In a landmark agreement, nearly 200 nations have agreed to transition away from fossil fuels. However, that is not the same as phasing them out. Has the deal done enough? For the young trying to invest, the markets look bleak. But they could make better choices (10:42). And, the allure of cookery books (17:18). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more informati...
Dec 13, 2023•24 min
Since the Hamas attacks and the ensuing war in Gaza, debate at America’s top academic institutions has turned sour. Now, the issue has reignited an age-old argument about freedom of speech on campuses. Today Britain’s parliament will vote on whether to send asylum seekers to Rwanda – they aren’t the only ones thinking about outsourcing responsibility (07:54). And books about the twilight of the automobile age (17:32) Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber...
Dec 12, 2023•25 min
Our correspondent joins the French air force on a mission in the Baltics, seeing increasing support for NATO just as the country draws down in Africa. Drones have by now become a standard feature of warfare, but in Gaza the demands are different —and Israel has much expertise to draw upon (09:36). And artificial intelligence predicts the structures of 2m brand-new materials (16:38). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full...
Dec 11, 2023•23 min
In the American West, grizzly bears are spreading—and fights over protecting them under the Endangered Species Act test the frontiers between science and politics. Vaping is tremendous business in Britain, but the largely unregulated industry is now, curiously, asking for more oversight (10:57). And our language columnist explains our word of the year for 2023 (17:47). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all...
Dec 08, 2023•25 min
Even before America’s tussle over funding Ukraine’s war effort, it seemed as if Russia was gaining the upper hand —by exploiting Ukraine’s widening political cracks. A drought-induced traffic jam in the Panama Canal will only get worse in the coming dry season, and consumer-price rises look inevitable (10:42). And to save Britain’s heritage pig breeds, consumers should eat more of them (17:48). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’...
Dec 07, 2023•24 min
By the numbers, the outcome seems clear: Venezuelans voted to annex much of newly minted petrostate Guyana. But our correspondent says the referendum was mere electioneering by President Nicolás Maduro, with unimpressive results. Our obituaries editor remembers Saleemul Huq , who campaigned relentlessly on behalf of the most vulnerable countries (9:52). And just how much lighter the paycheques are for heavier workers (17:03). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a s...
Dec 06, 2023•23 min
Tickets for “Nvzizhuyi”—a monthly stand-up comedy show in New York City— often sell out in less than a minute. The show invites Chinese citizens, mostly women, to tell jokes, perform skits and recount the absurd challenges they’ve encountered as feminist activists in China—things they could never utter in public back home. This week, Alice Su, our senior China correspondent, reports from the dark basement of a comedy club. Together with David Rennie, The Economist’ s Beijing bureau chief, ...
Dec 05, 2023•35 min
The cradle of American technology was once known for its libertarian values—but as law-enforcement agencies seek more means of surveillance, Silicon Valley companies are piling in . Mounting cases in America’s courts reveal a trend of progressives arguing for their religious right to abortion (9:09). And how tourism gone wrong is killing the Dark Hedges that appeared in “Game of Thrones” (16:28). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, yo...
Dec 05, 2023•21 min
As its ground offensive appears to be expanding, Israel is acutely aware that time and international support will run out; we examine its impossible set of aims to achieve before then. Europe has not yet faced the kind of fentanyl crisis that has plagued America—but there are risks that it may soon (10:53). And the power-napping prowess of penguins (18:26). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows a...
Dec 04, 2023•24 min
The Economist 's editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, and our Russia and Eastern Europe editor, Arkady Ostrovsky, return to Kyiv to to find out if cracks are beginning to emerge in the iron shield of Ukrainian unity and to ask how the war with Russia is reshaping a nation living on a knife’s edge. The Weekend Intelligence is a subscriber-only episode. For the next month you can sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access...
