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Economist Podcasts

ByThe Economist
1000 episodes

Podcast Summary

Every weekday our global network of correspondents makes sense of the stories beneath the headlines. We bring you surprising trends and tales from around the world, current affairs, business and finance — as well as science and technology.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#1

Get-out-of-office message: China’s overtime crackdown

Bosses talk of “996” culture––working from 9am til 9pm, six days a week––while the newly common word neijuan conjures the frustration of an endless, pointless rat race. Now the government is stepping in, encouraging employees to work less and holiday more. Alice Su, The Economist’s senior international correspondent, and Sarah Wu, our China correspondent based in Beijing, ask why the state is intervening—and whether workers will listen. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-06-03•31mins
#2

Apocalypse soon? Britain ups its defence

Britain, alongside other European countries, faces rising threats to its security. But a bold new strategy to bolster its defence forces risks being underfunded. Investors may be losing faith in long-term government bonds as a safe haven (8:42). And why a surprising number of French adults are choosing to be baptised (16:27).Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-06-03•25mins
#3

Meet the boss: Wendy Sherman, diplomat

America’s top negotiator in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal describes how she reached an agreement with a sworn adversary. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-06-02•30mins
#4

Negotiation: From no, no, no, no, no – to yes

Learn lessons on dealmaking from New York’s Diamond District, a leading ransomware negotiator and one of the world's top football agents.To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-06-02•37mins
#5

Poles apart: hard right wins by a sliver

Poland’s presidential election was a fight between two distinct visions of the country’s future. Our correspondent explains how the nationalist victor, a political newcomer, will shape Europe. Why drunken bar brawls are declining in Britain (7:31). And remembering the “Wonga Coup” mercenary, Simon Mann (12:18). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-06-02•22mins
#6

The Weekend Intelligence: They had names

10 years ago a migrant ship sank off the coast of Libya, killing over a thousand people from forty countries. Countless such ships have been lost to the sea over the last decade of the migrant crisis but only one – “Il Barcone”, has been lifted from the seafloor, full of the dead, and given a second life.On the Weekend Intelligence senior producer Barclay Bram tells the story of the boat, its resurrection, and the ten year long investigation to name the people who died the day “Il Barcone” sank. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-31•49mins
#7

Swamp creatures: Donald Trump and crypto

President Donald Trump’s crypto assets may rival the value of his properties, and his financial regulators have halted investigations into crypto firms. All the while, the crypto sector is spending big money in Washington. What will President Trump’s second term mean for the exploding, shadowy crypto industry? John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Adam O’Neal.Runtime: 52.38Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-30•52mins
#8

No major food groups: aid chaos in Gaza

A newly formed, private foundation took charge of aid distribution in the territory; a melee ensued. What is the group’s origin, and what is its plan? A pandemic treaty at last agreed by the UN is an important step—even if the most desired signatory was absent (10:54). And a novel exhibition in London shows how to make the most of a museum’s collection (18:22).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-30•27mins

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#9

Sea change: the SEC under Trump 2.0

During Joe Biden's presidency, the Securities and Exchange Commission was chaired by Gary Gensler. Under his leadership, America’s most powerful market regulator became more aggressive, imposing new disclosure rules for cyber-security and climate risk, and pursuing litigation against the burgeoning crypto industry. After the re-election of Donald Trump, Mr Gensler resigned from the SEC. What followed was one of the biggest U-turns in the regulator’s history. We speak to Mark Uyeda, the man Mr Trump appointed acting SEC chair on 20 January for three months until Paul Atkins, Mr Gensler’s permanent replacement, could be sworn in. What are the SEC’s new priorities, now that Mr Trump is back in power?Hosts: Mike Bird and Ethan Wu. Guest: Mark Uyeda, commissioner and former acting chairman of the SEC.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-29•43mins
#10

Duties bound: a Trump-tariff smackdown

The US Court of International Trade ruled that Donald Trump’s so-called fentanyl and Liberation Day tariffs constituted executive overreach. Now what? Artificial intelligence is on a wild ride through a well-known hype cycle—and is arriving at a “trough of disillusionment” (8:49). And a new book about Xi Jinping’s father reveals much about the Chinese president himself (16:42).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-29•26mins
#11

Doomed experiment: Trump’s assault on science

Across America scientists are reeling as they are hit with wave after wave of grant terminations and funding freezes. Federal science agencies have fired thousands of staff. And President Trump has declared war on the country’s leading universities. The administration says it seeks to usher in a “Golden Age” of science and innovation. Our reporting suggests that it will do the opposite.Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor, with science correspondent Emilie Steinmark. Contributors: Don Ingber of Harvard University; Amy Nunn of Brown University; Hannah Cooper of Emory University; Brigitte Seim of the University of Minnesota; Jane Carlton of Johns Hopkins University.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-28•42mins
#12

