Who controls the West Bank?

2025-01-10

Elon Musk has taken an abiding interest in Britain, and a hard line against its prime minister. It reveals a division (https://www.economist.com/britain/2025/01/09/what-elon-musks-tweets-about-sex-abuse-reveal-about-british-politics?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) within British politics that may hold lessons for elsewhere. Our series The World Ahead concludes by assessing Europe’s security challenges (https://www.economist.com/the-world-ahead/2024/11/20/the-uncertain-outlook-for-european-security?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners)

2025-01-07

In the end Justin Trudeau could not resist the internal pressure. We ask why the liberal standard-bearer got pushed out (https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2025/01/06/justin-trudeau-leaves-a-wrecked-party-and-divided-canada?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners), and what comes next. Ten years after (https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/01/04/ten-years-after-the-charlie-hebdo-massacre-satire-is-under-siege?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) terrorists raided the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical French newspaper, our correspondent

2024-12-31

In some places, votes resulted in political chaos; in others they showed a promising shift away from identity politics. Our deputy editor looks back on 2024’s pile of polls. Looking ahead, we examine the Chinese cities (https://www.economist.com/the-world-ahead/2024/11/20/which-are-chinas-cities-of-the-future?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) that will come into their own in 2025 (11:36). And the changing economics

2024-12-26

Some people read books to escape. Others turn to them for instruction. As the new year looms, our correspondents – and listeners – consider which titles can help forecast what’s coming next. Picks include “Rainbows End” by Vernor Vinge, “Nuclear War” by Annie Jacobsen, “Not the End of the World” by Hannah Richie and “Orbital” by Samantha Harvey.

This is a full list of the books mentioned in the show:

“Rainbow’s End, A Deepness in the Sky and A Fire upon the Deep” by Vernor Vinge
“Ageless” by Andrew Steele
“War” by Bob Woodward
“Nuclear War: A Scenario” by Annie Jackobson
“1984” by George Orwell
“On Freedom and On Tyranny” by Timothy Snyder
“A Psalm for the Wild-Built” by Becky Chambers
“Qualityland” from Marc-Uwe Kling
“Ministry of the Future” by Kim Stanley Robinson
“Severance” by

2024-11-01

Our series concludes with an examination of the state with the most electoral-college votes: Pennsylvania. It is practically a must-win (https://www.economist.com/united-states/2024/09/19/pennsylvania-the-crucial-battleground-in-americas-election?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) for either candidate—and it is on a knife-edge. As more and more people become influencers, fame is becoming more fickle and the entire economics of influencers is shifting

2024-10-29

Americans have the lowest confidence of all G7 countries in their national institutions. With a pivotal election looming, this is deeply worrying. Our social affairs editor explains why.

America’s trust in its institutions has collapsed: https://econ.st/3NFgufl
Our presidential forecast: https://econ.st/4eYYlox
Sign up to The US in brief: https://econ.st/3UtTB2i
Sign up to our daily newsletter: https://econ.st/4gyhHCm

2024-09-06

Two months ago, French politics was thrown into crisis after a snap election left no party with a clear majority. Michel Barnier (https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/09/05/turmoil-awaits-michel-barnier-frances-new-prime-minister?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners), the new prime minister, has a huge task ahead. Donald Trump’s campaign took time to adjust to the nomination of Kamala Harris. Now he’s on the attack

2024-08-29

The American chip designer has become one of the world’s most valuable companies on the back of the AI revolution. But there are some contradictions in Nvidia’s plans for the future (https://www.economist.com/business/2024/08/26/what-could-stop-the-nvidia-frenzy?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners). California’s iconic Highway 1 is under threat (https://www.economist.com/interactive/united-states/2024/07/30/the-demise-of-an-iconic-american-highway?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) (10:46). And why Europeans are spurning nudity