The Economist Continental Europe Edition August 8, 2020

Politics A state of emergency was declared in Lebanon, after a huge explosion at Beirut’s port. The blast was felt in Cyprus, 240km away. It killed at least 135 people, injured 5,000 and left 300,000 homeless. The cause was a fire in a warehouse holding 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in fertiliser and bombs. This highly explosive stockpile had lain neglected for six years. Lebanon’s prime minister, Hassan Diab, vowed that those responsible would “pay the price”. Lebanon was in an economic and political crisis even before the blast. Israeli aircraft struck military targets in southern Syria, in retaliation for an alleged attempt by militants to plant explosives near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights area, which is also claimed by Syria. The United Arab Emirates began operating the…

Manila was put back into lockdown. The 13m people in the Philippine capital will endure fewer restrictions than under an earlier lockdown, but mass transit is shut. The Australian state of Victoria declared an emergency and imposed a night-time curfew in Melbourne, its capital. The city’s residents can only shop and exercise within 5km of their home. The Democratic convention in Milwaukee will now be entirely virtual. Some party officials will still go to the city, but Joe Biden is to broadcast his big speech from Delaware. Deborah Birx, who heads the White House’s task force on covid-19, warned that the disease is more widespread in America now than in April. That earned her a rebuke from Donald Trump, who tweeted that she was “Pathetic!” for repeating what he said was a Democratic…

Manila was put back into lockdown. The 13m people in the Philippine capital will endure fewer restrictions than under an earlier lockdown, but mass transit is shut. The Australian state of Victoria declared an emergency and imposed a night-time curfew in Melbourne, its capital. The city’s residents can only shop and exercise within 5km of their home. The Democratic convention in Milwaukee will now be entirely virtual. Some party officials will still go to the city, but Joe Biden is to broadcast his big speech from Delaware. Deborah Birx, who heads the White House’s task force on covid-19, warned that the disease is more widespread in America now than in April. That earned her a rebuke from Donald Trump, who tweeted that she was “Pathetic!” for repeating what he said…

Politics A state of emergency was declared in Lebanon, after a huge explosion at Beirut’s port. The blast was felt in Cyprus, 240km away. It killed at least 135 people, injured 5,000 and left 300,000 homeless. The cause was a fire in a warehouse holding 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in fertiliser and bombs. This highly explosive stockpile had lain neglected for six years. Lebanon’s prime minister, Hassan Diab, vowed that those responsible would “pay the price”. Lebanon was in an economic and political crisis even before the blast. Israeli aircraft struck military targets in southern Syria, in retaliation for an alleged attempt by militants to plant explosives near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights area, which is also claimed by Syria. The United Arab Emirates began operating the Arab world’s first…

IN THE NORMAL run of things, late summer sees airports in the emerging world fill with nervous 18-year-olds, jetting off to begin a new life in the rich world’s universities. The annual trek of more than 5m students is a triumph of globalisation. Students see the world; universities get a fresh batch of high-paying customers. Yet with flights grounded and borders closed, this migration is about to become the pandemic’s latest victim. For students, covid-19 is making life difficult. Many must choose between inconveniently timed seminars streamed into their parents’ living rooms and inconveniently deferring their studies until life is more normal. For universities, it is disastrous. They will not only lose huge chunks of revenue from foreign students but, because campus life spreads infection, they will have to transform…

IN THE NORMAL run of things, late summer sees airports in the emerging world fill with nervous 18-year-olds, jetting off to begin a new life in the rich world’s universities. The annual trek of more than 5m students is a triumph of globalisation. Students see the world; universities get a fresh batch of high-paying customers. Yet with flights grounded and borders closed, this migration is about to become the pandemic’s latest victim. For students, covid-19 is making life difficult. Many must choose between inconveniently timed seminars streamed into their parents’ living rooms and inconveniently deferring their studies until life is more normal. For universities, it is disastrous. They will not only lose huge chunks of revenue from foreign students but, because campus life spreads infection, they will have to transform the…