Our weekly podcast on democracy in America. This week, Donald Trump asserts his power in the Americas.

Start-up limits use of image generation system to paid users following spread of deepfakes and child sex abuse material

Bolívar has fallen nearly 20% on black market, after US capture of President Maduro

The row illuminates the role of art in divisive times

America’s child-care gender gap is narrowing rapidly

Public sector reform should be easiest for Labour to do, precisely because it is Labour

An exclusive look at how we designed our cover

Delcy Rodríguez called building a socialist state her “personal revenge”. Now Donald Trump wants to “run” her country

Latest sign labour market is cooling after years of strong growth

As demand for luxury watches has rocketed, the business has become beset by skulduggery

Our daily political update, featuring the stories that matter

Also on the daily podcast: how China will flex its muscles abroad in 2026 and remembering a physicist whose life was cut short 

Shops, pharmacies and music venues want any climbdown on business rates for pubs to apply to them too.

The titles on this list explore violence, from the perspectives of both villain and victim

Rokos Capital returned 31% in 2024 following wild swings in equity, bond and commodity markets

Maduro’s capture leaves Putin’s costly plans to build an anti-US bulwark in Latin America in tatters

Researchers point to a grocers’ favourite

Our podcast on markets, the economy and business. This week, why it doesn’t always make sense to “drill, baby, drill”

The fusion pioneer died from gunshot wounds on December 16th, aged 47

A new book offers an engrossing chronicle of a tumultuous period

The Golden Globes honour podcasts where stars praise each other

The Peter principle is alive and well

Prices are rocketing for an essential component

Audio shows are switching on their cameras in search of new audiences

Economic woes are accelerating a trend of divestments

The internet has replaced door-to-door evangelists with online influencers

The number of people in China’s towns and cities is in decline

It won’t change China’s calculus but is a case study for “decapitation” strikes

Lurid scandals have rocked the country’s powerful Buddhist institutions

Even her name is a matter of debate

But it is time, not elections, that Uganda’s president most fears

Who exactly is allowed to get sloshed?

The Republican majority leader in the Senate is under pressure

The government may be more responsible than the operator

In a world of payment apps and digital euros, the coin is staging a modest comeback

Shutting down Russian-language broadcasting is a gift to the Kremlin

France’s sorry spectacle of another year without a budget

Albin Kurti’s win improves relations with the EU, though not with Serbia

But who is prepared to pour even more money into making the country safe?

Docklands is a corner of England that is forever Maggieland 

The latest reading from our Starmer tracker

The Labour Party and its rivals agree on much about what is wrong with government

Also this week, populism, translating the Bible, cats, business hotels, Brigitte Bardot

The budgetary impasse is just one symptom of collective political uselessness

It is changing the way drugs are discovered and tested

Yes—but it is not what populist politicians say it is

Manipur is a warning for the rest of the country

A hit Apple TV show offers useful lessons

Also on the daily podcast: what the oil uncertainties mean for Cuba and our prediction about World Cup attendance

Protectionism is failing to revive manufacturing

That will be bad for America—and everyone else

Our daily political update, featuring the stories that matter

But the president’s claim of dominance over the western hemisphere may backfire

The economy is unduly reliant on a handful of conglomerates

Dutch reforms will push up borrowing costs across the continent

A killing in Minneapolis is part of a dangerous pattern

Oil majors, hedge funds, Chinese lenders—all have a stake

They started rebuilding in 2025, before Donald Trump’s most recent bid for hemispheric dominance

Artificial intelligence promises to transform how and where things are made

Salt licks are a good option

The latest satellites are flat and circular

Make the semi-desert bloom by enridging it

Donald Trump is determined to enforce its oil blockade

Our podcast on science and technology. This week, the space scientist and author takes us on a tour of the universe’s most intriguing places

Sometimes it is right, for the wrong reasons

They explain the country’s slide from democracy to dictatorship

He has credible legal defences but diplomacy may be his best shot

But American-led peace proposals threaten to hand it to Russia

From the Declaration of Independence to the rise of Donald Trump, we assess America’s complicated relationship with its founding ideals

Comparing polls before and after the capture of Nicolás Maduro reveals a sharp turn in Donald Trump’s base

Much depends on long-term interest rates

Why the world will miss hypocrisy in American foreign policy

Our daily political update, featuring the stories that matter

Also on the daily podcast: the new jobs that AI will create and why 2026 may represent “peak wine”

Why scientists in Cambridge are "optimistic" they can improve our lives and the UK economy in 2026.

