The hard right has taken Germany into uncharted territory, winning one state election and racking up a large share in another. The far left is on the march too. Is Germany dividing into East and West again? Motorbike taxis are transforming Africa?s cities (11:10). And how farmers in Spain are delivering truffles to your dinner plate (18:11).

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Water scarcity is growing even in parts of the world that used to be drought-free. Since  most countries waste vast quantities of water, charging for it would help. Our correspondent travelled to America?s northern border to report on illegal crossings from Canada (8:57). And the life of biological anthropologist Helen Fisher, who studied the science behind love (16:41).

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The American chip designer has become one of the world?s most valuable companies on the back of the AI revolution. But there are some contradictions in Nvidia?s plans for the future. California?s iconic Highway 1 is under threat (10:46). And why Europeans are spurning nudity (20:41).

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As Pavel Durov sits in a French cell waiting to find out if he will be charged, our correspondent probes the links between Telegram and Russia. What central bankers and monetary policy specialists have been talking about at their annual jamboree at Jackson Hole (9:16). And we answer another listener question: how might Artificial Intelligence help people with disabilities (16:19)?

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Since the invasion of Ukraine, the West has deployed massive economic restrictions on Russian trade. So why is Russia?s economy growing? A survivor?s story from the forgotten conflict in Sudan (10:47). And Turkey tries to rid its streets of stray dogs (17:56).

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Snack-food companies have long shown their adaptability to changing diets. How could the rise of appetite-suppressing drugs and fears about ultra-processed foods change the food we consume? How hearing aids and other lifestyle choices can reduce your risk of dementia (11:00). And why it?s time to revive the siesta (17:11).

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In this episode of The Weekend Intelligence, Africa correspondent Tom Gardner tells the story of 21st century Sudan. A story bookended by war. Darfur, a state which captured the world?s attention in the early 2000s has once again become an epicentre of violence, disease and famine. Over 25 million people are starving. A fifth of the population has been forced to flee their homes. This latest war is one of unprecedented proportions and yet it is an ignored war, deprived of attention by a world which once made a promise never to let such horrors happen again.

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After an electric week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Kamala Harris now faces the real test in her bid to be president. Can she convince American voters? In the third part of our series on dating apps, we visit Brazil, China and Pakistan (10:24). And our obituaries editor celebrates the life of Wally Amos, the American king of cookies (19:06).

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Predicting political violence is a painstaking job. Now AI is helping analysts look for clues and throwing up fascinating insights into the shifts that may indicate a strike is coming. Why Cuba could be heading towards economic and social collapse (11:01). And our correspondent visits Odessa where Ukrainians are rediscovering the beach (18:54).

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Mpox is spreading fast across Africa, yet public information campaigns are scant and vaccines in short supply. Is a new pandemic in the offing? Strategists are pondering a new potential threat from Russia: the possibility that it could detonate a nuclear weapon in space (09:42). And an Economist correspondent answers another of your questions about Artificial Intelligence (18:16). 

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While many people fear the risk of a wider war breaking out in the Middle East, a parallel battle is already ongoing ? in the digital sphere. Can China challenge a long-standing duopoly in the airline industry (10:16)? And the latest Carrie Bradshaw index tells us where Americans can afford a solo apartment. Just don?t set your heart on New York? (17:22)

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As Democrats convene in Chicago, polls suggest Kamala Harris is ahead by a whisker in the US presidential race. Can the party sustain the momentum? In hospital, your recovery may depend not just on diagnostic technology or the drugs you take, but whether your doctor is a woman (10:11). And new research into elephant communication suggests the creatures may have something akin to names (16:34).

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Inflation, interest rates and jobless numbers are on healthy trends; markets are gaining back ground. As the spectre of global recession fades we ask why fear has persisted. In the second instalment of our series on dating we look at what singles are doing beyond the apps (10:23). And a tribute to Joss Naylor, Britain?s legend of fell running (18:51).

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Peace talks in Doha have a chance at progress even in Hamas?s absence. The outcome could determine the scope of Iran?s promised retaliations against Israel. New research suggests Mars may have an ocean?s worth of water deep in its crust (10:30). And Colombia?s bid to sate the global hunger for more sources of vanilla (18:14).

