Every weekday our global network of correspondents makes sense of the stories beneath the headlines. We bring you surprising trends and tales from around the world, current affairs, business and finance — as well as science and technology.
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
America’s National Security Strategy, released a month ago, suggested the administration’s focus was on dominance of the western hemisphere. But no one expected its first move would be a special-forces raid to depose President Nicolás Maduro. What is next comes with grave risks . And the video-games business wants to escape its rut by finding whole new markets —geographically and demographically. Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+ . For more information about how to ac...
Property wealth in China turbo-charged investment in art . Now house prices have crashed, art sales may follow. Are Britons really leaving the country in droves? And our obituaries editor on the death of the American cent coin. 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. Host...
The editor of our annual “ World Ahead ” publication predicts the themes and events that will dominate the headlines in 2026, from geopolitics to tech. He also admits what we got wrong last year. And The Economist launched its first podcast 20 years ago. We chart the evolution of audio, from a basement broom cupboard to today’s bountiful offerings. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about...
Today’s show is a tribute to those whose lives we remembered this year. From Pope Francis , the most open-minded pontiff for decades, and controversial vice-president Dick Cheney , to champ of the chimpanzees Jane Goodall , bubblegum pop star Brian Wilson and Alice Tan Ridley , a New York subway busker who became a superstar. 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 Economis...
Announcing the return of The Economist’s annual ranking for best performing economy . Are you ready for the big reveal? Dalit cuisine is barely visible, in India or beyond. And why London’s river boats are making a comeback. Get a world of insights by subscribing 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....
Five years after seizing power in a coup, the military junta in Myanmar is holding an election. Yet all credible opposition has been banned. And war has inspired so many films over the past century. Our correspondents battle it out to pick the best one. 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 ...
So many books are published each year; few stand the test of time. Today we devote our whole show to asking which works have shaped the way we behave and how we think. Picks include “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, “A Suitable Boy” by Vikram Seth and “Lord of the Rings” by JRR Tolkien. Full list of books mentioned in the show: The Bible The Koran “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins “On the Origin of Species” by Charles D...
Join our editors and correspondents in a gripping test of recall and reflexes. There are questions on business and politics of course—but also news noises to identify, one saucy limerick and quotes from “The Real Housewives” franchise that frankly no one expected. Which team will take the trophy? Get a world of insights by subscribing 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 ac...
Recessions are, in their way, bad news. But so, paradoxically, is a lasting dearth of them. We explain the dangers that lie beneath the current run of continuous growth. Our correspondent looks into the hidden economics of online reviews , and whether to trust them. And a turkey-industry exposé that you’ll just gobble up. Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+ . For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video expl...
In a world of infinite content, who wins and who loses? Our correspondent explains what the proliferation of AI-generated art means for human artists. What the prevalence of male-female friendships tell us about a society. And why you should propose with a yellow-gold ring. 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 ...
Each year, The Economist tries to identify which country has improved the most, whether economically, politically or in other ways. In a turbulent year, the choice was tricky. We unveil the result. And The Economist Educational Foundation helps kids worldwide be more news-savvy. We invite you to donate and support its work: https://economistfoundation.org/donate/ . Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more ...
Since Novo Nordisk launched Wegovy in 2021, it has dominated the fast-growing market for slimming drugs. Now a new jab is eating into the Danish firm’s success. Why a slang expert thinks the first word humans ever uttered may have been a profane one. And why British sheep have got happier. 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 pa...
The European Union had promised to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles by 2035, as part of its environmental ambitions. Yesterday it watered down that commitment. Our correspondent explains the implications. Will Donald Trump’s choice of Federal Reserve chair politicise the institution? And The Economist announces its word of the year . Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about ...
As the Australian authorities continue their investigation into Sunday’s deadly attack on a Hannukah party in Sydney, investigators have uncovered a possible link with Islamic State . Our journalists recommend their favourite books of 2025. And why there is now an Advent calendar for everything. 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 F...
Today Hong Kong’s most prominent media mogul was convicted of flouting national security legislation. Our correspondent explains the consequences for the territory. Why the policies of Britain’s Labour government are damaging London . And our correspondent offers sober advice on how (not) to cure a hangover . 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+, plea...
The episode details the significant rise of populist right parties like Reform UK, AfD, and National Rally across Europe, highlighting their common anti-immigration and anti-elite platforms while noting their distinct approaches. It explores the varied responses of centrist parties, from Germany's "firewall" to France's absorption of the center-right and Britain's evolving containment strategies. The discussion also touches on the influence of the MAGA movement and forecasts key elections in 2026. Finally, the episode pays tribute to the groundbreaking architectural career of Frank Gehry.
