Under different thumbs: a scant TikTok deal

About this episode

<p>President Donald Trump’s executive order ostensibly puts a years-long debate to bed. But questions persist about who will own—<a href="https://www.economist.com/briefing/2025/09/25/can-donald-trump-muzzle-americas-press?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">and influence</a>—TikTok’s American operations. We examine the evidence on how climate change will aid the spread of dengue fever, a brutal and potentially deadly disease. And a tribute to Patrick McGovern, who obsessively recreated <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2025/09/18/patrick-mcgovern-was-the-maven-of-ancient-tipples?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">boozy beverages</a> of yore.</p><br><p><em>Get a world of insights by </em><a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>subscribing to Economist Podcasts+</em></a><em>. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our </em><a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>FAQs page</em></a><em> or watch </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>our video</em></a><em> explaining how to link your account.</em></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>