The Economist Podcasts

America invaded Iraq 20 years ago this week. Today Baghdad is bustling, violence across the country is less frequent, but these gains have come at a horrific cost. India is getting a huge, essential infrastructure upgrade. And we say goodbye to one of our hosts.

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Runtime: 22 min

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Few would have predicted that the demise of Silicon Valley Bank, a niche Californian lender, would be followed by the failure of Credit Suisse. But on March 19 the banking crisis reached Zurich, where regulators brokered a fire sale that saw the ailing 167-year-old bank sold to rival UBS.

On this week’s podcast, hosts Alice Fulwood, Tom Lee-Devlin and Mike Bird chart the spread of the crisis and examine its fallout. Richard Berner, a former advisor to the Treasury Secretary, explains: “Silicon Valley Bank was not systemic in life, but proved to be systemic in death.” And Huw van Steenis, who used to advise the chief executive of UBS, explains how the crisis has roiled bond markets.

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Central banks face a painful tradeoff: raise rates too quickly and risk banking-sector instability. Raise them too slowly and risk continued high inflation. Our correspondent travelled to Kyiv to meet a woman who has rescued hundreds of wild animals. And reflecting on the legacy of a woman who changed British attitudes toward sex.

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OpenAI's Chat GPT, an advanced chatbot, has taken the world by storm, amassing over 100 million monthly active users and exhibiting unprecedented capabilities. From crafting essays and fiction to designing websites and writing code. You’d be forgiven for thinking there’s little it can’t do. 

Now it’s had an upgrade. GPT-4 has even more incredible abilities, it can take in photos as an input, and deliver smoother, more natural writing to the user. But it also hallucinates, throws up false answers, and remains unable to reference any world events that happened after September 2021.

Seeking to get under the hood of the Large Language Model that operates GPT-4, host Alok Jha speaks with Maria Laikata, a professor in Natural Language Processing at Queen Mary’s university in London. We put the technology through its paces with the economist’s tech-guru Ludwig Seigele, and even run it through something like a Turing Test to give an idea of whether it could pass for human-level-intelligence. 

An Artificial General Intelligence is the ultimate goal of AI research, so how significant will GPT-4 and similar technologies be in the grand scheme of machine intelligence? Not very, suggests Gary Marcus, expert in both AI and human intelligence, though they will impact all of our lives both in good and bad ways. 

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Emmanuel Macron narrowly survived two no-confidence votes, sparked by his pushing a pension-reform package through the legislature without bringing it up for a vote. But his troubles are far from over. Covid and the war in Ukraine exacerbated Russia’s long-standing demographic woes. And we analyse the artistry of the world’s greatest mime, born 100 years ago today.

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In 1966 Mao Zedong unleashed the Cultural Revolution, a deadly decade of purges and bloodletting. Wang Kangfu, a schoolmaster from Jiangxi province, was 24 when the Cultural Revolution began. Soon afterwards he was accused of committing a terrible crime—one he says he didn’t commit. 

The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, David Rennie, examines the case of Wang Kangfu and meets his family to hear about their struggle for justice.

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Silicon Valley Bank. Signature Bank. Credit Suisse. The world’s banks look wobbly, leading to fears of broader economic pain. Our economics editor explains how regulators should stabilise the sector. Russia is running out of tanks; replenishing its supply will not be easy. And America has a new favourite dog breed.

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A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, what’s wrong with the banks? Also, we ask whether Bibi will break Israel (10:39) and why men should get a good night’s sleep to ensure vaccines work properly (19:03).

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The visit of Xi Jinping, China’s president, to Moscow may seem like the solidifying of a simple, anti-Western alliance. But China is walking a delicate line to look after its own interests. A growing minority of young people simply do not want to drive; that will have consequences far beyond roadways. And research on colonising the Moon goes underground.

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Chulpan Khamatova is one of Russia's best-loved actors. Once courted by Vladimir Putin, she now lives in exile in Latvia. Her work and fame brought access to the key protagonists in Russia’s recent past. It’s a unique vantage point to contemplate the nature of evil⁠⁠—and its antidote.

The next episode will be released on Saturday April 1st 2023.

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More than 650,000 Americans have died of overdoses since the start of the opioid epidemic. Fentanyl, easily available and dangerously powerful, killed seventy thousand people in 2021 alone. Now, as the federal government estimates more than five million people struggle with an opioid addiction, states are increasingly looking for sweeping solutions to the crisis. What solutions are there? And what’s stopping them being enacted?

Keith Humphreys, drug policy advisor to George W Bush and Barack Obama, talks us through the state of epidemic. And The Economist’s Stevie Hertz heads to Oregon to see how its first-in-the-nation policies are working in practice. 

This is the first part of a short series looking at the opioid epidemic in America. This episode considers the demand for the drugs, and in a few weeks we'll delve into the supply chain. 

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.

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The economics are clear-cut: the benefits of preserving the lungs of the world vastly outweigh those of felling trees. We travel to the Amazon and find that the problem is largely down to lawlessness in the world’s rainforests. And reflecting on the life of Oe Kenzaburo, a Japanese writer shaped by family crisis who gave voice to the voiceless.

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Until last week, most people beyond California and the tech world probably hadn’t heard of Silicon Valley Bank, but its swift collapse made headlines across the globe. 

