Tocqueville Road Trip: 2. Against all obstacles

Gulf-co-operation counsel: what next for the region

With Iran emboldened and America an ever more capricious security partner, Gulf countries face several post-war challenges. They should put their divides aside [https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/06/25/with-iran-emboldened-its-neighbours-must-put-old-divisions-aside?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 tackle them. We dig one last time into our archive to chronicle American history [https://www.economist.com/interactive/america-at-250?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], bringing our series up to the present day. And the mounting evidence that plants can “hear” [https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/09/06/plants-dont-have-ears-but-they-can-still-detect-sound?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 * 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:  * Iran war, Middle East geopolitics * American history, semiquincentennials * plants, biology, 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.

Latin lessons: the Donroe-doctrine boost

For all the Trumpian chaos in Latin America, no other developing-world regional economy has done so well in the past year. We examine the Donroe dividend [https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/06/14/does-donald-trump-make-latin-america-a-good-bet?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 cost to make jollof rice, a staple dish in Nigeria and Ghana, is a window into the countries’ economies [https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/06/18/is-the-staple-meal-in-nigeria-and-ghana-becoming-a-luxury?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 the BBC waves goodbye to its long-wave radio [https://www.economist.com/britain/2026/06/25/the-bbc-switches-off-its-oldest-service?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] service. Guests and host: * Cerian Richmond-Jones, international economics correspondent * Ọrẹ Ogunbiyi, Africa correspondent * Bo Franklin, senior editor * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Latin America, Donroe doctrine, mining * Nigeria, Ghana, cost of living, jollof rice * BBC, long-wave radio 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.

Far Crimea: war comes to Russia’s door

Ukraine is intensifying cross-border attacks [https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/06/23/russias-crimean-conquest-is-turning-into-a-deadly-mess?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 strategic and psychological effort to make ordinary Russians take notice of the war. We have been collecting reports from the ground on shifting attitudes as occupied Crimea comes under fire. Why the valuation of Elon Musk’s SpaceX [https://www.economist.com/business/2026/06/12/the-value-of-spacex-rockets-on-its-stock-market-debut?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] affects us all. And celebrating the life of former Fed chair Alan Greenspan [https://www.economist.com/obituary/2026/06/22/alan-greenspan-was-a-maestro-of-monetary-policy?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: * Matt Steinglass, Europe editor * Josh Roberts, capital markets correspondent * Ann Wroe, obituaries editor * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Ukraine, Crimea, Zelensky, Putin * SpaceX, Elon Musk, trillionaire, valuation * Alan Greenspan, Federal Reserve, monetary policy 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.

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.