Latest Interviews

What is the future of the British monarchy?

Zanny Minton Beddoes, Catherine Nixey

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III assumes the throne amid a rapid surge in domestic approval ratings and significant global concern regarding the future cohesion of the Commonwealth. The monarch faces the immediate challenge of overcoming a legacy of personal controversies and establishing a distinct constitutional identity while attempting to distance himself from the monumental stature of his mother. Despite widespread speculation about slimming down the royal family, the institution is expected to endure as the transition solidifies Britain's status as a mid-sized nation with a shortened reign ahead.

Is the war in Ukraine nearing its end?

On September 6th, Ukraine launched a surprise counterattack supported by an unprecedented flow of Western intelligence and weaponry, liberating over 8,000 square kilometers of territory and collapsing Russian defenses around Kharkiv. This strategic reversal has forced the Kremlin into defensive silence while exposing internal vulnerabilities, including rising nationalist discontent and a direct threat to Vladimir Putin's legitimacy. Although the offensive has shifted Ukrainian war aims toward reclaiming all pre-2014 borders, experts maintain that while military victory remains achievable, the immediate collapse of the Russian state remains unpredictable.

Will Trump be president again?

Trump

Despite internal party fractures and ongoing legal challenges, Donald Trump's grip on the Republican Party remains unshaken following the 2022 defeat of prominent critic Liz Cheney, a result that has silenced opposition and consolidated his base. As Trump prepares to leverage his legal prosecutions as political grievances to secure the 2024 nomination, analysts project he may lose the national popular vote while remaining competitive enough to win the presidency through the Electoral College. This trajectory raises significant concerns regarding election integrity, particularly as Trump-endorsed officials in key states may utilize their positions to dispute or falsify results should he achieve a narrow victory.

How are offices changing?

Faye Wong, Ben Hamley

Multinational corporations are transforming offices into social hubs and adopting hub-and-spoke models to meet a global demand for flexibility, where 76% to 86% of workers across major regions now prioritize remote options over traditional in-office presence. This shift has triggered significant urban vacancies in major city centers and compelled companies to transition from presenteeism-based management to performance-driven evaluation. While this evolution supports mixed-use urban planning and reduces commuting, it simultaneously risks exacerbating gender inequalities, particularly for working mothers in Asian markets.

China in Africa: should the West be worried?

Bright Akwe, Papa Star Times, Gadi Epstein, John McDermott

Since the 1960s, China has deployed billions in infrastructure financing and military expansion to forge deep strategic bonds across Africa, securing control over critical assets ranging from railways in Zambia to a permanent naval base in Djibouti. This approach, facilitated primarily by state-owned banks and opaque lending terms, has generated approximately $160 billion in African debt while enabling Beijing to leverage financial dependencies for diplomatic support and media influence. Although Western nations criticize these tactics as debt-trap diplomacy, the strategy simultaneously entrenches Chinese geopolitical power through leading roles in telecommunications and defense equipment sales.

War in Ukraine: the emerging global food crisis

Arkady, Ed, Shashank, Sasha Nauta

The ongoing war in Ukraine is precipitating a global food crisis by blocking critical export routes through Odessa, destroying domestic harvests, and disrupting fertilizer supplies, which threatens hundreds of millions in nations like Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Simultaneously, the prospective NATO accession of Sweden and Finland is expected to significantly strengthen Baltic security through Finland's substantial artillery capabilities, despite President Vladimir Putin leveraging the expansion to fuel narratives of Russian encirclement. This geopolitical shift occurs against the backdrop of US legislative uncertainty regarding escalating aid packages and potential changes in Washington's strategic posture ahead of the 2024 presidential election, raising concerns among European allies about future burden-sharing.

Press freedom: why you should be worried

Daphne Galizia, Avantika Chalkoti, Rana Ayyub, Rebecca Vincent, Matthew, Corinne, Veronika Munk, Sebald Stuhl

Global press freedom is facing severe erosion in both authoritarian regimes and established democracies, evidenced by a rise in journalist murders, the misuse of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), and systemic financial bullying. Prominent cases such as the legal persecution of Indian journalist Rana Ayyub and the consolidation of media under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government in Hungary illustrate how authorities employ subtle tactics to silence critics. In response to these threats, initiatives like the European Commission's directive to dismiss SLAPPs and the creation of reader-funded outlets like Telex demonstrate emerging strategies to maintain independent reporting despite restricted resources and intimidation.

Rape in the British military: women speak out

Rebecca, Emma Norton, Lucy, Jean, Graham House, Anne-Marie Element

Following a 2021 parliamentary inquiry that documented systemic sexual harassment and bullying among British military women through over 4,000 testimonies, the government introduced reforms to strengthen dismissal powers and separate investigations from the chain of command. Despite these measures, conviction rates for rape remain significantly lower in military courts than civilian ones, and critics maintain that the military culture of impunity persists because key recommendations like transferring cases to civilian authorities have not been fully adopted. Consequently, victims continue to face severe psychological trauma and career risks, as the institution's internal incentives prioritize reputation over justice.

