The Economist

How will businesses use the metaverse?

Tom Standage

The metaverse has evolved from a sci-fi concept into a multi-billion dollar industry driven by corporate investments from entities like Meta and NVIDIA, while industrial leaders such as ILM and Lockheed Martin leverage virtual production and digital twin technologies to revolutionize film, manufacturing, and military operations. Despite massive capital flows totaling over $120 billion in early 2022, the ecosystem faces a critical hurdle in establishing universal interoperability standards like Pixar's Universal Scene Description to connect disparate virtual worlds. As platforms like Roblox demonstrate the potential for decentralized economic creation, the technology continues to mature through advancements in real-time rendering and computing power, promising to reshape global interaction while replicating existing societal challenges.

Why is the World Cup important to Qatar?

Greg Karlstrom

Qatar became the host nation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the most expensive tournament in history at an estimated $300 billion, utilizing massive infrastructure projects to establish its regional prestige despite facing a 2017–2021 blockade by neighboring Arab states. The event occurred alongside significant international scrutiny regarding human rights abuses and the deaths of over 6,500 migrant workers, raising critical questions about labor conditions and the treatment of LGBTQ+ fans. While the blockade ended in 2021 after Qatar achieved supply chain independence, observers warn that the tournament's legacy may be overshadowed by concerns over the sustainability of the "white elephant" infrastructure and unresolved geopolitical tensions.

G20: The Economist interviews Indonesia’s president

Zanny Minton Beddoes, Joko Widodo

President Joko Widodo leverages the G20 summit to advocate for dialogue over sanctions regarding the Ukraine conflict and US-China tensions, aiming to prevent escalation in the Indo-Pacific region. Concurrently, Indonesia is capitalizing on its strategic nickel dominance to negotiate a Tesla manufacturing partnership that will advance its domestic electric vehicle ecosystem. As he approaches his 2024 departure, Widodo is implementing a meritocratic shift to transition the nation from developing to developed status before returning to environmental conservation in Solo.

Who should pay for a warming planet?

Saúl, Yasser Mozby, Catherine Braille

Accelerating climate disasters and stalled political action have driven a surge in climate litigation, with cases tripling from 83 in 2011 to 227 in 2021 to hold entities like German utility RWE liable for global emissions and compel government action. High-profile precedents include the September 2022 UN Human Rights Committee ruling against Australia for violating the rights of Torres Strait Islanders and Peruvian farmer Saúl Luciano Lliuya's suit seeking compensation for flood defenses. Despite legal hurdles regarding jurisdiction and causation in jurisdictions like the US, these lawsuits increasingly serve as strategic tools for Indigenous communities and vulnerable populations to pressure governments and corporations into accelerating adaptation and mitigation policies.

Iran protests: can they topple the regime?

A youth-led Iranian protest movement, driven by demonstrators as young as fifteen, has escalated to include acts like public headscarf burning and has endured longer than any previous unrest in the Islamic Republic's history. While the absence of a single leader has prevented the regime from decapitating the movement, analysts argue that establishing a unified coalition and coherent message remains critical for long-term success. The trajectory of the uprising now hinges on whether the loyal security apparatus will eventually defect, as external powers currently prioritize nuclear deals over strategic planning for a potential post-regime transition.

Why Belgium is now the cocaine capital of Europe

Tom Standage

The Port of Antwerp has become Europe's primary cocaine trafficking hub, handling 40% of EU seizures in 2020 as Balkan criminal groups exploit high-volume business models to bypass a 2% physical inspection rate. Despite recent major seizures and the arrest of high-ranking officials linked to widespread corruption, law enforcement intercepts only 10% of shipments while cartel profits and market prices remain stable due to the trade's high profit margins and adaptable logistics. Experts now warn that without resource expansion or a strategic shift toward decriminalization, Belgium faces the risk of becoming a "narco state" within a decade as criminal networks outmaneuver traditional interdiction efforts.

Climate change: can money stop deforestation?

Andrew Mitchell, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Tom Standage

Global deforestation continues to accelerate due to economic incentives that favor land clearance over conservation, as evidenced by the collapse of Costa Rica's forest coverage from 75% to 21% between 1940 and 1987. Costa Rica subsequently reversed this trend by implementing a Payments for Environmental Services (PES) scheme funded by fuel and water levies, which raised forest cover to over 50% while sustaining a 4.2% annual GDP growth. Despite these successes, the unregulated global carbon market and trillions in harmful agricultural subsidies remain major barriers, necessitating a fundamental economic shift that values standing forests higher than industrial profits to address the climate crisis.

