Economist Podcasts

Songs of disenchantment: the sorrow of Nigeria

Nigeria is suffering a worsening security crisis, compounded by a lean harvest, global aid cuts and rising energy prices. So why is President Bola Tinubu likely to win Ja

Dunes and gloom: MBS’s annus horribilis

This week, Muhammad bin Salman, crown prince of Saudi Arabia, was forced to postpone his annual investment summit. His other big bets on the kingdom’s future are also flo

Cash test: can Europe support Ukraine alone?

Donald Trump’s administration is turning against Ukraine. But as European powers confront trouble at home, they are struggling to replace American support. Are US private

Disorder of magnitude: France’s riots

What started as student protests ballooned into national lawlessness. The disorder plays into the hands of France’s political extremes; expect more of it. In Zimbabwe whi

Independence eh? Canada’s referendum

The province of Alberta will vote on secession today. It is unlikely to go ahead, but the separatist vibe is just one of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s many headaches. Our

Schrödinger’s chat: can AI and scientists co-exist?

In recent weeks, AI has solved hundreds of previously unanswered maths problems. Our correspondents ask if machines can do the same in other areas of science and what rol

An interview with Alice Weidel

Under Alice Weidel’s leadership the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a right-wing populist party, has been riding high. A series of successes in state elections have brough

Who wants to be a millennial? Generation comeback

Their struggles to get jobs or buy homes once propelled political movements. Now many millennials are out-earning their parents and in positions of power. Our corresponde

Kicking Kyiv: Trump’s doubtful deals

Donald Trump claims to have brokered a deal to import Russian diesel and an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. As attacks on Kyiv continue, our deputy editor sa

Unrest in peace: misery in Gaza

A year ago Donald Trump created the Board of Peace to rebuild Gaza. Yet for many Palestinians, life is even harder, as the ceasefire is repeatedly violated, crime is risi

Saudi under siege: Houthis attack airport

This weekend, Yemeni rebels struck Saudi Arabia’s international airport in the deadliest attack on a Gulf Arab country since the Iran war began in February. Our correspon

Saving your bacon: healthy-eating policy evolves

Decades of messaging have not worked, so governments are trying new ways to get citizens to eat well, from scary labelling to taxing the junkiest foods. Will it work? The

Valley of the shadow of debt: bond-market jitters

Bond yields across the rich world keep ticking up. We take a global look at where the risks are mounting most, and just how much worry is warranted. What might have once

Gilets jeunes? France’s school protests

What started as a small protest about conditions of a school and of schooling has mushroomed, and tapped into national anxieties that may prove hard to tame. In the conte

House call: Spain’s snap election

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is gambling that anger about housing might solidify his mandate in a snap poll. Most probably it will instead add to the rightward shift in E

Here comes the son? Brazil’s election tips rightward

Flávio Bolsonaro, populist-right son of the imprisoned coup architect Jair, received the most votes in the presidential first round. We ask why Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,

Coffer stop: AI may shrink tax base

If Artificial Intelligence results in job losses or lower salaries, government revenues will fall. Our correspondent explains how best to tax the windfalls from AI. Paint

Trial and terror: Russia escalates Kyiv campaign

Russia has embarked on a new campaign to quell Ukraine, focused on supermarkets, playgrounds and other civilian targets. Our correspondent reports on the toll on daily li

Cheques and the City: Premier League disgrace

An independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of breaching over 100 rules. What penalty will the Premier League exact? Russia’s increasingly brazen attempts

Brazil rut: Lula v Bolsonaro, again

On October 4th, Brazil faces a polarising general election: re-elect the octogenarian incumbent or pick the son of a former president jailed for attempting a coup. In som