- 23 minutesTaking the shine off: albedo and global temperatures
Fewer clouds, shrinking ice caps, changing pollutants: all result in less of the sun’s energy being reflected back into space. Which is more bad news for a changing climate. Our correspondent explains why so much more of the world’s cocaine is passing through west Africa. And the data that reveal Americans’ discomfort about wives earning more than their husbands.
Guests and host:
- Oliver Morton, planetary-affairs editor
- Ọrẹ Ogunbiyi, Africa correspondent
- Doug Dowson, data journalist
- Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- climate change, albedo, global temperatures
- Africa, cocaine, smuggling
- wage equality, gender pay gap
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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5 August 2026, 10:26 am - 21 minutes 22 secondsIn arms’ way: Gaza-deal sticking points
President Donald Trump’s claim that Hamas had agreed to disarm in Gaza was, at best, premature. We examine the sticking points of a lasting deal. New-business applications are on a tear in America. We ask why so many people are working for themselves—but not doing much hiring. And the enduring popularity of radio in Africa, aided rather than degraded by social media.
Guests and host:
- Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent
- Shera Avi-Yonah, business correspondent
- William Finlator, contributor to The Economist
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Board of Peace
- American business, entrepreneurship
- Africa, media, radio
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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4 August 2026, 10:30 am - 24 minutes 17 secondsTaken littorally: Spain’s sudden crisis in Ceuta
The deadly rush of migrants into the Spanish exclave has deep roots in a wider North African conflict—and implications for a far wider European fight about immigration. Our India columnist presents an incomplete list of falling objects as a way to examine public-safety failures. And a data dive that reveals how AI writing is forever shifting.
Guests and host:
- Michael Reid, Spain correspondent and writer at large
- Leo Mirani, Ashoka columnist
- Caitlin Talbot, digital culture correspondent
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Ceuta, migration, Spain, EU, Schengen
- India, public safety
- AI writing, waning human primacy
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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3 August 2026, 10:44 am - 25 minutes 39 secondsOmission accomplished: why the Iran-war cycle spins on
From impasse in Iran to still-unresolved conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, a trend is clear: President Donald Trump’s scant, early plans for peace do not actually forge a path to it. Our correspondent says that in the driverless-car future, it will often be Chinese AI behind the wheel. And remembering Wally Funk, who never relinquished her ambition to become an astronaut.
Watch extended clips from Insider, plus our full Elon Musk interview, here
Guests and host:
- Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent
- Don Weinland, China business and finance editor
- Ann Wroe, obituaries editor
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Iran war, Strait of Hormuz, diplomacy
- China, AI, driverless cars
- Wally Funk, astronauts
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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31 July 2026, 10:37 am - 25 minutes 8 secondsWorking memory: the surprising decline of dementia
A dive into the data reveals that, despite dire past predictions, the prevalence of dementia is actually waning. We take a look at Pix, a beloved Brazilian digital-payments system, and why it so bothers President Donald Trump. And we attend one of the concerts that reveals how the appeal of emo music is holding strong across generations.
Guests and host:
- Jonathan Rosenthal, international correspondent
- Carla Subirana, news editor
- Sarah Lawrynuik, deputy editor of “The Intelligence”
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- dementia, global health statistics, ageing
- Brazil, Pix, payment systems, Donald Trump
- emo music, My Chemical Romance
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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30 July 2026, 10:10 am - 20 minutes 27 secondsBrave New whirl: Turkey’s opposition overhaul
An ousted former opposition leader started a new party—called the New Party. We assess its chances at the ballot box, and under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s thumb. A surrogacy scandal in Germany has prompted a government reshuffle, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz left holding the proverbial baby. And how traditional career advice is falling short for Gen Z.
Guests and host:
- Piotr Zalewski, Turkey correspondent
- Vendeline von Bredow, senior Germany correspondent
- Tom Wainwright, culture correspondent
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Turkish politics, New Party, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
- German politics, Jens Spahn, Friedrich Merz
- Gen Z, careers
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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29 July 2026, 9:27 am - 24 minutes 17 secondsBurning questions: a more fire-prone world
Wildfires in France and Spain are only growing worse by the day. We examine what can be done as a future of more fires, and worse ones, becomes more assured. A dig into data on women at work shows several indicators starting to move in the wrong direction. And the American cities rethinking how to handle their after-dark economies.
Guests and host:
- Oliver Morton, planetary affairs editor
- Vinjeru Mkandawire, Britain correspondent
- Daniella Raz, US corespondent
- Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- fires, France, Spain, fire ecology
- women in the workplace, equality
- America, night-time economy
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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28 July 2026, 10:04 am - 22 minutes 34 secondsCockroaches 1, Modi 0: India’s remarkable protests
The resignation of India’s education minister was a stunning capitulation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The Cockroach Janta Party, a fast-growing youth movement, has the upper hand for now. So-called macro trading is hard: even with advance knowledge of events, neither man nor machine seems to make much money. And hunting the mosaics of Invader, an anonymous French street artist.
Guests and host:
- Kira Huju, Asia correspondent
- Joshua Roberts, capital markets correspondent
- Caitlin Talbot, digital culture correspondent
- Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- India, Cockroach Janta Party, protest, Narendra Modi
- macro trading, retail investing
- Invader, Flashinvader, street art
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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27 July 2026, 10:12 am - 27 minutes 42 secondsThe Elon game: Musk’s vision of the future
After Elon Musk’s first extended interview since SpaceX’s blockbuster IPO, The Economist editor-in-chief reflects on what he told her: that AIs will be in charge in ten years, his dark view of Europe and the inevitably of civil war in Britain. At what age is a child responsible for their crimes? And remembering Mona Khalil, Lebanese protector of turtles.
Watch extended clips from Elon Musk on “Insider” here
Guests and host:
- Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist
- Maighna Nanu, editor of foreign newsletters
- Ann Wroe, obituaries editor
- Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Elon Musk, AI, killer robots, far right, The Insider
- child criminals, criminal responsibility, gangs
- Mona Khalil, Lebanon, turtles, conservation
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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24 July 2026, 11:17 am - 1 hour 20 minutesAn interview with Elon Musk
Elon Musk may be the most powerful man in the world. For his first extended interview since SpaceX’s blockbuster IPO, he sits down with Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, for The Insider, our video show for premium subscribers. They discuss the timeline for AI overtaking human intelligence, the rapid progress of China, the reasons for his interest in Europe and why he thinks he “got a little too involved” in politics.
Watch the full show—and sign up to the Insider newsletter.
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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23 July 2026, 5:28 pm - 25 minutes 10 secondsFor bucks’ sake: the rise of self-made billionaires
Many people, including politicians, love to hate the super-rich, and assume they have gamed the system. Yet our correspondent reports that a growing share of today’s wealthiest earned their money providing goods and services we all want. A new crackdown on scam compounds in Cambodia. And lessons from the ultimate political animal, Downing Street’s Larry the Cat.
Watch “The Insider” interview with Elon Musk from 6pm BST, 1pm EST.
Listen to our podcast series “Scam Inc”.
Guests and host:
- Callum Williams, senior economics writer
- Sue-Lin Wong, Asia correspondent
- Chris Impey, co-editor of “The Intelligence”
- Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Billionaires, Elon Musk, Lionel Messi, Taylor Swift
- Scams, scam compounds, Cambodia
- Larry the Cat, Andy Burnham, Downing Street
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.
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