China’s lean, mean AI machine
The world this week
Leaders
The dragon in the mirror
Chinese AI is catching up, posing a dilemma for Donald Trump
The success of DeepSeek and other Chinese modelmakers threatens America’s lead
Project 1897
America has an imperial presidency
And in Donald Trump, an imperialist president for the first time in over a century
Trading losses
Tariffs will harm America, not induce a manufacturing rebirth
Donald Trump’s pursuit of tariffs will make the world poorer—and America, too
Power to the foreigners
To make electricity cheaper and greener, connect the world’s grids
Less than 3% of the world’s power is internationally traded—a huge wasted opportunity
Britain and the European Union
Sir Keir Starmer should aim higher in his reset with the EU
And he needs to be clearer about what Britain wants
Letters
On deportations, alcohol, political perceptions, women in combat, Nordic business, children’s books, corporate hierarchy
Letters to the editor
By Invitation
Covid-19, five years on
Peter Sands of the Global Fund on the pandemic’s positive legacies
Briefing
Uncomfortably close
Why Chinese AI has stunned the world
DeepSeek’s models are much cheaper and almost as good as American rivals
Asia
Electoral goodies in India
Indian politicians are becoming obsessed with doling out cash
Cracking down in Uzbekistan
The fate of a ranting driver raises doubts about the “new” Uzbekistan
Aussie Aussie Aussie
An angry culture war surrounds Australia Day
Courting disaster
Taiwan’s political drama is paralysing its government
China
Matters of opinion
How (un)popular is China’s Communist Party?
Not as bad as expected
The early days of the Trump administration, as viewed from China
Star signs and tarot cards
It’s a good time to be an astrologer in China
United States
The quality of mercy
Two presidents compete over the worst abuse of the pardon power
Politics and mercy
Donald Trump has rewritten the history of January 6th
The president’s phoney war
Donald Trump cries “invasion” to justify an immigration crackdown
Carolina scheming
An unfinished election may shape a swing state’s future
The Americas
Trudeau? Hardly knew him
The race to lead Canada’s Liberal Party hinges on handling Trump
Middle East & Africa
A terrifying knock-on effect
The Gaza ceasefire is stoking violence in the West Bank
The Middle East’s wars
Trump should try to end, not manage, the Middle East’s oldest conflicts
Turkey in Syria
How Turkey plans to expand its influence in the new Syria
The world’s first WhatsAppocracy
Government by social media in Somalia
Europe
Vigour on the Vistula
How Poland emerged as a leading defence power
Death from above
Russian pilots appear to be hunting Ukrainian civilians
Forensic examination
Ukrainian scientists are studying downed Russian missiles
Spend, baby, spend
Germans are growing cold on the debt brake
The Francis and Giorgia show
The pope and Italy’s prime minister tussle over Donald Trump
Britain
A mountain to climb
The Rachel Reeves theory of growth
Brexit at five
Britain’s government lacks a clear Europe policy
Quotient Therapeutics
What a buzzy startup reveals about Britain’s biotech sector
A very British affair
Britain’s brokers are diversifying and becoming less British
A bite of Cockney culture
London’s pie-and-mash shops are disappearing
International
Power-sharing
Why don’t more countries import their electricity?
The Telegram
Trump unmasks American selfishness, say cynics
Business
Marginal revolution
OpenAI’s latest model will change the economics of software
A bad day for doomers
A $500bn investment plan says a lot about Trump’s AI priorities
Art of the deal, Chinese edition
Donald Trump once tried to ban TikTok. Now can he save it?
Generous benefits
Germans are world champions of calling in sick
Finance & economics
Breaking the ice
The Arctic: climate change’s great economic opportunity
Yielding results
Has Japan truly escaped low inflation?
In search of growth
European governments struggle to stop rich people from fleeing
Free exchange
Do tariffs raise inflation?
Science & technology
Invasive species
Genetic engineering could help rid Australia of toxic cane toads
Snake bites
High-tech antidotes for snake bites
Donald Trump and the World Health Organisation
America’s departure from the WHO would harm everyone
Wasp evolution
Wasps stole genes from viruses
Well informed
Can you breathe stress away?
Culture
Pontificating autobiographies
Sex, drugs or chastity?
Ready to bag it?
Backpacks are, surprisingly, in vogue
(Don’t) name that tune
Spotify’s playlists have altered the music industry in unexpected ways
Spies in disguise?
Now it’s all about TikTok. But Huawei led the way
Economic & financial indicators
Indicators
Economic data, commodities and markets
Obituary
What lies behind curtains