Economist Podcasts

As Syrians awoke to a new era, thousands rushed to fling open the dark, filthy prisons where Bashar al-Assad locked up dissenters. Our correspondent followed along. The first of our two-part series on spirituality reveals a lucrative nexus of DIY enlightenment and tourism (9:13). And the stumbles of Manchester City, a once-invincible side in England’s Premier League (15:27).

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 five years the prospect of a criminal prosecution has loomed over Binyamin Netanyahu. Today he becomes the first Israeli prime minister to testify as a defendant. A shocking fraction of master’s degrees confer no financial benefit—and may even leave degree-holders worse off (10:43). And our staff share their picks for the best books of 2024 (16:58).

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 Bashar al-Assad has been run out, his regime in tatters. As Syrians awaken to a new era, how can they put their broken country back together peacefully? Australia has passed a law that will ban under-16s from social media: a bold move, but a tricky one to implement (10:21). And how “Dungeons & Dragons” jumped from nerd culture to popular culture (19:38).

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.

Many thought a five-year timeline was too ambitious. But even as France’s politics falls apart, it has managed to put the cathedral back together with aplomb. As an election takes place in Ghana, its status as a leading light of African democracy is looking shaky (10:11). And remembering John Kinsel, among the last of the second world war’s Navajo code-talkers (17.44).

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.

An alliance of the far right and the left has sacked Prime Minister Michel Barnier; out goes his budget and the government. Can President Emmanuel Macron find a stable path between the political extremes? We ask why employees seem so much more comfortable using generative artificial intelligence than their employers do (8:25). And Britain’s giant craft-gin industry hits headwinds (14:33).

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 increasingly unpopular president, Yoon Suk Yeol, backed down six hours after his shocking move of imposing martial law. South Korea’s democracy has held firm—so far. Brazil’s gangsters have found a neat way to launder assets through the legal economy: by getting involved with politics (7:26). And the hefty computations going into the design of breeze-free badminton arenas (15:17).

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 has been turning increasingly away from Europe and towards Russia—but a halt to EU-accession talks has sparked enormous demonstrations. Researchers know unequivocally that ultra-processed foods are bad for you; we look into the persistent question of why (10.26). And fatherhood in East Asia is undergoing a quiet revolution as gender roles shift (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 country’s civil war never ended—it became a fragile stalemate that fell out of the news. A surprise rebel advance reveals how the war’s international players are busy facing their own challenges. Our correspondent found it so difficult to disappear from the internet that she gave up (10:30). And who were the stockmarket winners as “Trump trades” fired up again (16:54)?

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.

In an interview with Javier Milei, our correspondent probes how far the “anarcho-capitalist” president plans to push his promise to slash spending and reform the state. Can seaweed and other fibrous packaging replace plastic (11:51)? And remembering Celeste Caeiro, who named the carnation revolution in Portugal in 1974 (18:20).  

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 civil war rages in the country, millions of people have been displaced and famine is widespread. Why won’t the warring parties join talks to end it? Accusations of assassination plots and an attempted coup swirl in Brazil (9:28). And why Chinese bubble tea shops are conquering your local shopping street (17:33). 

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.

This morning, a deal halting fighting between Israel and Lebanon for 60 days came into effect. Our correspondent considers if that can hold, and what it means for Gaza. What do Northvolt’s financial troubles mean for European hopes to produce batteries for electric vehicles (10:06)? And why the French are realising that women can still be sexy at 60 (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.

Donald Trump had been facing a swathe of lawsuits this year. Now he has won a second term in office, the cases against him are falling away. Why wellness trends may be contributing to iodine deficiency (8:02). And the secrets of elevator etiquette (13:58).

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.

Gautam Adani is one of India’s richest men, whose fortunes are closely aligned to those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. What will the political ramifications be of bribery charges against him? China’s property crisis has left a truly staggering number of new homes empty (9:01). And why Jordan Peterson is so contrarian, yet so popular (17:09).

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.

