What price victory? Ukraine on the front foot

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 here [https://econ.st/4esGGXw] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

View from the summit: what did the G7 achieve?

Geopolitics has dominated this year’s G7 political meeting in Evian, France. Donald Trump offered scant detail on the Iran peace deal [https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/06/15/a-deal-is-only-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-us-iran-war?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] but leaders promised to boost support for Ukraine [https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/06/11/ukraines-war-is-now-longer-than-the-first-world-war?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]. Though prostitution in Japan [https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/06/04/sex-tourists-fuel-outrage-about-vice-in-japan?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] has a long history, recent scandals have drawn it into the spotlight. And Britain’s Country Life [https://www.economist.com/britain/2026/05/31/a-posh-and-peculiar-british-magazine-is-thriving?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] magazine has a winning formula: ignore the news.  Guests and host: * Sophie Pedder, Paris bureau chief * Moeka Iida, East Asia reporter * Catherine Nixey, Britain correspondent * Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * G7, Donald Trump, Iran, Ukraine * Prostitution, Japan, sex work * Country Life, publishing, Britain 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 here [https://econ.st/4esGGXw] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Local, an aesthetic: the deglobalisation of fun

The World Cup may seem to be proof that the digital commons centralises a global audience. We find that entertainment is in fact fragmenting [https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/06/10/the-world-cup-paradox?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], with big implications for soft power. Our series examining America’s 250 years of history tackles the AIDS crisis and the war on terror [https://www.economist.com/interactive/america-at-250#chapter-6?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 mosquitoes may in fact be attracted [https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/05/28/mosquitoes-seem-to-be-getting-over-insect-repellent?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 a gold-standard repellent.  Guests and host: * Tom Wainwright, media editor * Annie Crabill, senior digital editor * Matt Kaplan, science correspondent * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * global media, World Cup, culture * American history * mosquitoes, science Get a world of insights by subscribing 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.

On the home strait? A path to peace in Iran

Despite exchanges of missiles and drones between Israel and Lebanon, the start of a deal was struck overnight. What exactly has been agreed, and will it hold? We examine the idea that part-nationalisation could be a way to share the coming onslaught of AI wealth. And our series on World Cup contenders concludes with a look at England’s side. Guests and host: * Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent * Alex Domash, economics correspondent * Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Iran war, Middle East, America * AI, wealth redistribution * World Cup, England Get a world of insights by subscribing 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.