The Intelligence from The Economist

The Intelligence: stalemate in Ukraine

<p>General Valery Zaluzhny concedes that five months of counter-offensive have not gained much—and <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/11/01/ukraines-top-general-on-the-breakthrough-he-needs-to-beat-russia?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">can see from history</a> why the impasse may be impassable. Paris is starting to <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/10/21/the-arts-in-paris-are-booming-and-trying-to-nip-at-londons-heels?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nip at London’s heels</a> in the battle for supremacy in the art world (10:27). And <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/10/19/social-media-influencers-are-battling-to-educate-young-indians-about-sex?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">India’s influencers</a> battle to teach the country’s youth about sex—because the government will not (17:16).</p><br><p>Sign up for a <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">free trial</a> of Economist Podcasts+</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48TlDbL-4vU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">video</a> explaining how to link your account.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The Intelligence: Gaza sparks a global culture war

<p>Online and on-screen reactions to the conflict reflect a subtle but important <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/10/28/the-culture-war-over-the-gaza-war?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shift in Western attitudes</a>, driven by three related forces: technology, demography and ideology. Britain’s King Charles is visiting Kenya—and will have a <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/10/26/history-will-complicate-king-charless-visit-to-kenya?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">harder time</a> navigating historical tensions than his mother ever did (09:56). And sleeping less tight: Paris is not the only place bedbugs are <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/10/17/its-not-just-paris-bedbugs-are-resurgent-everywhere?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">on the rise</a> (18:24).</p><br><p>Sign up for a <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">free trial</a> of Economist Podcasts+</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48TlDbL-4vU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">video</a> explaining how to link your account.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The Intelligence: meeting Senegal’s president

<p>As country after country in the Sahel has fallen prey to coups, President Macky Sall’s Senegal seemed an outpost of stability. Yet our correspondent finds him <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/10/26/senegals-president-asks-if-democracy-can-work-in-africas-coup-belt?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">less than sanguine</a> about democracy in the region. We sift through what little is known about “<a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2023/10/20/hamass-deadly-phantom-the-man-behind-the-attacks?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the Phantom</a>”, the Hamas fighter behind the attacks in Israel (11:57). And eating <em>steak frites</em> <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/10/26/the-french-debate-the-future-of-steak-frites?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">gets political</a> in France (19:47).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">offer that ends today</a>. </p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48TlDbL-4vU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">video</a> explaining how to link your account.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The Intelligence: Israel’s Gaza offensive

<p>The long-anticipated <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/10/28/israels-new-plan-to-encircle-hamas?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">invasion</a> is not the expected blitzkrieg; we ask how a longer, more cautious war will be fought. Kemal Ataturk is still wildly popular a century after he founded modern Turkey—so instead of undoing his legacy, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is simply <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/10/26/instead-of-undoing-ataturks-legacy-recep-tayyip-erdogan-has-claimed-it?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">claiming it</a> (10:57). And an ode to Canada’s “long dash”, a time-marking tradition that has now gone silent (21:15).</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48TlDbL-4vU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">video that explains</a> how to link your account.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The Intelligence: Iran’s dangerous game in Gaza

<p>American airstrikes on Syrian bases linked to Iran are a reminder that Iran’s proxies lie behind many Middle East conflicts. But the ayatollahs’ angling for wider war in Gaza is a <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/10/23/irans-ayatollahs-play-the-middle-easts-most-dangerous-game?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">deeply dangerous game</a>. We introduce you to our latest subscriber-only show, “<a href="https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2023/10/26/introducing-the-weekend-intelligence?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Weekend Intelligence</a>”—our new home for storytelling (10:35). And why Britain is <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/09/27/britons-take-laughing-gas-merrily-tories-take-it-more-seriously?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">outlawing</a> laughing gas (16:07).  </p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48TlDbL-4vU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">video that explains</a> how to link your account.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The Intelligence: America gets a House speaker

