Join Jason Palmer and Rosie Blau for noise-cancelling news and analysis from The Economist's global network of correspondents. Every weekday this award-winning podcast picks three stories shaping your world—the big shifts in politics, business and culture, plus things you never knew you needed to know. On Saturdays, download The Weekend Intelligence to dive deep into a single story, vividly told.
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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...
In Britain, Germany and France, populist-right leaders and parties are making hay . What unites their movements, and how do their respective political environments shape their future prospects? And our obituaries editor reflects on the life of Frank Gehry , perhaps the world’s most innovative architect. 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 ...
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...
The Intelligence investigates China's unexpected rise as a global innovation leader in fields like autonomous vehicles and pharmaceuticals, driven by factors such as agile regulation and a competitive domestic market. It also examines a humorous yet insightful study to determine which country is most like Britain, revealing Spain as a surprising match with valuable policy lessons, particularly regarding immigration. Finally, the episode explores the curious global phenomenon of capybara popularity, linking their "chill" demeanor to a cultural yearning for calm in a chaotic world.
The podcast explores the significant changes within Iran, including domestic pressures and the foreign minister's signals for a new nuclear deal, amidst political uncertainty. It also examines the AI industry's "winner-takes-all" mindset being challenged by new rivals and "circular" funding, raising questions about market commoditization. Finally, the episode discusses the global decline of traditional letter mail, exemplified by Denmark, and how postal services are reinventing themselves for parcel delivery.
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 tax-and-spend plan was fine-tuned to avoid immediate political jeopardy. But it will do little to help Britain’s chronic growth problem, and is likely to erode further the political centre. We meet with Yogi Adityanath, the leader of India’s most populous state and a harbinger of the country’s possible political future. And readers’ best—or most discombobulating— job-interview questions . Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+ . For more information about how to access...
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...
For decades governments have found minimum-wage rises a politically expedient means of redistribution. But the onward economic distortions have at last become clear. Of course AI can write a faster cover letter — perhaps even a better one. But there are knock-on costs when everyone is doing it. And a look at Florida’s bold experiment in the free choice of unbundled education . Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+ . For more information about how to access Economist Podca...
It is telling and troubling that the annual climate talking-shop’s outcome did not even mention fossil fuels. We ask whether the COP process is still fit for purpose. Cryptocurrencies could be heading for an almighty fall : what would they take down with them? And the revealing vowels and diphthongs of whale communications . (Hear much more on animal communication in our series on “Babbage”: part 1 asks whether animals truly have language, and part 2 whether AI could translate it.) Additional au...
Britain’s home secretary Shabana Mahmood proposed a big shift in immigration policy this week. Our correspondent explains Labour’s reforms – and the reasoning behind them. Why military spy balloons are making a comeback. And celebrating historian Gillian Tindall , who illuminated ordinary lives to bring the past to life. 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 Pod...
Pentagon officials are meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to discuss a Russia-US peace proposal Ukraine had no part in writing. That merely adds pressure as a giant corruption crisis is already embroiling top officials. Fifty years on from the death of Franco , our correspondent assesses how much Spain has changed. And should you date your boss ? Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology— Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more informati...
Muhammad bin Salman’s first visit to the White House in seven years earned the Saudi crown prince new weapons, giant tech deals and a burnished reputation. Our correspondent explains Trump’s warm welcome. Why gay rights in Hong Kong are going backwards. And how snail farms help Britons dodge tax. 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 ...
Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s former prime minister, has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity. The country is at a pivotal moment as it heads towards parliamentary elections next year. Donald Trump hopes tariffs will return furniture making to America. And why English speakers use their alphabet so oddly. 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 Podcas...
This weekend, thousands of people protested in Mexico City about violent crime. But our correspondent notes that the government has had some success in confronting drug gangs and cutting homicides. Three years ago Japan’s former prime minister Abe Shinzo was assassinated. Now his killer is on trial . And celebrating the life of the bomb-disposal mastermind Peter Gurney . For “The Weekend Intelligence”, our Mexico bureau chief Sarah Birke recently visited the Mexican city of Culiacán, capital of ...
After two years of war, over 80% of the buildings in Gaza have been destroyed. Our correspondent assesses various plans for reconstruction . Do large lay-offs in American firms mean AI is coming for white-collar jobs ? And remembering James Watson , the controversial scientist who discovered the structure of DNA. 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+, ...
Last night Donald Trump finally managed to end the longest federal government shutdown in history. But, amid a new release of emails relating to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the political storm continues. Why Airbnb is searching for new beds in new markets. And the amazing role of lead poisoning in humanity’s success. 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 Economi...
