The failures of the French political class
France faces serious economic difficulties, with unemployment at its highest in over a decade. Yet while other European countries enact reforms, the main candidates for the French presidency focus on more flippant issues. Are voters being cheated? Join the debate Wave in the drones
Researchers are trying to bridge the gap between military robots and their flesh-and-blood comrades by teaching unmanned drones to follow human gestures. This would allow them to use aircraft carriers, where the deck handler’s signals form a vital part of operations The pursuit of money
Those Europeans most keen on being rich come from poorer former communist countries such as Russia and Ukraine, and from Israel, according to the latest European Social Survey. The French are cultural holdouts, identifying the least with grubby wealth-seekers United States: Take my stuff, please
The requirements police must meet to take someone’s property tend to be pretty flimsy, and the whole process can get dangerously close to legalised looting Africa: You got a fast car
Presidential motorcades across Africa are lavish, no matter how poor the country Britain: Forgetting the lessons
Another reason why the Tory right is wrong about gay marriage China: Mr Fan shows his appreciation
A bookshop owner in Beijing stands up for Bo Xilai, the deposed party chief of Chongqing Asia: Toil and trouble
Women are still accused of witchcraft in remote parts of India. A correspondent tracks down one of the victims Americas: Meet the candidates
A slide show of the four leading contenders for the Mexican presidency Language: Gotta split
The split-infinitive rule is bogus, but The Economist observes it Technology: The world through rabbit eyes
A firm intercepts over-the-air television broadcasts and streams them over the internet. Networks cry foul Business: Pizza app
Britain’s takeaway business as a whole is in decline, but its online part is expanding rapidly. In 2011 44% of Domino’s Pizzas’ orders were taken online, with those made via smartphones and tablets growing fastest Economics: The FDA approach to regulation
New drugs can be tested in trials and in a lab. There is no equivalent for financial products: the only laboratory is the market Culture: City of festivals
Budapest plays hosts to a bewildering number of cultural jamborees  |