Why are Pakistan and Afghanistan at war?

2026-01-26

Rare earths are integral to modern daily life, yet China has a near-monopoly on them. Could anything break its grip? And are there any alternatives for these critical metals?

Video supported by @mishcondereya

00:00 – What are rare earths?
00:37 – Where are they found?
00:50 – China’s control of the market
01:42 – Why this is causing a problem
02:33 – Diversifying rare-earth sources
03:06 – Recycling existing rare earths
03:53 – Alternative materials
04:33 – Consistent investment is needed

A visual guide to critical materials and rare earths: https://econ.st/49CGZwk

The rare-earth industry needs more than Trumpian deals: https://econ.st/49B7yls

China’s power over rare earths is not as great as it seems: https://econ.st/4aZQesT

How to build strong magnets without rare-earth metals:

2026-01-22

The dollar has been the world’s primary reserve currency for the best part of a century. But as the alliances and institutions that underpin America’s dominance wither, could the currency lose its privileged position? Rachana Shanbhogue, The Economist’s business-affairs editor, and Henry Curr, economics editor, are joined in Davos by economists Gita Gopinath and Kenneth Rogoff. Together they assess the dollar’s vulnerabilities and ask what could take its place.

00:00 – When and why did the dollar start to decline?
02:40 – How does democratic backsliding impact America’s currency?
03:40 – The risks to the financial system
04:36 – Why the dollar remains resilient
05:21 – Could the euro replace the dollar?

Watch the full show: https://econ.st/4a21YKt

This time really is different for

2025-12-08

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.

2025-12-01

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.

2025-11-26

“They should be scared.” John Bolton, the US President’s former national security adviser, says Donald Trump would sell out Taiwan for a trade deal with China.

2025-11-21

Nicolas Pelham, our Middle East correspondent, and Adam Roberts, our digital editor, are just back from a rare reporting trip to Tehran. They join our top editors in the studio to discuss the future of the Islamic Republic. After 46 years of theocracy and a brief but bruising 12-day-war, where does power now lie? And with the prospects of a succession crisis, has Iran been permanently weakened—or is it storing up trouble?

00:00 – Has Iran’s defence strategy failed?
01:09 – Who could be the next supreme leader?
03:51 – Can the regime survive for another five years?
04:59 – How Iranian society is changing
06:21 – What could prevent the opening of Iranian society

Watch the full show: https://econ.st/4r9mmzX

An interview with Iran’s foreign minister: https://econ.st/43HWDEL

2025-10-16

Germany’s hard-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is more popular than ever. One in four Germans now support it. Yet despite its rise, the party remains shut out of power.

2025-10-10

As celebrations continue over the ceasefire in Gaza, a number of crucial questions remain: will Hamas give up its weapons? How will the transitional authority work? And what does this mean on the ground for Gazans? The Economist’s editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, sat down with the paper’s experts to discuss the merits and pitfalls of Trump’s plan.

Watch the full discussion here: https://econ.st/4obWt04