Shows / The Intelligence from The Economist
The Intelligence from The Economist
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. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part…
Episodes
The Intelligence from The EconomistNumber crunch: why Britons ignore immigrant drop
The British government tightened immigration in response to public demand. Yet that policy damaged both the country and the Labour party. Our correspondent…
The Intelligence from The EconomistThere Xi goes: visiting North Korea
Xi Jinping’s first visit to North Korea in seven years has been marked by pomp and shows of friendship. But what does the Chinese leader really want from the…
The Intelligence from The EconomistCeasefire alarm: Iran and Israel trade strikes
The fragile ceasefire between America and Iran is threatened by an exchange of ballistic missiles overnight between Iran and Israel. Our correspondent examines…
The Intelligence from The EconomistPregnant pause: India’s slumping fertility
After decades of overpopulation worries, the country now has the opposite concern. We examine India’s unusual demographic turn, and why it is a wider warning…
The Intelligence from The EconomistA murder exploited: Britain’s George Floyd moment that wasn’t
Nigel Farage, leader of the populist-right Reform UK party, wants Britons to be enraged by a killing in the street. We ask why his tone has changed from…
The Intelligence from The EconomistFocused group: Ukraine is now Europe’s war
Now that America has stepped back, Europe is at last stepping up. We examine the bloc’s tactics (if not yet a strategy) and how steady its support is likely to…
The Intelligence from The EconomistHead out of the cloud: Nvidia’s personal-computer shift
The AI world’s go-to chipmaker is blazing a trail toward your personal computer. We ask what moving out of the cloud indicates about the future of computing…
The Intelligence from The EconomistMistrusting the process: containing Congo’s Ebola outbreak
Aid is ramping up to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and vaccine work is progressing. But what the Ebola response most lacks is trust of the community…
The Intelligence from The EconomistNew world of warcraft: how conflict has forever changed
Our outgoing defence editor reflects on how war has changed during the eight years of his tenure. Wars have become easier to start and harder to finish, and…
The Intelligence from The EconomistDeal or ordeal: Trump’s bad options in Cuba
The American administration’s next round of sabre-rattling has been directed at Cuba. But more military adventures there would probably prove disastrous. We…
The Intelligence from The EconomistWhat price victory? Ukraine on the front foot
Economic support, drone capability, defence under new management: the tide may have turned for Ukraine. But domestic politics and perceptions will define what…
The Intelligence from The EconomistNo big deal: murky Iran-war negotiations
More mixed messages from President Donald Trump and air strikes that seem to violate the ceasefire: all that is remotely in prospect is a deal to keep on…
The Intelligence from The EconomistPulp fiction v the classics: summer reading
What do we mean by a “good book”? Some people choose a holiday read that demands time and attention. Others pick rip-roaring novels that require little…
The Intelligence from The EconomistBig boosts to fill: SpaceX’s giant IPO
Elon Musk has launched the largest stockmarket listing in history. The accompanying space mission remains grounded. Our correspondent weighs SpaceX’s…
The Intelligence from The EconomistThe Peking order: Xi meets Putin after Trump
Within the space of a week Chinese president Xi Jinping has welcomed both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to Beijing. Our correspondent explains the…
The Intelligence from The EconomistBibi, one more time? Israel’s election launches
Is Binyamin Netanyahu’s time up as Israel’s prime minister? As a vote in parliament triggers the election campaign, our correspondent – and Netanyahu’s…
The Intelligence from The EconomistSpread too thin: Africa’s next Ebola outbreak
The latest Ebola emergency is different from previous ones: there is no vaccine, and the kind of community-level work that stops the spread has been thinned by…
The Intelligence from The EconomistEqual before the law? Transitional justice in Syria
Atef Najib, a former security chief, is the highest-profile member of the Assad regime to go on trial. We ask why the speed, uneven spread and murky legal…
The Intelligence from The EconomistTop dog-whistler: Tommy Robinson and Britain’s far right
Tommy Robinson is an influencer who has shaped views on Britain, particularly among his American supporters and funders. A rally this weekend will show how his…
The Intelligence from The EconomistFired alarm: AI hype versus labour-market history
Perhaps the AI “boomers” are right about a sweeping labour-market revolution. But a careful look at history shows just how unprecedented their bullish…
The Intelligence from The EconomistDuo’s lingo: what to watch for in Trump-Xi summit
The meeting between President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will set the tone for three more this year. We examine what and what not to…
The Intelligence from The EconomistApocalypse soon? AI could hasten bioweapons
Artificial intelligence could help terrorists develop new dangerous pathogens. Our correspondent asks how humanity can protect itself from machine-assisted…
The Intelligence from The EconomistKeir hunters: will Britain’s PM go?
