Latest Interviews
Showing 121–135 of 294 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist7 min
Are rich countries facing a debt crisis?
Advanced economies face unprecedented public debt levels driven by repeated crises, structural political reluctance, and budget forecasts that consistently underestimate long-term liabilities. Fiscal sustainability is further compromised by rising interest costs, an aging population consuming 40% of budgets for entitlements, and constrained discretionary spending due to mandatory increases in defense and green transition investments. Consequently, efforts to reduce deficits are stalled by a lack of political will to implement revenue measures like VAT or to adjust retirement ages, leaving governments vulnerable to economic instability.
- The Economist7 min
How long will Donald Trump and Xi Jinping’s trade war truce last?
Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, Jeremy Page, Jason Palmer
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a one-year trade truce during a meeting at a South Korean airbase, securing reciprocal delays on rare earth export controls, threatened tariffs, and fentanyl-related duties while restoring soybean purchases. This temporary pause was accompanied by parallel U.S. initiatives to diversify critical mineral supply chains with allies and upgrade defense technology for South Korea, even as structural disputes over industrial policy and semiconductor sales remain unresolved. Although the deal reduces immediate escalation risks, the agreement lacks a final resolution to underlying tensions, leaving the relationship vulnerable to future volatility amid ongoing geopolitical instability.
- The Economist10 min
Can Zohran Mamdani turn New York around?
Zohran Mamdani, Charlotte, John, Ed
33-year-old Democratic Socialist Zoran Mamdani is leveraging a surge of disillusionment with centrist politicians to run an optimistic mayoral campaign in New York City against incumbent Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. His platform features bold, controversial proposals including a rent freeze for stabilized units, free city buses, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030, though critics highlight significant fiscal hurdles and a lack of executive experience. While Mamdani's hardline stance against Israel and use of digital platforms signal anti-establishment authenticity to younger voters, his strategy may ultimately rely on forcing a moderation of these radical pledges to remain viable.
- The Economist10 min
Former IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath’s warning for rich world economies
Former IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath assessed the global economy from 2019 to 2025, highlighting how emerging markets demonstrated unexpected resilience against the pandemic, war, and inflation thanks to improved fiscal governance and diversified borrowing. Despite this stability, she warned of looming systemic risks including a fragile US financial sector, the opacity of non-bank lending, and a projected global debt-to-GDP ratio exceeding 100% by 2030. Addressing these challenges requires advanced economies to confront structural fiscal imbalances and aging demographics, though necessary adjustments to retirement ages face significant political resistance.
- The Economist6 min
Which countries have fallen down the passport power rankings?
Michelle Hennessy, Rosie Blau, Rosie Bloor
Henley & Partners' latest global mobility ranking places Singapore at the forefront with visa-free access to 193 destinations, while US and UK passports have notably declined due to reciprocal restrictive immigration policies. Wealthier nations facing stricter entry requirements are seeing their citizens seek alternative mobility through citizenship-by-investment programs, with Americans now forming the majority of such clients. This trend underscores a growing correlation between political stability, economic wealth, and the practical necessity for global travel rights.
- The Economist8 min
Kaja Kallas: can the European Union survive in an era of strongmen?
Representative Kaya Kalas reported that Chinese leadership intentionally prolongs the war in Ukraine to divert U.S. attention from China, while European nations struggle to leverage their market power due to fragmented coordination and a failure to deploy their Instrument to Counter Economic Coercion. Kalas argued that the West's slow democratic decision-making processes create a structural disadvantage against the rapid, unilateral actions of authoritarian leaders like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. Consequently, the proposed European strategy focuses on building diversified supply chains across the Global South to reduce dependency on Chinese exports and consolidate internal unity to effectively counter geopolitical rivals.
- The Economist9 min
How will Japan's prime minister change her country?
Noah Sneider, Rosie Blau, Rosie Bloor
Sanae Takaichi has become Japan's first female Prime Minister, marking a strategic rightward pivot for the Liberal Democratic Party that has already fractured its long-standing coalition with Komeito. Her agenda combines aggressive defense spending, a revival of "Abenomics," and strict social conservatism, while navigating delicate tensions with the United States and historical disputes with Asian neighbors. Although her administration aims to address domestic inflation, the survival of her government faces significant uncertainty due to internal party fractures and public skepticism regarding her right-wing populist appeal.
- The Economist13 min
Steve Bannon: Trump will have a third term
Steve Bannon, Trump, Zanny Minton Beddoes, Ed Carr
Steve Bannon articulates a vision for a MAGA revolution that replaces corporate control with an "entrepreneurial capitalism" dominated by populist nationalists, asserting the movement must seize and permanently defend state institutions regardless of legal or economic pushback. He predicts Donald Trump will secure a third presidential term in 2028 by redefining constitutional constraints and positions the United States as the catalyst for a global wave of right-wing victories in nations like the UK, France, and Germany. This strategy frames the current era as an existential political war where the movement will not compromise, arguing that radical action is necessary to avoid elite-managed decline and ensure the preservation of national sovereignty.
