Come on out, the vacuum’s fine: SpaceX

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

2024-08-15

Donald Trump is a fan of nuclear weapons. If he were to win the 2024 election he would make nuclear deterrence even more unstable

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US election coverage: https://www.economist.com/us-election-2024

America prepares for a new nuclear arms race: https://econ.st/4csgSYy

A new era of nuclear uncertainty: https://econ.st/4dJX8Rk

What would nuclear war in the 21st century look like?: https://econ.st/3X0XJse

1843: Inside a nuclear-power station on Ukraine’s front line: https://econ.st/4dIfjql

Beware a world without American power: https://econ.st/3WJu31i

2024-08-13

Corporate investment in artificial-intelligence infrastructure reaches $1.4trn by some estimates. We ask what might threaten (https://www.economist.com/business/2024/07/28/what-could-kill-the-1trn-artificial-intelligence-boom?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 expected windfalls that justify the spending. A Japanese mine’s bid to be listed by UNESCO was made harder because it ignores South Korean wartime forced labour (10:49). And why a nicotine pouch

2024-08-05

Unrest across the country has been driven in part by the provably false claims of right-wing provocateurs. We examine the real concerns underlying the violence, and how to end it swiftly (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/08/04/how-to-respond-to-the-riots-on-britains-streets?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). Japanese politics had until recently been anachronistically tame; not so now that the social-media populists have arrived

2024-08-01

00:00 – The world’s most important prisoner
00:12 – Barghouti’s beginnings
01:10 – The Oslo Accords and diplomacy
02:04 – Political rise
03:20 – Imprisonment and Palestinian politics
04:18 – Barghouti’s influence today

Marwan Barghouti is the only Palestinian who could help end the conflict with Israel. But he’s been in prison for over 20 years.

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

More from our Middle East & Africa section: https://econ.st/3LO0aI9

The world’s most important prisoner: https://econ.st/4dnizY3

Listen: who is Marwan Barghout?: https://econ.st/4d3rYV2

Is the Palestinian state a fantasy?: https://econ.st/4fr2Ysm

A post-war Gaza: https://econ.st/3LLpNJA

The world court says Israel’s occupation is illegal: https://econ.st/46xJ7DW

2024-07-24

From tunnels to tanks to drones, Gaza’s horrors provide object lessons in urban warfare. We ask what Western forces will be learning (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/07/18/to-see-the-future-of-urban-warfare-look-at-gaza?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) about their own future conflicts. Silicon Valley types may relish (https://www.economist.com/business/2024/07/17/tech-bros-love-jd-vance-many-ceos-are-scared-stiff?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 prospect of J. D. Vance, a former tech investor, becoming