Economist Podcasts

Olena Zelenska foresees a time when her family can regain a quiet life. Our editor-in-chief sits down with her to discuss her mental-health campaign and life in an unexpected spotlight. President Xi Jinping wants to improve China’s toilets; we ask why that is proving so difficult (12:20). And why the superyacht industry is just sailing along (19:50).

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The doyen of diplomacy has died, leaving a complex legacy. Following extensive interviews with him earlier this year, our deputy editor examines what Dr Kissinger stood for and whether his ideas will outlast him. As the COP28 climate summit begins, we look at an approach that deserves more attention: carbon dioxide removal (13:16). And our annual cost-of-living survey ranks the world’s priciest cities (22:36).

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Drug-related shootings and bombings are on the rise. Policies are changing and law-enforcement budgets rising, but stemming the violence is proving politically tricky. Our columnist considers how China is using the war in Gaza to burnish its diplomatic credentials (9:36). And the teams vying to smash a long-standing sailing-speed record (18:27).

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The singular focus on the metaverse of Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s boss, fretted investors. But in the past year he has pulled off a spectacularly timely turnaround. We look at what is driving an illegal-gold rush in Venezuela as a lens on a wider, regional concern (9:48). And why North Korea’s women’s football team provides such good propaganda (16:48).

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Our correspondent speaks with the Africa head of the Red Cross who has borne witness to the war, famine and genocide that continue—unrelenting and largely ignored—in Sudan. As Ukraine’s men are sent off to war, the country’s women are upending its labour market; we meet some newly minted miners (10:07). And how the age at which careers peak is changing (18:34).

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Look past short-term stumbles: there are plenty of reasons to think Japan may spin out of its decades-long deflationary spiral. But how to avoid another false dawn? A visit to a mine in Zimbabwe reveals how valuable lithium is becoming to the continent—and China’s role in securing it (13:09). And remembering a “Rosie the Riveter” who kept riveting until age 95 (21:38).

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In five days OpenAI’s boss was fired by its board; hired by Microsoft, the startup’s biggest investor; and returned to his post at OpenAI. Yet things cannot be as they were: the shuffle will have consequences for the darling of the artificial-intelligence community and for the industry as a whole.

Hosts: Tom Lee-Devlin, Alice Fulwood and Mike Bird. Guests: Benedict Evans, a technology analyst and former venture capitalist, and The Economist’s Arjun Ramani and Ludwig Siegele.

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Geert Wilders campaigned on leaving the European Union, closing the borders, and even suggested banning Islam. The Dutch surprisingly voted for him anyway. But without a majority, can he form a government? WeWork is a flawed company, but their bankruptcy reflects greater turmoil in real estate (10:10). And, how hyper-bouncy shoes are giving runners an edge (17:42).

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A year ago, the public launch of ChatGPT took the world by storm and it was followed by many more generative artificial intelligence tools, all with remarkable, human-like abilities. Fears over the existential risks posed by AI have dominated the global conversation around the technology ever since.

Fei-Fei Li, a pioneer that helped lay the groundwork that underpins modern generative AI models, takes a more nuanced approach. She’s pushing for a human-centred way of dealing with AI—treating it as a tool to help enhance—and not replace—humanity, while focussing on the pressing challenges of disinformation, bias and job disruption.

Fei-Fei Li is the founding co-director of Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence. Fei-Fei and her research group created ImageNet, a huge database of images that enabled computers scientists to build algorithms that were able to see and recognise objects in the real world. That endeavour also introduced the world to deep learning, a type of machine learning that is fundamental part of how large-language and image-creation models work.

Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. 

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After weeks of negotiations, Hamas has agreed to release some hostages. In exchange, there will be a four-day pause in fighting. But then what? Americans really love their cars and dependence on them is making the country fairer (09:34). And what Netflix’s latest spin-off reveals about the changing trends in TV (15:56). 

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It is still unclear why the board of OpenAI fired him last week, but hundreds of staff are revolting anyway. The debacle reveals a sizeable rift between the tech companies at the forefront of AI development. Canadians typically consider themselves pro-immigration. Is the tide changing (10:45)? And the books you didn’t know were propaganda (18:49).

