iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Donald Trump is keen to see his “friend” Kim Jong Un again. The leaders could meet as soon as next month. However, such a meeting might lead to poor trade-offs for America and the world

bit.ly

Don’t put Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in a room together

A summit between the two “friends” could go horribly wrong

011

The Economist @economist.com · 50m

Effective altruism has already changed the world. It has shaped charity, hoovered up students at top universities and played a part in the creation of AI—all largely unnoticed by the broader public

bit.ly

How effective altruism conquered the world

And how the 21st century’s most important social movement might yet end it

010

The Economist @economist.com · 1h

The mouth, like the gut, is home to lots of microbes. Removing too many bacteria from a healthy tongue might disrupt the oral microbiome. Read this before buying a tongue-scraper

bit.ly

Should you be using a tongue-scraper?

There is another tool that will do the job just as well

040

The Economist @economist.com · 1h

France is under pressure from the bond markets; budgets are being squeezed; the economy is weak; public opinion is anxious. A febrile country is a place in which anger and frustration could spill over into violence

bit.ly

Schoolyard protests are setting France ablaze

Six months from an election, the mood is tense

042

The Economist @economist.com · 1h

Like many Netflix series, the Harry and Meghan saga has all gone on for so long that no one can quite remember the plot. But it offers Britain some much-needed distraction

bit.ly

Harry and Meghan are ghastly and back in Britain. Good

Britain needs something to cheer it up. This will do

251

The Economist @economist.com · 1h

“People get funny around gold,” says a mining boss in a gritty historical drama included in our watchlist. “They’ll lie, cheat—they’ll kill you for it.” Register for free to read these recommendations in full

bit.ly

What to watch this week

These films and TV shows are worth returning to

000

The Economist @economist.com · 2h

Drone piloting and cyber-security were among the new categories in this year’s WorldSkills Competition. China won golds in both

bit.ly

China lavishes attention on a little-known competition

It sees the “skills Olympics” as a chance to boost its power

054

The Economist @economist.com · 2h

Reliably Republican counties skew older, but they have significantly higher death rates even after adjusting for age, as our charts show

bit.ly

In MAGA-land people are dying faster than they are being born

Our analysis suggests Trump country is only growing because of migration

5216

The Economist @economist.com · 2h

“You gradually lose yourself,” Karen Barber, who has early-onset dementia, tells our podcast. “The Weekend Intelligence” talks to her, as well as a memory champion and an AI, to ask: what is memory actually for any more?

bit.ly

Memory lane

In the age of AI, what is the point of remembering?

041

The Economist @economist.com · 3h

Property prices are near record highs in many rich countries. That has left the market in the lurch. Register for free to learn why a slump could have some benefits

bit.ly

Why house prices may be in trouble

In a big serving of bad news, there are crumbs of comfort

030

The Economist @economist.com · 4h

Donald Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris rested on a fragile coalition of voters dissatisfied with Democratic leadership. Our data analysis shows that coalition appears to be fracturing

bit.ly

Donald Trump’s disintegrating coalition

The swing voters of 2024 have abandoned the president

5232

The Economist @economist.com · 4h

One trader in India likened astrology to a “fog light”: unnecessary when visibility is good, but useful when the road disappears into mist

bit.ly

Financial astrology is a serious business in India

That is bad news for investors’ returns

050

The Economist @economist.com · 5h

For the first time, in a historically pro-American region, more Latin Americans see China’s influence as positive than that of the United States. Explore the latest Latinobarómetro poll

bit.ly

For the first time Latin Americans prefer China to America

Donald Trump’s interventions are unpopular, but tough talk on security resonates

11510

The Economist @economist.com · 5h

Brazil is drifting towards a predictable crisis. Register for free to read why most of its political elite are too comfortable with the way things are to change course

bit.ly

Brazil turns its back on the future

The looming election will not bring the change the country needs

052

The Economist @economist.com · 5h

To make an AI hotline between America and China effective in a crisis, it would need to differ from existing ones in several ways. Register for free to learn what they are

bit.ly

In an AI crisis, would China answer the phone?

The Americans want a hotline but the Chinese have been cool in the past

084

The Economist @economist.com · 6h

One reason China has not closed its economic gap with America is the chronic weakness of domestic demand. Policymakers must do more to boost consumption

bit.ly

China’s new infrastructure push will help itself and the world

But it must still do more to lift consumption

032

The Economist @economist.com · 6h

Once again Team China crushed its rivals at the WorldSkills Competition. Never heard of the event? Register for free to read about the six-day extravaganza with Olympic-style razzmatazz bit.ly/4iUUyxA Photo: Xinhua News Agency/eyevine

163

The Economist @economist.com · 7h

At first sight, the idea of through-the-looking-glass creatures seemed like a curiosity rather than a threat. Now many scientists beg to differ

bit.ly

It may soon be possible to create “mirror life”

Such research poses risks for humanity and the planet

1103

The Economist @economist.com · 7h

The Global Innovation Index takes a broad view of a country’s human ingenuity and creativity. Register for free to discover which countries are climbing up—or falling down—the rankings

bit.ly

The most innovative countries in the world

Will Donald Trump hurt America’s ranking?

