Pulp fiction v the classics: summer reading

Fear-jerker: America’s AI backlash

Americans are becoming more anxious about how artificial intelligence will affect jobs, society and even human existence. Republican and Democrat voters are unusually united in their concerns. Divorce rates [https://www.economist.com/china/2026/04/16/soaring-numbers-of-chinese-women-demand-divorce?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] are rising in China and the Communist party cannot stop them. And the politics of air-conditioning [https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/06/18/europeans-should-learn-to-love-the-air-conditioner?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 a scorching Europe. Guests and host: * Robert Guest, Economist deputy editor * Sarah Wu, China correspondent * Lane Greene, senior digital editor * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The intelligence” Topics covered:  * Artificial intelligence, midterms, Alex Bores * Divorce, China, fertility * Heatwaves, Europe, air-conditioning  Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus] For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Missing peace: will Israel imperil Iran deal?

Our correspondent joins an embed in Lebanon [https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/06/21/will-israel-undermine-americas-peace-with-iran?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], where Israel claims that Hizbullah’s continued strength justifies its campaign. If Israel’s goals diverge from America’s, how does this affect peace talks over the Iran conflict? The impact of the oncoming “Godzilla" El Niño [https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/06/16/the-coming-el-nino-could-be-the-strongest-ever-recorded?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 why Japan’s popular princess will never take the throne. Guests and host: * Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent * Catherine Brahic, environment editor * Moeka Iida, East Asia correspondent * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Lebanon, Hizbullah, IDF, Majdal Zoun * El Niño, climate change, famine * Japan, Naruhito, Aiko, Princess Toshi Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus] For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Keep qualms and carry on: a decade after Brexit

On June 23rd 2016, Britain voted to leave [https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/06/18/britain-is-not-ready-to-rejoin-the-eu?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 European Union, triggering years of argument, lost economic opportunities [https://www.economist.com/britain/2026/06/18/ten-years-on-how-the-brexit-vote-changed-britain?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 political malaise. Our correspondents look back on the seismic moment and its aftershocks. And, as Britain prepares to get its seventh prime minister [https://www.economist.com/britain/2026/06/22/andy-burnham-may-find-sir-keir-starmer-a-hard-act-to-follow?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 a decade, we ask how the government can look forward to new opportunities [https://www.economist.com/britain/2026/06/17/what-britain-needs-to-do-to-grasp-its-big-opportunities-in-ai?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: * Daniel Franklin, senior editor * John Peet, associate editor * Tom Carter, Britain economics correspondent * Georgia Banjo, Britain correspondent * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The intelligence” Topics covered:  * Brexit, European Union, EU * David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Andy Burnham * AI, defence Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus] For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Starmergeddon: British PM resigns

After winning a resounding victory for Britain’s Labour party two years ago, Sir Keir Starmer has announced his departure. As the country gets ready for its 7th prime minister [https://www.economist.com/britain/2026/06/19/andy-burnham-is-now-britains-prime-minister-in-waiting?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 ten years, our correspondent asks if it has become ungovernable. A Trump-loving right winger wins Colombia’s presidency [https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2026/06/22/the-trump-loving-right-wins-colombias-presidency?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 “Toy Story 5 [https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/06/19/the-real-villain-in-toy-story-5-is-not-whom-you-would-expect?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]” sets the toys against technology.  Guests and host: * Hugo Gye, Britain political editor * Hal Hodson, Americas editor * Alexandra Suich Bass, culture editor * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The intelligence” Topics covered:  * Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham, Britain, Labour * Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, cocaine * Toy Story 5, tech, screen time Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus] For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account.  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Trailer: Tocqueville Road Trip

When Alexis de Tocqueville visited America from France in 1831 he saw a new kind of society. Not just a country, but an idea that would change the world. His book “Democracy in America” was a big influence on later generations of writers and thinkers, including The Economist’s US Editor John Prideaux. Now, 250 years after its birth, the vitality of that democracy is under question. In this series, John retraces the route Tocqueville took to find out how much of what inspired Tocqueville about America remains—and how worried we should be about what’s changed. Out now Find the show on The Economist app [https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/tocqueville-road-trip] | On Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/033sAPzye5yNrP6vNTPrvB] | On other apps [https://econ.st/4esGGXw] On Apple Podcasts: [https://econ.st/4esGGXw] https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/tocqueville-road-trip-from-the-economist/id1896918330 [https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/tocqueville-road-trip-from-the-economist/id1896918330] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.