On this week’s podcast, hosts Alice Fulwood, Tom Lee-Devlin and Mike Bird examine what brought the bank down and to what extent the panic has been contained–or might still be spreading. Peter Conti-Brown from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School says incompetence was behind the bank’s collapse. And former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers tells them the US government’s decision to guarantee deposits should be enough to restore confidence in the banks and prevent fear spreading.

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Proposed legislation that would hobble the judiciary has led to relentless demonstrations—and exposed a rift in Israeli society that has become dangerous to Binyamin Netanyahu and the country as a whole. Artificial intelligence is boosting online search, and bolstering publishers’ arguments that search engines owe them a piece of the pie. And the reasons behind Britain’s tomato rationing.

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A new class of drugs for weight loss have become available and are showing promising results. That’s welcome news, as a recent report estimates that half of the world’s population is expected to be overweight or obese by 2035. Obesity is a disease which can lead to serious health complications–and most previous attempts at treating it have proven futile. Can the new weight-loss drugs turn the tide against this global threat?

Louise Baur, president of the World Obesity Federation crunches the numbers on the global impact of overweight and obesity. Stephan Guyenet, a neurobiologist and author of “The Hungry Brain”, explains the neurological and genetic factors that influence weight gain. Chris van Tulleken, an infectious diseases doctor at University College London and author of the upcoming book “Ultra-Processed People”, explores how the modern diet is contributing to the obesity epidemic–and other health problems. Plus, host Alok Jha asks Natasha Loder, The Economist’s health editor, how important the new skinny jabs are in the fight against obesity.

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From today’s national budget to hardline immigration legislation to international defence pacts, Britain’s prime minister is working hard to extract his Tory party from a deep electoral hole. The Kremlin is trying to extend its reach into Russia’s cultural spaces—but its incomplete success is telling. And a listen to the work of Brad Mehldau, perhaps today’s most eminent jazz pianist.

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For decades, China’s leaders have staked their claim to rule on economic growth. Now the focus on prosperity is shifting to self-reliance and security. 

The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, David Rennie, and senior China correspondent, Alice Su,interpret the targets set at the National People’s Congress with The Economist’s China economics editor, Simon Cox. They discuss what this change in focus means for business at home and abroad. And Jing Qian, the co-founder and managing director of the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Centre for China Analysis, decodes why Xi Jinping’s re-focusing of China’s economic priorities is happening now. 

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After internecine drama, the opposition-party alliance has picked their man. The bookish, mild-mannered Kemal Kilicdaroglu may be the best possible president, but also the worst possible candidate when Turkey’s democracy is flagging. We examine why a new UN high-seas treaty, decades in the making, is so significant. And Thailand’s “Boys’ Love” gay TV dramas are an ever-growing cultural export.

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A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, how to avoid war over Taiwan, the mystery of 250,000 dead Britons (9:50) and the small consolations of office irritations (18:20). 

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An old-fashioned bank run has caused American regulators to intervene in a big way to save the bank’s depositors. We ask what went wrong, and what risks the fix will pose. Today America, Australia and Britain will cement a military alliance designed to confront an increasingly assertive China. And an Ethiopian prince buried among English kings reignites questions about cultural restitution.

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In one sense, the war did not really begin in 2022. It did not even begin in Ukraine. It started the first time Vladimir Putin invaded one of Russia’s neighbours and got away with it. That was 15 years ago, in Georgia. And in the same place Joseph Stalin, author of the Soviet empire’s darkest chapter, was born. 

New episodes released on Saturdays.

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Lake Mead is shrinking. The receding shoreline of the country’s largest reservoir has laid bare the American West’s vulnerability to climate change. But last May, it revealed something else: a body shoved into a barrel. With all the signs of a mob-hit, the murder is a symbol of what Sin City used to be, but also hints at how the city could evolve again. 

In this special episode, The Economist’s Aryn Braun examines what this mystery can tell us about Las Vegas’s past and future. The investigation takes her to a casino, a speakeasy and a lab full of skulls. She talks to Congressman Ruben Gallego, former Mayor–and mafia lawyer–Oscar Goodman and the Mob Museum’s Geoff Schumacher.

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The world’s biggest military donor to Ukraine, relative to GDP, is Estonia. Kaja Kallas, its prime minister, just won a resounding victory in an election that was effectively a referendum on continued support for Ukraine. Why some South Koreans are unhappy at a deal to compensate citizens forced to work for Japanese companies. And looking back at the often painful life of the King of Sting.

Additional audio taken from ReThinking with Adam Grant published by TED Audio Collective

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Robots are getting better and cheaper—and that means they will play a much larger role in our lives. They are already reaching beyond the car plants and warehouses, where they have become commonplace, to turn their mechanised hands to making cocktails and cooking chicken. But what will that mean for the economy?

On this week’s podcast, hosts Tom Lee-Devlin, Alice Fulwood and Mike Bird examine whether the rise of the machines is good for workers and hear from Korea, where there are more robots per factory worker than any other country on earth. Kim Povlsen, the boss of robot-maker Universal Robots, says greater automation is needed as populations age and labour shortages become increasingly severe. And Susanne Bieller from the International Federation of Robotics, a global industry group, gives a glimpse of what the future might have in store.

