The Intelligence from The Economist

The Economist calls this "noise-cancelling news," and honestly, that's a pretty accurate description. Each weekday episode runs about 20 to 26 minutes and covers three stories drawn from The Economist's global correspondent network. Hosts Jason Palmer and Rosie Blau guide you through the picks with a style that's informed but never stuffy. What sets The Intelligence apart from other daily briefings is its genuinely international perspective. This isn't a US-centric show with a token international segment tacked on at the end. On any given day you might hear about Brazilian agricultural policy, a political crisis in Southeast Asia, and a tech regulation fight in Brussels -- all treated with equal depth. The correspondents reporting these stories are usually based in the countries they're covering, which makes a real difference. Saturdays bring The Weekend Intelligence, a longer deep-dive into a single story told with more narrative flair. It's a nice complement to the weekday format. Over 2,000 episodes in and holding a 4.5-star rating from nearly 2,500 reviews, the show has built a loyal audience that appreciates its analytical approach. The Economist has a particular editorial voice -- measured, data-oriented, classically liberal in the European sense -- and that comes through clearly. It's not neutral in the way a wire service tries to be, but it's transparent about its perspective. If you want global news coverage that actually makes you smarter about how the world fits together, this is one of the strongest options available.