April 13th 2026

The Economist Today Our best journalism, handpicked each day

Brooke Unger Senior digital editor

The toppling of Viktor Orban, Hungary’s authoritarian, Putin-loving prime minister, is a rare bit of good news for believers in liberal democracy. And it’s bad news for other populists, in Europe and beyond.  Blocking the Strait of Hormuz has become a joint venture between enemies. Iran is stopping most traffic through the vital waterway, and now America plans to obstruct most of what Iran lets through. We explain why Donald Trump’s gamble is a dangerous one.

Exclusive offer: save 50% Make sense of the world with The Economist. Get offer

Editor’s picks A selection of must-read articles

The idol falls Peter Magyar topples illiberal hero Viktor Orban in Hungary The upstart hands the populist a crushing defeat

→ Lessons for the world from tiny Hungary

Double trouble Donald Trump’s blockade of Hormuz is a dangerous gamble It further undermines international law and could lead to new fighting

Lower value Does Britain send too many people to university? A furore over student debt renews debates about dud degrees

The Warsh of Times America’s next Fed chair is caught in a vice Inflation was heating up even before the war in Iran

Banyan The secret of India’s most liveable megacity Kolkata’s pleasantness is not something to celebrate

More of our coverage ▸ Inside Vladimir Putin’s propaganda machine. Russians know their government lies. Yet they believe their president will save them from threats—such as a Ukraine run by Nazis—for which the only evidence is pro-Kremlin TV. A new book tries to explain why. ▸ Scam Inc has a new weapon. Digital scams are estimated to generate more than $500bn a year, on a par with the illegal drugs trade. Investigators have traced spyware to its physical origin, which has unearthed new types of duplicity. ▸ The pros and cons of stretch goals. How many clicks to buy a Tesla online? It used to take 64; Elon Musk set a target of ten. Our Bartleby columnist explains why ambitious goal-setting encourages risk-taking, for good and bad.