Latest Interviews
Showing 76–90 of 124 transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist25 min
Follow the leader: who will run Hamas?
Rosie Bloor, Gareth Brown, Rebecca Jackson, Anne Rowe
Following the killing of Yahya Sinwar in Gaza, Hamas faces a critical leadership vacuum while weighing a transitional council against potential successors like the Iran-aligned Khalil al-Hayya or the Turkey-aligned Khalid Mashal. Concurrently, Kamala Harris navigates a fragile Georgia election strategy amidst significant erosion of Black male support, countering economic anxieties with policy proposals on housing and the child tax credit. Meanwhile, the death of Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen closes the chapter on a decades-long power struggle that destabilized Turkey's institutions through a vast network of schools and the fallout from the failed 2016 coup attempt.
- The Economist28 min
War or less? Lebanon on the brink
Greg Karlstrom, Jason, Rebecca Jackson, Mark Robinson, Kunal Patel, Claire Reid, Alyssia Burrell, Dasha, Harriet Noble, Margot Alexander, Jiehao Chen, David Rennie, Mr. Wu, Sam Western
Israel has escalated its aerial campaign against Hezbollah by targeting northern Lebanon, prompting ballistic missile strikes on Tel Aviv and raising fears of an imminent ground invasion alongside a severe humanitarian crisis involving over 90,000 displaced persons. Simultaneously, diplomatic efforts by the US and France to secure a three-week ceasefire have stalled due to conflicting strategic demands regarding Gaza and the Litani River. In a separate development, the US North Carolina gubernatorial race has been destabilized by a sex scandal involving Republican candidate Mark Robinson, creating significant electoral volatility in this key swing state.
- The Economist28 min
Beyond the bullets: we go to Ukraine
Andriy Khlyvnyuk, Jason, Oliver Carroll, Sarah Larniuk, Yevhen Klopotenko
Two-and-a-half years into Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine contends with critical military pressures on the Pokrovsk front and a controversial Kursk incursion that has emboldened allies while straining domestic reinforcements. Simultaneously, the nation is undergoing a profound cultural renaissance that rejects post-Soviet identity through government bans on Russian media, the resurgence of traditional fashion, and culinary initiatives championed by Chef Yevhen Klopotenko to reclaim Ukrainian heritage. Despite these symbolic victories and the mobilization of folk traditions, civilians face relentless energy attacks and deep-seated anxieties regarding long-term economic stability and post-war survival.
- 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 Economist24 min
Yuan direction: Chinese firms head south
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Tom Lee Devlin, Wendell Stevenson, Tom Nuttall
Amidst domestic growth headwinds and Western protectionism, Chinese firms are aggressively expanding into the Global South by establishing local factories and leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative, a strategy that challenges Western manufacturers' competitiveness. Concurrently, Russian military campaigns have intensified attacks on Ukraine's diverse energy infrastructure, forcing the nation to rely on imported Soviet-era components and diesel generators while navigating a paradox between immediate thermal needs and long-term nuclear or renewable goals. In Europe, the Döner kebab continues to evolve from a 1970s migrant adaptation into a complex cultural symbol marked by distinct national identities, cross-cultural re-exportation, and emerging regulatory disputes over quality standards.
- The Economist25 min
Joe of good faith: Biden bows out
Joe, Biden, Kamala Harris, Dr Ruth, Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, John Priddo, Leo Morani, Anne Rowe, Jerry
Following a debate performance that eroded public confidence, President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 race and immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, positioning her to potentially become the first female president despite her lack of a proven national election record. While political analysts warn that the public still associates Harris with Biden's approval ratings and note her previous unsuccessful primary run, the party faces a competitive field led by governors and senators before the mid-August convention. Concurrently, the administration's legacy remains precarious as the upcoming election could overshadow recent legislative victories in climate and economic recovery, leaving the Democratic strategy to pivot on whether a competent opponent can capitalize on Donald Trump's polarizing nature.
- The Economist20 min
An assassination attempt: what next for America?
Rosie Bloor, Idris Kahloun, Daniel Franklin
Former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally in which the gunman was killed by Secret Service agents, resulting in one attendee's death and critical injuries to two others. While President Joe Biden temporarily halted attack ads and called for national unity, the event triggered immediate partisan maneuvering that forced both campaigns to recalibrate their messaging strategies ahead of the 2024 election. Historical analysis suggests this crisis will momentarily consolidate support for Trump and stall Democratic succession rumors, though polling indicates the fundamental election trajectory remains largely unchanged despite the intense polarization.
- The Economist23 min
Change of heart surgeon: Iran’s reformist president
Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Nicholas Pelham, Kerryyn Richmond-Jones, Anjani Trivedi
Reformist heart surgeon Massoud Pezeshkian secured the Iranian presidency with 16 million votes following the fatal helicopter crash of Ebrahim Raisi, promising social liberalization and Western negotiations while navigating deep public distrust and hardline security constraints. Simultaneously, Ukraine faces a critical $20 billion private debt deadline as a negotiation deadlock between proposed 60% and 22% write-downs threatens default amidst a shrinking economy and uncertain post-war outlook. In a contrasting shift of capital flows, over 7,000 global millionaires selected Dubai as their primary destination this year, drawn by tax advantages and regulatory transparency following the UAE's exit from the FATF grey list.