Should people have the right to choose how they die? Though many Britons support the principle, a vote on assisted dying in the House of Commons may fail. Donald Trump reshaped the Supreme Court in his first term. His second act could be just as dramatic (09:30). And remembering figurative painter Frank Auerbach (18:10).  

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.

Necoclí is a tiny town on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Beach bars blast party music and sell brightly-coloured cocktails. But Necoclí is not just a tourist destination. It is also a stopping point for migrants heading to the United States.

The fastest-growing group among them are Chinese. They are on a journey they call zouxian, or walking the line. Disillusioned with the Chinese dream, they have decided to chase the American version. But first they face a journey that is fraught with peril.  

Necoclí is the place migrants stock up on supplies and cash, before putting their trust in smugglers who will guide them across the Darién Gap, a treacherous stretch of jungle separating Colombia and Panama.

In the first episode of this four-part series, Alice Su, The Economist’s senior China correspondent, travels to Necoclí to meet Chinese migrants on their zouxian journey, and asks what drove them to leave China and take such risks.

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.

What will the world’s richest man do in the White House? Our correspondent analyses the political and ideological role Elon Musk could play in Donald Trump’s second term. “Small things like these” may be fiction but it is based on grim historical truths in Ireland (9:30). And Chile is suffering a spate of salmon heists (15:22).

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.

Donald Trump tore up America’s nuclear deal with Iran in his first term. What will he do when he becomes president again? The pushy tactics China’s government uses to press women to have more children (10:24). And the sneaker wars get more competitive (18:06).

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.

Trade ties between the two countries have been increasing for over a decade. The election of Donald Trump for a second term means the relationship could now become even closer. Going to space could harm human health (7:57). And why Britain has such miserable mobile-phone service (14:43). 

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.

America feared that letting Ukraine use US weapons to attack far-off targets in Russia would escalate the conflict. Why has President Joe Biden finally changed his mind? Markets soared when Donald Trump was elected, but the longer-term impact of Trumponomics may be less positive (9:42). And whyairships are back in our skies (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.

Donald Trump admires Vladimir Putin’s strongman style and has failed to condemn his invasion of Ukraine. So why do some people in Kyiv think Trump’s election is good news? African churches are springing up across the world (10:20). Our critic reviews “Gladiator II”. She is not entertained (17:38). 

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.

China is enacting a rapid project of military modernisation. Though in some areas its forces are already stronger than America, that does not mean China is ready for war. Why luxury shoppers are no longer buying so much online (10:16). And remembering Balthazar Uscha, Ecuador’s last ice-miner (16:45). 

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.

A week after Donald Trump won a decisive victory in the presidential election, he is making appointments to his new White House. What do they tell us about his second term? Many European governments are turning against immigration but they still need agricultural migrants (10:29). And why place names in India are getting longer (18:20).

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.

At a time when Russia is making gains in Ukraine and Donald Trump has been re-elected as president, Europe needs strong leadership. Instead, Germany’s ruling coalition has collapsed. A study that hinted at racism among white doctors in America may have been flawed (9:18). And the wondrous revival of King’s Cross in London (17:23).

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.

Last time Donald Trump was president he pulled America out of the Paris climate agreement. What is on the agenda at COP29, as world leaders meet after a second Trump victory? The future of cloud computing (9:40). And how the culture wars came for remembrance poppies (17:35).

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 will inherit a tangle of conflicts in the Middle East; will he deliver on his promise to “stop the wars”? That will depend on who has his ear. Our correspondent says the way to better rehabilitate people in British prisons is to take some of them out (10:33). And our obituaries editor on the staggeringly productive career of Quincy Jones (19:15). 

Additional audio in this episode includes Quincy Jones, “Soul  Bossa Nova” and “In Cold Blood”; Michael Jackson, “Billie Jean”, “Bad” and “Thriller”; Lesley Gore, “It's My Party”; USA For Africa, “We Are The World”; DJ Jazzy Jeff, “The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air”; Frank Sinatra, “Fly Me To The Moon”

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 American presidential election delivered a mercifully quick and decisive outcome. Our data editor explains why such a tight-seeming race was likely to result in a clear-cut victory. As ADHD prevalence keeps climbing, the science suggests it should be treated not as a disorder but as a spectrum (11:33). And the Indian startups cashing in on a rise in religiosity (19:47).