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He is a self-proclaimed “anarcho-capitalist” and in a run-off, the people have entrusted this political firebrand to shake the country out of economic malaise. Will he deliver? Hamas has an intricate network of tunnels under Gaza, but new tech could help Israel fight them (10:48). And what AI can glean from listening to the forests (19:03). Additional audio courtesy of Jörg Müller

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If the election were held tomorrow, Donald Trump would probably be the favourite to win.  How should we be thinking about the race with a year to go? And how can the world outside of America prepare itself for the possibility of a second Trump term?

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by Vanderbilt University’s John Sides and The Economist’s Ed Carr. 

Checks and Balance will be recording a live show in Philadelphia later this month.  Find out more and get your ticket here.

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Were America’s presidential election to be held today, Donald Trump would probably win. We examine the winds shifting in his favour, and how the Biden campaign might tack against them. The town of Basildon best matches Britain’s national-average statistics—a mean reason to pay a visit (13:13). And remembering Vivian Silver, a Canadian-Israeli peace activist who died at the hands of Hamas (20:51).

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There is little left, in terms of people or infrastructure, in the north of the strip. Our correspondent, embedded with the Israel Defence Forces, considers the humanitarian crisis growing in the south. Our film on American school shootings discovers the growing phenomenon of hoaxes known as “swatting” (11:49). And how, despite its ahistorical nature, “The Crown” will influence perceived history (19:28).

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In the European country with both the largest Jewish and largest Muslim populations, a rise in antisemitic acts brings particular perils; we examine them. Winemaking was always going to be hit hard by climate change. Our oenophile correspondent looks at how things are already changing—and it is not all bad news (08:52). And why India’s explosives industry is blowing up (16:04). 

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Former prime minister David Cameron is back from the political wilderness—and his appointment as foreign secretary reveals much about the state of the ruling Conservative party. We ask how Israel has kept its airspace open during the conflict in Gaza, even as the threat of missiles has grown (10:11). And China’s long-suffering delivery drivers fight more quietly to improve their lot (17:04).

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After a grinding and lethal eight-month battle, Ukraine’s forces retook the port city a year ago. Our correspondent visits, finding a populace both anxious and defiant. As with technological transformations that came before, the benefits of artificial intelligence will accrue disproportionately to the very stars who rail against it (10:22). And why New York is now safer—if you’re a bird (19:46).

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Miscalculating the prowess of the People’s Liberation Army is dangerous. Overestimating it could cause unnecessary confrontation, but underestimating it is risky for Taiwan. We bring you some balance. Can descendants of slave traders be absolved of the sins of their ancestors (09:00)? And a tribute to a man who believed life is best lived dangerously (16:50). 

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President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act promised $370bn for green infrastructure and industry. It has spurred a surge in massive construction efforts such as battery plants and electric-vehicle factories. Our correspondent goes on a road trip, visiting small towns with big new projects under way and gauging the success of Mr Biden’s economic policy so far.

Hosts: Alice Fulwood, Tom Lee-Devlin and Henry Tricks

Runtime: 44 min

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Economists have stopped waiting for interest rates to drop because it doesn’t seem to be coming. The upward pressure on long-term bond yields suggests that this situation could last for a while. How should the world adjust? Israel’s economy might be in good enough shape to withstand the next few months, but a longer war won’t come cheap (12:00). And, Jilly Cooper’s sexy new book (18:55).

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A high-profile money-laundering case in Singapore with links to Chinese gamblers has shed light on a broader web of organised crime across the region. As governments wake up to the problem, what are the odds of them getting it under control? Muhammad Dahlan, often tipped to be next leader of the Palestinians, sets out his post-war vision (09:32). And how to stop turmeric from killing people (18:00).

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One month on from Hamas’ attack on Israel, we meet Najib Mikati. He is hoping to prevent Hizbullah from joining the conflict, and broader spillover into the rest of the Middle East. Can he? The American state of Ohio is voting on abortion rights today and opposition campaigners are hoping that their new tactics will work this time (11:30). And, how lying is compromising hiring (20:20).

