From The Economist. Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs have sent shockwaves across the global trading system, causing chaos and consternation. The Economist’s business affairs editor, Rachana Shanbhogue, gives her insight

From The Economist. After months of bluster, he’s finally done it. At a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden, Donald Trump overturned decades of American trade policy with a simple signature. The new wave of trade restrictions (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/04/03/trump-takes-americas-trade-policies-back-to-the-19th-century?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=moneytalks&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners), if implemented in full, will raise tariffs (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/04/03/president-trumps-mindless-tariffs-will-cause-economic-havoc?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=moneytalks&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) to the highest level in more than a…

From The Economist. SHOW-NOTES TEXT (with links and timestamps; 60 wds max) Even in the run-up to Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/04/03/trump-takes-americas-trade-policies-back-to-the-19th-century?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)” tariff hikes, few had expected such colossal levies. Our correspondent explains how they will shake America’s economy and global trade. After Sudanese government forces retake Khartoum (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/03/30/khartoum-changes-hands-heralding-a-new-phase-in-sudans-civil-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), will this alter the course of…

From The Economist. Months ago, holding an election (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/03/30/zelensky-trump-and-putin-may-all-have-done-u-turns-on-elections-in-ukraine?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 wartorn Ukraine seemed impossible. Now plans are being made. Our correspondent explains the prospects for the campaign – and the chance of a ceasefire, which must precede it. How did “The Economist” cover American tariff hikes (https://www.economist.com/interactive/finance-and-economics/2025/03/06/donald-trumps-tariffs-are-a-throwback-to-the-1930s?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 the 1930s (8:29)? And why daylight savings…

From The Economist. What do “bonkers”, “dicey” and “shambolic” have in common? Our language correspondent, Lane Greene, delves into the Britishisms that Americans love

From The Economist. Marine Le Pen (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/03/31/barring-marine-le-pen-is-a-political-thunderbolt-for-france?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 France’s most popular politicians, who has brought the National Rally party to the heart of the political landscape. Our correspondent explains the implications of a court ruling that stops her running for president in 2027. Why rents keep rising (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/03/16/why-rents-are-rising-too-fast?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 the rich world (8:29).…

From The Economist. Civil war in Myanmar is hampering relief efforts (https://www.economist.com/asia/2025/03/30/the-juntas-spite-worsens-myanmars-catastrophic-quake?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) after the devastating earthquake on Friday, as the ruling military regime intensifies attacks on resistance fighters. The impact of Donald Trump’s attempt to silence “Voice of America (https://www.economist.com/international/2025/03/19/donald-trump-shoots-his-own-global-mouthpiece?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 federally-funded broadcasters (8:45). And, “The Economist” reveals the best places to be a…

From The Economist. While the world’s richest man has been distracted shrinking the US government, Tesla’s share price has plummeted and rival EV firm, BYD, has overtaken it in revenue. Are Musk’s businesses in trouble? Our US technology editor, Henry Tricks, explains.

From The Economist. Myanmar has been struck by a series of devastating earthquakes, and its deadly civil war will make it one of the most difficult places for aid to reach. Our Asia correspondent, Sue-Lin Wong, explains why

From The Economist. No surprises here: The Economist reckons tariffs are a terrible trade tool. But what is most clearly harming American businesses and scaring off investors is persistent uncertainty (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/03/27/the-unpredictability-of-trumps-tariffs-will-increase-the-pain?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) about them. Our correspondent sees the effects of one non-military donor to Ukraine: help not to fight but to preserve something worth fighting for…

From The Economist. Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is facing major protests after imprisoning his main political rival, sparking the biggest protests seen in a decade. The move could signal a new shift towards autocracy

From The Economist. His Majesty’s Prison Grendon treats hardened criminals through therapy, with one study showing that inmates who spent 18 months at Grendon had a 20% chance of reoffending within two years, compared with 50% for other prisons. Noel Smith, ex-criminal, speaks with our public-policy correspondent, Tom Sasse, about his experiences there

From The Economist. For Europe’s hard-right politicians, Donald Trump’s second White House bid looked like validation and opportunity. Now that he is in it, the tensions and trade-offs are becoming clear (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/03/23/trump-is-a-problem-for-europes-most-important-hard-right-leaders?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). The Houthis’ grip over Yemen and the Red Sea is only strengthening (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/03/20/americas-strikes-on-the-houthis-could-whip-up-a-regional-tempest?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), even as other Iranian proxies are waning (10:03). And a…

