Latest Interviews
Showing 1–15 of 138 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist21 min
Modi behaviour: will India retaliate against Pakistan?
Narendra Modi, Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Jeremy Page, Kerry and Richmond Jones, Daniel Knowles
Escalating India-Pakistan tensions have surged following a deadly 2024 attack in Kashmir, prompting New Delhi to suspend river treaties and mobilize forces while Islamabad threatens to withdraw from the Shimla Agreement. Analysts warn that high pressure for military retaliation, exacerbated by reduced US influence in the region, creates a significant risk of a broader conflict surpassing the 2019 crisis. Concurrently, domestic economic and technological dynamics persist, with religious institutions in Brazil expanding via tax incentives and global demand for magnetic tape storage surging for AI data archiving despite government claims of obsolescence.
- The Economist26 min
Carney score: last days of Canada’s campaign
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Sarah Larniuk, Noah Snyder, Fraser McGilraith
Hosted by Rosie Bloor and Jason Palmer, this broadcast examines Canada's volatile election driven by US protectionism concerns, media fragmentation, and a toxic political climate where Conservative leader Pierre Poilievé leverages social media to bypass traditional journalism. The program simultaneously analyzes the United States' critical shipbuilding deficit relative to Chinese and South Korean capacity, highlighting legal barriers to international co-production and the strategic choice between domestic revitalization or foreign reliance. Concluding with a 1945 archival perspective, the episode reflects on the human cost of Berlin's fall and the geopolitical complexities that followed the Allied victory over the Third Reich.
- The Economist23 min
Division multiplication: the UAE’s foreign meddling
Jason Palmer, Greg Karlstrom, Moeka Iida, John Fassman
The United Arab Emirates faces international condemnation and legal challenges at the International Court of Justice for allegedly supplying weapons to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces while simultaneously advancing diplomatic ties with the EU and acting as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war. In Japan, thousands of farmers staged rare protests during a historic rice shortage driven by climate damage and supply chain distortions, forcing the government to release strategic reserves despite structural policies that continue to suppress domestic production. Concurrently in the United States, the cultural debate over gender-neutral language has intensified politically, prompting a linguistic reassessment of English pronouns that highlights the historical validity and practical necessity of the singular "they" amidst efforts to codify usage through government mandates.
- The Economist21 min
Cardinals in: choosing the next pope
Jason Palmer, John Hooper, Sarah Burke
Following Pope Francis's death, the Catholic Church prepares for a high-stakes conclave where key figures like Camerlengo Kevin Farrell and Dean Giovanni Battista Re must navigate deep ideological divisions regarding geopolitical strategy and sexual abuse accountability. Simultaneously, Mexico faces a deepening humanitarian crisis as the discovery of a CJNG cartel training camp with cremation ovens underscores the rising disappearance rate under current and previous administrations, prompting President Claudia Sheinbaum to propose reforms despite severe forensic resource gaps. In the entertainment sector, the *Minecraft* film's record-breaking $300 million opening signals a potential revival for theatrical eventing by targeting the teenage demographic, even as unruly TikTok-fueled behavior forces theaters to implement strict attendance policies.
- The Economist20 min
A man of the people: Pope Francis has died
Pope Francis, Jason Palmer, Anne Rowe, Avantika Chalkoti, Juergen Esser, Andrew Palmer
Pope Francis has implemented a radical reform strategy within the Catholic Church by prioritizing mercy and direct engagement while facing internal resistance from the Curia regarding child abuse protocols and doctrinal changes. Simultaneously, the global high-protein market is surging due to GLP-1 drug usage and shifting consumer demographics, prompting major manufacturers like Danone and Nestlé to launch specialized products despite warnings of unnecessary supplementation. In the corporate sector, organizations are increasingly addressing workplace turnover by replacing indirect "quiet firing" tactics with purpose-alignment workshops, a method proven to improve productivity while naturally separating low-performing employees.
- The Economist25 min
Trump’s fickle, Xi’s pickle: the dynamic driving US-China tensions
Trump, Xi, Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, David Rennie, Hanna Vioque, John Fassman
Amid escalating trade friction involving US tariffs and Chinese export controls, Beijing has diversified its diplomatic ties to Southeast Asia and Europe while rejecting direct negotiation tactics it deems chaotic. Concurrently, Spain faces a humanitarian crisis as record migrant arrivals and sea-route deaths overwhelm local morgues, forcing authorities to implement rapid burials that compromise identification protocols. In a contrasting sectoral shift, the pinball industry has experienced a resurgence driven by technological upgrades and a surge in competitive participation, reversing decades of decline to become a global market of nearly 40,000 players.
- The Economist24 min
The buck stops here? The threats to dollar primacy
Jordan Bardella, Jason Palmer, Henry Kerr, Sophie Bedder, Emma Irving
Following President Trump's April announcement of reciprocal tariffs, a financial sell-off has triggered concerns that the US dollar may lose its reserve status, potentially forcing bond yields higher and complicating the Federal Reserve's ability to manage inflation without a Congress unable to pass unpopular fiscal corrections. In France, Jordan Bardella has emerged as the strategic successor to Marine Le Pen after her 2027 election ban, leveraging his youth-oriented digital persona and critical stance on Vladimir Putin to modernize the National Rally while navigating internal party scrutiny. Concurrently, Hong Kong authorities are implementing strict regulatory measures for taxi drivers, including surveillance and penalty systems, to restore tourist confidence amid a sharp drop in visitor numbers and fierce competition from unregulated ride-hailing services.
