Economist Podcasts

Out at last: Israeli hostages return

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump arrived in the Middle East for a victory tour as Israeli captives were finally freed. But the path to peace does not run smooth: Gaza is ...

The Weekend Intelligence: The trial of Yevgenia Berkovich

11 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In May 2024, Yevgenia Berkovich and Svetlana Petrichuk, the director and writer of an experimental play, became the first Russian artists since Soviet...

Dune raider: Saudi is a video-game superpower

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, is a huge video-game fan. Now his hobby is becoming a multi-billion-dollar industry for the kingdo...

Finally, a deal: the fragile peace in Gaza

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump has brokered an agreement between Israel’s government and Hamas. It’s a momentous breakthrough. Our correspondent analyses what comes...

Liberté, égalité, désordre: chaos in France

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

France’s newly-appointed prime minister has resigned only weeks into the job. Now President Emmanual Macron has given him 48 hours to come up with a...

Man of steel, and aluminium: Carney talks trade with Trump

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The swiftest way for Prime Minister Mark Carney to ease pressure on Canada’s economy is to convince President Donald Trump today to pare back tariff...

One peace at a time: hopeful Gaza talks

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As negotiators gather in Egypt, appetite for a short-term peace seems high on all sides. But there is much ambiguity surrounding a lasting accord. In ...

Chainsaw out of gas? Milei’s experiment wobbles

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A telling local-election loss, persistent allegations of scandal and an American pledge to prop up the peso: much is chipping away at the experiment o...

Space invaders: Russia’s NATO nose-thumbing

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Russia’s dark-fleet maritime operations and brazen incursions into NATO airspace appear to be precision-engineered to test Western resolve. We ask h...

Shut happens: US federal funding stops

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After Republicans and Democrats failed to compromise on the budget bill, money to US federal agencies has officially been cut off. Donald Trump threat...

Your peace or mine? Prospects for Gaza deal

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After pressure from US President Donald Trump, Israel’s Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has been strong-armed into agreeing a deal for Gaza. Will Hama...

Fortunes of war: is Russia’s economy slowing?

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The collapse of Russia’s wartime economy has long been foretold, yet massive fiscal stimulus has compensated for the effect of sanctions. Though the...

Under different thumbs: a scant TikTok deal

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump’s executive order ostensibly puts a years-long debate to bed. But questions persist about who will own—and influence—TikT...

Home truths: Ukraine’s internal strains

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A snapshot of the country reveals deepening military and economic problems—and, perhaps above all, political ones. America’s efforts to clamp down...

On warhead be it: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A long-suspected defence partnership between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has burst into the open. We ask what Pakistan’s extension of its nuclear umbr...

States of disarray: the UN at 80

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Coffers running low and an increasingly absent principal member: the United Nations has never looked so precarious. We discuss its future amid uncerta...

One nation, under God, divisible: Charlie Kirk’s memorial

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Part commemoration, part megachurch meeting, largely political rally—the memorial service for Charlie Kirk revealed much about how the Trump adminis...

JAIpur to MumbAI: US firms invest in India

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

India is becoming one of the largest markets for Artificial Intelligence and shaping how the technology develops. Our correspondent assesses what type...

Wary pharma: AstraZeneca sours on UK

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has paused a £200m investment in Britain and could move its primary listing to America. Can the UK maintain its stat...

Offensive: UN calls it genocide, Israel persists

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new United Nations report says Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute “genocide”. That has not deterred Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime mini...

Honey, we shrunk the kids: population fall

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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....

Losing the plot: Brazil-US relations tested

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

When the son comes up: the Murdoch succession battle

12 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Combative, conservative, cut down: Charlie Kirk

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

America’s most prominent young conservative was assassinated while conducting one of his signature campus events. His death might only widen politic...

Strikes’ price: Israel’s shocking Doha attack

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Qatar had positioned itself as a regional mediator, a safe space for negotiations. Israel’s previously unthinkable airstrikes have put an end to tha...

Buns in ovens: heatwaves and maternal health

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Go, fourth? France likely to lose another PM

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An unpopular budget will probably spark the ousting of another prime minister, Francois Bayrou—and with him goes another government. Parliamentary i...

For her eyes only: a new boss at MI6

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 wh...

Mission possible: Baghdad is booming

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our correspondent meets Iraq’s prime minister Muhammad al-Sudani to discuss the country’s construction boom, its future aspirations and the obstac...

