Economist Podcasts

So far, Israel’s strikes have not accomplished the stated mission of crippling Iran’s nuclear programme. A war of endurance will be decided by which side runs out of materiel first. South Asia has not been heating up as fast as other regions—thanks in part to its notorious pollution. And a close listen to the music-production genius of the late Brian Wilson. 

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Israel launches an all-out assault on Iran without clear US backing, our correspondent explains how the conflict could escalate. The Trump administration has reduced America’s readiness for hurricane season. And what FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup will mean for football.

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The all-famous Murdoch clan is engaged in a fierce battle over control of the family’s media companies. Our correspondent explains why turmoil at the top has not deterred investors. After decades of fruitless research into Alzheimer’s, there are finally some new drugs in the pipeline. And pop songs are getting shorter.  

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For centuries, male children were prized as heirs and breadwinners. Now the desire to have boys is diminishing and some parents would rather have a girl. What Germany’s expanded armed forces mean for Europe. And if coffee can benefit your health, how many mugs should you consume a day?   

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It brought us the iPhone–and changed the world. Now Apple is struggling to keep up with rapid advances in AI. Our correspondent assesses its future. China used to rely on Russian patronage. That power relationship has now largely been reversed (9:41). And remembering Amanda Feilding, who pioneered research on psychedelics (16:14).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our correspondent reports from LA, where Donald Trump’s decision to send in troops risks inciting further antagonism. The argument is now about far more than immigration. A visual investigation confirms that Myanmar’s junta is still bombing civilian settlements after the deadly earthquake, despite agreeing to a humanitarian ceasefire (9:25). And should kids play contact sports (14:32)?     

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when the world’s most powerful man falls out with its richest? Our correspondent analyses where the Trump-Musk brawl leaves the relationship between MAGA and tech. How Israel’s far-right is influencing the war in Gaza (10:13). And why rhyme is on the decline (and verse is getting worse) (21:01). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the number of Russian dead and injured in Ukraine reaches a grim milestone, what do these losses signify about Vladimir Putin’s strategy? Though misinformation is growing, the armies of fact-checkers are shrinking, forcing them to assess which lies may do the most harm (7:42). And why cheese rolling could become a protected item of British heritage (14:38). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The election of South Korea’s new president represents a resounding rejection of the political turmoil that preceded the campaign. Our correspondent explains the domestic and international challenges ahead. How Africa’s diaspora is shaping Afrobeats (10:06). And why culling dingoes in Australia may be a mistake (16:44).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain, alongside other European countries, faces rising threats to its security. But a bold new strategy to bolster its defence forces risks being underfunded. Investors may be losing faith in long-term government bonds as a safe haven (8:42). And why a surprising number of French adults are choosing to be baptised (16:27).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Poland’s presidential election was a fight between two distinct visions of the country’s future. Our correspondent explains how the nationalist victor, a political newcomer, will shape Europe. Why drunken bar brawls are declining in Britain (7:31). And remembering the “Wonga Coup” mercenary, Simon Mann (12:18). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A newly formed, private foundation took charge of aid distribution in the territory; a melee ensued. What is the group’s origin, and what is its plan? A pandemic treaty at last agreed by the UN is an important step—even if the most desired signatory was absent (10:54). And a novel exhibition in London shows how to make the most of a museum’s collection (18:22).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Court of International Trade ruled that Donald Trump’s so-called fentanyl and Liberation Day tariffs constituted executive overreach. Now what? Artificial intelligence is on a wild ride through a well-known hype cycle—and is arriving at a “trough of disillusionment” (8:49). And a new book about Xi Jinping’s father reveals much about the Chinese president himself (16:42).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump administration’s determination to bend higher-education institutions to its will seems to know no bounds—and nowhere is getting it worse than Harvard University. The outcome of Poland’s presidential runoff matters far beyond its borders, now that it is a continental heavyweight (11:23). And a bid to elevate the humblest drink to a luxury beverage (19:25).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No one knows which soldiers will be on the buses; many families simply come in hope. As the wider war grinds on, our correspondent witnesses a mix of joy, confusion and disappointment. Big American brands once had it easy in the global marketplace. Now they bear the brunt of anti-Trump sentiment (12:05). And Brazil’s bustling bull market—that is, market for bulls (18:28).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Voters will be electing each and every one of the country’s judges—removing the last meaningful check on Morena, the ruling party. Nigeria has more people without electricity than any other country, but fixing that will be fiendishly difficult (7:50). And if it is so easy to order a takeaway pizza, why are home pizza ovens all the rage (14:11)?