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.

In the end America got a swift and decisive call as to the next president: Donald Trump. We invite the hosts of “Checks and Balance”, our subscriber-only podcast on American politics, onto the show to discuss what we know so far—about the presidency, Congressional races and ballot initiatives.

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.

John Prideaux, Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon are on today's edition of The Intelligence with their take on the election results so far. To listen, head to The Intelligence feed. Checks and Balance will be back on Friday with a full episode.

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

America and the world hold their proverbial breath for what has become a dead heat. Our special episode explains how the vote works and how the count will proceed. We ask what to watch for, how countries outside America view the potential outcomes, how the country’s largest swing county has prepared and whether it is worthwhile staying up all night.

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.

Both campaigns have racked up air miles covering the swing states that will decide America’s knife-edge election. We take a measure of things one day before the vote. The Turkic states of central Asia once depended heavily on Russia; now they are banding together to counterbalance it (10.38). And the costs arising as canal-boat living booms in Britain (17.46).

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.

Our series concludes with an examination of the state with the most electoral-college votes: Pennsylvania. It is practically a must-win for either candidate—and it is on a knife-edge. As more and more people become influencers, fame is becoming more fickle and the entire economics of influencers is shifting (10:43). And how Gen Z is resurrecting goth culture (17:25).

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.

Rachel Reeves’s first budget as chancellor of the exchequer saw the biggest tax rises in decades, as well as promises of high spending and investment. Our correspondent explains what the announcement means for Britain. How Hurricane Helene may affect the election in North Carolina, a month after the storm (10:58). And the most disgusting dish you can add a pickle to (16:53). 

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 they treated diabetes. Then obesity. Now GLP-1 drugs are being tested on a range of other diseases too. Though the US economy is roaring, many Americans are glum about its prospects. How could that affect the election (9:02)? And our podcast on why Chinese migrants are making perilous journeys through the jungle to reach America (16:55).

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.

Russia is advancing in Ukraine, has more troops and more weapons. In Kyiv and beyond, questions are being raised about the future. Why does America make it so hard to vote in the election from overseas? And what Britain’s citizenship test says about the country (19:52). 

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.

Israel has been expected to attack Iran for weeks. Why was the assault at the weekend more limited than some expected? How Artificial Intelligence could improve customer service (9:54). And why the LIV tour, which shook up the world of golf, may merge with its competitor (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.

The subject of reparations - making amends for wrongs, is a topic which has been building momentum over the past decade. And last week it was especially relevant as the Commonwealth heads of government got together to discuss how they think Britain owes them financial reparations, and apologies, for enslaving their people over one hundred and fifty years ago.

This is a subject we covered on The Weekend Intelligence in October 2023, in our third episode. In it our reporter Charlie McCann travelled to Guyana with the Gladstone family whose ancestors owned thousands of slaves in the country formerly known as Demerara. In the episode Charlie asks what it means to inherit guilt and how you go about apologising for the past.

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.

There is a vacuum at the top of Hamas following the killing of the militant group’s commander in Gaza. Our correspondent tells us about two of the men who could replace him. How black voters may swing the presidential election in Georgia (9:34). And remembering Turkish activist Fethullah Gulen (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.

The two American presidential candidates have been neck and neck. But this week, the Economist’s forecast model noted a shift towards Donald Trump. Why you might have a long wait for Elon Musk’s robotaxis (9:31). And the joy of Excel (16:35).  

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 interviews Sahra Wagenknecht, the popular leftist whose eponymous political party is now making the political weather in Germany. How Russia is trying to sabotage Moldova’s attempt to move towards Europe (10:40). And why Tiktok is changing how we speak (17:38). 

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.

