Publisher's summary

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.

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Copyright © The Economist Newspaper Limited 2023. All rights reserved.
Episodes
  • On goal difference: are America and Israel diverging on Iran?
    Mar 25 2026

    In the daily tea leaves one might read that President Donald Trump would prefer a deal with Iran to a continuing military campaign. Where would that leave Israel and its goals? Cryptocurrencies have gained a particular foothold in Asian economies; will they become real financial infrastructure or just tools of fraud? And tracing the history of mafias through the ages.


    Guests and host:

    • Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent
    • Sue-Lin Wong, Asia correspondent
    • Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent
    • Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
    • Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”


    Topics covered:

    • Iran war, Israel, America
    • cryptocurrency, Asia
    • mafias, crime families, history


    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.

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    24 mins
  • (Another) all-out war: Afghanistan and Pakistan
    Mar 24 2026

    Air strikes and border raids have turned cross-border tensions into hot conflict. We ask what raised the temperature, and whether the Iran war may act to lower it. Meanwhile that war’s oil shock brings with it fears of rising inflation; we examine how recent disruptions might inform policy decisions. And “listening parties”, once for music-industry insiders, are becoming the norm.


    Guests and host:

    • Tom Sasse, south Asia bureau chief
    • Joshua Roberts, capital markets correspondent
    • Caitlin Talbot, digital culture correspondent
    • Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”


    Topics covered:

    • Afghanistan, Taliban, Pakistan, TTP
    • Iran war, oil shock, inflation
    • music, albums, listening parties


    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.

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    20 mins
  • From bad to awful: Trump’s four options in Iran
    Mar 23 2026

    As the war in Iran progresses, none of the options available to Donald Trump looks good. We examine each of them. Thailand’s Buddhist monks are implicated in lots of lawless and dodgy behaviour—but clearing out the bad apples is more complicated than it seems. And gene-editing comes to the fruit bowl: we look at what science is serving up next.


    Guests and host:

    • Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent
    • Alizée Jean-Baptiste, Asia senior podcasts producer
    • Maria Lisik, news editor
    • Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
    • Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”


    Topics covered:

    • Iran war, Donald Trump
    • Thailand, Buddhist monks
    • gene-editing, fruit


    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.

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    23 mins
All stars
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Like objective reports economics in different regions such as Europe, US and Asian countries. Don’t like politics as much.

Business report

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A really outstandingly produced podcast series that will appeal to any China watcher or anyone interested in the world’s most populous country as we enter an even more turbulent middle part of the 2020s.

As great as it is, still so many open questions…

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audible consolidates for ease of use. keeps me awake at work with no data streaming issues

#1 news like nyt+wsj+more

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Babbage, from The Economist, exemplifies the thoughtful weekly selection, and deep but brief treatment, of important (but not necessarily headline pounding) science topics. Check out 2020's detailed treatment of viruses and how they have influenced evolution and history through the millennia.

Babbage is indispensable and irreplaceable.

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this is an excellent podcast about life and politics in modern China. I like it

drum tower

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