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The risk of a Sino-American war over Taiwan appears to be growing. Our diplomatic editor assesses the frightening prospects and possible damage. Mexicans protest the weakening of the country’s independent elections agency. And why Connecticut has been exonerating those accused of witchcraft nearly four centuries ago.

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The Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing was held this week in London. It was the first such meeting since 2018, when a Chinese researcher announced that he had created the world’s first genetically edited babies—a move that was roundly condemned at the time. Host Alok Jha and Natasha Loder, The Economist’s health editor, report from the conference to explore the exciting future—and knotty challenges—of the world that gene-editing therapies could create.

Robin Lovell-Badge, a leading scientist at the Francis Crick Institute in London and the organiser of the summit, explains how genome-editing technology has rapidly advanced in recent years. Claire Booth, a professor of gene therapy and paediatric immunology at Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London discusses the hopes of gene-editing treatments. Plus, Kelly Ormond, a bioethicist from ETH-Zurich, explores the ethical dilemmas that are raised by the technology, and Filippa Lentzos of King’s College London, explains why human genome editing presents potential biosecurity risks.

Listen to previous episodes of “Babbage” on the topic: the gene therapy revolution and an interview with Jennifer Doudna, the pioneer of CRISPR-Cas9 technology. 

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Economists and politicians around the world are consumed with one question: is the world headed for a recession, or a relatively soft landing? We’ll tell you what clues the American property market offers. Why China’s football team can’t seem to find its feet. And why rap lyrics are increasingly treated as confessions of guilt in American courts.

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This month China’s prime minister, Li Keqiang,will retire. He was once a rising star of the Communist Party and a contender to lead it, but under Xi Jinping he had little chance to shine. 

The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, David Rennie, and senior China correspondent, Alice Su, ask what Mr Li’s career and retirement reveals about power in China. They speak to two people who know Mr Li: Tao Jingzhou, a former university classmate, and Joerg Wuttke, the head of the European Union chamber of commerce in China, about his political and economic outlook. And The Economist’sJames Miles decodes the choice of Mr Li’s successor. 

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Ukraine is using a torrent of Western arms and training to prepare for a spring offensive. We learn why being on a corporate board of directors—or recruiting for one—is more difficult than ever. And we ask why one particular composition of Vivaldi’s has become ubiquitous.

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A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, how to cure obesity, Ron DeSantis’s foreign policy doctrine (10:53) and why hype can help and hinder entrepreneurs (17:00).

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A policy of ambiguity is swiftly shifting; the country is falling into a Sino-Russian orbit at just the time it needs the most help from Western allies. How learning to debate can improve the lives of those inside and released from New York City’s biggest prison. And meeting a street artist who decorates the wreckage of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city.

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A decade ago Russia's middle class was larger and richer than it had ever been. “Russians are OK” was the title of a popular YouTube channel. But Vladimir Putin’s return to power sparked unprecedented protests as two very different visions of Russia vied for dominance. 

New episodes will be released weekly on Saturdays.

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There’s been no official announcement, but the mood music suggests Joe Biden will seek a second term. If he does run in 2024, and if he wins, he would be 86 by the time he leaves office. Part of Biden’s appeal in 2020 was his electability, but that seems less assured now. Are Democrats making a mistake by not looking elsewhere? 

The Economist’s Elliott Morris considers what the polls tell us about Biden’s popularity.  We go back to the last time a president chose not to seek reelection.  And Democratic strategist Lis Smith assesses the strength of the Democratic bench.

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.

Do you have a question for the Checks and Balance team?  Email us at podcasts@economist.com with “Checks Q&A” in the subject line and we’ll answer it in a special upcoming episode. 

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. 

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A slump in tech is driving investors to rediscover old ways. Out are the cash-splashing long bets; in are smaller, profitable, strategic firms. Nigeria’s election was pitched as the most transparent ever. It was not. We ask what is likely to happen now. And chilli crisp, a Chinese condiment with a deep history, is a study in how foods become fads.

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China was the source of $1trn-worth of electronic goods and components in 2021, roughly a third of the global total. And it’s not just consumer electronics that begin their life in China. The country is the source of everything from childrens’ toys to medical equipment—it dominates the global supply chain. But manufacturers are increasingly looking elsewhere to make their products as China’s rising wages and growing tensions with the US make its factories less attractive than its neighbours.

On this week’s podcast, hosts Mike Bird, Alice Fulwood and Tom Lee-Devlin look at Asia’s alternative manufacturing hubs. Manmohan Sodhi, professor of operations and supply chain management at Bayes business school in London, tells them that manufacturing requires more than just factories—it also needs universities, labs and designers. Former diplomat and trade negotiator Wendy Cutler, who is now vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute, says today’s China-centric supply chain structure is no longer sustainable.

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Shifts in the garment industry, which powered development in the country, represent one risk; meagre currency reserves are another. Yet nothing so imperils Bangladesh’s economic miracle as graft and patronage at the highest levels. How does North Korea afford its flashy weapons programme? Crypto scams of eye-watering scope. And the newsmaking history of BBC Monitoring’s radio translators.

