him, for Nigeria and for the continent. We speak to the surprisingly large and diverse Iranian diaspora in Los Angeles. And how a ... Show More

21m 4s

Yesterday

Let me get this strait: the Iran-war escalation risk

Control of the Strait of Hormuz has become the focus of the war in Iran. The options available point to an acute risk of a broadening regional conflict. China is making great strides in building humanoid robots—but so far they are more about entertainment than utility. And a look ... Show More

23m 9s

Mar 13

Lone goals: will US-Israel war aims diverge?

As Israel continues to pound Iran and expands its offensive against Hizbullah in Lebanon, there are rumblings of disunity with America over the path and goal of the conflict. Why now is the time to buy rubbish stocks. And celebrating the life of grand-clown Philippe Gaulier. Gues ... Show More

25m 22s

May 2025

Soldiers’ fortune: Ukraine’s prisoner swap

No one knows which soldiers will be on the buses; many families simply come in hope. As the wider war grinds on, our correspondent witnesses a mix of joy, confusion and disappointment. Big American brands once had it easy in the global marketplace. Now they bear the brunt of anti ... Show More

25m 26s

Jan 2025

Don’t mention the war: Russia’s internal tensions

There is no simplistic split of sentiment about Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. But what most Russians want is a return to normal that now seems impossible. Our The World Ahead series continues with a look at what is to come in British politics (9:16). And the delicate business ... Show More

22m 9s

Sep 2024

Beyond the bullets: we go to Ukraine

We take a look at the grim conditions in and prospects for the frontlines in the country’s east and north. But not all of the fighting is military in nature. We examine a far wider cultural revival going on (10:59), in music and fashion and long-forgotten ingredients and methods ... Show More

27m 30s

Mar 2025

Buck off: US pauses Ukraine aid

In an effort to bring Ukraine to the negotiating table, America has paused military help to the war-torn country. What will this mean on the ground? Our correspondent explores a new cryptocurrency craze, visiting Turkey’s bazaars to meet people trading goods using stablecoins (9: ... Show More

22m 36s

Oct 2025

Space invaders: Russia’s NATO nose-thumbing

Russia’s dark-fleet maritime operations and brazen incursions into NATO airspace appear to be precision-engineered to test Western resolve. We ask how this new phase of aggression may end. Our correspondent reports from Madagascar, where young people are leading unprecedented ant ... Show More

24m 45s

Sep 2025

Home truths: Ukraine’s internal strains

A snapshot of the country reveals deepening military and economic problems—and, perhaps above all, political ones. America’s efforts to clamp down on skilled-worker visas will have far-reaching unintended consequences. And globally, more children today are obese than underweight. ... Show More

21m 15s

Sep 2025

Fortunes of war: is Russia’s economy slowing?

The collapse of Russia’s wartime economy has long been foretold, yet massive fiscal stimulus has compensated for the effect of sanctions. Though the pinch is now being felt, the labour market is surprisingly resilient. Protesters in China are getting more creative. And why car to ... Show More

23m 30s

Apr 2025

Trump’s fickle, Xi’s pickle: the dynamic driving US-China tensions

President Xi Jinping’s style of negotiating is staid, distanced, a quiet projection of power. President Donald Trump’s is not. That dynamic is complicating their gargantuan standoff. Spain ends up with more and more remains of migrants who die on their journeys—and its morgues ca ... Show More

24m 57s

Nov 2025

British Broadcasting Capitulation: BBC bosses fall

The BBC’s director-general and head of news have resigned amid accusations of institutional bias. Can the broadcaster recover its reputation? Ukrainian prisoners-of-war speak of torture and beatings in Russian detention. And celebrating the life of Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviv ... Show More

24m 33s

Apr 2025

Import-extort: what to make of Donald Trump’s titanic tariffs

<p>After months of bluster, he’s finally done it. At a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden, Donald Trump overturned decades of American trade policy with a simple signature. The new wave of <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/04/03/trump-takes-americ ... Show More

46m 35s

Soldiers’ fortune: Ukraine’s prisoner sw...