The battle to stop clever people betting

2025-12-08

Since the ceasefire in Gaza was announced, nothing has been done to rebuild the devastated territory. Our Middle East editor, Josie Delap, looks at how much reconstruction could cost, and who might foot the bill.

2025-12-01

Looking for a Christmas present for a bookworm in your life? Rachel Lloyd, our deputy culture editor, shares five of our favourite non-fiction books of 2025.

2025-11-21

Nicolas Pelham, our Middle East correspondent, and Adam Roberts, our digital editor, are just back from a rare reporting trip to Tehran. They join our top editors in the studio to discuss the future of the Islamic Republic. After 46 years of theocracy and a brief but bruising 12-day-war, where does power now lie? And with the prospects of a succession crisis, has Iran been permanently weakened—or is it storing up trouble?

00:00 – Has Iran’s defence strategy failed?
01:09 – Who could be the next supreme leader?
03:51 – Can the regime survive for another five years?
04:59 – How Iranian society is changing
06:21 – What could prevent the opening of Iranian society

Watch the full show: https://econ.st/4r9mmzX

An interview with Iran’s foreign minister: https://econ.st/43HWDEL

2025-10-15

Do red-light masks actually work? Our senior audio producer, Sarah Lawrynuik, and Jason Palmer, co-host of The Intelligence podcast, discuss whether the self care product can actually help combat signs of ageing in our skin.

0:00: What are red light masks supposed to do?
1:50: Are they worth the hype or just marketing?
3:01: How do we know that they actually work?
3:51: How do you use them as part of your skincare routine?

#TheEconomist #Skincare #Redlightmasks

Listen to the full episode: https://econ.st/494fIUX
Are red-light face masks worth the hype?: https://econ.st/3KMPe0c
Sign up to our weekly newsletter: https://econ.st/3J0xzBr
Read more of our Well informed columns: https://econ.st/3KWiUYJ

2025-10-10

As celebrations continue over the ceasefire in Gaza, a number of crucial questions remain: will Hamas give up its weapons? How will the transitional authority work? And what does this mean on the ground for Gazans? The Economist’s editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, sat down with the paper’s experts to discuss the merits and pitfalls of Trump’s plan.

Watch the full discussion here: https://econ.st/4obWt04

2025-08-21

90m people in Nigeria don’t have access to electricity. The Economist’s Africa correspondent, Ore Ogunbiyi, explains why Nigeria has more people without electricity than any other country

2025-08-14

Vladimir Putin will meet Donald Trump in Alaska to discuss peace in Ukraine—without Volodymyr Zelensky at the table.

Trump has floated “land swaps”—trading Ukrainian territory for peace.

But frontline soldiers have told our Ukraine correspondent, Oliver Carroll, that they will never accept a territorial concession, leaving Zelensky caught between the hardline stance of his troops and Washington’s shifting demands.

#warinukraine #zelensky #donaldtrump #Putin #ukraine

2025-08-11

McKinsey, the consulting giant, is approaching its centenary, but growth has slowed and rivals are closing in. Jason Palmer, co-host of The Intelligence podcast, and Tom Lee-Devlin, our business editor, explore whether this industry titan can stay top dog.

00:00 – Has McKinsey lost its shine?
00:40 – What is happening at McKinsey?
01:09 – How did McKinsey grow in the past?
02:08 – How does McKinsey compare to BCG?
03:05 – Why are McKinsey struggling?
04:17 – Could AI be a threat to consultancy?
05:25 – How could AI change the industry?
06:33 – What will be the long-term impacts of AI for McKinsey?

Listen to the full episode: https://econ.st/4lfnk9L
How McKinsey lost its edge: https://econ.st/4m75B5m
McKinsey and its peers need a new strategy. And some humility: https://econ.st/4mCrE40