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There is a worrying amount of fraud in medical research. As many as one in 50 research papers may be unreliable because of fabrication, plagiarism or serious errors. Fabricated data can influence the guidelines which doctors use to treat patients. Misguided clinical guidelines could cause serious illness and death in patients. Fraudulent studies can also influence further research programmes—recent findings suggest that manipulated images may have resulted in scientists wasting time and money following blind alleys in Alzheimer’s research for decades. What can be done to combat scientific malpractice? 

Dorothy Bishop, a retired professor of psychology at the University of Oxford, explores the motivation behind fraudsters in research. John Carlisle, an anaesthetist and an editor of the journal Anaesthesia, explains the impact of fraud and how to detect it in research papers. Also, Elisabeth Bik, a former microbiologist and a full-time scientific image detective, discusses the consequences of whistle-blowing on both sleuths and the fraudsters. Plus, The Economist’s health-care correspondent, Slavea Chankova, investigates how to overcome the worrying unwillingness on all sides to do anything about fraud in research. Alok Jha hosts.

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The Belt and Road initiative to encircle much of the world with Chinese-funded, Chinese-built infrastructure is growing leaner and more penny-wise. But its ambitions are undimmed. Energy-market turmoil has given a boost to the green transition—a boost that has come with hard truths about the shift’s costs. And a television show about Jesus Christ becomes an unlikely hit.

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China’s Communist Party declared a “decisive victory” against the pandemic last week, arguing that the country’s response to the virus has been a “miracle in human history.” We travel to four cities that have all played important roles in China’s covid policies and examine the effects of the lockdowns that took place in each of them.  

The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, David Rennie, and senior China correspondent, Alice Su, talk to Gabriel Crossley, The Economist’s China correspondent. He traveled to Ruili, a border city in Southern China, to see how the local government leveraged the pandemic to build a border fence. We also hear from Don Weinland, our China business and finance editor in Shanghai, who has been speaking to business owners about the country’s economic recovery. 

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Since Brexit’s earliest days, the trade status of Northern Ireland and its border with the Republic of Ireland have been a perilous sticking point. We examine a deal that might—and should—resolve matters at last. Our correspondent looks at all the plush office space being converted into family homes. And an obituary for the ruined city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.

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A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, how to win the war in Ukraine, Joe Biden’s sensible new border policies (11:15) and Nigeria’s scorpion trade (15:30). 

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Excitement still surrounds the spoiler candidate Peter Obi, whose down-to-earth ways appeal to a large constituency of fed-up youths. We look at the early returns. A year ago Olaf Scholz, Germany’s chancellor, announced a tremendous shift in defence policy and funding; we ask how far the warship has turned since then. And remembering Queen Elizabeth I’s favourite composer.

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A year on from Russia’s invasion, Joe Biden has made it clear: America’s backing for Ukraine “will not waver”.  But Ukraine needs more than strong words.  Does America have the will and the means to back Ukraine for as long as it takes?  And what does its commitment in Europe mean for America’s readiness to help defend allies elsewhere?  

The Economist’s Anton La Guardia tells us how the battle in Ukraine compares to other recent conflicts. The Economist’s Jon Fasman visits a munitions plant in Pennsylvania.  And Commandant of the United States Marine Corps General David Berger considers the prospect of war in the Pacific. 

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. 

Do you have a question for the Checks and Balance team?  Email us at podcasts@economist.com with “Checks Q&A” in the subject line and we’ll answer it in a special upcoming episode. 

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod.

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After a year of a conflict that was predicted to last just days, we examine the battle lines—seeing an opportunity for Ukraine that may not come around again. We look at the strains on Russian civil society by speaking with self-exiled citizens. And one Ukrainian woman who returned to Kharkiv tells us how the war has changed her.

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The rise of Korea’s musicians from local celebrities to international superstars is credited to Lee Soo-man, the godfather of K-pop. The industry he developed gave rise to groups like BTS, which has been the biggest-selling band in the world for two years running. Now, Lee has sold most of his stake in SM Entertainment, the company he founded, to one of its biggest rivals.

On this week’s podcast, hosts Mike Bird, Alice Fulwood and Tom Lee-Devlin delve into the world of K-pop and examine how the businesses making one of Korea's newest export industries operate. Author, Mark Russell, tells them how K-pop went global. Analyst, Bokyung Suh, breaks down the secret to its commercial success, and explains whether fans should fear a potential K-pop commercial monopoly.

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Markets seem to think the worst is over; central bankers are not so sure. We ask why determining the trajectory of inflation is so difficult. Millions of refugees have poured out of Ukraine since the war began; their uncertain futures make setting up home tricky—for them and their host countries’ governments. And how technology is transforming the sport of ice fishing.

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For Russians opposed to Vladimir Putin, everything changed the moment they awoke to news of the invasion of Ukraine a year ago. They felt a range of emotions: pain, fury and shame. And they had to figure out what to do next. 

The Economist’s Arkady Ostrovsky has been speaking to them, because their stories help solve the mystery of why this senseless war began – and how it might end.

New episodes will be released weekly on Saturdays.

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Over the past few years, hundreds of rugby players have launched class-action lawsuits against the sport’s governing bodies, accusing them of failing to do enough to protect players from head injuries. They say that repeated blows to the head, sustained through years of playing rugby, or other sports, have caused neurodegenerative conditions like dementia, motor neurone and Parkinson’s diseases. But can scientific evidence prove a link between contact sports and these brain conditions? 

