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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast China’s firms are shedding value at pace and foreign investors are starting to look elsewhere. We ask why faith is fading in a market that once looked unstoppable. Slam poetry, an American invention of the 1980s, is now conquering Francophone Africa (08:54). And why there are ever fewer athletes who excel at more than one sport (17:32). 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...
Feb 20, 2024•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast At last President Vladimir Putin’s regime has succeeded in silencing the country’s most prominent opposition figure. What happens next? Demand for electric cars is weakening, particularly in Britain ; we ask how to recharge the market (11:47). And what is remarkable about a stage production of “The Shawshank Redemption” in China (19:44). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows a...
Feb 19, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast When Alexei Navalny flew back to Russia in 2021 he never made it through passport control. In an excerpt from Next Year in Moscow, The Economist’s series on Russian opposition to the war, today’s episode chronicles this period of his life. It’s an account of what turned out to be the last three years of Navalny’s life - peppered with his own words, and told by people who knew him well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 17, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is not science fiction. Space is already a part of modern warfare and as technology advances, it will be an even more crucial sphere. What will extraterrestrial conflict look like? A look at the latest Democracy Index as conflict continues to dent freedoms across the globe (11:47). And, a tribute to Jack Jennings (23:35) 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...
Feb 16, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Prabowo Subianto stormed to victory in the world’s largest single-day election. But critics say his presidency could jeopardise two decades of democratic progress. Nvidia has dominated the global market for AI accelerator chips for years. Could a company about a third of its size come for its crown (10:51)? And, more people are tuning in to watch people get slapped (19:20). Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist...
Feb 15, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast After an all-nighter, a $95bn foreign aid bill for Ukraine and other allies passed the US Senate. But amid much division, it may not even make it to a House vote. Stray cows are a growing problem for India’s city dwellers. Could a new census help (09:25)? And, how people are spending less on Valentine’s Day (16:12) 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 of your s...
Feb 14, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast In some ways, Beijing now sounds like a lot of other mega cities. Yet, back in imperial times, sound was used in creative ways to display wealth, to conduct everyday business and, most importantly, to keep order. David Rennie, our Beijing bureau chief, takes us on a sonic journey through the places where Beijing’s ancient soundscape is being kept alive. He meets Colin Chinnery, a sound artist and archivist, to find out why sound has long been a vital part of Beijing’s spirit, and the ways in whi...
Feb 13, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Donald Tusk’s predecessors in the hard-right PiS party captured the state and compromised its checks and balances. The newly-elected centrist party is having a hard time correcting course . A new NASA satellite which can map the tiniest of the earth’s particles is set to transform climate science (09:54). And a look at how motherhood hurts careers (17:41). 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 ...
Feb 13, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
