Explainers
Complex topics, made clear.
The Seven-Day Strait: What Iran's Rejected Hormuz Offer Means for Oil Prices and the War
Missouri's Map War, Explained: Why the Supreme Court Blocked the GOP's Redistricting Plan Three Times
One House seat, three Supreme Court orders in a month, and a fight over which map Missouri uses in November. Here's how an extraordinary mid-decade redistricting battle played out — and why it matters for control of Congress.
Diesel at a Record $6.50 a Gallon, Explained: Why a Fuel You Don't Buy Is Raising Your Bills
War in the Middle East, a Russian export ban, and record US fuel exports have pushed diesel past its 2022 peak. Since it moves three-quarters of America's freight, everyone's grocery bill is about to feel it.
The Trump–Xi Summit, Explained: What the Tariff Deal and the AI Talks Actually Achieved
Three days of pageantry, $30 billion in tariff cuts, a two-month trade truce — and no binding deal on AI. We break down what the Washington summit delivered and what it left unresolved.
September's Global Rate U-Turn, Explained: Why Central Banks Are Raising Interest Rates Again
From the Fed's first hike in three years to Australia's fourth increase of 2026, central banks are reversing course. Here's what changed, why inflation is back, and what it means for your money.
Most read in Explainers
The Trump–Xi Summit, Explained: What the Tariff Deal and the AI Talks Actually Achieved
Missouri's Map War, Explained: Why the Supreme Court Blocked the GOP's Redistricting Plan Three Times
September's Global Rate U-Turn, Explained: Why Central Banks Are Raising Interest Rates Again
Diesel at a Record $6.50 a Gallon, Explained: Why a Fuel You Don't Buy Is Raising Your Bills