Alix Popham, a Welsh former professional rugby player, tells his story of head injuries on the pitch and his desired outcomes from the lawsuits. Plus, Lauren Pulling, who runs the Drake Foundation, explains the current state of neuroscientific research and what further studies are needed to investigate the connection. Alok Jha hosts with Natasha Loder, The Economist’s health editor, and Georgia Banjo, our Britain correspondent. 

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President Joe Biden’s riposte to the bellicose speech of his counterpart Vladimir Putin was a study in contrast. We examine their views on Ukraine and ask how a lasting peace could be secured. We speak with an exiled Chinese blogger trying to get the truth about that conflict into his homeland. And why the young are leaving Japan to seek greater fortunes abroad.

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It is impossible to imagine Beijing without its hutongs. The ancient alleyways harbour the city’s character, culture and history inside their low, grey walls. But for decades the hutongs have been in peril. 

The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, David Rennie goes in search of the last of the hutongs and meets Hu Xinyu, a historian who’s trying to preserve them and their way of life.

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Particulate matter is shortening lives and hobbling economies in the region. We ask how policy changes and international collaboration could mitigate the suffering as the pollution spreads. Our correspondent meets with two Russian men who, fearing being drafted, made a hair-raising journey by dinghy from their homeland’s far east. And why Seventh Day Adventists seem to live longer lives. 

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A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, why inflation will be hard to bring down, Peter Obi’s plans to transform Nigeria (9:55) and a promising step towards a male contraceptive pill (15:20). 

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The country’s war-torn north-west has been getting far less aid than it needs in the earthquakes’ aftermath. We investigate the dilemma of lifting long-running international sanctions. Housing prices are slipping across the rich world, but South Korea’s unusual property market makes that slide far more perilous. And what three decades’-worth of data reveal about crafting a pop hit.

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The Capitol in Washington might face gridlock, but politicians in statehouses across the country are getting to work. In most state legislatures, a single party has control–their debates provide a window into each party's broader agenda. For states led by Republicans, dockets are dominated by bills related to abortion, gender identity and kids. Is this culture war all consuming? And as the national party dithers over its agenda, what does action on the state level say about the future of the Republican Party?

Mark Jones of Rice University takes us through legislative priorities in Texas. We go back to a time when state gun laws spread across the country. And the American Enterprise Institute’s Rick Hess discusses why many of the Republican bills focus on kids. 

Charlotte Howard hosts with Alexandra Suich Bass and Idrees Kahloon 

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Charitable giving is being disrupted by the same youthful tech folk who got rich disrupting other sectors: these days it is fast, data-driven and bureaucracy-light. We meet a new class of investors who trade shares from behind bars. And reflecting on the life of Maya Widmaier-Picasso, who spent her childhood painting alongside her father, becoming an expert on his work.

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Quantitative investors are known for their cool, mathematical approach to investing. They build models which search for patterns across huge data sets to discern where they should invest. The frenzied “bubble in everything” wrongfooted many quants in 2020–but the stock markets return to Earth, which crippled many traditional funds, generated huge returns for the quants in 2022. Nowhere was this clearer than in the performance of AQR Capital Management, a quant fund run by Cliff Asness. Its long-running strategy returned 43.5% last year, net of fees. 

On this week’s podcast, hosts Alice Fulwood, Tom Lee-Devlin and Mike Bird speak to Cliff Asness, the co-founder and chief investment officer of AQR, one of the world’s biggest quant fund managers. He tells them why he’s more open than his competitors and what still keeps him up at night. Sign up for our new weekly newsletter dissecting the big themes in markets, business and the economy at www.economist.com/moneytalks  For full access to print, digital and audio editions, subscribe to The Economistat www.economist.com/podcastoffer

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Nicola Sturgeon is bowing out after shaping a party that has defined itself on the notion of Scottish independence. What now for Scotland and for Britain more broadly? Our correspondent says that France’s protests against pension reform are about far more than the stereotype of being workshy. And the surprising information spies could gather from your home’s Wi-Fi router.

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Over the past 18 months, the largest-ever recorded avian influenza outbreak has decimated bird populations around the world. But recently bird flu has spread to mammals. Last week, Peru reported the deaths of 585 sea lions. If the virus has mutated to enable mammal-to-mammal transmission, that could be an intermediate step towards human-to-human transmission. How worrying is this threat?

Susan Davies, CEO of the Scottish Seabird Centre, describes how the H5N1 avian flu has affected populations of wild birds. Ian Brown of Britain’s Animal and Plant Health Agency explains why the dynamics of this outbreak are concerning scientists. Plus, we ask Marion Koopmans, head of viroscience at Erasmus MC, why she’s more worried than ever about a human influenza pandemic. The Economist’s Slavea Chankova also compares the influenza threat to the covid-19 pandemic. Do we have enough tools in our arsenal? Alok Jha hosts. 

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Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina and UN ambassador, has declared her 2024 presidential candidacy. We assess her chances and survey the field. Intimidation and financial pressure are quashing journalism in the Arab world. And a new film tenderly imagines what it means to be a donkey.

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Sino-American relations have been blown off course after the downing of a Chinese balloon. 

