Mohamed Guhaad's podcast

The U.S. government has filed a landmark antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, pointing to a set of familiar features that have made, the internet retail giant so beloved by consumers. Karen Weise, a technology correspondent for The Times, explains why those features may actually be illegal. Guest: Karen Weise , a technology correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading:  The Federal Trade...

As China strove for a larger role on the international stage at the turn of the century, the arrival of the internet and a relatively relaxed political environment spurred a boom in self-expression. Many writers tested the boundaries of Chinese literary culture, experimenting with subjects that were quotidian but taboo on the page: corruption, sexual desire and evolving gender roles. In today’s Ch...

 During past economic downturns, officials have been both swift and bold. This time not so much—because their hands are tied by knotty internal politics . We ask why Latin America makes for such a useful playground for Russian spies (10:07). And remembering Fernando Botero, a Colombian artist who never deviated from his not-quite-comically plump figures (18:16). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now...

A showdown between House Republicans and their leader, Speaker Kevin McCarthy, is heading toward a government shutdown. Carl Hulse, chief Washington correspondent for The Times, explains the causes and consequences of the looming crisis. Guest: Carl Hulse , is chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading:  How a small minority of right-wing Republicans succeeded in sow...

Many of the pieces are in place to bring the disease entirely under control—but our correspondent finds it will take more than advances in medication. Japan’s government has at last begun to regulate the country’s notorious pornography; we examine a sector emerging from the shadows (11:07). And how China uses UNESCO world-heritage status to rewrite the history of its periphery (18:38). Sign up for...

Although one major strike, against Hollywood studios, was finally resolved this past week, another, against U.S. vehicle makers, is expanding. The plight of the autoworkers has now become a major point of contention in the presidential race. Jonathan Weisman, a political correspondent for The Times, explains why the strike could be an essential test along the road to the White House. Guest: Jonath...

Where the defensive lines really are, the state of Russia’s reserves, battlefield tactics: Kyrylo Budanov is a candid interviewee —but he claims to know nothing about all those drones. Gambling has been illegal in Brazil for decades, but pinched government coffers point to a lifting of the prohibition (10:42). And the passion and the profitability of “ BookTok ”, the literary end of TikTok (16:51)...

After 148 days on strike, writers of movies and television are returning to work on Wednesday with an agreement in hand that amounts to a major win for organized labor in Hollywood. John Koblin, a media reporter for The Times, explains why the studios acquiesced to writers’ demands and what the deal means for the future of American entertainment. Guest: John Koblin , a media reporter for The New Y...

President Emmanuel Macron’s about-face on maintaining a presence in the coup-stricken country portends a broader change in France’s relations on the continent. Shifting geopolitics is changing the list of the world’s big arms dealers (9:08). And the internet influencers taking a swing at professional boxing (16:02). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our lim...

In one of the most serious political corruption cases in recent history, federal prosecutors have accused a senior U.S. senator of trading the power of his position for cash, gifts and gold. Tracey Tully, who covers New Jersey for The Times, tells the story behind the charges against the senator, Robert Menendez, and his wife, Nadine, and describes the role played by Wael Hana, an Egyptian America...

California is poised to become the first state to outlaw discrimination based on a person’s caste. The system of social stratification, which dates back thousands of years, has been outlawed in India and Nepal for decades. Amy Qin, a correspondent who covers Asian American communities for The Times, explains why so many believe a prejudice that originated on the other side of the globe now require...

Populist, right-wing parties are already in power in Hungary, Poland and Italy—and getting closer to it across the continent . We ask why. At long last Rupert Murdoch, the patriarch of a global media empire, has stepped aside —sort of. We examine how he will still pull the strings (09:46). And the merits of letting American pupils start school a bit later (17:39). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ n...

“The weird thing about growing up kidnapped,” Shane McCrae, the 47-year-old American poet, told me in his melodious, reedy voice one rainy afternoon in May, “is if it happens early enough, there’s a way in which you kind of don’t know.”There was no reason for McCrae to have known. What unfolded in McCrae’s childhood — between a day in June 1979 when his white grandmother took him from his Black fa...

