Burning questions: a more fire-prone world

Omission accomplished: why the Iran-war cycle spins on

From impasse in Iran [https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/07/28/new-strikes-in-iran-show-the-weakness-of-donald-trumps-deal?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] 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 [https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/07/23/can-china-dominate-ai-exports-too?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]. And remembering Wally Funk [https://www.economist.com/obituary/2026/07/23/wally-funk-was-told-women-couldnt-be-astronauts?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], who never relinquished her ambition to become an astronaut.  Watch extended clips from Insider, plus our full Elon Musk interview, here [https://www.economist.com/interactive/insider/previews?utm_campaign=a.brand_fy2627_q1_awareness-imp-tr_prospecting_global-global_direct_na&utm_medium=audio.podcast.pd&utm_source=economist&utm_content=discovery.awareness.anonymous.tr_nativeread_np-tiinsider-apr_na-na_web_na_na_na_na&utm_term=sa.arc-isi]  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 [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Working memory: the surprising decline of dementia

A dive into the data reveals that, despite dire past predictions, the prevalence of dementia is actually waning [https://www.economist.com/briefing/2026/07/09/how-dementia-is-being-defeated?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]. We take a look at Pix, a beloved Brazilian digital-payments system, and why it so bothers [https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2026/07/19/brazils-beloved-payments-system-has-drawn-donald-trumps-ire?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] President Donald Trump. And we attend one of the concerts that reveals how the appeal of emo music is holding strong [https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/07/16/emo-culture-was-not-just-a-phase-as-it-turns-out?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] 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 [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Brave 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 [https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/07/23/a-surrogacy-scandal-throws-germanys-conservatives-into-turmoil?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] in Germany has prompted a government reshuffle, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz left holding the proverbial baby. And how traditional career advice is falling short [https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/07/23/why-traditional-career-advice-is-failing-gen-z?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] 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 [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Burning 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 [https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/07/05/womens-progress-at-work-is-stalling?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]. And the American cities rethinking how to handle their after-dark economies [https://www.economist.com/united-states/2026/07/14/cities-are-rethinking-what-happens-after-dark?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]. 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 [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Cockroaches 1, Modi 0: India’s remarkable protests

The resignation of India’s education minister was a stunning capitulation [https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/07/25/narendra-modi-caves-to-indias-gen-z?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] 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 [https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/06/23/why-macro-trading-is-hard?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] is hard: even with advance knowledge of events, neither man nor machine seems to make much money. And hunting the mosaics [https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/07/16/a-mystery-street-artist-is-taking-over-cities?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] 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 [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.