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 the winner of "Best Daily Show" at the 2026 British Podcast Awards, picks three stories shaping your world—the big shifts in politics, business and culture, plus things you never knew you needed to know. On Saturdays, download The Weekend Intelligence to dive deep into a single story, vividly told.
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Episodes
The Intelligence from The EconomistJAIpur to MumbAI: US firms invest in India
India is becoming one of the largest markets for Artificial Intelligence and shaping how the technology develops. Our correspondent assesses what type of AI…
The Intelligence from The EconomistWary pharma: AstraZeneca sours on UK
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has paused a £200m investment in Britain and could move its primary listing to America. Can the UK maintain its status as a…
The Intelligence from The EconomistOffensive: UN calls it genocide, Israel persists
A new United Nations report says Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute “genocide”. That has not deterred Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, from…
The Intelligence from The EconomistHoney, we shrunk the kids: population fall
Falling fertility makes a global decline in population inevitable. That will change the shape and make up of societies. But it may not make us poorer. Are…
The Intelligence from The EconomistLosing the plot: Brazil-US relations tested
After Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for trying to organise a coup in 2023, Donald Trump accused Brazil of staging a “witch hunt”. How will…
The Intelligence from The EconomistWhen the son comes up: the Murdoch succession battle
A high-stakes tussle about who will take over Fox and News Corp from Rupert Murdoch has concluded; Lachlan, his eldest son, came out on top. Will the new boss…
The Intelligence from The EconomistCombative, conservative, cut down: Charlie Kirk
America’s most prominent young conservative was assassinated while conducting one of his signature campus events. His death might only widen political divides…
The Intelligence from The EconomistStrikes’ price: Israel’s shocking Doha attack
Qatar had positioned itself as a regional mediator, a safe space for negotiations. Israel’s previously unthinkable airstrikes have put an end to that…
The Intelligence from The EconomistBuns in ovens: heatwaves and maternal health
There is a growing awareness of how high temperatures affect expectant mothers and their babies. We look at the evidence for a climate-change effect that is…
The Intelligence from The EconomistGo, fourth? France likely to lose another PM
An unpopular budget will probably spark the ousting of another prime minister, Francois Bayrou—and with him goes another government. Parliamentary impasse is…
The Intelligence from The EconomistFor her eyes only: a new boss at MI6
When the incoming chief of Britain’s secret services takes the helm on October 1st, she must balance competing priorities and navigate a world in which…
The Intelligence from The EconomistMission possible: Baghdad is booming
Our correspondent meets Iraq’s prime minister Muhammad al-Sudani to discuss the country’s construction boom, its future aspirations and the obstacles that must…
The Intelligence from The EconomistSino-the-times: China gathers global allies
World leaders flocked to China this week for an international summit followed by a giant military parade commemorating the end of the second world war. Xi…
The Intelligence from The EconomistCall the shots: vaccine cuts imperil global health
America’s health secretary, RFK Jr, is known for his opposition to vaccines, particularly mRNA jabs, that have the potential to treat a large swathe of…
The Intelligence from The EconomistIndonesia ablaze: Riots test Prabowo
For the past week in Indonesia, protesters have taken to the streets and cities have burned. President Prabowo is still popular – now he faces a big test…
The Intelligence from The EconomistSplit ends: political in-fighting in Israel
Prime minister Bibi Netanyahu is focused on his own political survival. Our correspondent explains how strategic differences within Israel have shaped the war…
The Intelligence from The EconomistChill baby chill: Modi-Trump relations dip
Yesterday Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Indian imports to America, among the highest in the world. How will Narendra Modi respond? Why Palantir could be…
The Intelligence from The EconomistFed alert: can Trump fire a governor?
What does Donald Trump’s attempt to sack Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor, mean for the institution’s independence? Uruguay may soon legalise assisted…
The Intelligence from The EconomistGrand theft global: the business of street crime
Car and phone theft were once the preserve of petty crooks in London. Now they underpin a vast and spreading international criminal network. Why you should…
The Intelligence from The EconomistThat warm buzzy feeling: malaria and climate change
As temperatures climb, mosquitoes will migrate to places where natural resistance to malaria is lower. More and more severe natural disasters will make for…
The Intelligence from The EconomistRule and divide: opposition grows in Syria
Less than nine months after Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad was toppled, the honeymoon is over. How is the new regime responding to rising dissent?…
The Intelligence from The EconomistStake and chips: will America take 10% of Intel?