- The Economist8 min
Why are so many Chinese bosses disappearing?
Don Weinland, Rosie Blau, Rosie Bloor
China's "Liu Zhi" extra-judicial detention system, which allows the anti-corruption agency to hold individuals without court oversight for renewable eight-month cycles, has expanded from government officials to include private sector leaders. This mechanism has contributed to a projected record of one million corruption cases by 2024, with local authorities increasingly conducting cross-border "deep sea fishing" operations to seize assets from business networks connected to high-ranking probes. The resulting economic pressure has degraded business sentiment, added 200,000 individuals to credit blacklists, and triggered five high-profile suicides among entrepreneurs despite official efforts to signal private sector support.
- The Economist8 min
Why are cybercriminals richer than ever?
Criminal gangs have evolved from data theft to aggressive "wrecking" attacks that destroy systems to halt operations, with young British hackers recently collaborating with Russian groups to target major entities like Jaguar Land Rover. The JLR incident alone caused an estimated £1.5 billion in damage, exceeding the total global ransom income of $1 billion in 2024, while exposing critical vulnerabilities in non-core infrastructure and cost-optimized outsourcing models. In response to this economic devastation, the UK government is considering a legal ban on ransom payments to disrupt the criminal market, alongside stricter transparency mandates that would require immediate reporting of severe cyber disruptions.
- The Economist7 min
Mark Rutte on NATO’s survival
Mark Rutte, Shashank Joshi, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump
Former US Defense Secretary Mark Rutter outlines a severe threat landscape where Russia's willingness to sustain massive casualties and its alignment with China as a junior partner necessitate a unified NATO response. He attributes recent increases in European defense spending, with eight nations targeting 2% GDP allocations, to political pressure from Donald Trump's influence and the urgent need to upgrade anti-drone capabilities following airspace violations. The assessment concludes that the alliance must prepare for a coordinated multi-front conflict involving Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, emphasizing that Russia's unconventional tactics require robust long-term strategic readiness.
- The Economist8 min
Why is Saudi Arabia buying up the video game industry?
Led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, a consortium is acquiring Electronic Arts for $55 billion while deploying a $38 billion Savvy Games portfolio to dominate the global gaming sector. This strategy targets the 330 million Arabic-speaking demographic and diversifies the Kingdom's oil-dependent economy by creating 39,000 jobs and leveraging competitive gaming for soft power. Although immediate content changes to existing Western franchises remain uncertain, the initiative integrates local cultural narratives and sports assets to eventually establish a distinct "Saudi accent" in international game development.
- The Economist10 min
Who will run Gaza?
Zanny Minton Beddoes, Greg, Patrick, Zannie, Ed
Experts assess that Hamas will likely retain lighter arms while potentially depleting heavier weaponry, driven by ideological identity and fears of local reprisals. The proposed Trump peace plan outlines a corporate-style transitional authority led by President Trump and former Prime Minister Tony Blair, employing technocrats to manage civil services amid disputes between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas over governance representation. This model diverges from the Oslo Accords by prioritizing reconstruction and external pressure to shift public opinion, though recovery depends heavily on Israel allowing building materials into a territory where 80% of structures have been destroyed.
- The Economist13 min
Has science finally cracked the secret to invisibility?
Alok Jha, Professor Sir John Pendry, John Pendry
Physics professor John Pendry introduced metamaterials as geometrically engineered structures capable of manipulating light paths to achieve the effects described in his "invisibility cloak" concept. This theoretical framework, initially named by Pendry's wife to aid a 2005 DARPA presentation, faced early skepticism before David Smith's team at Duke University successfully constructed a functional prototype for radar waves. The field has since evolved from resolving debates over negative refraction to experimental recreations of conditions existing near black holes.
- The Economist7 min
Mark Carney on dealing with Donald Trump
Mark Carney, Donald Trump, Zanny Minton Beddoes, Prime Minister Carney, Sani
Prime Minister Carney attributes Canada's recent economic stagnation to persistent tariff uncertainty while characterizing U.S. trade policy as a coercive "mafioso" strategy driven by President Trump. In response to this geopolitical rupture, Ottawa is pivoting toward strategic sovereignty by bolstering Arctic defense and cultivating a "variable geometry" of trade alliances to reduce reliance on the American market. This dual approach acknowledges a permanent shift toward high-tariff U.S. protectionism, compelling Canada to prioritize self-sufficiency and diversify global partnerships beyond traditional transatlantic frameworks.