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Articles in this issue: The world this year 2023 KAL’s cartoon This week’s cover How to detoxify the politics of migration The US Navy confronts a new Suez crisis Economists had a dreadful 2023 The Economist’s country of the year for 2023 Technology is helping Santa Claus come to town more efficiently Letters to the editor The head of the hard-right Alternative for Germany is riding high Ukraine’s army is struggling to find good recruits Why French women no longer wear high heels Europe is struggling to find the money At Christmas, Europeans look less united than ever The parable of Andy Street, the mayor for the West Midlands How British voters remove misbehaving MPs The British army mulls allowing beards Inside the banter-industrial complex A majority of congressmen want more military aid for Ukraine Newark may have found a fix for chronic homelessness Louisiana Creole is enjoying a modest revival Why Donald Trump is gaining ground with young voters Attacks on shipping threaten to upend peace talks in Yemen Israel isn’t sure what to do about the hostages in Gaza The plight of Christians in Bethlehem and Jerusalem predates the latest Gaza war A supposed haven in Sudan falls to a genocidal militia For Congo’s next president, winning may be the easy part For a second time Chileans reject a new constitution. Now what? The Mexican president’s latest boondoggle officially opens China is backing opposing sides in Myanmar’s civil war Why are Indians shunning the country’s shiny new metro lines? How to entice Japanese couples to have babies China’s quest to become a robot superpower The unfair trial of Jimmy Lai begins in Hong Kong Why China’s rulers fear Genghis Khan Many Trump supporters believe God has chosen him to rule A tale of penguins and prejudice is a parable of modern America What the journey of a pair of shoes reveals about capitalism A short history of tractors in English Millions of Chinese are venturing to the beach for the first time How the young Winston Churchill escaped from a prisoner-of-war camp Where capitalism and conservation meet Why Tamil movie heroes become politicians Why more women are picking up power tools What responsibilities do individuals have to stop climate change? The best sailors in the world Oceania’s wayfinding skills The life-giving, death-dealing power of corn Why economists love “Robinson Crusoe” Meet the boffins and buccaneers drilling for hydrogen Inside the last true political machine in America AI is stalking the last lions of Hollywood Big tech and geopolitics are reshaping the internet’s plumbing How an ugly marital feud could change Indian business Attacks on shipping in the Red Sea are a blow to global trade The return of The Economist’s agony uncle Can anyone bar Europe do luxury? Which economy did best in 2023? Hong Kong’s problems trace back to China. And also America Can the carbon-offset market be saved? Why bitcoin is up by almost 150% this year Where does the modern state come from? Delivery robots will transform Christmas Reviving ancient viruses can help fight modern ones A new type of jet engine could revive supersonic air travel “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” turns 200 this year Holding out for a hero in 2024 For a Christmas drink, eggnog does not have a heartwarming history Economic data, commodities and markets Eric Freeman hoped to save the Gloucestershire of old Global news and current affairs from a European perspective. Best downloaded on Friday mornings (GMT)