From The Economist. In the past 12 months, there has been no lack of news. Editors at The Economist have picked their way through the rubble to uncover some optimism: which country (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/12/19/the-economists-country-of-the-year-for-2024?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) has seen the greatest improvement this year? After fierce debate, the decision is conclusive. And our correspondent joins an unusual rescue mission:…

From The Economist. At the icy border between Russia and Estonia, the anxieties of NATO member states are clear, our correspondent reports. Leaders there have been debating defence spending (https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/12/12/europeans-are-hoping-they-can-buy-more-guns-but-keep-their-butter?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) and worrying about America shifting its support. Young people are seeking out spirituality on their phones (9:43). And why the iconic Californian condor (https://www.economist.com/united-states/2024/07/04/the-unsteady-comeback-of-the-california-condor?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) is…

From The Economist. Ten days after the fall of Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad, the full brutality of his rule (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/12/09/inside-bashar-al-assads-dungeons?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) is being uncovered. Our correspondent travels to a site near Damascus, thought to be a giant mass grave. Will France’s new prime minister (https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/12/13/emmanuel-macron-has-yet-another-stab-at-finding-a-prime-minister?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) restore stability (14:37)? And The Economist’s guide to the best films…

From The Economist. Most central banks are cutting interest rates. But Russia has recently hiked them—to 21%. Why? Because Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine is overheating his economy

From The Economist. After Olaf Scholz (https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2024/12/13/what-to-expect-after-germanys-confidence-vote?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners), Germany’s chancellor, lost a confidence vote in parliament yesterday, Germany is preparing for a snap election. Urban waste is a growing problem (https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/12/12/how-to-clean-up-indias-filthy-cities?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) in India; our trash-talking correspondent visits one of the few cities that have tackled it (9:49). And Fortnum & Mason’s (https://www.economist.com/britain/2024/12/05/fortnum-and-mason-caters-to-a-demand-for-festive-fun?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) festive fancies help it…

From The Economist. Since the fall of Assad’s regime there’s been speculation over the future of Russia’s presence in Syria. Our Middle East correspondent reports on negotiations that might mean Russia will be able to keep its military bases #syria #assad #middleeast #russia #geopolitics

From The Economist. This weekend, the ruling Georgian Dream party elected a new president – but only one name was on the ballot. That sparked further street protests, as our correspondent reports. Why a new US administration will find it hard to cut costs at NASA (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/12/05/nasa-is-an-obvious-target-for-elon-musks-axe?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) (12:19). And the enduring appeal of the martini…

From The Economist. Many adults perform worse (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/12/12/can-you-read-as-well-as-a-ten-year-old?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) in tests of literacy and numeracy than the average ten year old. And results have worsened in the past decade. Are our brains rotting? Russia’s economy (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2024/11/18/vladimir-putin-is-in-a-painful-economic-bind?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) could finally be nosediving (7:20). And remembering Eichmann’s jailer, Shalom Nagar (https://www.economist.com/obituary/2024/12/11/shalom-nagar-was-picked-by-lottery-to-kill-adolf-eichmann?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) (14:00). Listen to what matters most, from global…

From The Economist. Fast forward into the future, when building in space is normal, from huge satellites and spacecraft in orbit, to entire cities on the Moon and Mars. Could robots guided by AI make it happen? Video supported by @mishcon_de_reya 00:00 – Future of building in space 00:43 – Machina Labs 02:15 – Could…

From The Economist. As Syrians awoke to a new era, thousands rushed to fling open the dark, filthy prisons (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/12/09/inside-bashar-al-assads-dungeons?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) where Bashar al-Assad locked up dissenters. Our correspondent followed along. The first of our two-part series on spirituality reveals a lucrative nexus of DIY enlightenment and tourism (9:13). And the stumbles (https://www.economist.com/culture/2024/04/26/is-this-the-greatest-ever-premier-league-season?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) of Manchester City,…

From The Economist. For five years the prospect of a criminal prosecution has loomed over Binyamin Netanyahu. Today he becomes the first Israeli prime minister to testify as a defendant. A shocking fraction of master’s degrees confer no financial benefit—and may even leave degree-holders worse off (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/11/21/too-many-masters-courses-are-expensive-and-flaky?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) (10:43). And our staff share their picks for…

From The Economist. President Bashar al-Assad has been run out, his regime in tatters. As Syrians awaken to a new era, how can they put their broken country back together (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/12/08/who-will-rule-syria-now-the-assad-regime-has-been-toppled?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) peacefully? Australia has passed a law that will ban under-16s from social media: a bold move (https://www.economist.com/business/2024/12/05/can-teenagers-outwit-australias-social-media-ban?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners), but a tricky one to implement (10:21).…

From The Economist. Many thought a five-year timeline was too ambitious. But even as France’s politics falls apart, it has managed to put the cathedral back together with aplomb (https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/11/29/emmanuel-macron-shows-off-the-gloriously-restored-notre-dame-to-the-world?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners). As an election takes place in Ghana, its status as a leading light of African democracy is looking shaky (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/12/05/ghana-africas-model-democracy-is-losing-its-sheen?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) (10:11). And remembering John Kinsel…

From The Economist. An alliance of the far right and the left has sacked (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/12/04/frances-parliament-fires-the-prime-minister?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) Prime Minister Michel Barnier; out goes his budget and the government. Can President Emmanuel Macron find a stable path between the political extremes? We ask why employees seem so much more comfortable using generative artificial intelligence than their employers (https://www.economist.com/business/2024/11/04/why-your-company-is-struggling-to-scale-up-generative-ai?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners)…

From The Economist. Are young people today stuck in their teenage years? In a book published in 2024, one author argues that they are. Is he right? Is Western culture stopping people from growing up?: https://econ.st/4fVw8Q1 Read more of our culture content: https://econ.st/4fWxIkH Sign up to our daily newsletter: https://econ.st/4gyhHCm