Intel was once synonymous with chip-making, but in recent years it has fallen behind. Now the Trump administration may become its biggest shareholder. A…
The Intelligence from The EconomistTrouble in paradise: US plans for Pacific war
With China as its new rival, America is reviving old wartime facilities across the Pacific. Our correspondent visits an abandoned airfield that has been given…
The Intelligence from The EconomistOn a win and a player: Britain’s gaming prowess
As the world’s biggest gaming fair gets underway, our correspondent looks at the surprising success of Britain, the world’s third-largest exporter of video…
The Intelligence from The EconomistPeace by piece? Zelensky and Trump meet again
After an inconclusive summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, the stakes are high for Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting with the US…
The Intelligence from The EconomistA farewell to arms? Hamas considers its options
Opinions of Hamas are shifting—among its international backers, in Gaza, even within its affiliates’ ranks. If it opts to disarm, what would happen next? A new…
The Intelligence from The EconomistFrozen conflict? A special episode in the Arctic
In Norway’s north, a geopolitical quirk may yet transform into a geopolitical conflict. We visit Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago that contains a Russian…
The Intelligence from The EconomistJust getting started: El Salvador’s president for life
First he came for the gangs; then, for his critics. Now Nayib Bukele has come for El Salvador’s constitution, and there is little to stop him staying in office…
The Intelligence from The EconomistNext top model: GPT-5 and its AI rivals
A look at progress in generative AI shows that OpenAI’s latest, greatest model sits on a neat curve of growing utility over time. But what other firms are on…
The Intelligence from The EconomistThe summit of its parts: Ukraine, Trump and Putin
What is on the table for the meeting in Alaska? What are the red lines? What chance Ukraine would accept what is agreed, especially if its president is not…
The Intelligence from The EconomistNot all’s fair: Israel and accountability
We take an expansive look at how much the Israeli justice system is holding its war machine to account. The results are so far unpromising. The idea, popular…
The Intelligence from The EconomistDuty regime: America’s consumers will foot the tariff bill
As yet another tranche of Donald Trump’s tariffs takes effect, we look at why the duties might outlast him—and how American consumers will ultimately shoulder…
The Intelligence from The EconomistUnsteady state: Somalia in disarray
The country had been on the rise: beating back jihadists, strengthening its federal structure and gaining international stature. That has all reversed. In…
The Intelligence from The EconomistConsultant management: McKinsey loses its shine
The world’s biggest strategy consultant has smaller rivals nipping at its heels. As it nears 100 years old, we ask how it will navigate a tricky AI-inflected…
The Intelligence from The EconomistDegrees of freedom? Harvard’s shakedown dilemma
Donald Trump’s mission to bend higher education to his will maintains its sharpest focus on Harvard. Will the venerable university settle—and should it? Our…
The Intelligence from The EconomistState swing: recognising Palestine
The aims of France, Britain and Canada in recognising a Palestinian state are laudable—but now is not the time to deploy what little leverage they have. AI…
The Intelligence from The EconomistLuxe run out? LVMH
LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, to use its proper name, is led by Bernard Arnault, who is credited with creating today’s luxury industry. Can he turn the…
The Intelligence from The EconomistHeavy meddle: Trump and Brazil
President Donald Trump’s animus towards his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is best seen as solidarity with Jair Bolsonaro, another ousted…
The Intelligence from The EconomistPause for little effect: a trickle of aid in Gaza
Localised “tactical pauses” in Gaza relieve international pressure on Israel more than they relieve the pressure of starvation on Gazans. We ask how the aid…
The Intelligence from The EconomistEU gotta know when to hold ‘em: America’s latest trade deal
The European Union will swallow 15% tariffs in exchange for promises to buy American. We examine the accord and ask what will stick. The English region of the…
The Intelligence from The EconomistXiaomi the way: a Chinese tech giant gets bigger
