Country of the year: The Economist picks

The toppling of authoritarian leader Sheikh Hassina in Bangladesh in 2024 was celebrated as a triumph for democracy. Tomorrow the country finally heads to the polls. Our correspondent weighs the choice. Can Mars and other bleak planets be made fit for human habitation? And why AI ...  Show more

Sir Keir Starmer has faced calls for his resignation from a senior party member. He has survived – but Britain’s prime minister is now fighting for his political survival. Assisted dying legislation is catching up with public opinion in America. And what happens when skiing meets ...  Show more

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: <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/12/19/the-economists-country-of-the-year-for-2024?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=aud ...

Months ago, <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/03/30/zelensky-trump-and-putin-may-all-have-done-u-turns-on-elections-in-ukraine?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_artic ...

Rafal Trzaskowski, the liberal mayor expected to win the first round cleanly only <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/05/18/the-liberal-favourite-stumbles-in-polands-presidential-election?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_c ...

After a