- The Economist23 min
Leader of the package: Amazon turns 30
Rosie Bloor, Guy Scriven, Lena Shipper, Josh Spencer
At its 30th anniversary, Amazon surpassed a $2 trillion market cap while facing intensified antitrust litigation from the US Federal Trade Commission over its dominant retail and cloud positions. Simultaneously, India's National Testing Agency suspended its head and ordered retests for millions after a medical entrance exam scandal revealed massive cheating that exposed deep social mobility gaps. In a separate economic shift, China's durian imports from Southeast Asia tripled to $7 billion, transforming the fruit into a luxury commodity while raising geopolitical concerns regarding trade dependency.
- The Economist23 min
Labour-saving: Britain’s probable next leader
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Matthew Holhouse, Tamara Jilkes-Boer, Carla Subrana-Artus
Following a 2019 landslide victory for the Conservatives, *The Economist* has endorsed Keir Starmer's restructured Labour Party to address weak economic growth through centrist policies and internal reforms. Meanwhile, U.S. schools face a contentious debate over smartphone bans driven by distraction and learning loss, complicated by parental security demands and enforcement challenges. In the financial sector, a 120% surge in art-secured lending since 2019 allows collectors to leverage holdings against rising interest rates, with institutions like Sotheby's leading $700 million asset-backed securities initiatives.
- The Economist26 min
Argentina turning? Milei’s surprising political success
Milei, Birubala Rabha, Rosie Bloor, Kinley Salmon, Anne Rowe
President Javier Milei recently secured passage of two controversial economic bills requiring the Vice President's casting vote, granting emergency powers to privatize state firms and attract foreign investment while facing severe social backlash from protesters. Although the administration has achieved monthly surpluses and lowered default risk through drastic austerity measures, the country remains in recession with uncertain inflation trends and unresolved currency strategies that have drawn criticism from the International Monetary Fund. Simultaneously, the UK Conservative Party faces a potential electoral "punishment beating" driven by election betting scandals and voter anger over institutional dishonesty, creating a multi-front assault on their parliamentary majorities from Labour, Reform UK, and the Liberal Democrats.
- The Economist26 min
A real work of peace? An Israel-Hamas deal
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Anshul Pfeffer, Max Norman, Vingeru Nkandawire
US and regional mediators are advancing a three-stage peace proposal that officially includes a full ceasefire, yet the plan faces severe obstacles from Israel's fractured war cabinet following the resignation of Benny Gantz and Hamas's insistence on unconditional guarantees. Concurrently, a statistical analysis reveals a systematic bias against right-wing authors on the New York Times bestseller list, with conservative titles appearing significantly less frequently regardless of sales volume, challenging claims of editorial neutrality. Meanwhile, the UK non-alcoholic beverage sector is experiencing rapid sales growth but remains hampered by strict regulatory definitions that lag behind international standards and hinder consumer clarity.
- The Economist25 min
One dam thing after another? Ukraine and reconstruction
Rosie Bloor, Oliver Jones, Avantika Chilkoti, Anne Rowe
One year after Russia's destruction of the Khovka Dam flooded an area the size of Kiev and displaced one million people, Ukraine faces stalled reconstruction in four active front-line oblasts while prioritizing critical water infrastructure over immediate dam replacement. In India, Narendra Modi's loss of a single-party majority forces the long-reinvented leader to adapt his coalition style after ending his English-language interview ban, a strategy shift following his 2007 confrontation with Karan Thapar. Meanwhile, Cambridge Egyptologist Barry Kemp's death at 84 concludes a four-decade excavation of Amarna that disproved total societal conversion to Akhenaten's monotheism and revived the memory of a city lost for three millennia.
- The Economist28 min
The Intelligence: Rishi Sunak’s report card
Rishi Sunak, Jason Palmer, Ora Ogunbiyi, Matthew Holhouse, Ana Lankas, Katrin Braik
Britain's July 4th general election concludes Rishi Sunak's technocratic yet polarizing tenure, pitting a disunited Conservative Party struggling with a twenty-point polling deficit against a disciplined Labour opposition amidst a global security landscape resembling the Cold War. Concurrently, Latin America faces a homicide crisis driven by shifting drug markets, prompting Ecuador to adopt El Salvador's "iron fist" military strategies despite expert warnings that the region's wealthy, diversified gangs differ fundamentally from the impoverished extortion networks previously targeted. In a third distinct domain, climate-induced ice melt is altering the Earth's rotation by redistributing mass toward the equator, a phenomenon that temporarily offsets core-driven acceleration and delays the technical need for a negative leap second in global timekeeping systems.
- The Economist6 min
Inside El Salvador’s war on crime
El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele has implemented a nationwide security strategy that has imprisoned approximately 70,000 individuals, primarily young men detained on circumstantial evidence through group trials that bypass standard due process. This campaign has effectively dismantled democratic checks by purging the judiciary and gagging press coverage, yet it retains approval ratings between 80% and 90% by eliminating gang intimidation in exchange for a police state environment. Minister Gustavo Villatoro explicitly defended these measures as prioritizing citizen safety over human rights protocols while projecting a model where public popularity is sustained through the erosion of civil liberties.