The Intelligence from The Economist

The choice of Robert Prevost reflects a desire for unity and compromise. But insofar as Pope Leo XIV represents a middle path, how will he lead on the church’s trickiest questions? The Trump administration has axed Biden-era export controls on AI chips. Good. Now they must enact simpler, more-effective ones (11:29). And remembering Martin Graham, founder of the Longborough Festival Opera (19:34).Economist Education is running a new six-week online course on international relations—a window into shifting geopolitical trends and a guide to navigating uncertainty and risk. Listeners to “The Intelligence” can save 15% by clicking here and using the code INTELLIGENCE.

Eighty years since the surrender of Nazi forces, we consider the differing ways that nations frame that distant history for today; none does so more gravely than Russia. Our “Archive 1945” project relives The Economist‘s reporting on the last days of war in Europe. And we examine how European defence has changed, and how Britain’s celebrations hint at a world perhaps forever lost. 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.

Two weeks after a terrorist attack in Kashmir, Indian missiles streaked into Pakistan. Will the retaliation end this latest flare-up or intensify it? Our correspondent meets Alexandre de Moraes, a swashbuckling Brazilian supreme court justice who is taking sides in the global free-speech fight (8:35). And appetite for Sweden’s rare-earth minerals will pose difficulties for the Sami people and their reindeer (tk).Please take a moment to fill out our listener survey—let us know what you like about the show, and what you don’t.

In a post-war first, Germany’s round of parliamentary voting for a chancellor did not produce one. We ask why members of Friedrich Merz’s coalition turned on him, and what happens next. Daring raids on scam compounds in Myanmar freed many slave-labour scammers—but thousands remain trapped there (9:42). And diving into the data that show young Americans are getting (slightly) happier (16:23).Economist Education is running a new six-week online course on international relations—a window into shifting geopolitical trends and a guide to navigating uncertainty and risk. Listeners to “The Intelligence” can save 15% by clicking here and using the code INTELLIGENCE.

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordisk to Google. New episodes are out weekly starting May 12th. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plusIf you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Many people view plastic as an environmental disaster that blights landscapes and chokes marine life. Our correspondent argues that instead we need to better understand this miracle material. To make prison work, governments need to have better strategies for managing inmates’ release (10:04). And could saying sorry harm your career (16:16)? 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.

Australia’s Conservative party was on the ascent until Donald Trump took office in January. At the polls this weekend, the dominant concern is who will stand up to the new White House administration. How India’s revolution in road-building is transforming rural lives (10:32). And a new sports league for athletes who want more than gold medals (17:19). 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. 

America and Ukraine have signed a deal to share the profits of extracting natural resources. Our correspondent explains its significance. How the trade war with China will hit US shoppers (8:29). And a century on, why Art Deco is still in style (17:36). 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. 

Since Donald Trump took office, there has been a deluge of news. Our correspondent considers what might happen next. Fifty years on from the fall of Saigon, we meet the Vietnamese who fled the country (10:47). And our obituaries editor celebrates the life of busker and star Alice Tan Ridley (18:06). Music credit: Seikilos Epitaph with the Lyre of Apollo by Lina PaleraListen 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.

Hal Hodson, America's editor at The Economist, shares insights on Canada's Liberal Party's unexpected victory, fueled by a surge of anti-Trump sentiment. He discusses how this shift in political dynamics could reshape Canada’s approach to U.S. policies. The conversation also touches on the evolving Japanese corporate culture, where traditional loyalty is giving way to job mobility, highlighting a generational desire for work-life balance. Lastly, Hodson reveals Volkswagen's surprising success with its currywurst, which has outsold their cars.