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Skilled immigrants bring more than just their expertise to job markets. But governments miss opportunities to attract them?or make them feel entirely unwelcome. In America it seems like the standard tip fraction just keeps going up and up (11:36). Where will it end? And as part of our ?schools briefs? primer on AI, we answer your questions, starting with facial recognition (18:28).

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Corporate investment in artificial-intelligence infrastructure reaches $1.4trn by some estimates. We ask what might threaten the expected windfalls that justify the spending. A Japanese mine?s bid to be listed by UNESCO was made harder because it ignores South Korean wartime forced labour (10:49). And why a nicotine pouch has so many fans on America?s right (18:03).

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Part of Russia is under foreign control for the first time since the second world war. We ask about the strategy behind the surprise raid?which may not be the last. The Paris Olympics were, all told, a tremendous success, with some lessons for future games (11:47). And the 3-D holographic displays coming to a car dashboard near you (20:35).

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The rich world is experiencing record migrant flows?and the attendant social upheaval. Finding immigration policies that are not economically ruinous is damnably hard. Our three-part series starts to unpack why people are so fed up with the big dating apps (11:10). And the head-spinning history of how break(danc)ing became an Olympic sport (18:44).

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Tourists are getting decidedly less-warm welcomes in popular spots, but blunt anti-tourism policies are self-defeating. We look at how to maintain benefits for both the visitors and the visited. As Russia tries to avoid another military draft, a slick recruitment drive seems to be bringing in new troops (09:22). And fatigue with smartphones is leading to a fashion for dumb ones (15:22).

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Tim Walz, a folksy Midwesterner who came late to politics, is on the Democratic ticket. We ask how he got there and whether he was the best tactical pick. A visit to Lebanon reveals a sense of foreboding, as a sharper war between Israel and Hizbullah seems inevitable (11:04). And the executives who just don?t know when to quit (19:53).

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Sheikh Hasina, who led the country for 20 of the past 28 years with an increasingly authoritarian grip, was ultimately undone by student protests that would not be quelled. China may be world-leading in autonomous taxis?but our ride in one is not without complications (9:00). And remembering Thomas Neff, who rid the world of a third of its nukes (16:38).

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Unrest across the country has been driven in part by the provably false claims of right-wing provocateurs. We examine the real concerns underlying the violence, and how to end it swiftly. Japanese politics had until recently been anachronistically tame; not so now that the social-media populists have arrived (10:18). And the notable parallels between ?House of the Dragon? and modern politics (18:00).

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The biggest exchange of prisoners between Russia and the West since the Cold War included opposition leaders, journalists and prisoners of conscience. Our correspondent accompanies America?s defence secretary on a tour of Asia designed to bolster military alliances (12:17). And why King Charles counts his swans every year (21:15). 

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As domestic demand in China slows, and the West puts up trade and political barriers, Chinese firms are shifting their focus to poorer parts of the world. After Russian attacks on Ukraine?s energy infrastructure intensify, our correspondent visits a wrecked power plant (9:10). And how the doner kebab became a cultural touchstone (17:00).

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After the killing of Hamas?s political leader Ismail Haniyeh, what are the prospects for ceasefire talks in the region? In Venezuela Nicolas Maduro has declared victory in presidential elections, but the opposition says the vote was rigged and protests have erupted on the streets (9:41). And why cooking may not be as healthy as you think (18:03). 

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Runtime: 22 min

The dearth of fixed-line infrastructure that allowed the continent to leapfrog into the mobile-phone age now holds it back. We ask how to ensure the even spread of AI?s dividends. A stinking Seine has delayed the Olympic triathlon, but the river could one day help clean up Paris (7:09). And how ?The Blair Witch Project? changed horror films (14:33). 

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After an airstrike killed 12 children in Israel-controlled territory at the weekend, retaliation in Lebanon seems inevitable. The end result could be a war on multiple fronts. British prisons are in crisis, so what should the new Labour government do (10:07)? And for the past 50 years, the Kronos quartet in America has brought together musical traditions to redefine classical music (22:48).

