Latest Interviews
Showing 136–150 of 186 transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist26 min
The sound of fury: pressure builds within Israel
Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Anshul Pfeffer, Emily Steinmark, Tim Cross
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defied international pressure and domestic protests following the recovery of six dead Israeli hostages, even as the US criticized his efforts and Britain suspended arms sales. Concurrently, studies reveal a persistent gender gap in generative AI adoption, where high-achieving women self-impose bans due to ethical concerns despite hiring premiums for AI expertise. Meanwhile, new research in *Science Advances* proposes using artificial metal dust to warm Mars, offering a method 5,000 times more mass-efficient than previous terraforming concepts.
- The Economist23 min
The chips are down: will diet drugs devour junk food?
Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Shailesh Chitnas, Simon Long, Lane Green
The food industry is adapting to massive market consolidation and the rising prevalence of weight-loss drugs by shifting toward high-protein nutrition, even as debates over ultra-processed food definitions continue alongside sustained sales in traditional junk food sectors. Concurrently, global health initiatives highlight that 45% of dementia cases are preventable through modifiable lifestyle changes and sensory health management, though rising prevalence in Asia and policy implementation gaps remain critical challenges. Finally, the decline of the traditional siesta due to modern industrial schedules is linked to increased heart disease mortality and reduced productivity, underscoring a paradox where continuous work hours exacerbate chronic health risks.
- The Economist26 min
Electric eye: AI is helping fight terrorists
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Shashank Joshi, Sarah Burke, Oliver Carroll
A 2019 US Special Forces team in Afghanistan pioneered human-machine intelligence analysis by correlating satellite and social media data to predict attack zones with 70% accuracy, a system that ultimately ceased operations following the US withdrawal. Meanwhile, Cuba faces a deepening economic crisis driven by structural flaws and external shocks, forcing a geopolitical pivot toward Russia and China as the regime struggles with inflation, migration, and internal instability. In contrast, Odessa maintains a resilient wartime beach culture with full hotel bookings and active tourism, where residents and visitors adapt to daily missile threats through demining efforts and a collective refusal to abandon normalcy.
- The Economist25 min
The human strain: can mpox be contained?
Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Ora Ogambi, Benjamin Sutherland, Mitchell Dupani, Vijay Vaitiswaran
The World Health Organization has declared a new, highly contagious mpox strain a global emergency due to the rapid spread of the lethal clade 1b variant from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where conflict and vaccine shortages are hampering containment efforts. Simultaneously, defense experts warn of a potential Russian low Earth orbit nuclear weapon that could trigger a global electromagnetic pulse to disable satellites, prompting the Pentagon to fund AI-driven detection systems despite the weapon's violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. In the technology sector, massive data center expansion driven by artificial intelligence is projected to double global energy consumption by 2026, creating tension between corporate carbon pledges and the urgent need for clean power sources like nuclear energy.
- The Economist22 min
Byte by byte: Iran and Israel’s escalating cyberwar
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Shashank Joshi, Simon Wright, Lizzie Pete
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted a US-backed ceasefire proposal pending Hamas's agreement, while cyber warfare between Israel and Iran intensifies through sophisticated attacks on critical infrastructure and psychological information campaigns. Simultaneously, the global aviation industry faces a supply squeeze caused by Boeing and Airbus production delays, opening niche opportunities for China's Comac despite significant regulatory barriers to entry. In the US housing sector, a shift toward affordability in inland cities contrasts with persistent high costs in coastal markets, driven by a Sunbelt construction boom and increased rental supply.
- The Economist23 min
Hail Harris: the Democratic convention begins
Hail Harris, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Daniel Franklin, Ainsley Johnston, Geoffrey Carr
Amid a volatile Democratic National Convention featuring speeches by former presidents and policy debates, Kamala Harris faces a statistical toss-up against Donald Trump in an election driven by swing states and shifting polling data. Concurrently, medical research indicates that female physicians significantly reduce mortality rates for older patients compared to male colleagues, a finding derived from a retrospective study of 1.5 million individuals that challenges current causal assumptions in healthcare. Furthermore, artificial intelligence has revealed that African elephants utilize distinct, frequency-based rumble patterns to identify one another, suggesting complex social cognition that remains undetected in non-human species due to historical underfunding of zoological research.
- The Economist27 min
Landing padded: the global-recession risk
Jason Palmer, Colin Williams, Holly Berman, Henrietta McFarlane, Erica Kaplan, Liam McGregor, Anne Rowe
The Economist's senior economics team argues that global recession fears are misplaced, citing robust corporate earnings, significant inflation correction, and labor market shifts that distinguish the current environment from historical recessionary patterns. Simultaneously, the dating industry is undergoing a structural pivot where stagnation in traditional app models drives a surge in high-end matchmaking services and organized offline social activities. Finally, the legacy of fell runner Joss Naylor is celebrated following his death at 88, marking a life defined by record-breaking mountain feats and a unique background in dry stone walling and sheep farming.
- The Economist24 min
One peace at a time: Gaza, Israel and Iran
Jason Palmer, Greg Karlstrom, Oliver Morton, Christian Garcia Mario, Claire McHugh, Alejandro Henao Perez, Alejandro Alvarez
Following high-profile assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, diplomatic mediation by the US, Egypt, and Qatar struggles to secure a Gaza ceasefire while Iran seeks a face-saving retaliation that balances deterrence with regional stability. Concurrently, NASA's InSight lander seismic data reveals a vast subsurface aquifer containing liquid water on Mars, offering the first strong evidence of a permanent liquid environment that could harbor surviving cryptic biosphere remnants. In a separate economic development, Colombia's Chocó region has emerged as a niche producer of genetically distinct vanilla beans, attracting luxury buyers despite significant infrastructure barriers that currently prevent the local harvest from meeting global export volumes.
