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The Economist · News

Economist Podcasts

Sound reasoning. Every weekday, our global network of correspondents explain the world's most important stories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

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A murder exploited: Britain’s George Floyd moment that wasn’t

04 Jun 2026
24m
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The death of 18-year-old Henry Novak has ignited a fierce political debate in Britain, with right-wing figures alleging "two-tier policing" that purportedly disadvantages white citizens. While police mishandled the initial response, evidence does not support claims of systemic bias. Simultaneously, NATO faces an existe...

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Focused group: Ukraine is now Europe’s war

03 Jun 2026
21m
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Europe now faces the burden of managing the war in Ukraine as American financial and diplomatic support wanes. While the removal of Viktor Orban as a veto player and battlefield advancements offer new diplomatic possibilities, a widening gulf persists between Ukraine’s rapid EU accession goals and European concerns reg...

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Head out of the cloud: Nvidia’s personal-computer shift

02 Jun 2026
21m
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Nvidia is pivoting from data center-focused graphics processing units to developing specialized chips for personal computers, aiming to support the rise of agentic AI that operates locally for greater speed and cost-efficiency. This shift signals a broader industry move toward edge computing, where autonomous AI agents...

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Mistrusting the process: containing Congo’s Ebola outbreak

01 Jun 2026
21m
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The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo faces significant containment hurdles, including deep-seated local distrust, regional conflict, and the absence of a licensed vaccine for the current strain. While international funding is increasing, success depends on bridging the gap between central government a...

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New world of warcraft: how conflict has forever changed

29 May 2026
25m
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Modern warfare is undergoing a profound transformation characterized by increased battlefield transparency, the proliferation of precision weaponry, and the erosion of international legal norms. The rise of drone technology and sensor-rich environments has made combat more lethal and intimate, forcing military leaders ...

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Deal or ordeal: Trump’s bad options in Cuba

28 May 2026
22m
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The United States’ strategy of economic pressure and threats of military intervention has failed to induce regime change in Cuba, where the population continues to suffer from severe economic degradation and systemic inequality. In Colombia, voters face a deeply polarized presidential election, choosing between a hard-...

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What price victory? Ukraine on the front foot

27 May 2026
18m
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Ukraine’s battlefield momentum, driven by successful drone operations and high Russian attrition rates, masks deep-seated internal challenges, including political fractures, corruption, and the existential strain of a prolonged conflict. Simultaneously, the U.S. housing market remains gridlocked; high mortgage rates an...

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No big deal: murky Iran-war negotiations

26 May 2026
20m
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Negotiations between the United States and Iran remain stalled as both nations struggle to finalize an interim ceasefire agreement, despite significant pressure from global energy market volatility and domestic political concerns. Meanwhile, China’s major tech groups, including Alibaba and Tencent, are aggressively int...

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Pulp fiction v the classics: summer reading

25 May 2026
29m
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Escapist reading serves as a vital psychological release during holidays, challenging the rigid distinction between high-brow literature and commercial genre fiction. While literary snobbery often favors complex prose, the value of a book frequently lies in its ability to create an immersive world, whether through the ...

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Big boosts to fill: SpaceX’s giant IPO

22 May 2026
24m
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SpaceX aims to raise $75 billion in a historic IPO to fund its ambitious Starship development and Starlink expansion, betting on a future where space-based data centers revolutionize global computing. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s political appeal among young men is waning as practical economic pressures, such as inflation...

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The Peking order: Xi meets Putin after Trump

21 May 2026
20m
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China is positioning itself as the central power in global geopolitics by balancing its "no-limits" partnership with Russia against its relationship with the United States. While Russia relies heavily on Chinese economic and military support, China remains the dominant partner, as evidenced by its firm stance on energy...

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Bibi, one more time? Israel’s election launches

20 May 2026
20m
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Israel’s political landscape faces significant upheaval as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu confronts a potential election triggered by a dispute over military service exemptions for religious seminary students. Netanyahu’s future remains precarious, with the ongoing war in Gaza and unresolved questions regarding the ...

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Spread too thin: Africa’s next Ebola outbreak

19 May 2026
21m
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The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo presents a significant public health challenge, as the current strain lacks a known vaccine and the regional response faces critical resource shortages exacerbated by reduced international funding. While African institutions like the Africa CDC have gained soph...

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Equal before the law? Transitional justice in Syria

18 May 2026
24m
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Syria’s post-revolution justice system faces a critical test with the trial of Atif Najib, a former security chief and cousin of Bashar al-Assad, for his role in the 2011 Deraa crackdown. This legal proceeding highlights the challenges of transitioning from a regime-led judiciary to one capable of addressing war crimes...

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Top dog-whistler: Tommy Robinson and Britain’s far right

15 May 2026
24m
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Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist, leverages social media and international support to cultivate a "free-speech martyr" image, despite holding limited popularity among the British public. His ability to mobilize followers and influence political narratives persists even as mainstream politicians distance themselve...

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Fired alarm: AI hype versus labour-market history

14 May 2026
21m
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Technological advancements in artificial intelligence are fueling widespread anxiety about job displacement, yet historical precedents—such as the Industrial Revolution—suggest that labor markets adapt more gradually than current tech-sector rhetoric implies. Meanwhile, a geopolitical scramble for critical minerals is ...

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Duo’s lingo: what to watch for in Trump-Xi summit

13 May 2026
21m
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The upcoming US-China summit in Beijing marks a critical attempt to stabilize a volatile relationship, with both nations seeking to move beyond the brink of economic conflict and address trade imbalances. While expectations for a "grand bargain" remain low, the meeting focuses on trade agreements and potential cooperat...

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Apocalypse soon? AI could hasten bioweapons

12 May 2026
20m
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Artificial intelligence increasingly threatens global security by potentially lowering the barrier to developing biological weapons, though current models primarily assist experts rather than novices. Proactive regulatory guardrails remain essential to mitigate these evolving risks. Meanwhile, global stock markets demo...

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Keir hunters: will Britain’s PM go?

11 May 2026
20m
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Britain’s Labour Party faces a severe political crisis following catastrophic losses in local elections, leaving Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership in jeopardy as party members openly discuss potential successors. Simultaneously, global aviation faces significant instability as the conflict with Iran disrupts jet...

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Drone team: Russia’s plan to arm Iran

08 May 2026
27m
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Leaked Russian intelligence documents reveal a proposal to supply Iran with thousands of fiber-optic and satellite-guided drones, signaling a deepening military partnership aimed at countering American forces. These innovative weapons, particularly the unjammable fiber-optic drones, represent a significant escalation i...

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