A pay rise for government workers sparks anger and envy in China
In China’s private sector, many complain that jobs and wages are being cut as the country’s economy flounders. So as news spr...
Are mystics kooks or valuable disrupters?
Mysticism. By Simon Critchley. NYRB; 336 pages; $18.95. Published in Britain as “On Mysticism”; Profile; £18.99 The travails ...
Mike Johnson has his old job back, for now
The first week of the 119th Congress, which convened on January 3rd, revealed some important truths about how power will be e...
Militant Uyghurs in Syria threaten the Chinese government
AS REBELS STORMED across Syria late last year, eventually toppling the country’s dictator, Bashar al-Assad, some were accompa...
Most Americans think moderate drinking is fine
THIS TIME of the year is when people make resolutions they may struggle to keep. One reason for that is confusion. According ...
Training AI models might not need enormous data centres
Once, the world’s richest men competed over yachts, jets and private islands. Now, the size-measuring contest of choice is cl...
America’s bet on industrial policy starts to pay off for semiconductors
IN THE FINAL days of Joe Biden’s presidency, most parts of his administration are winding down. Not so the top brass in the D...
Will Elon Musk dominate President Trump’s economic policy?
To get a full sense of the disruptive potential of Donald Trump’s economic agenda, look beyond the limelight hogged by Elon M...
The year in pictures 2024
No year in history has been without turbulence, but in 2024 it seemed continuous. These photographs show the horrors all too ...
Under its new government, Germany will move to the right
Germany will enter 2025 preparing for a snap election brought about by the demise of its three-party coalition in November. T...