Briefing
Spanish business
Conquistadors on the beach
Spanish companies have gone global, but now trouble is brewing at home with concerns over a property crash
Gordon Brown
The day of the spider
One of Britain's most impressive politicians is poised to become its next prime minister. Why is the country less than gleeful at the thought?
Nigeria's elections
Big men, big fraud and big trouble
The deep rottenness of Nigeria's political system threatens all the economic gains this giant country has made
Australia's water shortage
The big dry
Australia is struggling to cope with the consequences of a devastating drought. As the world warms up, other countries should pay heed
Credit derivatives
At the risky end of finance
The use of credit derivatives has boomed and bemused. These new financial instruments have yet to face their biggest test
Evolution and religion
In the beginning
The debate over creation and evolution, once most conspicuous in America, is fast going global
Italian luxury goods
Tutto in famiglia
To thrive in the globalising economy Italian luxury-goods firms must put economic logic before family and independence
France's presidential election
The race for the Elysée
Four candidates will determine the outcome of France's presidential election, but only three have a realistic chance of winning
Iran and the West
Sailing into troubled waters
Despite its decision to free the British sailors, Iran remains a problem
Britain's military power
From the Falklands to the Gulf
A calculated stunt highlights the difficulties of Britain's role in the world
Antarctic history and geography
The last wilderness
Antarctica is a geographical and political anomaly