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The country’s leader is in a mad rush to transform his country into an upper-middle-income powerhouse before geopolitical forces stall its rise. America’s army is being thinned out; we examine the risks of putting both weapons and generals on the chopping block (10:12). And remembering Ed Smylie, who saved the crew of Apollo 13 with a delightfully low-tech plan (17:47). 

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia know their borders may be the next front for Russian aggression. They do not want to deploy mines and razor wire—but they must. Our correspondent visits the American city of Baltimore to investigate a national drop in violent crime (9:46). And a sweeping new biography of Mark Twain, who created a uniquely American style of fiction (17:19).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A careful study of a range of data sources suggests that Israel’s military actions in Gaza have resulted in far more deaths than published tallies indicate. The Church of England, facing declining numbers of parishioners, is selling up its properties on the cheap (14:10). And we ask whether those trendy “juice shots” confer any health benefits (20:29).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A “reset” with the bloc is merely a first step in maintaining relations. We ask what is in this week’s deal. Millennials and Gen Z get all the media attention—but spare a thought for Gen X, who have actually had it pretty rough (9:25). And Nvidia’s graphics cards used to set the bar—but its latest offerings have failed to impress gamers (16:44).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rafal Trzaskowski, the liberal mayor expected to win the first round cleanly only squeaked by. We ask what’s at stake in the NATO-front-line country now the second round looks so uncertain. In the new world of weight-loss drugs Wegovy, from Novo Nordisk, has reigned supreme—perhaps not for much longer (9:40). And people really do look—but also act—like their dogs (16:51).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Forget the hammocks and ping-pong tables. Creativity takes work. Managers at Google, Lego and a pair of AI startups share advice on breaking through. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Negotiations in Turkey to bring peace to Ukraine could be a flop. But the repercussions of shifting alliances with Russia will play out in this weekend’s presidential election in Romania where the leading candidates have polarised opinion. Why British towns are shabby and disorderly (10:48). And the brilliance of women’s basketball in America (18:30).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drugs in America often cost more than three times as much as those elsewhere. But Donald Trump’s plan to cut prescription costs and impose tariffs may have unintended consequences for consumers. Inside North Korea’s crypto-heist: from hermit kingdom to hacking kingdom (10:45). And remembering Alvaro Mangino, who survived the 1972 Andes air crash (18:39).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Donald Trump removes bans on trade with Syria and meets its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, our correspondent analyses the implications. Two feuding political dynasties in the Philippines use mid-term elections as a proxy battle (10:03). And introducing V-Tubers, creators behind live-streams of cartoon avatars coming to a screen near you (18:42).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A ceasefire becomes ever more urgent in Gaza as Israel expands military operations and obstructs aid. As Donald Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia, the regional balance of power has shifted since his last term (9:55). Also on the show: introducing series two of “Boss Class”, on how to be a better manager (17:44). And we need your feedback! Please take our survey.

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Season 2, we’re releasing an extended interview alongside each episode. This week: Who needs search engines when chatbots can answer every query for you? That’s the question confronting the head of Search at the world’s most popular website.

To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Forget the hammocks and ping-pong tables. Creativity takes work. Managers at Google, Lego and a pair of AI startups share advice on breaking through.

To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tariffs against China were the centrepiece of Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” trade plans. Our correspondent explains the significance of a new 90-day hiatus. Will Ukraine and Russia come to the negotiating table this week (7:51)? Why new techniques to compressthe contrast between loud and quiet music could be damaging our hearing (15:35). And help us improve the show by taking this survey. 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The choice of Robert Prevost reflects a desire for unity and compromise. But insofar as Pope Leo XIV represents a middle path, how will he lead on the church’s trickiest questions? The Trump administration has axed Biden-era export controls on AI chips. Good. Now they must enact simpler, more-effective ones (11:29). And remembering Martin Graham, founder of the Longborough Festival Opera (19:34).

