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 May 27th 2021

The world this week

Two states or one? • The peace process has become an obstacle to progress

Innovation nations • Firms are rediscovering their love for investment

Take one for the team • To avoid a two-speed Europe, Germany must learn to live with a little inflation

Fresh thinking about fresh air • It is time to clean up the air in buildings

The false messiah • Andrés Manuel López Obrador pursues ruinous policies by improper means

Letters

The puritan from Tepetitán • TEPETITÁN

Red-faced • DALLAS

Body of evidence • WASHINGTON, DC

Foreign domestic policy • The Northern Triangle poses a migration trilemma

Build back under budget • LOS ANGELES

Wildlife wars • DENVER

Island mentality • THE HUDSON RIVER

Veep stakes • Is Kamala Harris a gift to the Republicans?

Losing traction • SÃO PAULO

New faces galore • SANTIAGO

Commies, crooks and bloodshed • LIMA

Udder absurdity • VANCOUVER

Quaking money-makers • SEOUL, SINGAPORE AND TOKYO

General disorder • YANGON

Humpback comeback • SYDNEY

Back in line • The government cracks down on a big Islamist group

The other side • DELHI

Beached • As China grabs more of the South China Sea, it is losing the Philippines

Serve the rich • HONG KONG

Will you mortify me? • DALI

China’s revealing Afghan strategy • A suspicious China prepares for America to pull out of Afghanistan

A process in pieces • JERUSALEM

Muslim pride • Gay people are reclaiming an Islamic heritage

Coup within a coup • BAMAKO

Sixth time unlucky • ABUJA

An ever deeper union • Having hijacked a Ryanair plane, Belarus has only one friend to turn to

The spirit of ’68 • Russia puts the Czech Republic on an official enemies list

The untouchables • ISTANBUL

Fiddlers of the fjords • Norwegian folk music is worth preserving, says the UN

Beyond the fringe • LA CHAPELLE-EN-VEXIN AND MARINES

How farmers rule Europe • Politicians are still afraid to touch their exorbitant privileges

A colossus quietly crumbles • The corporation can cope with a hostile government and angry royals, but not with Mickey Mouse

Trussed but verify • Rows over a trade deal with Australia show a need for greater transparency

Mr Levelling Up • Neil O’Brien tries to make sense of the government’s signature philosophy

Looking again • NEW YORK

Possible, but far from proven • The theory that SARS-COV-2 originated in a laboratory is gaining adherents, but it has yet to find evidence beyond the circumstantial

The little Engine that could • NEW YORK

Money for something

Formula races • HONG KONG

Second time lucky • BERLIN

Cabin fervour • An early victim of the pandemic seeks to refloat

The dangers of decision fatigue • Why breaks are actually good for productivity

AT&T in a spin • Not all u -turns are bad. How to make sense of corporate cock-ups

The coming capex carnival • Companies across the world are spending big. We analyse their investment plans

Dividing lines • Activity is surging as lockdowns end. But the recovery will be unequal

The anti-fiat...