Ivy beleaguer: Harvard hung out to dry

The Trump administration’s determination to bend higher-education institutions to its will seems to know no bounds—and nowhere is getting it worse than Harvard University. The outcome of Poland’s presidential runoff matters far beyond its borders, now that it is a continental heavyweight (11:23). And a bid to elevate the humblest drink to a luxury beverage (19:25).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-28•29mins
#13

Logos are no-gos: China’s appetite for luxury goods is changing

2025 was tipped as the year when China would become the world’s biggest luxury goods market. For years the country’s growing middle class had been a mainstay of luxury goods sales, snapping up everything from high-end handbags to pricey skincare products. But last year purchases plummeted to their lowest level in a decade. Jiehao Chen, The Economist’s China researcher, and Don Weinland, our China business and finance editor, ask: has China fallen out of love with luxury goods? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-27•34mins
#14

Soldiers’ fortune: Ukraine’s prisoner swap

No one knows which soldiers will be on the buses; many families simply come in hope. As the wider war grinds on, our correspondent witnesses a mix of joy, confusion and disappointment. Big American brands once had it easy in the global marketplace. Now they bear the brunt of anti-Trump sentiment (12:05). And Brazil’s bustling bull market—that is, market for bulls (18:28).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-27•30mins
#15

Meet the boss: Minouche Shafik, former president of Columbia University

A devastating tsunami. Brexit. The arrest of her boss. Time and again during her career, Minouche Shafik has been confronted by crises. Her most recent was at Columbia, where protests over the war in Gaza engulfed the campus.To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-26•34mins
#16

Handling a crisis: Keep calm and clarion

What can jazz bands teach managers about improvising through disaster? We hear how the Lime scooter rental company survived the pandemic, and about a fertiliser company caught up in Russia's war on Ukraine. And we learn how Uber fixed a crisis of its own making. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-26•41mins
#17

Perverting the course of justices: Mexico’s judiciary

Voters will be electing each and every one of the country’s judges—removing the last meaningful check on Morena, the ruling party. Nigeria has more people without electricity than any other country, but fixing that will be fiendishly difficult (7:50). And if it is so easy to order a takeaway pizza, why are home pizza ovens all the rage (14:11)?Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-26•23mins
#18

Boss Class: Presentations: It’s all in the knees

Rada, a world-famous acting school, has trained Anthony Hopkins, Alan Rickman and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Add to that list Boss Class host Andrew Palmer. In this episode, he gets tips on how to be a better public speaker. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-24•37mins
#19

Crisis management: how cities are cracking down on homelessness

A year after the Supreme Court permitted cities to ban public camping, local authorities are cracking down on street homelessness. At least 163 municipalities have enacted camping restrictions since the ruling. California, the epicenter of the problem in America, has seen its Democratic leaders rapidly shift their tone as the crisis worsens. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan tells us how he’s trying to fix it. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Adam O’Neal.Runtime: 50.57Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-23•50mins
#20

Get rich, quick: Vietnam’s next revolution

The country’s leader is in a mad rush to transform his country into an upper-middle-income powerhouse before geopolitical forces stall its rise. America’s army is being thinned out; we examine the risks of putting both weapons and generals on the chopping block (10:12). And remembering Ed Smylie, who saved the crew of Apollo 13 with a delightfully low-tech plan (17:47). Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-23•29mins
#21

Don’t discount stores: how Walmart caught up with Amazon

Two decades ago, Walmart was on top of the world. The business model of cheap prices and giant big-box stores, pioneered by founder Sam Walton, had delivered a market share that no other American retail chain could touch. Then e-commerce arrived in the shape of a formidable new competitor—Amazon. Yet despite being written off at the time by pundits and investors as a retail dinosaur, Walmart has quietly reinvented itself as a tech company. Now it’s fast closing the gap on Amazon, and its huge presence in the physical world may even give it the edge on its online rival.Hosts: Mike Bird and Ethan Wu. Guests: Avantika Chilkoti, The Economist’s global business writer; Dan Bartlett, Walmart’s Executive Vice President for Corporate Affairs; Suresh Kumar, Walmart’s Chief Technology Officer; and Simeon Gutman, retail analyst at Morgan Stanley.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-22•45mins
#22