After catastrophic local-election results, Britain’s prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is fighting for his political life. One airline has folded and others may…
The Intelligence from The EconomistDrone team: Russia’s plan to arm Iran
The Kremlin planned to provide Iran with unjammable drones, plus training in how to use them, according to leaked documents seen exclusively by The Economist…
The Intelligence from The EconomistA hatred normalised: antisemitism in Britain
An egregious attack in a Jewish neighbourhood in London is just the latest example of a troubling trend. We investigate the claim that antisemitism is becoming…
The Intelligence from The EconomistOn the off chancellor: Friedrich Merz, one year in
Germany’s chancellor came to office making big promises. A year later they are unfulfilled, his government is squabbling and he has drawn President Donald…
The Intelligence from The EconomistNaval piercing: strait shooting in Iran war
The Trump administration’s “Project Freedom” has done and will do little to boost traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. We examine an unsustainable standoff. A…
The Intelligence from The EconomistSpoils of war: money flows into defence tech
In Iran, America is using expensive weaponry against cheap local drones. Can upstart tech companies change the economics – and nature — of conflict? As part of…
The Intelligence from The EconomistBeirut watch: can Lebanon subdue Hizbullah?
Can peace hold in Lebanon while Hizbullah remains? Our correspondent weighs the balance of power between government forces and the Iran-backed militia. The…
The Intelligence from The EconomistDrill pickle: oil prices still misjudge shock
Oil prices are at their highest since 2022, as a swift end to the Iran conflict proves elusive. Yet, our commodities editor says, markets do not yet yet…
The Intelligence from The EconomistPower ranges: AI faces supply crunch
Artificial Intelligence is becoming ubiquitous, but the industry that powers it is struggling to keep up with demand. The host of our award-winning podcast…
The Intelligence from The EconomistThe regal has landed: can Charles boost US bond?
The “special relationship” between Britain and America is at its weakest since the Suez crisis of 1956. Will a state visit by King Charles III to America…
The Intelligence from The EconomistSecurity banquet: queries over Trump protection
After a gunman stormed Donald Trump’s dinner with the press, questions are being revived about the president’s security. Germany’s top general explains the…
The Intelligence from The EconomistAn explosion still echoing: Chernobyl at 40
We go deep inside the Chernobyl nuclear-power plant and the surrounding exclusion zone, recounting the history of the accident on April 26 1986, and speaking…
The Intelligence from The EconomistBringing the House down: our American midterms model
We examine what our forecast model predicts so far—and consider what might change its confident prediction for one house of Congress and toss-up call for the…
The Intelligence from The EconomistWhite hat, black box: AI’s next chapter
The decision of Anthropic, an AI giant, to keep its Mythos model sequestered surely makes for good press. But there seems to be more to it than that—and it…
The Intelligence from The EconomistMac daddy: Apple’s new boss
Tim Cook is stepping down after overseeing 15 years of spectacular growth. We take a look at his successor. Japan’s rural women are disproportionately heading…
The Intelligence from The EconomistNow boarding: America seizes an Iranian ship
This week’s peace talks are endangered after American forces fired on and boarded a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. We visit Chernobyl’s ruined reactor to…
The Intelligence from The EconomistInside Caracas: Venezuela after Maduro
When America seized Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro in January, it left the rest of his regime intact. Three months on, our correspondent finds optimism…
The Intelligence from The EconomistTalks of life: can Israel and Lebanon find peace?
After six weeks of Israel’s offensive against Hizbullah, Lebanon’s president and Israel’s prime minister are due to talk today. What can they achieve?…
The Intelligence from The EconomistFood awakening: Iran’s ripple effect
The Iran conflict and blockades in the Strait of Hormuz are slowing supply not just of fuel, but food and fertiliser. Geophysics could worsen the approaching…
The Intelligence from The EconomistShipping forecast: will America’s blockade work?
