Latest Interviews

Why Trump’s Venezuela oil gamble won’t pay off

Trump, Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Ethan Wu, Mike Bird

Analysts warn that restoring Venezuelan oil production to historical levels requires over $100 billion in investment and sustained global prices above $80 per barrel, conditions currently unmet by market forecasts and compounded by decades of legal instability following expropriations in the 1970s and 2000s. While U.S. Gulf Coast refineries could benefit from a short-term influx of heavy crude, industry experts argue that such a strategy is economically obsolete given America's status as a net energy exporter and the global shift toward decarbonization and renewable technologies. Consequently, the initiative faces a critical divergence between the administration's desire for immediate geopolitical wins and the oil sector's need for long-term property rights security and viable return horizons.

Will humans still fight in future wars?

Shashank Joshi, Torsten Reil

Helsing co-founder Torsten Reil argues that European defense must pivot rapidly toward autonomous systems to counter enemy swarms in future human-free battlefields, citing Russia's successful adaptation and the threat of being outmatched without immediate action. This strategic urgency is reinforced by Germany's tenfold increase in effective spending power and a broader shift in European manufacturing confidence, which positions the continent to lead in counter-swarm innovation despite political volatility in key nations like France and the UK. Consequently, defense investments are increasingly targeting mass autonomous deployments to ensure machines fight machines, thereby eliminating the ethical dilemma of sending personnel into no-go zones while securing European sovereignty.

Why relationships are declining across the world

Jonathan Rosenthal, Sue-Lin Wong, Jason Palmer

Rising global singlehood rates, driven by pandemic-induced social skill deficits and restrictive dating app algorithms, have created a demographic shift where nearly half of young adults remain unpartnered across major economies. This trend exacerbates structural gender divides, fueling the emergence of involuntary celibate movements and feminist backlash while simultaneously reshaping housing demand and accelerating fertility declines. Experts warn that failing to positively redefine masculinity risks entrenching these polarized dynamics, which will significantly impact future social safety nets and political stability.

The most influential books of all time

Ollie, Catherine, Josie DeLapp

Hosts Ollie, Brian Aldiss, Catherine, and Josie DeLapp analyze how foundational texts like *Frankenstein* and *A Room of One's Own* shifted cultural paradigms from divine to human agency while establishing materialist requirements for creativity. The discussion further evaluates *Pride and Prejudice* and the *Harry Potter* series for their economic and social redefinitions of marriage and childhood, noting Rowling's controversial stance on gender as a flashpoint for debating the limits of artistic expression. Ultimately, the dialogue concludes that literature functions as a vital vehicle for conceptualizing the future and preserving human joy against purely ideological critiques.

Four stories to watch out for in 2026

In 2026, the United States will deepen its military competition by deploying the "Golden Dome" defense shield and relying on SpaceX's Starship to maintain orbital dominance amid rising tensions with Russia and China. Domestically, President Trump will challenge central bank independence by nominating a successor to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell who supports lower interest rates, echoing global political pressures on monetary policy. Simultaneously, the nation will grapple with ideological division over its semi-quincentennial as rival commissions organize conflicting celebrations that juxtapose official historical archives with a politicized "America First" agenda, while Las Vegas hosts the controversial Enhanced Games to normalize human performance enhancement.

Why China wants Taiwan

David Rennie, Da Wei

Mainstream Beijing officials dismiss the notion of trading Taiwan for US concessions, viewing the island as a non-negotiable historical necessity that requires decades of patriotic re-education to overcome its democratic identity. While analysts note that Donald Trump's unpredictability creates diplomatic openings to unsettle Taiwanese voters, the prevailing strategy avoids immediate military conflict in favor of a long-term timeline extending 30 to 40 years. Current discourse involves debating Taiwan-specific governance models that differ from the Hong Kong precedent, aiming for a negotiated reunification that extinguishes local democracy without triggering full-scale war.

Geothermal energy’s massive leap forward

Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Alok Jha

Driven by artificial intelligence data center demand and hydraulic fracturing innovations, next-generation Enhanced Geothermal Systems are overcoming historical geological constraints to provide 24/7 firm power. Leading this expansion is Vervo, a startup backed by Bill Gates and Google that recently secured California's largest commercial power purchase contract to generate hundreds of megawatts by 2026. While the U.S. Department of Energy forecasts production exceeding current nuclear output by 2050, realizing this potential requires resolving regulatory complexities regarding seismic supervision and market valuation.

Is China the new superpower?

Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr, Ant, David, Ed, Alice

The analysis examines the People's Liberation Army's advanced regional military capabilities and manufacturing dominance while highlighting severe internal economic stagnation, including three years of deflation and rising youth unemployment. Although China lacks the global projection power of the United States, its strategic focus on national security and superior hypersonic technology positions it to dominate the Indo-Pacific region. Experts conclude that while Beijing will achieve significant geopolitical strength, its long-term stability faces challenges from domestic discontent and an overreliance on foreign markets that it cannot fully control.

How is Russia testing the West?

Gordon Corera, David Rennie

Russia currently perceives itself under a continuum of low-intensity conflict with the West, interpreting Ukrainian strikes as direct aggression while employing hybrid tactics to destabilize Western democracies and undermine the existing international order. While Moscow retains high risk tolerance born of this siege mentality, recent escalations appear tempered by the fear of triggering an all-out war that would contradict its strategic goal of dismantling Western dominance. Simultaneously, China maintains a cautious distance from Russian recklessness to preserve its own economic stability, creating a complex dynamic where global powers calibrate responses to deter adversary activities without sparking accidental escalation.

Why Syria might face another uprising

Gareth Browne, Rosie Blau

President Ahmad al-Shara has secured significant international diplomatic gains and sanctions relief while simultaneously centralizing power through shadow institutions that marginalize the Alawite and Druze communities. This governance strategy has exacerbated sectarian tensions, triggering over 1,500 deaths in recent violence and driving 25,000 former regime affiliates to flee as they organize new insurgencies. Despite restoring civil liberties and dismantling the Assad-era secret police, the administration's failure to provide transitional justice or economic stability threatens to destabilize the state and negate its diplomatic achievements.

Why doesn’t the UK become closer to the EU?

Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr

Analysts predict Prime Minister Starmer will gradually pivot to a pro-EU stance by 2028–2029, driven by strong public support for closer ties that has outlasted the domestic political trauma of Brexit. Concurrently, the government has successfully reduced net migration to approximately 200,000 annually through stricter visa rules, though rising asylum claims continue to fuel a public perception of failing border control. This stabilization of migration figures may enable a political shift toward accepting free movement with the EU within three years, provided internal European instability does not undermine cooperation.

What we know about the Ukraine peace plan

Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr, Olly, Ed, Shashank, Zannie, Chris

Emerging from Geneva talks, a draft treaty to partition Ukraine has evolved from a 28-point plan to an 18-point document featuring relaxed military caps and the potential removal of constitutional bans on NATO membership. While special representative Steve Witkoff allegedly advised Russian negotiators on pressure tactics and leaked communications cast suspicion on the security of the process, key disputes remain regarding the status of Donbass, the enforceability of vague US security guarantees, and the exclusion of European military forces. Analysts warn that despite the removal of restrictive weapon bans, the proposed framework relies on unenforceable terms and creates a strategic vacuum for Ukraine's post-war defense.

Has the world reached “peak Trump”?

Trump, John Bolton, David Rennie

A recent analysis challenges foreign expectations of normalizing Trump's political influence, highlighting instead a diminishing Republican Party grip evidenced by the rejection of filibuster-ending calls and internal revolts over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. While acknowledging significant institutional damage characterized by a "retribution presidency," the speaker asserts that Trump functions more as a destructive force akin to Pompey rather than an authoritarian capable of constitutional seizure. Consequently, the assessment concludes that although current policies require urgent correction, the underlying American system remains resilient enough to eventually repair the damage through sustained effort and long-term democratic stability.

Why pig organ transplants are closer than ever

Emilie Steinmark, Alok Jha, Emily

Faced with a global organ shortage where 90% of candidates die waiting, the medical field has pivoted to genetically engineered pig organs as the primary solution due to their physiological compatibility and scalable breeding. Scientists achieve this by removing pig-specific antigens and inserting human genes to regulate immune responses and functions like blood clotting, creating sterile, custom-fitted organs within a seven-month growth cycle. While initially reserved for specific high-need patients, these bio-engineered transplants aim to eventually surpass the variable quality of human donors and expand access to life-saving treatments.

Why Bangladesh sentenced Sheikh Hasina to death

Sheikh Hasina, Vishnu Padmanabhan, Rosie Blau

An International Crimes Tribunal in Amstead, India, convicted former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death based on evidence of lethal force deployed against civilians during 2023 protests. While the interim government and opposition BNP celebrated the ruling as a step toward justice, Hasina's Awami League condemned the trial as politically motivated and called for a national shutdown amid police dispersals in Dhaka. The verdict has heightened political volatility as India responds to extradition requests without confirming a timeline, leaving the future of Bangladesh's democracy reforms and the upcoming 2026 elections uncertain.