<p>With the <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/10/26/americas-house-of-representatives-finally-has-a-speaker?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">accession of Mike Johnson</a> as the lower chamber’s majority leader, Congress can at last get back to lawmaking—unless the leadership circus starts again. China’s banks may be loaded up with <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/10/15/chinas-banks-may-be-loaded-up-with-hidden-bad-loans?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hidden bad loans</a>; the industry’s covid-era hangover could be about to intensify (09:29). And why so many films have become so <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/10/14/why-films-have-become-so-ridiculously-long?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">very, very long</a> (17:35).</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48TlDbL-4vU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">video that explains</a> how to link your account.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Introducing The Weekend Intelligence

<p>The Weekend Intelligence is a new podcast from the award-winning team at The Economist. It’s a space for our reporters and writers to take a break from the news cycle, to tell the stories that mean the most to them, and to broaden all of our horizons.</p><br><p>Hosts Ore Ogunbiyi and Jason Palmer introduce one story to take you somewhere new every Saturday.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The Intelligence: Israeli hostages’ fortunes

<p>A network of captives’ families has <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/10/24/netanyahus-handling-of-the-hostage-crisis-enrages-israelis?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sprung up</a> to accomplish what Israel’s government has so far failed to do—and may yet emerge as a political force. Protecting rhinoceroses from poachers is an expensive business; we look at what has become a <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/09/26/why-there-is-a-bear-market-in-rhinos?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bear market</a> for rhinos (12:37). And why a coin toss is <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/10/15/how-to-predict-the-outcome-of-a-coin-toss?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">not the even-odds proposition</a> you might think it is (20:30).</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48TlDbL-4vU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">video that explains</a> how to link your account.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The Intelligence: Navalny’s peril deepens

<p>President Vladimir Putin has long had it in for Alexei Navalny, Russia’s principal opposition figure. But now his <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/10/19/alexei-navalnys-lawyers-are-arrested?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lawyers are in peril</a>, too, and Mr Navalny’s privations in prison are ramping up. Gaza’s need for aid may be urgent but is not new—Israel’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/10/19/israel-turns-to-financial-weapons-as-well-as-military-ones?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economic stranglehold</a> goes back years (10:24). And, introducing “<a href="https://www.economist.com/bartleby/2023/10/23/is-being-a-leader-really-sexier-than-being-a-manager?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Boss Class</a>”, our new, subscriber-only podcast series on being a better manager (19:50).</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48TlDbL-4vU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">video that explains</a> how to link your account.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Poll vault: Argentina’s Peronist surprise

<p>After dominating the polls for months, Javier Miliei, a right-wing firebrand, was outshone by the candidate from the ruling Peronist administration. We examine why Mr Milei fell so short and the run-off to come. Cross-border assassinations may be rising—and states seem to be more daring in carrying them out (11:46). And remembering Ofir Libstein, an Israeli mayor killed by Hamas (19:30)</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The day Hamas came: a report from an Israeli kibbutz

<p>They fled round after round of gunfire, hid for hours and saved hundreds of lives. It is a rare <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2023/10/13/how-one-kibbutz-defended-itself-from-hamas?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">story of survival</a> on what was a horrific day for Israel. <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/10/12/pemex-is-the-worlds-most-indebted-oil-company?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mexico’s national oil company</a> has accrued immense amounts of debt. Why is the government still propping it up (12:47)? And, video games are going <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/10/12/mario-and-sonic-the-hedgehog-lead-a-2d-turn-in-entertainment?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">back to 2D</a> (19:57). </p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p><br><p>Runtime: 26 min</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Genocide returns: slaughter in Sudan