From The Economist. Is the use of private messaging apps like Signal by politicians erasing crucial historical evidence? Historian Niall Ferguson warns that in the future it might be much harder to write the biographies of modern leaders #historytok #history #niallferguson #donaldtrump #signal #uspolitics

From The Economist. Asia is notorious for some of the worst traffic jams in the world. Our Asia correspondent, Ethan Wu, explains why

From The Economist. The Conservative Party, led by a Trump-tinged populist, once had the polls locked up. That is changing radically (https://www.economist.com/interactive/2025-canada-election?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) now that Donald Trump is seen as a threat to the nation. Amid America’s foreign-policy misfires, China might choose to smooth diplomatic feathers and make friends; instead it, too, is muscle-flexing (https://www.economist.com/asia/2025/03/20/chinas-cynicism-offensive-in-asia?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) (8:14).…

From The Economist. Put aside for the moment the outrageous security breach (https://www.economist.com/united-states/2025/03/24/a-shambolic-leak-reveals-team-trumps-contempt-for-allies?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 a journalist being brought in on classified military planning: a leaked group chat reveals much about the Trump administration’s transactional, anti-European ethos. The story of a Nigerian senator (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/03/20/nigerian-politics-is-a-nasty-place-for-women?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) shows how vile politics can be for the country’s women (10:23). And…

From The Economist. Are British nukes fit for purpose? Shashank Joshi, our defence editor, discusses with Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director general at RUSI

From The Economist. The ceasefire in Gaza is in tatters (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/03/18/israels-strikes-may-be-only-the-start-of-a-new-offensive-in-gaza?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); the campaign against Hizbullah is flaring up again. Yet the most telling battles are those happening inside Israel. Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, is coolly dealing (https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2025/03/20/will-donald-trump-shape-the-mexican-presidents-domestic-agenda?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) with the fitful aggression of her northern neighbour (10:25). And our obituaries editor pays tribute to Richard Fortey…

From The Economist. Do you want to quickly learn something new? Here are five non-fiction books you can read in a day

From The Economist. The transatlantic relationship is crumbling, at least according to one former NATO chief. Is he right? Our geopolitics editor gives his view #geopolitics #trump #defence #nato #europe #security

From The Economist. America’s international intelligence-sharing relationships have been decades in the making and rely not on a treaty but trust. Could Donald Trump damage (https://www.economist.com/international/2025/03/16/trump-v-the-spies-of-five-eyes?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) the powerful spy alliance? Why we may soon be buying cutting-edge medicines developed in China (https://www.economist.com/business/2025/02/16/its-not-just-ai-chinas-medicines-are-surprising-the-world-too?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) (11:00). And introducing a new regular feature, “What to watch this weekend (https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/03/14/what-to-watch-this-weekend?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. European and Asian stocks are outperforming American ones. But investors are also noticing deeper changes too. What’s going on? Our finance correspondent, Joshua Roberts, explains #finance #economics #america #donaldtrump #markets #usa

From The Economist. Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/03/19/erdogan-arrests-the-candidate-who-could-beat-him?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) just days before he was likely to be elected leader of Turkey’s opposition. Where does this leave Turkish democracy? What Panama’s concessions (https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2025/03/13/panamas-giveaway-game?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) teach us about how to deal with Donald Trump (9:49). And why you should go to a zoo–not a hospital–to treat a poisonous snakebite…

From The Economist. Hours after telling Donald Trump he would halt attacks in a partial ceasefire, Vladimir Putin bombed energy plants in Ukraine. Our Russia editor, Arkady Ostrovsky, explains why Trump’s latest call with Putin had more theatrics than substance

From The Economist. Donald Trump hoped Vladimir Putin would agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine. Instead he made marginal concessions (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/03/18/putin-woos-trump-with-a-partial-ceasefire-and-big-geopolitical-deal?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), then launched a missile attack. Our correspondent assesses the implications. Tesla’s falling sales (https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/02/27/erotic-writing-is-becoming-more-explicit?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) are not just down to Elon Musk’s politics (9:42). And a flowering of literary erotica (https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/02/27/erotic-writing-is-becoming-more-explicit?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) (15:40). Listen to what…

