Economist Podcasts

4.3 (3.7K)
NEWS
UPDATED DAILY

Every weekday our global network of correspondents makes sense of the stories beneath the headlines. We bring you surprising trends and tales from around the world, current affairs, business and finance — as well as science and technology. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9H AGO

A house divided against itself: America simmers

Political assassinations. Troops on city streets. National protests. We examine the edgy mood inside America through the lens of past periods of intense, violent partisanship. Our correspondent sees two motives for the visit to Greenland by Emmanuel Macron, France’s president: one aimed at Donald Trump and another at Europe’s self-conception. And what AI learned from scans of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

24 min
20H AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Circuit breakers: how microwaves can knock drones out of the sky

The evolution of drone technology in warzones, such as Ukraine, is showing no signs of slowing. But as drones have become more capable, the traditional ways to bring them down—such as electronic jamming or physically firing shots at them—are becoming less effective. Engineers have therefore had to get creative. Several companies are dreaming up devices that emit microwave radiation with the aim of disabling the electronics of drones. Could they really protect people from the threats swarming in the skies above? Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Thomas Withington of RUSI; Andy Lowery of Epirus; The Economist’s Benjamin Sutherland. For more on Ukraine’s drone war, listen to “The Weekend Intelligence: Inside Operation Spider Web”. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

39 min
1D AGO

Confused unity: the mood in Iran

A sudden war made Iran’s leaders look unprepared. And many Iranians loathe the regime. But there are no signs yet that internal dissent will shape the conflict. Shortly after Nayib Bukele became El Salvador’s president, he was labelled as the world’s first millennial dictator; now he is going after his critics. And remembering Valmik Thapar, tireless campaigner for India’s tigers. Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23 min
1D AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Cash for kids: why China is paying women to have babies

China has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world. Meanwhile its population is getting older and its workforce is shrinking. By one estimate, China’s state pension will run out by 2035. This year, in a bid to get women to have more children, cash incentives and free preschool education were written into the Chinese Communist Party's annual work report. Rob Gifford, The Economist’s acting China editor, and Sarah Wu, our China correspondent based in Beijing, ask: why aren’t Chinese women having babies? And could paying them change that? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

27 min
2D AGO

Bunkers unbusted: Israel and Iran

So far, Israel’s strikes have not accomplished the stated mission of crippling Iran’s nuclear programme. A war of endurance will be decided by which side runs out of materiel first. South Asia has not been heating up as fast as other regions—thanks in part to its notorious pollution. And a close listen to the music-production genius of the late Brian Wilson. Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23 min
2D AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Culture: Show me the way

Culture is more than a mission statement. Bosses at successful organisations, including a Toyota plant in the middle of England, describe how they instil shared values up and down the business. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

32 min
2D AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Meet the boss: Robin Dunbar, evolutionary psychologist

How many meaningful relationships can anyone really maintain? Robin Dunbar, the man behind “Dunbar's number”, says humans work together best in groups of specific sizes. His findings have implications for how bosses organise teams, departments and whole companies. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

28 min
4D AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Weekend Intelligence: Inside Operation Spiderweb

We live in a time of rising conflict. The more war, the more creatively strategists push further, gain the upper hand, and pre-emptively strike. Leaving their enemies scrambling to work out what on earth happened and how to stop it happening again. And so it is with Ukraine. In early June the country’s intelligence network delivered a decisive blow, deep in Russian territory. Lorries carrying what appeared to be garden sheds suddenly opened, releasing drones, and destroying some of Russia’s most strategically important aircraft. Some eighteen months in the making, it was a piece of spycraft worthy of the history books. On this episode of The Weekend Intelligence Oliver Carroll, our Ukraine correspondent, and Shashank Joshi, our defence correspondent, take us into the heart of the shadowy spy agency behind this incredible mission. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

36 min

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Get a daily burst of illumination from The Economist’s worldwide network of correspondents. Our reporters dig past the headlines to get to the stories beneath—and to stories that aren’t making headlines, but should be. A unique perspective on the issues and events shaping your world. Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ at http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our FAQs page at https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts

4.5 (2363)

DAILY NEWS
The best bosses create systems for solving problems old and new—from navigating working-from-home demands to hiring the right people, from running good meetings to managing themselves. Andrew Palmer, author of the Bartleby column, looks for advice on how to be a better boss by talking to people who have actually done the job. Listen to The Economist's seven-episode guide for managers. Episodes are out on Mondays. If you're not already a subscriber to The Economist, sign up for our podcast subscription, Economist Podcasts+ at economist.com/podcastsplus.

4.6 (72)

MANAGEMENT
The World in Brief tells you what’s on the global agenda in the coming day, what to look out for in business, finance and politics and, most importantly, what to make of it. Economist Podcasts+ subscribers and digital subscribers to The Economist should log in at economist.com/audio/podcasts/the-world-in-brief for access to the full World in Brief. Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ here: www.economist.com/podcastsplus-worldinbrief. For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our FAQs page here https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts.

4.1 (1010)

DAILY NEWS
A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It already rivals the size of the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more powerful. The Economist’s Sue-Lin Wong follows a trail that starts with the collapse of a bank in rural Kansas to uncover a global, underground scam economy built around human trafficking, corruption and money laundering. Can it be stopped? To listen to the full series subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

4.7 (226)

BUSINESS
Take a seat at the table and learn about the biggest stories in financial markets, the economy and business. Each week our editors and correspondents explore how economics influences the world we live in and share their insights across a range of topics. From inflation and recession risk to all things crypto and even the commercial success of K-pop, we have you covered. Published every Thursday. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our FAQs page at https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts.

4.3 (908)

BUSINESS NEWS
Checks and Balance unlocks American politics by taking a big theme each week and digging into the data, the ideas, and the history shaping the country. Join John Prideaux, Charlotte Howard, Idrees Kahloon and Jon Fasman as they talk to politicians, pollsters, academics and people across the country about the great experiment of American democracy. Published every Friday. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our FAQs page here https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts.

4.5 (1402)

POLITICS

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4.3

out of 5

3,710 Ratings

Bring Jon Fasman back

Feb 24

lifeisgood001

Checks and Balances isn’t what it once was without Jon Fasman. Idriss’ smug attitude is unwelcome. I missed Jon Fasman as soon as he left, but especially since Elon took over the treasury payment systems three weeks ago, Idriss didn’t indicate that his pulse was elevated in the slightest. As we endure a power grab in America and are losing what’s best about our values as a nation, we need Jon Fasman back with us.
Wack.

May 21

SamMartTX

For “economists” you’re incredibly biased. It’s as if Hamas reporting lower numbers because they are guilty of sacrificing their own men, women, and children isn’t incredibly obvious and well reported. Y’all don’t even question it as a factor, it’s so weird to me. Especially as economists, ya’ll do more political finger pointing than deciphering the data….which is not what economics is about.
Checks and balance

May 2

Mitko Y

Checks and balance missing from podcast feed. Started happening around 4/18/25. Why is that?
Where’s Checks & Balance

Apr 26

No DRM

Why is Checks and Balance no longer part of this podcast feed?

Every weekday our global network of correspondents makes sense of the stories beneath the headlines. We bring you surprising trends and tales from around the world, current affairs, business and finance — as well as science and technology. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.