The Economist - World News, Politics, Economics, Business & Finance

The Economist todayMonday, August 10th 2020

News analysis

Science & technology

A Russian satellite weapon shows the danger of hazy rules in space

Experts want to clarify how the laws of war on Earth apply beyond it

Americans should worry less about foreigners and voter fraud

And worry more about long lines at polling booths and problems with vote counting

Highlights

Why TV shows made in China’s Hunan province are so popular

Mao’s birthplace now makes raucous quiz shows

Economics sometimes changes its mind

The science may be dismal but it is flexible, too

From our columnists

Bartleby: Dealing with customer complaints

Companies called to account

Daily chart

Most Americans do not want to send their children back to school

Parents are fearful even in places where the epidemic is under control

Moreover

Science & technology

An indoor barbecue to prevent pollution problems

And avoid complaints about fumes from restaurants

Weekly edition

The Economist cover image for the August 8th 2020 edition

Read full edition

Readers’ favourites

Microsoft’s proposed purchase of TikTok would be its biggest yet

India’s ruling party replaces a mosque with a Hindu temple

Finance & economics

Official economic forecasts for poor countries are too rosy

Graphic detail

Covid-19 seems to have changed lifestyles for good

Google search traffic for cooking, exercise and crafts remains above normal levels

In context: The airline industry

Airlines have a chance to emerge from the crisis leaner and greener

But that will require governments to reduce the power of incumbents

Air travel’s sudden collapse will reshape a trillion-dollar industry

The pandemic has knocked the airline-industrial complex harder than it has most sectors

Airlines blame covid-19 for rowing back climate commitments

Virgin looks for help

Special report: The Midwest

A region with outsized punch

America’s Midwest matters out of proportion to its size, says Adam Roberts

The urban prairie

For the region to prosper, its bigger cities must flourish

Separate, downtrodden

The region has particular problems with segregation and policing

America’s Mittelstand

Advanced manufacturing can thrive, as Grand Rapids shows

From rustbelt to brainbelt

How higher education can drive prosperity

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