It has been decades since the industry relished foreign-policy entanglements

But Russian grey-zone attacks may not be the only reason for outages

Liam Taylor, a contributor in Africa, reflects on his time at a site of gold—and tragedy

Some Republicans fret about a quagmire, and the president’s contempt for democracy

The document was written for America’s most challenging moments

The historian explains why parties are proof of democratic health, despite being widely loathed

Donald Trump’s tariffs have hurt the factories they were meant to protect

Labour’s policy is a muddle. But critics’ talk of a North Sea renaissance is fanciful

Our weekly podcast on China. How a mine in Guinea could help China break out of its iron ore chokehold

Our recommendations for both beginners and experts

The democratic opposition is left out in the cold

They are being mixed into coffee, cocktails and chocolate

The tactical success of his operation in Caracas appears to have whetted Donald Trump’s appetite for intervention

Also on the daily podcast: questioning the dollar’s reserve-currency status and shoddy truths about lush handbags

Our daily political update, featuring the stories that matter

Shashank Joshi, our defence editor, digs into the details

Leaders in Greenland and Denmark are in shock. Is the president serious? 

It is a dangerous attitude for an ageing country that needs more immigrants

Wishing otherwise, as Donald Trump does, is delusional

In Florida Nicolás Maduro’s arrest brings cheers and chills

It is not a template for Taiwan but a reality check on China’s global power

It will transform how medicines are created—and the industry itself

John le Carré’s enthralling character saves the show’s shaky second season  

Excited Cuban exiles are comparing the capture of Nicolás Maduro to the fall of the Berlin Wall

Also on the daily podcast: how the games industry plans to flex in 2026

Our daily political update, featuring the stories that matter

Without greatly improved capabilities, it must hope for a short war

Sciences Po Saint-Germain near Paris trains current French secret agents and potential new recruits.

The African Great Lakes are becoming one of the most crowded places in the world

Putin is trying ever harder to freeze Kyiv into submission

One hundred years ago, Britain changed for good

Donald Trump’s ambitions are expansive. His plans are limited

The regime that was led by Nicolás Maduro may well prove tricky to control 

Operation Absolute Resolve was a textbook success

Snatching Nicolás Maduro and attempting to take control of Venezuela and its oil is an extraordinary display of the new “Donroe doctrine”

After months of military build up, an overnight bombing campaign and helicopter raid has deposed Venezuela’s strongman

The Great British Sauna

A rally on the first trading day of the new year has taken London's main share index through the milestone.

America’s raid in Venezuela has some officials in Tehran wondering if their country will be next

Our weekly podcast on democracy in America. This week, the Harvard economist on whether America is still a place where anyone can get ahead

These films and TV shows offer new beginnings for a new year

Also on the daily podcast: Who is leaving Britain and the last American cent

Many locals are cheering on the Brazilian government’s plans to rebuild a decrepit highway. Environmentalists are less keen

Yes, but be prepared to suffer

The bank intervenes in the foreign-exchange market only when necessary and in accordance with its mandate, it says

Our podcast on markets, the economy and business. This week, why the “father of economics” gets too much credit

Also on the daily podcast: celebrating 20 years of Economist audio

Our podcast on science and technology. This week, we revisit one of our favourite series of the year—our trip to the Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile

An exclusive look at how we designed our cover

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist

A special obituaries episode of the daily podcast

Our weekly podcast on China. This week, the story of nushu and what it means to Chinese women today

Four charts show the effects of expiring subsidies

His defection in the cold war helped MI5 turn the tables on the KGB

The genre holds up an unflattering mirror to society

A new book examines the various threats to subsea cables

A new science—applied astrobiology—is taking shape

Astrobiologists think they could point to more habitable areas on the red planet

Few expect a crash in the year to come

Despite the best efforts of its social-media censors

Its wingspan stretches from Hollywood to AC Milan

The war in Ukraine has brought a surge in demand

A monetary-fiscal loosening is coming 

Some perennial technologies of tomorrow are finally turning into real businesses

Protectionism and security concerns may yet halt their advance

Stew Pidd rallies the troops

Profits remain meagre and fleets are ageing

Economic nationalism makes it harder for multinationals to navigate the world

A gold-framed view into the world of China’s wealthy

A new study shows that customs and tax officials are the dodgiest

A new treaty offers hope of curbing the destruction of the oceans

The focus is on individuals over institutions

His government promises gun buybacks and stricter hate laws

It is part of a wider effort to tackle misinformation

Hatred of the country’s leaders is hotting up, if effigies are anything to go by

With more ships plying its rivers and lakes, the continent could be much richer

Without European “followership”, America ceases to be a leader

A year after the city burned, the recovery has just begun

Having fixed Detroit, Mike Duggan now wants to fix partisanship

But western European societies are in denial

Huge anti-corruption protests provide a chance for reform

The question is what to do about it

Policymaking turns out to be hard

Almost a decade after Brexit, both sides should be more courageous in getting closer together

