Top dog-whistler: Tommy Robinson and Britain’s far right

Xi Jinping’s first visit to North Korea 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 to see what life is like under Rwanda-backed rebel group M23. And why curry may soon be off the menu in Japan.  Guests and host: Jeremy Page, chief China correspondentJohn McDermott, chief Africa correspondentMoeka Iida, Japan correspondentRosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, Russia, nuclear proliferationCongo, Goma, M23, RwandaJapan, India, immigration, curry   Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe 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.

The fragile ceasefire between America and Iran is threatened by an exchange of ballistic missiles overnight between Iran and Israel. Our correspondent examines the consequences. China’s BYD cars are losing ground to other electric vehicles. And why hit TV shows inspire “companion podcasts”.   Guests and host: Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondentDon Weinland, China business editorElizabeth Peet, researcherRosie Blau, co-host of “The intelligence”Jason Palmer, co-host of “The intelligence” Topics covered:  Iran, Israel, Lebanon, ceasefire, TrumpBYD, EVs, Tesla, Xpeng, Li AutoPodcasts, Beef, The Pitt, HBO Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe 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.

After decades of overpopulation worries, the country now has the opposite concern. We examine India’s unusual demographic turn, and why it is a wider warning to the world. Vegan substitutes have broadly improved in recent years—so why is there no good vegan cheese? And remembering Sonny Rollins, an absolute colossus of the saxophone.  Watch extended clips from Insider here. Guests and host: Tom Sasse, South Asia bureau chiefSam Colbert, senior series producer, Economist PodcastsJon Fasman, senior culture correspondentJason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  India, fertility rates, global populationvegan cheeseSonny Rollins, jazz 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.

Nigel Farage, leader of the populist-right Reform UK party, wants Britons to be enraged by a killing in the street. We ask why his tone has changed from “colour-blind” to race-baiting. NATO must now take seriously the idea that America is pulling back; we ask how it is adjusting. And why skipping title sequences is forgoing some of television’s magic. Guests and host: Hugo Gye, British political correspondentJonathan Rosenthal, international correspondentAndrew Miller, “Back Story” columnistJason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  British politics, race relationsNATO, American foreign policytelevision, media 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.

Now that America has stepped back, Europe is at last stepping up. We examine the bloc’s tactics (if not yet a strategy) and how steady its support is likely to be. With the coming public listings of SpaceX and Anthropic, we ask whether stockmarkets can handle a string of “giga-IPOs”. And our World Cup series looks at Iran’s side. Guests and host: Tom Nuttall, chief Germany correspondentJoshua Roberts, capital markets correspondentJon Fasman, senior culture correspondentJason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  Europe, security, Ukraine warIPOs, investment, stockmarkets, SpaceX, Anthropic, OpenAIWorld Cup, Iran Visit education.economist.com and use code 5YEARS to save 15% on courses developed by our editors and correspondents. 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.