French anti-foreign legion: an EU-election shock

2024-06-07

When Russia attacked the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine a year ago, lives were lost, families stranded and towns submerged. But from that devastation emerged discussion on post-war reconstruction (https://www.economist.com/interactive/europe/2024/06/05/russias-explosion-of-a-huge-ukrainian-dam-had-surprising-effects). Our correspondent spent months investigating Narendra Modi (https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/the-modi-raj), the strongman who was humbled at this week’s Indian election (10:02). And remembering Barry Kemp (https://www.economist.com/obituary/2024/06/06/barry-kemp-spent-his-career-digging-up-akhenatens-abandoned-city), the Egyptologist who dug up Akhenaten’s abandoned city (17:18).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and

2024-06-06

As Britain’s general-election campaign heats up, party leaders are vague on their economic plans (https://www.economist.com/britain/2024/06/03/can-britains-economy-grow-as-fast-as-it-needs-to). With growth so slow, how could the victor energise the economy? We visit the D-day beaches 80 years on, as war rages in Europe once again (10:19). And Venice’s new daytripper fee (https://www.economist.com/culture/2024/05/13/venices-new-admission-fee-cannot-curb-overtourism) is designed to curb crowds. But putting a price on protecting beauty is proving controversial (17:42).

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ (https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus)

For more information about how to access

2024-05-31

In 2022 the Supreme Court gave control of abortion back to “the people and their elected representatives.” This November will be the greatest test yet of what that means. Democrats are running hard on the issue (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/05/30/the-pro-choice-movement-that-could-help-joe-biden-win?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=checksandbalance&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) and as many as 16 states will vote directly on abortion. A grassroots movement

2024-02-16

Alexei Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition leader, has died in a penal colony near the Arctic Circle, according to the Russian prison service. Listen to this excerpt on Navalny’s life and career from our podcast series “Next Year in Moscow”.

Original podcast: Producers: Sam Colbert, Pete Naughton, Ksenia Barakovskaya, Lika Kremer; Sound design: Weidong Lin; Original music: Darren Ng; Executive producer: John Shields.

00:00 – Alexei Navalny has died
01:14 – Navalny’s poisoning
07:26 – Returning to Russia
11:40 – His political work
18:50 – Navalny’s prison sentence
21:27 – Alexei Navalny’s legacy

Sign up to The Economist’s daily newsletter: https://econ.st/3QAawvI

Obit: Alexei Navalny didn’t just defy Putin—he showed up his depravity:
https://econ.st/3OMDcmq

Read our 2020

2024-02-13

Prabowo Subianto, the frontrunner in Indonesia’s election, hides a dark past. He has been accused of war crimes, overseeing the abduction of democracy activists and falsely declaring victory in two elections. Who is Prabowo and what does this election mean for the most powerful nation in South-East Asia?

00:00 – Who is Prabowo?
00:41 – Prabowo’s attitude to democracy
01:23 – What does this election mean for Indonesia?

Sign up to The Economist’s daily newsletter: https://econ.st/3QAawvI

Who will be the next leader of Indonesia? – Indonesian election tracker: https://econ.st/3UBiBoW

A controversial general looks likely to be Indonesia’s next leader: https://econ.st/49ApJGB

Five reasons why Indonesia’s election matters: https://econ.st/48tN3F7

The favourite in Indonesia’s

2024-02-08

Things look bleak in the Middle East after Binyamin Netanyahu scorned America’s push for an end to the fighting. But in private he’s said to be more flexible. Could diplomacy actually work?

00:00 – The Saudi normalisation deal
00:42 – Israel and Saudi Arabia’s history
01:10 – How to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
02:26 – Will the deal happen?

Sign up to The Economist’s daily newsletter: https://econ.st/3QAawvI

To read more on the conflict, visit our Israel and Hamas hub: https://econ.st/3HPfwtU

Israel scorns America’s unprecedented peace plan: https://econ.st/3SO4knJ

How to end the Middle East’s agony: https://econ.st/3OCHrRw

Listen to our podcast on Antony Blinken: the hardest working man in diplomatic business: https://econ.st/3OyKkCQ

America’s shuttle diplomacy to

2024-01-04

A new wave of artificial intelligence is starting to transform the way the entertainment industry operates. Who will be the winners and losers?

01:07 AI is changing the music business
04:09 How big data revolutionised entertainment industries
05:20 Can AI predict a film’s success?
09:26 How generative AI is creating new opportunities
12:36 What are the risks of generative AI?

Sign up to The Economist’s daily newsletter: https://econ.st/45PGz1H

The world wants to regulate AI, but does not quite know how: https://econ.st/477Qb98

Watch our previous film about how AI is transforming the creative industries: https://econ.st/45VBnJU

A battle royal is brewing over copyright and AI: https://econ.st/3QgM5EZ

How AI could change computing, culture and the course of history