The Economist

From media-studies dropout to international jihadist to Syria’s ruler, Ahmed al-Sharaa has an unlikely résumé. He speaks with our editor-in-chief, sharing hopeful-sounding hints of his vision—but...

A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It already rivals the size of the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more powerful....

President Donald Trump followed through on his tariff threats, starting with Canada, Mexico and China. We look at the first skirmishes in what promises to be a painful trade war (10:30). A...

The Mahabharata is one of India’s two great Hindu epics. It is thousands of years old and thousands of pages long. Over the past 75 years archaeologists in India have been searching for evidence...

The fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria will reshape the wider region. Our correspondent says few countries have as much to gain from a stable Syria as Turkey. How will it use its leverage (09:25)?...

A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It is probably bigger than the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more powerful. The...

As some of Donald Trump’s most controversial choices for top jobs are questioned this week, our correspondent analyses how supine Republicans may be in his second term. Has the luxury business...

Rebels linked to Rwanda have occupied the city of Goma in eastern Congo. Our correspondent reports on the horrific scenes there, and warns that Rwanda’s belligerence may be part of a bigger plan to...

A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It is probably bigger than the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more powerful. The...

Silicon Valley firms have poured billions of dollars into artificial intelligence. But a new cheap AI model from DeepSeek, a Chinese start-up, has sent shockwaves through the stockmarket. Our...

A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It is already more lucrative than the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more...

Though thousands of Palestinians are going back to northern Gaza, rebuilding their lives and homes will take years. Just a week into the ceasefire, our correspondent says peace already looks...

A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It is already more lucrative than the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more...

Rachel Reeves has had a rocky start as chancellor of the exchequer. Our editor-in-chief meets her at Davos to dissect her plans for growth. Australia Day is coming up, but do not expect universal...

After the collapse of the governing “traffic light” coalition in December, the hard-right AfD has a renewed swagger. How long can other parties keep it from power? We speak with Syrian refugees...

The procedure is simple—genial, even. Contact Houthi rebels in Yemen and pay up, and your freight can pass into the Red Sea unmolested. We examine how this extortion affects world trade. China is...

Donald Trump is back in office, this time with less pearl-clutching in Washington. We examine his inaugural address and his first executive orders as glimpses into what his second term holds—for...

Quiet skies, returned Israeli hostages, Gazans going back home: there is much to celebrate, for the moment. We examine the path to a more robust and lasting peace. Britain’s minimum-wage rise is...

This week Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’s space-exploration company, successfully launched a rocket into orbit on its first attempt. That marks a new frontier in the private space industry. Donald Trump...

After 15 months of fighting, a ceasefire in Gaza may soon be agreed. What does the deal entail – and could it last? Our correspondent has uncovered new information about Donald Trump’s nominee for...