logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
23m 17s

Holey alliance: NATO’s worries at 75

The Economist
About this episode

It was formed to unite the world’s strongest countries and preserve peace, but as NATO holds a celebration summit for its 75th anniversary, it faces tricky challenges. Climate change is jeopardising Scottish salmon, one of Britain’s biggest food exports (10:15). And why North Korea is sending hot air balloons over to the South, filled with rubbish and faeces (16:50).


Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+


For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Up next
Today
That warm buzzy feeling: malaria and climate change
As temperatures climb, mosquitoes will migrate to places where natural resistance to malaria is lower. More and more severe natural disasters will make for more breeding grounds. How to stop a deadly disease getting deadlier? In China’s cut-throat food-delivery war, absolutely no ... Show More
24m 43s
Aug 22
Rule and divide: opposition grows in Syria
Less than nine months after Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad was toppled, the honeymoon is over. How is the new regime responding to rising dissent? Introducing Britain’s revolutionary retirees: why pensioners increasingly dominate political protest. And celebrating the life of o ... Show More
23m 38s
Aug 21
Stake and chips: will America take 10% of Intel?
Intel was once synonymous with chip-making, but in recent years it has fallen behind. Now the Trump administration may become its biggest shareholder. A political assassination in Colombia raises fears about a return to violence. And what an annual snail race tells us about rural ... Show More
21m 2s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Holey alliance: NATO’s worries at 75
It was formed to unite the world’s strongest countries and preserve peace, but as NATO holds a celebration summit for its 75th anniversary, it faces tricky challenges. Climate change is jeopardising Scottish salmon, one of Britain’s biggest food exports (10:15). And why North Kor ... Show More
23m 17s
Mar 2025
Conversation peace: can Europe bargain with Russia?
European leaders met in London this weekend after Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky’s public row shattered hopes for a US-led truce in Ukraine. What did the summit achieve? Our correspondent visits Mexico’s border to find out if strengthened force will stem the flow of fentanyl ... Show More
24m 45s
Feb 2025
Ode to dread: Europe after Trump
This week European leaders have lined up to charm Donald Trump. But the broad smiles belie a bigger fear: what would it mean for the continent’s security if America forsakes its security guarantees? What the pull-out of French forces will mean for Africa (10:56). And the Maha Kum ... Show More
24m 2s
Mar 2025
One week in the life of Volodymyr Zelensky
After a turbulent seven days, how will President Volodymyr Zelensky tackle the domestic and international challenges ahead? Our correspondent attends “Ode to Resilience”, a concert of defiance in Ukraine (9:55). And how “The Economist” reported on the Allies’ advance across Europ ... Show More
22m 59s
Apr 2025
Carney score: last days of Canada’s campaign
Canada’s sovereignty has loomed large in the federal election campaign, but beyond the show of national unity the country’s media and political landscape is riven with division. To counter China’s capabilities, America may have to start building ships in Asia (11:26). And how “Th ... Show More
26m 19s
Oct 2024
Ukraine reaction: Russia deploys North Koreans
Russia is advancing in Ukraine, has more troops and more weapons. In Kyiv and beyond, questions are being raised about the future. Why does America make it so hard to vote in the election from overseas? And what Britain’s citizenship test says about the country (19:52).  Listen t ... Show More
25m 14s
Aug 2024
Tense exchange: Russia’s prisoner swap
The biggest exchange of prisoners between Russia and the West since the Cold War included opposition leaders, journalists and prisoners of conscience. Our correspondent accompanies America’s defence secretary on a tour of Asia designed to bolster military alliances (12:17). And w ... Show More
27m 40s
Apr 2025
Over the Yoon: South Korea ousts president
South Korea has been paralysed since its president declared martial law in December. Even after his impeachment, politicians face a divided polity and battered economy. Why governments should pay attention to the “Henry” – High Earner, Not Rich Yet (9:49). And what tiffs over tof ... Show More
20m 59s
Jun 5
Count their losses: Russia casualties hit 1m
As the number of Russian dead and injured in Ukraine reaches a grim milestone, what do these losses signify about Vladimir Putin’s strategy? Though misinformation is growing, the armies of fact-checkers are shrinking, forcing them to assess which lies may do the most harm (7:42). ... Show More
19m 50s
Apr 2025
Wall of duties: Trump’s towering tariffs
Even in the run-up to Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff hikes, few had expected such colossal levies. Our correspondent explains how they will shake America’s economy and global trade. After Sudanese government forces retake Khartoum, will this alter the course of the civil ... Show More
24m 39s