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Our Top Briefings
Conclave: the top contenders
As the sun rises over the Eternal City tomorrow (Wednesday), 133 cardinals from 71 countries will shuffle into the Michelangelo-painted Sistine Chapel to elect the next pope. They’ll be cut off from the outside, voting once in the afternoon of 7 May and then twice each morning and afternoon thereafter until a two-thirds majority elects the next […]
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The India-Pakistan spat: four scenarios
So maybe that’s enough for both sides to take a win and step away — Pakistan has even pledged not to take “irresponsible action” if India taps the brakes. Then the uneasy status quo ante could resume: diplomatic frost, border incidents, edgy statements, and so on. But there’s still unquenched outrage on both sides of the border fuelled by history, politics, competition, and […]
Israel approves plan to capture and hold Gaza
After weeks of Israeli air strikes, ground raids, and blockades billed as pressure tactics to force Hamas to release the final 59 hostages, the Israeli security cabinet has unanimously approved a plan to expand back across Gaza. The details of this ‘Gideon’s Chariots’ directive remain fuzzy, but an Israeli official has told media it’ll include: […]
The geopolitics of Warren Buffett
Thousands made the annual pilgrimage to the Berkshire Hathaway AGM on Saturday to hear the latest wisdom from the Oracle of Omaha himself, Warren Buffett. But they got something else: a live announcement that the 94-year-old is retiring. He’s long shrugged off geopolitics, focusing instead on his value investment philosophy (“buy wonderful businesses at fair prices”) […]
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Meet the Team
The only briefing designed by former diplomats

John
Former diplomat in Beijing and Shanghai. Mandarin speaker. Helen constantly says my jokes are ‘drier than dust’, but she’ll have to do better than that to stop me.

Helen
Former diplomat in Tel Aviv and Hong Kong. Better Mandarin speaker than John, who reminds me that just because I went to Harvard doesn’t mean I’m always right.

Jeremy
Former diplomat in Mexico City, Los Angeles, and Lima. Spanish speaker. Awarded Peru’s Presidential Medal for Distinguished Service for… well, distinguished service.