Incels: how online extremism is changing

Andrew Tate, Tom Standage

Homeland Security and researchers highlight a critical surge in online extremist violence, noting that fluid digital ecosystems are accelerating the fusion of ideologies like misogyny and far-right radicalism. Despite this trend manifesting in numerous fatal attacks and a 59% rise in mass murder code words, law enforcement strategies remain struggling to adapt to these rapidly evolving subcultures. Experts urge a shift toward treating these acts as monitorable patterns and implementing large-scale digital interventions, such as Moonshot's redirect methods, to counter the increasing threat before it escalates further.

How Trump is still damaging American politics

Trump, John Priddoe, Tudor Dixon

Following the 2020 election, Donald Trump's rejection of the results triggered political violence, widespread harassment of election officials, and a shift within the Republican Party where truth-tellers face expulsion while Trump allies actively recruit election deniers for state-level offices. Concurrently, 52 voting restriction laws enacted in 2021 and 2022 have narrowed access to voting under unsubstantiated fraud claims, creating systemic vulnerabilities for the 2024 presidential election. Experts warn that these combined forces of anti-democratic rhetoric, legislative interference, and a polarized party apparatus pose an existential threat to the certification of future elections and the stability of the American federal system.

Brazil elections: the enduring threat of Bolsonaro

Bolsonaro, Sarah Maslin

Jair Bolsonaro defied pre-election expectations in Brazil by securing a decisive lead in the presidential race, driven by a mobilized base of evangelical Christians, gun owners, and agribusiness farmers. His administration has significantly relaxed environmental and gun control regulations, consolidating legislative power through a coalition that holds half the lower house while systematically delegitimizing judicial and media institutions. Future stability remains precarious as analysts warn that a potential loss of the election could trigger political violence among armed supporters, mirroring tactics previously seen in the United States.

How the Mexican cartels are making profits now

Tom Standage

Over 100,000 annual fatalities in the United States are now driven by a synthetic opioid crisis where Mexican cartels have shifted production to decentralized, low-tech mobile labs that operate with gig-economy efficiency. This transformation has replaced traditional organized crime conglomerates with approximately 200 semi-autonomous groups that source cheap precursor chemicals from China to manufacture potent fentanyl at minimal cost. The resulting market shift has seen synthetic drug seizures surpass cocaine and heroin in 2021, as these criminal networks diversify revenue through high-value, low-volume trafficking to middle-class consumers.

Brazil’s elections: The Economist interviews Lula

Lula, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Jair Bolsonaro, Sarah Maslin

In the volatile 2022 Brazilian presidential election, challenger Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva leads polls against incumbent Jair Bolsonaro amidst unprecedented violence and deep polarization. Lula pledges to forge a broad post-election coalition, govern strictly under the constitution, and reindustrialize the economy by restoring development banks and prioritizing infrastructure to create jobs. Simultaneously, he refuses to apologize for past corruption allegations while promising rigorous investigation procedures and a "zero priority" focus on food security for the nation's poor.

Who Is Xi Jinping?

Xi Jinping

President Xi Jinping's rule is defined by an absolute prioritization of stability and national security, a stance rooted in the traumatic childhood experiences of the Cultural Revolution that instilled a lifelong aversion to chaos. Having consolidated power through a sweeping anti-corruption campaign, constitutional changes eliminating term limits, and an unprecedented surveillance apparatus, he has positioned the reunification of Taiwan as a historical imperative to surpass Mao Zedong's legacy. This ambition creates a critical strategic tension between completing the civil war and the potential for nuclear conflict, making Xi's decisions the central determinant of future global stability.

What is the future of the British monarchy?

Zanny Minton Beddoes, Catherine Nixey

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III assumes the throne amid a rapid surge in domestic approval ratings and significant global concern regarding the future cohesion of the Commonwealth. The monarch faces the immediate challenge of overcoming a legacy of personal controversies and establishing a distinct constitutional identity while attempting to distance himself from the monumental stature of his mother. Despite widespread speculation about slimming down the royal family, the institution is expected to endure as the transition solidifies Britain's status as a mid-sized nation with a shortened reign ahead.

Why America’s murder rate has spiked

Daniel Knowles

Between 2020 and 2022, the United States experienced a historic surge in homicides that erased decades of progress, driven by record firearm availability, pandemic-induced isolation, and eroded community trust following high-profile police killings. This spike disproportionately impacted Black communities and major cities like Philadelphia and New York, where violence rates climbed significantly despite the broader national trend diverging from global patterns. While violence interruption programs and calls for restored police relations offer potential mitigation strategies, experts warn that without targeted intervention, these elevated murder rates risk becoming a permanent national baseline.