Best English and Media Centre Podcasts (2024)

1
Indonesian president holds first cabinet meeting in Nusantara, the nation's future capital 4:06

7d ago4:06

4:06

Indonesia is gearing up to inaugurate its new capital Nusantara later this week, on the country's Independence Day. Amid delays and slow private investment, President Joko Widodo hailed the unfinished city as a "canvas on which to draw the future". Yuka Royer takes a closer look at the 30 billion euro megaprojects and convroversies surrounding it.…

1
Global oil prices jump after Hamas leader's assassination in Iran 3:37

25d ago3:37

3:37

Global oil benchmarks Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate surged this Wednesday on the news that Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh had been killed by a suspected Israeli strike in Iran. Fears over a regional escalation of the Israel-Hamas war are fuelling concerns over production and distribution of oil in a region that produces about a t…

1
Italy's Meloni visits China with trade high on agenda 3:41

28d ago3:41

3:41

On a five-day visit to China, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed to "relaunch" economic cooperation with Beijing and "rebalance trade". She has also sought to position herself as a potential mediator between China and the EU as the two blocs butt heads, especially on the issue of Chinese electric vehicle imports. In this edition, we lo…

1
Venezuela's damaging dependence on its oil industry 3:35

15d ago3:35

3:35

As Venezuela's opposition contests the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro, we take a closer look at the South American country's economic challenges. Hyperinflation, which reached a peak in 2019, may have subsided but it has underlined issues with wealth inequality and dependence on the oil sector. In addition, Caracas is carrying a massive fo…

1
The politics of Silicon Valley: Who are the tech barons backing Trump and Vance? 7:24

30d ago7:24

7:24

As the US presidential election campaign is roiled by Joe Biden's decision to pull out of the race against Donald Trump, we look at the role Silicon Valley has been playing in the contest so far. Long a bastion of liberal values, the US tech scene is seeing an increase in backers to Trump and the Republican Party. Michael Fertik, founder and managi…

1
Travelling in a new world: International tourism sector's Covid recovery 12:30

1M ago12:30

12:30

In today’s episode, we explore the resurgence of the post-pandemic global tourism industry. We discuss the impact of Covid-19, changes in air connectivity, the effects of global conflicts, and the rise of over tourism. Featuring insights from Anita Mendiratta, we also delve into the latest trend of tourists choosing cooler climates due to climate c…

1
Beauty pageant crowns the world's first ever 'Miss AI' 6:26

2M ago6:26

6:26

The world’s first AI beauty pageant has crowned a virtual Moroccan lifestyle influencer. But first, Spaniards are being pushed out of the property market as tourism breaks new records in the country. China is building more wind and solar power projects than the rest of the world combined. Plus, the UK economy grew faster than expected in May.…

1
The environmental impact of data centres: AI's insatiable thirst for energy 10:41

1M ago10:41

10:41

While the tech world has been flying high on a wave of optimism over all the potential applications of AI, booming demand for the technology is increasingly straining energy resources. One simple search on ChatGPT consumes almost 10 times more electricity than one on Google. Charles Pellegrin speaks to Mary de Wysocki, Senior Vice President and Chi…

1
Clean energy transition: Wind power overtakes coal in US 5:08

2M ago5:08

5:08

US energy generation is getting cleaner, with wind power becoming a bigger source of electricity in the US than coal. The Panama Canal’s administrator is building a billion-dollar water reservoir to compensate for drought. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell tells lawmakers that keeping interest rates elevated for too long could jeopardise economic…

1
Euro and French bonds slide as markets react to surprise left-wing surge in elections 4:31

2M ago4:31

4:31

After the New Popular Front left-wing alliance won the largest number of seats in France's National Assembly, investors have been assessing what this might mean for the French economy. In this edition, we look at what the market reaction to the surprise result has been and take a closer look at the New Popular Front's economic programme.…

