As America fights over the appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, does the #MeToo movement risk becoming just another battlefield in the culture wars? Why aping the lives of top executives is not the secret to professional success. And the final chapter for China’s most beloved storyteller. Anne McElvoy hosts

Why Europe should embrace ties with Africa, the wildlife photographer who built an assault course for badgers, and an impressive display of bonhomie on the Korean peninsula. Lane Greene hosts.

A special episode marking the culmination of the Open Future initiative, launched this year to celebrate 175 years since The Economist's founding to remake the case for liberal ideals. Featuring contributions from James Comey, Angelina Jolie and Bjorn Ulvaeus from ABBA. Anne McElvoy hosts.

Ten years after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, has finance been fixed? Plus, the benefits of 3D-printing human organs in space, where not to build your capital city, and a taste of our new series in collaboration with Slate, “The Secret History of the Future”

The global influence of Silicon Valley may have reached its peak – does this mean a new age of opportunity for the rest of the world? Also, Republicans and Democrats remember Senator John McCain. And what to do about the scourge of honey fraud. Anne McElvoy hosts

Americans will soon have to face a simple question: is Donald Trump above the law? Plus, the Cambridge Analytica whistleblower, Christopher Wylie, on how big data is changing the political game. And a tribute to the queen of soul. Anne McElvoy hosts

Online dating has revolutionised the way humans couple up, but the impact of this mass social experiment is only just becoming clear. Plus, the bashful decline of European nudism, and The Economist gazes into the future and asks, what if 50% of CEOs were women? Anne McElvoy hosts Music by Chris Zabriskie, “Divider” and "Candlepower" (CC by 4.0 UK)

Inevitable but unforgivably outdated – why today’s tax systems need to be brought into the 21st century. Also, how NASA prepared to explore a place 300 times hotter than the surface of the sun, and France's love affair with the high-speed train. Robert Guest hosts

As the northern hemisphere continues to smoulder through this long hot summer, is mankind losing the war against climate change? The American humourist Davis Sedaris talks about the beauty of eavesdropping. Plus, just how valuable is your accent? Lane Greene hosts

Britain’s churches are being turned into quirky campsites. Congo’s Catholics are standing up for democracy. And why open-plan offices can lead to closed minds. Richard Cockett hosts

The WTO and the global system it oversees are both under threat. Can they be saved? The Cook Islands could soon achieve rich-country status, but becoming the world’s newest developed country may not be all good news. A metal used to harden steel could help prevent global warming. And how to find the many fossils buried within language. Anne McElvoy hosts

Can Theresa May deliver a soft Brexit? Her new plan is the most realistic one yet, but it has unleashed fresh political chaos. Plus, the latest currency insights from the Big Mac index and a trip through the mean streets of Old Shanghai. Anne McElvoy hosts Music by Chris Zabriskie “Divider” (CC by 4.0 UK)

A transatlantic rift is growing – why is NATO worth saving? Plus Jaron Lanier, a pioneer of VR, on why people should delete their social media accounts and get back to reality. And how the longest heatwave for nearly half a century is disrupting both Britain’s courts and its pubs. Anne McElvoy hosts

Netflix is the tech giant everyone is watching. It has so far managed to avoid the techlash, but will it be happily ever after? Plus Madeleine Albright, America’s first woman secretary of state, on her country’s relationship with Russia; Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the world wide web, on the failures of the internet; and the urban gardens blossoming in the big smoke. Richard Cockett hosts 

Women at the wheel in Saudi Arabia are the most visible symbol of a social revolution led by Muhammad bin Salman. The crown prince has a chance to transform the Arab world for the better, but failure could bring more chaos. Also, why America’s small-town newspapers are down but certainly not out. And the fight for free speech, from campuses to stand-up comedy. Anne McElvoy hosts

Around the world, from Turkey to Venezuela, democracy is in trouble – the least-bad system of government ever devised needs defenders. Also, why nearly half of businesses in Sicily still pay protection money to the Mafia. And a dispatch from the land of the midnight sun. Anne McElvoy hosts

Although Donald Trump may strike a deal with North Korea after this week’s historic summit, in the long run his destructive approach to foreign policy will damage America and the world. Plus, the remote villages in rural China receiving express delivery by drone. And is the beautiful game a religion, a science or a fine art? Richard Cockett hosts. Music by Chris Zabriskie “Divider” (CC by 4.0 UK)

Italy finally has a government – how will the maverick populist coalition reshape the country and the wider eurozone? Plus, why British politics is sobering up, and the discovery of the gene for genius. Anne McElvoy hosts. Music by Chris Zabriskie “Divider” (CC by 4.0 UK)

Corporate America is betting that Donald Trump is good for business, but executives are counting their profits before their costs. The best-selling author Jordan Peterson has an unusual suggestion for preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. And could your smart speaker help you talk to God? Anne McElvoy hosts

After last week's bloodshed in Gaza, how Israelis and Palestinians can find a better way. Also, the unexpected environmental consequences of peace in Colombia, and the human fascination with the sound of silence. Rob Gifford hosts

Masayoshi Son is betting $100bn on the world's most exciting technology startups. Win or lose, his Vision Fund is shaking up the tech industry and those that invest in it. Plus, the Pulitzer-prize winning playwright David Mamet on his new comedy inspired by Harvey Weinstein. And are smartphones the key to escaping poverty?

Despite euphoria about the Korean summit, global arms control is unravelling. Historian John Lewis Gaddis assesses whether there might be order in Donald Trump's chaos. And a glimpse of the first neighbourhood built "from the internet up". Rob Gifford hosts

A basic level of universal healthcare is sensible, affordable and practical – including in poor countries. Also, Imran Khan, star cricketer turned politician, on the role of the army in Pakistan, free media and the full-face veil. And the Chinese Buddhist shrines that are floating on the stockmarket. Sarah Maslin hosts

The Republican party is organised around one man. Our cover story explains why Donald Trump’s takeover of the GOP is dangerous. Plus, the psychologist Steven Pinker launches our Open Future season with his case for radical optimism. And the cities where licence plates are more expensive than cars. Anne McElvoy hosts

Germany is becoming more diverse, open, informal and hip. With the right leadership, it could be a model for the West. Also, disrupting the business of death. And the son of a Swiss peasant who revolutionised London’s high society. Rob Gifford hosts