The Economist

The Economist is a global weekly magazine written for those who share an uncommon interest in being well and broadly informed. Each issue explores domestic and international issues, business, finance, current affairs, science, technology and the arts.

Coronavirus briefs • To 6am GMT Jul 15th 2›21

The world this week

Biden’s new China doctrine • Its protectionism and its us-or-them rhetoric will hurt America and put off allies

Rule of lawlessness • The worst unrest since apartheid underlines South Africa’s fragility

The mask slips • The best way to help Cuba’s protesters is to lift the American embargo

Carbon and capture • In principle carbon border taxes are a good idea. In practice they could be a gift to protectionists

A cloud of suspicion • As athletes arrive in Tokyo for the Olympics, doping is still common. The system needs reform

Letters

Pushing back • WASHINGTON, DC

Joe Biden’s mystery train • WASHINGTON, DC

Texodus • HOUSTON

Pastime • DENVER

Blowing the inheritance • WASHINGTON, DC

Anti-trust in me • WASHINGTON, DC

The anti-vax delusion • America’s vaccination programme is stalling. Populist conservatives are to blame

A revolt against the revolution • The communist island has not seen such big displays of discontent for decades

Après Moïse, le déluge? • No one knows who killed Haiti’s president or what to do about it

A Mexican show trial? • A battle against corruption with more theatre than substance

Rings on the ropes • TOKYO

No fun and games • TOKYO

Rajapaksa raj • Sri Lanka’s ruling dynasty is not as secure as it appears

The next covid catastrophe • SINGAPORE

The small print • BEIJING AND SHANGHAI

Patriotism and prejudice • Rising nationalism is making life harder again for gay people in China

Turning inward • Covid-19 fears are combining with rising nationalism to keep China closed

Jacob’s looters • JOHANNESBURG

Unlikely bedfellows • KHARTOUM

The most dangerous place in the Horn • AL-FASHAGA

Courting trouble • A trial in Jordan has exposed the fissures in King Abdullah’s rule

The enemy of my friend • JERUSALEM

Auf Wiedersehen, Amerika! • BERLIN

An anti-corruption party triumphs • Moldova has a chance to clean up. Bulgaria, not so much

The grapes are off • Climate change is affecting the flavour of Europe’s wines

Electric island • ATHENS

A less than jolly green giant • The EU is better placed than national governments to set green standards. This will be painful

Blot on the landscape • MELKSHAM, WILTSHIRE

Eco-warriors • Opponents of housebuilding claim to care more about the environment than about house prices

The eagle and the rabbit • The destination is the same but the race back to the Moon today differs in important ways from the first

Inconspicuous expansion • HONG KONG

The finite frontier • NEW YORK

White shoes are made for earnin’ • NEW YORK

Work in progress • PARIS

Different pitches • The pros and cons of differing management styles

Superpower surge • China’s “dreamchild” is stealthily winning the battery race

The funding frenzy • Investment in fintech is booming as the upstarts join the financial establishment

Fat and happy • NEW YORK

Sticker shock

Promises, promises • What the ECB’S new target means in practice

Make it pay • Cutting benefits might ease labour shortages. But only by a bit

Every little helps •...