During past economic downturns, officials have been both swift and bold. This time not so much—because their hands are tied by knotty internal politics . We ask why Latin America makes for such a useful playground for Russian spies (10:07). And remembering Fernando Botero, a Colombian artist who never deviated from his not-quite-comically plump figures (18:16). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not be charged until Economi...
Sep 29, 2023•25 min
Many of the pieces are in place to bring the disease entirely under control—but our correspondent finds it will take more than advances in medication. Japan’s government has at last begun to regulate the country’s notorious pornography; we examine a sector emerging from the shadows (11:07). And how China uses UNESCO world-heritage status to rewrite the history of its periphery (18:38). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not...
Sep 28, 2023•25 min
Where the defensive lines really are, the state of Russia’s reserves, battlefield tactics: Kyrylo Budanov is a candid interviewee —but he claims to know nothing about all those drones. Gambling has been illegal in Brazil for decades, but pinched government coffers point to a lifting of the prohibition (10:42). And the passion and the profitability of “ BookTok ”, the literary end of TikTok (16:51). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer....
Sep 27, 2023•23 min
President Emmanuel Macron’s about-face on maintaining a presence in the coup-stricken country portends a broader change in France’s relations on the continent. Shifting geopolitics is changing the list of the world’s big arms dealers (9:08). And the internet influencers taking a swing at professional boxing (16:02). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer . You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches. If you’re already a su...
Sep 26, 2023•22 min
Populist, right-wing parties are already in power in Hungary, Poland and Italy—and getting closer to it across the continent . We ask why. At long last Rupert Murdoch, the patriarch of a global media empire, has stepped aside —sort of. We examine how he will still pull the strings (09:46). And the merits of letting American pupils start school a bit later (17:39). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer . You will not be charged until Eco...
Sep 25, 2023•22 min
Reporting from the ground, our Eastern Europe editor explores how the country is bracing for a new phase of war . In some ways, people have adapted, but equally the invasion has clearly taken a mental toll. Reflecting on the life of the Zulu chief turned politician Mangosuthu Buthelezi (11:51). And how to get out of jail (18:39). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer . You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches. If you’r...
Sep 22, 2023•26 min
It would not be the first time that a member of the government has gone missing , not even the first time this year. But what does this say about the leadership of the People’s Liberation Army? No one cares about Apple’s new iPhone, but the tech giant has more to worry about (09:24). And why an old-school motorbike is still driving new hype in India (16:00). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist ...
Sep 21, 2023•23 min
The murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Najjar has deepened a long-running spat between the two countries. Will Canada’s allies be willing to get involved? It’s been 100 years since Japan’s Great Kanto earthquake . Here’s how the country is preparing in case there is another (XX:XX). And young people’s newfound love for country music is fuelling a boom in the genre (XX:XX). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be char...
Sep 20, 2023•27 min
This is not the first time the Islamic Republic has taken foreigners hostage . It’s proven an effective bargaining chip for decades and this time around, it has earned the state billions of dollars in unfrozen assets. Also, should you go for a forever-fixed mortgage if you can (09:36)? And what an American chain restaurant says about the importance of cross-class mixing (15:15). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be cha...
Sep 19, 2023•21 min
The libertarian right-winger is leading in the polls, a surprise for a country that has typically leaned left. He has drastic plans to shrink the state. Could he turn the country around? Why Germany’s highway system and techno lovers have come to a crossroads (11:22). And, a Noah’s-Ark-inspired economic theory of conservation made pertinent by the threat of climate change (19:59). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be c...
Sep 18, 2023•25 min
As progress on the front line slows, Western countries are divided over how the army should proceed. There are disagreements about where should be targeted and how, and with autumn around the corner, time is of the essence. Why Americans’ feelings about their economy have become a less useful indicator for forecasters (12:34). And, are New Zealand’s rugby team off their game (18:24)? Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not b...
Sep 15, 2023•25 min
For 17 years, The Economist has brought you a host of brilliant shows. Now we are taking that even further. But to bring you even more of the content that you love, we need your support. Why Nagorno-Karabakh is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster (09:44). And, a tribute to the man who sought to give AI some common sense (18:07). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches. Visit ...
Sep 14, 2023•27 min
On September 11th 1973, president Salvador Allende shot himself in the head after being overthrown in a coup , giving rise to the violent rule of General Augusto Pinochet. But citizens are divided on how the leaders ought to be remembered. How a landmark case in Montana could pioneer new climate protection laws (13:09). And, what makes a bestselling book (22:03)? For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economi...
Sep 13, 2023•29 min
In a rare trip outside of the hermit state, it seems the dictator is planning to meet with Vladimir Putin. With the prospect of an arms deal on the table, how worried should the international community be? Car theft is a growing problem in America and automakers are partly to blame (08:49). And France’s booming boulangeries (15:02). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 12, 2023•19 min
As the counter-offensive continues, Ukrainian forces are running out of time to make substantial gains. Diplomatic attempts to isolate Russia have failed and progress on the front lines is slowing. From the capital Kyiv, the president tells The Economist’s editor-in-chief how the country is bracing for a long war. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See acas...
