On the off chancellor: Friedrich Merz, one year in

Drone team: Russia’s plan to arm Iran

The Kremlin planned to provide [https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/05/07/how-russia-planned-to-help-iran-kill-americans?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] Iran with unjammable drones, plus training in how to use them, according to leaked documents seen exclusively by The Economist. Meanwhile there are nearly 20,000 merchant seamen stranded in the Gulf [https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/05/05/asias-stranded-seafarers-suffer-as-the-iran-war-drags-on?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 a tribute to Craig Venter [https://www.economist.com/obituary/2026/05/01/craig-venter-raced-to-decode-the-human-genome?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], dark horse of the Human Genome Project. Watch extended clips from Economist Insider 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: * Shashank Joshi, defence editor * Joshua Spencer, Asia news editor * Geoffrey Carr, senior editor, science and technology * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Iran war, Russia, drones * Commercial shipping * Craig Venter 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.

A hatred normalised: antisemitism in Britain

An egregious attack in a Jewish neighbourhood in London is just the latest example of a troubling trend [https://www.economist.com/britain/2026/05/03/what-to-do-about-britains-rising-antisemitism?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 investigate the claim that antisemitism is becoming normalised in Britain. While many of the world’s luxury brands are struggling, American ones seem to be flourishing [https://www.economist.com/business/2026/04/13/from-ralph-lauren-to-the-row-american-luxury-is-booming?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 our series of profiles of teams contesting the World Cup continues with Argentina. Guests and host: * Shera Avi-Yonah, business writer * Avantika Chilkoti, global business writer * Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * antisemitism, Britain * American brands, luxury goods * World Cup, Argentina 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.

Trailer: Checks and Balance

Unlock American politics with The Economist’s John Prideaux, Charlotte Howard and James Bennet. Taking one big theme every week, they dig into the data, the ideas and the history behind it. Politicians, pollsters and political scientists join them to discuss where the great experiment of American democracy is headed. Published every Friday. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

On the off chancellor: Friedrich Merz, one year in

Germany’s chancellor came to office making big promises. A year later they are unfulfilled, his government is squabbling and he has drawn [https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/05/03/friedrich-merzs-ill-timed-tussle-with-donald-trump?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’s ire. The advertising industry is, inevitably, starting to peddle its wares [https://www.economist.com/business/2026/04/19/why-your-ai-assistant-is-suddenly-selling-to-you?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] quietly in AI chatbots. And a historical look at the oratory around war and how it has taken a sharp turn for the worse [https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/04/23/the-rhetoric-of-war-has-changed-not-for-the-better?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: * Tom Nuttall, chief Germany correspondent * Tom Wainwright, media editor * Catherine Nixey, culture correspondent * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Germany, Friedrich Merz, Donald Trump * AI, chatbots, advertising * rhetoric of war  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.

Naval piercing: strait shooting in Iran war

The Trump administration’s “Project Freedom [https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/05/04/can-donald-trump-reopen-the-strait-of-hormuz?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 done and will do little to boost traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. We examine an unsustainable standoff. A fashion influencer’s post addressed to President Vladimir Putin has brought Russians’ wider grumbling [https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/04/26/the-fashion-influencer-speaking-truth-to-putin?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] into the open. And how India’s notorious street noise comes with costs to human health [https://www.economist.com/interactive/asia/2026/04/23/honking-is-harming-indias-health-and-its-economy?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: * Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent * Arkady Ostrovsky, Russia editor * Vishnu Padmanabhan, Asia correspondent * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Iran war, Strait of Hormuz * Russia, Vladimir Putin, influencers * India, noise pollution, health 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.