Christine Lagarde: “Europe-bashing is “vastly excessive” | The Economist

2026-02-18

Finland is hardly a superpower, but Alexander Stubb, its president, has an outsize role on the world stage. A shared love of golf has helped him build a rapport with Donald Trump. He sits down with David Rennie, The Economist’s geopolitics editor, at the Munich Security Conference to discuss the future of the transatlantic alliance and whether Europe can defend itself without America.

#europe #usa #finland

00:00 – Is the transatlantic alliance over?
01:36 – Are Europe and America’s interests still aligned?
04:24 – Can Europe defend itself without America?
06:21 – Is Finland dependent on America militarily?

Watch the full show: https://econ.st/4aEAUjE
Sign up to the Insider newsletter: https://econ.st/4nOyzIb

Subscribe to The Economist: https://www.economist.com/subscribe

2026-02-14

In the years after Epstein pled guilty to soliciting sex from a minor, he maintained consistent contact with a vast network of rich and powerful figures. The Economist’s data team analysed 1.4m of Epstein’s emails to map their relationships.

2025-12-28

What will the world look like in 2026? From wars in space to a superhuman sporting event, and the battle for America’s 250th birthday celebrations—these are some of the stories that will shape the coming year.

00:00 – The World Ahead 2026
00:21 – Competition in space intensifies
03:14 – Central banks face political pressure
05:56 – A superhuman sporting event
08:49 – The battle for America’s birthday

Read more on The World Ahead 2026: https://econ.st/442AJfi

Military competition in space will intensify: https://econ.st/48Vvv6U

Expect mediocre growth and, in America, too much inflation in the year ahead: https://econ.st/4p6kfL4

The sports tournament where drugs are allowed: https://econ.st/4slOP6n

A divided America celebrates its 250th birthday: https://econ.st/49jkbmj

Watch

2025-12-18

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.

2025-11-05

Trillions of dollars are being poured into artificial intelligence. How does this compare to the booms (or bubbles) of the past? Our deputy editor, Tom Standage and our AI writer, Alex Hern ask whether investors’ big bet might make sense.

Chapters:
00:00 – Why is investment not slowing?
01:09 – Is just one company going to win?
02:51 – Will the AI bubble burst?
03:07 – What will be left if the boom goes bust?
06:18 – The role of open source models

Watch the full show: https://econ.st/3LKmxRP

What to expect if the AI stockmarket blows up: https://econ.st/3WIF8Aa

The battle of AI business models: https://econ.st/4nHFceB

Sign up to the Insider newsletter: https://econ.st/4nOyzIb

2025-11-03

China’s generous local subsidies have helped it dominate high-tech industries such as electric vehicles and solar panels. But they’ve also helped fuel an oversupply of the same goods and a vicious price war. This new phenomenon of “involution” is damaging the country’s economy, as The Economist’s China economics editor, Simon Cox, explains.

2025-11-01

What’s the point of handwriting? Lane Greene, our language correspondent, explains why writing trumps typing when trying to learn.

2025-10-28

Why does China want the war in Ukraine to continue? The EU’s top diplomat tells our geopolitics editor, David Rennie, that China is backing Russia’s war to keep America distracted.