What is the American “kill line”? | The Economist

2026-02-13

Japan’s prime minister, Takaichi Sanae, bet big – and won bigger – when she called a snap election, which she won emphatically on 8th February. But who is she? How will she use her historic mandate to reshape her country’s international role? And why has she received criticism from China? Our top editors explain.

#japan #china #foreignpolicy #defence #diplomacy

00:00 – Who is Japan’s new prime minister?
01:58 – What are her big promises?
02:58 – Japan’s approach to defence spending
06:00 – Japan’s tricky relationship with China

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2026-02-03

Almost 70% of the world’s cocaine is made in Colombia and its president, Gustavo Petro, is under pressure from Donald Trump to crack down on the war on drugs. Claire McQue, The Economist’s Latin America contributor, joined one of the raids to destroy a cocaine-producing laboratory.

#trump #colombia #drugs #petro

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2026-01-30

“The most important power a government has is its monopoly on violence”—Edward Carr, our deputy editor, explains why he thinks this is a monumental moment for American democracy.

On the latest Insider show, our editors discuss the killings in Minneapolis and why what happens next is a test of Donald Trump’s power.

2025-12-17

The Economist has crunched the data to analyse how chaotic the next general election could be.

2025-12-12

It has been a good year for China. The country is winning its trade war with America. China is mastering new technologies and becoming an even more fearsome competitor in global markets.

Zanny Minton Beddoes, our editor-in-chief, and deputy editor Edward Carr sit down with our top China experts to assess what—if anything—could halt China’s rise.

00:00 – How strong are China’s armed forces?
03:02 – What could undermine the Chinese economy?
05:07 – The threat from China’s population
08:41 – Will China be the new superpower?

Watch the full show: https://econ.st/4oMaxxe

Why China is winning the trade war: https://econ.st/4iVifDY

How America could end up making China great again: https://econ.st/4awcf2r

China knows how to punish countries that offend it: https://econ.st/48B9YS8

2025-10-30

Zohran Mamdani says he will fix New York City’s problems by taxing the rich to fund a fairer city. But there’s a problem with that plan, as our Wall Street editor, Mike Bird, explains.

2025-10-23

Steve Bannon insists that Donald Trump will be president again for a third term in 2028 — and that America needs him to.

Bannon, one of the chief architects of the MAGA movement, spoke to Zanny Minton Beddoes, our editor-in-chief, and Ed Carr, our deputy editor, in Washington, DC.

At The Economist, we believe it is important to engage seriously with people whose ideas challenge our own. The ideas Mr Bannon champions are gaining traction across America and beyond.

Watch the full interview on Thursday, October 23rd at 6pm London time at www.economist.com/insider

2025-10-15

Looking for your next book to read this autumn? Rachel Lloyd, our deputy culture editor, shares five of our favourite novels that have been published recently. To see the rest of our top picks, click the link: https://econ.st/4q8uwrG