Drugs targeting a specific protein could make for powerful treatments for chronic pain, according to a new study. Even diet might have an effect
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Drugs targeting a specific protein could make for powerful treatments for chronic pain, according to a new study. Even diet might have an effect
All things being equal, greater political influence over the Fed will raise interest rates because of the extra risk of bad decisions. Given Donald Trump’s wishes, the irony is obvious
“Facekinis are becoming a fashion item.” Don Weinland tries out Chinese streetwear on “The Intelligence” econ.st/427fRm8
If the faster growth the government promises were at hand, employers might be able to shrug off the extra costs
The torment caused by covid-19 and high interest rates appears to be over
Our analysis of a long-running survey shows that cohorts have become more unhappy as they have reached middle age. Generation X and millennials have slid into mid-life malaise earlier than boomers did, though
Robert F. Kennedy junior and his supporters argue these are “toxic” and can wreck your health. But they are unlikely to cause harm—in fact, they are probably good for you econ.st/4oXwPNX Illustration: Fortunate Joaquin
Lisa Cook’s work as an economist has broken new ground. She studied racial inequality before it became fashionable
Across dozens of policy questions, from zoning laws to TikTok, individual voters are idiosyncratic. But our analysis shows there are five distinct clusters within the Republican Party
Stocks, Treasuries and the dollar all fell after Lisa Cook’s “sacking” was announced, though the scale of the moves was minor. The relative calm of investors may come with its own problems
On “Checks and Balance”, why Trump is intervening in Brazil: 🎧The relationship between Trump and Bolsonaro, with Oliver Steunkel 🎧Looking back to the American-supported coup in 1964 🎧Why it may prompt Brazil to cosy up to China, with David Rennie
Energy has not historically been a constraint on computing. AI has turned this on its head
Blame China, slumping commodities and creaky growth
Elon Musk wants to send an uncrewed Starship to Mars in 2026, and land one on the Moon in the same year. Those were hair-raising deadlines even at the start of the year
The company has transformed from a national institution to a viable business. Today, Brits go to Marks & Spencer for much more than sensible underwear and its iconic Percy Pig sweets econ.st/4p6RFdO Photo: Reuters
The college-sports system is an American oddity. In no other country would the same university train both future Nobel laureates and all-star point guards. Now, its founding logic of amateurism has collapsed
We are seeing dynamics that we did not expect. Jonathan Nash of Oregon State University's work in Greenland could help improve climate predictions. Listen to “Babbage”
“If it stops completely, northern Europe gets seriously Siberian.” Our correspondent tells “The Intelligence” how climate change is jeopardising the positive effects of an Atlantic current. Listen now econ.st/4lNp3mJ
The peace imposed on Finland in the 1940s after Russia’s invasion was hardly just. But it could have been worse. “We still feel we won, because we retained our independence,” says its president
The chipmaker looks, in the words of many a breathless commentator, unstoppable. But Nvidia is about to come up against an immovable object—America’s power grid econ.st/4oWMz3p Illustration: Brett Ryder
President Alexander Stubb sees the merits of Finlandisation
“The very first time Prabowo’s presidency is being called into question.” On “The Intelligence”, as Indonesia’s cities blaze, Sue-Lin Wong explains the riot’s underlying causes
♦️ Now Donald Trump wants more Chinese students. ♦️ Judge blocks deportation of hundreds of unaccompanied Guatemalan minors. ♦️ Federal government intends to increase presence in Chicago to tackle homelessness and crime. Keep up with US politics
While economists debate how much Donald Trump’s immigration policies are contributing to weak jobs growth, the stockmarket has so far shrugged off the risks to America Inc. That may soon change econ.st/4g2JPxD Photo: Getty Images
Public universities in Republican states have been reluctant to sign on to lawsuits against the federal government. This reflects the fact that Donald Trump doesn't seem inclined to harass schools in places where the politics are friendly to him
For now, it is mostly small firms that are bearing the brunt of his crackdown on undocumented workers. But, in time, big companies will face greater pressure
The desire for vengeance activates the same brain circuitry as a drug addict thinking about their next hit, argues an author. But there are ways to curb this craving
Worried that too little of your firm’s revenue flows into wages? Since the gains of your hard work are going to shareholders, it might help to be one of them
Xi Jinping’s pet project, Xiongan, offers perks to its growing number of residents. But it is becoming an elite enclave, home to the government’s most privileged workers
Also on the daily podcast: an Atlantic tipping-point and facekinis in China
Egypt has offered haven to some Gazans, facilitated aid and helped implement truces and hostage deals. That is more than most Arab states have done, but is not enough to satisfy many
These companies often speak of the need for transformation. Now they will have to live it
There is a voracious appetite for tanks, artillery, fighter jets and drones. In particular, two ambitious middle powers are capitalising on the boom
For the regime’s opponents, Sednaya prison was often the end of a labyrinthine journey through Syria’s network of torture and interrogation centres. A new archive documents that extensively
To a degree, a softer labour market is something the British economy needs. But there is a difference between pressing down on demand and making people more expensive to employ
