The Intelligence from The Economist

Overnight, the Pentagon said it “eliminated” 16 Iranian mine-laying ships, raising further jitters about the global impact of the war in Iran. Fifteen years after a tsunami caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan is restarting reactors. And our correspondent meets Jafar Panahi, the Iranian director whose film is nominated for two Oscars this weekend.Guests and host:Rachana Shanbhogue, business and finance editorNoah Sneider, East Asia bureau chiefAndrew Miller, “Back Story” columnistRosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Iran, oil prices, Donald Trump, Strait of Hormuz, Brent crude, International Energy Agency, RussiaJapan, nuclear, Fukushima, tepcoOscars, “It Was Just An Accident”, Jafar PanahiListen 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.

After oil prices climbed to nearly $120 a barrel yesterday, Donald Trump signalled a possible abrupt end to the conflict in Iran. Markets calmed, but the course of the war remains unclear. Why China’s government has said little about Iran. And how a hippy grocery store became America’s swankiest supermarket.Guests and host:Edward Carr, deputy editor of “The Economist”Simon Rabinovitch, Beijing bureau chiefAvantika Chilkoti, global business correspondent Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Iran, Donald Trump, Brent Crude, financial markets, Asia, oil shockChinese foreign policy, Wang YiErewhon, food prices, supermarketsListen 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. 

After Iran appoints a new supreme leader, what does the choice tell us about the resilience of the regime and how the war will progress? Scientific research in America has taken a battering in Donald Trump’s second term. And why British choirs face a shortage of tenor voices.Guests and host:Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondentDaniella Raz, US correspondentJoel Budd, Britain social affairs editorRosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, oil pricesScientific research, National Science Foundation, renewable energyTenors, choirs, Oxford UniversityListen 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.

Last autumn, a shuttered amusement park in Niagara Falls, Canada, tried to export its 30 remaining belugas to China. When the Canadian government blocked that sale on welfare grounds, the park threatened to euthanise the animals. So began the race to save the whales. Sam Colbert reports on the challenge of re-homing captive whales. Even among leading scientists, what’s best for the animals is far from clear.Topics covered:Animal rightsMarine-mammal scienceTheme parksListen 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.Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic SoundTranscripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts

After a momentous week, our editors reflect on how uncertainty about the goals of the war in Iran will affect its course. Iran’s retaliation has been fierce and wide ranging. How long can Gulf stocks of missile interceptors last? And our obituaries editor looks back at the life of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Guests and host:Edward Carr, Economist deputy editor Josie Delap, Middle East editorShashank Joshi, defence editorAnn Wroe, obituaries editorRosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Iran, Donald Trump, third Gulf war, war goalsInterceptor missiles, military strategyAli Khamenei 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.

As America continues to batter Iran, what are the domestic implications of the war for Donald Trump? The widening conflict has prompted some European countries to deploy defensive forces. France has also announced a bigger shift in policy: to bolster its nuclear arsenal. And the politics of beer and nappies.Guests and host:Adam Roberts, foreign editorSophie Pedder, Paris bureau chiefShera Avi-Yonah, business writerRosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”Jason Palmer, co-host of “The intelligence”Topics covered: Iran, Donald Trump, senate, TurkeyFrance, Macron, nuclear warheads, NATOMAGA, marketing 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.

As America and Israel continue to bombard Iran, much of Iran’s retaliation is directed against energy infrastructure. With tankers blocked and oil prices rising, our correspondent discusses the impact on the global economy. Why do student debts weigh heavily on Britain’s graduates? And is line dancing really becoming sexy? Guests and host:Rachana Shanbhogue, business affairs editorJosh Roberts, capital markets correspondentHollie Berman, news editor, US bureau  Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence” Jason Palmer, co-host of “The intelligence”Topics covered: Iran, oil, gas, global economy, Dubai, Gulf, stockmarketsBritain, universities, student loans, taxLine dancing, New York, bar cultureListen 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. 

The war in Iran has entered its fourth day with further American and Israeli strikes, and Iranian retaliation across the region. Now Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has launched a ground offensive in Lebanon. Attacks on Tehran involved the use of Artificial Intelligence, so why is the Pentagon picking a fight with Anthropic, its supplier? And Pokémon turns 30.Watch “The Insider” on Iran: Economist experts ask what will happen nextGuests and host:Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondentHenry Tricks, US technology editorMoeka Iida, Japan correspondentRosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: War in Iran, America, Israel, Lebanon, Hizbullah, Middle EastAnthropic, OpenAI, Claude, Artificial Intelligence Pokemon, mediaListen 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.

This weekend, America and Israel launched long-anticipated attacks on Iran, killing Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader. Our correspondents analyse what his death means for the country and the strategy behind Iran’s retaliation. We report how Gulf States are dealing with unprecedented instability within their borders. And we assess Iran’s military capability and what might happen next.Guests and host:Nicolas Pelham, Middle East correspondent Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent Gareth Browne, Middle East reporterShashank Joshi, defence editorRosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Iran attacks, military capabilityAli Khamenei, succession Donald Trump, foreign policyGulf States, Dubai 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.