Latest Interviews
Showing 61–75 of 138 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist20 min
Bye, cell: inside a notorious Syrian prison
Jason Palmer, Rosie Blore, Gareth Brown, Henrietta McFarlane, Anne Hanna, Heather Jones, Cristina Chiwin, Oliver Jones
Following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime, Syrian rebels and civilians have liberated Saydnaya Prison to uncover evidence of mass executions and systematic torture affecting over 30,000 detainees while Hayat Tahrir al-Sham moves to establish a transitional government. Concurrently, a global surge in spiritual tourism is driving India's sector toward a $59 billion valuation by 2028 and doubling pilgrim numbers on Spain's Camino de Santiago route despite the decline of organized religion. Meanwhile, Manchester City faces a dual crisis as its seven-year domestic dominance ends amidst a five-game losing streak attributed to player exhaustion, compounded by an independent investigation into alleged Premier League financial breaches by its Emirati ownership.
- The Economist23 min
Bringing up Bibi: Netanyahu testifies
Bibi, Netanyahu, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Anshul Pfeffer, Mark Johnson, Rachel Lloyd, John Fassman, Alexandra Sewich-Bass, Caitlin Tolbert
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a dual crisis as he becomes the first serving Israeli prime minister to testify in a domestic corruption trial while managing war crimes allegations from the International Criminal Court and domestic protests over the Gaza conflict. Concurrently, research reveals that master's degrees in the United Kingdom offer no net financial benefit by age 35, while nearly 40% of US graduate programs yield negative returns after accounting for tuition and opportunity costs. In cultural news, The Economist highlighted four notable 2024 publications ranging from biographies of wartime figures to dystopian satires, underscoring a broader push for greater transparency and regulation in higher education financing.
- The Economist26 min
Peace from pieces: Syria after Assad
Jason Palmer, Christopher Lockwood, Tom Wainwright, Johnny Williams, Matthew Mercer
Following a rapid 12-day rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Bashar al-Assad fled Damascus to end five decades of rule, triggering a complex geopolitical shift as Russia and Iran withdraw support while Turkey and the US balance new power dynamics. Concurrently, Australia enacted the world's first blanket ban on social media for minors under 16, imposing heavy fines on non-compliant tech firms despite concerns over AI age-verification accuracy and uneven regulatory competition. In cultural developments, Dungeons & Dragons marked its 50th anniversary by evolving from a niche hobby into a mainstream phenomenon driven by the fifth edition, popular media crossovers, and a generation of creators who cite the game as a vital tool for social confidence and storytelling.
- The Economist25 min
Ashes to Masses: Notre Dame’s stunning return
Jason Palmer, Sophie Petter, Ori Ogunbi, Anne Rowe
Following a five-year restoration funded by nearly €900 million in private donations, Notre Dame Cathedral is set to reopen in Paris with its historic spire and oak roof reconstructed using strict medieval techniques under the leadership of General Jean-Louis Georgelain. Meanwhile, Ghana prepares for a pivotal election where former President John Mahama challenges the incumbent amid a severe economic crisis characterized by 23% inflation and a sovereign debt default. In a related commemoration of World War II history, the legacy of John Kinsel, the last surviving Navajo Code Talker who died at age 107, highlights the critical role of the indigenous language in creating an unbreakable cipher during the Pacific campaign.
- The Economist21 min
Michel shock: France’s government falls
Michel Barnier, Emmanuel Macron, Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Sophie Petter, Henry Tricks, Rachel Lloyd, Jared Brown
Following a coalition of the left and far-right led by Marine Le Pen that successfully triggered a vote of no confidence, French President Emmanuel Macron has lost his third prime minister in a year, creating a constitutional deadlock that bars early elections until July 2025. In the corporate sector, while individual generative AI adoption remains high, widespread business implementation is stalled by regulatory uncertainty, legal liabilities, and a severe shortage of skilled specialists. Simultaneously, the UK gin industry faces a contraction threat as record duty hikes and rising costs dampen demand for spirits, driving a shift toward non-alcoholic alternatives despite a decade of explosive growth.
- The Economist24 min
Talk to EU later: Georgia’s fiery protests
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, David Rennie, Anna Toklikishvili, Shailesh Chitnis, Moeka Iida
Escalating violence in Tbilisi has erupted following the ruling party's decision to pause EU accession talks and enforce a Russian-style foreign agent law, sparking a decentralized grassroots movement that challenges Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and President Salome Zurabichvili over election legitimacy. While Kremlin propaganda frames the unrest as a Western-backed color revolution, international observers warn that harsh state suppression could trigger a bloody revolution while the EU faces a geopolitical dilemma regarding how to respond to the government's authoritarian pivot.
- The Economist20 min
Shock and thaw: Syria’s frozen war resumes
Jason Palmer, Greg Karlstrom, Avantika Chilkoti
On November 27, a rebel coalition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham captured Aleppo and other northwestern territories by exploiting the diminished military capacity of Syrian allies Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah. Concurrently, journalist Avantika Chilkoti demonstrated the futility of attempting to erase digital footprints, highlighting how corporate data aggregation and limited legal jurisdictions prevent individuals from achieving true online anonymity. In financial markets, US stocks rallied following Donald Trump's re-election, with sectors like crypto, private prisons, and finance surging on deregulation expectations, though some industries like steel and oil subsequently corrected due to policy uncertainties.
