By the end of this podcast Economist correspondent Tamara Gilkes Borr might own a gun. Recently, Tamara fired a gun for the first time and was shocked by how it made her feel. That moment started her on a personal odyssey to meet other Black gun owners and find out why, in contemporary America, she might want - or need - a gun. 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 ...
Mar 23, 2024•48 min
The case against the tech giant has been brewing since 2019 and while the smartphone maker is usually well-equipped to bat away regulators, this fight could bruise. Why Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, Haiti’s most prominent warlord, could play a key role in the country’s future (09:48). And, the Dutch-American primatologist who showed animals to have kinder instincts (16:40). Please take a moment to respond to our listener survey . Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to sc...
Mar 22, 2024•25 min
Amazon started with a plan to disrupt bookselling. It sold cheap books online, delivering them straight to customers’ homes. Three decades later it employs a million people in America and owns one hundred warehouses, each stocked with millions of products. More than a third of the US e-commerce market flows through it. Now, another company has spied an opportunity to disrupt Amazon: Temu. The Chinese e-commerce giant wants to undercut its US rival, delivering impossibly cheap stuff to Americans ...
Mar 21, 2024•44 min
America’s central bank left rates untouched, to widespread market delight. Why is this economic cycle confounding expectations so much, and how to bring it to a gentle end ? We look at the modern fortunes of Vodafone, a once-mighty telecoms firm that is slimming down to get healthier (11:21). And why Britain’s system for protecting its historic buildings from change… needs to change (16:10). Please take a moment to respond to our listener survey . Listen to what matters most, from global politic...
Mar 21, 2024•21 min
It took more than 20 years for Hong Kong’s legislature to pass Article 23, a sweeping and troublingly ambiguous national-security law . Huge protests stymied such legislation in the past; not so anymore. National Guard troops are out in force on New York City’s subways—because they are cheaper than cops (10:11). And a personal story exploring the torment of tinnitus (15:31). Please take a moment to respond to our listener survey . Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to...
Mar 20, 2024•24 min
The Bank of Japan has ended its grand experiment in unconventional monetary policy—how did it work, and what happens now that it has concluded? Ahead of Florida’s presidential primary our correspondent pays a visit, examining the state’s hard swing to the right (10:17). And the next in our Economist Reads series: why God seems to care so much about sex (19:09). Please take a moment to respond to our listener survey . Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and t...
Mar 19, 2024•26 min
America is producing more high-school graduates—but on average, they know less. We ask how a push for equity can in reality seed a systemic failing . London’s Canary Wharf was built as a high-rise jungle for white-collar workers; how is it surviving in a work-from-home world (7:57)? And amid a general decline in cinemagoing, the high end of the market is thriving (14:02). Please take a moment to respond to our listener survey . Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to sc...
Mar 18, 2024•19 min
It’s not long since America was widely thought to be on the brink of recession. Instead the economy expanded by 3% in 2023, and continues to defy expectations . But why aren’t voters happier with Joe Biden’s economy? John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by The Economist ’s Simon Rabinovitch and Neale Mahoney, professor of economics at Stanford University. Thank you to the William J. Clinton Library and the UVA Miller Center for some of the audi...
Mar 15, 2024•48 min
Voting begins today in an election that has already been won – all the opposition politicians are dead, in prison or in exile. Vladimir Putin wants to give the illusion of legitimacy. Will the rumblings of a protest deprive him of that goal? There is evidence that Sudan is becoming the latest theatre of the Ukraine war (09:25). And, a tribute to the father of Dragon Ball Z (15:49). Navalny audio clip courtesy of The National Desk. Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist ...
Mar 15, 2024•23 min
The US Congress is refusing to scroll past the app’s links to China. If the bill they passed becomes law, the video-sharing network will be forced to find new owners. Binyamin Netanyahu’s emergency war-time budget has just been approved. What is the cost of Israel’s ongoing war (10:40)? And, snapping up Old Masters in Maastricht (18:14). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to T...
Mar 14, 2024•26 min
The northeastern province has been subject to more and more shelling, and Western officials are worried about Ukraine’s capacity to respond. Could there be a breakthrough? Not everyone is happy with the 28-year-old building America’s first nickel-cobalt refinery (08:51). And, some of the best comic novels (16:46). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll hav...
Mar 13, 2024•23 min
Melting ski slopes, floods and droughts are enraging the continent’s citizens, but not quite enough for them to consider voting differently . Our correspondent explains what the electorate is weighing up. The world’s largest maker of glasses is branching out into tech (10:41). And Gabriel García Márquez ’s new novella that he did not want published (16:32). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re alrea...
Mar 12, 2024•24 min
As the hermit kingdom is getting ever cosier with Russia, it is becoming bolder in its provocations of conflict with the south. Growing risks of escalation threaten not just the region, but the world. The victims of the war in Ukraine are not just its people, but its animals too (09:48). And why the world is getting bigger (15:57). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to al...
Mar 11, 2024•23 min
Despite growing pressure from powerful local gangs, Ariel Henry, the prime minister, is refusing to step down. The state has descended into such a quagmire that he cannot even return. Can it be brought back from the brink? This year’s Oscar nominations show a newfound appreciation for foreign-language films (07:44). And, a tribute to Iris Apfel (13:52) Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have fu...
Mar 08, 2024•21 min
A steady 20-point lead in the polls suggests that the Labour Party could comfortably win Britain’s next election. How have they managed to gain such a broad support base? Two embarrassing blunders from the German military could have sizeable implications at home and abroad (10:39). And, how two Japanese towns are transforming attitudes to childcare (16:44). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have ful...
