The case for assisted dying is essentially one of individual freedom—and plenty of Britons support a change in the law to permit it. Japan’s Noto peninsula is still reeling from a New Year’s Day earthquake. It could well have been worse, but geography and demography may ultimately limit improvements to earthquake preparedness (10:46). And the pros and cons of corporate uniforms (18:49). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— subscribe to Economi...
Apr 16, 2024•26 min
For the first time Iran launched a huge attack on Israel from its own territory, though the effort largely failed. Israel’s response could easily lead to regional war; what is it likely to be ? The first of the four criminal trials that Donald Trump faces will get under way today. It is by some margin the tawdriest (11:46). And celebrating the 150th anniversary of Impressionism (20:02). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— subscribe to Economi...
Apr 15, 2024•27 min
We have combined polling data to make a detailed portrait of the American electorate. Have a tinker with our interactive model: plug in their age, sex, religion, and more, and let us estimate how your hypothetical voter will vote in the presidential election. Allegations of extortion at the Rafah crossing out of Gaza (09:57). And, a tribute to an heiress-turned-IRA bombmaker (20:17). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist ...
Apr 12, 2024•28 min
Since the invasion began, Ukraine's second city has suffered a third of all aerial attacks. The latest one has been especially gruelling. A census of Mexico’s missing people is likely underestimating the scale of the problem. Is the president deliberately trying to minimise its scale (11:08)? And, why those with the least to spend on lottery tickets are most likely to try their luck (19:20). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Ec...
Apr 11, 2024•24 min
The leaders of both countries will meet for dinner at the White House tonight. In light of Asia’s changing geopolitics , defence will certainly be high up on the agenda. Somali pirates are wreaking havoc in the Indian Ocean again. What explains their resurgence (8:34)? And, have a listen to what AI can do with music (13:29). 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...
Apr 10, 2024•21 min
In Russia inflation is under control, wages are on the up and supposedly tough sanctions have been successfully skirted. Why is the pariah economy proving so resilient? Despite the nasty rhetoric of many of its politicians, Britain has turned out to be quite good at assimilating immigrants (09:29). And how lorries can be electrified faster (19:11). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about...
Apr 09, 2024•25 min
The 1994 slaughter of hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsis completely reshaped the country. It also produced Africa’s most polarising leader, whose outsized power and regional influence is proving ever more divisive. How a shadow economy of gangs and clans is running Gaza (11:45). And a total solar eclipse is coming to America (20:01). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about how to a...
Apr 08, 2024•27 min
Twenty-two years ago, Palestinian politician-turned-revolutionary Marwan Barghouti was convicted of acts of terrorism and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in an Israeli prison. Now, there’s a chance he could be released. Barghouti is at the top of Hamas’s list of prisoners they want exchanged for the hostages they took on October 7th. And Palestinians overwhelmingly want him to lead them. The Economist's Nicolas Pelham asks who is Marwan Barghouti and could he be the man who will lead Pal...
Apr 06, 2024•54 min
After more than 100 days in office, President Javier Milei has managed some much-needed economic reforms . But the hit to voters’ pockets may limit his popularity, and progress. Sprucing up a peripheral Paris neighbourhood for the Olympics is just part of a plan to transform the city’s geography (9:42). And the astonishing life of the longest-ever user of an iron lung (17:20). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— subscribe to Economist Podcast...
Apr 05, 2024•25 min
The game theory was simpler during a cold war between two states armed to the teeth; the nuclear world order has since become far more complex and dangerous. Nvidia is on a tear making the artificial-intelligence community’s favoured chips. What plans, and perils, lie ahead for the firm (10:55)? And why there are ever fewer accountants on the books in America (18:25). Additional audio "As an accountant" courtesy of Rocky Paterra. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to ...
Apr 04, 2024•26 min
India is not the first country to leapfrog from poverty-induced undernourishment to also having an obesity crisis—but a number of factors make that a far chunkier problem than it is elsewhere. A shock local-election result in Turkey suggests the country’s strongman leader may not be so strong (9:48). And China’s solar-panel bonanza upsets the lucrative market for ultra-pure sand (17:43). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— subscribe to Econom...
Apr 03, 2024•24 min
As yet more aid workers die in Gaza and an airstrike levels an Iranian consulate, pressure on Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu mounts. But all that chaos is paradoxically protective . We take an economist’s view on the “superfakes” that are chipping away at the luxury-handbag industry (10:18). And French winemakers face the twin challenges of brewers and abstemious youth (18:37). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— subscribe to Econ...
Apr 02, 2024•24 min
There are fears about TikTok, but it’s not the only social media platform that the Chinese state might be using to monitor the rest of the world. That’s especially worrying for those in its diaspora who thought they were free. How monopolies are transforming America’s skiing industry (08:59). And just how much stuff are museums sitting on (15:37)? Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about ...
Apr 01, 2024•23 min
Alexei Navalny was sent to one to die and American journalist Evan Gershkovich is being held in another. Our correspondent reports on the notorious brutality of Russia’s prisons . Without the right policies, undoing years of dependency on oil will take much longer than hoped (11:03). And a tribute to the Israeli luthier who restored violins from the Holocaust (18:53). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For mo...
Mar 29, 2024•27 min
It has been called one of the biggest financial frauds in American history . After the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, its founder is facing a maximum jail sentence of 110 years. Why the race to build new cities is difficult, but potentially worthwhile (10:01). And how M&S knickers can help solve murders (16:15). 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...
Mar 28, 2024•22 min
It is becoming harder to get supplies into the enclave, which is facing a growing risk of famine . As fewer trucks are making it in, more aid is being dropped by plane. Our producer takes us on a flight. Why high risk does not always lead to high reward (09:40). And the ripple effect of rising cocoa prices for chocoholics (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 Eco...
Mar 27, 2024•20 min
Bassirou Diomaye Faye was little-known before this election. Despite the incumbent president’s attempts to thwart the process, the anti-establishment politician has soared to victory. Why preparing Turkey for future earthquakes has dominated mayoral campaigns in Istanbul (08:37). And the gene mutation making dogs more prone to obesity (16:25)? Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about how ...
Mar 26, 2024•22 min
Warnings from the Americans went unheeded, police took too long to respond, and now the Kremlin has found a way to link it to Ukraine. Could this tragedy be used to Vladamir Putin’s advantage ? A hotline for Japanese men to discuss their anxieties is an unfortunate indicator of a wider social problem (09:48). And why America’s love for big trucks is hitting a dead end (17:15). For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist , try a free 30-day digital subscription by going ...
Mar 25, 2024•23 min
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 Econom...
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
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
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 Podcas...
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 The Econ...
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 have full ...
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 already a su...
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 all our shows as part...
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 full access to ...
Mar 08, 2024•21 min