Israel is planning to strike Iran within days, even as its wars in Lebanon and Gaza deepen. Our correspondent reports from the Lebanese border, where he embedded with Israeli forces. Carbon-trading schemes may finally help reforest the Amazon (9:29). And which country is the most innovative (16:58)?

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.

Aggression, election-meddling, “psychological destabilisation”: Russia’s leader is sowing chaos like never before. We ask what power the West has left to curtail it. As entitlements such as pensions have unceasingly grown, rich governments have become inefficient, lumbering beasts. One uncomfortable but clean fix is raising taxes (10:26). And Britain’s swish new offerings attempt to dethrone the revered baked bean (18:10).

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.

Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the October 7th attacks, is dead. What does that mean for Hamas, for a ceasefire in Gaza and for regional stability more widely? Our swing-states series continues with Wisconsin and Michigan: why do they no longer reliably vote Democrat (9:43)? And our obituaries editor on Sammy Basso, a young mind in a body ageing ruthlessly rapidly (18:14).

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 constellation of islands, reefs and rock-piles has been the source of disputes for decades. As a new phase in the conflict begins, how to calm things down? In the first of a series of first-person dispatches, we speak to a student in Gaza (09:50). And after a conservation success story, Europe’s wolves are again villains in the popular imagination (18:19). 

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.

Kamala Harris has proven to be an enormous draw for campaign donors. But the size of a candidate’s war chest influences the outcome much less than it once did. Our correspondent meets asylum-seekers on a Dutch ship, investigating the new hard-right government’s tactics with migrants (09:39). And a survey of where the very scrapiest skyscrapers are going up (17:42). 

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.

Our correspondent sits down with Keir Starmer on the sidelines of a conference dedicated to drawing much-needed investment. We examine the prime minister’s pitch to investors. All the connections within the fruit fly’s brain have now been mapped out; we ask what that means for the human kind (11:44). And the chatbots that are surprisingly successful at dissuading conspiracy theorists (17:46).

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 fifth test flight of the absolutely enormous Starship went entirely to plan, returning everything to Earth for reuse and heralding a new era of big space missions with small price tags. Two years after Brazilians ejected Jair Bolsonaro, their inept and dangerous former president, he still shapes right-wing politics (11:30). And the anxiety-lined past and present of self-help books (19:22). 

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.

Britain’s Labour Party came to power promising to restore order and stability. Our correspondent explains whether its rocky start exposes a bigger political problem. Why the issue of abortion could swing voters in Nevada (9:44). And remembering the life of Pearl Harbour veteran Yoshioka Masamitsu (18.34). 

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.

Global warming is increasing the intensity of storms like the one that just hit Florida. Our correspondent explains the science. In a week of reflection on the anniversary of the October 7th attacks, we consider the Palestinian experience (10:58). And why nuclear clocks could help unlock the secrets of the universe (16:26).  

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 summer, an American judge ruled that Google’s search dominance was illegal. Now the Department of Justice has revealed possible solutions. How robots could help mend leaking water pipes (9:46). And the best books on the beautiful game (16:38). 

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.

Twenty years ago America was fighting insurgents in Afghanistan and Iran. As state-on-state clashes become more likely, Randy George is the person in charge of preparing US forces for a new age (9:45). Private tutoring has long been common in East Asia, now it is spreading throughout the continent. And celebrating Lebanese novelist Elias Khoury (17:12). 

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.

After Hamas militants attacked Israel a year ago, few people predicted how deep and devastating the ensuing conflict in the Middle East would be. The Economist’s Middle East experts discuss whether the fissures may ever be fixed, including dispatches from Israel, Gaza and Lebanon.  

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 episode was first published 20/07/24

After a year of war in Gaza, people are beginning to discuss the aftermath. Schools, hospitals, the sanitation system are in ruins. Just clearing the rubble will take years. 

Focusing on the long term, many neglect what needs to happen on day one. Gazans say the territory is becoming lawless. Who will control security, and with what legitimacy? Does anyone have a coherent plan?