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Israeli troops are gearing up to enter Gaza city, bracing for the next round of urban warfare. Our correspondent spends some time with a brigade on the front-lines. How prepared are they for the task ahead? The pandemic is over, so why are consumers still staying home, alone, and withdrawing from social activities (09:16)? And, why Gen-Z isn’t the only group “quiet quitting” (17:40). Audio clip courtesy of Zaid Khan (@zaidleppelin).

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In our second episode of The Weekend Intelligence, The Economist correspondents Catherine Brahic and Sacha Nauta tell a different story about fertility treatment. A story about the pain, the hope and the despair that is paid for a life to be created. And a personal story about two women, over five years, whose lives followed parallel tracks in their quest for a baby.

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From can-do-no-wrong wunderkind to one of the biggest fraudsters in the history of finance: we look at Sam Bankman-Fried’s fall and conviction, and what it has done to the wider cryptocurrency industry. The evident successes of IVF treatment mask many disappointments; how to improve both outcomes and accessibility (13:15)? And take note, y’all: generational change is affecting America’s southern accent (22:14).

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General Valery Zaluzhny concedes that five months of counter-offensive have not gained much—and can see from history why the impasse may be impassable. Paris is starting to nip at London’s heels in the battle for supremacy in the art world (10:27). And India’s influencers battle to teach the country’s youth about sex—because the government will not (17:16).

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Online and on-screen reactions to the conflict reflect a subtle but important shift in Western attitudes, driven by three related forces: technology, demography and ideology. Britain’s King Charles is visiting Kenya—and will have a harder time navigating historical tensions than his mother ever did (09:56). And sleeping less tight: Paris is not the only place bedbugs are on the rise (18:24).

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As country after country in the Sahel has fallen prey to coups, President Macky Sall’s Senegal seemed an outpost of stability. Yet our correspondent finds him less than sanguine about democracy in the region. We sift through what little is known about “the Phantom”, the Hamas fighter behind the attacks in Israel (11:57). And eating steak frites gets political in France (19:47).

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The long-anticipated invasion is not the expected blitzkrieg; we ask how a longer, more cautious war will be fought. Kemal Ataturk is still wildly popular a century after he founded modern Turkey—so instead of undoing his legacy, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is simply claiming it (10:57). And an ode to Canada’s “long dash”, a time-marking tradition that has now gone silent (21:15).

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On foreign policy, trade and immigration, the Republican Party wants America to push the world away. This is a departure, but also a return to what the party used to believe. How did the Republican Party go from isolationism to internationalism and then back again? And what does that mean for America’s foreign policy?

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, andThe Economist’s Edward Carr.

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American airstrikes on Syrian bases linked to Iran are a reminder that Iran’s proxies lie behind many Middle East conflicts. But the ayatollahs’ angling for wider war in Gaza is a deeply dangerous game. We introduce you to our latest subscriber-only show, “The Weekend Intelligence”—our new home for storytelling (10:35). And why Britain is outlawing laughing gas (16:07).  

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Last week, we spoke to the author Michael Lewis, who was embedded with Sam Bankman-Fried, as FTX, the crypto-trading empire he built, came crashing down amid allegations of fraud, which Mr Bankman-Fried denies. Mr Lewis credits Changpeng Zhao - the boss of Binance, a rival exchange - with bringing Mr Bankman-Fried to prominence. But CZ, as he’s known, may also have played a role in his downfall. This week, we speak to him about what the future holds for crypto. 

Hosts: Alice Fulwood, Mike Bird and Tom Lee-Devlin. Guests: CZ.

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With the accession of Mike Johnson as the lower chamber’s majority leader, Congress can at last get back to lawmaking—unless the leadership circus starts again. China’s banks may be loaded up with hidden bad loans; the industry’s covid-era hangover could be about to intensify (09:29). And why so many films have become so very, very long (17:35).

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The Weekend Intelligence is a new podcast from the award-winning team at The Economist that will transport you away from the hectic week towards broader horizons. Silence the alerts and notifications and journey into a wilderness of stories.

