Today

Follow the leader: Iran picks the son

After Iran appoints a new supreme leader, what does the choice tell us about the resilience of the regime and how the war will progress? Scientific research in America has taken a battering in Donald Trump’s second term. And why British choirs face a shortage of tenor voices.Gues ... Show More

26m 38s

Mar 6

The third Gulf war: one week on

After a momentous week, our editors reflect on how uncertainty about the goals of the war in Iran will affect its course. Iran’s retaliation has been fierce and wide ranging. How long can Gulf stocks of missile interceptors last? And our obituaries editor looks back at the life o ... Show More

29m 42s

Mar 5

Spars and strikes: Who backs Iran war?

As America continues to batter Iran, what are the domestic implications of the war for Donald Trump? The widening conflict has prompted some European countries to deploy defensive forces. France has also announced a bigger shift in policy: to bolster its nuclear arsenal. And the ... Show More

21m 40s

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

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

Nov 2024

Rio brand: why Brazil is courting China

<p>Trade ties between <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2024/11/17/brazil-courts-china-as-its-musk-feud-erupts-again?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term= ... Show More

20m 45s

Sep 2025

Combative, 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. In Asia a broad trend of deflation points to lower prices but unhealthy economies. And what happens when spiritual leade ... Show More

23m 1s

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

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

Sep 2025

Mission 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 still be overcome. Visit America’s YIMBYiest neighbourhood: the place where Americans actually want to increase the loca ... Show More

24m 46s

Sep 2025

Home truths: Ukraine’s internal strains

A snapshot of the country reveals deepening military and economic problems—and, perhaps above all, political ones. America’s efforts to clamp down on skilled-worker visas will have far-reaching unintended consequences. And globally, more children today are obese than underweight. ... Show More

21m 15s

Feb 2025

Love match: Modi-Trump’s tariffs tussle

<p>The American president and Indian prime minister have long been friends. But when the two met at the White House yesterday, they had many <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2025/02/11/is-maga-great-for-india?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theinte ... Show More

24m 30s