Latest from Economist
Economist
11 hours ago
- Business
- Economist
Why Vietnam's new leader is worried
Vietnam's economy may be booming—but To Lam, its new leader, isn't happy. Over the past 15 years, the country has achieved 6% average annual growth, powered by new factories—which have sprung up from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City—to make goods destined for export, largely to America. But many of those factories are foreign-owned and don't work much with Vietnamese firms. In addition Vietnam now risks being caught between a feuding Washington and Beijing. So what can Mr Lam do to revolutionise Vietnam's economy? Hosts: Ethan Wu and Mike Bird. Guests: David Dapice, emeritus professor of economics at Tufts University; and Nguyễn Khắc Giang, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.
Economist
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Economist
Could Trump can AUKUS?
Could Donald Trump soon upend America's alliance with Australia? Allies in the Pacific have mostly avoided the pressure directed by Mr Trump at America's friends across the Atlantic. That now seems set to change. Mr Trump's administration is demanding sharp increases in annual defence spending from Australia, from nearly 2% to 3.5% of GDP, and could soon insist on new commitments to fight alongside America.
Economist
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Economist
Drone warfare is hitting Haiti
Warfare in the skies has arrived in Haiti. The country's government has been in a vicious and, up until now, losing battle with heavily armed gangs. Over the course of the past year gangsters have taken control of most of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Now Haiti's government has started deploying drones, hoping to shift the balance of forces, despite concerns about human rights and the impact on civilians in a densely populated urban battlefield.
Economist
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Economist
Police allege that Jair Bolsonaro sanctioned a spy ring
Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's far-right former president, is on trial for allegedly plotting a coup to stay in power after he lost an election in 2022. But the allegations do not end there. Police now say he approved the operation of an illegal spy ring to target his enemies.
Economist
15 hours ago
- Business
- Economist
Can South Korea's new president get his country back on track?
UNTIL RECENTLY South Korea seemed to be moving inexorably up the global food chain. Gone are the days of a 'shrimp among whales', as a traditional proverb described the nation's position beside larger neighbours. Today's South Korea is relatively free, relatively rich and relatively large, part of a small club of democratic nations with a GDP per person over $30,000 and a population over 50m (see chart). As Lee Jae-myung, the newly elected president of South Korea, quipped in an interview with The Economist earlier this year, now it is more fitting to compare his country to a dolphin.
