Category Archive: 5) Global Macro

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Geothermal energy’s massive leap forward

2025-12-13

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Could geothermal soon overtake nuclear power? Vijay Vaitheeswaran, our Global energy & climate innovation editor and winner of the Energy Writer of the Year Award 2025, speaks to Alok Jha, host of the Babbage podcast, about long-neglected geothermal energy and the new suite of technologies that could finally see it rolled out across the world. 00:00 — Why Has Geothermal Energy Been So Limited Until Now? 01:25 — What Is Geothermal Energy and...

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Are China’s armed forces a match for America?

2025-12-13

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Is China’s military might strong enough for it to become a superpower? Our editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes, deputy editor Edward Carr and our China experts assess the current state of the country’s armed forces.

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Why is Trump building up forces near Venezuela?

2025-12-12

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President Trump has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela and blown up alleged narco-boats across the Caribbean. What’s behind this escalation of military force? Tap the link in our bio to read why an American oil blockade would devastate the Venezuelan regime.

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Is China the new superpower?

2025-12-12

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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?...

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How is Russia testing the West?

2025-12-10

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Russia’s confrontation with the West isn’t playing out on a traditional battlefield. It’s unfolding through sabotage attempts, cyber operations and political interference—all part of a widening grey-zone conflict. On Inside Defence intelligence expert Gordon Corera joins David Rennie, our geopolitics editor, to explore the Russian mindset and how Western governments should respond. 00:00 - Russia’s siege mentality 01:03 - Sabotage, proxies and...

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Five of our top novels from 2025

2025-12-10

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Excited to settle in with a new book this Christmas? Rachel Lloyd, our deputy culture editor, shares five of our top novels published in 2025. Click the link to see the rest of our top picks: https://econ.st/48Jpf1P

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Why Syria might face another uprising

2025-12-08

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Is an insurgency brewing in Syria? Gareth Browne, our Middle East correspondent, joins Rosie Blau, co-host of The Intelligence podcast, to discuss Syria’s fraught transition one year after Assad’s fall and whether another uprising might be on the horizon. 00:00 – Could Syria face a new insurgency? 00:28 – What fault lines are emerging in Syria? 02:27 – How is the transition feeling on the ground? 03:25 – What are the economic and political...

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Who will rebuild Gaza?

2025-12-08

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Since the ceasefire in Gaza was announced, nothing has been done to rebuild the devastated territory. Our Middle East editor, Josie Delap, looks at how much reconstruction could cost, and who might foot the bill.

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Why is America ramping up executions?

2025-12-06

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Why are more Americans being executed? Rebecca Jackson, our Southern correspondent, and Rosie Blau, co-host of The Intelligence podcast, discuss how politicians and the Supreme Court have helped usher in a new era of capital punishment. Chapters: 00:00 - Why is America increasing the number of executions? 00:57 - Do Americans actually support executions anymore? 01:40 - If public support is low, what's driving the surge in executions? 03:06 -...

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Will anything stop the rise of gold?

2025-12-06

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The price of gold reached record levels in October 2025. The Economist's commodities editor, Matthieu Favas, explains why the assumption that gold is a "safe haven" may not fully explain the surge.

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

2025-12-05

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Britain wants stronger growth—but politics keeps getting in the way. Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr and our Britain team unpack why closer EU ties remain difficult, how migration shapes the debate and whether the UK could ever rejoin the single market. 00:00 - Why not get closer to Europe? 02:10 - What is really happening with immigration 05:05 - How British voters feel about immigration Watch the full show: https://econ.st/49ZXvIH Read...

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Keir Starmer on the threat to centrist politics

2025-12-05

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The Labour party stormed to victory in last year’s UK general election, following a long period in the political wilderness, but their popularity has collapsed since they took office. Like their European counterparts, they are facing pressure from the left and right. Our editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes sat down with Keir Starmer, the prime minister, to discuss his plans to address the country’s problems and what he makes of the rise of the...

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Why hasn’t Keir Starmer made bigger reforms?

2025-12-04

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The Economist's editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, pushes Keir Starmer on why he hasn't made bigger reforms, given the pressure Britain's Labour party is under from the populist right-wing.

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Keir Starmer: Reform UK is “pro-Putin”

2025-12-04

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Sir Keir Starmer called Reform UK, Nigel Farage’s populist right-wing party, “pro-Putin or Putin-neutral”. In an interview with The Economist's editor-in-chief, @ZannyMintonBeddoes, Britain’s embattled prime minister said a Reform government would harm Britain and potentially break the West. The full interview will be available to watch at 4pm UK time. Click the link to watch: https://www.economist.com/insider

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Keir Starmer on the dangers posed by Reform

2025-12-04

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Britain’s prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has told The Economist that the populist right-wing Reform UK party would "tear our country apart" if they came to power. Speaking to our editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, the prime minister said he believes that his government is the last chance for centrist politics in Britain. The full interview will be available to watch at 6pm UK time at https://www.economist.com/insider

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A rare look inside Iran

2025-12-03

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Arrested as he tried to leave Iran, Nicolas Pelham, The Economist's Middle East correspondent, was detained for seven weeks in 2019. Now the regime has invited him back.

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How India is rewriting the AI playbook

2025-12-03

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India is taking a different path on AI. It is embedding AI models built by Indian universities in the government tech stack. On the latest episode of Inside Tech, Tom Standage and Alex Hern explain how India’s approach works and why it stands out globally. 00:00 - Why India’s AI strategy stands out 01:12 - Why language is important 03:05 - What India’s experiment means for global AI Watch the full show: https://econ.st/4iyEJu7 How can a...

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The best non-fiction books of 2025

2025-12-01

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Looking for a Christmas present for a bookworm in your life? Rachel Lloyd, our deputy culture editor, shares five of our favourite non-fiction books of 2025.

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Is Russia now winning the war in Ukraine?

2025-12-01

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Plagued by corruption and weakened on the battlefield, Ukraine now risks being beaten at the negotiating table. If it does not show that it is willing to talk peace, it risks losing American support. Zanny Minton Beddoes, our editor-in-chief, and Edward Carr, deputy editor, and a panel of our experts dissect the latest peace plan and what it means for Ukraine. #ukraine #russia

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What we know about the Ukraine peace plan

2025-12-01

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Plagued by corruption and weakened on the battlefield, Ukraine now risks being beaten at the negotiating table, too. If it does not show that it is willing to talk peace, it risks losing American support. Zanny Minton Beddoes, our editor-in-chief, and Edward Carr, deputy editor, and a panel of our experts dissect the latest peace plan and what it means for Ukraine. 00:00 - What we know about the negotiations 03:30 - Who leaked the Steve...

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