Economist Podcasts

A jury in California agreed with a plaintiff who argued that Meta and Google, two social-media giants, designed their platforms to be addictive. That opens the floodgates to more litigation and perhaps to regulatory change. We examine the world’s maritime chokepoints and how they shape geopolitics—littorally, not figuratively. And how digitally animated films came to dominate the box office. Guests and host: Tom Wainwright, media editorAnton La Guardia, diplomatic editorAlex Selby-Boothroyd, head of data journalismJason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  social-media sites, internet use, online addictiongeopolitics, chokepoints, Strait of Hormuzanimated films Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the daily tea leaves one might read that President Donald Trump would prefer a deal with Iran to a continuing military campaign. Where would that leave Israel and its goals? Cryptocurrencies have gained a particular foothold in Asian economies; will they become real financial infrastructure or just tools of fraud? And tracing the history of mafias through the ages.  Guests and host: Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondentSue-Lin Wong, Asia correspondentJon Fasman, senior culture correspondentRosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  Iran war, Israel, Americacryptocurrency, Asiamafias, crime families, history Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Air strikes and border raids have turned cross-border tensions into hot conflict. We ask what raised the temperature, and whether the Iran war may act to lower it. Meanwhile that war’s oil shock brings with it fears of rising inflation; we examine how recent disruptions might inform policy decisions. And “listening parties”, once for music-industry insiders, are becoming the norm.  Guests and host: Tom Sasse, south Asia bureau chiefJoshua Roberts, capital markets correspondentCaitlin Talbot, digital culture correspondentJason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  Afghanistan, Taliban, Pakistan, TTPIran war, oil shock, inflationmusic, albums, listening parties Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the war in Iran progresses, none of the options available to Donald Trump looks good. We examine each of them. Thailand’s Buddhist monks are implicated in lots of lawless and dodgy behaviour—but clearing out the bad apples is more complicated than it seems. And gene-editing comes to the fruit bowl: we look at what science is serving up next. Guests and host: Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent Alizée Jean-Baptiste, Asia senior podcasts producerMaria Lisik, news editorRosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  Iran war, Donald TrumpThailand, Buddhist monksgene-editing, fruit Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As attention has focused on war in Iran, Israel sees an opportunity to crush a weakened Hizbullah in Lebanon. Our correspondent says it would be far better for the Lebanese state to do so. As south-east Asia is modernising, Islam is counterintuitively gaining greater primacy in civic life. And a tribute to Jürgen Habermas, Germany’s and perhaps Europe’s most prominent intellectual. Guests and host: Gareth Browne, Middle East correspondentSue-Lin Wong, Asia correspondent Ann Wroe, obituaries editorRosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  Lebanon, Hizbullah, Israel, Iran warIslam, south-east AsiaJürgen Habermas, obituaries Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.