- The Economist25 min
Bait the hook! Fishing in the global talent pool
Jason Palmer, Fedora Castellino, Robert Guest, John Priddo, Simon Rabinovich, Xavier Trocol, Tom Standage
A panel of economists and policy analysts critiques restrictive immigration frameworks in the U.S., Britain, and China while highlighting the success of rapid processing models in the UAE and Portugal to boost graduate populations. The discussion further examines structural shifts in the American service economy, where legally mandated low wages drive "tipflation" and prompt tax exemption proposals from both major presidential candidates. Concurrently, experts warn that divergent global regulations on facial recognition AI leave the U.S. vulnerable to law enforcement overuse and algorithmic bias, contrasting sharply with the EU's strict prohibitions on public surveillance.
- The Economist24 min
AIOU: what if the AI boom busts?
Jason Palmer, Guy, Moeka Iida, Kosugi Kunio, Max Norman
Global private equity and venture capital firms are committing $1.4 trillion to AI infrastructure over the next four years, a surge driven by NVIDIA's market dominance and massive capital expenditure from tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon despite rising concerns over energy shortages and uncertain returns on investment. Simultaneously, a diplomatic compromise facilitated UNESCO's designation of a gold mine on Japan's Sado Island as a World Heritage Site, requiring Japan to acknowledge the forced labor of 1,500 Korean workers even as critics argue the resolution fails to address historical transparency or the gold's role in wartime aggression. Finally, the nicotine pouch brand Zyn has emerged as a cultural symbol within the American political right, with figures like Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene championing the product while public health officials warn of a potential pipeline for youth addiction amid limited evidence of its efficacy as a cessation tool.
- The Economist25 min
The boot is on the other foot: Ukraine’s surprise incursion
Jason Palmer, Oliver Carroll, Sophie Pedder, Paul
Ukrainian forces under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Sirsky have executed a secretive incursion deep into Russian territory, advancing forty kilometers toward Kursk to draw enemy troops away from the Donbass front. Concurrently, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games demonstrated a successful low-cost strategy that achieved a record medal haul for France while avoiding the construction of "white elephant" venues, a model now influencing the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 organizers. Finally, Envisix is introducing the first commercial three-dimensional holographic head-up displays for Cadillac vehicles later this year, a technological shift projected to grow the automotive HUD market to ten billion dollars by 2034.
- The Economist25 min
Expelling mistake: the costs of hardline immigration policy
Jason Palmer, Callum Williams, Ore Ogunbiyi, Max Norman
Rich nations are grappling with a historic migration surge that has shifted public opinion toward stricter deportation policies, despite economic risks of labor shortages and inflationary pressure. Simultaneously, the online dating industry faces growth stagnation and user fatigue, prompting a pivot from mass-market subscriptions to niche identity apps and offline dating solutions. Finally, the Paris Olympics introduces breaking as a one-off youth engagement event, blending its Bronx hip-hop origins with formalized judging criteria while navigating tensions between cultural authenticity and commercial sponsorship.
- The Economist21 min
Arrivals haul: anti-tourism’s folly
Jason Palmer, Corbyn Duncan, Katie Bryant, Annie Crable
Recent analysis projects global tourism arrivals will surpass 2019 levels at 1.5 billion, yet rising anti-tourism sentiment in destinations like Barcelona and Greece is driving policy shifts toward tax hikes and rental restrictions to manage overcrowding and housing costs. Simultaneously, Russia faces its highest casualty rates since the war began, prompting a Kremlin pivot to volunteer recruitment driven by substantial financial incentives while obscuring death tolls through obituary bans. In the consumer technology sector, a growing backlash against smartphone overuse is fueling the revival of "dumb phones" among Gen Z, parents, and tech-savvy individuals seeking to reclaim attention through devices like the Light Phone.
- The Economist26 min
Walz onto the stage: Kamala Harris’s VP pick
Walz, Kamala Harris, Jason Palmer, John Priddo, Gareth Brown, Andrew Palmer
US Democratic nominee Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate to broaden working-class appeal, a strategic move that coincides with her first national polling lead over Donald Trump since October 2023 despite continued deficits in key swing states. Simultaneously, escalating regional tensions in the Middle East have shifted from low-intensity conflict to a risk of full-scale war following the assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, prompting international evacuation advisories from nations including the US, UK, and France. Parallel to these geopolitical and political developments, corporate governance analysis suggests that CEO tenure often exceeds optimal performance windows after roughly 14 years, highlighting the psychological and structural challenges in replacing leaders like Boeing's Dave Calhoun.
- The Economist24 min
More than Sheikh could stick at: Bangladesh’s PM resigns
Sheikh, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Lena Schipper, Don Wineland, Anne Rowe
Following the violent collapse of Bangladesh's 20-year Awami League rule, an interim government led by the President has taken power to release political prisoners and address the unrest sparked by student demands against job quotas and dynastic cronyism. Simultaneously, China solidifies its global leadership in autonomous mobility as Baidu expands its Apollo Go fleet in Wuhan to 1,000 vehicles, aiming for profitability while navigating regulatory competition and local taxi driver resistance. The geopolitical landscape also mourns the legacy of Thomas Neff, the "free agent" diplomat who engineered the 1993 conversion of dismantled Soviet warheads into US nuclear fuel, successfully eliminating 20,000 nuclear weapons through direct economic pragmatism.