Mar 07, 2024•23 min
What is intelligence? In the middle of the 20th century, the inner workings of the human brain inspired computer scientists to build the first “thinking machines”. But how does human intelligence actually relate to the artificial kind? This is the first episode in a four-part series on the evolution of modern generative AI. What were the scientific and technological developments that took the very first, clunky artificial neurons and ended up with the astonishingly powerful large language models...
Mar 06, 2024•43 min
In a result that will surprise few, America is on track to hold a rematch of the 2020 presidential election, with Joe Biden and Donald Trump winning most of the primaries held last night. But will the Republican campaign look different this time? Why shoppers and investors really love Costco (09:36). And which cities are most expensive for Europe’s renters (15:36)? Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll ...
Mar 06, 2024•21 min
The richer, more urban region does not just differ economically, but politically too. Can Mr Modi tone down the BJP’s Hindu nationalism and gain traction there? The EU has a grand plan to protect its economy from a host of risks, but finding consensus among 27 countries is hard (12:22). And why live music rocks (19:47). Additional music courtesy of Posthuman Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have fu...
Mar 05, 2024•24 min
The international push for a ceasefire in Gaza continues, but the tragedies keep coming ; in many ways a resolution still seems as distant as it was early in the war. We consider the temptation to go all in on stocks, given just how flaming-hot the markets are (10:55). And a data-led look into which American cities are the most dog-obsessed (16:13). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all...
Mar 04, 2024•22 min
A year on from our series Next Year in Moscow , Alexei Navalny , Russia’s most prominent opposition leader, is dead. Hope for the “beautiful Russia of the future” he imagined from his prison cell in Siberia is all but extinguished. The Economist’ s Russia editor Arkady Ostrovsky finds out how Russians who oppose Vladimir Putin’s war are enduring these dark times Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have...
Mar 02, 2024•53 min
A visit to a port of entry at America’s Mexican border reveals the difficulties in stopping the flood of fentanyl —a cheap, potent and ever more deadly drug. Javier Milei, Argentina’s president, is looking to blunt measures to escape an economic morass; our correspondent says he should instead look to Peru’s past (10:43). And remembering Robert Badinter , who killed off France’s guillotine (17:17). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscribe...
Mar 01, 2024•25 min
It's been two years since Russia brought war to Ukraine. America, Britain and the European Union may not have intervened by putting boots on the ground—but they have launched a massive financial counteroffensive . Vladimir Putin’s government, his cronies and the businesses profiting from the war are all subject to sanctions, yet the Russian economy has proved remarkably resilient. So, does financial warfare work ? Hosts: Mike Bird, Alice Fulwood and Tom Lee-Devlin. Guests: The Economist ’s Ceria...
Feb 29, 2024•43 min
A slew of spycraft mishaps might suggest Russia’s once-great intelligence services have hopelessly decayed. Do not be fooled: the spooks are back, and better . We ask why a “supercycle” commodities boom might not come to pass, even though the conditions are ripe for one (10:04). And the questions raised as football attracts Saudi investment to England’s north-east (15:50). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll...
Feb 29, 2024•23 min
Some within China might prefer another Donald Trump presidency while others might favour Joe Biden. On balance, though: from there, neither option looks great . We look at the steps toward the first drug in four decades to treat the debilitating disease of endometriosis (9:28). And as the word podcasting turns 20 we reflect on a medium close to our hearts (17:51). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll ha...
Feb 28, 2024•25 min
The birth rate of unicorns—firms with a valuation north of $1bn— has plummeted , and prior investors in them are eyeing what exits exist. We ask why the species is endangered. The struggle to finance and build homes is contributing to a profound housing crisis in sub-Saharan Africa (08:34). And the return of Parler , a darling social-media platform for America’s far right (17:56). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist...
Feb 27, 2024•25 min
After a 20-point primary walloping in South Carolina, the state she governed for eight years, Nikki Haley vowed to fight on against Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination. But why? Seasonal opportunities for natural-gas arbitrage have been juicier during the war in Ukraine—and one good place to store cheap gas between seasons is Ukraine (9:31). And examining America’s cousin-marriage laws (16:05). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re alr...
Feb 26, 2024•24 min
In this roundtable discussion our editors examine how the past year has progressed, discuss how things may go over the next year and consider a few fundamentally positive truths about the whole conflict . Meanwhile our senior producer travels through Ukraine, getting a measure of both determination and despondency among soldiers and civilians. Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our s...
Feb 23, 2024•34 min
Hardened war-zone doctors say the situation in Gaza is the worst they have witnessed—and that will cost lives long after the current conflict is resolved. Numbers from America’s tight labour market suggest that long-standing gaps between black and white workers are narrowing (09:57). And we speak with the maker of The Economist ’s shiny new typeface (18:18). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full acce...
Feb 22, 2024•24 min
Dark matter is thought to make up around a quarter of the universe, but so far it has eluded detection by all scientific instruments. Scientists know it must exist because of the ways galaxies move and it also explains the large-scale structure of the modern universe. But no-one knows what dark matter actually is . Scientists have been hunting for dark matter particles for decades, but have so far had no luck. At the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, held...
Feb 21, 2024•44 min
If it succeeds—and that is no sure thing—this week’s soft landing of Odysseus will be the first by a private firm. We examine the prospects and the business models of the Moon rush . Our producer visits Ukraine to mark the anniversary of a revolution that helped to shape today’s conflict (11:22). And the rise and coming fall in entertaining British obituaries (21:25). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have...
Feb 21, 2024•27 min