Dec 02, 2023•47 min
Olena Zelenska foresees a time when her family can regain a quiet life. Our editor-in-chief sits down with her to discuss her mental-health campaign and life in an unexpected spotlight. President Xi Jinping wants to improve China’s toilets; we ask why that is proving so difficult (12:20). And why the superyacht industry is just sailing along (19:50). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part ...
Dec 01, 2023•27 min
The doyen of diplomacy has died, leaving a complex legacy . Following extensive interviews with him earlier this year, our deputy editor examines what Dr Kissinger stood for and whether his ideas will outlast him. As the COP28 climate summit begins, we look at an approach that deserves more attention: carbon dioxide removal (13:16). And our annual cost-of-living survey ranks the world’s priciest cities (22:36). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to Th...
Nov 30, 2023•30 min
Drug-related shootings and bombings are on the rise. Policies are changing and law-enforcement budgets rising, but stemming the violence is proving politically tricky . Our columnist considers how China is using the war in Gaza to burnish its diplomatic credentials (9:36). And the teams vying to smash a long-standing sailing-speed record (18:27). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of y...
Nov 29, 2023•25 min
The singular focus on the metaverse of Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s boss, fretted investors. But in the past year he has pulled off a spectacularly timely turnaround . We look at what is driving an illegal-gold rush in Venezuela as a lens on a wider, regional concern (9:48). And why North Korea’s women’s football team provides such good propaganda (16:48). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part...
Nov 28, 2023•23 min
Our correspondent speaks with the Africa head of the Red Cross who has borne witness to the war, famine and genocide that continue—unrelenting and largely ignored —in Sudan. As Ukraine’s men are sent off to war, the country’s women are upending its labour market ; we meet some newly minted miners (10:07). And how the age at which careers peak is changing (18:34). Today is the last day of our Black Friday sale: sign up to Economist Podcasts+ for half price—just two dollars, pounds or euros...
Nov 27, 2023•25 min
Look past short-term stumbles: there are plenty of reasons to think Japan may spin out of its decades-long deflationary spiral. But how to avoid another false dawn? A visit to a mine in Zimbabwe reveals how valuable lithium is becoming to the continent—and China’s role in securing it (13:09). And remembering a “Rosie the Riveter” who kept riveting until age 95 (21:38). Until Monday November 27th you can sign up to Economist Podcasts+ for half price in our Black Friday sale. For just two dollars,...
Nov 24, 2023•29 min
In five days OpenAI’s boss was fired by its board; hired by Microsoft, the startup’s biggest investor; and returned to his post at OpenAI. Yet things cannot be as they were: the shuffle will have consequences for the darling of the artificial-intelligence community and for the industry as a whole. Hosts: Tom Lee-Devlin, Alice Fulwood and Mike Bird. Guests: Benedict Evans, a technology analyst and former venture capitalist, and The Economist ’s Arjun Ramani and Ludwig Siegele. Sign up for a free ...
Nov 23, 2023•43 min
Geert Wilders campaigned on leaving the European Union, closing the borders, and even suggested banning Islam. The Dutch surprisingly voted for him anyway. But without a majority, can he form a government? WeWork is a flawed company, but their bankruptcy reflects greater turmoil in real estate (10:10). And, how hyper-bouncy shoes are giving runners an edge (17:42). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. And from today until Monday 27th November you can sign up to Economist Podcasts+ fo...
Nov 23, 2023•24 min
A year ago, the public launch of ChatGPT took the world by storm and it was followed by many more generative artificial intelligence tools, all with remarkable, human-like abilities. Fears over the existential risks posed by AI have dominated the global conversation around the technology ever since. Fei-Fei Li, a pioneer that helped lay the groundwork that underpins modern generative AI models, takes a more nuanced approach. She’s pushing for a human-centred way of dealing with AI—treating it as...
Nov 22, 2023•39 min
After weeks of negotiations , Hamas has agreed to release some hostages. In exchange, there will be a four-day pause in fighting. But then what? Americans really love their cars and dependence on them is making the country fairer (09:34). And what Netflix’s latest spin-off reveals about the changing trends in TV (15:56). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. Fo...