1
A deep dive into capitalism with Scene on Radio podcast co-host John Biewen 14:25

2M ago14:25

14:25

Scene on Radio, the Peabody-nominated podcast series produced by The Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University, has dedicated its latest season to exploring the history, failures and future of capitalism over the course of 13 episodes. John Biewen, co-host of the podcast, joins us from North Carolina for a big picture conversation about the sys…

1
EU imposes additional tariffs on China-made EVs 5:24

2M ago5:24

5:24

The European Union has sharply raised import duties on Chinese electric vehicles to address what it sees as unfair competition. Starting Friday, provisional tariffs of up to 37.6% will be imposed on China-made EVs coming into the EU, on top of the standard 10% tariff on imported cars. Meanwhile, China's BYD opened a new factory in Thailand, its fir…

1
Google's greenhouse gas emissions are soaring because of AI data centres 4:54

2M ago4:54

4:54

The energy required to power AI data centres has caused Google's greenhouse gas emissions to increase 48 percent since 2019. Meanwhile, General Motors is faced with a $146 million fine to settle allegations that its vehicles released more pollution than the carmaker reported. But first, Bolivia's president has announced that the country is lifting …

1
New Japanese banknotes feature 3D holographic portraits that turn their heads 5:01

2M ago5:01

5:01

Japan's first new banknotes in 20 years have entered circulation, featuring three-dimensional portraits of the founders of financial and female education institutions in an attempt to curb counterfeits. While ATMs and ticket machines have been updated to treat the new bills, many of the country's ubiquitous vending machines have not. But first, a n…

1
Economic turmoil in Bolivia fuels distrust in government following coup attempt 7:22

2M ago7:22

7:22

Bolivia's president thwarted an attempted coup last week. But as a political feud continues between rivals, the country's deepening economic crisis and President Luis Arce's refusal to admit there is one, are fuelling public distrust in the government. But first, with the Olympics just around the corner, hotels in Paris are facing a decline in occu…

1
Paris hospitality sector faces tourism slump ahead of Olympics 5:04

2M ago5:04

5:04

Hotel occupancy rates in the French capital are well below average, as bad weather combines with Olympics-related transport hassles and price hikes to keep summer tourists away. Also, President Emmanuel Macron's planned unemployment insurance reform becomes the latest casualty of France's political upheaval – we take a closer look.…

1
EU charges Meta with violating competition rules 5:20

2M ago5:20

5:20

European antitrust regulators have charged Meta with violating the EU's competition law. Brussels has found Meta's new "pay or consent" advertising model in breach of the Digital Markets Act, which is designed to ensure fair competition and rein in the power of Big Tech. Plus, French shares soar after the far-right National Rally won the most votes…

1
French stocks jump in post-election relief rally as hung parliament looms 6:15

2M ago6:15

6:15

Paris's CAC 40 index jumps at the open after losing more than 6 percent last week, as investors calculate the possibility of a hung parliament in Europe's second-largest economy. Plus, we take a closer look at France's public debt and the spending plans of the far-right National Rally and the left-wing New Popular Front coalition.…

1
Health at heart of UK general election: Conservatives, Labour vow to fix NHS 12:40

2M ago12:40

12:40

In the run-up to the UK's general election on July 4, the state of the country's National Health Service (NHS) is a key campaign theme. Satisfaction with the NHS is at its lowest in 40 years and the same is true of social care. Both the ruling Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party are promising to increase funding for the NHS. One business-…

1
Tax the super-rich, says new report commissioned by G20 chair Brazil 6:47

2M ago6:47

6:47

In a new report commissioned by Brazil for its G20 presidency, French economist Gabriel Zucman says an international scheme to impose a global minimum tax on the world's richest individuals is technically feasible and that a 2 percent wealth tax on 3,000 billionaires could generate more than $200 billion in revenue. Plus, the summer sales have kick…