Narrated by our reporters and writers, and hosted by The Intelligence presenters, Ore Ogunbiyi and Jason Palmer, it will be our vehicle for great storytelling - one story that takes you somewhere new every Saturday.

Here's a preview....

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In the coming decades, electric vehicles will dominate the roads and renewables will provide energy to homes. But for the green transition to be successful, unprecedented amounts of energy storage is needed. Batteries will be used everywhere—from powering electric vehicles, to providing electricity when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow. The current generation of batteries are lacking in capacity and are too reliant on rare metals, though. Many analysts worry about material shortages. How can technology help? 

Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Paul Markillie, our innovation editor; Matthieu Favas, our finance correspondent; Anjani Trivedi, our global business correspondent. 

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A network of captives’ families has sprung up to accomplish what Israel’s government has so far failed to do—and may yet emerge as a political force. Protecting rhinoceroses from poachers is an expensive business; we look at what has become a bear market for rhinos (12:37). And why a coin toss is not the even-odds proposition you might think it is (20:30).

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Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many have worried: is Taiwan next? China is giving Taiwan a terrifying choice: unify with China, or face war. People in Taiwan want neither of these.

For this special four-part series, David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, and Alice Su, our senior China correspondent, ask whether Taiwan can preserve its freedoms and decide its own future.

In this first episode, they explore how Taiwan’s divided and changing identity impacts how close Taiwanese people want to be to China. They meet Chen Yao-chang, a doctor turned novelist, whose idea of what it means to be Taiwanese has changed in recent years.

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President Vladimir Putin has long had it in for Alexei Navalny, Russia’s principal opposition figure. But now his lawyers are in peril, too, and Mr Navalny’s privations in prison are ramping up. Gaza’s need for aid may be urgent but is not new—Israel’s economic stranglehold goes back years (10:24). And, introducing “Boss Class”, our new, subscriber-only podcast series on being a better manager (19:50).

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To manage a workforce divided between the home and office, bosses should ask the five basic questions of journalism: who, what, where, when and why. Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, Jane Sun, the CEO of Trip.com Group, and Lidiane Jones, the CEO of Slack, give their divergent views. 

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Andrew Palmer, The Economist's Bartleby columnist, learns lessons in management on a Norwegian mountainside. He hears from Emma Walmsley, the CEO of GSK; Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel prize-winning psychologist; and Claire Hughes-Johnson, the one-time COO of Stripe. 

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After dominating the polls for months, Javier Miliei, a right-wing firebrand, was outshone by the candidate from the ruling Peronist administration. We examine why Mr Milei fell so short and the run-off to come. Cross-border assassinations may be rising—and states seem to be more daring in carrying them out (11:46). And remembering Ofir Libstein, an Israeli mayor killed by Hamas (19:30)

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A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, why only America can save Israel and Gaza from a greater catastrophe. Also, the recent election in Poland offers a lesson in how to push back on populism (10:30) and the resurgence of bedbugs, beyond the hype (16:00).

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They fled round after round of gunfire, hid for hours and saved hundreds of lives. It is a rare story of survival on what was a horrific day for Israel. Mexico’s national oil company has accrued immense amounts of debt. Why is the government still propping it up (12:47)? And, video games are going back to 2D (19:57). 

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Runtime: 26 min

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From a refugee camp in Chad, we speak with those fleeing murder in Darfur. Reporting on the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and a powerful paramilitary group may have slowed, but the suffering has not. Bowel cancer is becoming more common in young people. How can screening be improved (14:23)? And, New York City rediscovers the dustbin (20:21).

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A fatal explosion at a hospital-cum-shelter has led to outrage and the canceling of the very summit that the US president had flown in for. America’s support for Israel is unwavering but could this escalation prompt the involvement of regional neighbours? Modi’s meddling in India’s cricket is bad for the game (10:53). And mourning dead artists (19:19).

