The Economist Latin America July 20, 2019

Politics Ursula von der Leyen, until recently Germany’s defence minister, was approved by the European Parliament as the next president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm. She secured 383 votes, nine more than the required absolute majority, suggesting that she will take office with her authority already brittle. Her first, and very tricky, task is to assign jobs to the commissioners of each country. France’s environment minister, François de Rugy, resigned. The French press had lashed out at him for spending large amounts of taxpayers’ money on lavish dinners, including fine wine and lobsters, which he says he does not like (“champagne gives me a headache”). He denies any wrongdoing. There were 1,187 drug-related deaths in Scotland last year according to official figures. That is a rate of just over 218…

Politics Ursula von der Leyen, until recently Germany’s defence minister, was approved by the European Parliament as the next president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm. She secured 383 votes, nine more than the required absolute majority, suggesting that she will take office with her authority already brittle. Her first, and very tricky, task is to assign jobs to the commissioners of each country. France’s environment minister, François de Rugy, resigned. The French press had lashed out at him for spending large amounts of taxpayers’ money on lavish dinners, including fine wine and lobsters, which he says he does not like (“champagne gives me a headache”). He denies any wrongdoing. There were 1,187 drug-related deaths in Scotland last year according to official figures. That is a rate of…

THE MOMENT when, 50 years ago, Neil Armstrong planted his foot on the surface of the Moon inspired awe, pride and wonder around the world. This newspaper argued that “man, from this day on, can go wheresoever in the universe his mind wills and his ingenuity contrives…to the planets, sooner rather than later, man is now certain to go.” But no. The Moon landing was an aberration, a goal achieved not as an end in itself but as a means of signalling America’s extraordinary capabilities. That point, once made, required no remaking. Only 571 people have been into orbit; and since 1972 no one has ventured much farther into space than Des Moines is from Chicago. The next 50 years will look very different (see Science section). Falling costs, new technologies,…

THE MOMENT when, 50 years ago, Neil Armstrong planted his foot on the surface of the Moon inspired awe, pride and wonder around the world. This newspaper argued that “man, from this day on, can go wheresoever in the universe his mind wills and his ingenuity contrives…to the planets, sooner rather than later, man is now certain to go.” But no. The Moon landing was an aberration, a goal achieved not as an end in itself but as a means of signalling America’s extraordinary capabilities. That point, once made, required no remaking. Only 571 people have been into orbit; and since 1972 no one has ventured much farther into space than Des Moines is from Chicago. The next 50 years will look very different (see Science section). Falling costs, new…

IT IS A familiar pattern. The president says something outrageous—this time Donald Trump told four black and brown-skinned Democratic congresswomen, all of whom are US citizens and three of whom were born in America, to “go back” where they came from. His supporters, who have come to accept what many of them previously found unconscionable, stay silent. His opponents, rightly appalled, lament what has happened to their country. At the same time the Trump administration makes a big policy change that attracts far less attention—in this case, an edict that directly affects tens of thousands of people a year and overturns half a century of precedent. Last year 120,000 people claimed asylum, the majority of them at the south-western border. On July 15th the White House announced that claims will no…

IT IS A familiar pattern. The president says something outrageous—this time Donald Trump told four black and brown-skinned Democratic congresswomen, all of whom are US citizens and three of whom were born in America, to “go back” where they came from. His supporters, who have come to accept what many of them previously found unconscionable, stay silent. His opponents, rightly appalled, lament what has happened to their country. At the same time the Trump administration makes a big policy change that attracts far less attention—in this case, an edict that directly affects tens of thousands of people a year and overturns half a century of precedent. Last year 120,000 people claimed asylum, the majority of them at the south-western border. On July 15th the White House announced that claims will…