From The Economist. After Israel launched dozens of missiles into Gaza overnight, what does this mean for the prospect of a lasting ceasefire (https://www.economist.com/topics/war-in-the-middle-east?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 two stranded astronauts are rescued from the International Space Station, our correspondent explains how private investment has changed space exploration (9:10). And a cutesy animation (https://www.economist.com/china/2025/03/06/a-new-film-is-breaking-box-office-records-in-china?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) wins plaudits from the…

From The Economist. Donald Trump’s team has called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.economist.com/united-states/2025/03/10/how-doge-is-driving-americas-public-health-guardians-mad?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) “the most incompetent and arrogant agency” in the federal government. Our correspondent talks to staff who fear that jobs and crucial public-health projects are under threat. Is silver (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/03/05/why-silver-is-the-new-gold?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) the new gold (10:56)? And why live albums (https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/02/27/why-are-live-albums-back-in-fashion?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) are…

From The Economist. Bored of battling through big books? Here are five novels you can read in a day

From The Economist. Ice is melting faster in the Arctic than anywhere else on earth. But this devastating consequence of the climate crisis could create a great economic opportunity

From The Economist. The International Criminal Court has arrested Rodrigo Duterte, a former president of the Philippines. The case highlights both the strengths and the weaknesses (https://www.economist.com/asia/2025/03/11/the-global-importance-of-rodrigo-dutertes-arrest?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 international justice. We examine the spate of bombings (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/02/27/swedish-businesses-are-being-bombed?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) plaguing Sweden—carried out by young people who are in it for the money (8:18). And remembering Athol Fugard…

From The Economist. Donald Trump’s decision to dismantle USAID is an extreme example of a global trend: rich countries are pulling back on foreign aid. Our international economics correspondent, Cerian Richmond Jones, travels to Malawi to find out whether decades of aid has worked

From The Economist. The Trump administration’s dedication to tariffs now seems more fervent than the first time around. Markets (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/03/10/how-trump-provoked-a-stockmarket-sell-off?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) are noticing (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/03/11/will-americas-stockmarket-convulsions-spread?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). We ask what might temper the trade war. Europe’s once-fringe hard-right parties are now leading polls (https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2025/02/28/hard-right-parties-are-now-europes-most-popular?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), even if not yet leading governments; we look at where things are headed (11:07). And…

From The Economist. Bullying allies, making threats and demanding tribute: Donald Trump’s style of diplomacy is one Don Corleone might recognise. Will his mob boss approach make America richer and stronger, or isolated and weaker? #uspolitics #trump #donaldtrump #diplomacy

From The Economist. The ceasefire proposal (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/03/11/ukraine-hopes-its-ceasefire-offer-will-turn-the-tables-on-russia?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) hatched by American negotiators and agreed by Ukraine is now a matter for Russia to consider. We ask how the not-yet-a-breakthrough will land in both countries. Our correspondents ask one of NATO’s very-top brass about Europe’s defence stance and how it should shift (10:44). And the shockingly life-shortening…

From The Economist. Donald Trump has paused military aid and intelligence to Kyiv. Our defence editor, Shashank Joshi, analyses whether European countries can plug the gaps

From The Economist. Horrifying attacks on Alawites, the sect of deposed leader Bashar al-Assad, throw into question the power—or the will—of Ahmed al-Sharaa, the country’s leader, to maintain peace (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/03/10/a-horrific-killing-spree-shakes-syria?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). For the first time in decades it now makes more sense to pay off a mortgage early (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/02/13/why-you-should-repay-your-mortgage-early?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) (10:36). And high-end satellite data, once the…

From The Economist. The governing Liberal party is enjoying a stunning turnaround in the polls, and now it has a new leader. We ask how Mark Carney will tussle (https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2025/03/10/mark-carney-must-keep-an-expansionist-america-at-bay?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) with Donald Trump’s tariffs and taunts. China has a vibrant new wintertime economic sector: skiing and snowy tourism (https://www.economist.com/china/2025/02/13/hail-chinas-new-ice-and-snow-economy?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) (10:45). And a tribute to Rose…