031

The Economist @economist.com · 7h

The dominance of the poshest watch brands partly reflects rising precious-metal prices. It also reveals something about the finances of the very rich

bit.ly

The Swiss watch industry is shrinking—but getting swankier

Brands such as Rolex and Patek Philippe are consolidating the market

084

The Economist @economist.com · 8h

Besides looking tough, the Trump administration’s campaign against “narco-terrorists” achieves little. Register for free to learn why

bit.ly

The pointless war on “narco-terrorists” is growing more collaborative

America is working with Latin American governments to target gangs on land and at sea

2179

The Economist @economist.com · 8h

A groundbreaking series of studies in recent years has transformed scientists’ understanding of the condition. Register for free to learn how researchers are continuing to discover new risk factors

bit.ly

The world is making heady progress in the fight against dementia

Incidence among the elderly is falling fast

011

The Economist @economist.com · 8h

The prospect that SpaceX may in future keep its rockets to itself has caused dismay among satellite operators—but excitement among the firm’s rivals

bit.ly

A rocket shortage gives SpaceX’s competitors an opportunity

The firm may soon have little capacity to launch others’ payloads

167

The Economist @economist.com · 9h

As the debate on the AI singularity intensifies, writes Jeff Schneider, “it is time to give more thought to the other decisive race of the AI era: not over intelligence, but over which society builds the machines that recursively build the physical world”

bit.ly

There’s a physical version of the AI singularity, and it matters a lot

The world is entering an era of supercharged industrial capacity with fast-shrinking human input, reckons Jeff Schneider

064

The Economist @economist.com · 9h

As theatrical antagonists, White House reporters serve the president’s interests more than the public’s. Donald Trump’s attack on the press corps is an opening to do away with antiquated, corrupting and infantilising rituals bit.ly/4hC4pWR Illustration: David Simonds

524868

The Economist @economist.com · 9h

The Supreme Court’s new term follows a period in which it has been largely friendly to Donald Trump’s pleas. With a surfeit of divisive issues to navigate, will justices be more inclined to cross the president?

bit.ly

The coming fight over free speech

The Supreme Court must decide whether to limit the First Amendment or executive power

166

The Economist @economist.com · 10h

Napoleon Bonaparte’s was made of silver. George Washington took his everywhere. Gwyneth Paltrow uses one as part of her “wellness” routine. But are tongue-scrapers actually necessary?

bit.ly

Should you be using a tongue-scraper?

There is another tool that will do the job just as well

022

The Economist @economist.com · 10h

A biochemistry textbook sometimes feels like essential reading when shopping for wrinkle-reducing products. We explain what the ingredients do for your skin

bit.ly

The chemicals that reduce wrinkles

Vitamins, applied properly, can partially reverse the effects of ageing

061

The Economist @economist.com · 10h

The latest scandal involving Banco Master and Supreme-Court justices has done “enormous damage”, writes Malu Gaspar in a guest essay. “Brazilians, already fed up with scandal, are losing faith in their institutions”

bit.ly

What Brazil must do to kick the corruption habit

It starts with overhauling the judiciary and the budget, writes Malu Gaspar, the journalist who exposed the latest scandal

064

The Economist @economist.com · 11h

Europeans have plenty of worthwhile disagreements over money. Yet their fiercest one, the battle-forged budget, concerns surprisingly little dosh

bit.ly

The EU budget is where grand strategy meets petty squabbling

And petty squabbling always wins

042

The Economist @economist.com · 11h

Surgeons must be taught to present patients with a range of options and choose the best one together. Register for free to read why millions operations should be scrapped

bit.ly

Back and shoulder surgery is often worse than useless

Millions of operations should be scrapped

171

The Economist @economist.com · 11h

Investments can misfire. But with a bit of luck, investing in a child’s future, and on their behalf, will pay off handsomely

bit.ly

Investing for babies involves knotty trade-offs

Should new parents favour financial capital, human capital or something else?

