August 25th 2026

The Economist Today Our best journalism, handpicked each day

Bo Franklin Senior digital editor

The Trump administration has called its new sanctions on Iran an “economic D-Day”. But the assault, intended to cut Iran off from the global economy, so far lacks firepower. Iran will be able to resist, say our correspondents.  Britain has not been heavily forested for an enormously long time. In the 20th century authorities tried to change this by planting lots of one kind of non-native tree, creating monotonous, dark woods. Now they are trying again, with more variety and success.

Editor’s picks A selection of must-read articles

Losing pressure Iran will be able to shrug off America’s financial threats In the face of fresh sanctions, the regime is defiant

→ War in the Gulf has weakened two of America’s Arab allies

China in the Arctic The promise and the pitfalls of China’s new Arctic shipping route The Northern Sea Route is a pricey and risky alternative to the Suez Canal

Cereal killers The renewed threat to global grain supplies Unlike in 2022, both Ukraine’s and Russia’s exports are under attack

Africa Inc. The quiet tycoons powering Africa’s rise  Secretive family conglomerates are the lifeblood of African capitalism

Lovely, dark and deep Trees are spreading in one of Europe’s least forested countries Britain now needs to learn to cut them down

More of our coverage ▸ Punctuation matters more than you think. Often dismissed as uninteresting, dots and dashes have shaped religious texts, legal documents and literature. A rollicking new book celebrates the symbols and sub-clauses that serve as “lanterns to words”. ▸ Chinese women are falling behind in the office. The Communist Party wants more babies. Bosses don’t want pregnancies. A “motherhood penalty” is common nearly everywhere in the world, but in China the penalty is especially high. ▸ Physicists nab the elusive glueball. Scientists say they have found a glueball—a hitherto hypothetical particle that is unlike any which physicists have seen before. If true, the discovery will provide valuable data.

Podcast The Intelligence Even-more-maximum pressure: sanctions on Iran Listen

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