Briefing

An unexpected juncture

The Assad regime’s fall voids many of the Middle East’s old certainties

What if Syria abandoned its hostility to the West and stopped menacing Israel?

After Assad

Syria has exchanged a vile dictator for an uncertain future

It is not clear how stable or how benign the new regime will be

What are the odds?

Gambling is growing like gangbusters in America

Technology and legal changes are spurring a betting bonanza

Titan targeted

The Adani bribery case could upend Indian business and politics

The allegations against the corporate champion may end up being resolved diplomatically rather than in court

All disquiet on the home front

The war in Ukraine is straining Russia’s economy and society

Despite advances on the battlefield, pressure is growing

Inaugural call

How will Donald Trump handle the war in Ukraine?

And how will Ukraine, Russia and Europe respond?

Poster boy

Elon Musk’s transformation, in his own words

Our analysis of 38,000 posts on X reveal a changed man

The first buddy

Elon Musk and Donald Trump seem besotted. Where is their bromance headed?

The precedents are not encouraging

Carbon bargain

The energy transition will be much cheaper than you think

Most analysts overestimate energy demand and underestimate technological advances

Comeback king

Donald Trump’s victory was resounding. His second term will be, too

Congress is not likely to be much of a constraint on him

A sting in the tail risks

How bad could a second Trump presidency get?

The damage to America’s economy, institutions and the world would be huge

The Swiss Army knife of jabs

GLP-1s like Ozempic are among the most important drug breakthroughs ever

Their far-reaching potential could transform how chronic diseases are managed