The Economist Podcasts
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Checks and Balance: Seal the deal
The deal to raise America’s debt ceiling is finally done. The government will now be able to resume borrowing money to pay its bills, and avoid a default. The last-minute agreement will suspend the debt ceiling and flatten some categories of spending for two years, until after the next election. Why does America has this pointless, exhausting ritual? And how can Congress get rid of it?The Economist’s Simon Rabinovitch assesses the impact of the agreement. We go back to a …
League of her own: Sheikh Hasina’s grip on Bangladesh
Over two decades in office, the prime minister and her Awami League party have overseen impressive growth and reforms in a notoriously corrupt country—but that same firm hand may now be limiting Bangladesh’s progress. Our correspondent visits the frontier of a potentially transformative technology for reducing atmospheric carbon: direct air capture. And a listen to the astonishing boom in Spanish-language music.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going …
Money Talks: The great debt hangover
Decades of cheap money has left businesses in America and Europe addicted to debt. Some companies have been borrowing cash just to dole it out to shareholders. But with interest rates now reaching levels not seen in 15 years, those debt-drunk firms are waking up to the threat of a mighty hangover.On this week’s podcast, hosts Tom Lee-Devlin and Alice Fulwood ask if those firms can kick their debt habit. Goldman Sachs’ chief credit strategist, Lotfi Karoui, explains how companies …
On pain of death: Uganda’s anti-LGBT law
The country’s homophobes claim that homosexuality is a malign foreign import; in reality it was anti-LGBT groups from abroad who helped lay the ground for vicious new legislation. Starlink, a satellite-internet constellation, has given Ukraine a battlefield advantage; we ask why that has China’s army so concerned. And the unlikely resurgence of pinball, thanks to some canny marketing.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted …
Babbage: What if generative AI destroys biometric security?
Recent years have seen a boom in biometric security systems—identification measures based on a person’s individual biology—from unlocking smartphones, to automating border controls. As this technology becomes more prevalent, some cybersecurity researchers are worried about how secure biometric data is—and the risk of spoofs. If generative AI becomes so powerful and easy-to-use that deepfake audio and video could hack into our security systems, what can be done? Bruce Schneier, a security technologist at Harvard University and the author of “A …
Debtors’ prism: mounting crises of Africa’s loans
Many of the continent’s economies are hamstrung by debt—much of it held internationally. We look at the growing need for closer co-operation between China, Western creditors and multilateral institutions. A city on Ukraine’s front line has become an unlikely locus for love stories. And unpicking the link between workers’ productivity and their drugs of choice.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer Hosted on Acast. See …
Drum Tower: China’s LGBT crackdown
China’s gay communities are facing a campaign of repression. LGBT support groups are being closed down and pride events are being cancelled. The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, David Rennie, and senior China correspondent, Alice Su, discuss what the crackdown reveals about President Xi Jinping’s China. Darius Longarino of Yale Law School recalls the first time a marriage equality case came up in Chinese courts. And Raymond Phang, co-founder of Shanghai Pride, discusses why marginalised groups are seen as a national …
Cash out: the digital-payments revolution
The global digital-payments shift is more than just a matter of convenience. We examine the cashlessness push in different economies and potential effects on different currencies. The Golden Mile, a pioneering multi-purpose architectural experiment in Singapore, is crumbling. We discuss efforts to spare it from the wrecking ball. And a reading list to learn about, and from, history’s greatest hoaxes.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to …
Editor’s Picks: May 29th 2023
A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, why Donald Trump is very likely to be the Republican nominee for president, how to fix Britain’s National Health Service (09:55) and companies’ "away days" are getting unnecessarily creative (17:15).Please subscribe to The Economist for full access to print, digital and audio editions:www.economist.com/podcastoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Poor more years! Erdogan triumphs in Turkey
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has again retained the presidency. We ask how the best chance in a generation to unseat him came unstuck—and what to expect from an emboldened autocrat. South Korea’s suicide rates have turned a dark corner, with deaths among women driving rising numbers. And Paul Simon’s new album prompts a look at musical hits first conceived in dreams.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to …