Economist Education is running a new six-week online course on international relations—a window into shifting geopolitical trends and a guide to navigating uncertainty and risk. Listeners to “The Intelligence” can save 15% by clickinghereand using the code INTELLIGENCE.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eighty years since the surrender of Nazi forces, we consider the differing ways that nations frame that distant history for today; none does so more gravely than Russia. Our “Archive 1945” project relives The Economist‘s reporting on the last days of war in Europe. And we examine how European defence has changed, and how Britain’s celebrations hint at a world perhaps forever lost. 

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two weeks after a terrorist attack in Kashmir, Indian missiles streaked into Pakistan. Will the retaliation end this latest flare-up or intensify it? Our correspondent meets Alexandre de Moraes, a swashbuckling Brazilian supreme court justice who is taking sides in the global free-speech fight (8:35). And appetite for Sweden’s rare-earth minerals will pose difficulties for the Sami people and their reindeer (tk).

Please take a moment to fill out ourlistener survey—let us know what you like about the show, and what you don’t.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.

The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordisk to Google. 

New episodes are out weekly starting May 12th. 

To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber toThe Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a post-war first, Germany’s round of parliamentary voting for a chancellor did not produce one. We ask why members of Friedrich Merz’s coalition turned on him, and what happens next. Daring raids on scam compounds in Myanmar freed many slave-labour scammers—but thousands remain trapped there (9:42). And diving into the data that show young Americans are getting (slightly) happier (16:23).

Economist Education is running a new six-week online course on international relations—a window into shifting geopolitical trends and a guide to navigating uncertainty and risk. Listeners to “The Intelligence” can save 15% by clickinghereand using the code INTELLIGENCE.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.

The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordisk to Google. 

New episodes are out weekly starting May 12th. 

To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber toThe Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many people view plastic as an environmental disaster that blights landscapes and chokes marine life. Our correspondent argues that instead we need to better understand this miracle material. To make prison work, governments need to have better strategies for managing inmates’ release (10:04). And could saying sorry harm your career (16:16)? 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.

The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordisk to Google. 

New episodes are out weekly starting May 12th. 

To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber toThe Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia’s Conservative party was on the ascent until Donald Trump took office in January. At the polls this weekend, the dominant concern is who will stand up to the new White House administration. How India’s revolution in road-building is transforming rural lives (10:32). And a new sports league for athletes who want more than gold medals (17:19). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.

The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordisk to Google. 

New episodes are out weekly starting May 12th. 

To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber toThe Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America and Ukraine have signed a deal to share the profits of extracting natural resources. Our correspondent explains its significance. How the trade war with China will hit US shoppers (8:29). And a century on, why Art Deco is still in style (17:36). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.

The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordisk to Google. 

New episodes are out weekly starting May 12th. 

To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber toThe Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since Donald Trump took office, there has been a deluge of news. Our correspondent considers what might happen next. Fifty years on from the fall of Saigon, we meet the Vietnamese who fled the country (10:47). And our obituaries editor celebrates the life of busker and star Alice Tan Ridley (18:06). Music credit: Seikilos Epitaph with the Lyre of Apollo by Lina Palera

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.

The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordisk to Google. 

New episodes are out weekly starting May 12th. 

To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber toThe Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada’s election campaign was dominated by Donald Trump’s threats against the nation. Now the Liberal party has won, it faces a tougher fight: confronting the US president. Japanese salarymen used to take a job for life, now they are finally switching companies – and even careers (9:32). And Volkswagen brings out the wurst (16:07).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. 

To hear the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. 

To hear the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.

The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordisk to Google. 

New episodes are out weekly starting May 12th. 

To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

Boss Class season one is free for a limited time. Season two will appear weekly starting May 12th. To hear new episodes, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus

If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have flared after the terrorist attack in Kashmirlast week. Our correspondent explains what Narendra Modi may do next. Why even priests and the clergy need the free market (8:56). And the surprising survival of cassette tapes (15:45).  

