Tim Cook is stepping down after overseeing 15 years of spectacular growth. We take a look at his successor. Japan’s rural women are disproportionately heading to cities, and their home towns are working hard to lure them back. And a historical examination of boredom, and why Britons have perhaps less of it than they should.

Guests and host:

• Tom Lee-Devlin, business editor
• Moeka Iida, Japan reporter
• Catherine Nixey, culture correspondent
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Apple, technology, CEO, John Ternus
• Japan, demographics
• Britain, boredom

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This week’s peace talks are endangered after American forces fired on and boarded a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. We visit Chernobyl’s ruined reactor to assess the damage done by a Russian drone to its enormous safety structure. The likes of McDonald’s and KFC have long been in China’s cities; now they are expanding at pace in the countryside.

Guests and host:

• Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent
• Sarah  Lawrynuik, deputy editor of “The Intelligence”
• Don Weinland, China business and finance editor
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Iran war, Strait of Hormuz
• Chernobyl, Ukraine war
• China, fast food

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When America seized Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro in January, it left the rest of his regime intact. Three months on, our correspondent finds optimism and some loosening of repression. Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado fled to America, now she explains her ambitions for the country. And celebrating the life of Nick Pope, who spent decades investigating UFOs.

Guests and host:

• Kinley Salmon, Latin America correspondent
• Ann Wroe, obituaries editor
• Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Venezuela, oil, Maduro, Trump
• María Corina Machado, elections
• Nick Pope, UFOs, aliens, NASA

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After six weeks of Israel’s offensive against Hizbullah, Lebanon’s president and Israel’s prime minister are due to talk today. What can they achieve? Britain’s “triple lock” pensions are unsustainable. And Uzbekistan’s footballers prepare for the World Cup.

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Guests and host:

• Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent
• Josh Roberts, capital markets correspondent
• Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent
• Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Israel, Lebanon, Hizbullah, Netanyahu
• State pension, Britain, triple lock, inflation
• World Cup, Uzbekistan

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The Iran conflict and blockades in the Strait of Hormuz are slowing supply not just of fuel, but food and fertiliser. Geophysics could worsen the approaching hunger crisis: an El Niño weather event is predicted for this year. Anti-conversion laws are resulting in horrific scenes at Christian burial sites in India. And why Britain’s vets are struggling.

Guests and host:

• Catherine Brahic, environment editor
• Avantika Chilkoti, global business writer
• Kira Huju, Asia correspondent
• Carla Subirana, news desk editor
• Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Iran conflict, oil, food crisis, fertilisers, El Niño
• India, Hindu nationalism, Christian conversions, Modi
• Britain, pets, vets

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After the failure of talks at the weekend, America is now stopping all ships from using Iranian ports and coastal areas. Our correspondent analyses the rationale. Burkina Faso’s government is committing war crimes. And which type of fizzy water tastes best?

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Guests and host:

• Shashank Joshi, defence editor
• Tom Gardner, Africa correspondent
• Jon Fasman, senior culture writer
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• America, Iran, blockade, Strait of Hormuz, oil
• Burkina Faso, Sahel, jihad, Ibrahim Traoré
• Sparkling water, fizzy drinks, alcohol

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In a momentous election, Viktor Orban has lost power in Hungary after 16 years of increasingly autocratic rule. Our correspondent explains how the country’s opposition led by Peter Magyar ousted a corrupt regime. Why cows in Britain are producing too much milk. And celebrating the giant rat that helped sniff out landmines in Cambodia.  

Guests and host:

• Matt Steinglass, Europe editor
• Harry Taunton, Britain writer
• Vishnu Padmanabhan, Asia correspondent
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Hungary, Viktor Orban, Peter Magyar, populism
• Dairy farming, cows, milk, wellness
• Cambodia, landmines, Magawa, heroRats

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Also on the daily podcast: what the Artemis Moon mission really accomplished and remembering a brave Soviet psychiatrist

SHOW-NOTES TEXT  (60ish wds)

Binyamin Netanyahu says his strikes against Hizbullah are separate from the Iran-war ceasefire. That assertion is putting cracks in the deal, and in Israel’s relationship with America. We look at the stated and the unstated goals of the Artemis mission to the Moon—both achieved. And a tribute to Semyon Gluzman, who exposed the Soviet ruse of labelling dissidents as mental-health cases.

Guests and host:

• Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent
• Oliver Morton, senior editor
• Ann Wroe, obituaries editor
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Israel, Iran war, Lebanon, America
• Artemis mission, NASA, Moon
• Semyon Gluzman, Soviet Union, psychiatry

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President Donald Trump has long threatened to pull America out of the alliance. We examine why the Iran war has made this time look significantly more serious. Westerners are fleeing their countries in record numbers—with economic consequences for their origins and destinations. And our series profiling the countries contesting the World Cup starts with Spain.  

Guests and host:

• Anton La Guardia, diplomatic editor
• Callum Williams, senior economics writer
• Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• NATO, war in Iran, Donald Trump, Mark Rutte
• expats, emigration, economics
• World Cup, Spain

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With little time to spare before a threatened civilisation-ending attack, America agreed a pause in fighting with Iran. We ask how the temporary deal was reached and how likely a permanent one is. China has an ever-expanding, state-led IVF programme: can that actually reverse a deepening demographic crisis? And the right way to think about AI’s entry into literature. 

Guests and host:

• Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent
• Carla Subirana, news editor
• Andrew Miller, special correspondent
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Iran war, Donald Trump, ceasefire
• China, demographics, IVF
• AI, literature

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President Donald Trump’s rhetoric has grown yet more bellicose—and sweary. His stated ploy to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants would be ruinous for Iran, and Iran’s planned retaliation ruinous for the region. AI-driven job losses predicted for India’s IT sector are looking more likely to be job gains. And why Gen Z is taking up boomers’ hobbies.  

Guests and host:

• Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent
• Gavin Jackson, South Asia business and economics correspondent
• Caitlin Talbot, digital culture correspondent
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Iran war, America
• India, IT work, AI
• Gen Z, hobbies

Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

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