1
France's major parties trade barbs over economy in TV debate 6:29

2M ago6:29

6:29

Ahead of the first round of voting in legislative elections on June 30, top representatives of France's major parties and alliances took part in a televised debate on Tuesday night. In this edition, we take a look at the proposals and arguments put forward by the National Rally, the New Popular Front and President Emmanuel Macron's ruling "Together…

1
Kenya's president says debate on controversial tax bill 'hijacked by dangerous people' 7:12

2M ago7:12

7:12

Kenya's President William Ruto has vowed to restore calm "at whatever cost" after protesters stormed parliament and security forces opened fire. He said the debate over a controversial new tax bill has been "hijacked by dangerous people". The finance bill has failed to appease protesters, even after the government backtracked on some of its initial…

1
US prosecutors want Boeing to face criminal charges 5:46

2M ago5:46

5:46

According to media reports, US federal prosecutors are recommending that the Department of Justice bring criminal charges against Boeing. They say the planemaker violated a deal that shielded it from prosecution over two fatal crashes involving its 737 MAX jets. Plus, Apple has become the first tech giant to be charged under the EU's Digital Market…

1
Free trade vs. protectionism: Assessing the impact of globalised trade 12:48

2M ago12:48

12:48

It's a common and accepted trope that free trade has led to more prosperity. Yet free trade, and another word that often accompanies it – globalisation – are frequent targets of criticism, with both seen as eroding national sovereignty, taking away local jobs and harming the environment. Charles Pellegrin talks to John W.H. Denton, the secretary ge…

1
European elections leave markets jittery: What do far-right gains mean for EU? 13:18

2M ago13:18

13:18

A cloud of uncertainty is hovering over Europe this June in the wake of the European elections. In France, the National Rally party of Marine Le Pen dominated the polls to such an extent that President Emmanuel Macron immediately dissolved parliament and called for new elections. The possibility of seeing the far right take power in the country has…

1
Education on hold: Ukrainian refugees' road back to school 12:26

2M ago12:26

12:26

As a result of the war in Ukraine, millions of Ukrainian children have been scattered around Europe. These young refugees have seen their education heavily disrupted, with only between 30 and 50 percent of them enrolled in schools in their host countries. NGOs such as Junior Achievement (JA) Europe and UNICEF have teamed up to help offer 1.9 millio…

1
From fuel to electric: European auto industry faces 2035 deadline 12:32

3M ago12:32

12:32

As decided by EU member states and the European Parliament, sales of internal combustion engine cars will be banned in the bloc by 2035, thereby forcing a transition to electric vehicles. How will Europe's car manufacturers manage this major change? FRANCE 24's Charles Pellegrin puts the question to Julia Poliscanova, senior director in charge of v…

1
Artificial intelligence takes centre stage at 2024 VivaTech trade fair 12:37

3M ago12:37

12:37

This week, we bring you a special edition of People & Profit from VivaTech, France's major tech event. Charles Pellegrin asks Beatriz Sanz Saiz, global consulting data and AI leader at EY, how artificial intelligence could bring more equality. He also meets Olivier Oullier, whose company Inclusive Brains has developed tech that could be a game chan…

1
Moving Africa towards cleaner cooking methods: $2.2bn pledged at Paris summit 12:14

3M ago12:14

12:14

Rudimentary heating systems, often fuelled by wood fire, coal and animal manure, are used by a large majority of households in Africa. Delegates from over 60 countries gathered in Paris for a summit held by the IEA to help tackle this issue. Charles Pellegrin asks Jillene Connors Belopolsky, who is the chief of staff and chief external affairs offi…

1
Swiftonomics: How US pop superstar Taylor Swift is boosting the economy 13:41

4M ago13:41

13:41

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is continuing its planetary takeover, kicking off its European leg this week in France. Since her first concerts in March 2023 in the US, the pop star has been credited with boosting the national GDPs of the United States, Singapore and Australia. For a deeper look at the business phenomenon that is Taylor Swift, FRANCE 24'…

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