In this special episode of The Weekend Intelligence The Economist’s editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes considers the dangerously rosy thinking about Gaza’s future and asks what happens when the dust settles.

Music credit: Epidemic Sound and Blue Dot Sessions

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.

One evening, Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, grabbed a late dinner in Beijing with his partner. When they arrived back at his apartment, men in black were waiting for them. Mr Kovrig was pushed into a waiting SUV. Handcuffed and blindfolded, he was driven to a detention centre in southern Beijing that would be his home for the next 1,019 days. September 24th 2024 is the third anniversary of Mr Kovrig’s release. And now he is ready to talk publicly about his ordeal.

On the Weekend Intelligence, we bring you the first in a two-part series from Drum Tower, our weekly podcast on China. David Rennie, The Economist’s geopolitics editor, speaks with Mr Kovrig about the night he was seized, and how his detention was part of a far bigger geopolitical game.

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.

Whoever wins Pennsylvania will probably win the presidency: according to The Economist’s forecast model it’s the most likely tipping point state. We’ve travelled to three different areas to assess how the campaign is going, and try to read the electoral tea leaves. Who’s winning in Pennsylvania?

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. 

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.

In a matter of weeks the conflict between Israel and Hizbullah has transformed life in Lebanon. Our correspondent reports from the streets of Beirut. After a pandemic-sized hiccup in the gym industry only the cheap ones and the really pricey ones are building muscle (11:10). And why chess grandmasters are getting younger and younger (17:45).

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.

After years of slowing growth, the Chinese government is finally attempting to bolsterconsumer demand, business confidence and the stock market. Our correspondent analyses the surprise shift in policy (10:25). How will immigration policy play with swing voters in Arizona? And Sally Rooney, a modern-day Jane Austen with a dash of S&M (19:35).

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 JD Vance and Tim Walz squared off against each in last night’s vice-presidential debate, our correspondent assesses their performance – and its effect on the US election. In Britain the pro-European cause is popular, but its advocates are ineffective (10:53). And why the gleam of a Michelin star may tarnish (19:18).  

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.

As Israeli troops move into Lebanon and missiles strike Damascus in Syria, can Israel’s next offensive really stay “limited, localised and targeted”? Japan’s new prime minister loves planes, trains and ramen, but with few allies within his own party, his premiership may attract less devotion (8:57). And the worst invention in modern office life: “the sandwich lunch” (15:24).

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.

Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and Yemen this weekend will have implications far beyond the militant groups that were the apparent targets. Our correspondents analyse what may happen next. Our correspondent reports from a conference for journalists exiled from Belarus—home to “Europe’s last dictator”—to find out how they get news in (11:30). And a new card game is shaking Communist Party offices in China (19:21).

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.

Ukraine’s President has been in New York this week.  With a victory plan in his pocket, he’s been shoring up support at the UN and among America’s presidential contenders.

On the world stage Mr Zelensky presents a united front but back home things are a little more patchy. It's crunch time for Ukraine. Winter is coming, some Western partners are tiring, Ukrainians are tiring too. In this special episode of The Weekend Intelligence our Editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes travels to Ukraine to speak to generals, soldiers and civilians to find out what lies ahead.

To listen every week and enjoy all our podcasts you'll need a subscription to Economist Podcasts Plus. Follow the link in the show notes for a free trial

To hear more about Ukraine, join our live event on October 25th. Our editors will discuss the situation on the battlefield, the impact of the American election and the diplomacy in the background. To sign up, go to: economist.com/registertoday

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

Over the past decade a form of wokeness arose on the illiberal left, characterised by extreme pessimism about America and its capacity to make progress. Analysis by The Economistof how influential these ideas are today finds that wokeness peaked in 2021-22 and has since receded. Why is America becoming less “woke”? 

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by The Economist’s Ainslie Johnstone and Sacha Nauta, and Professor Musa al-Gharbi of Stony Brook University.

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.