Sep 11, 2023•24 min
The highest interest rates in years should lead to a fall in house prices. But peculiarities of America’s mortgage market are driving them up . Egg-freezing was supposed to give women more control over childbearing; we look at scant data showing how successful it really is (10:57). And remembering Isabel Crook , an anthropologist who embraced China’s communist transformation, warts and all (15:44). Join our team of audience-research participants and make a bit of cash here . Hosted on Acast. See...
Sep 08, 2023•23 min
Axing generous fuel subsidies was just one necessary reform promised by Bola Tinubu. A hundred days into the president’s term, we examine his ideas for change—finding they do not seem to be backed by real plans. Our correspondent says India’s decrepit cities would fare better if permitted to govern themselves more (09:58). And the kinder, gentler trend in video games (17:13) Join our team of audience-research participants and make a bit of cash here . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...
Sep 07, 2023•22 min
The retail behemoth is splashing tremendous amounts of cash on streaming content; critics are unimpressed with the outcomes. But Amazon may have the best business model going. Statisticians in Britain appear to have found about 2% of GDP hiding in their data—we ask how it got lost (8:24). And how the pocket calculator ushered in the digital age (15:52). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/int...
Sep 06, 2023•23 min
The calculus of the cold war is back, but there are new variables in the equation—namely China’s growing arsenal. We look at how three-way deterrence could work. Two years after America’s schools reopened their doors, a terrifying proportion of students are still skipping class (10:13). And what a slew of rickshaw apps says about India’s technological backbone (15:38). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.e...
Sep 05, 2023•22 min
The absolute numbers remain troubling but a close look at statistics reveals that, across American cities, fewer people are being killed. That democracy is good for a country’s economy is taken as orthodoxy—but given the time and costs to make the transition, the reality is a bit more complicated (09:38). And why Britain’s government is in hock to the country’s hobbyists (15:38). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription by goi...
Sep 04, 2023•22 min
The president is using racist hate-mongering as both a rallying tool and a distraction mechanism. It is the oldest trick in the autocrat playbook and it proving effective. Why are some Americans flocking to start new lives in Europe (10.36)? And, a tribute to a Ukrainian pilot who made the case for his country to get F-16 fighter jets (18.03). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceo...
Sep 01, 2023•26 min
Putsches in Africa are becoming more common and there appears to be a trend . Are there more to come and is there any hope of restoring democracy? Lebanon’s tourism sector is bringing foreign money back into the economy, but it’s not trickling down (10:27). And, the American right is propelling a new song to chart-topping popularity (16:44). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoff...
Aug 31, 2023•23 min
Three months into the counteroffensive, the military is reaping the fruits of several months of drone development. But as the war continues, will it be able to scale up its capacity and outpace Russia? New international laws cracking down on Caribbean tax havens seem to be working (10:03). And politicians reignite an old debate on official language use in Spain (17:21). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www....
Aug 30, 2023•25 min
Owing to a host of deep-rooted economic and political challenges, it could be the only G7 economy to contract this year. How might it turn the tide ? More people want flashy, bigger electric vehicles , but are the added environmental costs counterproductive (10:00)? And examining the decline in Mandarin learning (18:18). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. S...
Aug 29, 2023•25 min
From Japan to South Korea, from China to Taiwan, family structures are becoming less traditional. More premarital cohabitation, single parenthood and two-income households are influencing demographics—with worrying consequences. And we pay tribute to 50 years of hip-hop. The New York -born genre is taking the world by storm, and picking up new influences along the way (9:22). Additional music “ HIP-HOP ” courtesy of RayZa. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , t...
Aug 28, 2023•30 min
The alliance was always based more on common fortunes than common interests. We ask what to make of the six new members, and whether the bloc’s motley nature undermines its purpose. Regulation has struggled in an era when children can become “influencers”, but it is starting to catch up (9:36). And remembering Bindeshwar Pathak , who realised India’s future depended on toilets (16:28). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription ...
Aug 25, 2023•25 min
History would suggest that the crash of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane was an assassination. Our correspondent considers what the supposed death of the Wagner Group’s leader means for Ukraine—and what it says about Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Indonesia has fostered a more moderate version of Islam that it would now like to export (9:58). And meeting an indigenous pioneer of Peruvian pop (16:21). For full access to print, digital, and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscripti...
Aug 24, 2023•21 min
Arranging friendly media coverage, giving handouts to voters, stifling opposition rallies: once again the country’s ruling party has put its thumb on the scales . It has to, after decades of failed governance. Our correspondent visits fire-ravaged Lahaina in Hawaii, finding equal parts shock and anger among residents (10:32). And the curious rise of Britain’s self-pitying lawmakers (18:38). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscrip...
Aug 23, 2023•26 min
Once again, fears are ripping through the industry—this time starting from a firm once thought too big to fail. In an economy so dependent on housebuilding, that will have wide-ranging consequences . We take a ride in one of the autonomous taxis that have flooded onto San Francisco’s streets (10:22). And crunching the numbers on Antarctica’s worrisome dearth of sea ice (19:40). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription by going...
Aug 22, 2023•27 min
Ecuador and Guatemala faced similar preoccupations with violence and corruption —one of Ecuador’s candidates was assassinated on the campaign trail—but their electoral outcomes were very different. What does that reveal about the region? Once rare in America, leprosy is on the rise again, particularly in Florida (8:04). And how Singapore leads the charge for “alternative proteins” (14:08). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscript...
Aug 21, 2023•21 min