Nov 22, 2023•22 min
It is still unclear why the board of OpenAI fired him last week, but hundreds of staff are revolting anyway. The debacle reveals a sizeable rift between the tech companies at the forefront of AI development. Canadians typically consider themselves pro- immigration . Is the tide changing (10:45)? And the books you didn’t know were propaganda (18:49). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part o...
Nov 21, 2023•26 min
He is a self-proclaimed “anarcho-capitalist” and in a run-off, the people have entrusted this political firebrand to shake the country out of economic malaise. Will he deliver ? Hamas has an intricate network of tunnels under Gaza, but new tech could help Israel fight them (10:48). And what AI can glean from listening to the forests (19:03). Additional audio courtesy of Jörg Müller Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full ...
Nov 20, 2023•25 min
If the election were held tomorrow, Donald Trump would probably be the favourite to win . How should we be thinking about the race with a year to go? And how can the world outside of America prepare itself for the possibility of a second Trump term? John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by Vanderbilt University’s John Sides and The Economist ’s Ed Carr. Checks and Balance will be recording a live show in Philadelphia later this month. Find...
Nov 17, 2023•50 min
Were America’s presidential election to be held today, Donald Trump would probably win . We examine the winds shifting in his favour, and how the Biden campaign might tack against them. The town of Basildon best matches Britain’s national-average statistics—a mean reason to pay a visit (13:13). And remembering Vivian Silver , a Canadian-Israeli peace activist who died at the hands of Hamas (20:51). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, ...
Nov 17, 2023•29 min
There is little left, in terms of people or infrastructure, in the north of the strip. Our correspondent, embedded with the Israel Defence Forces, considers the humanitarian crisis growing in the south. Our film on American school shootings discovers the growing phenomenon of hoaxes known as “swatting” (11:49). And how, despite its ahistorical nature , “The Crown” will influence perceived history (19:28). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Econ...
Nov 16, 2023•28 min
In the European country with both the largest Jewish and largest Muslim populations, a rise in antisemitic acts brings particular perils; we examine them. Winemaking was always going to be hit hard by climate change. Our oenophile correspondent looks at how things are already changing—and it is not all bad news (08:52). And why India’s explosives industry is blowing up (16:04). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have ful...
Nov 15, 2023•22 min
Former prime minister David Cameron is back from the political wilderness—and his appointment as foreign secretary reveals much about the state of the ruling Conservative party. We ask how Israel has kept its airspace open during the conflict in Gaza, even as the threat of missiles has grown (10:11). And China’s long-suffering delivery drivers fight more quietly to improve their lot (17:04). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll ...
Nov 14, 2023•22 min
After a grinding and lethal eight-month battle, Ukraine’s forces retook the port city a year ago. Our correspondent visits, finding a populace both anxious and defiant . As with technological transformations that came before, the benefits of artificial intelligence will accrue disproportionately to the very stars who rail against it (10:22). And why New York is now safer —if you’re a bird (19:46). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, y...
Nov 13, 2023•27 min
Miscalculating the prowess of the People’s Liberation Army is dangerous. Overestimating it could cause unnecessary confrontation, but underestimating it is risky for Taiwan. We bring you some balance. Can descendants of slave traders be absolved of the sins of their ancestors (09:00)? And a tribute to a man who believed life is best lived dangerously (16:50). Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist , you’ll have full access to all our...
Nov 10, 2023•24 min
President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act promised $370bn for green infrastructure and industry. It has spurred a surge in massive construction efforts such as battery plants and electric-vehicle factories. Our correspondent goes on a road trip, visiting small towns with big new projects under way and gauging the success of Mr Biden’s economic policy so far. Hosts: Alice Fulwood, Tom Lee-Devlin and Henry Tricks Runtime: 44 min This is a free episode of Money Talks. To listen every week, sign...
Nov 09, 2023•45 min