Ukraine’s president is again on American shores, trying to secure support of all kinds. He needs it—diplomatically, militarily and politically. America’s tendencies toward “woke” discourse and policies have permeated its politics, but our analysis finds that “peak woke” is already in the past (8:57). And the latest instalment of the wildly popular football video-game formerly known as simply “FIFA” (17:13).

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 now, Israel’s moves seem to be posturing, a means to intimidate Hizbullah into backing down. But there remains a prospect of a ground invasion—and another pointless war. Our swing-state series starts with a state that only recently became swing-y: North Carolina (10:08). And a look back at a year’s worth of Economist Podcasts+ audio journalism (19:15).

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.

Even before last month’s revised religious rules, Afghanistan’s women were being crushed under the Taliban’s thumb. Now they cannot even so much as raise their voices. While other countries try to crimp the flow of cheap Chinese electric cars, Britain is welcoming them—for now (9:55). And why the French have at last come to appreciate “Emily in Paris” (16:12). 

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 handful of Republican leaders have been denouncing Donald Trump since his first presidential campaign. Will the voices of those who remain be heeded this time around? China’s attempt to fix its pensions by raising the retirement age will create a different problem with childcare (7:40). And the seemingly bottomless market for pet-pampering (14:21).

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.

Artificial Intelligence has gained ground so fast that OpenAI, the firm powering ChatGPT, is changing Silicon Valley’s investment model and how it innovates. Why the global nuclear order may be in peril (10:24). And an alternative type of electoral forecasting is gaining ground: political astrology (19:02). 

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.

Republicans are already preparing to contest the result if Kamala Harris wins the presidency. American elections demand patience and trust, but with Donald Trump on the ballot those are in short supply. How ugly could this election get? And what will happen if the result is contested?

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by former Georgia lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan and Congressman Jamie Raskin. 

This episode uses audio from The Laska Archive titled “Kentucky representative Thurston Ballard Morton on investigation election fraud 08 0011”.

Runtime: 48 min

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 our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

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

After Israeli fires rockets into Lebanon and Hizbullah warns of “red lines” crossed, the Middle East is braced for further attacks. As the planet warms, sport is getting harder – and deadlier (6:32). And celebrating Francisco Lopera, who dedicated his life to researching Alzheimer’s disease (13:36).

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.

The first reduction in interest rates for four years shows America’s Federal Reserve thinks inflation is now in check. But does the central bank’s decision suggest it is now concerned about the labour market? Ukraine wants its allies to provide long-range missiles (9:50). Our correspondent explains what difference these would make to the war.  And how fashion brandsconquered TV (19:44).

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.

The explosion of thousands of pagers across Lebanon and Syria was an attack on Hizbullah, a Shia militant group which had been trying to evade Israeli surveillance by using these low-tech devices. What will such an escalated attack mean for the region? Why Americans’ obsession with big cars makes the country’s roads so deadly (9:25). And the thrill of fossil-hunting (16:31).

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.

Large fuel subsidies in Nigeria are popular but ruinous to other public services. Our correspondents report from Lagos on how home-grown oil refining could help wean people off this popular premium. Texas was once a haven for crypto-mining; now many people are souring on it (11:06). And the terrifying rise of Indonesian horror films (17.05).

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.

With less than eight weeks to go to the presidential election, tension is running high after a second probable assassination attempton Donald Trump. Has political violence become routine in America? Virtual replicas of racing cars, plane engines, even bodies, may change how we diagnose problems (9:08). And celebrating Sergio Mendes, the king of Bossanova (17:04).

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.

On Tuesday night in Philadelphia Donald Trump and Kamala Harris took part in what might be the only debate between them in this campaign. The race is extremely close: will the debate make any difference? 

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Adam O’Neal. They’re joined by The Economist’s James Bennet, Lane Greene and Owen Winter. 

This episode draws on audio from CBS and C-Span.  

