Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and other oil rich Middle Eastern states have announced plans to collectively invest trillions of dollars in new megaprojects, the most extreme of which is Saudi Arabia's $1 trillion 170km skyscraper called The Line. Why are these countries spending so much on mega projects and does it make any economic sense?
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Nov 17
The $400 Trillion Problem No One Wants to Talk About
The world’s pension promise is unraveling. In the 1950s, sixteen workers supported each retiree; today, that number has shrunk to just 2.7. This dramatic shift is straining pay-as-you-go pension systems to the breaking point. By 2050, one in six people will be over 65, yet politi ... Show More
17m 5s
Nov 12
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics: Explained
Discover what drives lasting prosperity. This year, the Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded to Mokyr, Aghion, and Howitt for demonstrating how technological innovation drove the surge in wealth during the Industrial Revolution. From steam engines to AI, learn why a lack of under ... Show More
18m 50s
Oct 11
Why Everyone is leaving New Zealand
Unveil the stunning secret of New Zealand—a paradise losing its young talent! 🌄 With just 5.3 million people, this remote gem boasts top-notch living, education, and healthcare, yet faces a brain drain to Australia (over 10% of Kiwis live there!). Why are skilled workers fleeing ... Show More
14m 23s
Jan 2021
Saudi Arabia’s oil cut pledge, Qatar and Saudi Arabia end dispute, businesses tied to rebelling Republicans
<p>Saudi Arabia pledged to cut an extra 1m barrels a day of oil output in February and March, and also has agreed to end its dispute with Qatar. Plus, the FT’s US business editor, Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, explains why businesses are making their voices heard when it comes to th ... Show More
10m 18s
Oct 2023
Why governments are building huge cities from scratch
Why would a government build an entirely new capital city? Soe Win Than, editor of the BBC Burmese service, explains why Myanmar did exactly that, starting construction of its capital city Nay Pyi Taw in 2002 and completing it ten years later. He also tells us about the extreme s ... Show More
15m 43s