In from the cold: Assad’s diplomatic redemption

After a single term and a landslide loss to Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter’s presidency was judged unduly harshly. What matters, though, are the principles he held dear for all his 100 years. The first o...

30 Des 202427min

From a legendary baseball slugger to a beloved comic actor, from Scottish politicians to America’s sex therapist to the leader of Russia’s resistance: our shows have marked the deaths of many notewort...

27 Des 202422min

Some people read books to escape. Others turn to them for instruction. As the new year looms, our correspondents – and listeners – consider which titles can help forecast what’s coming next. Picks inc...

26 Des 202436min

Cows produce far more milk in rich countries than in poor ones. Our correspondent explains how beefing up bovine productivity could feed more people and reduce planet-heating emissions. Why Spain is t...

24 Des 202423min

Is it a community-minded boys’ club, like the Scouts? A breeding ground for seething Hindu nationalism? A paramilitary puppetmaster of India’s governing elite? Our correspondent attends the annual bas...

23 Des 202423min

In the past 12 months, there has been no lack of news. Editors at The Economist have picked their way through the rubble to uncover some optimism: which country has seen the greatest improvement this ...

20 Des 202427min

At the icy border between Russia and Estonia, the anxieties of NATO member states are clear, our correspondent reports. Leaders there have been debating defence spending and worrying about America shi...

19 Des 202423min

Ten days after the fall of Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad, the full brutality of his rule is being uncovered. Our correspondent travels to a site near Damascus, thought to be a giant mass grave. Wil...

18 Des 202429min