<p>From a refugee camp in Chad, we speak with those fleeing <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/10/05/genocide-returns-to-darfur?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">murder in Darfur</a>. Reporting on the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and a powerful paramilitary group may have slowed, but the suffering has not. <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/09/28/bowel-cancer-is-rising-among-young-people?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bowel cancer</a> is becoming more common in young people. How can screening be improved (14:23)? And, <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/10/12/new-york-city-discovers-a-revolutionary-technology-the-bin?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New York City</a> rediscovers the dustbin (20:21).</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Diplomacy up in smoke: Biden visits Israel

<p>A fatal explosion at a hospital-cum-shelter has led to outrage and the canceling of the very summit that the US president had flown in for. <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/10/17/biden-steers-a-risky-course-in-the-israel-hamas-war?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">America’s support</a> for Israel is unwavering but could this escalation prompt the involvement of regional neighbours? Modi’s meddling in <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/10/04/narendra-modi-has-seized-and-politicised-indian-cricket?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">India’s cricket</a> is bad for the game (10:53). And <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/09/03/lots-of-people-mourn-when-famous-writers-and-musicians-die-why?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mourning</a> dead artists (19:19).</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Invaluable bonds: rising borrowing costs

<p>America may have avoided a government shutdown last month but its fiscal worries are far from over. And unease in <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/09/28/forget-the-shutdown-americas-real-fiscal-worry-is-rising-bond-yields?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bond markets</a> will spill over into the rest of the world. What can governments do to stave off the financial blow? The <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/10/02/communist-rappers-are-luring-chinas-disgruntled-youth?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Chinese Communist Party’s youth wing</a> is using rap to lure new members, and it’s working (10:10). And, how has “<a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/09/29/bluey-captures-the-joys-of-childhood-and-parenting?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluey</a>” become such a hit (19:16)?  </p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Pole position: elections in Poland

After two terms in power, Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s nationalist party looks to have <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/10/15/exit-polls-suggest-a-big-victory-for-polands-opposition?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lost its majority</a>. For Donald Tusk’s pro-Europe centrists, it’s bargaining time. Thousands of Americans are waiting for transplants, so why are so many <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/09/16/in-america-lots-of-usable-organs-go-unrecovered-or-get-binned?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">organs</a> going to waste instead (12:01)? And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/09/14/the-importance-of-handwriting-is-becoming-better-understood?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">writing</a> might be better for your memory than typing (18:52). <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

6000 bombs in six days: life in Gaza

<p>Bombs have <a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2023/10/10/people-in-gaza-hate-the-night-all-they-can-see-are-explosions?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rained</a> on the strip since Hamas’s attack on Israel last Saturday. With food, water and electricity running out ahead of a ground invasion, one woman tells us the worst is yet to come. The Ukrainian war has reached <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/09/25/war-has-arrived-in-crimea?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Crimea</a>. Kyiv is subverting Russian dominance in the Black Sea, could that prove pivotal (11:26)? And, how the death of <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/08/22/the-sudden-demise-of-indian-vultures-killed-thousands-of-people?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Indian vultures</a> has affected public health (20:12).</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Mass destruction: Israel prepares for a ground invasion

<p>The Defence Force is preparing to follow up its air strikes on Gaza with <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/10/11/brutal-urban-warfare-awaits-israels-army-in-gaza?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">troops</a>. An incursion will be bloody, and perhaps even more so if Hezbollah becomes embroiled in the conflict. Australians will vote this weekend on whether to enshrine an indigenous <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/09/28/australians-looks-set-to-reject-new-provisions-for-aboriginal-people?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Voice to Parliament</a> into its constitution (11:36).</p><p>And, why Birkenstock’s 249-year-old shoes are still trendy (19:27).</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

An interview with a Hamas leader

<p>How does the Palestinian militant group justify the atrocities committed in Israel? Why has it done this? What does it plan to do with the hostages? In a conversation with Moussa Abu Marzouk, a senior official, Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist's editor-in-chief, presses for answers.</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Shell shocked: Israel fights back