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada’s sovereignty has loomed large in the federal election campaign, but beyond the show of national unity the country’s media and political landscape is riven with division. To counter China’s capabilities, America may have to start building ships in Asia (11:26). And how “The Economist” reported the defeat of the Nazis: a sample from our 1945 interactive archive (20:33). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First, Jerome Powell, chairman of the Federal Reserve, was for the chop; then he was safe. As elsewhere President Donald Trump’s flip-flopping chips away at American credibility. After years of working from home, data make clear which demographic likes to do more of it (10:40). And electric vehicles do pollute the air—just not from the tailpipe (17:19).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United Arab Emirates projects an image of level-headed calm in the Gulf. Its actions abroad, however, betray a far more divisive and ideological agenda. Japan’s recent rice crisis is in part about market reforms—but solving it is mostly about making farmers happier (10:29). And a romp through the linguistics (and culture-war triggers) of personal pronouns (17:08). 

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the cardinals of the coming conclave prepare, our correspondent considers what will guide them. Which of the church’s challenges will the next pope be elected to address? In Mexico the discovery of a ranch littered with clothing adds disturbing evidence to a torrent of mysterious disappearances (9:24). And the wild goings-on at cinema screenings of “A Minecraft Movie” (15:55).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He shunned fancy vestments and paid surprise visits to prisons and hospitals: our obituaries editor reflects on the life of a reform-minded pontiff who preferred to be among his flock. High-protein snacks are on an absolute tear, and one explanation is linked to new weight-loss drugs (7:49). And the thorny business of nudging an employee towards resigning (14:31).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is a Nobel-winning idea with untold promise in health care, agriculture and more. We examine what must change in order to capture those benefits. Asia’s love affair with gold has long been chalked up to cultural motives; our correspondent finds far more going on (10.45). And for all the draw of New Zealand’s verdant chill, lots of natives want out (17:58). 

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Xi Jinping’s style of negotiating is staid, distanced, a quiet projection of power. President Donald Trump’s is not. That dynamic is complicating their gargantuan standoff. Spain ends up with more and more remains of migrants who die on their journeys—and its morgues cannot keep up (10:29). And in an age of video games pinball is not only surviving, it’s flipping thriving (18:11).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the 23rd time the International Monetary Fund will cough up, this time to the tune of $20bn. But the reforms stipulated by the loan, alongside promising changes already under way, suggest this time might be different. Near America’s border with Mexico, high-speed chases have become more common—and more deadly (9:08). And myriad uncertainties are making Europe a continent of preppers (15:08).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Falling trust in the greenback is most apparent in bond-market moves. How close is the dollar to losing its status as the world’s go-to currency, and what could take its place? We take a look at Jordan Bardella, the young, polished, ever-rising star of France’s far right (11:56). And Hong Kong’s notoriously gruff cab drivers are told to smile more…or else (18:26).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump called the weekend strike on Sumy a “mistake”; other leaders called it a war crime. We examine the prospects for peace when Russia is brazenly hitting civilian targets. As scientists flee American institutions, Europe is trying to woo them (10:29). And Britain’s historical consumer-price index as a fascinating window into how shoppers’ tastes have shifted (17:24).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump is now aiming his trade war squarely at China. As the tit-for-tat tariff battle keeps escalating, investors are fleeing to safe assets. What will happen next? Germany’s Friedrich Merz finally signs a deal for a coalition government (10:12). And remembering Betty Webb, who worked at Britain’s wartime codebreaking centre Bletchley Park (19:36). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just 12 hours after Donald Trump launched his searing regime of tariffs, he paused many of them for 90 days. What's next for global trade? An outlandish proposal to build data centres in space (8:14). And why “The Great Gatsby” is just as relevant, 100 years on (15:58).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs take effect, our correspondent explains how one of America’s most profitable companies may navigate the trade war. Are class divides in Britain softening (9:28)? And Republican influencers define what it is to be a conservative woman (16:08).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than 36,000 migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats last year. Our correspondent investigates the increasingly sophisticated business strategies of the criminals who smuggle them. As the planet heats, wildfires in East Asia are becoming fiercer and more frequent (10:36). And why ordinary Americans are falling out of love with their former international allies (18:31).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since Donald Trump announced punishing tariffs on “Liberation Day” last week, stock markets have fallen and governments and businesses scrambled to respond. Our correspondent discusses the impact on the global economy. Do personalised diets really improve gut health (9:16)? And gasp at the science of how seals spend so long underwater without breathing (16:13). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