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America may have avoided a government shutdown last month but its fiscal worries are far from over. And unease in bond markets will spill over into the rest of the world. What can governments do to stave off the financial blow? The Chinese Communist Party’s youth wing is using rap to lure new members, and it’s working (10:10). And, how has “Bluey” become such a hit (19:16)?  

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After two terms in power, Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s nationalist party looks to have lost its majority. For Donald Tusk’s pro-Europe centrists, it’s bargaining time. Thousands of Americans are waiting for transplants, so why are so many organs going to waste instead (12:01)? And why writing might be better for your memory than typing (18:52).

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Bombs have rained on the strip since Hamas’s attack on Israel last Saturday. With food, water and electricity running out ahead of a ground invasion, one woman tells us the worst is yet to come. The Ukrainian war has reached Crimea. Kyiv is subverting Russian dominance in the Black Sea, could that prove pivotal (11:26)? And, how the death of Indian vultures has affected public health (20:12).

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The Defence Force is preparing to follow up its air strikes on Gaza with troops. An incursion will be bloody, and perhaps even more so if Hezbollah becomes embroiled in the conflict. Australians will vote this weekend on whether to enshrine an indigenous Voice to Parliament into its constitution (11:36).

And, why Birkenstock’s 249-year-old shoes are still trendy (19:27).

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How does the Palestinian militant group justify the atrocities committed in Israel? Why has it done this? What does it plan to do with the hostages? In a conversation with Moussa Abu Marzouk, a senior official, Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist's editor-in-chief, presses for answers.

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As the retribution continues, the state has now cut off supplies to the Palestinian enclave, and America is sending military support to Binyamin Netanyahu. But how will Hamas respond? From cowboys to country music, Brazil’s hinterland is taking on a sepia-tinged Americanness (10:46). And which languages might take you the longest to learn (18:00)?

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Almost exactly 50 years on from the moment that launched the deadly Yom Kippur War, Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza strip, carried out a series of attacks. Hundreds have been killed, Israeli intelligence services were surprised and the retribution is bound to be severe. What does this mean for Palestinian civilians, and regional politics more broadly?

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The once-unassailable titan of tech has missed big opportunities in recent years. But it has a reasonable shot at the title again, thanks to its artificial-intelligence ambitions. Sexual assault allegations in China made the Women’s Tennis Association take a hard line on tournaments in the country—for a while (8:48). And why the brutal felling of an ancient tree has bothered Britons so much (16:18).

Additional audio courtesy ofDave's Walks

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Divisions within the ruling party are on full display this week, and the provocative policies Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced are unlikely to help the Conservatives’ woeful polling numbers. Early results suggest that new drugs initially prescribed for weight loss may be a powerful treatment for alcohol-use disorder (13:06). And a data dive reveals which countries get the most sleep (20:05)

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Another shutdown standoff, funding worries for Ukraine, more leadership chaos: the booting of America’s speaker of the House of Representatives bodes ill for governance. “Jawan”, a new Indian film, is non-stop action with Bollywood flourishes—and reveals how divisions in the country are being bridged (9:26). And an investigation of places where centenarians are abundant suggests healthy lifestyles are not the cause (17:55).

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The founder of FTX, a spectacularly failed cryptocurrency exchange, is a curious character. He denies the stack of charges he faces in a New York court, but unpicking the cryptographic paper trail will be tricky. Crime in Britain is broadly in decline, with the notable exception of increasingly brazen shoplifting (10:24). And how a sports-media entrepreneur became a pizza-review star (15:57).

Additional audio courtesy South West News Service.

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The workplace keeps changing and managers have to keep up. The best bosses create systems for solving problems old and new—from navigating working-from-home demands to hiring the right people, from running good meetings to managing themselves. 

Andrew Palmer, author of the Bartleby column, looks for advice on how to be a better boss by talking to people who have actually done the job. Listen to The Economist's seven-episode guide for managers.

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The literal 11th-hour deal to avert a government shutdown is only a stopgap—and the battle may end up costing Kevin McCarthy his post as leader of the House of Representatives. The uptake of electric scooters is significantly outpacing that of four-wheeled vehicles in Asia (10:30). And Britain’s curious “risk registers” put numbers to how the world might end (16:47).

