The Economist

How Netanyahu’s rival would end Israel’s war in Gaza

Netanyahu, Naftali Bennett, Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr

Candidate Yair Gantz frames the upcoming Israeli election as a pivotal choice between internal tribalism and a national renaissance, arguing that the current crisis stems from fabricated animosity rather than genuine policy differences. While positioning his security stance as more hawkish than Prime Minister Netanyahu's by holding the incumbent responsible for the October 7 failures, he pledges to annihilate Hamas and implement a "Gaza 2.0" vision that explicitly rejects a Palestinian state as an existential threat. Gantz plans to launch a diplomatic tour of Arab leaders to reposition Israel regionally, emphasizing pragmatic improvements in Palestinian dignity over statehood while prioritizing the defeat of Hamas as the prerequisite for any future rebuilding efforts.

How Trump’s Venezuela raid is helping China's Taiwan battle plans

Trump, Jeremy Page, Sarah Wu

Following a U.S. strike on Venezuela, Chinese military leadership is analyzing the operation to refine "decapitation" capabilities against Taiwan's leadership, a strategy intensified by lessons from Russia's Ukraine campaign. Although Beijing has expanded a mock-up of Taiwan's government complex in northern China and conducted massive "Justice Mission 2025" drills to simulate precise sanctions, the PLA acknowledges current gaps in joint operational integration required for such complex attacks. This strategic evaluation aims to prepare for a full capability target date of 2027 while assessing whether the U.S. raid might distract American focus from containing Beijing's long-term ambitions.

Why Israel is closely watching the Iran protests

Anshel Pfeffer, Jason Palmer, Eva

Following a twelve-day war in June, intensified protests and economic instability in Iran threaten to shatter the regime's hold on power while prompting leadership concerns over potential external retaliation to divert attention. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is maintaining a low-profile strategy of strategic patience, allowing internal Iranian dynamics to unfold rather than launching immediate military strikes. This approach aims to facilitate long-term geopolitical shifts, including the eventual erosion of Iran's proxy network and the potential for a future strategic alliance that could end decades of hostility.

Binyamin Netanyahu on how Israel justifies its war in Gaza

Binyamin Netanyahu, Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr

In a strategic discussion regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defends Israel's military conduct as a necessary defense of modern civilization against radical Islam while disputing casualty ratio claims by citing specific urban warfare constraints. Conversely, the dialogue highlights a growing international backlash regarding civilian losses and presents a counter-narrative warning that Israel's operational approach risks long-term isolation and reputational damage in Western democracies. The exchange concludes by contrasting Israel's successful hostage recovery operations with allegations of Hamas atrocities, framing the dispute as a fundamental clash over global security values and the legitimacy of proportional force.

Why Trump’s Venezuela oil gamble won’t pay off

Trump, Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Ethan Wu, Mike Bird

Analysts warn that restoring Venezuelan oil production to historical levels requires over $100 billion in investment and sustained global prices above $80 per barrel, conditions currently unmet by market forecasts and compounded by decades of legal instability following expropriations in the 1970s and 2000s. While U.S. Gulf Coast refineries could benefit from a short-term influx of heavy crude, industry experts argue that such a strategy is economically obsolete given America's status as a net energy exporter and the global shift toward decarbonization and renewable technologies. Consequently, the initiative faces a critical divergence between the administration's desire for immediate geopolitical wins and the oil sector's need for long-term property rights security and viable return horizons.

Will humans still fight in future wars?

Shashank Joshi, Torsten Reil

Helsing co-founder Torsten Reil argues that European defense must pivot rapidly toward autonomous systems to counter enemy swarms in future human-free battlefields, citing Russia's successful adaptation and the threat of being outmatched without immediate action. This strategic urgency is reinforced by Germany's tenfold increase in effective spending power and a broader shift in European manufacturing confidence, which positions the continent to lead in counter-swarm innovation despite political volatility in key nations like France and the UK. Consequently, defense investments are increasingly targeting mass autonomous deployments to ensure machines fight machines, thereby eliminating the ethical dilemma of sending personnel into no-go zones while securing European sovereignty.

Why relationships are declining across the world

Jonathan Rosenthal, Sue-Lin Wong, Jason Palmer

Rising global singlehood rates, driven by pandemic-induced social skill deficits and restrictive dating app algorithms, have created a demographic shift where nearly half of young adults remain unpartnered across major economies. This trend exacerbates structural gender divides, fueling the emergence of involuntary celibate movements and feminist backlash while simultaneously reshaping housing demand and accelerating fertility declines. Experts warn that failing to positively redefine masculinity risks entrenching these polarized dynamics, which will significantly impact future social safety nets and political stability.