South Korea has been paralysed since its president declared martial law in December. Even after his impeachment, politicians face a divided polity and battered economy. Why governments should pay attention to the “Henry” – High Earner, Not Rich Yet (9:49). And what tiffs over tofu teach us (15:38).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After months of bluster, he’s finally done it. At a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden, Donald Trump overturned decades of American trade policy with a simple signature. The new wave of trade restrictions, if implemented in full, will raise tariffs to the highest level in more than a century. So how bad could it get?

Hosts: Mike Bird and Ethan Wu. Guests: The Economist’s Simon Rabinovitch; and Douglas Irwin, a professor of economics at Dartmouth College.

Transcripts of our podcasts are available viaeconomist.com/podcasts.

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even in the run-up to Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff hikes, few had expected such colossal levies. Our correspondent explains how they will shake America’s economy and global trade. After Sudanese government forces retake Khartoum, will this alter the course of the civil war (10:32)? And Shonda Rhimes is shaping watching habits (18:12).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Months ago, holding an election in wartorn Ukraine seemed impossible. Now plans are being made. Our correspondent explains the prospects for the campaign – and the chance of a ceasefire, which must precede it. How did “The Economist” cover American tariff hikes in the 1930s (8:29)? And why daylight savings time may not be so brilliant for your health (16:14). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marine Le Pen is one of France’s most popular politicians, who has brought the National Rally party to the heart of the political landscape. Our correspondent explains the implications of a court ruling that stops her running for president in 2027. Why rents keep rising in the rich world (8:29). And remembering Oleg Gordievsky, the Russian spy turned British agent (13:03). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Civil war in Myanmar is hampering relief efforts after the devastating earthquake on Friday, as the ruling military regime intensifies attacks on resistance fighters. The impact of Donald Trump’s attempt to silence “Voice of America” and other federally-funded broadcasters (8:45). And, “The Economist” reveals the best places to be a working woman in 2025 in its annual glass-ceiling index (17:37). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No surprises here: The Economist reckons tariffs are a terrible trade tool. But what is most clearly harming American businesses and scaring off investors is persistent uncertainty about them. Our correspondent sees the effects of one non-military donor to Ukraine: help not to fight but to preserve something worth fighting for (10:57). And why “Adolescence” tops Netflix’s viewing numbers the world over (19:54).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Europe’s hard-right politicians, Donald Trump’s second White House bid looked like validation and opportunity. Now that he is in it, the tensions and trade-offs are becoming clear. The Houthis’ grip over Yemen and the Red Sea is only strengthening, even as other Iranian proxies are waning (10:03). And a look at the boom in Christian entertainment (15:51).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Conservative Party, led by a Trump-tinged populist, once had the polls locked up. That is changing radically now that Donald Trump is seen as a threat to the nation. Amid America’s foreign-policy misfires, China might choose to smooth diplomatic feathers and make friends; instead it, too, is muscle-flexing (8:14). And an unsettling new book typifies a rise in dystopian fiction (13:45).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Put aside for the moment the outrageous security breach of a journalist being brought in on classified military planning: a leaked group chat reveals much about the Trump administration’s transactional, anti-European ethos. The story of a Nigerian senator shows how vile politics can be for the country’s women (10:23). And why not to be too bothered by colleagues stealing your ideas (16:26).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ceasefire in Gaza is in tatters; the campaign against Hizbullah is flaring up again. Yet the most telling battles are those happening inside Israel. Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, is coolly dealing with the fitful aggression of her northern neighbour (10:25). And our obituaries editor pays tribute to Richard Fortey, a fossil obsessive who spent a career telling the world about trilobites (16:50).