The Economist’sBeijing bureau chief, David Rennie, and our senior China correspondent, Alice Su, explorewhether China and America are heading towards a stand-off and what needs to be done to avoid any escalation.

The historian John Delury unearths the roots of distrust between the two superpowers. And, Da Wei, director of Tsinghua University’s Centre for International Security and Strategy, weighs up whether Xi Jinping and Joe Biden are serious about managing their relationship.

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The petrostates of the Gulf are modernising their economies, growing more tolerant and liberalising their social contracts as they prepare for a world run on fewer hydrocarbons—but who will be left behind? A Chinese maker of electric vehicles prepares to steal a march on Tesla. And a look at Britain’s newest islands reveals they are made of wet wipes.

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A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, how chatbots will influence the lucrative business of internet search, the parable of Adani (11:25) and why France is arguing about work, and the right to be lazy (19:50). 

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Our correspondent visits town after devastated town. Poorly enforced building codes are one clear factor in the rising death toll—and a political backlash looms. Britain’s productivity problem is at least partly a problem with bad managers; we look at the substantial gains to be had from better-run companies. And the valuable data to come from an ambitious, national-scale sex survey.

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“If China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country.” In his state-of-the-union speech earlier this week, Joe Biden promised to deal with any threat from China. The House has voted unanimously to condemn the CCP for flying a spy balloon over America. What’s next for Sino-American relations?  

Congressman Darin LaHood shares the plans of a new select committee on China. We go back to the time a plane rather than a balloon caused a crisis. And The Economist’s David Rennie brings us the view from Beijing.  

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.  

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Young voters are fired up and the electoral system has been strengthened, but Nigeria’s challenges are considerable. We explore why this month’s vote offers an opportunity to turn the country around. Our correspondent says that China’s economic reopening may have limited effects outside China. And why some psychotherapists object to how films and TV shows portray their work.

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Just weeks ago, Gautam Adani was the third richest person in the world. But he was caught short when Hindenburg Research, a small American short-seller, issued a report that spooked investors, wiping $100bn from the value of Adani firms.

On this week’s podcast, hosts Mike Bird, Alice Fulwood and Tom Lee-Devlin examine the allegations levelled at Adani’s firms, which the company has forcefully denied. The Economist’s Mumbai bureau chief, Tom Easton, talks them through Hindenburg’s report and Adani’s response. Analyst Mahesh Vyas considers the impact on Adani’s ability to borrow to fund infrastructure projects. And short-seller Andrew Left describes what it’s like to hit send on a report that’s intended to crash a firm’s stock price.

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When the shelling of Ukraine began a year ago, free-thinking Russians faced a fateful choice: lie low, resist or flee. Hundreds of thousands decided to leave. For them the war meant the future of Russia itself was now in doubt.

The Economist's Arkady Ostrovsky finds out what happened to these exiles for a new podcast series. Their stories help solve the mystery of why this senseless war began – and how it might end. New episodes will be released weekly on Saturdays.

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America’s Congress may be gridlocked, but its state legislaturescertainly aren’t. The laws they’ll pass this year will probably impact more people more directly than anything Congress does, with just a fraction of the public attention. Why things are looking up for Meta. And reflecting on the legacy and achievements of Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s former president.

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Engineers have spent decades trying to create functional humanoid robots, which look and act like humans. But these machines, which combine complex mechanics with generative artificial intelligence models, like ChatGPT, are finally coming-of-age. Are they good enough to sustain a human-like conversation, though?

Host Alok Jha travels to Cornwall to meet Ameca, a robot made by Engineered Arts. Will Jackson, the company’s boss, explains how the technology behind Ameca works and the advantages of having robots that look and behave like people. Plus, Paul Markillie, The Economist’s innovation editor, assesses the state of the field and how to prepare for the rollout of humanoid robots. 

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The race for AI supremacy is on. Microsoft, Google, Baidu and a host of smaller firms are all placing bets on the technology’s future. Which version emerges on top may well determine how people find information online for decades to come. Luxury offices are a bright spot in the commercial real-estate doldrums. And why inflation is stalking Europe’s sweet treats.

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It’s been a year since Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin announced the “no-limits” friendship between China and Russia, but is it one between equals? In the second episode of a two-part series, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, David Rennie, and our senior China correspondent, Alice Su, explore the rocky past of Sino-Soviet relations with historian Joseph Torigian, and hear from locals in Heilongjiang, a border province, about whether the war in Ukraine has changed their view of Russia. Plus, Alexander Gabuev, of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Centre, and The Economist’sArkady Ostrovsky, discuss the power dynamic between Mr Xi and Mr Putin, and what Mr Xi stands to gain from the conflict. 

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Amid unthinkable destruction and loss of life, we examine the factors that will frustrate relief efforts following earthquakes in an already troubled region. As President Joe Biden prepares to welcome a new chief of staff, we speak with the author who literally wrote the book on America’s second-most-powerful government job. And Argentina’s newest musical export repurposes an American genre born three decades ago.

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A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, President Joe Biden’s plan to remake America’s economy, Ukraine’s troops in the east are quietly confident (11:20) and the race of the AI labs heats up (18:10).

