Our outgoing defence editor reflects on how war has changed during the eight years of his tenure. Wars have become easier to start and harder to finish, and the little guy has a better chance than ever before. And our obituaries editor pays tribute to Barney Frank, a trailblazing Democratic congressman.

Watch extended clips from Insider here

Guests and host:

• Shashank Joshi, defence editor
• Ann Wroe, obituaries editor
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

• war, technology, Ukraine, Iran
• Barney Frank

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The American administration’s next round of sabre-rattling has been directed at Cuba. But more military adventures there would probably prove disastrous. We profile the three starkly different contenders in Colombia’s hyper-polarised presidential election. And our series looking at World Cup squads goes to Mexico.

Guests and host:

• Sarah Birke, bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean
• Kinley Salmon, Latin America correspondent
• Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

• Cuba, American foreign policy
• Colombia’s elections
• World Cup, Mexico

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Economic support, drone capability, defence under new management: the tide may have turned for Ukraine. But domestic politics and perceptions will define what kind of win the country might hope for. We examine how Home Depot, the world’s largest DIY chain, is a window into America’s ailing housing market. And what is pinching the supply of England’s famed cricket bats.

Guests and host:

• Oliver Carroll, Ukraine correspondent
• Vinjeru Mkandawire, news editor
• Andrew Rummer, Britain contributor
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

• Ukraine war
• America’s housing market, Home Depot
• cricket bats, supply chains

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More mixed messages from President Donald Trump and air strikes that seem to violate the ceasefire: all that is remotely in prospect is a deal to keep on dealmaking. China’s “superapps” are pioneering the use of agentic AI—with some odd outcomes. And the curious reason that grouse harm themselves on ski lifts (and how to save them).

Guests and host:

• Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent
• Don Weinland, China business and finance editor
• Matt Kaplan, science correspondent
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

• Iran war, diplomacy
• China, business, agentic AI
• birds, science

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What do we mean by a “good book”? Some people choose a holiday read that demands time and attention. Others pick rip-roaring novels that require little thought. Our bookworms discuss whether art has to be improving to be praiseworthy, and give genre fiction some much-needed air time.

This is a full list of the books mentioned in the show:

“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen

“Red Rising” by Pierce Brown

Jack Reacher series by Lee Child

“The Hunt for Red October” by Tom Clancy

“Riders” and the other Rutshire chronicles by Jilly Cooper

Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman

“Middlemarch” by George Eliot

“Ulysses” by James Joyce

“Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel

“The Diamond Age” by Neal Stephenson

The Murderbot series by Martha Wells

“The Martian” by Andy Weir

“American Wife” by Curtis Sittenfeld

Guests and host:

• Catherine Nixey, culture and Britain correspondent
• Tom Standage, Economist deputy editor
• Alexandra Suich Bass, culture editor
• Alex Hern, AI writer
• Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

• Fiction, romance, sci-fi, crime, thrillers, fantasy, romantasy
• Jane Austen, Jilly Cooper, Curtis Sittenfeld, Lee Child
• Matt Dinniman, Pierce Brown, Neal Stephenson

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Elon Musk has launched the largest stockmarket listing in history. The accompanying space mission remains grounded. Our correspondent weighs SpaceX’s extraordinary ambitions. The Republican party trades on its masculine image, but some young men are turning away. And, after a blind tasting 50 years ago unleashed a new wave of wine drinking, the market is drying out.

Watch extended clips from Insider here

Guests and host:

• Tim Cross, senior science writer
• Robert Guest, Economist deputy editor
• Alexandra Suich Bass, culture editor
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-hosts of “The intelligence”

Topics covered:

• SpaceX, Starlink, XAI, Elon Musk
• Donald Trump, Republicans, masculinity
• Wine, Judgement of Paris

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

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Within the space of a week Chinese president Xi Jinping has welcomed both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to Beijing. Our correspondent explains the significance of these consecutive meetings. How the Premier League got its kick – and became one of Britain’s most successful businesses. And, some relax on holiday, others relish adrenaline-fuelled activities.

Guests and host:

• Jeremy Page, chief China correspondent
• Sonny Loughran, Britain writer
• Caitlin Talbot, culture correspondent
• Rosie Blau, co-host of “The intelligence”
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The intelligence”

Topics covered:

• Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump
• Premier League, football, soccer
• Adrenaline holidays, darecations

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Is Binyamin Netanyahu’s time up as Israel’s prime minister? As a vote in parliament triggers the election campaign, our correspondent – and Netanyahu’s biographer – analyses what comes next. We join a US-backed counter-terrorism training exercise in Africa and question whether such missions will outlast Trump. And how Cape Verde came to take part in its first World Cup.

Guests and host:

• Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent
• Tom Gardner, Africa correspondent
• Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent
• Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

• Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel, Knesset, Gaza, Hizbullah, Iran
• Ivory Coast, jihadism, anti-terrorism, overseas aid
• World Cup, FIFA, Cape Verde

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

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