020

The Economist @economist.com · 12h

“Once again, a Brazilian election is occurring in the midst of a colossal corruption scandal,” writes Malu Gaspar, the journalist who exposed the latest one. She argues that the solution starts with overhauling the country’s judiciary and budget bit.ly/4y2FOjT Illustration: Dan Williams

382

The Economist @economist.com · 12h

Many balk at spending 1.7bn pesos ($94m) on a museum when the defence ministry already has several, and while Mexico spends a paltry 0.7% of GDP on public security in which the army plays a large role

bit.ly

A new museum for Mexico’s armed forces prompts a backlash

Some worry about the army’s ever expanding role in the state

041

The Economist @economist.com · 13h

China may dwarf Japan when it comes to matcha exports. But Japanese producers argue theirs is tastier and far more sophisticated

bit.ly

Japan’s tea farmers enjoy a matcha boom

But they face growing competition from China

0100

The Economist @economist.com · 13h

Widespread adoption of AI has fuelled concerns about the impact the technology might be having on learning. Our charts help explain its educational effects

bit.ly

Does AI stop children from learning?

New data show the peril and promise of the technology

2115

The Economist @economist.com · 13h

Donald Trump’s son-in-law has announced a $2.45bn recovery plan for and talked of $71bn for a decade of reconstruction for Gaza. Such promises ring hollow for those in the strip

bit.ly

Jared Kushner has a $2.45bn recovery plan for Gaza

But the board of peace’s grand promises ring hollow in the strip

9288

The Economist @economist.com · 14h

Vietnam intends to manufacture high-tech products like semiconductors, which it currently merely assembles with relatively little value added. But chipmaking takes lots of energy

bit.ly

Vietnam's high-tech dreams come with an electricity problem

It needs more LNG-generated power, but isn’t ready to pay for it

182

The Economist @economist.com · 14h

Donald Trump’s administration has championed some industries and attacked others. The overall effect of that on American ingenuity is hard to track. But the Global Innovation Index might help

bit.ly

The most innovative countries in the world

Will Donald Trump hurt America’s ranking?

030

The Economist @economist.com · 14h

Pens make history in both the literal and literary sense of the word. Yet the pen has left surprisingly little mark on the page about itself

bit.ly

Can you really perform a tracheotomy with a pen?

Yes. But as a new book shows, it has better uses

180

The Economist @economist.com · 15h

At daily press briefings, White House reporters ask combative questions and spokespeople insult them. This is entertaining for political junkies but seldom advances the cause of truth. To learn why, register to read the full story (it’s free)

bit.ly

Abolish the White House press corps

With his spitefulness to the press, Donald Trump is giving it the chance to reform how it covers the presidency

392

The Economist @economist.com · 15h

“Make Me Well” is an entertaining investigation into the unintended consequences of the wellness industry. The book may well wake consumers up to the marketing fluff that drives their purchases

bit.ly

Why supplements need supplemental disclosures

A new book takes aim at the marketing and pseudoscience behind the wellness industry

078

The Economist @economist.com · 16h

Crypto cards allow people to transact in stablecoins pegged to less flaky foreign monies. This worries regulators in poor countries with unreliable currencies. But it should concern their rich-world peers, too

bit.ly

The AI boom meets a new kind of crypto scam

Payment cards linked to cryptocurrency accounts may enable Chinese purchases of American AI models

040

The Economist @economist.com · 16h

The idea that your conversations at work could pave the path to super-intelligence may seem laughable. But certain firms see value in acquiring AI meeting notes and Teams titbits bit.ly/3Tgfq8b Illustration: Paul Blow

353

The Economist @economist.com · 16h

The way the state raises money is wasteful, unfair and perverse. Yet governments are running away from reform, even as a mighty hurricane is about to hit the rich world’s tax systems

bit.ly

A hurricane is coming to tax systems

Governments should be preparing, but most aren’t

262

The Economist @economist.com · 17h

Most who had been considering a move to the United States are now simply staying put, either at home or wherever they ended up en route. Some countries are keen to keep more of their people, and to welcome others

bit.ly

The world’s busiest migration route has gone quiet

Donald Trump’s immigration curbs have changed the movement of people throughout a hemisphere

183

The Economist @economist.com · 17h

“Proximity can be helpful, but you don’t need proximity to do good reporting.” @shashj.bsky.social considers the value of media access to the president, on “Checks and Balance”

bit.ly

Donald Trump is trying to reshape the media

Our weekly podcast on America. This week, the fractious relationship between the president and the press

372

The Economist @economist.com · 17h

Nearly every American law firm adopted the “Cravath system”—hiring the brightest minds straight from law school, pushing them hard for several years and making the best of them partners in the firm. But now the system is buckling

bit.ly

Big law is being shaken up—and not by AI

A wave of poaching may presage a transformation of American law firms’ business model

034