Transcripts of our podcasts are available viaeconomist.com/podcasts

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

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

Capsule that can withstand vacuum? Check. Low-pressure spacesuit? Check. Space-friendly Doritos? Check. The first spacewalk by private citizens showcases SpaceX’s prowess, the viability of privately funded exploration—and extraplanetary product placement. Gene editing has revolutionised the treatment for certain conditions, but can the staggering prices be brought down (11:30)? And some big news about Espresso, our daily briefing app (20:20).

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.

One of America’s stalwart tech giants is on the ropes, having first missed the move to mobile and then the one to AI. We ask what fate awaits it. Our correspondent meets with Vadym Sukharevsky, head of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces—the world’s first drone commander (9:05). And what is behind Donald Trump’s outlandish claim of immigrants eating pets in Ohio (16:40).

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 vice-president turned in a confident if imperfect performance, leaving Donald Trump flustered. But will it change anything? A global shortfall of blood plasma is hampering the development of new medicines; we argue for some simple market forces that could plug the gap (11:40). And how Nigerians are slimming their legendarily lavish weddings amid a cost-of-living crisis (18.10).

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 EU’s unofficial chief technocrat issued a doorstop of a report outlining how the bloc can boost growth and keep up in a changing world. Is it all too ambitious? Mexico’s lame-duck president has one last project in mind: undermining the judiciary (10:44). And as the film “Fight Club” turns 25 our correspondent finds many of its disturbing messages still resonate (17:49).

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.

Nicolás Maduro has stolen an election, again—but this time the rightful winner felt so threatened that he has fled to Spain. We ask what happens next. A valedictory dispatch from our global business columnist asks why the forces of “creative destruction” seem to have faded (10:27). And the youth clubs that stitched together the fabric of young Britons’ lives are disappearing (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.

Two months ago, French politics was thrown into crisis after a snap election left no party with a clear majority. Michel Barnier, the new prime minister, has a huge task ahead. Donald Trump’s campaign took time to adjust to the nomination of Kamala Harris. Now he’s on the attack again (9:40). And celebrating the life of stonemason, Simon Verity (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.

Though we use more renewable energy than ever before, electricity grids need ways to cope with intermittent wind or solar power. Innovations that make batteries to store that energy bigger, cheaper and more efficient can help. Why tourists are flocking to Asia (9:41). And a listener asks how we should talk to our children about AI (16:59).

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.

We take a look at the grim conditions in and prospects for the frontlines in the country’s east and north. But not all of the fighting is military in nature. We examine a far wider cultural revival going on (10:59), in music and fashion and long-forgotten ingredients and methods of Ukrainian cuisine (19:13). “Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow” sung by Andriy Khlyvnyuk

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 recovery of six hostages from Gaza has provoked mass demonstrations on the streets of Israel and a general strike. But Israel’s government refuses to bow to pressure and a ceasefire deal remains elusive. Why are women less likely to use AI than men (10:27)? And how to make Mars more habitable (18:10). 

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 hard right has taken Germany into uncharted territory, winning one state election and racking up a large share in another. The far left is on the march too. Is Germany dividing into East and West again? Motorbike taxis are transforming Africa’s cities (11:10). And how farmers in Spain are delivering truffles to your dinner plate (18:11).

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.

Water scarcity is growing even in parts of the world that used to be drought-free. Since  most countries waste vast quantities of water, charging for it would help. Our correspondent travelled to America’s northern border to report on illegal crossings from Canada (8:57). And the life of biological anthropologist Helen Fisher, who studied the science behind love (16:41).

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 American chip designer has become one of the world’s most valuable companies on the back of the AI revolution. But there are some contradictions in Nvidia’s plans for the future. California’s iconic Highway 1 is under threat (10:46). And why Europeans are spurning nudity (20:41).

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.

In this episode of The Weekend Intelligence, Africa correspondent Tom Gardner tells the story of 21st century Sudan. A story bookended by war. Darfur, a state which captured the world’s attention in the early 2000s has once again become an epicentre of violence, disease and famine. Over 25 million people are starving. A fifth of the population has been forced to flee their homes. This latest war is one of unprecedented proportions and yet it is an ignored war, deprived of attention by a world which once made a promise never to let such horrors happen again.

