Apr 24

An 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 with plant workers who were on shift that day. A pre-eminent Chernobyl historian discusses the lessons learned and yet to ... Show More

31m 37s

Apr 23

Bringing 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 other. Our correspondent sits down with Steve Reich, a pioneering classical composer who is nearing his 90th birthday. And ... Show More

26m 3s

Apr 22

White 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 might change the whole industry’s approach. Indian politicians are chasing female voters more than ever; we question the mea ... Show More

22m 49s

Jan 2024

The Intelligence: Growing, no pains

America seems to be in a best-of-worlds scenario: growth is outpacing expectations even as inflation keeps falling—how will the party end? This week’s loss of the Peregrine One Moon lander was disappointing, but our correspondent sees the good news from the launch (9:19). And how ... Show More

25m 13s

Nov 2023

The Intelligence: Land of the rising sums

Look past short-term stumbles: there are plenty of reasons to think Japan may spin out of its decades-long deflationary spiral. But how to avoid another false dawn? A visit to a mine in Zimbabwe reveals how valuable lithium is becoming to the continent—and China’s role in securin ... Show More

29m 9s

Nov 2023

The Intelligence: higher-for-longer interest rates

Economists have stopped waiting for interest rates to drop because it doesn’t seem to be coming. The upward pressure on long-term bond yields suggests that this situation could last for a while. How should the world adjust? Israel’s economy might be in good enough shape to withst ... Show More

24m 4s

Feb 2024

The Intelligence: Strikes, a careful balance

Dozens of air strikes in Iraq, Syria and Yemen were designed to show American resolve without themselves provoking a deeper conflict. We ask what happens next. Philanthropists are increasingly doing things differently: handing over the cash and getting out of the way (11:01). And ... Show More

25m 58s

Feb 2024

The Intelligence: Troubled waters

Squabbles over the seas and their tributary waterways are becoming more tense as rivalries deepen and the climate changes. How should the West prepare? An opinion poll with a twist suggests that Xi Jinping is not as popular as he thinks he is (11:29). And, a tribute to the queen ... Show More

24m 52s

Mar 2024

The Intelligence: Russia pushes back on Kharkiv

The northeastern province has been subject to more and more shelling, and Western officials are worried about Ukraine’s capacity to respond. Could there be a breakthrough? Not everyone is happy with the 28-year-old building America’s first nickel-cobalt refinery (08:51). And, som ... Show More

23m 24s

Sep 2023

Refresh your feed: introducing Economist Podcasts+

<p>For 17 years, The Economist has brought you a host of brilliant shows. Now we are taking that even further. But to bring you even more of the content that you love, we need your support. Why <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/09/04/an-armenian-enclave-inside-azerba ... Show More

26m 45s

Oct 2023

Blown speaker: Kevin McCarthy is out

Another shutdown standoff, funding worries for Ukraine, more leadership chaos: the booting of America’s speaker of the House of Representatives bodes ill for governance. “Jawan”, a new Indian film, is non-stop action with Bollywood flourishes—and reveals how divisions in the coun ... Show More

22m 51s

Oct 2023

Windows of opportunity: Microsoft’s AI push

The once-unassailable titan of tech has missed big opportunities in recent years. But it has a reasonable shot at the title again, thanks to its artificial-intelligence ambitions. Sexual assault allegations in China made the Women’s Tennis Association take a hard line on tourname ... Show More

23m 27s