A former top banker predicts that an unreformed pay system and the gutting of regulation will accelerate the next financial crisis

Also this week, Chinese diplomacy, robotaxis, the office kitchen, parents supporting students, idle chatter

How post-Brexit Britain should approach relations with its nearest and biggest market

Rockets are great, but sewage treatment is what you need for the long haul

As Joe Biden showed, candidates over 80 carry huge risks

There is a dark side to the model-maker’s stunning growth

That may exacerbate regional rivalries

The gains for Israel are less clear

It has also deepened the rift between the Saudis and Emiratis

Voters in rich countries are angry about prices. Politicians could make things worse

Tight regulation is largely to blame

That doesn’t diminish its political power

Also on the daily podcast: India’s Dalit cuisine and Thames river boats return

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist

His remaining options for sending in the troops are legally fraught

One of the fastest-growing companies in history is in a perilous position

The Economist gained rare access to India’s tense border with China

An opportunity to join the staff of The Economist

If there is a European dream, the Reform UK leader has lived it

Shashank Joshi, our defence editor, answers your questions in the final edition of 2025

Eight terms from other languages sum up the year’s biggest stories

Our art department looked back to highlight some of their favourites from the past year

Once-empty halls now heave with visitors—and treasures

The challenge is enticing those with reduced appetites to dine out

Also on the daily podcast: the best war films

The actress turned animal-rights campaigner died on December 28th, aged 91

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist

What direction will his anointed successor take?

The left-wing stalwart has emerged as the favourite; the right is in disarray

Putin’s assault aims to terrorise civilians and cripple ports

Figures suggest the surge in post-Christmas shoppers was the strongest in a decade.

And the legacy of survival

Why America’s fastest-growing churches don’t get political

Our weekly podcast on democracy in America. This week, meet the pro-natalists who believe they are saving the country

Most people train too fast

The novels and non-fiction that shaped our lives

Now they’re going global

Six films about, and for, the new year

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist

Our podcast on science and technology. In a Christmas special, our correspondents hunt for the ultimate science fiction film

The country’s rebels are on the back foot

This time the president has the capital’s developers on his side, and possibly public opinion too

A special episode of the daily podcast reprising a year’s worth of hard news—and the softer kind—in a competitive format

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist

Our weekly podcast on China. This week, why Winston Churchill’s favourite tea is going out of fashion

Poland, Sweden and others are buying subs to protect pipelines

Strong consumer spending helps the US economy grow at a faster rate than expected.

Chinese pressure and migration backlashes may result in many being sent back to China

Fighting among conservative influencers reveals broader rifts within the Republican Party

The decline of philanthropy is not just about Donald Trump 

Also on the daily podcast: whether to believe Airbnb reviews and what we learned at a turkey farm

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist

Donald Trump is due to name a new leader of the Federal Reserve at a tricky moment.

We assess the superstars of the c-suite

Investors are flocking to precious metals amid geopolitical tensions and expectations of more US interest rate cuts.

Venezuelans are tiring of hope as their dictator digs in against the might of the United States 

This map reveals what scientists care about—and what armed forces don’t want to share

Also on the daily podcast: male-female friendships and yellow-gold is back

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist.

The strength of the UK economy helps determine how much tax the government collects to pay for services.

They include campaigners and playwrights, plus a pope and a president

It is a matter of class

Officials have held back from encouraging consumer boycotts–for now

From fur-trading outpost to department-store giant, founding a country along the way

Looking back on a rollercoaster year for investors

In the past it has foretold wider weakness. This time may be different

Fifty questions to test your knowledge of the year’s events

Revisiting our favourite Weekend Intelligences

While UK high streets saw a drop in footfall on Black Friday, the West End saw a rise in shoppers.

Charlotte Howard, our New York bureau chief, reflects on the first year of the president’s second term

Our weekly podcast on democracy in America. This week, how has President Trump pushed the limits of his authority?

The state borrows to fund day-to-day spending as well as long-term infrastructure projects.

