Mohamed Guhaad's podcast

Almost exactly 50 years on from the moment that launched the deadly Yom Kippur War, Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza strip, carried out a series of attacks . Hundreds have been killed, Israeli intelligence services were surprised and the retribution is bound to be severe. What does this mean for Palestinian civilians, and regional politics more broadly ? Hosted on Acast. See acast....

Warning: This episode contains descriptions of violence. Over the weekend, Palestinian militants with Hamas, the Islamic group that controls the Gaza Strip, mounted a stunning and highly coordinated invasion of Israel, rampaging through Israeli towns, killing people in their homes and on the streets, and taking hostages. Isabel Kershner, who covers Israeli and Palestinian politics and society for...

The first time Tony Ford played Dungeons & Dragons, he was a wiry Black kid who had never seen the inside of a prison. His mother, a police officer in Detroit, had quit the force and moved the family to West Texas. To Ford, it seemed like a different world. Strangers talked funny, and El Paso was half desert. But he could skateboard in all that open space, and he eventually befriended a nerdy...

The ouster of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy a few days ago demonstrated how powerful a small group of hard-right House Republicans have become and how deep their grievances run. We speak to one of the eight republicans who brought down Mr. McCarthy: Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee. Guest: Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District. Background reading:  How have t...

The once-unassailable titan of tech has missed big opportunities in recent years. But it has a reasonable shot at the title again, thanks to its artificial-intelligence ambitions . Sexual assault allegations in China made the Women’s Tennis Association take a hard line on tournaments in the country— for a while (8:48). And why the brutal felling of an ancient tree has bothered Britons so much (16:...

Divisions within the ruling party are on full display this week, and the provocative policies Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced are unlikely to help the Conservatives’ woeful polling numbers. Early results suggest that new drugs initially prescribed for weight loss may be a powerful treatment for alcohol-use disorder (13:06). And a data dive reveals which countries get the most sleep (20:05) Si...

For decades, the world seemed to be winning the war against mosquitoes and tamping down the deadly diseases they carried. But in the past few years, progress has not only stalled, it has reversed. Stephanie Nolen, who covers global health for The Times, explains how the mosquito has once again gained the upper hand in the fight. Guest: Stephanie Nolen , a global health correspondent for The New Yo...

Another shutdown standoff, funding worries for Ukraine, more leadership chaos: the booting of America’s speaker of the House of Representatives bodes ill for governance. “Jawan”, a new Indian film, is non-stop action with Bollywood flourishes—and reveals how divisions in the country are being bridged (9:26). And an investigation of places where centenarians are abundant suggests healthy lifestyles...

The vote on Tuesday to remove Representative Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House of Representative has left the chamber mired in chaos. Luke Broadwater, a congressional correspondent for The Times, describes what happened on an unprecedented day in American politics. Guest: Luke Broadwater , a congressional correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading:  The vote to ouster the House...

The founder of FTX, a spectacularly failed cryptocurrency exchange, is a curious character . He denies the stack of charges he faces in a New York court, but unpicking the cryptographic paper trail will be tricky. Crime in Britain is broadly in decline, with the notable exception of increasingly brazen shoplifting (10:24). And how a sports-media entrepreneur became a pizza-review star (15:57).Addi...

Sam Bankman-Fried, the fallen golden boy of crypto, is going on trial for what prosecutors are calling the largest financial fraud in recent history. David Yaffe-Bellany, a technology reporter for The Times, explains the case of the man who was supposed to save the cryptocurrency industry and what its outcome could tell us about why he did not. Guest: David Yaffe-Bellany , a technology reporter fo...

The workplace keeps changing and managers have to keep up. The best bosses create systems for solving problems old and new—from navigating working-from-home demands to hiring the right people, from running good meetings to managing themselves.  Andrew Palmer, author of the Bartleby column, looks for advice on how to be a better boss by talking to people who have actually done the job. Listen to Th...

The literal 11th-hour deal to avert a government shutdown is only a stopgap—and the battle may end up costing Kevin McCarthy his post as leader of the House of Representatives. The uptake of electric scooters is significantly outpacing that of four-wheeled vehicles in Asia (10:30). And Britain’s curious “risk registers” put numbers to how the world might end (16:47). Sign up for Economist Podcasts...

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...