The Economist explains

The Economist explains

Why some Russian athletes will be eligible to compete at the Paris Olympics

Despite antipathy between the Russian government and the International Olympic Committee a handful will compete

The Economist explains

Why did the Secret Service fail to protect Trump from being shot?

Lawmakers want an accounting for mistakes that nearly resulted in Mr Trump’s assassination on July 13th

The Economist explains

What is the Chinese Communist Party’s third plenum?

Hundreds of the party’s senior members gather in Beijing amid hopes they will speed up economic reforms

The Economist explains

Who might Donald Trump pick as his running-mate?

The Republican nominee has a number of hopefuls to pick from

The Economist explains

Why Finland and others are vaccinating people against bird flu

The virus is spreading undetected in mammals

The Economist explains

Ten plausible contenders to replace Joe Biden

The Democrats have a deep bench of talent

The Economist explains

How will Democrats replace Joe Biden as their candidate for president?

And who could replace him on the ticket?

The Economist explains

Why football might (just) be coming home, to Austria

The modern game was created in the coffee houses of Vienna

The Economist explains

Why North Korea is sending its rubbish to the South

Trash balloons are a sign of growing tensions on the peninsula

The Economist explains

What is the “duck curve”?

An avian graph shows the challenges facing burgeoning solar power

The Economist explains

How political “cohabitation” works in France

Upcoming parliamentary elections could lead to a new period of political friction

The Economist explains

How America’s presidential debates are changing this year

Will the Trump-Biden showdowns be an institution’s last gasp, or a new start?