Sino-the-times: China gathers global allies

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Call the shots: vaccine cuts imperil global health

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Indonesia ablaze: Riots test Prabowo

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Split ends: political in-fighting in Israel

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Prime minister Bibi Netanyahu is focused on his own political survival. Our correspondent explains how strategic differences within Israel have shaped...

Chill baby chill: Modi-Trump relations dip

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Fed alert: can Trump fire a governor?

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does Donald Trump’s attempt to sack Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor, mean for the institution’s independence? Uruguay may soon legalise...

Grand theft global: the business of street crime

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 s...

That warm buzzy feeling: malaria and climate change

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As temperatures climb, mosquitoes will migrate to places where natural resistance to malaria is lower. More and more severe natural disasters will mak...

Rule and divide: opposition grows in Syria

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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?...

Stake and chips: will America take 10% of Intel?

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Intel was once synonymous with chip-making, but in recent years it has fallen behind. Now the Trump administration may become its biggest shareholder....

Trouble in paradise: US plans for Pacific war

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With China as its new rival, America is reviving old wartime facilities across the Pacific. Our correspondent visits an abandoned airfield that has be...

On a win and a player: Britain’s gaming prowess

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the world’s biggest gaming fair gets underway, our correspondent looks at the surprising success of Britain, the world’s third-largest exporter...

Peace by piece? Zelensky and Trump meet again

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After an inconclusive summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, the stakes are high for Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting with ...

A farewell to arms? Hamas considers its options

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Opinions of Hamas are shifting—among its international backers, in Gaza, even within its affiliates’ ranks. If it opts to disarm, what would happe...

Frozen conflict? A special episode in the Arctic

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Norway’s north, a geopolitical quirk may yet transform into a geopolitical conflict. We visit Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago that contains a Rus...

Just getting started: El Salvador’s president for life

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 stayin...

Next top model: GPT-5 and its AI rivals

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 fir...

The summit of its parts: Ukraine, Trump and Putin

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 i...

Not all’s fair: Israel and accountability

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

Duty regime: America’s consumers will foot the tariff bill

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ultimat...

Unsteady state: Somalia in disarray

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The country had been on the rise: beating back jihadists, strengthening its federal structure and gaining international stature. That has all reversed...

Consultant management: McKinsey loses its shine

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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-...

Degrees of freedom? Harvard’s shakedown dilemma

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump’s mission to bend higher education to his will maintains its sharpest focus on Harvard. Will the venerable university settle—and shou...

State swing: recognising Palestine

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 h...

Luxe run out? LVMH

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Heavy meddle: Trump and Brazil

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump’s animus towards his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is best seen as solidarity with Jair Bolsonaro, another...

Pause for little effect: a trickle of aid in Gaza

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Localised “tactical pauses” in Gaza relieve international pressure on Israel more than they relieve the pressure of starvation on Gazans. We ask h...

EU gotta know when to hold ‘em: America’s latest trade deal

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 regio...

Xiaomi the way: a Chinese tech giant gets bigger

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Anti-anti-corruption? A bill in Ukraine sparks protests

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new bill threatening the independence of anti-corruption agencies has brought Ukrainians onto the streets and rattled international observers. Londo...

The smaller C: progress in beating cancer

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 disea...

Hawks v talks: barriers to peace in Gaza

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Land of the rising shun? Immigration and Japan’s politics

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 stai...

The ships are down: Houthis resume strikes

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Once again, commercial vessels sailing in the Red Sea are being attacked. Our correspondent explains why Houthi rebels, an Iranian-backed militia in Y...

Gown and out: are British universities broke?

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 f...

The bomb (part 1): were nuclear weapons inevitable?

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Where did the world’s most devastating weapon come from? In a four-part series, we go behind the scenes at America's nuclear laboratories to underst...

Internet dating: will AI kill the web?

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The business model of the internet is built on people visiting sites to find out information. As Artificial Intelligence changes how we navigate the w...

Kyiv reprieve: Trump loses patience with Putin

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 o...

Old-school Thai: is another coup coming?

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After Thailand’s constitutional court suspended the country’s prime minister, our correspondent explains the need for fresh elections to avoid eco...

The Weekend Intelligence: The hunt for Austin Tice

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 priso...