From The Economist. After a turbulent seven days (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/03/04/the-lesson-from-trumps-ukrainian-weapons-embargo?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 will President Volodymyr Zelensky tackle the domestic and international challenges ahead? Our correspondent attends “Ode to Resilience”, a concert of defiance in Ukraine (9:55). And how “The Economist” reported on the Allies’ advance across Europe in the second world war: a sample from our interactive…

From The Economist. The leader of Turkey’s Kurdish rebels has called on the group (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/02/27/one-of-the-worlds-longest-conflicts-may-be-ending?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) to disband. That could end one of the world’s longest running conflicts. How tariffs and political volatility may affect the American economy (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/03/02/america-is-at-risk-of-a-trumpian-economic-slowdown?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) (10:16). And the craze for eating caviar (https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/02/27/caviar-is-the-internets-favourite-indulgence?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)… with chicken nuggets (18:33). Listen to what matters most,…

From The Economist. American presidents often use their first meeting with Congress as a chance to lay out their agenda for the next four years. Donald Trump, by contrast, treated last night’s address (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/03/03/trumps-new-tariffs-are-his-most-extreme-ever?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) like a campaign rally. Meet Ecuador’s tenacious anti-corruption champion (https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2025/02/27/the-bravest-woman-in-latin-america?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) (12:18). And co-host Jason Palmer plays an AI bot (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/02/26/how-artificial-intelligence-can-make-board-games-better?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…

From The Economist. In an effort to bring Ukraine to the negotiating table, America has paused military help (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/03/03/as-trump-suspends-military-aid-what-are-the-brutal-chokeholds-on-ukraine?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) to the war-torn country. What will this mean on the ground? Our correspondent explores a new cryptocurrency craze, visiting Turkey’s bazaars to meet people trading goods using stablecoins (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/02/23/stablecoins-the-real-crypto-craze?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) (9:43). And why the Louvre is staging…

From The Economist. European leaders met in London this weekend (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/03/02/europe-vows-to-defend-ukraine-but-prays-for-trumps-support?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) after Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky’s public row shattered hopes for a US-led truce in Ukraine. What did the summit achieve? Our correspondent visits Mexico’s border (https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2025/02/23/mexico-deploys-10000-troops-to-the-us-border?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) to find out if strengthened force will stem the flow of fentanyl to America (9:46). And remembering…

From The Economist. This week European leaders have lined up to charm Donald Trump. But the broad smiles belie a bigger fear: what would it mean for the continent’s security if America forsakes its security guarantees (https://www.economist.com/international/2025/02/25/can-europe-confront-vladimir-putins-russia-on-its-own?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)? What the pull-out of French (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/02/01/frances-bitter-retreat-from-west-africa?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) forces will mean for Africa (10:56). And the Maha Kumbh Mela (https://www.economist.com/asia/2025/02/27/how-overt-religiosity-became-cool-in-india?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. More than 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the occupied West Bank in the last month because of Israel’s latest operation. It’s reignited a long-standing question about the Palestinian territory: who controls the West Bank?

From The Economist. As the baby-boom generation starts to die and economic growth slows many more people are getting rich from family wealth. Are we returning to the age of Jane Austen? The latest EIU Democracy Index (https://www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/democracy-index-2024?utm_campaign=MA00001507&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=eiu-intelligence-podcast) reveals what a bumper election year did to country rankings (9:36). And our correspondent takes an ice…

From The Economist. The first phase of Gaza’s ceasefire is near its end (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/02/12/instead-of-luxury-condos-gaza-faces-a-resumption-of-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), but planning for the even more fraught second phase has hardly begun. What chance for near-term peace? We examine the harmful outcomes from the Trump administration’s slashing (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/02/19/how-the-trump-administration-wants-to-reshape-american-science?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) funding for America’s science institutions (9:45). And “I’m Still Here”, an Oscar-tipped film,…

From The Economist. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, often says the East is rising and the West is in decline. Do recent events in America prove him right? The Economist’s Geopolitics editor, David Rennie, gives his insight

