Latest Interviews
Showing 1–9 of 9 transcripts.
Clear all filters- 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 Economist23 min
Sects and balances: a violent flare-up in Syria
Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Gareth Brown, Josh Roberts, Tim Cross
Following the December fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, a violent insurrection led by a former Alawite military council has triggered widespread sectarian killings in Syria's coastal heartland, severely testing Ahmed al-Shara's new government as it struggles to control radical factions while racing against a thirty-day deadline to investigate atrocities. Simultaneously, a global financial pivot is occurring as soaring borrowing costs and maturing low-rate mortgages reverse the investment calculus that previously favored equities, compelling homeowners to prioritize debt repayment over market exposure. In the aerospace sector, Albedo Space is disrupting the market by deploying a commercial satellite constellation in Very Low Earth Orbit to deliver ten-centimeter resolution imagery at one-tenth the cost of military systems, aiming to democratize high-fidelity surveillance for both commercial and limited governmental applications.
- The Economist23 min
With this ring: Trump and Putin omit Ukraine
Trump, Putin, Rosie Bloor, Shashank Joshi, Rachel Lloyd
In a significant geopolitical shift, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin initiated direct diplomatic talks to end the Ukraine war, with a newly formed US negotiating team excluding Ukraine and European allies while signaling a move away from NATO membership guarantees. Simultaneously, the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group captured the eastern Congolese city of Goma, prompting a regional military escalation and raising concerns about further advances toward Kinshasa despite a lack of immediate negotiation prospects. In the cultural sector, the *Bridget Jones* franchise is returning with a fourth film that explores themes of bereavement and relatable imperfection, continuing the series' legacy of commercial success and social relevance over two decades.
- The Economist26 min
As a next resort: Trump’s vision for Gaza
Trump, Binyamin Netanyahu, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Anshul Pfeffer, Avantika Chilkoti
Donald Trump's proposal to economically redevelop the Gaza Strip by relocating its two million Palestinians has drawn immediate rejection from Arab foreign ministers and the governments of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, while garnering ecstatic support from Israeli far-right figures. Analysts widely characterize the plan as practically unfeasible and morally indefensible, suggesting it may serve as a political distraction for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rather than a viable diplomatic strategy. Simultaneously, rising tensions over the 1943–1944 Volhynia massacres threaten to strain Poland-Ukraine relations, while global baby industry spending surges despite demographic shifts and economic constraints.
- The Economist24 min
The Peking order: Can China’s army surpass the US?
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Shashank Joshi, Avantika Chalkoti, Anne Rowe
At the Zhuhai Airshow, China officially debuted the J-35A stealth fighter and new drone vessels while signaling a strategic pivot toward quality over quantity to achieve military parity with the US by 2049. Despite retaining advantages in carrier experience and AI, American forces face a narrowing gap in hypersonic capabilities and vertical launch system numbers that analysts predict China will surpass by 2026. Concurrently, the global luxury e-commerce sector is undergoing a contraction driven by macroeconomic pressures, prompting major players like Farfetch and Net-a-Porter to be sold or restructured as consumers shift toward in-store experiences and direct brand channels.
- 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 Economist24 min
Keir eye for the FDI: an interview with Britain’s PM
Keir Starmer, Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Matthew Holhouse, Jeff Carr, Rebecca Jackson
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer launched an International Investment Summit aiming to reverse the UK's decades-long low investment status by streamlining bureaucracy and integrating the Office for Investment directly into Number 10 under Poppy Gustafson. While the strategy offers planning reforms and policy predictability to attract capital, it simultaneously introduces stricter labor market regulations and potential capital taxes through the Employment Rights Bill and October budget. This economic pivot seeks to balance investor needs with worker protections to stimulate productivity, though critics note the risks of a more regulated environment offsetting planning benefits.
- The Economist19 min
Ground assault: Israeli forces invade Lebanon
Rosie Bloor, Greg Karlstrom, Noah Snyder, Andrew Palmer
Israel has initiated a targeted ground incursion into southern Lebanon to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and facilitate the return of displaced residents, a move supported by the Biden administration only under strict conditions of limited scope. Simultaneously, Japan's political landscape has shifted as Ishiba Shigeru secured the prime ministership through an unprecedented nine-way contest, signaling a pivot toward conservative liberal policies despite facing an unstable coalition. While these geopolitical maneuvers reshape regional stability, separate corporate commentary highlights the detrimental impact of mandatory "sandwich lunches" on workplace efficiency and employee well-being.
- The Economist26 min
Spring a leaker: Assange goes free
Assange, Peter Navarro, Donald Trump, Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Shashank Joshi, Simon Rabinovich, Varinia Sardines, Lizzie Peet, Mei Liao, Melanie Bartelm, Becca Milstein
Former Wikileaks founder Julian Assange secured a plea deal with the United States to avoid prison time for disclosing classified documents on Iraq, Afghanistan, and the 2016 election, ending a seven-year legal saga that raised concerns over journalistic freedom under the Espionage Act. In the realm of economic policy, former Trump advisor Peter Navarro is championing a protectionist agenda for a potential second administration that prioritizes aggressive global tariffs over subsidies to counter Chinese influence, despite widespread expert criticism regarding the inflationary impact on consumers. Simultaneously, a luxury shift in the American food market has rebranded canned fish as a premium consumer good, driven by social media influencers and nostalgic packaging to push sales of high-end tins to over $3 billion while challenging traditional perceptions of canned goods as mere hardship rations.