Economist Podcasts

Bibi on board? Iran, America and Israel’s campaign in Lebanon

Also on the daily podcast: what the Artemis Moon mission really accomplished and remembering a brave Soviet psychiatrist SHOW-NOTES TEXT  (60ish wds) Binyamin Netanyahu says his strikes against Hizbullah are separate from the Iran-war ceasefire. That assertion is putting cracks in the deal, and in Israel’s relationship with America [https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/04/08/partner-scapegoat-or-spoiler-israels-place-in-a-fragile-ceasefire?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 look at the stated and the unstated goals [https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/04/07/artemis-ii-has-offered-earth-inspiration?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 the Artemis mission to the Moon—both achieved. And a tribute to Semyon Gluzman [https://www.economist.com/obituary/2026/04/09/semyon-gluzman-defied-the-abuse-of-psychiatry-by-the-ussr?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 exposed the Soviet ruse of labelling dissidents as mental-health cases. Guests and host: * Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent * Oliver Morton, senior editor * Ann Wroe, obituaries editor * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Israel, Iran war, Lebanon, America * Artemis mission, NASA, Moon * Semyon Gluzman, Soviet Union, psychiatry 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.

NATO’s dialogues: America’s (next) threat to go

President Donald Trump has long threatened to pull America out of the alliance. We examine why the Iran war has made this time look significantly more serious [https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/04/05/european-allies-are-losing-hope-of-keeping-america-in-nato?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]. Westerners are fleeing their countries in record numbers [https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/03/22/westerners-are-fleeing-their-countries-in-record-numbers?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 economic consequences for their origins and destinations. And our series profiling the countries contesting the World Cup starts with Spain.   Guests and host: * Anton La Guardia, diplomatic editor * Callum Williams, senior economics writer * Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * NATO, war in Iran, Donald Trump, Mark Rutte * expats, emigration, economics * World Cup, Spain 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.

Overnight cessation: a two-week pause in Iran

With little time to spare before a threatened civilisation-ending attack, America agreed a pause in fighting [https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/04/08/iran-and-america-agree-to-pause-their-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] with Iran. We ask how the temporary deal was reached and how likely a permanent one is. China has an ever-expanding, state-led IVF programme [https://www.economist.com/china/2026/03/01/china-hopes-ivf-can-slow-its-baby-bust?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]: can that actually reverse a deepening demographic crisis? And the right way to think about AI’s entry into literature [https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/03/29/bots-are-often-bad-writers-but-so-are-most-humans?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 * Carla Subirana, news editor * Andrew Miller, special correspondent * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Iran war, Donald Trump, ceasefire * China, demographics, IVF * AI, literature 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.

Over troubled waters: Trump’s bridge-and-plant plot

President Donald Trump’s rhetoric has grown yet more bellicose—and sweary. His stated ploy to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants would be ruinous for Iran, and Iran’s planned retaliation ruinous for the region. AI-driven job losses predicted for India’s IT sector are looking more likely to be job gains. And why Gen Z is taking up boomers’ hobbies.   Guests and host: * Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent * Gavin Jackson, South Asia business and economics correspondent * Caitlin Talbot, digital culture correspondent * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Iran war, America * India, IT work, AI * Gen Z, hobbies 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.

Hungary for change? A challenger to Orban

Viktor Orban [https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/04/01/lessons-for-the-world-from-tiny-hungary?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], Hungary’s prime minister, is an idol to the global nationalist conservative right. Losing the next election would have far-reaching consequences. Could tourists help boost jaguar [https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2026/02/15/the-battle-to-save-south-americas-skull-crushing-big-cat?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] populations in South and Central America? And the number of Catholic saints [https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/04/01/the-number-of-catholic-saints-is-climbing-heavenwards?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 soaring.  Guests and host: * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The intelligence” * Matt Steinglass, Europe editor * Ana Lankes, Brazil correspondent * Catherine Nixey, culture correspondent Topics covered:  * Hungary, Viktor Orban, Peter Magyar, Fidesz * Jaguars, climate change * Saints, Catholic  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.