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American fighters shot down a balloon that China says was monitoring the weather, but America insists was spying. It was a minor incident, but it highlights the relationship of a great-power rivalry with inadequate guardrails. Our correspondent visits a market in Mumbai to see what might be lost as India’s economy formalises.  And some surprising—and worrying—data puncturing the myth about the skinny French.

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More and more universities across America now require would-be professors to submit so-called diversity statements. These ask applicants to set out their commitment to, and experience of, promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. At the same time some Republican-led states, most notably Florida, are putting their own restrictions on academia.  How healthy is academic freedom in America? 

Dean of Berkeley Law Erwin Chemerinsky makes the case for diversity statements, while NYU’s Jonathan Haidt argues against them. We go back to when professors took a stand against anti-communism. And former head of Human Rights Watch Kenneth Roth recounts his own fight for academic freedom.  

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.

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As part of The Economist’s new series on the remaking of the country's economy, our correspondent looks at the Biden administration’s audacious industrial plans. Russia’s media outlets have been relentlessly squeezed, so many have set up newsrooms in exile; we examine the rise of “offshore journalism”. And reflecting on the life of Gina Lollobrigida, a remarkable, irrepressible, impenitent Italian actress.

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Goldman once dominated Wall Street. In 2009, after the financial crisis, when most financial institutions were left reeling, Goldman had its best year ever. It appeared an apex-predator, one that could outsmart its rivals in even the toughest environments. But the last decade has been humbling for Goldman.

On this week’s podcast, hosts Alice Fulwood, Tom Lee-Devlin and Mike Bird ask what is going wrong with Goldman Sachs. We hear how the bank grew from a basement office selling promissory notes in downtown Manhattan to become the most revered name on Wall Street. Analyst Steven Chubak tells us when things changed for Goldman, and how it is trying to adapt. And The Economist'sPatrick Foulis says the bank’s mystique is at odds with its “mediocre, pedestrian and humdrum” valuation.

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The country remains riven by unrest since the “self-coup” and subsequent arrest of its president in December; only an early election might bring a return to calm. Our correspondent goes shopping to discover the spending habits of Generation Z and millennials. And examining the work of Tom Lehrer, a mathematician who was an unlikely midwife at the birth of modern satire.

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Alcohol is the most widely used drug in the world, but it is also the cause of three million deaths each year and has been linked to many other long-term illnesses. In addition, the loss of productivity due to hangovers has an outsized impact on some economies. People still want to have a good time, though, and innovators are dreaming up ways to enjoy the effects of alcohol, without the costs.

Jason Hosken, our producer, visits Brixton Brewery to speak to co-founders Jez Galaun and Xochitl Benjamin about the rise of alcohol-free beer. Natasha Loder, The Economist’s health editor, investigates the herbal drinks that claim to mimic the effects of alcohol. Plus, David Nutt, a professor at Imperial College London explains how alcohol affects the brain and why his synthetic alcohol could reduce excessive drinking and end hangovers forever. 

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The Adani Group, one of India’s biggest conglomerates, has come under fire from a tiny American research firm. A successful secondary share sale amid a rout in the markets leaves many questions—and proves revealing about India Inc. Our correspondent explains why Mexico is so well-placed to navigate the electric-vehicle transition. And the unlikely rise of MAGA rap artists.

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It’s been a year since Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin announced the “no-limits” friendship between China and Russia. What drives the relationship and which side benefits from it more?

In the first episode of a two-part series, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, David Rennie, and senior China correspondent, Alice Su, assess how the relationship between Mr Xi and Mr Putin has evolved over the past year and ask whether the friendship has any boundaries.

They also speak to Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University, about how China sees Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and whether that view has changed over the course of this year.

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Fixing the complex, creaking pension system remains central to President Emmanuel Macron’s agenda of reforms. But leaving it alone is central to French identity—so workers are striking, again, in huge numbers. Our correspondent lays out why 2023’s first earnings season is so gloomy. And America is providing more legal protections for polyamorous “throuples”.

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A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, the humbling of Goldman Sachs, a crisis of confidence in Egypt (9:20) and how to conduct a sex survey in Britain (19:05).

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The response to the death of the 29-year-old has differed from that of previous cases of police killings; we ask what the tragedy indicates about how America deals with police violence. Our correspondent says a lawmaker’s murder in Afghanistan highlights the misery of women under the Taliban. And why a decades-old model of animal and human learning is under fire. 

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House Republicans hope that by delving into Hunter Biden’s business dealings they’ll find a trail of wrongdoing leading back to the president. Is this just the usual partisan mudslinging? Or will the Hunter Biden saga spell trouble for Joe Biden?

Andrew Rice from New York magazine tells us what is on Hunter Biden’s laptop. The Economist’s James Bennet remembers the time a president’s brother caused trouble. And Republican congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna explains why she wants to investigate the Biden family.  

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. 

You can read the New York magazine piece we mention, by Andrew Rice and Olivia Nuzzi, here

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South Africa’s infrastructure—its ports, railways and power grid—are struggling and poorly managed. Ordinary South Africans are increasingly fed up. We profile Russia’s new military commander in Ukraine. And our obituaries editor remembers one of Britain’s finest rural writers.

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The Walt Disney Company turns 100 years old this week. But the silver screen success that helped it become the world’s biggest entertainment company will not be enough to keep it on top for another century. As households swap cable packages for streaming, and kids turn to gaming, rather than movies, Disney needs reanimating.