The smartphone giant is now making strong inroads in the electric-vehicle market. But can its boss’s belovedness at home translate to success abroad? Britain…
The Intelligence from The EconomistAnti-anti-corruption? A bill in Ukraine sparks protests
A new bill threatening the independence of anti-corruption agencies has brought Ukrainians onto the streets and rattled international observers. London’s…
The Intelligence from The EconomistThe smaller C: progress in beating cancer
Overall, more people are dying from cancer. But a closer look at the numbers reveals just how much success modern medicine has had at making the disease less…
The Intelligence from The EconomistHawks v talks: barriers to peace in Gaza
Even as Western countries band together to condemn Israel’s actions, aid remains at a trickle and the war is expanding into a central-Gazan city. We ask how…
The Intelligence from The EconomistLand of the rising shun? Immigration and Japan’s politics
The Liberal Democratic Party, which has dominated the country’s politics for seven decades, just got a pasting at the polls—again. We ask why staid politics…
The Intelligence from The EconomistThe ships are down: Houthis resume strikes
Once again, commercial vessels sailing in the Red Sea are being attacked. Our correspondent explains why Houthi rebels, an Iranian-backed militia in Yemen…
The Intelligence from The EconomistGown and out: are British universities broke?
UK universities are internationally renowned, but their finances are in a mess. Our correspondent offers a lesson in how to fix them. Why an amateur football…
The Intelligence from The EconomistInternet dating: will AI kill the web?
The business model of the internet is built on people visiting sites to find out information. As Artificial Intelligence changes how we navigate the web, our…
The Intelligence from The EconomistKyiv reprieve: Trump loses patience with Putin
For months, Donald Trump has appeared to back Vladimir Putin. Now, frustrated at the lack of a ceasefire and fed up with Russia, the US president is offering…
The Intelligence from The EconomistOld-school Thai: is another coup coming?
After Thailand’s constitutional court suspended the country’s prime minister, our correspondent explains the need for fresh elections to avoid economic…
The Intelligence from The EconomistThe Weekend Intelligence: The hunt for Austin Tice
On December 8th, 2024, rebels swept into Damascus and ousted Syria's dictator, Bashar al-Assad. One of the first things they did was open up the prisons…
The Intelligence from The EconomistAt your services: Britain’s economic bright spot
Growth is abysmal; wages are low. But seen from the outside, Britain is a great place to contract services and buy bargain-basement bonds. We explore the…
The Intelligence from The EconomistMigration roots: the broken asylum system
Immigration is a political lightning rod in part because the ageing global asylum pact is no longer fit for purpose. We examine how best to update it. As…
The Intelligence from The EconomistSprawl of duty: Trump’s tariff drama
Once again President Donald Trump extended the deadline for spine-stiffening tariffs to go into effect on trading partners. We look at the effects of all the…
The Intelligence from The EconomistThe French reconnection: Macron in Britain
Anglo-French relations have not been so good since before the Brexit vote. Beneath the state-visit pageantry, though, there is much co-operation for President…
The Intelligence from The EconomistTrump card: can he broker a Gaza deal?
While Israel and Hamas officials discuss a ceasefire via mediators in Qatar, a key meeting will take place at the White House today, when Israel’s prime…
The Intelligence from The EconomistOh Keir! Labour’s torrid first year
After a landslide victory and promises for radical renewal, Britain’s Labour government is failing in policy and popularity. Our correspondents explain why…
The Intelligence from The EconomistHard-core business: valuing OnlyFans
OnlyFans transformed the online porn industry by making users subscribe for adult content. Now it is rumoured to be up for sale: who might buy it? As the Dalai…
The Intelligence from The EconomistBill baby bill: Trump’s landmark legislation
As Donald Trump’s landmark legislation narrowly passes the Senate, our correspondent analyses the long-term political and economic consequences. Why foreign…
The Intelligence from The EconomistHard cell: Aung San Suu Kyi at 80
She was once the great hope for Myanmar. Though Aung San Suu Kyi fell from grace – and now sits in jail – she still has much support. How LifeWise, a Christian…