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 During past economic downturns, officials have been both swift and bold. This time not so much—because their hands are tied by knotty internal politics. We ask why Latin America makes for such a useful playground for Russian spies (10:07). And remembering Fernando Botero, a Colombian artist who never deviated from his not-quite-comically plump figures (18:16).

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Many of the pieces are in place to bring the disease entirely under control—but our correspondent finds it will take more than advances in medication. Japan’s government has at last begun to regulate the country’s notorious pornography; we examine a sector emerging from the shadows (11:07). And how China uses UNESCO world-heritage status to rewrite the history of its periphery (18:38).

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Where the defensive lines really are, the state of Russia’s reserves, battlefield tactics: Kyrylo Budanov is a candid interviewee—but he claims to know nothing about all those drones. Gambling has been illegal in Brazil for decades, but pinched government coffers point to a lifting of the prohibition (10:42). And the passion and the profitability of “BookTok”, the literary end of TikTok (16:51).

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President Emmanuel Macron’s about-face on maintaining a presence in the coup-stricken country portends a broader change in France’s relations on the continent. Shifting geopolitics is changing the list of the world’s big arms dealers (9:08). And the internet influencers taking a swing at professional boxing (16:02).

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Populist, right-wing parties are already in power in Hungary, Poland and Italy—and getting closer to it across the continent. We ask why. At long last Rupert Murdoch, the patriarch of a global media empire, has stepped aside—sort of. We examine how he will still pull the strings (09:46). And the merits of letting American pupils start school a bit later (17:39).

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Reporting from the ground, our Eastern Europe editor explores how the country is bracing for a new phase of war. In some ways, people have adapted, but equally the invasion has clearly taken a mental toll. Reflecting on the life of the Zulu chief turned politician Mangosuthu Buthelezi (11:51). And how to get out of jail (18:39).

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It would not be the first time that a member of the government has gone missing, not even the first time this year. But what does this say about the leadership of the People’s Liberation Army? No one cares about Apple’s new iPhone, but the tech giant has more to worry about (09:24). And why an old-school motorbike is still driving new hype in India (16:00).

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The murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Najjar has deepened a long-running spat between the two countries. Will Canada’s allies be willing to get involved? It’s been 100 years since Japan’s Great Kanto earthquake. Here’s how the country is preparing in case there is another (XX:XX). And young people’s newfound love for country music is fuelling a boom in the genre (XX:XX).

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This is not the first time the Islamic Republic has taken foreigners hostage. It’s proven an effective bargaining chip for decades and this time around, it has earned the state billions of dollars in unfrozen assets. Also, should you go for a forever-fixed mortgage if you can (09:36)? And what an American chain restaurant says about the importance of cross-class mixing (15:15).

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The libertarian right-winger is leading in the polls, a surprise for a country that has typically leaned left. He has drastic plans to shrink the state. Could he turn the country around? Why Germany’s highway system and techno lovers have come to a crossroads (11:22). And, a Noah’s-Ark-inspired economic theory of conservation made pertinent by the threat of climate change (19:59).

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As progress on the front line slows, Western countries are divided over how the army should proceed. There are disagreements about where should be targeted and how, and with autumn around the corner, time is of the essence. Why Americans’ feelings about their economy have become a less useful indicator for forecasters (12:34). And, are New Zealand’s rugby team off their game (18:24)?

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Babbage is our weekly podcast on science and technology, named after Charles Babbage—a 19th-century polymath and grandfather of computing. Host Alok Jha talks to our correspondents about the innovations, discoveries and gadgetry shaping the world. Published every Wednesday.

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Take a seat at the table and learn about the biggest stories in financial markets, the economy and business. Each week our editors and correspondents explore how economics influences the world we live in and share their insights across a range of topics. From inflation and recession risk to all things crypto and even the commercial success of K-pop, we have you covered. Published every Thursday.

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For 17 years, The Economist has brought you a host of brilliant shows. Now we are taking that even further. But to bring you even more of the content that you love, we need your support. Why Nagorno-Karabakh is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster (09:44). And, a tribute to the man who sought to give AI some common sense (18:07).   