- The Economist23 min
Bloody Sunday: Russia’s strikes on Sumy
Jason Palmer, Tim Judah, Christian Odendal, Jess, Catherine Nixie
Amidst escalating Russian missile strikes that killed dozens of civilians in Sumy and Krivyi Rih, US envoy General Keith Kellogg condemned the violence while President Trump's administration faces internal division over peace timelines. Simultaneously, European nations are launching aggressive recruitment campaigns to reverse brain drain caused by US policy shifts, aiming to boost strategic autonomy despite significant R&D spending gaps. In a separate economic update, the UK's Consumer Price Index continues to evolve through the Office for National Statistics' rigorous tracking of a 750-item basket that now reflects modern leisure and pet care alongside historical inflation data.
- The Economist23 min
Pulp friction: the trade war bites Apple
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Henry Trix, Owen Winter, Holly Berman
Following the implementation of new US tariffs and China's 104% retaliatory levy, Apple faced a $600 billion market value decline due to its heavy reliance on Chinese manufacturing, prompting the Trump administration to reject Tim Cook's $500 billion investment pledge as a basis for exemptions. Concurrently, meta-analyses of 6 billion Facebook friendships reveal that Britain exhibits stronger cross-class social integration than the United States, though this connectivity remains geographically fragmented by historic industrial zones. In the cultural sphere, a new wave of conservative female influencers is reshaping Republican branding by merging high-fashion lifestyle content with explicit politics, targeting Gen-Z audiences through digital communities and bypassing traditional media gatekeepers.
- The Economist26 min
Whack of all trades: America’s economy
Jason Palmer, Simon Rabinovich, Sarah Larniuk, Oleg Tsenkoltadze, Lyudmila Mironenko, Kate Mikluka, Andrew Miller
Amidst record economic uncertainty driven by President Trump's imminent tariff announcements, small businesses face paralysis while the auto industry risks severe disruption from new protectionist measures. In parallel, Japan continues its extensive non-military support for Ukraine through reconstruction grants, workforce retraining, and cultural preservation initiatives that have helped sustain 4% economic growth despite the war. Meanwhile, the viral success of the Netflix series "Adolescence" has intensified global debates on the impact of toxic online cultures and generational disconnects in addressing male violence against women.
- The Economist22 min
You spin me right round: Europe’s populists reckon with Trumpism
Jason Palmer, Sophie Petter, Nicholas Pelham
European right-wing leaders like Giorgia Meloni and Marine Le Pen are navigating a strategic split between their initial political alignment with Donald Trump's re-election and the reality of American isolationism clashing with European security needs and domestic public opinion. Simultaneously, escalating US military strikes in Yemen continue to fail in reducing Houthi operational capacity while hardening the group's stance on regional negotiations and risking broader Persian Gulf conflict. In a separate sector, the Christian entertainment industry is leveraging lower production costs and a demand for morally uplifting narratives to expand rapidly on streaming platforms, prioritizing economic profitability over strict biblical adherence.
- The Economist22 min
The chat is out of the bag: a stunning leak
Jason Palmer, Ore Ogunbiyi, Andrew Palmer
On March 21, US officials led by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg faced a major security breach after discussing classified Yemen strike plans and derogatory remarks about European allies in an unsecured Signal group. Meanwhile, Nigerian Senator Natasha Akpoti-Udoha faces a six-month suspension for sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, highlighting systemic barriers for women in Nigeria's male-dominated legislature. In a separate workplace analysis, experts note that idea theft remains a prevalent annoyance, with research suggesting that credit stealers often lack malicious intent yet ultimately suffer reputational damage while modest leaders gain perceived competence.
- The Economist23 min
Bibi driver: battles led by and within Israel
Claudia Sheinbaum, Richard Fortey, Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Greg Karlstrom, Sarah Burke, Anne Rowe
Israel has ended a fragile ceasefire in Gaza by redeploying troops to encircle Rafah while simultaneously purging domestic security and judicial officials to consolidate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition ahead of an election-triggering budget vote. In parallel, US-Mexico relations have stabilized under President Claudia Sheinbaum, who leveraged tariff threats to secure a two-month reprieve while implementing stricter border security and targeting corrupt allies within her party. The summary also marks the death of paleontologist Richard Fortey, whose research on trilobites fundamentally reshaped understanding of ancient continental drift and pre-Pangaea geography.
- The Economist26 min
Not so delightful: Erdogan arrests rival
Erdogan, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Piotr Zalewski, Matt Yuki, Annie Crable, Kevin Torregrossa
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered the arrest of opposition leader Ekrem Imamoglu and over 100 allies on politically motivated charges, a move that triggered a 12% collapse in the Turkish lira and a 9% drop in the BIST 100 index. Simultaneously, the Trump administration pressured Panama into accepting US immigration demands and infrastructure projects to safeguard the Panama Canal, while the US government faces a critical gap in exotic snake antivenom supplies that has turned the Bronx Zoo into a vital emergency medical hub for bite victims. These distinct geopolitical and domestic crises highlight the immediate economic fallout in Turkey, the strained sovereignty dynamics in Central America, and the systemic regulatory failures regarding exotic animal imports in the United States.
- The Economist24 min
Peace broken: war returns to Gaza
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Angel Pfeffer, Oliver Morton, Sarah Wu
Israel initiated extensive airstrikes in Gaza following the collapse of a fragile ceasefire, a move confirmed by the United States and coordinated with simultaneous operations against Houthis to pressure Iran. This military escalation, justified by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a response to rejected negotiation offers, also serves domestic political aims to stabilize his coalition ahead of a critical budget vote. Concurrently, Israel is preparing a larger ground offensive intended to fully dismantle Hamas's military capabilities, while international mediators explore potential pathways for a new interim agreement.