From The Economist. The meeting between France’s and America’s presidents had a familiarly chummy feel. We ask whether Emmanuel Macron’s charm offensive (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/02/25/has-emmanuel-macron-managed-to-reason-with-donald-trump?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) might have changed Donald Trump’s mind on security matters. Norway’s stocks of wild salmon are in trouble—owing in part to their farmed brethren (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2024/11/13/norways-atlantic-salmon-risks-going-the-way-of-the-panda?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) (9:42). And how the Michelin Guide (https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/01/30/the-michelin-guide-is-no-longer-the-only-tastemaker-in-town?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. Instead of needing three parties to cobble together a majority, the country’s two traditional main ones have the numbers (https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/02/23/friedrich-merz-wins-germanys-election-but-forming-a-coalition-will-be-hard?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). What to expect once the talks are done? Donald Trump claims America has supported Ukraine far more than Europe has; we comb through the data (https://www.economist.com/britain/2025/02/13/parliament-is-advertising-for-a-new-black-rod?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) that prove him wrong (10:38). And…

From The Economist. Donald Trump seems to relish causing chaos. But what if there’s a method to the madness? Adam O’Neal, our Washington Correspondent, explains the “madman theory”  #donaldtrump #uspolitics #madman #madmantheory #nixon #diplomacy

From The Economist. Following LA’s wildfires in January, workers have spent weeks clearing the debris and removing hazardous waste. Our West Coast correspondent, Aryn Braun, has been following their progress

From The Economist. Three years after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, it is still not clear what “winning” his war really means. As talks with the Trump administration begin our Russia editor, Arkady Ostrovsky, explains what Putin really wants #ukrainewar #vladimirputin #geopolitics #war #warinukraine #zelensky

From The Economist. Europe must move boldly (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/02/20/how-europe-must-respond-as-trump-and-putin-smash-the-post-war-order?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 the American-led world order shatters beneath it; we explain how. Many people view the freedom to work from home as a perk. Some academics reckon there should be, in effect, a tax on it (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/02/06/when-will-remote-workers-see-their-pay-cut?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) (10:41). And we pay tribute to Pableaux Johnson (https://www.economist.com/obituary/2025/02/20/pableaux-johnson-peerless-host-and-chronicler-of-new-orleans?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), a New…

From The Economist. Africa’s young are educated, ambitious side-hustlers. But they are hampered by their economies and dispirited by their politicians. How to harness their vast potential? America’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency is, in a real-world accounting (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/02/12/elon-musk-is-failing-to-cut-american-spending?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), not actually budging the budget much (8:25). And why Germans take more days off sick (https://www.economist.com/business/2025/01/23/germans-are-world-champions-of-calling-in-sick?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. Only around 10% of Britain’s and America’s biggest companies have female CEOs. Addressing the "motherhood penalty" and making recruitment processes uniform are two ways to redress this imbalance. Video supported by @mishcon_de_reya 00:00 – Will CEO gender parity happen? 00:50 – Vodafone CEO, Margherita Della Valle 01:51 – Women CEOs: why so…

From The Economist. The possibilities for an inevitable coalition government are a head-spinning colour wheel of party logos. We look at the most likely outcomes (https://www.economist.com/interactive/2025-german-election-polls-prediction-forecast?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 the smaller parties that may well play kingmakers. A series of scandals (https://www.economist.com/asia/2025/02/06/japan-could-finally-face-its-own-metoo-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) in Japan has propelled the country to a belated #MeToo crisis (10:35). And London’s once-abundant…

From The Economist. Google DeepMind and Anthropic founders, Demis Hassabis and Dario Amodei, are two of the world’s foremost leaders in artificial intelligence. Our editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, sat down with them to discuss AI safety, timelines for artificial general intelligence and whether they fear becoming the Oppenheimers of our time, in a conversation for…

From The Economist. Google DeepMind and Anthropic founders, Demis Hassabis and Dario Amodei are profoundly worried about how AGI will change the world. Our editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, asks whether they could become the Oppenheimers of our time, in a conversation for Visionaries Club

From The Economist. We investigate China’s under-the-radar push (https://www.economist.com/international/2025/02/09/chinas-stunning-new-campaign-to-turn-the-world-against-taiwan?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) to get other countries to change their official language on Taiwan’s independence. Would it make a difference in a bid to reunify by force? The case of a nurse jailed for killing babies exposes deep problems (https://www.economist.com/britain/2025/02/10/it-increasingly-looks-as-if-lucy-letbys-conviction-was-unsafe?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) with British justice (10:10). And how top footballers get…