At your services: Britain’s economic bright spot

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Migration roots: the broken asylum system

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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....

Sprawl of duty: Trump’s tariff drama

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The French reconnection: Macron in Britain

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 P...

Trump card: can he broker a Gaza deal?

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 p...

Oh Keir! Labour’s torrid first year

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a landslide victory and promises for radical renewal, Britain’s Labour government is failing in policy and popularity. Our correspondents expl...

Hard-core business: valuing OnlyFans

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Bill baby bill: Trump’s landmark legislation

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Donald Trump’s landmark legislation narrowly passes the Senate, our correspondent analyses the long-term political and economic consequences. Why...

Hard cell: Aung San Suu Kyi at 80

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Truce believers: Rwanda and Congo’s fragile deal

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After decades of conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, last week Donald Trump brokered a truce in the Oval Office. Our corresp...

Going gang-buster: we meet Ecuador’s president

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Yesterday’s arrest of a notorious gang leader is a win for Daniel Noboa. He assures our journalists he can beat back rampant transnational gangs wit...

Not-deciding factor: Iran’s supreme leader

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We examine the path of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, once a bookish cleric underrated by everyone—including himself. He has hung on to power perhaps in pa...

Stayed in China: a domestic-brand boom

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Western brands used to define cool and luxurious in China. No longer. Now consumers are turning to homegrown brands, some of which are becoming global...

Truce and consequences: a fragile ceasefire in Iran

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Iran’s strikes both before and apparently after a ceasefire began seem to threaten peace. If it holds, what will that mean for Iran’s ambitions, a...

Company profile: Corning

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The picturesque town of Corning in upstate New York doesn’t look like the site of bleeding-edge innovation. But inventions by a 174-year-old glass c...

No good options: how Iran will respond

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After America’s strikes intended to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme, one question is whether they succeeded. Another is how Iran will respond; al...

Hurry up and wait: Trump’s choice on Iran

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The most consequential decision of Donald Trump’s presidency is now on pause for two weeks. We examine how the choice pits two sides of Mr Trump aga...

I’d like not to thank the academy: graduates’ fortunes slip

19 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The workplace wisdom that a university degree is a sure-fire key to success is very much in question—and the trend started long before AI began eati...

A house divided against itself: America simmers

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Political assassinations. Troops on city streets. National protests. We examine the edgy mood inside America through the lens of past periods of inten...

Confused unity: the mood in Iran

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A sudden war made Iran’s leaders look unprepared. And many Iranians loathe the regime. But there are no signs yet that internal dissent will shape t...

Bunkers unbusted: Israel and Iran

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

So far, Israel’s strikes have not accomplished the stated mission of crippling Iran’s nuclear programme. A war of endurance will be decided by whi...

Lone raider: Israel bombs Iran

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After Israel launches an all-out assault on Iran without clear US backing, our correspondent explains how the conflict could escalate. The Trump admin...

Same news story: why Murdoch endures

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The all-famous Murdoch clan is engaged in a fierce battle over control of the family’s media companies. Our correspondent explains why turmoil at th...

Golden girls: do parents prefer them?

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For centuries, male children were prized as heirs and breadwinners. Now the desire to have boys is diminishing and some parents would rather have a gi...

Core blimey: what’s up at Apple?

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It brought us the iPhone–and changed the world. Now Apple is struggling to keep up with rapid advances in AI. Our correspondent assesses its future....

California screaming: National Guard in LA

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our correspondent reports from LA, where Donald Trump’s decision to send in troops risks inciting further antagonism. The argument is now about far ...

Billion dollar babies: Trump-Musk spat

06 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when the world’s most powerful man falls out with its richest? Our correspondent analyses where the Trump-Musk brawl leaves the relatio...

Count their losses: Russia casualties hit 1m

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the number of Russian dead and injured in Ukraine reaches a grim milestone, what do these losses signify about Vladimir Putin’s strategy? Though ...

He’s got Seoul: South Korea’s new leader

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The election of South Korea’s new president represents a resounding rejection of the political turmoil that preceded the campaign. Our correspondent...

Apocalypse soon? Britain ups its defence

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Britain, alongside other European countries, faces rising threats to its security. But a bold new strategy to bolster its defence forces risks being u...

Poles apart: hard right wins by a sliver

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Poland’s presidential election was a fight between two distinct visions of the country’s future. Our correspondent explains how the nationalist vi...