Benin City, the mighty medieval capital by Mawuna Koutonin

With its mathematical layout and earthworks longer than the Great Wall of China, Benin City was one of the best planned cities in the world when London was a place of ‘thievery and murder’. So why is nothing left? This is the story of a lost medieval city you’ve probably never heard about. Benin City, …

‘It can’t be business as usual’: the Nigerian frontrunner to be next WTO head by Larry Elliott

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says poorer nations have lost faith in trade body and Covid-19 is chance to prove its relevance The World Trade Organization needs to be at the forefront of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in order to help restore its battered reputation, one of the favourites to be its next leader has said. …

What to Know About the Race to Lead the WTO by Jennifer Hillman

The World Trade Organization (WTO) was left leaderless on Monday when Director-General Roberto Azevedo stepped down with a year left in his term. His departure comes at a pivotal moment for the governing body of international trade, which was in trouble even before the coronavirus pandemic upended the global economy. Eight candidates are in the …

Trumps on the Couch by Anne Diebel

Illustration by Tom Bachtell In 1996, at a boozy lunch in Manhattan, a Connecticut lawyer was told about the Trump Organization’s “punishment room” by an Atlantic City lawyer who said that he had represented Donald Trump’s casino interests. According to the story, the truth of which is unconfirmed, employees there devised ways to punish Trump’s …

WTO Hopeful Okonjo-Iweala Balances Nigeria, U.S. Citizenships by Bryce Baschuk

Nationality takes on greater scrutiny in era of protectionism Supply Lines is a daily newsletter that tracks Covid-19’s impact on trade. Sign up here, and subscribe to our Covid-19 podcast for the latest news and analysis on the pandemic. Harvard-educated and longtime World Bank economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is bidding to become the next director-general of the …