Mohamed Guhaad's podcast

“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...

Speaker Kevin McCarthy has ordered an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, putting into motion the third formal attempt by Congress to remove a president in the past four years. Luke Broadwater,  a congressional reporter for The Times, explains the unique realities behind this one. Guest: Luke Broadwater , a congressional reporter for The New York Times. Background reading:  Mr. McCarthy, who...

For 17 years, The Economist has brought you a host of brilliant shows. Now we are taking that even further. But to bring you even more of the content that you love, we need your support. Why Nagorno-Karabakh is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster (09:44). And, a tribute to the man who sought to give AI some common sense (18:07).    Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subsc...

In a rare move, the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, traveled outside his country this week to meet with the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin. Julian Barnes, a national security reporter for The New York Times, explains what Russia wants from North Korea and how far Mr. Putin might go to get it. Guest: Julian E. Barnes , a national security reporter for The New York Times. Background readin...

On September 11th 1973, president Salvador Allende shot himself in the head after being overthrown in a coup , giving rise to the violent rule of General Augusto Pinochet. But citizens are divided on how the leaders ought to be remembered. How a landmark case in Montana could pioneer new climate protection laws (13:09). And, what makes a bestselling book (22:03)? For full access to print, digital...

On Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. government recommended that almost every American begin taking a new annual vaccine for Covid, a milestone in the nation’s three-year battle against the virus. Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The New York Times, explains why the era of booster shots is now over and how to navigate this latest uptick in infections. Guest: Apoorva Mandavill...

In a rare trip outside of the hermit state, it seems the dictator is planning to meet with Vladimir Putin. With the prospect of an arms deal on the table, how worried should the international community be? Car theft is a growing problem in America and automakers are partly to blame (08:49). And France’s booming boulangeries (15:02). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Later this week, as many as 150,000 U.S. autoworkers may walk out in a historic strike against the three Detroit automakers, General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. The United Auto Workers union and the Big Three are still far apart in talks, and have only two days left to negotiate a new labor contract before the deadline. Neal Boudette, who covers the auto industry for The New York Times, walks us...

As the counter-offensive continues, Ukrainian forces are running out of time to make substantial gains. Diplomatic attempts to isolate Russia have failed and progress on the front lines is slowing. From the capital Kyiv, the president tells The Economist’s editor-in-chief how the country is bracing for a long war. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30...

For years, the government has been trying to rein in Big Tech, pursuing some of the largest and most powerful companies on the internet. This week, the government takes on Google in the first monopoly trial of the modern internet era. David McCabe, who covers technology policy for The Times, discusses the case against the internet giant and what it might mean for the future if the it loses. Guest:...

In early 2021, a Wikipedia editor peered into the future and saw what looked like a funnel cloud on the horizon: the rise of GPT-3, a precursor to the new chatbots from OpenAI. When this editor — a prolific Wikipedian who goes by the handle Barkeep49 on the site — gave the new technology a try, he could see that it was untrustworthy. The bot would readily mix fictional elements (a false name, a fa...

This episode contains descriptions of severe injuries.  Last week, a devastating fire swept through a derelict building in Johannesburg that housed desperate families who had no place else to go. The authorities had been repeatedly warned that it was a potential firetrap. Nothing was done, and at least 76 people died. Lynsey Chutel, who covers southern Africa for The Times, explains how Johannesbu...

The highest interest rates in years should lead to a fall in house prices. But peculiarities of America’s mortgage market are driving them up . Egg-freezing was supposed to give women more control over childbearing; we look at scant data showing how successful it really is (10:57). And remembering Isabel Crook , an anthropologist who embraced China’s communist transformation, warts and all (15:44)...