From The Economist. The country’s increasingly unpopular president, Yoon Suk Yeol, backed down six hours after his shocking move of imposing martial law. South Korea’s democracy has held firm (https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/12/03/martial-law-in-south-korea-and-then-not-next-constitutional-crisis?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners)—so far. Brazil’s gangsters have found a neat way to launder assets through the legal economy: by getting involved with politics (https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2024/11/14/brazils-gangsters-have-been-getting-into-politics?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) (7:26). And the hefty…

From The Economist. The country has been turning increasingly away from Europe and towards Russia—but a halt to EU-accession talks has sparked enormous demonstrations (https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/12/02/huge-anti-russian-protests-in-tbilisi-echo-ukraines-maidan?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners). Researchers know unequivocally that ultra-processed foods are bad for you; we look into the persistent question of why (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2024/11/25/scientists-are-learning-why-ultra-processed-foods-are-bad-for-you?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) (10.26). And fatherhood in East Asia is undergoing a quiet revolution…

From The Economist. The country’s civil war never ended—it became a fragile stalemate that fell out of the news. A surprise rebel advance (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/11/30/syrian-rebels-sweep-into-aleppo-in-an-embarrassing-rout-for-bashar-al-assad?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) reveals how the war’s international players are busy facing their own challenges. Our correspondent found it so difficult to disappear from the internet that she gave up (https://www.economist.com/1843/2024/11/08/why-i-gave-up-trying-to-delete-myself-from-the-internet?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) (10:30). And who…

From The Economist. In an interview with Javier Milei (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/11/28/javier-milei-my-contempt-for-the-state-is-infinite?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners), our correspondent probes how far the “anarcho-capitalist” president plans to push his promise to slash spending and reform the state. Can seaweed (https://www.economist.com/business/2024/11/28/could-seaweed-replace-plastic-packaging?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) and other fibrous packaging replace plastic (11:51)? And remembering Celeste Caeiro (https://www.economist.com/obituary/2024/11/28/celeste-caeiros-small-gesture-named-a-revolution?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners), who named the carnation revolution in Portugal in 1974 (18:20).…

From The Economist. As civil war rages in the country (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/11/21/a-genocidal-militias-quest-for-legitimacy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners), millions of people have been displaced and famine is widespread. Why won’t the warring parties join talks to end it? Accusations of assassination plots (https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2024/11/22/bolsonaros-bid-to-regain-brazils-presidency-may-end-in-prison?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) and an attempted coup swirl in Brazil (9:28). And why Chinese bubble tea shops are conquering your local shopping…

From The Economist. This morning, a deal halting fighting (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/11/26/israel-and-hizbullah-strike-a-fragile-deal-to-end-their-war?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) between Israel and Lebanon for 60 days came into effect. Our correspondent considers if that can hold, and what it means for Gaza. What do Northvolt’s financial troubles mean for European hopes to produce batteries for electric vehicles (10:06)? And why the French are realising…

From The Economist. Donald Trump (https://www.economist.com/topics/united-states?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) had been facing a swathe of lawsuits this year. Now he has won a second term in office, the cases against him are falling away. Why wellness trends may be contributing to iodine deficiency (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2024/11/06/as-wellness-trends-take-off-iodine-deficiency-makes-a-quiet-comeback?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) (8:02). And the secrets of elevator etiquette (https://www.economist.com/business/2024/11/21/how-to-behave-in-lifts-an-office-guide?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) (13:58). Listen to what matters most,…

From The Economist. Gautam Adani (https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/11/24/the-adani-scandal-creates-a-storm-for-narendra-modi?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) is one of India’s richest men, whose fortunes are closely aligned to those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. What will the political ramifications be of bribery charges against him? China’s property crisis (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2024/10/31/why-china-needs-to-fill-its-empty-homes?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) has left a truly staggering number of new homes empty (9:01). And why Jordan Peterson (https://www.economist.com/culture/2024/11/19/the-cult-of-jordan-peterson?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners)…

From The Economist. Should people have the right to choose (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/11/21/why-british-mps-should-vote-for-assisted-dying?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) how they die? Though many Britons support the principle, a vote on assisted dying in the House of Commons may fail. Donald Trump reshaped the Supreme Court (https://www.economist.com/united-states/2024/10/28/donald-trumps-potential-scotus-picks?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) in his first term. His second act could be just as dramatic (09:30). And remembering figurative…

From The Economist. What will the world’s richest man do in the White House? Our correspondent analyses the political and ideological role Elon Musk (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2024/11/17/how-to-make-elon-musks-budget-slashing-dreams-come-true?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) could play in Donald Trump’s second term. “Small things like these” (https://www.economist.com/culture/2024/11/01/exposing-the-horrors-of-irelands-magdalene-laundries?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) may be fiction but it is based on grim historical truths in Ireland (9:30). And Chile is suffering…

From The Economist. AI is driving a transformation across all fields of science, from developing drugs for incurable diseases and improving the understanding of animal communication to self-driving labs. Could this prompt a new golden age of discovery? Video supported by @mishcon_de_reya 00:00 – How AI is revolutionising science 02:53 – Drug discovery 04:31 –…

From The Economist. Donald Trump tore up America’s nuclear deal with Iran (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/11/19/get-ready-for-maximum-pressure-20-on-iran?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) in his first term. What will he do when he becomes president again? The pushy tactics China’s government uses to press women to have more children (10:24). And the sneaker wars (https://www.economist.com/business/2024/11/14/nike-and-adidas-are-losing-their-lead-in-running-shoes?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) get more competitive (18:06). Listen to what matters most, from…