A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist
Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan and Switzerland all have more powerful computing resources than Britain. Nurturing AI talent is its best chance to carve out a niche in the AI race
We assess what the scientific evidence says
Donald Trump’s return to office comes atop a difficult few years for Orsted. Yet despite the stormy weather, there is no need for investors to panic
As guests drank Sen Genshitsu’s tea, the principles of harmony and tranquility descended over them and filled the room
Binyamin Netanyahu’s focus is again not on peace, but on his own political survival. His strategy is based on two things: keeping his far-right coalition together; and hoping that a “victory” in Gaza will revive public trust
For centuries criminals have nicked valuable products and smuggled them across borders. Britain today shows how this model has evolved in new and alarming ways
If creeping alignment turns Britain into a rule-taker more than a rule-maker, that may just be one of the costs of Brexit
It is easy to imagine Brazil falling further into dark polarisation, with Donald Trump ratcheting up the fight. Yet a different future is actually more likely
Marks & Spencer is trying to become a place where people do their weekly food shop, with prices slashed on the essentials. But the British retailer has chosen the opposite approach for its fashion
It now looks as though Angela Merkel spent her political capital on a gamble whose payout turned out to be fleeting. Does that make it a blunder? Perhaps; but a generous and humane one
Europe’s annus horribilis made Britain’s departure from the EU unstoppable; the changes it brought may make rejoining unthinkable
Robert Louis Stevenson’s charisma sets a trap for his biographers: they may yield to worship or vainly try to topple the legend. But Leo Damrosch avoids both idolatry and iconoclasm
Liu Jianchao heads the Communist Party’s International Department and had been widely tipped as the next foreign minister. But he has gone missing
The ruling party cannot take credit for an ample monsoon or interest-rate cuts. But it can for a tax bung aimed at middle-income earners
High tariffs bring into question India’s long-term plans for driving growth. Even if they go away, the country may not be able to shelter factories from shifting geopolitics
After 11 years in office, Narendra Modi needs to go further and faster. To confront India’s deepest internal challenges has always been in its national interest. In a hostile world, it is also the best defence
Provence is a place of sun-blanched stone, hanging gardens and quiet luxury. But the brand is also dependent on—and sometimes undermined by—the agitations and compulsions of social media
Economists disagree about whether huge CEO pay packages reflect a competitive market for scarce executive talent or extraction of rents by bosses. Elon Musk’s latest pay bonanza supports the second, more cynical, view
Growth in India has ticked along at almost 6% a year under Narendra Modi. Yet under the bonnet there are several problems
Online platforms like OnlyFans are often seen as alternatives to strip clubs. But performers say in-person work has clearer boundaries. One dancer notes the advantages of physical clubs’ security staff, CCTV and peer friendships
China’s first display since 2019 is designed to flaunt its global diplomatic clout. Vladimir Putin will be there, showing the strengthening military ties between China and Russia. But analysts will also assess who is missing
China’s industrial policy has not achieved all its goals. Civil aviation and cutting-edge chipmaking remain elusive. And not all successes owe much to explicit policy
Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s ex-president, is likely to be found guilty of attempting a coup. That makes the country a test case for how countries recover from a populist fever
Paying attention to nightmares may be a good idea. Recent research shows frequent nightmares are stronger predictors of early death than smoking, obesity, poor diet or sloth
James Talarico is not your ordinary Democrat. Could a young liberal from America’s biggest red state give the party a desperately needed shot of adrenalin econ.st/4lR80jQ Photo: Mega Agency
It is tempting to view the freezing of federal research grants to UCLA as a continuation of the Donald Trump's attacks on elite private institutions. But this also marks a new stage in his shakedown of universities
While economists debate how much Donald Trump’s immigration policies are contributing to weak jobs growth, the stockmarket has so far shrugged off the risks to America Inc. That may soon change
Disrespectful corporate cultures are fertile ground for feuds. We explain why individuals, not bosses, may be best placed to stop conflicts from escalating
As New York marks a milestone birthday, historians believe that Americans should pause to consider how the city vaulted to global pre-eminence
Until recently the companies and legal regimes involved in gambling were mostly separate from those in financial services. No longer
America’s central bank has already been shaken by failures on inflation in recent years. A further loss of faith could cause problems in the bond market
An increased American military presence in the Caribbean could be intended to rattle Venezuela’s president—or even stir an uprising within its armed forces
Around the world, governments fret about different types of prejudice in AI. Like Donald Trump, many academics have homed in on ideological and political bias
America once stood out both for tight limits on gambling and for mass participation in the stockmarket. But policy has shifted econ.st/4lRrogz Photo: Getty Images
The credibility of the central bank is one of the underpinnings of America’s world-beating economy. Should markets panic?