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On September 11th 1973, president Salvador Allende shot himself in the head after being overthrown in a coup, giving rise to the violent rule of General Augusto Pinochet. But citizens are divided on how the leaders ought to be remembered. How a landmark case in Montana could pioneer new climate protection laws (13:09). And, what makes a bestselling book (22:03)?

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In a rare trip outside of the hermit state, it seems the dictator is planning to meet with Vladimir Putin. With the prospect of an arms deal on the table, how worried should the international community be? Car theft is a growing problem in America and automakers are partly to blame (08:49). And France’s booming boulangeries (15:02).

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As the counter-offensive continues, Ukrainian forces are running out of time to make substantial gains. Diplomatic attempts to isolate Russia have failed and progress on the front lines is slowing. From the capital Kyiv, the president tells The Economist’s editor-in-chief how the country is bracing for a long war.

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The highest interest rates in years should lead to a fall in house prices. But peculiarities of America’s mortgage market are driving them up. Egg-freezing was supposed to give women more control over childbearing; we look at scant data showing how successful it really is (10:57). And remembering Isabel Crook, an anthropologist who embraced China’s communist transformation, warts and all (15:44).  

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Axing generous fuel subsidies was just one necessary reform promised by Bola Tinubu. A hundred days into the president’s term, we examine his ideas for change—finding they do not seem to be backed by real plans. Our correspondent says India’s decrepit cities would fare better if permitted to govern themselves more (09:58). And the kinder, gentler trend in video games (17:13)

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The retail behemoth is splashing tremendous amounts of cash on streaming content; critics are unimpressed with the outcomes. But Amazon may have the best business model going. Statisticians in Britain appear to have found about 2% of GDP hiding in their data—we ask how it got lost (8:24). And how the pocket calculator ushered in the digital age (15:52).

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The calculus of the cold war is back, but there are new variables in the equation—namely China’s growing arsenal. We look at how three-way deterrence could work. Two years after America’s schools reopened their doors, a terrifying proportion of students are still skipping class (10:13). And what a slew of rickshaw apps says about India’s technological backbone (15:38).

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The absolute numbers remain troubling but a close look at statistics reveals that, across American cities, fewer people are being killed. That democracy is good for a country’s economy is taken as orthodoxy—but given the time and costs to make the transition, the reality is a bit more complicated (09:38). And why Britain’s government is in hock to the country’s hobbyists (15:38).

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The president is using racist hate-mongering as both a rallying tool and a distraction mechanism. It is the oldest trick in the autocrat playbook and it proving effective. Why are some Americans flocking to start new lives in Europe (10.36)? And, a tribute to a Ukrainian pilot who made the case for his country to get F-16 fighter jets (18.03).

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Putsches in Africa are becoming more common and there appears to be a trend. Are there more to come and is there any hope of restoring democracy? Lebanon’s tourism sector is bringing foreign money back into the economy, but it’s not trickling down (10:27). And, the American right is propelling a new song to chart-topping popularity (16:44).

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Three months into the counteroffensive, the military is reaping the fruits of several months of drone development. But as the war continues, will it be able to scale up its capacity and outpace Russia? New international laws cracking down on Caribbean tax havens seem to be working (10:03). And politicians reignite an old debate on official language use in Spain (17:21).

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Owing to a host of deep-rooted economic and political challenges, it could be the only G7 economy to contract this year. How might it turn the tide? More people want flashy, bigger electric vehicles, but are the added environmental costs counterproductive (10:00)? And examining the decline in Mandarin learning (18:18).

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From Japan to South Korea, from China to Taiwan, family structures are becoming less traditional. More premarital cohabitation, single parenthood and two-income households are influencing demographics—with worrying consequences. And we pay tribute to 50 years of hip-hop. The New York-born genre is taking the world by storm, and picking up new influences along the way (9:22).

Additional music “HIP-HOP” courtesy of RayZa.