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America’s international intelligence-sharing relationships have been decades in the making and rely not on a treaty but trust. Could Donald Trump damage the powerful spy alliance? Why we may soon be buying cutting-edge medicines developed in China (11:00). And introducing a new regular feature, “What to watch this weekend” (17:39). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested just days before he was likely to be elected leader of Turkey’s opposition. Where does this leave Turkish democracy? What Panama’s concessions teach us about how to deal with Donald Trump (9:49). And how zoos help hospitals treat venomous snakebites (19:16).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump hoped Vladimir Putin would agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine. Instead he made marginal concessions, then launched a missile attack. Our correspondent assesses the implications. Tesla’s falling sales are not just down to Elon Musk’s politics (9:42). And a flowering of literary erotica (15:40).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Israel launched dozens of missiles into Gaza overnight, what does this mean for the prospect of a lasting ceasefire? As two stranded astronauts are rescued from the International Space Station, our correspondent explains how private investment has changed space exploration (9:10). And a cutesy animation wins plaudits from the Chinese Communist Party (18:09).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump’s team has called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “the most incompetent and arrogant agency” in the federal government. Our correspondent talks to staff who fear that jobs and crucial public-health projects are under threat. Is silver the new gold (10:56)? And why live albums are staging a comeback (15:50).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The International Criminal Court has arrested Rodrigo Duterte, a former president of the Philippines. The case highlights both the strengths and the weaknesses of international justice. We examine the spate of bombings plaguing Sweden—carried out by young people who are in it for the money (8:18). And remembering Athol Fugard, a playwright who spoke truth to power in South Africa’s apartheid era (17:04).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump administration’s dedication to tariffs now seems more fervent than the first time around. Markets are noticing. We ask what might temper the trade war. Europe’s once-fringe hard-right parties are now leading polls, even if not yet leading governments; we look at where things are headed (11:07). And tackling the mythology behind people’s very first and very last words (16:47).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ceasefire proposal hatched by American negotiators and agreed by Ukraine is now a matter for Russia to consider. We ask how the not-yet-a-breakthrough will land in both countries. Our correspondents ask one of NATO’s very-top brass about Europe’s defence stance and how it should shift (10:44). And the shockingly life-shortening effects of loneliness (18:55).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Horrifying attacks on Alawites, the sect of deposed leader Bashar al-Assad, throw into question the power—or the will—of Ahmed al-Sharaa, the country’s leader, to maintain peace. For the first time in decades it now makes more sense to pay off a mortgage early (10:36). And high-end satellite data, once the preserve only of spies, could soon be available to all (16:19).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The governing Liberal party is enjoying a stunning turnaround in the polls, and now it has a new leader. We ask how Mark Carney will tussle with Donald Trump’s tariffs and taunts. China has a vibrant new wintertime economic sector: skiing and snowy tourism (10:45). And a tribute to Rose Girone, knitter extraordinaire and the oldest known Holocaust survivor (17:22).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a turbulent seven days, how will President Volodymyr Zelensky tackle the domestic and international challenges ahead? Our correspondent attends “Ode to Resilience”, a concert of defiance in Ukraine (9:55). And how “The Economist” reported on the Allies’ advance across Europe in the second world war: a sample from our interactive archive (18:22).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The leader of Turkey’s Kurdish rebels has called on the group to disband. That could end one of the world’s longest running conflicts. How tariffs and political volatility may affect the American economy (10:16). And the craze for eating caviar… with chicken nuggets (18:33). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American presidents often use their first meeting with Congress as a chance to lay out their agenda for the next four years. Donald Trump, by contrast, treated last night’s address like a campaign rally. Meet Ecuador’s tenacious anti-corruption champion (12:18). And co-host Jason Palmer plays an AI bot of Magnus Carlsen at chess (21:39).