After the failure of talks at the weekend, America is now stopping all ships from using Iranian ports and coastal areas. Our correspondent analyses the…
The Intelligence from The EconomistTo Viktor, no spoils: Hungary’s new start
In a momentous election, Viktor Orban has lost power in Hungary after 16 years of increasingly autocratic rule. Our correspondent explains how the country’s…
The Intelligence from The EconomistBibi on board? Iran, America and Israel’s campaign in Lebanon
Also on the daily podcast: what the Artemis Moon mission really accomplished and remembering a brave Soviet psychiatristSHOW-NOTES TEXT (60ish wds)Binyamin…
The Intelligence from The EconomistNATO’s dialogues: America’s (next) threat to go
President Donald Trump has long threatened to pull America out of the alliance. We examine why the Iran war has made this time look significantly more serious…
The Intelligence from The EconomistOvernight cessation: a two-week pause in Iran
With little time to spare before a threatened civilisation-ending attack, America agreed a pause in fighting with Iran. We ask how the temporary deal was…
The Intelligence from The EconomistOver troubled waters: Trump’s bridge-and-plant plot
President Donald Trump’s rhetoric has grown yet more bellicose—and sweary. His stated ploy to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants would be ruinous for…
The Intelligence from The EconomistHungary for change? A challenger to Orban
Viktor Orban, Hungary’s prime minister, is an idol to the global nationalist conservative right. Losing the next election would have far-reaching consequences…
The Intelligence from The EconomistXi says: who will succeed him?
A giant leadership reshuffle is underway in China, but one job will stay the same: Xi Jinping is almost certain to secure another five-year term at next year’s…
The Intelligence from The EconomistOver the moon: Artemis II launches
NASA has successfully launched its first crewed space mission in over a decade. Our correspondent explains why America wants to build a moonbase. AI models…
The Intelligence from The EconomistDrone wolf: Ukraine’s missile mastermind
Ukraine’s resistance to Russia relies on the clever use of drones. Much of that strategy is down to a single person, a former grain trader with a great idea…
The Intelligence from The EconomistRefine and dandy: Iran’s war bounty
An Economist investigation reveals that Iran is profiting from the war as it evades sanctions and oil prices surge. India’s government has promised to crush…
The Intelligence from The EconomistThe bog of war: week five begins
The Iran conflict is escalating with little prospect of an end in sight. Our correspondent explains why a US ground invasion is likely. In an ongoing history…
The Intelligence from The EconomistHasta la victoria, quizás: Cuba’s broken economy
Even before America crimped Cuba’s oil, the country was teetering. We ask what is to blame for the Cuban people’s plight, and whether anything better is in…
The Intelligence from The EconomistAlgorithm and blues: a watershed social-media verdict
A jury in California agreed with a plaintiff who argued that Meta and Google, two social-media giants, designed their platforms to be addictive. That opens the…
The Intelligence from The EconomistOn goal difference: are America and Israel diverging on Iran?
In the daily tea leaves one might read that President Donald Trump would prefer a deal with Iran to a continuing military campaign. Where would that leave…
The Intelligence from The Economist(Another) all-out war: Afghanistan and Pakistan
Air strikes and border raids have turned cross-border tensions into hot conflict. We ask what raised the temperature, and whether the Iran war may act to lower…
The Intelligence from The EconomistFrom bad to awful: Trump’s four options in Iran
As the war in Iran progresses, none of the options available to Donald Trump looks good. We examine each of them. Thailand’s Buddhist monks are implicated in…
The Intelligence from The EconomistWho will deal the final blow? Israel, Lebanon and Hizbullah
As attention has focused on war in Iran, Israel sees an opportunity to crush a weakened Hizbullah in Lebanon. Our correspondent says it would be far better for…
The Intelligence from The EconomistAn act of self-harm: Trump’s latest war might be his undoing
A rash entry into a war of choice exposes President Donald Trump in a number of ways—and he may prove more dangerous as he becomes weaker. Turkey’s foreign…