A guide to our special edition and its cover

An exclusive look at how we designed our cover, written by Josie Delap, our Christmas editor

Supermarket sales fell for the fourth month in a row, while discounts did not lift Black Friday spending in November, figures suggest.

Also on the daily podcast: support The Economist Educational Foundation

The president makes a primetime address to the nation.

An EU “reparations loan” using frozen Russian money collapses

The best Christmassy, but not Christmas, films

Andrew Bailey says workers need to be trained to move into jobs that use AI, but adds it might not lead to mass unemployment.

Carmakers are adapting to Europe’s EV barriers

The Bank of England is hoping the interest rate cut will inject some much-needed momentum into the economy.

 Satellite imagery reveals how North Darfur’s capital has been abandoned after its fall

A new book analyses the tunes that have topped the Billboard chart since 1958

Our podcast on markets, the economy and business. This week, are you a bigger nerd than the Money Talks hosts?

The decision to lower borrowing costs was widely expected, after inflation slowed in the year to November.

Prices rose 2.7% over the 12 months to November, according to the latest figures from the consumer price index (CPI).

UK Inflation has dropped back from record highs but remains above the Bank of England's 2% target.

The campaigning zoologist died on December 8th, aged 83

Producing a delicious bird gobbles up time and effort. You cannot just wing it

They cover fake wars, true crimes and chatbot romances

The worst way to select people, except for all the others

Complaints about quality are a growing worry for brands from Chanel to Prada

As TikTok dulls the world’s sense of wonder, conjurors are adapting

Generation Z is becoming less invested in university and more interested in skilled trades

A smoky tea is fading in the West; in China, a better version survives

How a mighty ocean current shapes societies

Bloodied and exiled, the Decembrists failed. But they made a start

If you think rich, individualistic societies are the loneliest, think again

The strange symbiosis between two hyper-predators: humans and hounds

How to spend $1.5m on ingredients

Video games are changing the way people understand the past

The “great man” and “tiny infant” views of history

“Gundo” is the Silicon Valley of hard-headed patriotism

From “strangle-goose” to “skibidi”, colloquial dictionaries struggle to keep up

Civilisation was built on alcohol. Technology may sober us up

The tools bookmakers use to block data-savvy gamblers, and how to get round them

How Chinese traders beat out Lapland’s elves

The secrets of the Congo basin are only slowly coming to light

Nationalism impeded the arrival of help from abroad

For some men, women are baffling creatures, apparently

The father and son who killed 15 in Sydney may have sought training in the Philippines

Yet it is particularly valuable now

The health-care system is shattered and no one is rebuilding it

A continent united by treaties remains divided by recipes

Teachers and parents like it, but results for pupils are middling

The decline of petrol taxes is to blame

In Milan, everyone is going for gold

A dream for pyromaniacs, a nightmare for everyone else

A thousand years of British history is ending. Does it matter?

Drink slowly, eat cake and remember that fun is good for you, too

Also this week, Chinese trade, “stonking”, political parties, corrections, Santa and AI, “The Odyssey”, “The Wizard of Oz”

Which country improved the most this year?

All three have suffered the curse of overnight success

The consequences will ripple beyond the Middle East

It was a good year for Xi Jinping

Particularly among Reform UK voters

The interest rate set by the Bank of England affects mortgage, loan and savings rates for millions.

Also on the daily podcast: the science of slang and British wool flocks up

Our daily political update, featuring the stories that matter

In an address, Trump touted his achievements during 11 months back in office, and blamed Democrats for lingering economic pain.

The most famous book in economics is less revolutionary than you think

The Economist spent a year talking to toymakers battling President Grinch

Women in America are having as many babies over their lifetimes as they did two decades ago

How an object made to sell tea, then used to promote gambling, finally became holy

The hidden joys of a cuisine shaped by cruelty

They are taking on war, corruption and China

With your help, the Economist Educational Foundation can teach children to think critically

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist

A surprisingly large share of companies lag far behind their former greatness

Governments are tempting a shift back to petrol

Call it the Roger Hallam extended universe 

With plentiful land and electricity on hand, the kingdom thinks it has found an edge

Who were the Denisovans?

But American officials insist the strip has a bright future

Our podcast on science and technology. How to indulge healthily during the festive season

The beneficial relationship is much more than skin deep

The rate of inflation, which charts the rising cost of living, has slowed - driven partly by essentials.

The 3.2% November figure is down on the 3.6% recorded in the year to October.

However, the mixed official report still leaves room for debate among central bankers.