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

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