Latest blog posts

  • Blighty

    The Leveson inquiry

    Plod and the press

    Jan 23rd 2012, 18:02 by J.B. | LONDON

    EARLY next month Lord Justice Leveson, who has spent the past three months scrutinising the wicked British press, proceeds to examine the relationship between the press and the police. Today there came an early hint about just how ugly the revelations from that phase of the inquiry are likely to prove.

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  • Newsbook

    This week's caption competition

    Caption competition 19

    Jan 23rd 2012, 17:42 by The Economist online

    CAN you write an Economist picture caption? The excellent standard of entries in our previous competitions suggests that many of you can. Here's a new chance for you to see your wit in print.

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  • Free exchange

    Supply chains

    Time tariffs

    Jan 23rd 2012, 17:30 by R.A. | LONDON

    TWO quick additional thoughts on Apple, supply chains, and manufacturing. First, in manufacturing supply chains, cost isn't the only thing that matters; time does too. Here's the abstract from a new NBER working paper:

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  • Baobab

    Violence in Nigeria

    The worst yet

    Jan 23rd 2012, 16:57 by G.P. | ABUJA

    NEARLY 180 people were killed on Friday in Nigeria's second largest city, Kano, in attacks on eight government security buildings by Boko Haram, a radical Islamist sect. Gun battles raged throughout the night between security forces and Boko Haram members, killing scores in the crossfire. Emergency services are struggling to put a number on fatalities as they continue to pull corpses from buildings reduced to rubble. 

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  • Democracy in America

    Income mobility

    American genes, European culture?

    Jan 23rd 2012, 16:49 by M.S.

    A PROPOS of the argument over statistics showing that intergenerational income mobility in America is lower than that in most of Europe, Tyler Cowen hypothesises:

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  • Babbage

    Mathematics and epidemiology

    Neighbourly advice

    Jan 23rd 2012, 16:16 by B.d.H. | BOSTON

    GETTING rid of an infectious disease reduces human suffering. But it can be a wise investment, too. It is estimated that America recouped the $21m it contributed to eradicating smallpox in the ten years to 1978 in just 26 days, simply by dispensing with the need for further jabs. (Polio may be the next in line, as we report in this week's print edition.)

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  • Prospero

    David Hockney

    Shades of grey

    Jan 23rd 2012, 16:16 by E.B. | LONDON

    “Nichols Canyon” (1980) Courtesy Royal Academy of Arts, London © David Hockney “Pearblossom Highway” (April 1986) Courtesy Royal Academy of Arts, London © David Hockney

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  • Gulliver

    FAA reauthorisation

    The battle to keep the FAA running

    Jan 23rd 2012, 16:10 by N.B. | WASHINGTON, D.C.

    ON FRIDAY afternoon, National Journal reported that congressional negotiators were nearing a deal to reauthorise funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), America's airline regulator. A day later, the Hill added the news that Congress will probably still have to pass a short-term funding bill while negotiators hammer out the details of the larger, four-year bill.

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  • Cassandra

    Chinese New Year

    Hail to the dragon!

    Jan 23rd 2012, 15:54 by J.A.

    KUNG HEI FAT CHOI…Cassandra is pleased to wish everyone a happy new Chinese year of the dragon. Supposedly, those born in a dragon year (they occur every 12 years) will enjoy health and wealth—which explains the eagerness of Chinese couples to time their pregnancies accordingly. But will this year be a truly good one for the People’s Republic?

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  • Baobab

    Kenya and the ICC

    Bring on the lawyers

    Jan 23rd 2012, 14:52 by J.L. | MOMBASA

    THE International Criminal Court (ICC) has just announced that it will proceed with the prosecution of four of the six Kenyans suspected of crimes against humanity in the election violence that followed Kenya's disputed 2007 election. Among the four are Uhuru Kenyatta, the finance minister, and William Ruto, a former cabinet minister supported by many of the country's Kalenjin people. Both men say they plan to stand in presidential elections due later this year.

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  • Prospero
    Books, arts and culture

    Named after the hero of Shakespeare's "The Tempest", an expert on the power of books and the arts, this blog features literary insight and cultural commentary from our correspondents, and includes our coverage of the art market.

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  • Buttonwood's notebook
    Financial markets

    In this blog, our Buttonwood columnist grapples with the ever-changing financial markets and the motley crew who earn their living by attempting to master them. The blog is named after the 1792 agreement that regulated the informal brokerage conducted under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street.

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  • Schumpeter
    Business and management

    In this blog, our Schumpeter columnist and his colleagues provide commentary and analysis on the topics of business, finance and management. The blog takes its name from Joseph Schumpeter, an Austrian-American economist who likened capitalism to a "perennial gale of creative destruction"

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  • Babbage
    Science and technology

    In this blog, our correspondents report on the intersections between science, technology, culture and policy. The blog takes its name from Charles Babbage, a Victorian mathematician and engineer who designed a mechanical computer. Follow Babbage on Twitter »

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  • Free exchange
    Economics

    In this blog, our correspondents consider the fluctuations in the world economy and the policies intended to produce more booms than busts. Adam Smith argued that in a free exchange both parties benefit, and this blog's aim is to encourage a free exchange of views on economic matters.

