The Intelligence from The Economist

From impasse in Iran to still-unresolved conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, a trend is clear: President Donald Trump’s scant, early plans for peace do not actually forge a path to it. Our correspondent says that in the driverless-car future, it will often be Chinese AI behind the wheel. And remembering Wally Funk, who never relinquished her ambition to become an astronaut. 

Watch extended clips from Insider, plus our full Elon Musk interview, here 

Guests and host:

• Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent
• Don Weinland, China business and finance editor
• Ann Wroe, obituaries editor
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Iran war, Strait of Hormuz, diplomacy
• China, AI, driverless cars
• Wally Funk, astronauts

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A dive into the data reveals that, despite dire past predictions, the prevalence of dementia is actually waning. We take a look at Pix, a beloved Brazilian digital-payments system, and why it so bothers President Donald Trump. And we attend one of the concerts that reveals how the appeal of emo music is holding strong across generations. 

Guests and host:

• Jonathan Rosenthal, international correspondent
• Carla Subirana, news editor
• Sarah Lawrynuik, deputy editor of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• dementia, global health statistics, ageing
• Brazil, Pix, payment systems, Donald Trump
• emo music, My Chemical Romance

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An ousted former opposition leader started a new party—called the New Party. We assess its chances at the ballot box, and under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s thumb. A surrogacy scandal in Germany has prompted a government reshuffle, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz left holding the proverbial baby. And how traditional career advice is falling short for Gen Z.  

Guests and host:

• Piotr Zalewski, Turkey correspondent
• Vendeline von Bredow, senior Germany correspondent
• Tom Wainwright, culture correspondent
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Turkish politics, New Party, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
• German politics, Jens Spahn, Friedrich Merz
• Gen Z, careers

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Wildfires in France and Spain are only growing worse by the day. We examine what can be done as a future of more fires, and worse ones, becomes more assured. A dig into data on women at work shows several indicators starting to move in the wrong direction. And the American cities rethinking how to handle their after-dark economies.

Guests and host:

• Oliver Morton, planetary affairs editor
• Vinjeru Mkandawire, Britain correspondent
• Daniella Raz, US corespondent
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• fires, France, Spain, fire ecology
• women in the workplace, equality
• America, night-time economy

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The resignation of India’s education minister was a stunning capitulation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The Cockroach Janta Party, a fast-growing youth movement, has the upper hand for now. So-called macro trading is hard: even with advance knowledge of events, neither man nor machine seems to make much money. And hunting the mosaics of Invader, an anonymous French street artist.

Guests and host:

• Kira Huju, Asia correspondent
• Joshua Roberts, capital markets correspondent
• Caitlin Talbot, digital culture correspondent
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• India, Cockroach Janta Party, protest, Narendra Modi
• macro trading, retail investing
• Invader, Flashinvader, street art

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After Elon Musk’s first extended interview since SpaceX’s blockbuster IPO, The Economist editor-in-chief reflects on what he told her: that AIs will be in charge in ten years, his dark view of Europe and the inevitably of civil war in Britain. At what age is a child responsible for their crimes? And remembering Mona Khalil, Lebanese protector of turtles. 

Watch extended clips from Elon Musk on “Insider” here

Guests and host:

• Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist
• Maighna Nanu, editor of foreign newsletters 
• Ann Wroe, obituaries editor
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Elon Musk, AI, killer robots, far right, The Insider
• child criminals, criminal responsibility, gangs
• Mona Khalil, Lebanon, turtles, conservation

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Elon Musk may be the most powerful man in the world. For his first extended interview since SpaceX’s blockbuster IPO, he sits down with Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, for The Insider, our video show for premium subscribers. They discuss the timeline for AI overtaking human intelligence, the rapid progress of China, the reasons for his interest in Europe and why he thinks he “got a little too involved” in politics.

Watch the full show—and sign up to the Insider newsletter.

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

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Many people, including politicians, love to hate the super-rich, and assume they have gamed the system. Yet our correspondent reports that a growing share of today’s wealthiest earned their money providing goods and services we all want. A new crackdown on scam compounds in Cambodia. And lessons from the ultimate political animal, Downing Street’s Larry the Cat. 

Watch “The Insider” interview with Elon Musk from 6pm BST, 1pm EST. 

Listen to our podcast series “Scam Inc”. 

Guests and host:

• Callum Williams, senior economics writer
• Sue-Lin Wong, Asia correspondent
• Chris Impey, co-editor of “The Intelligence”
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Billionaires, Elon Musk, Lionel Messi, Taylor Swift
• Scams, scam compounds, Cambodia
• Larry the Cat, Andy Burnham, Downing Street

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Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has fired the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Oleksandr Syrsky. That follows days of protests at his sacking of the defence minister. Our correspondent analyses the fallout. America’s murder rate is falling, so why are cops killing more people? And a shift in the Japanese taboo on living in homes where people have died.

Guests and host:

• Shashank Joshi, defence editor
• Daniel Knowles, US Midwest correspondent
• Moeka Iida, East Asia reporter
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Fedorov, Syrsky, Zelensky, Ukraine
• Police killings, gun crime, murder
• Japan, haunted houses, jiko bukken

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Today, Lebanon’s president Joseph Aoun visits the White House to ask for Donald Trump’s help rebuilding the country. Our correspondent reports from his recent trip to Lebanon on the challenges it faces. Threats to Red Bull’s magnificent marketing machine. And why the age gap between the wealthiest men and their wives is shrinking.

Guests and host:

• Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent
• Vendeline von Bredow, senior Germany correspondent
• Doug Dowson, data journalist
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Lebanon, Beirut, Joseph Aoun, Hizbullah
• Red Bull, energy drinks, extreme sports
• Trophy wives, age gap, misogyny

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

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