Billionaires boldly go: private space-treks

As Russia’s war in Ukraine nears four years, there has been no let up in the fighting on the battlefield. Yet there is some optimism that negotiations could yield a ceasefire. Our correspondent joins a Colombian drug raid to destroy a cocaine laboratory in the Amazon. And is crim ...  Show more

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

This week Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’s space-exploration company, successfully launched a rocket into orbit on its first attempt. That marks a new frontier in the private space industry. Donald Trump has threatened mass deportations of illegal immigrants. What will happen when he ta ...  Show more

The two American presidential candidates have been neck and neck. But this week, the Economist’s forecast model noted a shift towards Donald Trump. Why you might have a long wait for Elon Musk’s robotaxis (9:31). And the joy of Excel (16:35).   Listen to what matters most, from g ...  Show more

As some of Donald Trump’s most controversial choices for top jobs are questioned this week, our correspondent analyses how supine Republicans may be in his second term. Has the luxury business passed its peak (09:57)? And why scientists are finding new ways to deal with an invasi ...  Show more

After an inconclusive summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, the stakes are high for Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting with the US president in Washington today. Enter the “solopreneur”: why AI is allowing entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses on thei ...  Show more