Suspicious mines: Putin-proofing the Baltics

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia know their borders may be the next front for Russian aggression. They do not want to deploy mines and razor wire—but they must. Our correspondent visits the American city of Baltimore to investigate a national drop in violent crime (9:46). And a sweeping new biography of Mark Twain, who created a uniquely American style of fiction (17:19).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-22•25mins
#23

Standard bearers: why it's harder than you think to measure a metre

The Metre Convention is a treaty that codified the measurement of the metre and the kilogram. Signed on May 20th 1875 in Paris, it facilitated trade and underpinned the development of new technology. Accurate measurements are essential for innovation, but the way scientists perform those measurements has changed over time. Now, 150 years since the treaty was first signed, how are scientists improving measurement standards?Hosts: The Economist’s Alok Jha and Gilead Amit. Contributors: JT Janssen, Andrew Lewis and Anne Curtis at Britain’s National Physical Laboratory. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-21•43mins

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#24

Worse even than it seems: Gaza’s death toll

A careful study of a range of data sources suggests that Israel’s military actions in Gaza have resulted in far more deaths than published tallies indicate. The Church of England, facing declining numbers of parishioners, is selling up its properties on the cheap (14:10). And we ask whether those trendy “juice shots” confer any health benefits (20:29).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-21•27mins
#25

Village people: China’s efforts to lure people back to the land

For years China’s answer to rural poverty was to encourage people to pack up and move to the cities. That prompted the biggest migration in human history as hundreds of millions left the land for factories and service jobs. Extreme poverty was eradicated but China’s villages became left-behind places, home to the elderly and the very young.But that’s changing. The government is ploughing money into model villages, replete with coffee shops and galleries. And rural live-streaming, where farm folks sell their wares direct to wealthy urbanites, has become a profitable industry. Rob Gifford, The Economist’s acting China editor, and Gabriel Crossley, our China correspondent ask: what are some of the ways in which China is trying to revitalise its rural areas? And how effective are these efforts going to be? Plus Don Weinland, our China business editor, visits a blueprint for a new kind of Chinese village. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-20•34mins
#26

Islands in the scheme: a Britain-EU deal

A “reset” with the bloc is merely a first step in maintaining relations. We ask what is in this week’s deal. Millennials and Gen Z get all the media attention—but spare a thought for Gen X, who have actually had it pretty rough (9:25). And Nvidia’s graphics cards used to set the bar—but its latest offerings have failed to impress gamers (16:44).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-20•25mins
#27

Meet the boss: Michelle Gass of Levi Strauss & Co.

Michelle Gass launched iconic drinks at Starbucks and steered the Kohl’s department store through the pandemic. Now, she’s looking for the “pumpkin spice latte of denim” at the world’s best-known jeans brand.To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-19•29mins
#28

Presentations: It’s all in the knees

Host Andrew Palmer goes to drama school for tips on how to be a better public speaker. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-19•35mins
#29

May-poll dance: Poland’s presidential race

Rafal Trzaskowski, the liberal mayor expected to win the first round cleanly only squeaked by. We ask what’s at stake in the NATO-front-line country now the second round looks so uncertain. In the new world of weight-loss drugs Wegovy, from Novo Nordisk, has reigned supreme—perhaps not for much longer (9:40). And people really do look—but also act—like their dogs (16:51).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-19•27mins
#30

Boss Class: Innovation: Coming up with new ideas

Forget the hammocks and ping-pong tables. Creativity takes work. Managers at Google, Lego and a pair of AI startups share advice on breaking through. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-17•40mins
#31

Political schism: assessing the politics of Pope Leo XIV

American Catholics across the ideological spectrum are excited by the selection of an American pope. He’s made overtures to traditionally conservative Catholics by speaking Latin and he’s thrilled liberals with his earlier social media posts criticising Donald Trump's immigration policy. His beliefs may not fit squarely with one political party, but his supporters think his rule will transcend partisan politics. John Prideaux hosts with Adam O’Neal and Idrees Kahloon.Runtime: 49.50Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-16•49mins
#32

Bucharest pressed: Ukraine’s election effect

Negotiations in Turkey to bring peace to Ukraine could be a flop. But the repercussions of shifting alliances with Russia will play out in this weekend’s presidential election in Romania where the leading candidates have polarised opinion. Why British towns are shabby and disorderly (10:48). And the brilliance of women’s basketball in America (18:30).Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-16•29mins
#33