<p>As the retribution continues, the state has now cut off supplies to the Palestinian enclave, and America is sending military support to Binyamin Netanyahu. But how will <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/10/09/after-its-brutal-attack-hamas-is-calculating-its-next-move?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hamas</a> respond? From cowboys to country music, <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/09/21/brazils-hinterland-now-resembles-texas?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brazil’s hinterland</a> is taking on a sepia-tinged Americanness (10:46). And which <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/09/18/which-languages-take-the-longest-to-learn?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">languages</a> might take you the longest to learn (18:00)?</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Israel reels: a bloody assault

Almost exactly 50 years on from the moment that launched the deadly Yom Kippur War, Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza strip, carried out a series of <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/10/07/israel-reels-as-hamas-launches-a-spectacular-and-bloody-offensive?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">attacks</a>. Hundreds have been killed, Israeli intelligence services were surprised and the retribution is bound to be severe. What does this mean for Palestinian civilians, and regional politics <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/10/08/the-lessons-from-hamass-assault-on-israel?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">more broadly</a>? <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Windows of opportunity: Microsoft’s AI push

<p>The once-unassailable titan of tech has missed big opportunities in recent years. But it has a reasonable shot at the title again, thanks to its <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/09/28/the-lessons-from-microsofts-startling-comeback?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">artificial-intelligence ambitions</a>. Sexual assault allegations in China made the Women’s Tennis Association take a hard line on tournaments in the country—<a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/09/28/after-an-unsuccessful-boycott-womens-tennis-is-back-in-china?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">for a while</a> (8:48). And why the <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/10/04/the-sycamore-gap-tree-held-a-particularly-deep-place-in-peoples-hearts?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">brutal felling</a> of an ancient tree has bothered Britons so much (16:18).</p><p><em>Additional audio courtesy of </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@DavesWalks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Dave's Walks</em></a></p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

So the Tory goes: Britain’s Conservatives meet

<p>Divisions within the ruling party are on full display this week, and the <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/10/04/rishi-sunak-is-wrong-to-amputate-britains-high-speed-rail-line?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">provocative policies</a> Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced are unlikely to help the Conservatives’ woeful polling numbers. Early results suggest that new drugs initially prescribed for weight loss may be <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/09/14/drugs-to-treat-alcohol-addiction-are-underused?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a powerful treatment</a> for alcohol-use disorder (13:06). And a data dive reveals which countries <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/09/08/which-countries-get-the-best-nights-sleep?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">get the most sleep</a> (20:05)</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Blown speaker: Kevin McCarthy is out

<p>Another shutdown standoff, funding worries for Ukraine, more leadership chaos: the <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/10/04/the-sacking-of-kevin-mccarthy-will-make-supporting-ukraine-harder?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">booting</a> of America’s speaker of the House of Representatives bodes ill for governance. “Jawan”, a new Indian film, is non-stop action with Bollywood flourishes—and reveals how divisions in the country <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/09/14/how-to-unite-india-bollywood-style?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">are being bridged</a> (9:26). And an investigation of places where centenarians are abundant suggests healthy lifestyles are <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2023/09/28/places-claiming-to-be-centenarian-hotspots-may-just-have-bad-data?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">not the cause</a> (17:55).</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

SBF, FTX, WTF? Sam Bankman-Fried goes on trial

<p>The founder of FTX, a spectacularly failed cryptocurrency exchange, is a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/10/03/decoding-sam-bankman-fried-alleged-titan-of-crypto-conmen?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">curious character</a>. He denies the stack of charges he faces in a New York court, but unpicking the cryptographic paper trail will be tricky. Crime in Britain is broadly in decline, with the notable exception of <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/09/22/why-shoplifting-is-rising-in-britain?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">increasingly brazen</a> shoplifting (10:24). And how a sports-media entrepreneur became a <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/09/28/dave-portnoy-an-internet-personality-has-become-pizzas-kingmaker?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pizza-review star</a> (15:57).</p><p><em>Additional audio courtesy South West News Service.</em></p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

