Ceasefire alarm: Iran and Israel trade strikes

Quid game: challenges for South Korea’s president

An interview with Lee Jae Myung [https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/06/10/an-interview-with-south-koreas-president?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], South Korea’s president, a year into his role. Though he has stabilised a turbulent polity and overseen a stock market rally, the path ahead may be bumpy. Can India’s cockroach party [https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/06/11/can-indias-cockroach-party-become-a-political-movement?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] become a powerful political movement? And celebrating the creator of “Persepolis”, Marjane Satrapi [https://www.economist.com/obituary/2026/06/11/marjane-satrapi-set-out-to-correct-the-wests-views-of-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].  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: * Noah Sneider, East Asia bureau chief * Tom Sasse, South Asia bureau chief * Ann Wroe, obituaries editor * Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * South Korea, Lee Jae Myung, North Korea * Cockroach party, Narendra Modi, Gen-Z protests * Marjane Satrapi, Iran, Persepolis 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.

Kicking and screaming: protests at World Cup

Millions of people will tune in when the World Cup starts [https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2026/06/07/the-world-cup-will-test-mexicos-control-over-its-territory?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] today. But demonstrators in Mexico, which hosts the first match, are using the international spectacle to draw attention to their causes. Commercial enterprises are on the cusp of making money in space: who will tax the heavens [https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/05/28/how-to-tax-businesses-in-orbit-and-beyond?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 Narendra Modi [https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/05/24/narendra-modi-gives-indias-elite-a-taste-of-the-bad-old-days?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 unsettling India’s middle class. Guests and host: * Hal Hodson, Americas editor * Shera Avi-Yonah, business correspondent * Leo Mirani, Ashoka columnist * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The intelligence” Topics covered:  * World Cup, Mexico, protests * Space, taxation, global commons * India, Modi  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.

Number crunch: why Britons ignore immigrant drop

The British government tightened immigration [https://www.economist.com/britain/2026/05/28/britain-has-crushed-immigration-and-harmed-itself?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 response to public demand. Yet that policy damaged both the country and the Labour party. Our correspondent embeds on a US nuclear submarine [https://www.economist.com/international/2026/05/07/americas-submarine-dominance-is-under-threat?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 find out how China and Russia are vying for dominance in the Pacific. And what anti-ageing [https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/06/05/the-chemicals-that-reduce-wrinkles?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] products actually work?  Guests and host: * Joel Budd, Britain social affairs editor * Anton La Guardia, diplomatic editor * Ainslie Johnstone, science correspondent * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The intelligence” Topics covered:  * Immigration, Britain, asylum * Submarines, Pacific, geopolitics * Ageing, wrinkles, retinoids, peptides 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.

There Xi goes: visiting North Korea

Xi Jinping’s first visit to North Korea [https://www.economist.com/china/2026/06/07/china-and-russia-are-competing-for-influence-over-north-korea?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 seven years has been marked by pomp and shows of friendship. But what does the Chinese leader really want from the trip? Our correspondent visits Goma in Congo [https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/05/10/a-congolese-militia-wants-to-sell-critical-minerals-to-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] to see what life is like under Rwanda-backed rebel group M23. And why curry [https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/05/28/japans-beloved-indian-restaurants-are-under-threat?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] may soon be off the menu in Japan.  Guests and host: * Jeremy Page, chief China correspondent * John McDermott, chief Africa correspondent * Moeka Iida, Japan correspondent * Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, Russia, nuclear proliferation * Congo, Goma, M23, Rwanda * Japan, India, immigration, curry   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.

Ceasefire alarm: Iran and Israel trade strikes

The fragile ceasefire between America and Iran is threatened by an exchange of ballistic missiles [https://www.economist.com/topics/war-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] overnight between Iran and Israel. Our correspondent examines the consequences. China’s BYD cars [https://www.economist.com/business/2026/06/03/byd-is-losing-its-spark?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 losing ground to other electric vehicles. And why hit TV shows inspire “companion podcasts [https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/05/14/companion-podcasts-are-the-latest-hit-format?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 * Don Weinland, China business editor * Elizabeth Peet, researcher * Rosie Blau, co-host of “The intelligence” * Jason Palmer, co-host of “The intelligence” Topics covered:  * Iran, Israel, Lebanon, ceasefire, Trump * BYD, EVs, Tesla, Xpeng, Li Auto * Podcasts, Beef, The Pitt, HBO 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.