This week Elon Musk announced the <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2026/02/03/elon-musks-mega-merger-makes-little-business-sense?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">merger</a> of two of his companies: SpaceX and xAI, which makes chatbots. Is the new firm viable? As migrant workers return home for lunar new year, the Chinese Communist Party tells <a href="https://www.economist.com/china/2026/01/26/china-fears-a-flood-of-unemployed-workers-in-rural-areas?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">migrant workers</a> not to stay for too long. And our culture editor’s hot take on “<a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/02/05/the-hit-tv-show-that-no-one-saw-coming?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">Heated Rivalry</a>”.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</a>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our video</a> explaining how to link your account.&nbsp;<hr> 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.

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