Jason Palmer v AI Magnus Carlsen: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 Qe7 5. Nxd4 d5 6. Bb5 Qxe4+ 7. Ne2 Qxg2 8. Rg1 Qe4 9. Nd2 Qe7 10. b3 Nf6 11. Ba3 Qxa3 12. Nb1 Qe7 13. Qd4 Bf5 14. Rg5 g6 15. Rg3 Bh6 16. Re3 Bxe3 17. Fxe3 18. Qf4 Ng4 19. h3 Nxe3 20. a4 Ng2+ 21. Kf2. Nxf4 22. Nxf4 Qh4+ 23. Kg2 Qxf4 24. Na3 Be4+ 25. Kg1 Qg3+ 26. Kf1 Qf3+ 27. Ke1 Qxc3+ 28. Kd1 Qxa1+ 29. Kd2 Qxa3 30. Ke3 Qxb3+ 31. Kf4 Qf3+ 32.Kg5 f6+ 33. Kh6 Qxh3#

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an effort to bring Ukraine to the negotiating table, America has paused military help to the war-torn country. What will this mean on the ground? Our correspondent explores a new cryptocurrency craze, visiting Turkey’s bazaars to meet people trading goods using stablecoins (9:43). And why the Louvre is staging its first fashion gala (16:00). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account. 

Runtime: 22 min

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

European leaders met in London this weekend after Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky’s public row shattered hopes for a US-led truce in Ukraine. What did the summit achieve? Our correspondent visits Mexico’s border to find out if strengthened force will stem the flow of fentanyl to America (9:46). And remembering Muhsin Hendricks, the world’s first openly gay imam (17:37). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week European leaders have lined up to charm Donald Trump. But the broad smiles belie a bigger fear: what would it mean for the continent’s security if America forsakes its security guarantees? What the pull-out of French forces will mean for Africa (10:56). And the Maha Kumbh Mela shows how piety became political in India (18:55). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the baby-boom generation starts to die and economic growth slows many more people are getting rich from family wealth. Are we returning to the age of Jane Austen? The latest EIU Democracy Index reveals what a bumper election year did to country rankings (9:36). And our correspondent takes an ice bath (16:40). 

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first phase of Gaza’s ceasefire is near its end, but planning for the even more fraught second phase has hardly begun. What chance for near-term peace? We examine the harmful outcomes from the Trump administration’s slashing funding for America’s science institutions (9:45). And “I’m Still Here”, an Oscar-tipped film, confronts Brazilians with a dark past many had chosen to forget (18:35).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The meeting between France’s and America’s presidents had a familiarly chummy feel. We ask whether Emmanuel Macron’s charm offensive might have changed Donald Trump’s mind on security matters. Norway’s stocks of wild salmon are in trouble—owing in part to their farmed brethren (9:42). And how the Michelin Guide is trying to maintain its tastemaking primacy (17:20). Additional audio courtesy of @eatingwithtod.

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Instead of needing three parties to cobble together a majority, the country’s two traditional main ones have the numbers. What to expect once the talks are done? Donald Trump claims America has supported Ukraine far more than Europe has; we comb through the data that prove him wrong (10:38). And a job opening for fans of pomp, circumstance and wearing tights (19:06).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe must move boldly as the American-led world order shatters beneath it; we explain how. Many people view the freedom to work from home as a perk. Some academics reckon there should be, in effect, a tax on it (10:41). And we pay tribute to Pableaux Johnson, a New Orleans fixture who understood that supper was more about company than food (18:02).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Africa’s young are educated, ambitious side-hustlers. But they are hampered by their economies and dispirited by their politicians. How to harness their vast potential? America’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency is, in a real-world accounting, not actually budging the budget much (8:25). And why Germans take more days off sick than other Europeans do (15:48). 

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The possibilities for an inevitable coalition government are a head-spinning colour wheel of party logos. We look at the most likely outcomes, and the smaller parties that may well play kingmakers. A series of scandals in Japan has propelled the country to a belated #MeToo crisis (10:35). And London’s once-abundant pie shops struggle with changing tastes and relocating clientele (16:53).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We investigate China’s under-the-radar push to get other countries to change their official language on Taiwan’s independence. Would it make a difference in a bid to reunify by force? The case of a nurse jailed for killing babies exposes deep problems with British justice (10:10). And how top footballers get a smaller slice of their clubs’ take than they once did (17:35).

Get a world of insights bysubscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ourFAQs pageor watchour videoexplaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.