Additional music copyright Nonesuch Records, Black Angels I. Departure & II. Absence by George Crumb, Blood Oath by Philip Glass, Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector by Terry Riley, Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix, Tilliboyo by Foday Musa Suso, Nihavent Sirto, Flugufrelsarinn by Sigur Rós, Branching Patterns by Inti Figgis-Vizueta, Mishima/Closing by Philip Glass

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As the Olympics begin, more people than ever will be watching via streaming services. We examine the changing viewing habits transforming sport?s role in the broadcast business. The sentencing of Evan Gershkovich, an American journalist, reveals the empty, performative nature of justice in Russia today (11:10). And the internet has dubbed Kamala Harris ?brat??and that is a kind of compliment (18:34).

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Anyone hoping to glean hints of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu?s plans for the Gaza war and its aftermath will have been disappointed: it was a political speech aimed at Israelis. Nigerians spend more than anyone on food, as a fraction of income. We look at the factors making the squeeze even tighter (11:44). And Starbucks franchises as community-level drivers of innovation (18:28). 

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From tunnels to tanks to drones, Gaza?s horrors provide object lessons in urban warfare. We ask what Western forces will be learning about their own future conflicts. Silicon Valley types may relish the prospect of J. D. Vance, a former tech investor, becoming America?s vice-president?but it should in fact worry them (10:15). And the superstitious forces affecting Hong Kong?s property sector (18:57).

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A day is a long time in American politics: Kamala Harris has reportedly already secured the votes to become Democrats? presidential nominee, a pile of campaign cash and the Trump campaign?s attention. For insight into how China treats its startup scene, we count the dwindling number of newly born unicorns (10:03). And why Britain?s twee beach huts are so eye-wateringly expensive (15:40).

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Joe Biden has at last succumbed to the pressure to step aside and has endorsed his vice-president, Kamala Harris. We ask how things should progress from this extraordinary moment. India could be better run if power were devolved from the national government. The solution? Create lots of new states (10:03). And remembering Dr Ruth, who taught America to talk about sex (17:34).

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The scars of the covid pandemic are still raw, but now a virus spreading among farm animals could leap to humans. Could bird flu become the next pandemic? White women are sometimes absolved of blame in the crime of slavery in America (9:50). Research suggests they may have been culpable too. And meet the creator of Dateline, the Economist?s history quiz (17:25).

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J.D. Vance was largely unknown in American politics until Donald Trump picked him as his running-mate for vice-president. Last night he gave his first speech to the Republican National Convention. Why is trade so sluggish within Latin America (11:34)? And forget management books: literature offers the best lessons in leadership (20:14). 

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If you don?t have enough food in the first 1,000 days of your life, your brain may never reach its full potential. Our correspondent discusses what better nutrition would mean for the world. Undersea cables are the arteries of our telecommunications system, but that also makes them vulnerable (9:13). And a new powder may help make periods less of a bloody nuisance (17:42).

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After decades of torpor, is Japan recovering its dynamism? Our correspondent turns to an ancient bento box merchant to test Japan?s economic future. A new study shows how few therapies tested on animals end up being applied to humans (10:02). And if you don?t know a pickle fork from a fish fork, it could be time to take an etiquette class (16:28).

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After the shocking attempt to kill former President Donald Trump, how will America respond? Though leaders have called for calm, the risk is that an already hate-filled campaign could take a darker turn (11:06). Our correspondents consider the consequences for the two candidates, the presidential race and America at large

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Artificial intelligence is already making a difference in the theatre of war, and more involvement will certainly come. That raises a host of thorny ethical issues. In some cases, scientists just clocked, extinct beasts? DNA can be extraordinarily well preserved?revealing once-inaccessible biological secrets (10:43). And remembering Pål Enger, who never quite knew why he felt compelled to steal ?The Scream? (19:25).

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Democrats? worried murmurs have become public statements. Polls give Donald Trump a widening lead. Why won?t President Biden make way for a younger successor? Off Colombia?s coast a shipwreck bursting with treasures is about to be plundered, but who owns that loot is hotly contested (10:12). And why Finnish schools are trying to lure in more foreign students (17:43).