They need to talk about Kevin: America’s near-shutdown

<p>The literal 11th-hour deal to avert a government shutdown is only a stopgap—and the battle may end up <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/10/01/by-averting-a-government-shutdown-kevin-mccarthy-risks-his-job?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">costing Kevin McCarthy his post</a> as leader of the House of Representatives. The uptake of electric scooters is <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/09/14/electric-two-wheelers-are-creating-a-buzz-in-asia?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">significantly outpacing</a> that of four-wheeled vehicles in Asia (10:30). And Britain’s curious “risk registers” put numbers to how the world <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/09/13/how-to-get-ready-for-the-end-of-the-world?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">might end</a> (16:47).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">limited-time offer</a>. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

When politics dictates policy: China’s faltering economy

<p> During past economic downturns, officials have been both swift and bold. This time not so much—because their hands are tied by <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/09/28/politics-hamper-chinas-efforts-to-stimulate-the-economy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">knotty internal politics</a>. We ask why Latin America makes for such a useful playground for <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/09/14/latin-america-remains-a-playground-for-russian-intelligence?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Russian spies</a> (10:07). And remembering Fernando Botero, a Colombian artist who never deviated from his not-quite-comically <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/09/28/fernando-botero-became-famous-for-his-over-size-people-and-animals?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">plump figures</a> (18:16).</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

A better pill to swallow: the bid to end AIDS

<p>Many of the pieces are in place to bring the disease entirely under control—but our correspondent finds <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/09/17/is-the-end-of-aids-in-sight?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">it will take more</a> than advances in medication. Japan’s government has at last begun to regulate the country’s notorious pornography; we examine a sector <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/08/19/japans-porn-industry-comes-out-of-the-shadows?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">emerging from the shadows</a> (11:07). And how China uses UNESCO world-heritage status to <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2023/09/21/how-china-uses-unesco-to-rewrite-history?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rewrite the history</a> of its periphery (18:38).</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

General’s knowledge: a chat with Ukraine’s spy chief

<p>Where the defensive lines really are, the state of Russia’s reserves, battlefield tactics: Kyrylo Budanov is <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/09/17/an-interview-with-the-head-of-ukraines-defence-intelligence?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a candid interviewee</a>—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 <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/09/14/short-of-cash-brazils-government-may-end-its-gambling-prohibition?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lifting of the prohibition</a> (10:42). And the passion and the profitability of “<a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/11/06/booktok-has-passion-and-enormous-marketing-power?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BookTok</a>”, the literary end of TikTok (16:51).</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence</a> to join.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The French disconnection: a retreat from Niger

<p>President Emmanuel Macron’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/09/25/why-emmanuel-macron-is-pulling-french-troops-out-of-niger?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">about-face</a> on maintaining a presence in the coup-stricken country portends a broader change in France’s relations on the continent. Shifting geopolitics is <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/09/19/meet-the-worlds-new-arms-dealers?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">changing the list</a> of the world’s big arms dealers (9:08). And the internet influencers <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/09/01/influencer-boxing-is-a-welcome-distraction?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">taking a swing</a> at professional boxing (16:02).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">limited-time offer</a>. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Going bump in the right: Europe’s worrisome politics

<p>Populist, right-wing parties are already in power in Hungary, Poland and Italy—and getting closer to it <a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2023/09/14/the-hard-right-is-getting-closer-to-power-all-over-europe?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">across the continent</a>. We ask why. At long last Rupert Murdoch, the patriarch of a global media empire, has <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2023/09/22/rupert-murdoch-isnt-going-anywhere-just-yet?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">stepped aside</a>—sort of. We examine how he will still pull the strings (09:46). And the merits of letting American pupils start school <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/09/07/americas-school-day-starts-too-early-thats-beginning-to-change?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a bit later</a> (17:39).</p><br><p>Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">limited time offer</a>. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>