Category Archive: 5) Global Macro

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Why China wants Taiwan

2025-12-24

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Reporting on China is challenging. The country’s leaders seldom give interviews to Western media and when they do they tend to stick to prepared official lines. To understand China, journalists rely on well-connected academics who know the workings and worldview of the Communist Party. The Economist’s Geopolitics editor, David Rennie, speaks to one of China’s shrewdest experts on America, Da Wei. He is a professor and director of the Centre for...

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Who are the real screen addicts?

2025-12-24

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Do you think kids spend too much time on their phones? You might be worrying about the wrong age group. Tom Wainwright, our media editor, reveals which generation is the most square-eyed.

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Can you really trust online reviews?

2025-12-23

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Can online reviews actually be trusted? Rosie Blau, co-host of The Intelligence podcast and Andrew Palmer, host of the Boss Class podcast, discuss how consumers can navigate the subjective world of customer ratings. 00:00 - What was the last online review you used? 00:45 - Can you trust an online review? 01:44 - Have researchers looked at how reliable online reviews are? 02:47 - What types of reviews can we rely on? 04:23 - Are there...

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Why do we use slang?

2025-12-22

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Why are phrases like delulu, 67 and hanky panky popular? Lane Greene, our language correspondent, delves into why people love to use slang.

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Why this crypto crash is different

2025-12-19

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Cryptocurrencies have gone mainstream this year, with more people than ever owning digital assets. The Trump administration created the first legal framework for stablecoins; a move widely welcomed by the industry. However, concerns about money laundering, the evasion of sanctions and what this all means for monetary policy persist. Our top economics and finance editors dissect what's been happening. 00:00 - How crypto went mainstream 00:40 -...

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Why this crypto crash is different

2025-12-19

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Crypto is no stranger to volatility. But since hitting record highs in October, bitcoin has plunged more than 30%. Our Wall Street editor, Mike Bird, explains why this correction is different from the others.

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Is it possible to disagree agreeably?

2025-12-19

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The Economist’s editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, explores the power of arguing in schools. economistfoundation.org/donate

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Inside China’s mini-Hollywood

2025-12-18

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Micro-dramas may only be a few minutes long, but they are crammed with racy plot lines and taboo topics. Don Weinland, The Economist's China business and finance editor, visited one of the largest production studios to see behind the scenes of this popular industry.

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Britain’s political system is struggling

2025-12-17

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

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The mega-rich have a new obsession

2025-12-15

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The mega-rich are giving up on luxury assets. Forget fine wine, great art and glitzy mansions. Instead, they’re spending on hotels, restaurants and sporting events. The Economist’s senior economics writer, Callum Williams, explores the growth in ultra-luxury services. Tap the link to learn why working as a housekeeper in Palm Beach in Florida can now net you more than $150,000 a year

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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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