Reporting from the ground, our Eastern Europe editor explores how the country is bracing for a new phase of war . In some ways, people have adapted, but equally the invasion has clearly taken a mental toll. Reflecting on the life of the Zulu chief turned politician Mangosuthu Buthelezi (11:51). And how to get out of jail (18:39). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscriptio...

Warning: This episode contains descriptions of rape, sexual abuse and death. As an epidemic of fentanyl use continues in America, causing tens of thousands of deaths each year, lawmakers and law enforcement agencies are holding one group increasingly responsible: drug users themselves. Eli Saslow, a writer for The Times, tells the story of a man whose friendship ended in tragedy and a set of laws...

It would not be the first time that a member of the government has gone missing , not even the first time this year. But what does this say about the leadership of the People’s Liberation Army? No one cares about Apple’s new iPhone, but the tech giant has more to worry about (09:24). And why an old-school motorbike is still driving new hype in India (16:00). Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and...

Warning: This episode contains descriptions of violence. The relationship between two democratic allies fell to its lowest point in history this week, after Canada accused India of assassinating a Sikh community leader in British Columbia in June. Mujib Mashal, The Times’s South Asia bureau chief, explains this stunning accusation — and what India’s reaction to it tells us about the era of its lea...

The murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Najjar has deepened a long-running spat between the two countries. Will Canada’s allies be willing to get involved? It’s been 100 years since Japan’s Great Kanto earthquake . Here’s how the country is preparing in case there is another (XX:XX). And young people’s newfound love for country music is fuelling a boom in the genre (XX:XX). Sign up for Economi...

New research and polling show that more and more Americans now doubt a previously unquestioned fact of U.S. life — that going to college is worth it. Paul Tough, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, explains why so many high-school students and their parents are souring on higher education and what it will mean for the country’s future. Guest: Paul Tough, a contributing writer fo...

This is not the first time the Islamic Republic has taken foreigners hostage . It’s proven an effective bargaining chip for decades and this time around, it has earned the state billions of dollars in unfrozen assets. Also, should you go for a forever-fixed mortgage if you can (09:36)? And what an American chain restaurant says about the importance of cross-class mixing (15:15). Sign up for Econom...

As Ukraine’s counteroffensive grinds on, it’s increasingly turning to a secret drone program that is hitting targets deep inside Russian territory. At least three different Ukrainian-made drones have been used in attacks inside Russia, including on Moscow, according to an analysis by The New York Times. Christiaan Triebert, a journalist on The Times’s Visual Investigations team, explains the origi...

Drugs like Ozempic are revolutionizing the treatment of obesity. The medications, originally used to treat diabetes, keep gaining attention as celebrities and other influencers describe taking them to lose weight quickly. Dani Blum, a reporter for The Times, tells the story behind the drugs and describes some of the ramifications of using them. Guest: Dani Blum , a reporter for Well at The New Yor...

The libertarian right-winger is leading in the polls, a surprise for a country that has typically leaned left. He has drastic plans to shrink the state. Could he turn the country around? Why Germany’s highway system and techno lovers have come to a crossroads (11:22). And, a Noah’s-Ark-inspired economic theory of conservation made pertinent by the threat of climate change (19:59). Sign up for Econ...

Twenty years ago, a glamorous platinum-blond widow arrived at the Paris law office of Claude Dumont Beghi in tears. Someone was trying to take her horses — her “babies” — away, and she needed a lawyer to stop them. She explained that her late husband had been a breeder of champion thoroughbreds. The couple was a familiar sight at the racetracks in Chantilly and Paris: Daniel Wildenstein, gray-suit...

As progress on the front line slows, Western countries are divided over how the army should proceed. There are disagreements about where should be targeted and how, and with autumn around the corner, time is of the essence. Why Americans’ feelings about their economy have become a less useful indicator for forecasters (12:34). And, are New Zealand’s rugby team off their game (18:24)? Sign up for E...