Our columnist explains why you should consider flouting the best financial advice around by investing in your own employer
“The very existence of the city was called into question”. Rebuilding New Orleans after Katrina made it the most expensive storm recovery in American history. On “The Weekend Intelligence”, we ask if it is possible to keep the storms at bay
Beer and AI may seem like an unlikely pairing. Yet breweries are increasingly asking the technology for input econ.st/3VvhI0l Photo: St Austell Brewery
A tour of Britain’s newest supercomputer
If he throws his hat in the presidential ring for a second time, Rafael López Aliaga’s pugilist-populist ways give him a decent shot in Peru’s election. We explain how a resemblance to a cartoon character is helping
Higher taxes on jobs are partly to blame
Young people are now reporting the highest levels of misery of any age group, according to a new study. This may buck the long-established “U-bend of happiness” theory
Aged 12, Lisa Cook entered a local social-science fair with a project that would foreshadow her later work: identifying the causes of unemployment among black Americans
Breweries are using AI to suggest innovative recipes that humans would not have thought of. Scientists are also using bots to understand beer chemistry
But, so far, only those in enemy territory
When it comes to his planned incursion of Gaza city, Binyamin Netanyahu alternates between urging haste and tolerating delay. His vacillation is killing Gazans
Some Egyptians want their government to be more forceful—to send aid to Gaza without Israeli inspections, for a start. But diplomatic and financial obstacles stand in the way
Little is understood about the workings of the Assad regime’s machinery of repression: its rules, its hierarchies or its logic. A new digital archive offers some clues
A ferocious global arms race is big business
Service stations are getting larger and offering higher-quality food, drink and shopping to entice customers who aren’t stopping to refuel, says one analyst. We explain why they’re getting a makeover econ.st/41swLvm Photo: Shuttershock
Donald Trump barged in on Brazilian domestic affairs to protect his ally, Jair Bolsonaro. It doesn’t exactly fit his isolationist approach. We discuss on “Checks and Balance”
Cosy crime is booming. Authors have written series centring on embroidery (“The Quick and the Thread”), coupon-clipping (“50% off Murder”), apiculture (“Death Bee Comes Her”) and farming (“Murder, She Goat”)
“We’re looking a million and a half years ago...so we can extract a huge amount of information in the past to predict the future.” The British Antarctic Survey’s Liz Thomas explains the secret ledger hidden in Antarctica’s ice, on “Babbage”
This year’s central banker jamboree in Jackson Hole was more dramatic than usual. Fortunately our economics editor was there with a microphone when it all went down
Boomers can live with the consequences of rebellion in Britain. For younger people, a terror charge, however overblown, is not something they want on a CV. It is a heavy burden for someone in their 20s, less so if in their 80s
Unwinding the country’s legal migration system could be worse than mass deportations
Spoon for spoon, they are much more healthy than some of the alternatives championed by their critics, not least butter, lard and beef tallow
The country’s political landscape has been in disarray for much of the past decade. But moderates on both sides appear ready to try something new
Donald Trump claims to have ended six wars in six months and has been angling for a Nobel peace prize. Americans are less convinced of his diplomatic prowess, as our polling shows econ.st/4mUl20Y
“That water came in so hard you had dumpsters floating up the street”. On “The Weekend Intelligence”, Rebecca Jackson travels to New Orleans to bear witness to a city still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago
Despite the ruling against him, the president predicts that Supreme Court justices will eventually “help” him save the tariffs. He may be right, for several reasons
Brazilians are weary after a decade of political upheaval. If their former president is found guilty, the country could put the worst of the polarisation behind it econ.st/4lTUZG1 Illustration: Javier Palma
The British retailer’s website, through which one-third of its fashion, home and beauty is sold, was down for around six weeks. But changes to its technology infrastructure are under way
Jean-Claude Juncker, the then president of the European Commission, dubbed the conditions that led to Brexit a polycrisis. Books by Tim Shipman and Tom McTague assess that period