Economist Wire

The world in brief

Catch up on global news

1843

Compelling long reads

Podcasts

Tune into captivating conversations

Video

Watch engaging short films

Insider

Behind the scenes at the Economist

Newsletters

Curated news, direct to your inbox

Games

Workouts for agile minds

POLICY AREAS

Agriculture and Food Central Banker Competition and Industrial Policy Cybersecurity and Data Protection Defense Energy and Climate Energy and Climate UK Energie et Climat France Energie & Klima DE Financial Services Financial Services UK Gesundheit Health Care Industrie & Handel DE Mobility Paris Influence Sustainability Technology Tech France Technologie & KI Technology UK Trade Trade UK

NEWSLETTERS

Berlin Playbook Brussels Playbook Dimanchissime EU Influence Forecast Global Playbook Global Policy Lab: Living Cities Global Security Le Weekly London Influence London Playbook Playbook Paris Sunday Crunch

PODCASTS

Brussels Playbook Podcast Westminster Insider Politics at Sam and Anne's Playbook Paris Podcast Berlin Playbook — Der Podcast Power & Policy Inside AfD

OPINION

All Opinion Beyond the Bubble Germany Interpreted Declassified From Across the Pond Unpacked

FEATURED SERIES

Irish Presidency of the EU Europe’s looming water crisis Breaking out: Stories of Roma empowerment COP30 A global emergency: Tackling antimicrobial resistance Living Cities POLITICO 28

POLL OF POLLS

Elections in Europe European Parliament election

ECONOMIST WIRE LIVE

See All Future Events About our events

WEEKLY EDITION

August 22nd 2026

Could AIs become conscious?

Past editions

America First

Politics, power and the future of America

Life style

People, trends and ideas shaping everyday life

West

Western politics, culture and national identity

History

The people, events and ideas that shaped our world

Europe

America has laid claim to a fifth of Venezuela’s oil

The deal could give both countries reason to forestall a democratic transition

Europe

The Alternative for Germany has won its best-ever election result

But the hard-right could still fall short of forming a government in Saxony-Anhalt

Europe

Europe’s Last Soviet Economy Approaches Its ‘Hour of Reckoning’

Belarus kept old factories, jobs, and social services alive after communism. Now that model is under threat from Russia.

Europe

Small ‘Hot’ Wars Will Define Cold War II

14 Mins Read

Europe

The Disappearing Mass Housing of the Soviet Union

8 Mins Read

Europe

Berlin Has a Surprising Soft Spot for Its Soviet Memorials

7 Mins Read

Europe

Soviet Collapse Echoes in China’s Belt and Road

7 Mins Read

From top stories

Europe

Was Sex Better in the ’80s?

The World in Brief

The world in brief

American house prices rose by 14.6% in the year to April, the fastest rate for 30 years, according to S&P Dow Jones...

Kim Jong Un, North Korea's leader, said his country faces a "huge crisis" in its fight against covid-19 and that an unspecified incident had put the health of the nation at "great risk"...

Didi Chuxing reportedly raised $4.4bn in its American IPO ahead of its launch on the New York Stock Exchange today...

Jacob Zuma, the former president of South Africa, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court after failing to appear at an inquiry relating to allegations of corruption during his time in power...