America’s seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker fits with the stated goals in its new national-security strategy : untrammelled hemispheric dominance. How much of the document is polemic and how much will become policy? The long-run costs of the work-from-home revolution are becoming apparent in many American cities. And the one region where Pepsi is the cola of choice . Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+ . For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, ple...
At every technological revolution, the industry of indecency is close at hand. We look at how sex workers and porn-peddlers are making use of AI. The sites of Syria’s most brutal civil-war deeds are just the latest destination for “ dark tourists ”; we explore the draw of atrocities. And to the many divisions in America, add one about a lawn-care implement . Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+ . For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit ...
Of all the sackings at federal level President Donald Trump has carried out—and that the Supreme Court has upheld—the one now under consideration has the greatest implications for presidential power. Now that satellites are going up by the thousands, earthly astronomers are struggling for clear views. And how one firm is bucking the downward trend in the pen industry. Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+ . For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, ple...
A year after ousting its despot, things are not as bad as many had feared. But old sectarian divides threaten the peace . Forced labour, sex tourism and human-trafficking: ever more sophisticated drug gangs are behind a wave of exploitation across Latin America. And the rocketing price of gold drives a new generation of prospectors to California. Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+ . For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs pag...
Ukraine has been hit by a corruption scandal. One that strikes at the core of the political establishment in a way never before seen—and this in a country with a long and turbulent history of corruption. It has toppled President Zelensky’s right-hand man. It could mean the President himself won’t survive re-election when the war is over. And the timing couldn’t be worse—right in the middle of a peace deal Ukraine has had little part in composing. The Economist’s Ukraine correspondent, Ollie Carr...
The Economist’s editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes met Sir Keir Starmer for “ The Insider ”, our new video offering. We bring you the analysis. Why executions in America are surging, despite declining support for the death penalty. And Tom Stoppard , one of Britain’s most challenging playwrights, is remembered by his Russian translator. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about how to ac...
As Vladimir Putin begins a two-day visit to India, our correspondent explains why Donald Trump’s policies have pushed India and Russia closer together. How AI models could learn to take shortcuts––and accidentally become evil . And the curious case of the newly- Malaysian footballers . 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 o...
America’s attacks on possible drug boats in the Caribbean is already controversial. Now critics are questioning the legality of one particular strike in September. What does this mean for the US secretary of war, Pete Hegseth? Why American firms are raising funding to explore gene-editing babies . And women in Japan face a long fight to play the national sport: sumo . In “ Babbage ” earlier this year we interviewed Chinese scientist He Jiankui, whose use of gene-editing technology on babies land...
Once derided as a copycat nation, China is now leading the world in innovation , from driverless cars to pharmaceuticals. Our correspondent explains what others can learn from it. Britain looks abroad for policy ideas, but which country is most like it? And why the capybara is a creature of comfort for our troubled age. 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 Podc...
Our correspondents get a feel for today’s Tehran: no morality police but still much fear of speaking out. And the foreign minister indicates a desire to return to nuclear dealmaking . Who has bought into whom in AI makes the whole industry look pretty circular; we ask what that means for competition . And the first European country to scrap letter delivery. Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+ . For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit o...
Chef Gary Thomas has a lot on his plate. That’s because he’s in the business of feeding thousands of people a day on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Not just any ship – the Star of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world. The Weekend Intelligence’s senior producer Barclay Bram braved a trip to the Bahamas to try to figure out the secret behind one of the most impressive food operations in the world. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technolog...
The dead are still being found; the displaced huddle in public spaces. Who or what will be blamed, and what policies will change after the tragedy ? We visit Georgia, where protests have now lasted a year , probing the differences between popular uprisings that succeed and those that fail. And remembering He Yanxin , last natural inheritor of China’s ancient women-only language. Additional audio courtesy of Zhao Ke'er from the documentary " Heart of Gold ". Get a world of insights by subscribing...
The episode delves into Britain's new budget, highlighting how it prioritizes short-term political stability over addressing chronic low growth and productivity, potentially eroding the political center. It then shifts to India, profiling Yogi Adityanath, the powerful Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, discussing his blend of economic pragmatism and divisive Hindu nationalism as a potential harbinger for India's future. Finally, the segment on job interviews offers insights into unconventional questions designed to reveal genuine candidate traits beyond rehearsed answers.
The country’s Communist Party leadership continues to cling to old ideals amid on-again, off-again diplomacy with America—and the people’s suffering only deepens . Britain is making the most of its advantages in the burgeoning industry of quantum technology. And why conservationists’ concern about a wood beloved of classical musicians may be misplaced . Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+ . For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our F...
