2026-08-15
4 分钟The Economist.
Hello.
You're listening to the free edition of The World in Brief from The Economist.
As a reminder, if you subscribe to The Economist or our new podcast subscription, Economist Podcast Plus,
you'll get access to a deeper look at the day ahead, updated three times a day.
You'll also get access to the rest of our award-winning podcasts.
If you're already a subscriber,
visit economist.com slash the world in brief or visit The Economist app to start listening.
Here's today's free edition.
This is The World in Brief from The Economist.
Our top stories.
Luigi Mangione admitted to fatally shooting Brian Thompson, the boss of UnitedHealthcare,
America's biggest health insurer, in Manhattan in 2024. He pleaded guilty to two federal charges of stalking.
Mr Mangione will be sentenced in December and faces life in prison.
His lawyers are now seeking to dismiss a separate state murder charge in New York,
for which a trial is scheduled next month.
A court in France blocked a bill that would prohibit under-15s from using social media.
In a setback for Emmanuel Macron, the president,
France's Constitutional Council ruled that a ban would infringe on children's freedom of speech and communication.
Britain and Germany are among the countries considering similar restrictions.