Economic warfare: lessons from the US-China trade spat

America and China have agreed to a 90-day truce of their month-long trade war, but the economic uncertainty has not yet ended. Beyond tariffs, the spat had begun spilling over into other areas, with China imposing a ban on the export of critical minerals designed to hobble American industries. Could global supply chains and financial systems be weaponised in a similar way? If so, could such actions further fragment the global economy to everyone’s detriment? And what would stop economic warfare escalating into full-blown military conflicts?Hosts: Mike Bird and Ethan Wu. Guests: Edward Fishman of the Center on Global Energy Policy and Columbia University, and author of "Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare"; and Dan Wang, research fellow at Stanford's Hoover History Lab and author of "Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future".Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-15•44mins
#34

Drug war: Trump takes on big pharma

Drugs in America often cost more than three times as much as those elsewhere. But Donald Trump’s plan to cut prescription costs and impose tariffs may have unintended consequences for consumers. Inside North Korea’s crypto-heist: from hermit kingdom to hacking kingdom (10:45). And remembering Alvaro Mangino, who survived the 1972 Andes air crash (18:39).Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-15•29mins
#35

Richard Cytowic: the human brain in the digital age

In the 1980s Richard Cytowic, a neurologist, came across a patient whose senses seemed to blur into one another. His research into this strange condition defined the modern understanding of what would come to be known as synesthesia. In his latest work he’s been taking on the digital age. His new book considers how humans’ slow-to-evolve brains are at odds with an ever-changing technological environment. As the world gets relentlessly more digital, Professor Cytowic considers the impact of all that information on our attention spans, learning, and even the ability to form human connections.Hosts: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributor: Richard Cytowic, professor of neurology at George Washington University and the author of “Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age”.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-14•27mins
#36

All talk, no sanctions: Trump lifts Syria embargo

As Donald Trump removes bans on trade with Syria and meets its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, our correspondent analyses the implications. Two feuding political dynasties in the Philippines use mid-term elections as a proxy battle (10:03). And introducing V-Tubers, creators behind live-streams of cartoon avatars coming to a screen near you (18:42).Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-14•26mins
#37

An existential question: what does it mean to be Taiwanese?

At the heart of Chiang Kai-shek’s vast memorial in Taipei, a giant bronze statue of the leader sits facing China. For the exiled Chinese Nationalist Party and its faithful who fled China’s civil war, Taiwan was a temporary home and China was the motherland.Decades later, only 3% of people in Taiwan consider themselves primarily Chinese. But plenty of people don’t think of themselves as being fully Taiwanese, either. That ambiguity is being exploited by China’s Communist Party, which insists the island is part of China, and has threatened to take it by force. Without a concrete sense of what it means to be Taiwanese, how will people resist?In a report that first aired on The Weekend Intelligence, Alice Su, The Economist’s senior China correspondent, visits the island’s tombs, memorials and streets in search of Taiwanese identity.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-13•48mins
#38

Hunger strikes: Agony in Gaza as Israel blocks aid

A ceasefire becomes ever more urgent in Gaza as Israel expands military operations and obstructs aid. As Donald Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia, the regional balance of power has shifted since his last term (9:55). Also on the show: introducing series two of “Boss Class”, on how to be a better manager (17:44). And we need your feedback! Please take our survey.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-13•27mins
#39

Meet the boss: Liz Reid of Google

For Season 2, we’re releasing an extended interview alongside each episode. This week: Who needs search engines when chatbots can answer every query for you? That’s the question confronting the head of Search at the world’s most popular website.To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-12•40mins
#40

Innovation: Coming up with new ideas

Forget the hammocks and ping-pong tables. Creativity takes work. Managers at Google, Lego and a pair of AI startups share advice on breaking through.To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-12•39mins
#41

Duty falls: US and China reach a deal

Tariffs against China were the centrepiece of Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” trade plans. Our correspondent explains the significance of a new 90-day hiatus. Will Ukraine and Russia come to the negotiating table this week (7:51)? Why new techniques to compress the contrast between loud and quiet music could be damaging our hearing (15:35). And help us improve the show by taking this survey. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-12•24mins
#42

The Weekend Intelligence: Inside Taiwan’s identity struggle

In this episode of The Weekend Intelligence our Senior China correspondent Alice Su, whose family has lived in Taiwan for generations, goes in search of Taiwanese identity. Both her own, and her country’s. For four decades what it meant to be Taiwanese was defined by a brutal dictatorship and its relation to the mainland. In the four decades since, the people of Taiwan have been trying to work out who they are. If and when China makes a move on Taiwan, everything will hinge on whether Taiwanese people unite to defend themselves. What it means to be Taiwanese is not just personal but existential. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.Music by bluedot and epidemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-10•48mins
#43

Nuclear clock: Could Donald Trump cut a deal with Iran?

