The Bank of Japan has ended its grand experiment in unconventional monetary policy—how did it work, and what happens now that it has concluded? Ahead of Florida’s presidential primary our correspondent pays a visit, examining the state’s hard swing to the right (10:17). And the next in our Economist Reads series: why God seems to care so much about sex (19:09).
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Podcast transcripts are available upon request at podcasts@economist.com. We are committed to improving accessibility even further and are exploring new ways to expand our podcast-transcript offering.
The United Nations says famine is imminent in Northern Gaza. In one state that has banned abortion, maternal health care now looks very different. And it's Primary Day in five more states — including Arizona, one of a handful of states likely to decide the election this fall.
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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Mark Katkov, Carrie Feibel, Megan Pratz, Dana Farrington, Alice Woelfle and Ben Adler. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Taylor Haney. We get engineering support from Phil Edfors and David Greenburg, and our technical director is Stacey Abbott.
James Perkins did not have a traditional journey to technology, but has been in the space for 16 years. He had planned to be a special education teacher prior to switching to technology. He's worked in pre-seed startups all the way to big corporations. But outside of tech, he has a wide variety of hobbies - in particular, running and training for half marathons. This process requires about 6 weeks of training, primarily mental training over physical.
James and his co-founder were friends and colleagues before their current venture. They had an idea around building a small version of API authentication. After building and releasing this version, they wanted to see how people received it. They were overwhelmed with the response, and figured they should push harder on this to be a company.
This week Danny and Tyler discuss some of the highlights of 80's and 90's hitmaker Patty Loveless. From her prodigious start as an opener for Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton to her current status as a dedicated bluegrass musician, we dig into Loveless's long, impressive career.
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In the middle of the second century AD, Rome was at its prosperous and powerful apex. The emperor Marcus Aurelius reigned over a vast territory that stretched from Britain to Egypt. The Roman-made peace, or Pax Romana, seemed to be permanent. Then, apparently out of nowhere, a sudden sickness struck the legions and laid waste to cities, including Rome itself. This fast-spreading disease, now known as the Antonine plague, may have been history’s first pandemic. Soon after its arrival, the Empire began its downward trajectory toward decline and fall. In Pox Romana: The Plague That Shook the Roman World (Princeton University Press, 2024), historian Dr. Colin Elliott offers a comprehensive, wide-ranging account of this pivotal moment in Roman history.
Did a single disease—its origins and diagnosis still a mystery—bring Rome to its knees? Carefully examining all the available evidence, Dr. Elliott shows that Rome’s problems were more insidious. Years before the pandemic, the thin veneer of Roman peace and prosperity had begun to crack: the economy was sluggish, the military found itself bogged down in the Balkans and the Middle East, food insecurity led to riots and mass migration, and persecution of Christians intensified. The pandemic exposed the crumbling foundations of a doomed Empire. Arguing that the disease was both cause and effect of Rome’s fall, Dr. Elliott describes the plague’s “preexisting conditions” (Rome’s multiple economic, social, and environmental susceptibilities); recounts the history of the outbreak itself through the experiences of physician, victim, and political operator; and explores postpandemic crises. The pandemic’s most transformative power, Dr. Elliott suggests, may have been its lingering presence as a threat both real and perceived.
This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars.
On the morning of August 27, 1883, one of the most destructive natural disasters of the 19th century occurred on the island of Java, in what is today the nation of Indonesia.
After weeks of low-level rumblings, a volcanic eruption totally obliterated the mountain that it had formed.
The devastation wasn’t limited to the immediate area around the volcano. The blast's effects literally affected the entire planet.
Learn more about the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa and its devastating impact on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Senator Bernie Sanders introduced Senate Bill 3947 to change the standard 40-hour workweek to 32 hours with no loss in pay and held a hearing on March 14th. Naturally the right doesn't love this. But what do the studies say? And where did the 40-hour week even come from? SeriousPod colleague Lydia Smith explains how this particular issue highlights ways in which we can combat rhetoric from the right and move towards something that is, on every metric, better than what we have now.
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We'll tell you about the statewide races voters are deciding today that could end up being significant nationwide.
Also, the U.S. took a historic step to ban asbestos that's long been linked to serious health problems.
Plus, we're talking about a new initiative meant to close the gender gap in healthcare, the "largest game show in history" was just announced, and Spring has (almost) sprung: what to know about the Spring Equinox today.
