The battle over America’s birthday // TRAIN BRAIN

The battle over America’s birthday

A divided America will commemorate its 250th birthday in 2026. The Economist’s US columnist James Bennet muses on how two rival national commissions have very different ideas on how to throw America a birthday party.

The Economist

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, The Economist posts videos that give authoritative insight and opinion on international news, politics, business, finance, science, technology and the connections between them. We're also producing full films such as The Disrup...

The battle over America’s birthday

The year in review: 2025 in 75 seconds

How to avoid a hangover

How does The Economist avoid groupthink?

Is the world in a relationship recession?

The most influential books of all time

Four stories to watch out for in 2026

Central banks will face political pressure in 2026

TWA: Competition in space will intensify in 2026

Why grandparents are the real screen addicts

Why won’t China condemn Russia?

Why China wants Taiwan

Who are the real screen addicts?

Can online reviews actually be trusted?

Why do we use slang?

Why this crypto crash is different

Why this crypto crash is different

Is it possible to disagree agreeably?

Inside China's mini-Hollywood

Britain’s political system is struggling

The mega-rich have a new obsession

Geothermal energy’s massive leap forward

Are China’s armed forces a match for America?

Why is Trump building up forces near Venezuela?

Is China the new superpower?

How is Russia testing the West?

Five of our top novels from 2025

Why Syria might face another uprising

Who will rebuild Gaza?

Why is America ramping up executions?

Will anything stop the rise of gold?

Why doesn’t the UK become closer to the EU?

Keir Starmer on the threat to centrist politics

Why hasn't Keir Starmer made bigger reforms?

Keir Starmer: Reform UK is "pro-Putin"

Keir Starmer on the dangers posed by Reform

A rare look inside Iran

How India is rewriting the AI playbook

The best non-fiction books of 2025

Is Russia now winning the war in Ukraine?

What we know about the Ukraine peace plan

How Chinese money is funding Mexican drug cartels

Why Britain’s budget is a failure

Why Britain’s budget is a failure

John Bolton: “Trump is on a downhill slope”

Has the world reached “peak Trump”?

John Bolton: Trump would sell out Taiwan for a deal

Donald Trump is creating his own police force

Taxes on home-buying are foolish

Why governments should stop raising the minimum wage

Are baby girls now more popular than boys?

Should parents be able to choose the sex of their baby?

Why birth rates are dropping everywhere

Why pig organ transplants are closer than ever

How strong is Iran’s regime?

Is Iran's regime moving away from theocracy?

Iran's foreign minister: we are ready for a nuclear deal

Why Gaza won’t be rebuilt anytime soon

Can recessions be beneficial?

Why the world’s population is heading for collapse

How would Jordan Bardella run France

How Sheikh Hasina’s death sentence could change Bangladesh

Are baby girls now more popular than boys?

Why are cigarette companies' profits soaring? | The Intelligence podcast

Why are cigarette companies' profits soaring? | The Intelligence podcast

Could markets topple the global economy?

Why Meloni is an exceptional politician

Can men and women be just friends?

Why Putin's invasion of Ukraine was a “catastrophic failure”

Are share prices headed for a crash?

How strong is the Russian army?

What will the world look like in 2026?

Could tiny seeds hold the secret to saving an ancient rainforest? | Babbage podcast

The booming business in private soldiers

What can Democrats learn from their election wins? | Checks and Balance podcast

Is Larry Ellison the new king of American media?

Has grumpiness has gone down globally? Here’s what the data shows | The Intelligence podcast

How would Europe’s populist right govern?

Why is Jordan Bardella so popular in France?

How did an opioid deadlier than fentanyl go mainstream? | Babbage podcast