The mourning show: the politics of Khamenei’s funeral

The mourning show: the politics of Khamenei’s funeral

The Iranian regime hopes the massive crowds gathered for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei [https://www.economist.com/interactive/middle-east-and-africa/2026/07/03/irans-regime-hopes-khameneis-funeral-will-demonstrate-its-strength?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]’s funeral will demonstrate its strength. Our correspondent says they could also reveal its weakness. Why Japan wants to change its divorce laws [https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/06/11/japan-is-rethinking-its-divorce-laws?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 custody arrangements. And the first part of our week-long road trip down America’s iconic Route 66 [https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/07/02/route-66-how-a-century-old-highway-helps-explain-america?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: * Nicolas Pelham, Middle East correspondent * Moeka Iida, East Asia correspondent * Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Ayatollah, Khamenei, Iran, Supreme Leader * Japan, divorce, custody * Route 66, Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath  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 250-year experiment: America’s birthday

Big birthdays are often a time for reflection. Our editors and correspondents chat through the state of American democracy as seen from inside and outside the country, the country’s perennial paroxysms of immigration policy, and its undimmed power to export its culture to the world.  Watch extended clips from 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: * Robert Guest, deputy editor * Rebecca Jackson, Southern correspondent * Daniel Knowles, Midwest correspondent * Aryn Braun, West Coast correspondent * Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * American history, American democracy * immigration policy * American cultural exports 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.

Roaring trades: oil majors’ secret success story

Big oil firms keep one part of their business hush-hush: trading. Amid an almighty oil shock, the majors’ trading arms are raking it in [https://www.economist.com/business/2026/06/28/big-oils-secretive-trading-arms-are-having-an-extraordinary-year?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 competition is mounting. We look at the Trump administration’s messy attempts [https://www.economist.com/business/2026/06/30/donald-trumps-ai-regime-is-opaque-unpredictable-and-unsustainable?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 regulate frontier AI models, and how that may cost America its AI edge. And why the biggest music tours are going to fewer places [https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/06/15/harry-styles-and-other-megastars-now-expect-you-to-come-to-them?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: * Matthieu Favas, commodities editor * Shashank Joshi, incoming Washington bureau chief * Vicky Jessop, culture writer * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * oil majors, oil trading * AI,  frontier models, American regulation * music business, concert tours 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.

Fault lines: Venezuela’s paltry earthquake response

Government help was thin on the ground [https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2026/06/28/how-will-america-respond-to-venezuelas-deadly-quakes?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] just after the country’s worst quakes in a century. The America-backed regime is thus on literal and figurative shaky ground. A food-delivery robot trial [https://www.economist.com/business/2026/06/07/robots-could-soon-be-delivering-your-pizza?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 England represents the future of the service. And why Harlan Coben’s proliferating thrillers are cheesy but gripping [https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/06/18/harlan-coben-netflixs-new-darling-has-a-mystery-you-can-solve?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: * Kinley Salmon, Latin America correspondent * Alex Hern, AI writer * Catherine Nixey, culture correspondent * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Venezuela earthquakes, disaster response * delivery robots * Harlan Coben 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.

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.