How effective is the war on drugs in Colombia? | The Economist

2026-02-05

Is the internet helping cults thrive? The Economist’s News editor, Carla Subirana Artús, and co-host of The Intelligence podcast, Rosie Blau, explore how social media has helped cults gain large numbers of new followers.

00:00 – How is the internet changing how cults operate?
01:06 – How many cults actually exist today?
02:06 – What actually is a cult?
04:57 – How dangerous are online cults?
05:31 – What can be done to stop cults?

Listen to the full episode: https://econ.st/4agEboW
Social media are helping cults to recruit and control members: https://econ.st/4adXmzH
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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.

2025-12-17

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

2025-12-10

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 grey-zone tactics
02:05 – Why deterrence no longer works

Watch the full show: https://econ.st/44SuJ9r

Read our coverage on how Russia is testing the West: https://econ.st/4pVzRCD

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

2025-10-29

How could Russia win off the battlefield? The EU’s top diplomat and our geopolitics editor, David Rennie, discuss how Putin could achieve his objectives if Ukraine becomes a failed democracy. Kaja Kallas says democracy in Ukraine is not perfect, and it would need further reform to become a member of the European Union.

2025-10-22

Where are China’s missing moguls? Since the start of the year, 39 Chinese business leaders have vanished into Liuzhi—a detention system created as part of Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption crackdown. Don Weinland, our China business and finance editor and Rosie Blau, co-host of The Intelligence podcast, discuss the extent of these sinister disappearances.

00:00 – Chinese bosses are being detained
00:50 – What is the Liuzhi detention system
02:08 – How many CEOs have disappeared?
03:14 – Why is Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign increasing
05:15 – How else are businessmen being persecuted?
06:43 – High suicide rates among Chinese businessmen

Listen to the full episode: https://econ.st/4osBCph
China’s disappearing bosses: https://econ.st/47uNWjf
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2025-09-08

Across the Pacific, America is preparing for a possible war with China. Our diplomatic editor, Anton La Guardia, travelled to Tinian to explore why islands like it could play a decisive role.

2025-09-01

China’s President Xi Jinping is playing host to over 20 world leaders, welcoming autocrats such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. A more surprising addition to the guest list is India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our foreign editor explains how Donald Trump’s chaotic trade war is pushing America’s friends towards China.

#donaldtrump #putin #xijinping #modi #china #india