Economist Podcasts

After Sheikh: what next for Bangladesh?

Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s former prime minister, has been sentenced to death for  crimes against humanity. The country is at a pivotal moment as it heads towards parliamentary elections [https://www.economist.com/the-world-ahead/2025/11/12/will-bangladeshs-revolution-bear-fruit?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] next year. Donald Trump hopes tariffs will return furniture making [https://www.economist.com/business/2025/11/06/americas-furniture-makers-exemplify-the-folly-of-tariffs?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 America. And why English speakers use their alphabet [https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/11/06/why-anglophones-use-the-alphabet-so-oddly?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] so oddly. 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.

Gang-buster: Can Sheinbaum beat Mexico crime?

This weekend, thousands of people protested in Mexico City about violent crime. But our correspondent notes that the government has had some success [https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2025/11/10/mexico-has-become-a-less-deadly-place-under-claudia-sheinbaum?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 confronting drug gangs and cutting homicides. Three years ago Japan’s former prime minister Abe Shinzo was assassinated. Now his killer is on trial [https://www.economist.com/asia/2025/10/30/what-a-popular-murderer-reveals-about-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]. And celebrating the life of the bomb-disposal mastermind Peter Gurney [https://www.economist.com/obituary/2025/10/30/against-all-odds-peter-gurney-loved-his-work?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 “The Weekend Intelligence”, our Mexico bureau chief Sarah Birke recently visited the Mexican city of Culiacán, capital of Sinaloa state, which is suffering a brutal “narco-pandemic”. Subscribers can listen here [https://shows.acast.com/theintelligencepodcast/episodes/the-weekend-intelligence-welcome-to-culiacan]. 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.

Toil and rubble: who will rebuild Gaza?

After two years of war, over 80% of the buildings in Gaza have been destroyed. Our correspondent assesses various plans for reconstruction [https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/10/09/a-euphoric-donald-trump-wins-a-breakthrough-in-the-middle-east?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]. Do large lay-offs in American firms mean AI is coming for white-collar jobs [https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/11/06/dont-blame-ai-for-your-job-woes?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 James Watson [https://www.economist.com/obituary/2025/11/13/james-watson-was-stunned-by-the-beauty-of-the-double-helix?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 controversial scientist who discovered the structure of DNA.  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.

Opening punch: Shutdown ends, now more Epstein emails

Last night Donald Trump finally managed to end the longest federal government shutdown [https://www.economist.com/united-states/2025/11/11/democrats-collapsed-in-the-shutdown-fight?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 history. But, amid a new release of emails relating to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the political storm continues. Why Airbnb is searching [https://www.economist.com/business/2025/11/02/has-airbnb-reached-its-peak?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 new beds in new markets. And the amazing role of lead poisoning [https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/10/15/the-strange-role-of-lead-poisoning-in-humanitys-success?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 humanity’s success.  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.

The little green look: China’s energy revolution

America has boycotted this week’s COP climate talks, but China has sent a giant delegation. The world’s biggest polluter is increasingly pivotal to tackling global warming [https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/11/06/chinas-clean-energy-revolution-will-reshape-markets-and-politics?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]. Why young protesters [https://www.economist.com/asia/2025/10/30/how-east-asian-pop-culture-is-inspiring-gen-z-protests?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] around the world brandish a pirate flag. And since sports leagues cannot stamp out pirate broadcasters [https://www.economist.com/business/2025/10/23/sports-leagues-find-that-streaming-pirates-have-their-purposes?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], they are monetising their viewers. 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.