Dr Fauci: follow the science

Dr Fauci, Dr Anthony Fauci, Edward Carr, Sasha Nauta

Former NIH Director Dr. Anthony Fauci reflected on his seven-presidency tenure and the unprecedented polarization he faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he prioritized scientific evidence over political alignment despite enduring misinformation and death threats. He described a toxic shift in public discourse that forced him to correct presidential claims, resulting in severe attacks from far-right groups and a disturbing rise in hostility toward the scientific community. Fauci concluded by urging the next generation of researchers to remain engaged in public service to counteract this erosion of institutional trust and objective fact.

Climate change technology: is shading the earth too risky?

Catherine Braille

Proponents of solar geoengineering, including Harvard scientist David Keith, argue that reflecting sunlight into space is a necessary supplement to emission cuts for protecting vulnerable populations from extreme heat, while critics like the Sámi Council and experts such as Raymond Pierre Humbert warn that the technology creates severe ethical hazards, including moral hazard, indigenous rights violations, and geopolitical conflict. Tensions intensified after the Sámi Council successfully pressured Sweden's space agency to cancel a 2021 Harvard balloon test over their territory, highlighting the fundamental disagreement over whether research should proceed to mitigate "termination shock" risks or be halted to preserve global climate action integrity. As scientists explore localized solutions like marine cloud brightening on the Great Barrier Reef, the debate remains centered on establishing equitable governance frameworks to manage the technology's uncertain side effects and potential for catastrophic regional disruption.

Crypto: a beginner’s guide

Mathieu Favard, Alice Fullwood, Helen Joyce

This presentation defines cryptocurrency as a decentralized system using blockchain technology to validate transactions without intermediaries, detailing the mining process that secures networks like Bitcoin and Ethereum. It distinguishes unique assets from standard tokens by explaining Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and traces the origins of industry slang such as "hodler" within the market's volatile culture. The discussion ultimately contextualizes the sector as a complex landscape where technical innovation in finance coexists with significant concerns regarding fraud, environmental impact, and narrative cycles.

War in Ukraine: The Economist interviews Tony Blair

Tony Blair, Zanny Minton Beddoes

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair characterized Vladimir Putin as a detached autocrat who has dismantled Russian democracy to build personal wealth while predicting his eventual downfall and Ukraine's future integration into the European Union. Blair critiqued Western strategic retreat in Africa and the Middle East, arguing that bureaucratic inefficiency has allowed China and Russia to expand their influence despite local preferences for Western ties. He urged Europe to accept short-term economic sacrifices to supply Ukraine with offensive weaponry and warned that the 21st century's defining geopolitical challenge lies in managing the United States' complex relationship with China without pushing Beijing into an alignment with Moscow.

War in Ukraine: is a peace deal possible?

Ed, Sally, Zany, Arkady

Ongoing negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow remain stalled over the core triad of territorial status, sanctions sequencing, and Crimea's strategic corridor, as Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov lacks final authority to offer concessions without President Vladimir Putin's direct approval. While Ukraine has hardened its stance by rejecting pre-1991 borders and exploring security guarantees akin to Finnish neutrality, Putin's strategy is increasingly driven by domestic consolidation rather than genuine security needs, reflecting a calculated worldview that prioritizes legacy over realistic military outcomes. This strategic deadlock, compounded by Putin's internal miscalculation and the reluctance of his kleptocratic inner circle to risk nuclear escalation, leaves both sides facing a stalemate with no substantive progress toward a comprehensive peace deal.

War in Ukraine: how could this end?

Current Russian military strategy suffers from severe tactical dysfunction and internal instability, evidenced by armored columns lacking infantry support and the recent house arrest of senior FSB officials involved in invasion planning. This dysfunction, driven by Putin's reluctance to admit failure, has escalated domestic risks of preemptive purges within the security apparatus while mounting civilian casualties pressure President Zelensky toward a negotiated settlement. Although the prospect of chemical weapon use or direct NATO confrontation represents the highest war risk since the 1980s, the optimal outcome remains a diplomatic resolution preserving the Zelensky government in exchange for Russian territorial concessions and a NATO neutrality pledge.

Malala: what Ukraine’s invasion means for girls’ education

Zanny Minton Beddoes, Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai addressed global crises in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and other regions, emphasizing that war creates irreversible damage and urging leaders to redefine humanitarian funding to explicitly include education. She highlighted a critical digital gender gap exacerbated by conflict and called for strict international dialogue with the Taliban regarding women's rights, advocating for the release of frozen Afghan reserves to support economic recovery. Ultimately, Yousafzai asserted that quality education is fundamental to peace and stability, demanding that current educational bans in conflict zones be treated as urgent global priorities.