Another round of talks between with the United States and Iran could take place this weekend. President Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 agreement that reduced sanctions for guarantees Iran would not pursue nuclear weapons. Now, he wants back in, despite the damage it could do the US-Israel relationship. And within Iran, the conditions are better than ever to seal a deal. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.Runtime: 49.36Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-09•49mins
#44

Holy smoke! An American pope

The choice of Robert Prevost reflects a desire for unity and compromise. But insofar as Pope Leo XIV represents a middle path, how will he lead on the church’s trickiest questions? The Trump administration has axed Biden-era export controls on AI chips. Good. Now they must enact simpler, more-effective ones (11:29). And remembering Martin Graham, founder of the Longborough Festival Opera (19:34).Economist Education is running a new six-week online course on international relations—a window into shifting geopolitical trends and a guide to navigating uncertainty and risk. Listeners to “The Intelligence” can save 15% by clicking here and using the code INTELLIGENCE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-09•32mins
#45

Buck stops here: Kenneth Rogoff on the future of the US dollar

For the last 80 years, the US dollar has reigned supreme over global markets. It still accounts for more than half of all foreign trade invoices, international debt, and central bank currency reserves. It’s also the safe haven of choice for investors in a global crisis. But that changed last month when Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs announcement sparked a brief yet unprecedented capital flight from the dollar. Suddenly the US was trading like a high-risk emerging market. It’s raised questions about whether the dollar’s days of dominance are numbered, and if so, then what could possibly replace it. We speak to somebody who has been asking those questions for many years—indeed, he’s just published a book about it: Kenneth Rogoff, former chief economist of the IMF.Hosts: Mike Bird and Ethan Wu. Guest: Kenneth Rogoff, a professor at Harvard University and the author of “Our Dollar, Your Problem: An Insider’s View of Seven Turbulent Decades of Global Finance and the Road Ahead”.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-08•45mins
#46

Identity parades: our VE-Day special

Eighty years since the surrender of Nazi forces, we consider the differing ways that nations frame that distant history for today; none does so more gravely than Russia. Our “Archive 1945” project relives The Economist‘s reporting on the last days of war in Europe. And we examine how European defence has changed, and how Britain’s celebrations hint at a world perhaps forever lost. Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-08•28mins
#47

Early onset: why is cancer on the rise in younger people?

The number of people under 50 being diagnosed with cancer has risen dramatically in recent decades. Many cases cannot be explained by a family history of disease or any lifestyle factors—such as smoking, drinking or unhealthy foods—that would otherwise put the individuals at a higher risk. Explaining this rise in early-onset cancer has therefore presented a conundrum. But clues are now emerging—is there some kind of exposure in the environment that could perhaps explain some of the cases?Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Ann Young, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 30s; Mike Stratton of the Wellcome Sanger Institute; Slavea Chankova, The Economist’s health-care correspondent. Thanks also to Meg Bernhard, who wrote about Ann’s story in The Economist.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-07•38mins
#48

Neighbour-rattling: India strikes Pakistan

Two weeks after a terrorist attack in Kashmir, Indian missiles streaked into Pakistan. Will the retaliation end this latest flare-up or intensify it? Our correspondent meets Alexandre de Moraes, a swashbuckling Brazilian supreme court justice who is taking sides in the global free-speech fight (8:35). And appetite for Sweden’s rare-earth minerals will pose difficulties for the Sami people and their reindeer (tk).Please take a moment to fill out our listener survey—let us know what you like about the show, and what you don’t. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-07•28mins
#49

The Panama ports deal: Trump, Xi and Mr Li

For years China has dominated maritime trade. A number of the world’s ports are run by Chinese state-owned enterprises. Others belong to CK Hutchison (CKH), a Hong Kong conglomerate, founded by Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong’s richest man. In recent months the billionaire has found himself embroiled in a geopolitical squabble. Two of CKH’s ports are at either end of the Panama canal, a waterway that Donald Trump has demanded America “take back”. A consortium led by BlackRock is seeking to buy those ports from CKH, along with 41 others. The deal would reshape the contours of global trade—and Xi Jinping doesn’t like it.Jeremy Page, The Economist’s Asia diplomatic editor, and Emma Irving, our Asia news editor in Hong Kong, explore how Li Ka-shing got caught in the crossfire of the China-US rivalry and ask: what does the fate of the Panama ports deal mean for the future of Chinese business and global maritime trade?To sign up for Economist Education’s six-week online course in international relations, head to education.economist.com/drum. To get 15% off, use the code DRUM. The next course starts on May 14th.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-06•34mins
#50

Trailer: Boss Class Season 2

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordisk to Google. New episodes are out weekly starting May 12th. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-05-06•2mins

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