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Masoud Pezeshkian rode to victory on a promise of reforms that Iran?s people seem desperately to want. Will the former heart surgeon be permitted to carry them out? Ukraine has been getting a wartime pass on servicing its debts, but its creditors will soon come knocking (10:05). And why thousands of plutocrats are moving to Dubai (17:00).

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It was formed to unite the world?s strongest countries and preserve peace, but as NATO holds a celebration summit for its 75th anniversary, it faces tricky challenges. Climate change is jeopardising Scottish salmon, one of Britain?s biggest food exports (10:15). And why North Korea is sending hot air balloons over to the South, filled with rubbish and faeces (16:50).

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A tactical ploy to diminish the chances for Marine Le Pen?s hard-right National Rally has worked?a surprise result that puts the left in front, but no party in charge. Despite sporting passions in Africa, continental leagues have fizzled; a passion for basketball may soon change that (9:25). And remembering Ángeles Flórez Peón, the last militiawoman who defended Spain?s Second Republic (17:26). 

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Why are two old, unpopular men the main candidates for the world?s most demanding job?  It?s the question John Prideaux, The Economist?s US editor, gets asked the most. And the answer lies in the peculiar politics of the baby boomers. 

The generation born in the 1940s grew up in a land of endless growth and possibility, ruled by a confident, moderate elite. But just as they were embarking on adult life, all that started to come apart. The economy faltered, and the post-war consensus came under pressure from two sides: from the radical right, who hated government moves on civil rights  ? and from the ?New Left?, as boomers rebelled against their parents' generation and its war in Vietnam.

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Britain has elected a Labour government for the first time in 14 years. The party inherits a spattered legacy and a country that is often seen as a laughing stock internationally. We consider Sir Keir Starmer?s long to-do list: growing the economy, mending Britain?s reputation?and moving house within 24 hours. 

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It has changed our lives and become one of the world?s most valuable companies. As Amazon turns 30, what comes next? Education is key to social mobility in India, so protests have erupted over widespread cheating in university entrance exams, presenting Modi?s new government with its first scandal (8:52). And why durian, a giant smelly fruit, has become a geopolitical tool (15:53)

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How did two old, unpopular men end up running for the world's most demanding job? The answer lies in the peculiar politics of the generation born in the era of the bomb. It?s a generation that has enjoyed extraordinary wealth and progress. Yet their last act in politics sees the two main parties accusing each other of wrecking American democracy. As the boomers near the end of their political journey, John Prideaux, The Economist?s US editor, tries to make sense of their inheritance and their legacy.

Launching July 2024.

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As heatwaves become more frequent and intense, they exacerbate existing inequalities. The poor, sick and elderly are particularly vulnerable. How should governments respond?  Universities depend on the high fees international students pay. Now Indian scholars are replacing the diminishing flow of Chinese ones (10:00). And full-body deodorant is all the rage: find out if you should be using it (16:15).

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The US Supreme Court has granted the former President immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office. We ask what that means for future Presidents and the 2024 American election. Humanity is standing by while sea levels rise. Now scientists want to geo-engineer polar ice to stem the flow (10:45). And why a hot sauce beloved by many suddenly disappeared from our shelves (19:45).  

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Marine Le Pen?s far-right party made great gains in the first round of France?s parliamentary election. The left did too. We ask what this means for France and President Emmanuel Macron. Thailand will soon legalise same-sex marriage, but in other areas, democratic freedoms are being threatened (10:20). And penalty shoot-outs are agony for players, coaches and spectators. Can technology help (16:20)? 

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On July 4th Britain will have a general election, one in which is widely expected to result in dramatic losses for the ruling Conservative party. If so, it would bring to an end 14 years of Tory rule. It?s been a turbulent period; the twin catastrophes of Brexit and Covid, set to the grinding and gloomy mood music of the 2008 financial crash. The Economist?s Andy Miller travels up and down the country, to the towns and cities shaped by these events, to get a sense of how Britain is feeling.

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