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The alliance was always based more on common fortunes than common interests. We ask what to make of the six new members, and whether the bloc’s motley nature undermines its purpose. Regulation has struggled in an era when children can become “influencers”, but it is starting to catch up (9:36). And remembering Bindeshwar Pathak, who realised India’s future depended on toilets (16:28).

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History would suggest that the crash of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane was an assassination. Our correspondent considers what the supposed death of the Wagner Group’s leader means for Ukraine—and what it says about Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Indonesia has fostered a more moderate version of Islam that it would now like to export (9:58). And meeting an indigenous pioneer of Peruvian pop (16:21).

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Arranging friendly media coverage, giving handouts to voters, stifling opposition rallies: once again the country’s ruling party has put its thumb on the scales. It has to, after decades of failed governance. Our correspondent visits fire-ravaged Lahaina in Hawaii, finding equal parts shock and anger among residents (10:32). And the curious rise of Britain’s self-pitying lawmakers (18:38).

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Once again, fears are ripping through the industry—this time starting from a firm once thought too big to fail. In an economy so dependent on housebuilding, that will have wide-ranging consequences. We take a ride in one of the autonomous taxis that have flooded onto San Francisco’s streets (10:22). And crunching the numbers on Antarctica’s worrisome dearth of sea ice (19:40). 

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Ecuador and Guatemala faced similar preoccupations with violence and corruption—one of Ecuador’s candidates was assassinated on the campaign trail—but their electoral outcomes were very different. What does that reveal about the region? Once rare in America, leprosy is on the rise again, particularly in Florida (8:04). And how Singapore leads the charge for “alternative proteins” (14:08). 

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For weeks, the regional bloc ECOWAS has threatened to undo the putsch by force. But appetite for a military response—the ultimate deterrent in a coup-prone region—seems small and waning. Russia’s rouble has become one of the world’s worst-performing currencies, and there are not many good options to rescue it (09:40). And a tribute to an American pioneer of consumer-product safety (16:22).

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The region is home to most of the world’s known lithium. Given the mineral’s usefulness in batteries and electric vehicles, could it be on the cusp of a commodities boom? Germany’s auto industry is at risk. Volkswagen, one of its biggest carmakers, should be worried (10:27). And, England’s World Cup successes could change the face of women’s football (18:06).

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Runtime: 24 min

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As the death toll surpasses 100, we report from Maui where fires have ravaged the island in the deadliest American wildfire in over a century. Why was this one so catastrophic? The plummet of coca prices in Colombia is messing with the market (09:58). And northern Europe fights to preserve its local languages in schools (17:09). 

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The former president has been hit with a new set of charges, under a catch-all racketeering act that has been used to prosecute everyone from rappers to teachers. It’s Mr Trump’s fourth indictment, but perhaps the most unusual. Ukraine’s new, surprisingly effective innovation: the “candy bomb” (10:10). And, the most expensive American cities to live alone (17:30).

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Despite cosying up with Russia and accusing America of trying to topple him, the newly re-elected president now appears to be flirting with old allies. But there is reason to be sceptical. A global survey shows that liberal values may not be catching on as some expected (09:54). And, have scientists found the biggest animal that ever lived (18:36)? 

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Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman says a presence in top-level global sport is one route to modernising; critics call the effort a distraction from the country’s appalling human-rights record. Brazil’s government is pushing reforms that are clearly calming investors, who had fretted about a return to ruinously spendthrift policies (9:20). And how speedy “first-person-view” drones are changing the fight in Ukraine (16:25).

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An appalling record compared with much of the rich world is not just down to drugs and guns. We ask what changes, both in policy and philosophy, might reduce the death toll. A heat-transporting ocean current in the Atlantic could soon be on the wane—or switch off altogether (10:08). That would have disastrous consequences. And musing on airborne etiquette for business travelers (18:09).

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Runtime: 23 min

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Big-money legislation to bring microprocessor manufacturing to the country is off to a reasonable start—but dominance of the industry is and will probably remain distant. Britain was once a leading light when it came to international aid; we ask why that reputation is now in tatters (tk:tk). And exploring all the funny noises coming from electric vehicles (tk:tk).

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