Mar 20

Who 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 Lebanese state to do so. As south-east Asia is modernising, Islam is counterintuitively gaining greater primacy in c ... Show More

25m 2s

Mar 19

An 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 entanglements mask the democratic backsliding at home; that is bad news for an opposition figure whose trial just began. And ... Show More

24m 43s

Mar 18

Flagging carriers: war shuffles the Gulf-airline flight deck

Cancelled flights, longer routes, higher prices: the war in Iran is taking its toll on the airline industry. The conflict may force lasting change on the big Gulf carriers. We ask why the once-frothy fake-meat industry is losing its bite. And why PDFs, one of technology’s most pe ... Show More

18m 40s

Oct 2025

Wrong side of the hack: cybercrime grows

Cyberattacks have brought firms like Jaguar Land Rover and Asahi to a standstill. Our correspondent asks what companies and governments should do about a rising problem. Why it is getting harder to count deaths in Africa. And is eating dark chocolate actually good for you? Listen ... Show More

21m 45s

Aug 2025

Grand 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 consider consulting a new oracle for making big life decisions: an economist. And the cult of the private chef.Listen to wha ... Show More

19m 37s

Sep 2024

Bulls’ AI: funding artificial intelligence

Artificial Intelligence has gained ground so fast that OpenAI, the firm powering ChatGPT, is changing Silicon Valley’s investment model and how it innovates. Why the global nuclear order may be in peril (10:24). And an alternative type of electoral forecasting is gaining ground: ... Show More

25m 4s

Sep 2025

Honey, 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 large language models really woke? And reading is on the wane – and why that matters. Listen to what matters most, from globa ... Show More

23m 46s

May 2025

People vilify plastic. they should use it better instead

Many people view plastic as an environmental disaster that blights landscapes and chokes marine life. Our correspondent argues that instead we need to better understand this miracle material. To make prison work, governments need to have better strategies for managing inmates’ re ... Show More

22m 14s

Oct 2024

Google’s lurch: how to fix its monopoly

This summer, an American judge ruled that Google’s search dominance was illegal. Now the Department of Justice has revealed possible solutions. How robots could help mend leaking water pipes (9:46). And the best books on the beautiful game (16:38). Listen to what matters most, f ... Show More

21m 51s

Aug 2025

Stake 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 political assassination in Colombia raises fears about a return to violence. And what an annual snail race tells us about rural ... Show More

21m 2s

Aug 2024

Nvincible? What could curb Nvidia’s supremacy

The American chip designer has become one of the world’s most valuable companies on the back of the AI revolution. But there are some contradictions in Nvidia’s plans for the future. California’s iconic Highway 1 is under threat (10:46). And why Europeans are spurning nudity (20: ... Show More

26m 11s

Nov 2025

Home alone: the relationship recession

People are spurning marriage and any other kind of romantic relationship in record numbers. Our correspondents explore the non-dating market. The rise of AI companions could also have profound implications for society. And why tobacco companies are thriving. Listen to what matter ... Show More

24m 34s

Sep 2025

JAIpur 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 superpower the country could be. Tracking the meltdown at Swiss chocolatier Nestlé. And celebrating the life of Robert Redf ... Show More

19m 12s