The Economist | Independent journalism
“Dateline” history quiz
This week: Challenger explodes; Greta goes on strike; and more
The US in brief
Our re-launched forecast model says: “Game on”
The Economist today
The very best of our journalism, handpicked for you each weekday
United States
Our presidential election prediction shows Democrats back in the race
Kamala Harris is neck and neck with Donald Trump, according to our model
Leaders
The rights, wrongs and risks of Ukraine’s Kursk incursion
Ukrainian forces should be careful not to overreach
Business
Schumpeter: How bosses should play politics, the cautionary tale of Elon Musk
A new book considers the complex relationship between presidents and company bosses
The world in brief
Russia declared a federal emergency in Belgorod, a Russian border region, as Ukraine’s army continued its offensive in the neighbouring oblast of Kursk...
Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, said that perpetrators of sexual violence must face “the strictest punishment” after the rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata last week...
A Russian court sentenced Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American citizen, to 12 years in prison...
Walmart reported annual revenue growth of 4.8% in the three months to July, defying fears that it could be bruised by a consumer slowdown...
Afghans are suffering. Don’t expect any tears from the Taliban
Three years on from America’s humiliating departure, the country is ignored
What is behind China’s perplexing bond-market intervention?
The central bank seems to think the government’s debt is too popular
The Carrie Bradshaw index: where Americans can afford to live solo in 2024
Compared with last year, rent on basic apartments looks more affordable
Making sense of the world’s most dangerous horse race
Il Palio is chaotic and corrupt—and full of community spirit
“Dateline” history quiz
This week: Challenger explodes; Greta goes on strike; and more
The US in brief
Our re-launched forecast model says: “Game on”
The Economist today
The very best of our journalism, handpicked for you each weekday
The war in Ukraine
What next after Ukraine’s invasion of Russia?
It could dig in, pull back or grab more as a bargaining chip
Ukraine’s shock raid deep inside Russia rages on
The surprise attack comes as Ukraine is under pressure in the Donbas
How much of a difference will Ukraine’s new F-16s make?
Too few to beat Russia’s air force, but a strong symbolic start
Amid the bombs, Ukrainians rediscover the beach
Odessa gives itself permission to tan again
America’s election
Donald Trump plays with fire in Atlanta
Going after Georgia’s popular Republican governor will do him no good in the state
Can Kamala Harris win Michigan without Arab-American voters?
The Democratic nominee will have tricky territory to navigate at next week’s party convention
How the Trump campaign has become more professional
In Pennsylvania at least, it has upped its ground game
Donald Trump v Kamala Harris: who’s ahead in the polls?
We’re tracking the race for the White House
World news
A deadly new strain of mpox is raising alarm
The WHO has declared the outbreak to be a global health emergency
Kishida Fumio, Japan’s prime minister, stands down
The race to succeed him next month is unusually unpredictable
Britain’s justice system has responded forcefully to the riots
But the perception of a “two-tier” approach does not bear scrutiny
America prepares for a new nuclear-arms race
Its build-up could start as early as 2026
Business, finance and economics
Can Chipotle’s boss turn Starbucks around?
Brian Niccol faces three big challenges
Buttonwood: How to invest in chaotic markets
Contrary to popular wisdom, even retail investors should pay attention to volatility
What Bill Gates reveals about other billionaires
An unusual biography of the technologist-turned-philanthropist
Why Ethiopia and Nigeria must press on with reforms
Currency liberalisation alone is not enough
America’s economy
Will America’s economy swing the election?
It is not entering recession, but it is slowing down. That is bad news for Kamala Harris
Can Kamala Harris win on the economy?
A visit to a crucial swing state reveals the problems she will face
Swing-state economies are doing just fine
They would be doing even better if the Biden-Harris administration had been more cynical
America’s “left-behind” are doing better than ever
But manufacturing jobs are still in decline
Israel’s wars
Israeli aircraft buzz Beirut as the drums of war bang loud
As Iran and Hizbullah threaten retaliation for Israeli assassinations, Lebanon is in the firing line
Hamas’s pick of Yahya Sinwar as leader makes a ceasefire less likely
The appointment of the architect of October 7th ties the group closer to Iran
The Middle East braces for wider war as Iran weighs its response
After Israeli strikes, America is rushing troops to the region and airlines are steering clear
The Middle East must step back from the brink
That still means starting with a ceasefire in Gaza
Summer food
Tinned fish is swimming against the tide
Once a staple of wartime diets, it is now a social-media phenomenon
How Provençal rosé became the summer tipple par excellence
When temperatures rise, wine-drinkers think pink
The world’s best summertime drink relies on nature’s magic
Making tepache, like any other fermentation project, is a lesson in co-operation
When it comes to ice cream, the instinct to innovate is misguided
Forget flavours like ketchup, pickle and blood. It’s best to keep it vanilla
Video
Travel
Exposure to the sun’s UV radiation may be good for you
For now, though, keep the sun cream handy
Why travel guidebooks are not going anywhere
Despite predictions that the internet would kill them
We enjoyed reading these books on holiday. You might, too
A selection of titles chosen by The Economist’s journalists
What the war on tourism gets wrong
Visitors are a boon, if managed wisely
Summer stories
Engineered dust could help make Mars habitable
Restoring water on Mars may be easier than you think
“Deadpool & Wolverine” is revolting, but popular
The film has had the highest-grossing opening of an R-rated film
How long would it take to read the greatest books of all time?
The Economist consulted bibliophile data scientists to get an answer
Why history podcasts are booming now
Listening to stories about the past is a present pastime
Our summer issue
1843 magazine | How to get rich (Taylor’s version)
Think you know the story of how Taylor Swift took on the music industry? The reality is more complicated
1843 magazine | How the Proud Boys are prepping for a second Trump term
They led the charge on the Capitol. What next?
1843 magazine | Marwan Barghouti, the world’s most important prisoner
There’s one Palestinian who could help end the conflict. He’s in an Israeli jail
1843 magazine | The cruise that will get you chased by the Chinese coastguard
China is bullying its rivals in the South China Sea. For some tourists, that makes it a perfect holiday destination
Recent highlights
Colombia prepares for a vanilla boom
Purveyors of scented products and posh ice-creams take note
The significance of liquid water on Mars
There could be an ocean’s worth deep underground
The siesta is still a serious business in Europe’s south
It should be copied more widely
Lavender extract makes excellent mosquito-repellent
Scientists have turned it into clothing
Stories most read by subscribers
Featured read
Joss Naylor never let any mountain defeat him
The sheep-farmer and champion fell-runner died on June 28th, aged 88
AI schools briefs
A short history of AI
In the first of six weekly briefs, we ask how AI overcame decades of underdelivering
AI firms will soon exhaust most of the internet’s data
Can they create more?
How AI models are getting smarter
Deep neural networks are learning diffusion and other tricks
LLMs will transform medicine, media and more
But not without a helping (human) hand
Edition: August 17th 2024
Footloose and fancy degree: How countries compete for talent
Our presidential-election forecast model
We relaunch our presidential-election model for a transformed race
New nuclear threats
The superpower faces more adversaries, new technologies and less-confident allies
What Ukraine can gain in Kursk
The country’s forces should be careful not to overreach
Does the brain learn like AI?
The challenge for neuroscientists is how to test them