The most influential books of all time

Ollie, Catherine, Josie DeLapp

Hosts Ollie, Brian Aldiss, Catherine, and Josie DeLapp analyze how foundational texts like *Frankenstein* and *A Room of One's Own* shifted cultural paradigms from divine to human agency while establishing materialist requirements for creativity. The discussion further evaluates *Pride and Prejudice* and the *Harry Potter* series for their economic and social redefinitions of marriage and childhood, noting Rowling's controversial stance on gender as a flashpoint for debating the limits of artistic expression. Ultimately, the dialogue concludes that literature functions as a vital vehicle for conceptualizing the future and preserving human joy against purely ideological critiques.

Four stories to watch out for in 2026

In 2026, the United States will deepen its military competition by deploying the "Golden Dome" defense shield and relying on SpaceX's Starship to maintain orbital dominance amid rising tensions with Russia and China. Domestically, President Trump will challenge central bank independence by nominating a successor to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell who supports lower interest rates, echoing global political pressures on monetary policy. Simultaneously, the nation will grapple with ideological division over its semi-quincentennial as rival commissions organize conflicting celebrations that juxtapose official historical archives with a politicized "America First" agenda, while Las Vegas hosts the controversial Enhanced Games to normalize human performance enhancement.

Why China wants Taiwan

David Rennie, Da Wei

Mainstream Beijing officials dismiss the notion of trading Taiwan for US concessions, viewing the island as a non-negotiable historical necessity that requires decades of patriotic re-education to overcome its democratic identity. While analysts note that Donald Trump's unpredictability creates diplomatic openings to unsettle Taiwanese voters, the prevailing strategy avoids immediate military conflict in favor of a long-term timeline extending 30 to 40 years. Current discourse involves debating Taiwan-specific governance models that differ from the Hong Kong precedent, aiming for a negotiated reunification that extinguishes local democracy without triggering full-scale war.

Why this crypto crash is different

Henry, Mike

Amidst a regulatory landscape reshaped by the Trump administration's appointment of industry insiders and the removal of past constraints, the global crypto market has matured from a niche asset class into a multi-trillion dollar financial component. Despite significant political support and the launch of family-backed ventures like World Liberty Financial, the sector is currently grappling with a unique downturn where new investors face substantial losses even as Bitcoin trades near $90,000. This shift marks a departure from historical boom-bust cycles, signaling a transition where decentralized finance aligns with conservative anti-establishment sentiments while institutional adoption accelerates through ETFs and banking licenses.

Geothermal energy’s massive leap forward

Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Alok Jha

Driven by artificial intelligence data center demand and hydraulic fracturing innovations, next-generation Enhanced Geothermal Systems are overcoming historical geological constraints to provide 24/7 firm power. Leading this expansion is Vervo, a startup backed by Bill Gates and Google that recently secured California's largest commercial power purchase contract to generate hundreds of megawatts by 2026. While the U.S. Department of Energy forecasts production exceeding current nuclear output by 2050, realizing this potential requires resolving regulatory complexities regarding seismic supervision and market valuation.

Is China the new superpower?

Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr, Ant, David, Ed, Alice

The analysis examines the People's Liberation Army's advanced regional military capabilities and manufacturing dominance while highlighting severe internal economic stagnation, including three years of deflation and rising youth unemployment. Although China lacks the global projection power of the United States, its strategic focus on national security and superior hypersonic technology positions it to dominate the Indo-Pacific region. Experts conclude that while Beijing will achieve significant geopolitical strength, its long-term stability faces challenges from domestic discontent and an overreliance on foreign markets that it cannot fully control.

How is Russia testing the West?

Gordon Corera, David Rennie

Russia currently perceives itself under a continuum of low-intensity conflict with the West, interpreting Ukrainian strikes as direct aggression while employing hybrid tactics to destabilize Western democracies and undermine the existing international order. While Moscow retains high risk tolerance born of this siege mentality, recent escalations appear tempered by the fear of triggering an all-out war that would contradict its strategic goal of dismantling Western dominance. Simultaneously, China maintains a cautious distance from Russian recklessness to preserve its own economic stability, creating a complex dynamic where global powers calibrate responses to deter adversary activities without sparking accidental escalation.

Why Syria might face another uprising

Gareth Browne, Rosie Blau

President Ahmad al-Shara has secured significant international diplomatic gains and sanctions relief while simultaneously centralizing power through shadow institutions that marginalize the Alawite and Druze communities. This governance strategy has exacerbated sectarian tensions, triggering over 1,500 deaths in recent violence and driving 25,000 former regime affiliates to flee as they organize new insurgencies. Despite restoring civil liberties and dismantling the Assad-era secret police, the administration's failure to provide transitional justice or economic stability threatens to destabilize the state and negate its diplomatic achievements.