Strategic sovereignty, social movements, and political agency: Evidence from the US-Israeli military campaign in Iran
Military intervention may be undertaken to weaken a hostile regime and strengthen the position of its opponents. This column argues that evidence from the 2026
Global imbalances and the China challenge
China’s trade surplus is widening, its manufactured exports are surging, and the political backlash is intensifying. This column argues that the widening trade surplus reflects
Bonds set for bruising September; stocks fare better
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares excluding Japan rose 0.2% in early trading. Global bonds wobbled on Wednesday and were set for their worst month
Quantifying financial repression through the lens of portfolio choice: A century of evidence
With public debt at high peacetime levels, how advanced economies can reduce debt burdens is again at the centre of policy debate. This column examines
From AI pilots to scale: Improving the delivery of public services
How can AI be used to deliver better public services? That’s one of the big questions for developing countries. Governments are already experimenting with AI
Australia says OpenAI agent hacked government website, checks for more breaches
– Australia said on Thursday an OpenAI agent breached a government health data portal in June, gaining unauthorised access to files, in what could be
The quality of capital allocation in Europe
Europe’s investment debate tends to ask how much capital can be mobilised and how quickly. Allocation quality also depends on who receives capital and on
Decoding AI — What the promise of artificial intelligence means for developing economies
Most of what we hear about artificial intelligence comes through the lens of advanced economies: the race to build the most powerful models, the fear
Making markets work: The role of effective public institutions in enabling private sector growth and development
Of the roughly 3.74 billion people in the global workforce, about 400 million, or 11 percent, work in the public sector. These are the people who deliver essential services,
Fiscal unsustainability and capture: $40 trillion Treasury debt does not measure the risks; enhanced long-term repurchases don’t improve them
US federal government debt exceeded $40 trillion in August 2026, triggering concerns about fiscal credibility and sustainability. This column argues that fiscal sustainability should be