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  • Clausewitz
    Defence, security and diplomacy

    In this blog, our correspondents provide reporting and analysis on the subjects of defence, security and diplomacy, covering weapons and warfare, spooks and cyber-attacks, diplomats and dead-drops. The blog is named after Carl von Clausewitz, the Prussian soldier and military theorist whose classic work, "On War", is still widely studied today.

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  • Eastern approaches
    Ex-communist Europe

    Eastern approaches deals with the economic, political, security and cultural aspects of the eastern half of the European continent. It incorporates the long-running "Europe.view" weekly column. The blog is named after the wartime memoirs of the British soldier Sir Fitzroy Maclean.

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  • Blighty
    Britain

    On this blog, our correspondents ponder political, cultural, business and scientific developments in Britain, the spiritual and geographical home of The Economist. It takes its name from a fond but faintly derogatory name for the mother country often used among British expats.

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  • Johnson
    Language

    In this blog, named after the dictionary-maker Samuel Johnson, our correspondents write about the effects that the use (and sometimes abuse) of language have on politics, society and culture around the world

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  • Baobab
    Africa

    On this blog our correspondents delve into the politics, economics and culture of the continent of Africa, from Cairo to the Cape. The blog takes its name from the baobab, a massive tree that grows throughout much of Africa. It stores water, provides food and is often called the tree of life.

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  • Bagehot's notebook
    British politics

    In this blog, our Bagehot columnist surveys the politics of Britain, British life and Britain's place in the world. The column and blog are named after Walter Bagehot, an English journalist who was the editor of The Economist from 1861 to 1877

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  • Newsbook
    News analysis

    In this blog, our correspondents respond to breaking news stories and provide comment and analysis. The blog takes its name from newsbooks, the 16th-century precursors to newspapers, which covered a single big story, such as a battle, a disaster or a sensational trial

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  • Democracy in America
    American politics

    In this blog, our correspondents share their thoughts and opinions on America's kinetic brand of politics and the policy it produces. The blog is named after the study of American politics and society written by Alexis de Tocqueville, a French political scientist, in the 1830s

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  • Game theory
    Sports

    On this blog, our correspondents analyse and report on sports minor and major, addressing the politics, economics, science and statistics of the games we play and watch.

    Follow us on Twitter @EconSports

    Send story ideas to gametheory@economist.com

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  • Graphic detail
    Charts, maps and infographics

    On this blog we publish a new chart or map every working day, highlight our interactive-data features and provide links to interesting sources of data around the web. The Big Mac index, house-price index and other regular features can be found on our Markets & data page

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  • Leviathan
    Public policy

    In this blog, our public policy editor reports on how governments in Britain and beyond are rethinking and reforming the state's role in public services, the arts and life in general. The blog takes its name from Thomas Hobbes's book of 1651, which remains one of the most influential examinations of the relationship between government and society.

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  • Gulliver
    Business travel

    In this blog, our correspondents inform and entertain business travellers with news, views and reviews that help them make the most of life on the road. Sign up for our weekly "Gulliver's best" newsletter to have the blog's highlights delivered to your inbox »

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  • Americas view
    The Americas

    In this blog, our correspondents provide reporting, analysis and opinion on politics, economics, society and culture in Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada.

    Follow us on Twitter @EconAmericas

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  • Multimedia
    Audio, video and videographics

    This blog provides an archive of The Economist's audio podcasts, video stories, slideshows and videographics up to June 2011. Multimedia items produced after that date can be found on the relevant subject-area blog.

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  • Charlemagne's notebook
    European politics

    In this blog, our Charlemagne columnist considers the ideas and events that shape Europe, while dealing with the quirks of life in the Euro-bubble. An archive of print columns can be found here. Follow Charlemagne on Twitter »

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  • Banyan
    Asia

    In this blog, our Asia correspondents and our Banyan columnist provide comment and analysis on Asia's political and cultural landscape. The blog takes its name from the Banyan tree, under which Buddha attained enlightenment and Gujarati merchants used to conduct business

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  • Lexington's notebook
    American politics

    In this blog, our Lexington columnist enters America’s political fray and shares the many opinions that don't make it into his column each week. The column and blog are named after Lexington, Massachusetts, where the first shots were fired in the American war of independence.

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  • Cassandra
    The World in 2012

    This blog accompanies The World in 2012, our almanac of predictions for the year ahead. The blog is named after the mythological Cassandra, who was cursed by Apollo to make prophecies that were accurate, but disbelieved

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