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 Pavel Durov sits in a French cell waiting to find out if he will be charged, our correspondent probes the links between Telegram and Russia. What central bankers and monetary policy specialists have been talking about at their annual jamboree at Jackson Hole (9:16). And we answer another listener question: how might Artificial Intelligence help people with disabilities (16:19)?

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.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, the West has deployed massive economic restrictions on Russian trade. So why is Russia’s economy growing? A survivor’s story from the forgotten conflict in Sudan (10:47). And Turkey tries to rid its streets of stray dogs (17:56).

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.

Snack-food companies have long shown their adaptability to changing diets. How could the rise of appetite-suppressing drugs and fears about ultra-processed foods change the food we consume? How hearing aids and other lifestyle choices can reduce your risk of dementia (11:00). And why it’s time to revive the siesta (17:11).

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 an electric week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Kamala Harris now faces the real test in her bid to be president. Can she convince American voters? In the third part of our series on dating apps, we visit Brazil, China and Pakistan (10:24). And our obituaries editor celebrates the life of Wally Amos, the American king of cookies (19:06).

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.

Predicting political violence is a painstaking job. Now AI is helping analysts look for clues and throwing up fascinating insights into the shifts that may indicate a strike is coming. Why Cuba could be heading towards economic and social collapse (11:01). And our correspondent visits Odessa where Ukrainians are rediscovering the beach (18:54).

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.

Mpox is spreading fast across Africa, yet public information campaigns are scant and vaccines in short supply. Is a new pandemic in the offing? Strategists are pondering a new potential threat from Russia: the possibility that it could detonate a nuclear weapon in space (09:42). And an Economist correspondent answers another of your questions about Artificial Intelligence (18:16). 

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.

While many people fear the risk of a wider war breaking out in the Middle East, a parallel battle is already ongoing – in the digital sphere. Can China challenge a long-standing duopoly in the airline industry (10:16)? And the latest Carrie Bradshaw index tells us where Americans can afford a solo apartment. Just don’t set your heart on New York… (17:22)

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.

As Democrats convene in Chicago, polls suggest Kamala Harris is ahead by a whisker in the US presidential race. Can the party sustain the momentum? In hospital, your recovery may depend not just on diagnostic technology or the drugs you take, but whether your doctor is a woman (10:11). And new research into elephant communication suggests the creatures may have something akin to names (16:34).

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.

Inflation, interest rates and jobless numbers are on healthy trends; markets are gaining back ground. As the spectre of global recession fades we ask why fear has persisted. In the second instalment of our series on dating we look at what singles are doing beyond the apps (10:23). And a tribute to Joss Naylor, Britain’s legend of fell running (18:51).

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.

Peace talks in Doha have a chance at progress even in Hamas’s absence. The outcome could determine the scope of Iran’s promised retaliations against Israel. New research suggests Mars may have an ocean’s worth of water deep in its crust (10:30). And Colombia’s bid to sate the global hunger for more sources of vanilla (18:14).

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.

Skilled immigrants bring more than just their expertise to job markets. But governments miss opportunities to attract them—or make them feel entirely unwelcome. In America it seems like the standard tip fraction just keeps going up and up (11:36). Where will it end? And as part of our “schools briefs” primer on AI, we answer your questions, starting with facial recognition (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.

Corporate investment in artificial-intelligence infrastructure reaches $1.4trn by some estimates. We ask what might threaten the expected windfalls that justify the spending. A Japanese mine’s bid to be listed by UNESCO was made harder because it ignores South Korean wartime forced labour (10:49). And why a nicotine pouch has so many fans on America’s right (18:03).

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.

Part of Russia is under foreign control for the first time since the second world war. We ask about the strategy behind the surprise raid—which may not be the last. The Paris Olympics were, all told, a tremendous success, with some lessons for future games (11:47). And the 3-D holographic displays coming to a car dashboard near you (20:35).

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.