- The Economist23 min
Scandal in the wind: Adani’s indictment could hurt Modi
Adani, Modi, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Jeremy Page, Don Wineland, Katherine Nixie
Following a BJP landslide in Maharashtra and a US indictment alleging a $250 million bribery scheme, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces intensifying political scrutiny as opposition leader Rahul Gandhi demands an investigation into the Adani conglomerate's alleged corruption. Simultaneously, China's real estate sector remains in deep crisis with 2.8 billion square meters of unsold inventory, a situation driven by restrictive debt policies and hampered by ineffective government interventions that have failed to clear housing stocks or restore consumer confidence. In the cultural sphere, psychologist Jordan Peterson continues to polarize public opinion through his new theological book and controversial rhetoric, sustaining a commercially lucrative ecosystem of followers and critics while navigating academic and societal backlash regarding his views on gender and free speech.
- The Economist22 min
All for one: Donald Trump and his key Musketeer
Donald Trump, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Patrick Fowles, Rachel Lloyd, Fraser McIlwraith
Elon Musk is set to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency under President-elect Donald Trump, a partnership driven by shared hostility toward federal bureaucracy and "woke" culture despite risks of conflicts of interest and a volatile alliance dynamic. Concurrently, Ireland is confronting its history of Magdalene laundries through new criminal legislation prohibiting record destruction and plans for a remembrance center, though church-controlled education stalls broader reform. Finally, Chile is witnessing a surge in salmon theft as criminal networks pivot from timber to the lucrative aquaculture sector, prompting enhanced security measures and legislative proposals to address the rising crime wave.
- The Economist21 min
Rio brand: why Brazil is courting China
Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Ana Lankes, Natasha Loder, James Francham
At the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticized neoliberal globalization and proposed reforming international institutions while Brazil pivots economically and strategically toward China to offset tensions with an anticipated Trump administration. Concurrently, a Guy Foundation report warns that space travel induces accelerated aging by damaging astronaut mitochondria, suggesting that deep-space colonization may eventually require genetic engineering to overcome biological barriers. Finally, the United Kingdom's telecommunications infrastructure has deteriorated to rank among the worst in the developed world due to regulatory setbacks, insufficient investment, and planning restrictions, prompting a controversial proposed merger between Vodafone and 3 to alleviate capacity constraints.
- The Economist25 min
Kyiv calm and carry on: Trump’s win may benefit Ukraine
Trump, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Oliver Carroll, Katherine Nixie
Amidst a deteriorating military situation in Ukraine characterized by Russian offensives toward Pokrovsk and internal morale crises, the incoming Trump administration's potential peace plans, including neutrality proposals from J.D. Vance, face skepticism regarding their feasibility within a 24-hour window. Simultaneously, African diaspora churches are experiencing rapid global expansion and financial integration through tithes and digital innovation, while the release of *Gladiator II* sparks cultural debate over its departure from the original film's democratic optimism in favor of modern themes like anti-elitism and racial diversity. These divergent developments highlight a geopolitical landscape shifting under new leadership, a religious sector adapting to Western demographics, and entertainment reflecting contemporary societal anxieties about institutional trust.
- The Economist24 min
The Peking order: Can China’s army surpass the US?
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Shashank Joshi, Avantika Chalkoti, Anne Rowe
At the Zhuhai Airshow, China officially debuted the J-35A stealth fighter and new drone vessels while signaling a strategic pivot toward quality over quantity to achieve military parity with the US by 2049. Despite retaining advantages in carrier experience and AI, American forces face a narrowing gap in hypersonic capabilities and vertical launch system numbers that analysts predict China will surpass by 2026. Concurrently, the global luxury e-commerce sector is undergoing a contraction driven by macroeconomic pressures, prompting major players like Farfetch and Net-a-Porter to be sold or restructured as consumers shift toward in-store experiences and direct brand channels.
- The Economist24 min
Parting Scholz: what next for Germany?
Scholz, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Tom Nuttall, Sasha Nauta, Duncan Robinson
Germany's "traffic light" coalition collapsed on November 6 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Finance Minister Christian Lindner clashed over the constitutional debt break, triggering a minority government that will face a confidence vote and a general election scheduled for February 23. Simultaneously, a re-analysis of a 2020 medical study debunked earlier claims that Black doctors significantly improve survival rates for Black infants, attributing the original statistical anomaly to uncontrolled variables regarding very low birth weight rather than physician race. In the United Kingdom, London's King's Cross district has evolved from an industrial wasteland into a premier global tech hub anchored by major corporations like Google and OpenAI, though analysts caution that such regeneration relies on unique assets that limit its replicability outside central London.
- The Economist24 min
Some like it hot: could Trump derail climate talks?
Trump, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Oliver Morton, Henry Tricks, Catherine Nixie
Microsoft and OpenAI are exploring a shift away from exclusive Azure partnerships to host OpenAI models on Amazon Web Services, a move driven by revenue diversification and regulatory pressures that align with Microsoft's broader AI portfolio expansion. Simultaneously, COP29 in Baku confronts the urgency of 2024's record-breaking heat and potential US withdrawal under a second Trump administration while attempting to establish new climate finance baselines to replace the 2015 Paris Agreement's ad hoc targets. In cultural affairs, the Remembrance Day poppy has evolved from a unifying WWI memorial into a contested symbol of modern identity politics, with its commercial sales and varying interpretations now sparking polarized public debates as living historical memory fades.
- The Economist27 min
Vote! Our election-day special
Jason Palmer, Idris Kahloun, Aaron Braun
The 2024 U.S. presidential election will likely hinge on a razor-thin margin across seven swing states, with Pennsylvania serving as the critical tipping point for either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump to reach the 270 electoral votes required for victory. While economic concerns drive voter sentiment, the outcome faces significant uncertainty due to heightened security threats, potential legal challenges, and a potentially split Congress where control of the House remains volatile. International allies are closely monitoring the result, as the winner's approach to trade, NATO commitments, and geopolitical stability will determine the trajectory of global affairs in the coming years.