On this week’s podcast, hosts Tom Lee-Devlin, Alice Fulwood and Mike Bird ask whether Disney has lost its touch. The Economist’s Tom Wainwright takes us on a tour of the Magic Kingdom, to assess its sprawling empire. Analyst Rich Greenfield explains why the company is losing billions on streaming. And Matthew Ball, former head of strategy for Amazon Studios, tells us about the big bet Disney needs to make if it wants to retain its crown.

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Israel’s right-wing coalition government has the country’s supreme courtin its sights. Their proposal to effectively subjugate its independence to the legislature has sparked protests and stirred concern for the country’s democracy. Our correspondent reports from a newly reopened Shanghai. And how gas stovesbecame the latest battleground in America’s endless culture wars.

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Three firms are racing to become the first private company to land on the Moon. The potential commercial opportunities range from mining lunar resources to establishing a human base with communications infrastructure. But the commercialisation of the Moon raises tricky questions about who owns Earth’s closest neighbour.

Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines, explains what he hopes his company’s missions will achieve, while Ian Jones of Goonhilly Earth Station describes how the blossoming private space sector is boosting the economy. And Dhara Patel, an expert at Britain’s National Space Centre, explores how the international community has attempted to govern space. Alok Jha hosts with Tom Standage, The Economist’s deputy editor.

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After months of foot-dragging, Germany is sending tanks to Ukraine, with America poised to follow suit. We examine how that could reshape the battlefield. Why Sudan’s democratic transition has stalled and its economy is struggling. And we reveal the secret to perfectly cooked chips.

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China is celebrating the lunar new year. The Ministry of Transport predicts that by February 15th over 2bn journeys will be made by Chinese heading to their home towns–and for some migrant workers, it'll be the first time they've returned since the start of the covid-19 pandemic three years ago.The Economist'sBeijing bureau chief, David Rennie, has a standing ticket for a train ride that’s part of the biggest annual human migration on the planet. He asks passengers on a two-day train from Guangzhou to Urumqiabout the economic and emotional challenges involved in going home. He and Alice Su, our senior China correspondent, also hear from Han Dongfang, founder of the China Labour Bulletin, about a pay problem that's gripping the country's most vulnerable workers.

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Around one-fifth of Ukraine’s population has fled. The country’s GDP has plummeted and foreign investors are staying away. Even as the fighting rages, the world has already begun thinking about how to rebuild the country. How a 36-year-old treaty helped heal the ozone layer. And why the pandemic did not lead to a wave of job-killing automation.

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We turn the spotlight on forecasting itself, and look back on the predictions we made for 2022. How accurate were we? How do “superforecasters” look into the future? And how can forecasters account for irrational world leaders when predicting major events? Charlotte Howard, The Economist’s executive editor, talks to Tom Standage, editor of The World Ahead, and Warren Hatch, the CEO of Good Judgement, a “superforecasting” platform and partner of The Economist.

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Jacinda Ardern resigned as New Zealand’s prime minister last week. As Chris Hipkins prepares to take over, we reflect on Ms Ardern’s legacy, and look at the challenges her successor inherits. What the world’s plethora of grandparents means for families. And which issues currently motivateAmerica’s far-right.

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A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, Disney’s second century, Turkey’s looming dictatorship (10:25) and how young people spend their money (17:35). 

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Reports of the slow death of American incomes have been exaggerated.  Since the turn of the millennium, hourly earnings have grown steadily in real terms.  While those at the top have taken most of the gains, in the past few years, the poorest have done well too.  Where does that leave those in the middle?  What’s behind the two decades of growing incomes?  And why hasn’t a richer population brought a more contented politics?

The Economist’s Simon Rabinovitch explains the latest data on incomes–and why it can be tricky to calculate.  We go back to another time where economic perceptions and reality were far apart.  And Betsey Stevenson, of the University of Michigan, discusses what all this means for income inequality.

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.

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The global elite’s annual Alpine jamboree may have lost some of its convening power, our editor-in-chief says, but the many encounters it enables still have enormous value. Our correspondent considers what the closing of Noma, a legendary Danish restaurant, means for the world of fine dining. And remembering Adolfo Kaminsky, whose expertly forged documents saved thousands of Jews’ lives. 

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America has changed the way it views the rest of the world. Rather than pushing for a more globalised economy with fewer trade barriers, the US is now seeking a more protected system of international trade. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act promises nearly $400bn to boost clean energy and reduce dependence on China for things like batteries for electric cars. The Chips Act, meanwhile, provides incentives worth $52bn to boost America’s semiconductor industry.

On this week’s podcast, hosts Mike Bird and Alice Fulwood examine what this new zero-sum era means for the global economy. Chad Bown from the Peterson Institute for International Economics tells them the age of globalisation isn’t returning any time soon. Henry Gao from Singapore Management University blames America’s attempt to “out-China China by becoming more like China”.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismantled the country’s institutions. As an election looms we ask what democratic guardrails remain, and examine the wider risks if those go, too. “Non-compete” clauses designed to protect trade secrets when employees depart are being abused—and trustbusters are going after them. And Ryuichi Sakamoto, a famed Japanese composer, reckons with mortality in his latest release.

Music from “12” courtesy of Milan Records.

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