Delivered before breakfast, The Economist Morning Briefing tells you what’s on the global agenda in the coming day, what to look out for in business, finance and politics and, most importantly, what to make of it. Please subscribe to The Economist for full access to print, digital and audio editions, including the full Economist Morning Briefing: https://www.economist.com/briefingoffer Digital subscribers to The Economist should log in at https://briefing.economist.com for access to the full Economist Morning Briefing.
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The Economist Morning Briefing podcast is an excellent source of daily news and analysis. It provides thoughtful and global coverage, ensuring that listeners are well-informed on the go. The fact that full weekly editions of The Economist are also available on audio is a fantastic feature that sets this podcast apart from others. With its concise and straight-to-the-point format, it is perfect for those who need to stay updated but have limited time. Additionally, the podcast deserves praise for its commitment to accountability - if there's a mistake in their coverage, they issue a quick apology at the end of the episode.
However, one drawback of The Economist Morning Briefing podcast is its irregular delivery. There are times when episodes are not released for several days in a row, leaving listeners without their daily dose of news. In contrast, platforms like Spotify always ensure timely releases of podcasts. This inconsistency can be frustrating for dedicated listeners and the team behind this podcast should strive to improve on this front.
In conclusion, The Economist Morning Briefing podcast is a highly recommended news source for those who want concise yet comprehensive coverage. Its commitment to accuracy and accountability sets it apart from other podcasts in the genre. While there may be some room for improvement in terms of consistent delivery, overall it provides valuable insights that keep listeners informed about global events.

Talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, DC ended after two hours. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel's armed forces say they struck more than 200 targets in Lebanon affiliated with Hizbullah, the armed group backed by Iran Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The S&P 500 dipped on Friday as investors grew cautious ahead of talks between America and Iran, but the index ended the week up 3.6%, its best performance since November Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Binyamin Netanyahu said Israel would begin talks with Lebanon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The speaker of Iran's parliament said the two-week ceasefire with America had already been breached three times, rendering further talks “unreasonable”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, subject to the Islamic Republic agreeing to the “immediate” opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oil prices jumped as Donald Trump threatened in a press conference to “take out” Iran and renewed warnings that America would bomb “every power plant” in the country if Iran doesn't open the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump threatened to strike Iranian power plants and bridges on Tuesday if Iran's regime did not “open the fuckin' strait”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, warned that “Radioactive fallout will end life” in the Gulf, after a fourth attack on the area surrounding Iran's only operational nuclear power plant in Bushehr Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump administration said it would ask for a significant rise in defence spending in its budget request to Congress for the 2027 fiscal year Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America's main oil benchmark rose to its highest level since mid-2022 on Thursday after Donald Trump warned in a televised address that he would hit Iran “extremely hard”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a prime-time address, Donald Trump said “we are on track to complete all of America's military objectives shortly” in Iran. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America's war secretary, Pete Hegseth, implored Iran's leaders to make a deal with Donald Trump, saying the country faced a “new regime”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, ordered the Israel Defence Forces to expand its “existing security zone” in southern Lebanon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iran struck Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base, reportedly wounding 15 American troops, five of them seriously Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mr Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security to pay airport-security staff, declaring the six-week DHS shutdown an “emergency situation” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump said he was “pausing” his threat to strike Iran's energy infrastructure for a further ten days, until April 6th, extending his Friday deadline for negotiations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iran appeared to pour scorn on America's reported 15-point ceasefire proposal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Pentagon is reportedly preparing to deploy more 1,000 combat troops to the Middle East, though America has apparently not made the decision to put boots on the ground in Iran. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump postponed attacks against Iran's power plants following what he called “productive conversations” with the regime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that it would completely close the Strait of Hormuz if Donald Trump carries through on a threat to “obliterate” Iran's power plants, if Iran does not fully open the strait. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Wright, America's energy secretary, said the war against Iran is “likely” to end within a few weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

North Korea fired what appeared to be around ten missiles into the Sea of Japan as America and South Korea carried out joint military exercises, which they claim are defensive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump said that the Iran war would be over “very soon” but simultaneously insisted America was “going to go further”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iranian state media reported that Mojtaba Khamenei had been chosen to become the country's supreme leader. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United Arab Emirates was in a “time of war”, said the country's president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in his first statement since the escalation of the regional conflict Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump said America would “immediately” provide insurance for shipping lines travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, and that the navy would escort oil tankers if necessary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump described America's attack on Iran as “our last best chance to strike”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oil prices surged dramatically when markets opened in Asia as traders reacted to the war in Iran that began over the weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israeli officials said the strikes had also killed senior regime officials, including the commander of the IRGC, and key members of Iran's nuclear programme Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain's prime minister pledged to “keep on fighting” after his Labour Party lost a parliamentary by-election in a Manchester constituency it has long considered a safe seat Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paramount was poised to secure a deal to buy Warner Bros Discovery, a bigger rival film studio, after Netflix declined to sweeten its bid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nvidia reported strong earnings and projected sales of $78bn for the current quarter, above analysts' estimates of about $72bn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pete Hegseth, America's secretary of war, gave Anthropic, an AI lab, until Friday to allow the Pentagon freer access to its Claude models. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Mandelson was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after he was accused of sharing confidential government documents with Jeffrey Epstein, a dead sex offender. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mexico's army killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the country's most notorious drug-trafficking gang. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emmanuel Macron, France's president, called for calm ahead of a far-right march in Lyon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mr Trump said he was considering limited strikes on Iran to pressure it into nuclear negotiations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump set a ten-day timeline to reach a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran over its nuclear programme, warning that “bad things will happen” if a deal falls through. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine and Russia ended their second day of American-led peace negotiations in Geneva after just two hours. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Warner Bros Discovery, a movie-making giant, is restarting talks with Paramount about a potential deal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, held talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog, about his country's nuclear programme ahead of negotiations with American officials in Geneva on Tuesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.